01-11-2012, 02:48 AM
SteveO wrote: Another friend of 20+ years has a VW CC (sporty Passat...VW and Audi have many shared parts/architectures). He recently told me that the headlights randomly go out and won't come back on. He's taken it to the dealer several times but they can't seem to fix it. This is a huge, huge safety issue and I'm surprised there hasn't been a recall. Who knows, maybe it's not that widespread but the fact they can't fix it speaks volumes about their QC.
These malfunctions imo are unconscionable. I could see them happening 30-40 years ago when auto tech wasn't what it is today. But not now.
You bring up rule #1 with owning car - pick a make for which you can find a good independent mechanic. One I frequent has a very good electronics tech and the dealers send their cars to him when they can't figure something out. There are a lot of electronics in cars these days, and it's important to know how they work. Dealers don't always know the stuff you think they should. I wouldn't blame the car in this case, at least not without knowing the competency of the mechanic.
mikebw wrote:
I suspect if you go with a new model that has a warranty you should be OK. Would advise against going used unless you have proof of a through maintenance history.
I think most of not all Audi's come with maintenance included up to around 50k miles. It's pretty easy to get a VIN and call AoA to find out its maintenance history. Otherwise you can find good owners who keep track of the history. I bought mine at 56k, it has 106k, and I plan to keep it until 200k or so.
weapon wrote:
Great styling but amazing amount of electrical problems.
Friend of mine just got rid of her a4 due to the gremlins.
Which model of A4? What kind of electrical issues? The B5's were known to have some issues. Most are caused by:
1. Bad battery
2. Bad generator
3. Poor maintenance
#3 is a little tricky because Germans assume you're going to take care of the car when they engineer it. Most people don't.
jdc wrote: Get an Audi/VW/Jag/Saab/Fiat/Volvo if you only plan on keeping it for 3 years or less.
After that, value drops like a stone.
Yeah, there are plenty of people with cars on that same list that will brag about how long theirs have run -- but its an exception, not the rule.
Three years after I bought my current Audi it was worth more than what I paid for it.
Well maintained, Audis will run a long time. Poorly maintained, they don't run as long as JDM.
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For the OP:
1. Research the model you're looking at getting and find out if/what the problems tend to be
2. Make sure you have a good mechanic
3. Maintain it properly (eg don't take it to jiffy lube and use non-spec synthetic oil.)