I purchased a black 04 A4 this past november with 89,000. I had the water pump and timing belt done the day after I picked up the car. Its a 6 speed man and was a single owner. I bought a ARP snub mount and diverter valve that will be replacing the factory ones on there now. I cannot afford everything at once so im purchasing everything over time before I get the stage one chip this summer. Any thoughts at things I should have looked at and checked out when I bring the car in for servicing. I feel that since I am not a motor head the dealership rapes me with things I may not even need. Thanks for reading and your help.

 

Have a good shop that you trust take a good look at the car. Tell them you just bought it and need to know if anything is wrong with it. From what I have read, a lot of the suspension components start to fail around 100k, the control arms, tie rods, wheel bearings. Also think about saving for a new clutch. Depending on how the previous owner drove the car it may need a new one soon. I have seen people put a new clutch in at 50k. The quattro system taxes the clutch more than a fwd or rwd car does. It has to get all 4 wheels going, not just 2. Then you can do maintenance items. You can change the oil in the transmission and rear end, sea foam the engine, change the fuel filter, things like that. It will give you peace of mind when you take your car on the road.

 

I am taking it to a certified Audi shop that is under private ownership, I do trust them as they previously worked on my 98 A4. Though service is expensive there rate is much cheaper than the dealership- $82 compared to $100. The customer service guy said that the 95,000 mile maintenance is usually low key, just overlooking everything and making sure its all good. I feel that the clutch is getting jerky between shifts, sometimes there is a small kick. Also when I start the car its slow to turn over, never a straight start, always turns for a sec or two.

 

You as the owner of the car can tell what you need, brakes, control arms, Catalytic converters, coilpacks, little knick knacks here and there. Take it to a good mechanic and make sure they have experience with audis. That slow cranking is your battery going dead, you might need a new one, also before you start your car in the mornings you need to open the key without starting the car for about 3-5 seconds, then close the key, and then crank the car, it will start. This is normally caused by the Coolant temperature sensor.

 

I just replaced the battery last month so I don't think its that. Also there's a rough idle below one when the cars started up. I think im having a problem with my heating core as well. When the cars warming up and the temp gauge gets to half the car still blows cold air until the car is actually moving. I drive to work and sit in my car for about 5-10 mins with the engine running and then the air goes back to blowing cold. I usually keep the temp set at 75 and on econ.

 

That might be your heater core but is most likely a bubble in the system. Do a flush and top it off with G12 coolant to make sure there's no airpockets on the lines. Also what worked for me you just turn off the module and then turn it back on.