Hi everyone, I'm from Australia.

Yes and sorry, I want to ask a few questions that have been asked a million times, but in a different way. I am still an university student but I love A4 so much I just want to own one, but due to limited budget, the only A4 models that is permitting is pre 99 model, around 94-96. But as most of you are aware, any pre 99 models should right now, be clocking more than 130,000kms of mileage.

After doing some research around the forum, things that I should be aware is, timing belt, pump (I dont understand what pump?), control arm and etc. However, I just need to acquire some information from your guys regarding the checklist of things that I should ask and confirm from the sellers/dealers before I purchase the car, please list down all things that I should be aware of, thank you.

If I do purchase an A4, I would most probably end up working on the car myself, modifications and maintanence, but without any post experience working on an Audi, I would like to know how hard will it be to do the maintainance work myself, any special tools required? What are the list of stuffs that needs constant change during maintainance work? Etc:

1: Engine oil change (how hard is it?)
2: Transmission oil
3.
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.
.
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Please, if anyone could just tell me what I should prepare myself with when purchasing a relative old A4. Any input of information will be very much appreciated.

Thanks guys.


Ed

 

So its been asked a million times, you know you should search, but you didn't anyway. Sounds resonable.

The pump you were talking about is the water pump and should be replaced when you do the timing belt.

An A4 really isn't much different from any other car. It has some techno gadgets, but it still has all of the same kind of components as any other car really. You can work on them. You may need a special tool here and there, but hell even Honda has special tools for some things.

You really should search, but here is a short list:
Control arms, Tie rod ends, timing belt are the main things. Look for oil sludge especially if its a 1.8T. Oil changes are easy, but only use synthetic oil. Tranny fluid is slightly tougher, but you really only need to do it once around 100k miles. Other than that check all the usual things you would check for any car.

Your best bet with buying an Audi is service records. A car with lots of service records is probably well maintained and will be a good car. Cars with no service records...who knows. I would recommend buying from a private seller who has lots of records (repairs, scheduled maintenance, etc). Pass on dealerships and guys that only have the receipt from the last oil change they got at Jiffylube 8k miles ago.

 

There is too much to search and don't know exactly what to look out for, that is why I am asking here instead.

Ok, so an used Audi with more than 100,000kms of mileage, but if provided a good service and maintanance history, should be worthy of consideration?

So an A4 with that sort of mileage, things that should already have been replaced are control arms, tie rod ends, timing belts and water pump?

Any other expensive parts that will start to fail due to the age that I would be expecting?