Hi,

I am looking to jump from SAABto AUDI. Never had an AUDI before but t/c'd cars all my life and I know problematic they could be...
Can someone tell me if 2003 A6 2.7T AUTO with 60K miles on it for $15,000 is a good deal or not? What should I pay attention to? What to avoid? What problems can I expect? How much does it cost to change the timing belt?

Thanks in advance,
PS. I read the sticky but looking for more details...

 

You can always check KBB for price comparisons, but usually the condition and appearance of the car will determine what a fair price will be. When I got my 2001 A6 2.8, it had 20,000 mi on it and was very clean and good mechanical shape, and I paid about $20,000 for it. That was a few years ago now. Take it to an Audi specialist and have them check it out for you and find out in advance what work needs to be done on it, if any. People could give you a loooong list of things to look at, but it's better (and faster, which it looks like you're more concerned with) if somebody who knows firsthand can check it out for you. If the person your buying from has any sense, they won't mind you taking it to get it checked out. My 2 cents to an urgent question.

 

a6flyer, thanks for the info. The problem is that I have to decide w/o being able to take the car to the dealer... I know from pics that the car is immaculate in and out but wonder what awaits me under the hood... I will make a final test drive so few tip what too look for e.g. unusuall noises, signs of wearetc. would help a lot. You seeif it was a SAAB I would know where to look and what to listen too butAUDI is a brand new world for me... . BTW who makes turbos for AUDI?

 

I see... Where is the car located? Sometimes that can point you towards things to watch for like rusty undercarriage, etc. I see you're in Chicago, and since you haven't been able to look at it yet and it sounds like a one time shot I'd assume that it's a little ways away. Maybe you can test drive it to a specialist or dealer? As far as things to look out for, I've (fortunately) only had one or two experiences with problems on my A6, and having driven GM cars before, only know what I've experienced in the last couple years, like you with your saab. Those being CV boot and later joint problems. The only noises I've heard were those of my busted CV joint which took me far longer to replace than I wanted it to. There are lots of people on here who have a lot more experience with noises and problems with their cars. I think people generally agree that the CV and control arms are things too look out for because of the weighty design of audi's in general. At least that was the explanation I got when I had problems with mine with relatively low mileage. I'd say just do a search for noises in a6's and get familiar with some of the problems people have been able to hear audibly. I hope whoever owns this one kept the mechanics as immaculate as the interior and exterior of the car! I know I wasn't much help but hopefully I pointed you in a generally helpful direction. Good luck!

 

You should never buya car without letting someone who knows Audis take a look at it. 15k for that 03 is an ok deal based on the pricing I looked at recently (might be good depending on the maintenance history, options, and condition) but even at best you will drop 1500 on a timing belt swap in 20k miles if you can't DIY, and there are a ton of smaller and bigger things with a 2.7T that could get you in a whole lot of trouble.

If the owner won't let you take it to someone, the car is simply notworth that price. Treat it as a salvage titled vehicle for valuation, since you could potentially be getting a whole heap of trouble. It's why Ebay prices tend to be a lot lower than private pricing since you never know what you're getting into.

 

I live in Chicago the car is in Cleveland OH... It is not that the seller won't allow taking the car to a mechanic but it is going to be hard because of logistics.... Anyways, can anyone recommend a good mechanic in Cleveland OH area?