Hello,
I am considering to purchase a 2006 A6 4.2 s-line. Looking at the Carfax it seems the car has many brake work done. Would you please advice what could be causing the dealer to change the brake system so many times and whether I should still continue to consider this purchase.

CARFAX
Mileage Comment
===================================
21,xxx Recommended maintenance performed
Brake fluid flushed/changed
Four wheel alignment performed
29,xxx Brake fluid flushed/changed
31,xxx Recommended maintenance performed
Rear brake pads replaced
Front brake pads and rotors replaced
Lower control arm(s) inspected/replaced
50,xxx Front wiper blades/refills replaced
Brake fluid flushed/changed
Front brake pads replaced
Rear brake pads replaced
Tires rotated
59,269 Recommended maintenance performed
Front brake pads and rotors replaced
Brake fluid flushed/changed
61,xxx Fuel pump replaced
Lock cylinder(s) recoded
63,xxx Brake fluid flushed/changed
Ignition coil(s) replaced
Rear brake pads and rotors replaced
Front brake rotor(s) replaced
68,xxx Recommended maintenance performed
One tire mounted and balanced
Front brake pads replaced
77,xxx Recommended maintenance performed
Rear brake pads replaced
80,xxx Tire condition and pressure checked
Brake fluid flushed/changed
Tire(s) balanced
Light bulb(s) replaced
Front brake pads replaced
Rear brake pads replaced
92,xxx Four tires mounted and balanced
Brake fluid flushed/changed
Tire(s) balanced
9x,xxx Recommended maintenance performed
Four tires mounted and balanced
Front brakes replaced
Thermostat replaced
104,xxx Brake fluid flushed/changed
106,xxx Rear brake pads replaced
116,xxx Maintenance inspection completed
Front wiper blades/refills replaced
Battery replaced
117,xxx Front brake pads replaced
119,xxx Four tires mounted and balanced
Valve cover gasket(s) replaced
121,xxx Brake fluid flushed/changed
One tire mounted and balanced
Tire repaired
122,xxx Rear brake pads replaced
Two tires mounted and balanced

Thanks in advance.

 

My guess would be someone liked taking this car to the track (S-line) or they drove it like they stole it... A LOT.

Use caution when buying this if that's the case. Lord knows what else may be fouled up. I've never seen a normal daily driver with spirited driving here and there go through so many sets of pads and rotors before. Certainly this must have been a car that was used on the track for fun. Jesus.

 

Thanks for the feedback Nebuchadnezzar.
I will ask the seller about this. Lets see if he would cough out the truth or give me a hollywood story.
I was shocked myself to see this , surely Audi would do something or the driver would get rid of the car long ago and not keep it for 5 years.

 

Didn't see timing belt/waterpump on the list, so be expecting to have that expense to deal with immediately. Brakes are a piece of cake compared to timing belt job.

 

Thanks CRuby. This version of the A6 comes with a timing chain and that does bring the matter of opinion question on whether it should be changed or not. According to the seller he checked with the dealer as you can see from the list this guy doesn't care about expenses, but the dealer said no need for that or even the transmission flush.

As for the brake jobs Nebuchadnezzar you were right. He is a frequent to the Audi Driving schools and part of the rules for the track is to go over the brake pads and rotor check together with brake lines. The rules say the pad has to be above 50% atleast.
There was some oil dip according to him a while ago discovered by the dealer and that they had change the vlave cover gasket which I can see in the list being done.
He has summer tires on them. But being in Boston most likely I will be needing a Winter set. Will do a test drive soon to see how the ride quality is. I had seen two version of this where one the braking was fine and the other where it was wayyyy too sensitive(guessing it was the sport package?).

Let you know how it drives.

 

Final report. Got the car and it drives like a charm. Owner seems to be a enthusiast and took care of the car quite well. No curb rash or chip anywhere. So far drove around 200 miles to bring it down home and happy with the purchase. Got a set of winter also to go with it.
Things to watch out for now -> brakes in the next 10k since it was just changed.

 

I guess if you combine track driving with stop&go in the big city, pads and rotors will go quickly. As a frame of reference, I did mostly highway driving and replaced rotors once and brake pads twice in 216k (I owned it for 180k). I do flush the brake fluid every 60k which corresponds to about 3 years, rather than the 2 year interval called for by the book.