Hello,

I've gota couple of questions . So I've been researching for used cars and an Audi A4 popped onto my head (B5). It's this or a BMW E36 325i. Is the maintenence cost of these cars expensive in comparison with BMW's or is it cheap like Hondas and Toyotas. I'd really like to start with a nice car, and I really admire both styles, but now it's down to reliability and maintenence costs. I've heard the ideal mileage for looking at a used 1992-1995 BMW 325i is around 130-150k, since most of the problems people encounter go away after those miles. Anything like that with Audi's? Anything give Audi B5's an upperhand over BMW E36's?

And would you guys (owners of Audis) recommend one as a first car? If you guys could explain your reasoning, that would be absolutely great.

Much Appreciated,
Stealthyfish.

 

I LOVE MY AUDI!!!! But if its your first car be prepared to spend maintance money if you buying one with alot of miles(alot of miles meaning over 100k) if you find one for some where around 60k-80k ask if the timing belt/water pump have been changed. Because those cost ALOT to get fixed they always got out around 60k-70k!! Make sure the maintance records and oil changes have been recorded!! Other than that there GREAT cars Way better than A BMW 325 those are so gay, unless your a girl! I have a B7 and LOVE it its under warranty for another 30k which is always nice.

 

Lol. I'm a guy. 325i doesn't seem bad, but I do like Audi's too. It sounds like the B5's have a lot of problems though, such as the suspension problems in the 96's and 97's, convienently the majority of the years that I'm able to afford. Whats the typical maintenencecostsome of you guys spend per month just for the usual checkups and such.

 

I was also in the delimma of pickign an BMW and a AUDI.. I knew i wanted a german car. But, which one? Audi is a luxury sports sedan. Where as BMW is a sports luxury sedan. Are you getting my drift?

Yes, I, infact, just got my audi on thursday. It also has about 25k left on the warranty. But i was lucky enough to have the timing belt changed, and water pump changed. One thing i didnt consider when buying my audi was the tires. And the seats, make sure they recline lol.. My tires are going to need to be replaced b4 the rain comes, there pretty worn. But I was lucky enough to pick up the Just Tires warranty on them.

I'm just lucky.

p.s. make sure your headlights are not aimed in a F@#$#'d direction. I still can't seem to fix my lights.

 

Most people do alot of the maintace themselves. anything that goes wrong on you car you can pretty much DIY and everybody here is really nice! If you dont mind me asking how much are you willing to spend?

 

ok so this is gona be your first car and your looking at older european cars in the 100k+ mileage range. im guessin you dont have a budget over 10 grand, which means that like me, you ain't rich. which means unless you know your way around a car and can fix most problems yourself, an older european car is most likely not for you. the parts aren't too bad (tho some are ridiculous) but dealers are gona charge you over 100 bucks an hour to work on the car and independent mechanics are gona charge a little less. and with audi's almost everything takes twice as long as it should. mostly cuz everything is so hard to get at.

now im not saying audi's break down a lot, tho they have their quirks, but if it does and you dont have the cash to fix it, then your just gona have to stare at a sexy paper weight until you can come up with the dough. if your deadset on getting one then you have 2 options. 1.8T and 2.8. the 1.8T is less reliable but you can mod the crap out of it, while the 2.8 is more reliable but you cant do crap with it except for a supercharger (but it is faster than a 1.8T stock)

to be honest, if i were you i would get an integra or something cheaper to own, tho not nearly as luxurious, and learn to work on the car. mod it the right way and when your better off financially and have more knowledge about cars, then buy an audi.

but whatever you do, dont get the e36 325i. there is just nothing special about it at all. they are everywhere. and they suck[:'(]

 

My suggestion for a first car is that unless you know how to do your own repairs, get a Japanese car. Honda or To.

the purpose of a car is to get you from point A to point B, Your GF wont be impressed by your BMW or Audi, if it is sitting in your driveway broken because you can't afford to fix it.

Whatever car you buy, take your budget and subtract 1000 dollars and put that aside for unexpected repairs. Then subtract 150 dollars to have a mechanic check the car out before you buy and to run a carfax.

 

+1 exactly how i did it

 

go w/jap. i bought a saab @16. spent more on repairs (not that i couldn't do it myself, but the car was made so i couldn't do the work myself, ie cemented in water pump) than on the car. big mistake. if you like to work on cars, or want to learn to do yourself, look @ audi/bmw. just remember: 1) these cars have items in place to force you to take them to the shop. ie, when you replace the vacuum pump for the locks (all of 5minutes of repair w/a couple hoses and 2like wires) your remotes don't work until you, or someone w/the software (dealer), resest them. 2) do you research on these cars. other owners will post info. before i bought mine, i looked @ the common probs w/the a4 and deicded i can fix all that myself in a fun manner. i also saw that that from 2000+, the problems became less/easier to fix. 3) quattro blows away rwd all day long. per my earlier post, i sold my manual mid-engine convertible sportscar because my tiptronic awd wagon is more fun to drive. 4) bmw owners are reaaaaaaallllllyyyyyy unjustifiably pretentious. they buy into the "ultimate driving machine" slogan. sorry, just buy the porsche or go away.-just curious, anyone on a bimmer site say anything other than, "just buy the bmw"?
again, if you're really worried about the maint, go buy a toyota or honda. you will have probs w/either the bmw or audi. (mine is now called the money pit, but i counter the vast majority of $$ is my mods, followed by repairs 'cause the stock parts haven't handled the new power) otherwise, its trouble free.

 

you may want to think about starting out with something practical, like a honda or a toyota....I know a guy who has put 200,000 miles on a 240sx never has had an issue with anything on the car since he bought it a few years ago...he is amazing with up-keep, and all that has been changed is the clutch, and brakes a couple times...

I have three best friends, we're all like brothers and we all have euro cars:

I have the A4 then theres a Mercedes C280 (its a beautiful car, sux that it's auto tho), BMW Z3 2.8 special edition (widebody), and a BMW 323is(dressed up like an M3)....

out of these four cars the one with the least amount of issues over the last 4 years has been the 323is by far, plus it is pretty fast...

out of the 4 cars mine if by far the slowest (non-chipped 1.8T)...the Z3 has been a never ending nightmare of repairs since purchased...

the C280 has only had a few issues (whith huge $$costs to fix between parts and labor)

In the end I had to choose between (in general) the same two cars you are looking at...as far as maintenance goes, they are both super expensive to fix... if you are mechanically inclined and you think you can change oil/ filters/ rotors/ pads/ locate leaks/ replace hoses and so on and so forth, or if your dad can do most of what i just listed (or if either of you can afford to pay for there repairs) than maybe a high mileage eurocar is right for you....

I can not tell you weather or not you are ready or finincially capable of taking care of an audi....I would say that as long as you have an extra thousand in an audi repair specific bank acount, you should be alright...

well good luck!