I am thinking of buy an 04/05 A6 2.7t s-line with the biturbo. For people that have this car or know about them, how is the maintenace/reliability/repairs on this particular model and engine. Are these cars in the shop getting fixed a lot? How much more relative to an american car does it cost to repair?

 

For every horror story there are probably several people with little or no problem who don't post. Bottom line, reliability has a lot to do with how the previous owner maintained and treated the car. Ask for service records and try to contact the previous owner if possible.

In general, the 2.7T seems to have become more reliable after 2003/04 than before. I think they increased the size of the oil feeds to the turbos. And in general VW/Audi quality has been improving. The newer the car, the less problems.

Having said that, there is not a lot of difference between S-line and a "regular" A6. It's mostly a trim package and a little higher boost than stock. I've put 135k on mine and the engine and suspension are all OEM. The only unexpected problems were the alternator failed and I had to replace a leaky auxiliary cooling pump (not uncommon). I did chip the car and attribute the need to replace the clutch/flywheel to the extra power and the fact the previous owner towed a small trailer. Otherwise it starts flawlessly (on OEM battery), CV joints and boots are solid, shocks are good, and internal stuff all works. I lied - passenger seat heater works erratically and one rear window sticks, but I think I just have to get some teflon spray and lube the channel. I did have to replace a rear tail light bulb a couple years ago.....

 

I forgot to add: repairs and parts are not cheap. It is an expensive German car. If you have to rely on the dealer, expect to pay $125/hr or, with luck, find an indie shop that works on these for about 2/3 the cost. Search this forum for tips on brakes, rotors, timing belt kits, etc. Google is your friend for parts and accessories. Just don't expect it to be cheap -- if you want reasonable prices buy a Honda and be bored to death.

 

I am on my second Audi. They are in line with BMW & Mercedes which is to say far more expensive to maintain than your run-of-the-mill FORD. That said, my dad drives Caddies and they are not cheap either. You have to pay to play. Still, they are a great value used in relation to other european sports sedans. Just be ready to spend some love and some money on your car. If you are a set it and forget it kind of person, stay away and leave the precision instruments to us professionals

 

ppgoal nailed it! I have the 04 a6 s-line. It replaced my 2.8. The s-line puts out 265 hp / 280 ftlbs Vs. 255 hp in the regular 2.7t's. It's suspension is tighter too so you will feel more road than the a6. Needless to say the wow factor went through the roof. The 03 / 04 did get the revised oil feed lines which help prevent gumming. Change the oil regularly and I use mobile 1. I just had both turbos replaced under waranty. Its 30 hrs labor to pull the motor to change the turbos. Roughly a 5k job. I bought it used with 50k miles. My mechanic says the pre mature turbo failure could be that the prviouse owner never "drove the car" and idled the hell out of it therefore overheating the exhaust side of the turbos. Anyhow as with any Audi the key is to find a mechanic who truely knows these vehicles but does not work at the dealer and will save you some money. Maintenance is key and buying used you just dont know. Good Luck!