go chu

hi-

i wanted to get your feedback regarding the quality, workmanship and reliability of Audi cars (compared to say, BMW).

i have heard, at more than one occasion, people complaining loudly about quality. these folks swore not to buy another Audi.

i owned a '89 Quattro 90 and recently put a deposit on a s4. i did not drive the 90 car long enough to get a feel.

appreciate any comments.

go

Todd W

Audi has always had the the technology, but the reliability was only halfway between Ford and Mercedes in the mid eighties. Now the quality is slightly better than BMW, but I can't compare to Mercedes.

Todd W

Jim De Arras

My teenaged son wants it when I get my S4. No unusual problems over the 12 years, only big expense wa a new (junkyard, actually) tranny, but that was TOTALLY my fault, I broke it! :-(

mpm

1987 1/2 (last of the original FWD coupes)
206,250 miles
original clutch & master cylinder
no engine work
original CV boots
no rust

Replaced (other then normal wear items):
2 fuel pumps
1 AC condensor
2 window regulators (cable snapped, everthing else worked, but Audi only sells the whole unit)
heater core
fuse box
front wheel bearings
windshield
mirror switch
power antenna stalk
3 exhaust systems(should have replaced the original stainless center pipe after a hnger broke and I rubbed a hole in it)
I think I've only replaced one halogen headlight bulb, and no fuses or relays...

Not working:
seat heaters (can't wait to get them back on the S4!)
trip computer (got fried while replacing fuse box)

IMHO Audi's hold up, and maybe more importantly, after 12 years in this car, I still love driving it...

Chris B

I put over 300,000 miles on my '85 4000Q and now my nephew is still driving it with close to 400,000, with no major repairs (cylinder head has never been off)! My '96 A4Q has 105,000 and has been very reliable. I recently drove a new A4 and my"96 feels just as new.

Rich R.

I haven't had a single problem out of my 98.5 A4 2.8QMS after 15 months and 28K miles.

We have always had at least one Audi or another since 1981, and have never had any major problems. However, a few of the earlier cars did exhibit a few minor electrical problems. (Some of the other cars we have owned include BMWs, Lexuses (Lexi?), and Hondas).

After my experience with this A4, I honestly believe that today's Audis are as reliable (or at least nearly so) as anything out there.

In my opinion, as far as quality and workmanship go, Audis have always been at or near the top of the field, and are better than ever now!

Just my $0.02. I'm hooked.

Scot McKay

The current generation Audis are the best ever in terms of fit and finish. The quality eclipses the new BMWs--I test drove M3 and E46 328i just to reassure myself on the S4. Even the Car and Driver article placed the fit and finish of the Audi S4 at the top.

I don't think the snob appeal matches the Mercs and Bimmers. Then again, however,I think that's a good thing. Audis tend to be slightly less costly than Mercedes and BMW, and had that bad press in the 80s--both of which may contribute to this phenomenon.

Contrary to the other post, I believe the Audi A4 is a better-made car than the C Mercedes, or especially that CLK. The CLK is a beautiful car, but embarassingly plasticky.

ChuckH

...virtually bulletproof, in my experience. What I've found is that little things will go, like some switchgear, dash lighting, and things like that.

My '89, 90Q is at 108K miles now. With the exception of a few things (Most notably fuel pump, vaccuum booster, clutch master cylinder, and a window motor), the car has far exceeded my expectations for dependability. I do use synthetic oil, replace my spark plugs every 15K, replace gear and differential oil every 30K, etc., so I guess I'm pretty **** about taking care of my cars. I have never had to replace the clutch, and probably never will. The brake pads and rotors have been replaced once at around 80K miles, and probably won't be done again because I plan to sell the car next year to get a TT Roadster.

I drive (but don't own) a '98 A4 Q-Tip also. So far, the sunroof switch has been replaced and the instrument warning buzzer quit. Car has 23K miles on it. I think this is acceptible.

hope this helps! :-)

Charles

PS: A major factor for me is safety. Audi has an excellent record in this department, and I know several people who should be dead, but are still walking and talking because their Audi held up structurally in severe accidents. If you have loved ones riding with you, you'll appreciate the extra security offered by all the safety systems in place.

BenC

My father has a Mercedes ML320 and my mother has a brand new Volvo V70R. My a4 avant 30v 2.8 QMS is at least as well built if not better then these "benchmark" brands. I have no reservations on recommending the Audi for build quality and reliability.

Conker

I firmly believe that Audi has the best engineering currently available. The systems on board the car are smarter and the car was designed to enhance the concept of driving better than any other brand I've experienced. However, the car will have failures. The cupholder will break, or the window motor will fail, or the catalytic converter will come loose... or maybe you will have all these problems and more, but Audi will fix them for 50k miles. If you get a car that breaks a lot, get rid of it. Chances are you will not, and your car will be fine. If you are a person who cares about cars a lot and you want a car that is a "8" in EVERY CATEGORY and a "10" in NONE, then buy a Audi. That's the best thing I can say about any car. Mine has broken a lot, and I'm the kind of person who doesn't take much of that kind of thing, but I've ordered an S4 anyway, just because I can't find a better brand in terms of actually putting a package together.
Good luck. My two cents
Conker 98 1.8TS-tip..... for sale.