I have a very high maintenance 2004 A6 SLine. The CPO will be up here in a short while. I'm trying to make the decision of whether to unload it or keep it. I know I can't afford to continue taking it to the dealership once the warranty is through. Is there anyone in the Pittsburgh area who is aware of a local mechanic that specializes in Audis?

 

Why is your Audi HIGH maintence.

Look for euro repair shops..BMW, Merc etc..allot of them also do Audi's but if not they'll know who does. You can get rid of the car and get another car but guess what...it will also need maintence..filters ,oil, brakes etc. BTW, shop prices at other manufacturers are all about the same.

 

I'm afraid mine has just a bit of a lemon. I bought the car when it was just 3 years old with 28k. I've maintained the vehicle to a fault and it still has less than 50k on it. Alot of what I experienced were typical issues but I seemed to have ALL the typical issues. That and I've gone through both turbos etc. It took the dealership a long, long time to pinpoint the issue that ended up being the turbos all along. Several repair attempts were made and I even had to sue Audi to get it rectified. Just been a very bad experience for me in those regards. Overall, the car has had 12-14k worth of work done during my ownership. That on a 5 year old car with less than 50k is not acceptable. If it were only brakes and tires I'd be a happy camper. I love my car otherwise but it's just been a bad experience for me. I'm not a rich man so if it continues on this as it has, I can't afford this car beyond the CPO warranty. Despite that, I am still considering another certified Audi. The winter worthiness and the overall ride/handling are huge positives for me. Not sure if I'd be happy with anything else after it has spoiled me.

 

A careless owner can do a lot of damage (through neglect or abuse) in only 28k miles. It's unfortunate, because these are generally reliable cars when treated right. I guess the question you have to ask yourself is whether your investment to date has fixed all the problems. If it has, maybe an after-market warranty would cover anything major (and would be cheaper than a new vehicle). If you just don't trust the car, unload it, but be wary of any used Audi (or any used car -- caveat emptor). Reliability ratings on Audi were improved in the 2003-04 years and even better from 2005 on. I bought mine in April 2005 with 37k miles, now at 152k, and replaced the alternator, clutch/flywheel, outer axle boots (last week), and capped the headlight washers because they leaked.

 

If your Carfax is clean and it's running well, consider getting a newer Audi using your 04 as a trade or better yet selling it yourself.

The 07 leased cars are showing up at the Audi dealer's so it might be time to move up to the C6's, known for being reliable even when somewhat abused. The best have never missed a service and have the paperwork... the best finds are from the Audi dealer who sold it new and serviced it..harder to find but worth it.

 

I had an Audi A4 when I lived in Pittsburgh, I always went to Foreign Traffic on Route 8 in Allison Park.

 

Still contemplating what to do with mine. I've attempted trading it but have been shocked at the value. Granted no car is an investment but wow! I do like the newer A6's a great deal. Coincidentally, mine was sold new and always serviced at the dealership I purchased it at and the CarFax reinforces this. On paperwork, she was the perfect used car. I've bought several used cars and always had good luck so I suppose I was overdue.