(noob!)
I'm looking at buying my parents' 2001 A4 Quattro 2.8 w/tiptronic, to replace my current daily driver which is an older Ranger pickup truck.

I'm not looking to mod, I have a Z06 for my go-fast needs, but I want something that's reliable and fun to drive everyday. Plus it would help my parents out financially since the car's been listed for 4 months and nobody's bought it yet. I've driven this A4 plenty of times but I'm not so sure about the reliability based on other peoples' experience.

The miles are low (around 45k) and it's had some minor things replaced, like a tensioner bearing possibly, I know something under the hood was howling a couple years back. Not sure if the timing belt was replaced at the same time-- I'll need to ask them.

A couple questions:

1) Those of you with that generation of A4, did you generally have enough problems where it might be worth getting Warranty Direct? (I was quoted $2600 for 2 years of major component coverage... ack!) I've been reading around the interweb and see all sorts of horror stories regarding front suspension, timing belts, electronics, and everything costing eleventy billion dollars to replace. I'm capable of doing some work myself but generally don't have time anymore.

2) Re: the timing belt specifically, even with the low miles is there an age limit on these? If it's the original belt I figure it's 6-7 years old by now.

It's a very clean car, leaks a bit of oil, and I'm just on the fence about the maintenance costs vs. warranty, which is expensive by itself.

 

Well, first of all, your Z06 will be jealous because your A4 will be so much fun to drive! All cars have problems, if it's been well taken care of you should be pretty ok. The timing belt does need to be replaced around 75k miles, but unless something is majorly wrong with it when you buy it, and you don't beat on it when you get it, you should be ok.

P.S.: No off-roading adventures! They are bad for your Audi! [:@]

 

at 45k on a 01 is a really good deal, what the hell do u do to afford a z06 and have a dam audi lukcy Bast**d. Anyway not much till you hit like 70k-80k TB is the big stuff, if you take car of it, the car will last you. Happy

 

Ehhh... the secret is to not be married and not have kids! Although a used C5 Z06 is a pretty good bargain right now.

 

LOL, you got that right. I have 4 kids, no z06! (lucky enough to have an audi and a z though!)

Buy It!!!! You cant get a better deal than that, buying from parents, knowing the history, its a solid car being the v6. timing belt is good for a while yet. Get it, its awesome for a DD.

 

Well, I have the car for the weekend on an extended test-drive.



It's a very nice ride, smooooth. It's a white car, and this is one of the few cars that looks good in white IMO.
Xenon headlamps really stick out. Drives like a new car, but the leather seats definitely look like people have been sitting in them and there's an orange mystery stain on one of the seatbelts.

And something about the wood-trimmed light gray interior, and auto tranny, seems kinda... girly. Or maybe it's the whiff of perfume I smell every now and then when driving it.

Anyway, it hasn't really had any problems in its life so far (knock on wood). But I also found out my parents have been running mid grade (89 octane) fuel for about a year. No pinging or anything, and no codes thrown, but is there anything else to lookout for because of that?

 

Just wait for you water pump to go out....it will and then you can just replace the timing belt with that and not pay double the labor/double the time.

 

Make sure the warrenty covers ghosts.