I'm planning on buying a used A4, probably 97-98, 1.8t definately. That's what my budget affords me. I have a friend who is a mechanic for VW's and Audi's, and he gave me reassurance that buying a 100,000mile A4 won't kill me in repairs, but I'd still like more advice. The focus of my question is on what to look for when picking out the right one. I know a recent timing belt change is essential, but other than that, are there tell-tale signs of car mistreatment, major problems waiting to happen, etc?

My parents already own a 2001 (see sig) so I know all about the differences between sport and regular, 1.8t and 2.8, what and how to mod, etc. Again, I'm just really looking for advice on what to look for when buying an older, higher mileage A4. Much appreciated.

(how cool would having two B5's in the driveway be. one black, one white )

 

i'd get a carfax and make sure its had all its schedule maintance etc. Also check to see if all the fluids are at appropriate levels. this is more a test of how well the previous owner took care of the car. Also, the turbo could be in bad shape with 100K miles. you said your interested in modding right? Just replace the turbo as your first mod, then you dont have to worry about an old turbo with 100K on it, also make sure to test drive it before you buy it. Good luck and happy shopping!

 

hmm...not really sure I want to be throwing a few grand at a turbo right away. And I'm not really comfortable with aftermarket turbos considering my low income as a student.

You don't think a turbo will last long past 100,000mi.? My mechanic friend said he hasn't really seen any issues...

 

Make sure the control arms are OK. They are known to have problems. Check for a cclunking in the front end like the sound of bad ball joints, or rubbing balloons a sign of bad bushings. Other than that just look at the general maintenance and shape of the vehicle.

 

My opinion has been to look at the condition of the car if you are buying from a private owner. Is it kept clean, are the tires wearing evenly, and of course are the maintence records in order? When you talk to the owner try to guage his honesty - this is one of the hardest things to do but try to catch him in a lie by asking about some particular service he said he had done and then ask him about it again later... if the facts don't match up then he may be hiding something. A lot of Audi owners are very particular and know alot about their brand... if the owner seems like he thinks its just another car then he may not have taken care of it as well. Be picky, but not overly picky- you're talking about buying something with over 100K miles, there is going to be some flaws (scratches, chips, dings, etc..). I just bought an A4 with 156K miles on it. Alot of people here said it was too many miles and I would be spending a lot of money keeping it on the road. While that may be true, it is a really fun car to drive. Once I washed it the first time I started to see a lot more flaws then I though there were, but I keep reminding myself of the milage... its been around. Some sellers are weird about letting you take the car to a mechanic to have it checked out, but if you have the oprotunity try to take it to a independent mechanic (sounds like you already know one), as the dealership maybe tring to rape you for unnecessary repairs. Remember, any car with over 100K miles is going to need things repaired... the Audi parts just cost a little more than average. Good luck with your search.