Hey guys,

I'm very new to the forum as well as new to Audi's and need a little help. I've had my eye on an Audi A4 Ultrasport for quiet some time now and I've finally found one I'm very interested in. Only problem is that I have no knowledge on Audi's and baggage they carry. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about maintenance, problems, etc. so I have no idea where to begin when checking out this Audi. I looked it at about two weeks ago and the dealership seemed pretty honest, but had no maintenance records and didn't say much about it's history. It's a private dealership so it seems as if the owner did all the work himself to get it in "selling shape". He did mention a couple things here and there that he had replaced but I had no idea what he was talking about. With my current car (IS300) I purchased from a private person so they aloud me to take it to my mechanic for inspection. I don't really see that being an option with this dealership plus its about an hour away from my mechanic. It's an 04 with 73k and it drove very nicely when I test drove it. So with that said, are there specific things I need to look for? Ask about? Check myself? Am I getting myself into trouble here? Thanks in advance!

 

I would compile together as much information as you can obtain about the car. You should start with the major thing: information from Carfax pertaining to the vehicle's history.

If everything checks out on the Carfax, read the general reviews and specifications of the Audi A4 B6, and familiarize yourself with that information.

2004 Audi A4

A great way to find out about common problems that Audi owners encounter could be to refer to this link:

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/b6-...epairs-128740/

Also, browse the forum and look for problems that seem to be mentioned frequently on the site, and what expenses are typically incurred in order to fix those problems.

Lastly, refer to the bluebook value of the car and compare that to the price you are buying it for to ensure that you get some sort of a good deal.

New Cars, Used Cars, Blue Book Values & Car Prices - Kelley Blue Book

Once you have all of that information, just try and make sure that the car matches what you have found. You may want to:

1) Check the oil.
2) Look for any dings, dents, scratches, etc. (be sure to look at the door jams and wheel-wells for any indications of repaint--could have been due to a previous accident repair and paint overspray).
3) Ensure the transmission shifts smoothly into every gear.
4) Ensure that the brakes work correctly.
5) Ensure that the current tire tread is decent (which it should be if it has recently passed inspection); which brings me to my next point.
6) Verify that the inspection is fairly recent; most dealers do it themselves (which leaves you hoping that they are honest people).
7) If you really want to be thorough, you could: check under the hood for any leaks, look under the car for leaks (after test driving it, park it into a different spot than original and take notice of any fluids that may have leaked from the car), make sure the headlights, four-ways, sunroof, radio, etc. all function properly.

You should feel pretty confident in buying after you have checked out everything listed above. Good luck.

 

At 73k miles, that car is going to need the timing belt job done soon, as in now. So if the dealer does not have proof that the timing belt job has been done, then they need to reduce the price by $1500-2000 depending upon which engine the car has in it. The 3.0L V6 engine's timing belt job will be more expensive than the 1.8T engine's job.

The timing belt job entails replacing the timing belt and tensioners, idlers, waterpump, thermostat, crank seal, valve cover gaskets and new G12+ coolant. And as long as they are in there doing that, you'd want them to replace the serpentine belt and tensioner.

If you decide to purchase an Audi that has over 65K miles on it, then you must factor in the cost of replacing all that stuff listed above in the near future. The rule of thumb is to never go beyond 80K miles without doing the timing belt job. If the timing belt breaks, or the tensioners or idlers give out....that means bent valves in the engine, translating to multiple thousands of dollars in repair.

A4's are a wonderful car, but they do require more maintenance & repairs than your average Japanese car. As long as you have a thick wallet and a good attitude, you and your new A4 will get along fine.