s0krates

Hey everyone,

New here, new to Audi. I've always owned Japanese cars (2005 Camry and a 2006 Honda Civic). Pretty adept at doing mechanical work, though usually prefer to pay someone reasonable prices to do it for me (except for spark plug changes, oil changes, etc, simple things).

I am currently in the market for a 2008 (or similar year, same generation) Audi A4. I was hoping to have some tips from the community on expected things to look out for while shopping around, or simply just some words of wisdom. I am thinking I want to get something with or less than 50k-60k miles. Maybe also some words on common problems, what kind of maintenance work is needed around what mileage, typical costs, etc.

Depending on quality and maintenance conditions, I am wondering, what should I expect to pay, plus or minus (excellent to good condition)? I'm sure you all would need more information to give a very exact value, but if you could ballpark a range, I would appreciate it. Also please let me know if I'm leaving out any crucial info.

At the moment I was also hoping to get help appraising a particular one I am looking at, though I will make a separate post about that.

Thanks

Junius

I used to own a 2006 Audi A4 2.0T, so I am glad that you are asking this question. The main things that go out with this engine are the cam follower, faulty spark plugs and coil packs, PCV valve, n80 Purge Valve, turbo bypass (also called diverter) valve, fuel pressure sensor, and the coolant temperature sensor. The good thing about the parts for this engine is that they are not terribly expensive ( as you can buy them online from very reputable sources such as ecstuning.com, which has direct parts for this vehicle) nor are they very difficult to replace. This engine also does consume a good amount of oil, so you definitely want to change the oil every 5,000 miles with fully-synthetic Mobil One 0w-40 oil and with a brand new filter. If I were you, if you do indeed purchase this car, have the cam follower, spark plugs, and coil packs replaced as soon as possible, as it is a known fact that these are some of the most important things that will most likely go out. Other than that, this vehicle is a very good one and besides the little bugs, you will enjoy it as a comfortable and sporty daily driver, plus there are many cosmetic and performance upgrades that are available. Just make sure you are on time with maintenance and that you find a very good private mechanic or VW/Audi specialist to work on the vehicle if it needs repair, as the dealership would be a total ripoff! I owned my A4 for a long time and it was my pride and joy, and it was a very good car. Also, take advantage of the many entended warranties on some of the parts that I mentioned so you will save some money too. As far as finding a 2005.5-2008 A4, they usually go for between $6,000 and $10,000, and for one around the mileage your stating (60k miles), you probably will spend more to the 8k-10k price range. If you can, try to get the service records from the seller or the Audi dealer through the car's VIN. Also, before you purchase, definitely get a pre-purchase inspection done by a mecahnic, preferably a VW/Audi or Euro car specialist.