So I have a BMW M5 that is my night car and I was thinking about buying a Audi A4 (2002) for my daily driver as there one of my favorite cars to look at and drive.. The last year I was driving a VW Passat B5.5 V6

So I know the cost wouldn't be much different. However I do have some questions.

At the shop that I get my car work done they have the Audi A4 there getting fixed. Right now it is puffing out a lot of smoke and apparently the turbo cuts off when you press on it. They are going to be fixing everything with the car before I buy and I really trust the mechanic. (Same guy that I trust works on my M5).

So here is a few questions.

Any idea why smoke would be coming out the back and why the turbo would be doing that?
(Just wondering It would be fixed before I bought it anyways)

Here is my concern. He is going to sell the car for a very good deal to me. However there is 165k on the car.

How reliable are these cars? meaning I don't want to get stranded somewhere and have to tow it or take a bus.


Thank you everyone!

P.s. Sorry for my bad english.

 

I used to drive buick turbo regals and rivieras. also Dad has turbo saabs and friends do to. I suspect the audi turbos are lubricated via an oil line that goes to the bearing/bushing the impeller/propeller rides in. turbos spin at very high RPMs and need to be well lubricated. this is why you never gun a turbo motor and shut it off. the turbo will spin after the oil supply stops and that's a bad thing. there are oil seals on the shaft that go bad and pressurized oil leaks by directly into the exhaust. which can cause quite a lot of smoke as you can imagine or have seen. also probably doesn't do the cats or oxygen sensors any good. could also effect an egr valve depending on the location. I would think the seal on the other side could let oil into the intake side and screw many things up as well...

 

^^^ this is correct. Audi turbos are known to fail with oil seal problems. Most likely this car needs a new turbo.