Hi. I'm new here and am looking to purchase my first car. My budget isnt very high($20,000~) and I've been looking on autotrader and craigslist for some used A4's that I can afford. This is going to be my first car purchase. Ive found a couple from my area that I found interest in and was wondering if this one will be good for me.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...r_id=283144932

This one I really did like because I would prefer it to be manual but the miles are so high and I have no idea how Audi's are when they go past 100k(I drive a toyota at the moment with almost 150k and it's still in great shape). When I called he said that "It needed nothing". I have yet to go and check it out in person because it is about a 2 hour drive from my home and I just wanted to see if you guys thought it would be even worth checking out. Also, when I called I asked if the price was negotiable he seemed to be open to an offer(Hopefully I can get it for $15,000 or or less).

If you think it's not worth it, can you guys give me some suggestions?

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this type of post. Thanks.

 

I'm new to the Audi world but no stranger to buying cars.

Step 1 - get a CARFAX or AUTOCHECK. If you don't like what you see (accident history / title problems etc) don't proceed to step 2 and do not drive 2 hours.

Step 2 - check the value of the car on Kelly Blue book (KBB.com) NADA (NADA.com) and Edmunds.com

It is a careful balancing act of price, mileage, condition, service history, accident history etc. A higher mileage car with "highway miles" (many people always claim "highway miles") may be a better buy than a car with harsh city-type stop and go miles. A bargain at $15k may cost you more even in the short term if the car has not been maintained correctly. Since Audis are German they are more sensitive (in my opinion and experience) to disciplined maintenance than other vehicles.

Good luck

 

its a very nice car and seems pretty new but that mileage is pretty high. Per audi's standards, it says to change the timing belt and accompanied parts at 110k miles so thats coming up very soon and that can cost upwards of 1500$+ if done by the dealer and a little cheaper if done from an indy shop so keep that in mind. I'd also look into changing the cam follower if you do purchase it, its a cheap part to buy and is a pretty easy DIY, there are a couple writeups about it floating around.

 

Thanks you guys. Appreciate it.

 

Very nice looking car. First tip -- if you think you prefer a manual transmission, buy a manual transmission. Many have commented here that their biggest regret is getting auto when they really wanted manual. It makes this such a fun, fun car. I see you're looking at quattro. I'd advise that too. I jumped on my car cause it was a deal -- but settled for FWD. I love it, don't get me wrong, but the torque boost can make for some wicked torque steer in truns.

Regarding buying a car - always consider maintenance and insurence costs. I'm new to Audi, so have to defer to others regarding long-term quality and what a higher mileage car needs. The above posts seem to offer some good advice right off the bat. Carfax and getting true mantinance history is key. And then look at the next upcoming major service.

I chose the 2.0T because the car got 4 out 5 for overall reliability by Consumer Reports. Also, the engine is award winning and has been in very high production for a number of years. This tells me it's solid and many poeple can work on it. Also, the Audi is of course beautiful to look at and very fun to drive.

Good luck. S-Line, manaul and quattro options I'd hold out for. They're out there - keep looking. In fact, check classifies here as well as the other forum sites.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/60-B7-A4

http://forums.audiworld.com/forumdisplay.php?f=69

Good luck

 

European cars in general are going to be less reliable than an American or Asian made brand. This has been proven in JD Powers long term reliabilty and Consumer Reports surveys. That does not mean that Euro brands are not indeering in other ways, but consider that not only does it malfunction more often, the parts and labor may also cost a lot more. For example, a MAF sensor for a Mustang maybe $80, a Audi/BMW/MB may be $400.

So for those reason, I would not buy a car with unsually high mileage, even if it's a few thousand cheaper. The upfront savings may get eaten up quickly with unexpected repair bills. I just paid a premium to get a 2008 Audi 3.2 Q with 2,700 miles on it. Sure, I could have found one with 93K miles and saved $5K, but I felt the premium for the right car is worth it.

 

Personally, 93k miles on an 08, black on black = no. S-line is nice, but thats pretty high milage for not a very old car.

 

I agree with this completely. I would pass on that. Personally, I would be nervous about paying anything over about 10-12k for that many miles. You're looking at both a higher maintenance cost while you own it and a shorter ultimate life.

 

I agree with what everyone else said. That price seems high for that mileage. My 06 came off lease, it was 3 years old with 35000 miles and new tires. It has manual tranny, quattro, and premium package. It only cost me $20,300, and is a CPO. I would look for something with less miles, and be sure to get a car fax. The CPO is worth it. It gives you warrenty to 100,000 miles. After the fix and repair daily headache of my 2000 Jetta GLX, I won't go without the CPO ever again.

 

Thanks for all the replies you guys. Honestly what I'm looking for is a Audi b7 s-line in manual for $20k or lower. I understand that you guys think that the milage on this car isn't worth it but how am I gonna find the same one for cheaper? Remember my budget is $20k or lower. I've been looking on craiglist and autotrader. And I have found some s-line's on cl/autotrader and they're much cheaper but they're by private sellers(I don't have money saved up to buy a car in full). I'm looking for dealerships that I can finance a car through.

Thanks again.