Hey everyone I'm looking to buy an Audi A4 but not sure what to look at. My funds are limited so right now I only have a few options.

Option 1

2004 Audi A4 Turbo

Has salvage title (nothing major)

118,000 miles

Has sport package 19" Audi spoke rims ect

Has small rack and pinion leak not a big deal I can change that out


Option 2

2001 Audi A4 2.8 Turbo

Clean title

88,000 miles

Water pump, timing and all belts have been replaced

Both cars look pretty clean interior wise

What I'm wondering what would be the better car, what are the differences between both of them

Is the 2004 bigger then the 2001 ect

Any help would be appreciated looking forward to owning an Audi so thanks ahead of time people

 

having dealt with salvage titles before, take it to at least two outside body/mechanic shops for structural damage that wouldn't be easily seen by just looking it over and test driving it.

Clean title is always the best route with the least amount of head aches. Also, financially speaking, you stated that funds were limited at the moment. Are you in dire need to get an audi a4 right this moment for everyday purposes, or would you be able to hold off and grow the funds for a while longer? reason i ask is one should never spend everything the saved up for a particular used car without a buffer to typical fix it up work. make sure you leave space for some fixes.

 

I have my commuter car I just want to buy another car so Audi is what I've been wanting for a while and finally saved enough to get one by no means is this cash coming out of my savings account

 

Like Travis said on the title. Find out why a salvage title and get it checked out by someone who knows Audi/VW. Find out how much hassle to get plates in your state etc.

With the 2001 you are going to be swapping stuff for simple age instead of mileage. Hoses, vacuum lines, etc so a little 'slush fund' will be required.

Is that a 1.8 Turbo for the 2004?

Depends on what you want to do with car. the 2.8 has a very short list of mods available, unlike the 1.8 which is endless. Check out the stickies to see the possibilities. If this isn't your daily driver I assume you want to play a little, hence a 1.8 would be better choice.

Take your time and you will find a good Audi. Watch the threads on this site to get an idea of what each model and engine requires for maintenance and decide what you want to end up with. I watched threads for two-three months before I bought my A4 and by then I felt like I knew what I was looking for and could spot any severe pitfalls. It also gives you some good leverage to work with when you know what kind of maintenance costs you can expect and if the vehicle has been up to date.

Do you want Quattro for any snow/ice driving? It is amazing with decent to good snow tires. Check the transmission, steer clear of the FWD CVT transmission.

Best option for something to play with is a manual tranny so you can upgrade the clutch if you upgrade the power. Automatic and tiptronic tranny has limitations on what kind of power you can put into the motor due to the tranny not being able to handle it.

Honestly, unless it checks out ok and you can get that 2004 for very cheap you don't need to settle for the headache of a salvage title.

Enjoy the search and whatever you end up with.

 

It's 1.8 liter and it had the ultimate sport package and there is. O snow here in Cali

I'm gonna check the forums and do some research but I don't think I really want anything less then a 2003 a4

Any more input is welecomed

 

think of it this way in order for a car to get a salvage title means an insurance company deemed it too expensive to even repair. that or it was too beat up to insure.

basically that 04 in its best condition with every option known to man is worth just under 9k private party sale in perfect condition. average condition is around just under 7grand. for an insurance company to write it off completely and earn a salvage title means there was at least 6500 worth of work needed to bring it back to average condition. I'd be very wary of it. if you want nothing less than a 2003 then I would suggest to wait it out for a bit for something else than these two.

 

I might just do some more research before I buy anything


Is a 2003 a4 pretty much the same as a 2004

 

Yes the 03 and 04 functionally are the same. On that 118k mile car, you're due for a timing belt at 120k, so budget for that (less than $300 in parts and a day's work your first time if you DIY, or $1500+ from a dealer, or $800ish from an indie euro shop). On either car you're going to be looking at co trol arms and probably wheel bearings in the not-too-distant future as well. Check the new owner guide in the B5 subforum stickies - its info will largely apply to the 04 as well.

 

Well I'm gonna look at the 04 on Monday but I figure if I buy that or a different one I'm for sure gonna do belts water pump and timing right off the bat I have a mechanic that has worked on my cars for years and is super cheap so I'm set on that just can't wait to get one lol

 

Here is a question is there a difference between a 2004 Audi a4 Quattro turbo and a 2004 Audi a4 With a ultimate sport package