Hi everyone,

This may sound a little crazy, but I'm wondering how much everyone's Audi costs a year for them? I'm asking this becaus I'm about to buy an A6 97 (V6 Quattro) and there are many conroversies about Audis I find. In general I find that the parts are relatively more expensive than the market's norm. I don't know how often an Audi would need maintenance. So that's why I figured I should ask this question before commiting myself to an Audi. No offense to the Audi owners, I love these cars, but I'm a student (soon to finish). Please (if you're replying) let me know what currency it is (US, CDN...). I think this may help other people get an understanding of how much an Audi costs a year. Thank you for your time.


Kianoosh

 

Not looking for the car payment huh?

Insurance is ~500 (US) for 6 months.
I maintain everything over the summer and then drive it nine months out of the year on oil changes and fuel. I am also a student so you know. I drive a 97 A6 that started in my life 2 years ago with 129K and is now crossing 167K. A lot of highway followed by 1 mile a day to school followed by a lot of highway.
First 3 months costs: 80$ Water pump, 20$ Power steering fluid (these ladies use 20$ a liter PS Fluid), Comp. Diagnostic for dashlights $50, Cleaning one brake sensor 100$. Maintainence I did myself that would have cost money: 85$/hr ~6 hours (water pump replace, cleaning the other 3 sensors)

Year One: CV Boots $100, Trans Flush $200, Shattered Headlight and Corner lens $350, ~6 hours labor not paid, Oh yeah 200$ for the ignition switch.

Year two: (still on tab) Tires and Alignment $250 (front two) Timing belt $200, Plug wires $150, Plugs $40, Fuel Filter $20. ~5 hours labor

Yeah all the parts are more expensive than my Ford Truck or Mustang were, but they are quality and more durable too. I think I pay about the same. Biggest sticker shock to me is finding a mechanic when I am lost (most cost 85 to 100). Find a good parts house and get the 20$ Chilton Manual for the Passat/ A4 (if you get the 97) the 2.8L in a Passat/ A4 is close enough that you can figure out what you are doing on a 2.8L A6 and it will save you a ton over the bentley manual. If you ever need step by step on doing something ask me or some of the others on here (although I am an engineer so I it is usually very exact).

 

Thanks a lot Dan,

Interesting that you are an engineering student eh!! I'm in engineering too! Anyways, I'd like to be as handy as you are but so far I haven't had the location to do my own work and hopefully soon I'll be able to find a spot that gives that option. It's nice to be able to do some of the work yourself on the car. One concern that I had was for a shop manual which doesn't seem to be available from Haynes or Chilton, so it's good to know A4/Passat ones are somewhat close in the engine area. I have found a capable mechanic here (Toronto Ontario, he's a retired masters of mechanical engineering guy too!) who charges 45 bucks/hr and gets the parts from the dealer for a really good price.

Back to my original question, thanks a lot Dan. I guess you're right about the parts being of higher quality than your typical car parts. To be honest I'm also looking into A4s (first generation), and so far I haven't been able to find one half as good as the A6 I'm considering buying. I don't know why but A4s seem to have taken so much punishment from their drivers. Their prices are higher than normal too.

I will definitely take a rain check on the tutorials though! .

Where is the Bentley shop manual BTW? This is the first time I've heard of such a shop manual.

Thanks a lot dude.

 

Bentley shop manuals show up on Ebay- CD - I think they are getting to be a little cheaper. They are what the dealer uses. If you ask the dealer they want like 560 for the book and 250 for the CD (us)

Yeah my apartments don't allow you to put the hood up so I do most of my work in parking lots on campus.

Yeah the Chilton Manual works well because the A4 is almost identical to the A6 the only difference I found so far is that the fuel filter is not under the rear wheel and the CV joints are a combination of the Passat and A4.

A4's are more for younger people and get driven harder and A4's seem to have a little less reliable parts.

Are you Mechanical Engineering? I am Civil, (there is a big rivalry between the two here) and focusing on transportation.

 

No I'm in electrical engineering. I thought you were a mechanical actually!! I'll be finishing this fall so hopefully money will finally start to come in!!! In my uni there is a bit of rivalary as well. I don't have (unfortunately) much option of focusing in an area, but I'm right now working (co-op) in and aerospace/automotive company which is what my focus has been.

Yeah what I realize about the A4s is the same you said; they're driven harder. I don't know much about their reliability but I do hear a lot about their expensive parts. I was looking into some A4s but nothing so far is as clean as this 97 A6. I agree with you regarding A4s being more of a young people car, but nevertheless A6s are good (well they've grown up in size a lot!!). If I ever an Audi again, it'll be a newer A4 (2001 and up). They seem be the size as the A6 that we own.

So the A4/Passat Chilton book is good for engine maintenance. What about other things suh as the dashboard stuff? Ever found anything close to that stuff?

I'm gonna try and find a Chilton one but I think Haynes is perhaps easier to find in Canada since a major store here carries Haynes and WalMart is the only one carrying Chilton (if they do).

Nice chatting with you Dan.

Cheers

Kianoosh

 

Hi,

Those Bentley manuals can be found here if you ever need them fast: http://www.bentleypublishers.com/audi/index.htm

Shipping them to Belgium (Europe) was quite expensive, but for you guys it should be cheaper & even faster to get them.

Greetings,

Johan

 

Thanks Johan,

I saved the link for my reference...