Parental Persuasion
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,158
From: CT
Audi's are great cars when they are new.
Porsche and Audi come from the same manufacturer.
Porsche's are known to last about 100K and then need major repairs.
Audi is probably the same. You don't see any 200K used Audi's for sale.
I think they all end up in the junk yard.
This car has all the expensive stuff to replace (all wheel drive and turbo). If you want an Audi I would at least go with a 2 wheel drive and no turbo. Turbo will be more expensive to insure anyway.
Porsche and Audi come from the same manufacturer.
Porsche's are known to last about 100K and then need major repairs.
Audi is probably the same. You don't see any 200K used Audi's for sale.
I think they all end up in the junk yard.
This car has all the expensive stuff to replace (all wheel drive and turbo). If you want an Audi I would at least go with a 2 wheel drive and no turbo. Turbo will be more expensive to insure anyway.
the all wheel drive is the only reason to buy an Audi in the first place. Audi Quattro is one of the most bad *** 4 wheel drive systems on the market. if you live in an area that gets snow in the winter, Quattro is a must-have. Quattro has definately saved lives before. just watch these videos... (parts 1-2-3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rtZ08DkGNo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HS3gz1M6GU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hskTWUx2vw
if you get a front wheel drive Audi you might as well be getting any other car. the 2.8L non-turbo engine is supposedly slightly more reliable, but they are equally as expensive to fix, and really as long as you keep up with maintenance they will last just as long. he may be right a turbo car could be more expensive to insure, but if your looking for a B5- its already 10-12 years old so it wont be killer. and if your 16 your insurance is going to be stupid high anyway.
that being said- if you just got your license and/or dont have a job, this isnt the car for you. you should just buy a little $1000 beater car for the year or two and get your driving skills down. if you screw up in a crappy car and hit a telephone pole, no big deal. if you wreck your A4, then that will suck. i hate hearing about how so-and-so's daddy bought them a new BMW when they turned 16 and they drove it into a bridge.
also until you get a steady paying job, or have atleast $1500 in your bank account at all times to devote to the car, you will have to have your parents pay for alot of stuff. these cars are extremely expensive if you dont keep up on maintenance. and you should learn a little about working on it yourself to save a ton of money in labor. it is a 10 year old car, they do have some problems. you can read more about that in the stickies at the top of the forum.
3rd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,900
From: CT
Also, check out this site: http://www.crashtest.com
Compare 96-01 A4/S4 with similar cars in it's class such as Accord and Altima. You can't put a price on safety.
Last edited by Tweaked; Jan 25, 2009 at 04:21 PM.
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,030
From: SLC, Utah
Yea, I agree with all the other posters, this mechanic sounds like a bit of a fool. Probably elitist to american/asian cars and thinks anything european is ****. I have a 98 2.8 30VQ 5 speed and she's got 147xxx on the clock and still running strong, I pay 42 bucks a month on insurance (and it's been that way since I got the car when I was 17) and there's some very intense road rash on the front end and being in Utah with rough winters that involve lots of snow and salt, I have 100% NO RUST. The quattro drivetrain is amazing in ANY weather condition; in the snow, I can go the speedlimit (though for added safety, I still stay 5-10 below cuz its not worth the risk) and not slide at all unless I intentionally try to slide. In the rain, I have many a time hauled up winding canyon roads at a constant 45-50 and have never slid at all, not even a small chirp from the tires. I have also driven into large puddles on the freeway and could tell I was hydroplaning but the car stayed straight and didn't jerk at all as if losing control. And on dry road conditions, I've raced ricers up steep, curvy roads and the tires don't even chirp at all, even when holding a constant 50-60 through the curve. The 2.8 may not be fast on a straight line due to lack of turbo and very limited mod options, but give me a windy road to race up and the quattro will toast a ricer any day. Tell this mechanic to go back to mechanic school and re-learn his facts.
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 562
From: Vermont
if i know one thing its that mostly everyone in this forum knows their **** big time haha, and they're all right man.. they require smart upkeep and maintenance, maybe a little more than some other cars out there, but you get what you pay for, and in this case, you get a very reliable, safe, sexy car.. its not gunna junk out on you unless you happen to get a bad apple.. and i know that for the longest time i wanted an a4.. was all about the 2.8 til i came upon my 1.8t and couldnt get away from it.. its needed some work because it sat for 5 months and wasnt properly stored.. but all that aside its been extremely reliable, and my jeep cant even touch it (cept ground clearance) in the snow.. this thing is a tank.. if you can manage it and be smart about it.. join the brotherhood.. you wont regret it
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,030
From: SLC, Utah
Update on reliability in the snow:
I just tore up a rather reasonably steep hill that was covered in 6 inches of very very wet snow without any issues while a Mercedes and a Civic were spinning tires like mad trying to get traction up the hill. Quattro ftw, no contest.
I just tore up a rather reasonably steep hill that was covered in 6 inches of very very wet snow without any issues while a Mercedes and a Civic were spinning tires like mad trying to get traction up the hill. Quattro ftw, no contest.
5th Gear
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 7,728
From: noob from NY
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,153
From: Oswego, Illinois
audi cant last past 200k ha, its usually because most people know they wont get much for it and keep it till it dies, mines at 170k an still running strong. giving the t-belt needs to be done and the front control arms fail but easy stuff to fix. i understand where your parents are coming from but sometimes you just need to do what you feel is right, my parents used to freak when id be doing something to the car but most it was mods. now they just know i know my car and let me be.
Update on reliability in the snow:
I just tore up a rather reasonably steep hill that was covered in 6 inches of very very wet snow without any issues while a Mercedes and a Civic were spinning tires like mad trying to get traction up the hill. Quattro ftw, no contest.
I just tore up a rather reasonably steep hill that was covered in 6 inches of very very wet snow without any issues while a Mercedes and a Civic were spinning tires like mad trying to get traction up the hill. Quattro ftw, no contest.
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 105
From: North Salt Lake, UT
Update on reliability in the snow:
I just tore up a rather reasonably steep hill that was covered in 6 inches of very very wet snow without any issues while a Mercedes and a Civic were spinning tires like mad trying to get traction up the hill. Quattro ftw, no contest.
I just tore up a rather reasonably steep hill that was covered in 6 inches of very very wet snow without any issues while a Mercedes and a Civic were spinning tires like mad trying to get traction up the hill. Quattro ftw, no contest.