I am completely ignorant to the Audi brand but really like the way they look and drive. Simply put, I want one. I just don't know what to get, new or used, and what bells and whistles matter. To give you some background I currently own a 2006 Chevy Colorado and before that a '91 Buick Regal lol. So as you can see anything I buy is going to be awesome compared to what I have.

I am looking more for comfort, looks, and accessories over performance. I don't care if one has a little more pick up or power over the other. I would rather spend the extra money on the upgraded lighting, sunroof, etc.

I was hoping to stay under 40k. This led me to leaning towards the A4.

I have also saw in other forums that Audi has had issues with the timing chain and that it is very expensive to maintain and repair. Is this an issue with the newer models or just the older ones? I have tried looking online but everything I find is contradictory of each other.

Simply put, I do my research and want a no BS assessment so I figured what better source than this forum. It worked going to the Colorado forums so why not? Any suggestions or reality checks I may need is appreciated.

I want something that looks good but will last.

I also posted on audiforum.org but they didn't seem to have a ton of users online very often.

 

Hi,if you want a more active forum and get quicker answers go there:
Audizine Forums

 

Audi's and most German cars are excellent driving machines as long as everything is working. The problem is that they are high maintenance, needlessly complicated, and very expensive to fix. This is OK for a car under warranty. If you buy used, make sure it was properly maintained, and trouble free when you buy it.

 

Personally i change cars every 6 months to a year and this is the first time in 6 years that i'm concidering keeping my car for more then 12 months!
I have owned Mazda's,Honda's,Subaru's... And nothing compares to an Audi,for comfort reliability and styles i just luv this car!
It's now chipped to a Unitronic stage 1+ and it's really fun to drive and i'm amazed by it's fuel economy.If you do a little research you will find that the A4 is a great car with minor defaults,i whent for the B7 gen(2005.5-2008) cause i liked the looks and there was no major problems with this generation.

 

Ok, here's my no BS opinion on Audi's. They're great cars. Safe, comfortable, stylish, Quattro AWD.

But...

They are on the expensive side when it comes to maintenance and repairs. They are great cars for the DIY'er, though. So if you've ever had the notion to do the maintenance and repairs yourself, you can save a lot of money.

Personally, I would never purchase a new Audi. Depreciates too fast. I would look for something about 4 years old, because it'll be about half the original sticker price.

If you're not going to do maintenance/repairs yourself, then I would definitely recommend an extended warranty. Yes, it'll cost you a couple of grand, but you'll save at least twice that over the life of the car.

As to which Audi, well, I'm biased because I happen to like the A4 and the S4. But it's really up to you on which model you think looks the best.

If you end up looking at a used A4, the first question out of your mouth should be "has it had the timing belt job done yet? If so, at what mileage? Do you have proof, like a receipt?"

If the answer is no, and the car has over 70,000 miles on it, then tell the owner that his selling price is about $1500-2000 too high. Because that's what you're going to end up paying a dealer or independent shop to have that job done.

Hope that helps. Audis are expensive-ish to own and maintain, but they give a lot of pleasure in return. And safety.

 

Buy a 2007 rs4 with 400hp $34,000 used