Looking at a 2005 A6 3.2 for $5k. 135k miles. Clean history, runs well. I have never had an Audi before and am concerned about running into maintenance issues, as well as the general cost of scheduled maintenance vs. a "normal" vehicle (Toyota, Hyundai, etc.). It's a car for a college student and I don't want it to be a money pit, just give me 3-4 decent, safe years.


What do you all think?

 

I love Audi's but I have to recommend that you don't get it unless the student is going to college for a mechanic's degree of some sort
Any car that old and with that many miles will require maintenance - especially a German car. You never know the complete history of the car unless you owned it since day 1 and therefore you are bound to run into some snafu's.

The VAG family was known for timing chain issues when they first started using them around 2005, so that is one of the first things I would tackle. That is one of the bigger and more expensive jobs on these cars that fall under maintenance. If you gamble and don't do it - it could break and there goes the entire engine.

I'm sure there are a bunch more things to look at right away to play it safe and to make sure it runs good for years to come. I honestly would recommend to get a car that requires less maintenance. German cars are fun and great to look at but if you are not willing to DIY or spend tons of money on a mechanic - I don't recommend them.