BobTX10

Hi y'all! First time poster here. I've always wanted an Audi and as soon as I saw the sportback I knew this was the time for me to get one. So I have a few questions

How reliable are Audis? This will be a car I will want to have for 10+ years. As long as I keep up with the maintenance per manual instructions should I have no problems? Or are audis known to have longevity problems I don't know about?

Which brings me to my next question, would the A5 be more suited for me longevity wise vs. the S5. I would love to have the S5, but I'm wondering if the turbocharged engine would complicate things years down the road. (Never have owned a car with turbo engine)

Is maintenance expensive for an Audi? All I've ever owned were nissans so maintenance was always simple and cheap. How often are oil changes recommended per year and what is the average cost here in the US? I'm assuming maintenance gets more expensive for the S model.

I was looking to get a sportback by the end of the year. Should the '19 year model be out by then?

Again really excited to get an Audi, but very clueless when it comes to owning a German car as you can tell. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

uberwgn

Bob, welcome aboard! If you are sensitive to repair bills, it may not be the right product for you. Some people say you can't leave the dealer without paying $1,000.


Do some reading here. Look at the quote repair costs on brake jobs and commonplace maintenance. It may shock you.



We have a Nissan and an Infiniti. The Infiniti is pretty much the same as the Audis to maintain, repair order costs start to look like telephone numbers. I'm fairly certain the hourly rate at Infiniti is higher than Audi, but not by much.


Nissan is going to be cheap like a Honda.


You can prepay basic maintenance, which is prudent, as it saves you a few bucks. Many of us keep these high expenses at bay by DIYing. You might also find a competent, independent repair facility in your area.


Reliability of the current product is quite good...even Consumer Reports thinks so.

19hole

Bob, The A5 will also have a turbocharged engine. It is just 2 cylinders smaller and a lot less high strung!

plat27265

Welcome to the forum, Bob!

Your longevity question is quite difficult to answer especially if you are talking about newer vehicles being sold nowadays. Car manufacturers are pounding their parts suppliers for lower costs. Parts manufacturers, in turn, are coming out with products that have reduced longevity to address the demand for cheaper parts. For example, a water pump that is known to last for up to 100k miles may need replacement as early as 60k miles. Audi will be no exception. This warning is not to scare you but prepare you for the inevitable. As far as longevity is concerned, the previous generation B8/8.5 S4/S5 have been quite reliable. I rarely hear owners complain about them being a money pit. We do hear them complaining about the costs of replacing worn parts but this is life living with a premium brand vehicle, not just Audi. You pay to play. I cannot say the same concerning the longevity of the 2.0L TFSI Turbo engine in the B8/8.5 A4/A5. The early models were plagued with oil consumption issues. There also seems to be continuing issues with failing chain guides and their tensioners. The current B9 A4/A5 cars have an improved next generation engine. I am not sure if all these issues were addressed. As with all new cars that just got launched, only time will tell if they are reliable. The B9 S4/S5 vehicles use an improved version of the 3.0L FSI V6 engine with a turbo-charger. The B8/8.5 S4/S5's had a supercharger. So far, turbo-chargers used by VW/Audi since 2008 have held up quite nicely. I rarely hear of them failing prematurely. Based on that and the robustness and reliability of Audi's V6 FSI engine, I am more confident on the longevity of the S5 Sportback that is of interest to you. With regular maintenance and service, they should last long.

Maintenance costs for any premium brand vehicle regardless of where they are from are always going to be expensive. You should have this in mind before deciding to own one. There are ways to keep costs under control such as getting Audi Care which provides you up to 4 years of service for a fixed price. I believe it could be purchased for as low as $800. IF you pay for 5 years of service individually (first year free), I believe it can cost somewhere between $1,500 to $2,000 once you're done. As uberwgn mentioned, it will save you some money vs. the pay as you go option. Another alternative that I will echo is to look for a good independent Audi repair shop and have then do your regular service items. The only drawback to this alternative is the hardship an owner will go through during a warranty claim. Since it was not maintained by a dealer, an owner will have to present detailed receipts that the vehicle was serviced properly. Parts are expensive to acquire through dealerships. If paying out of pocket, it is best to acquire the parts through online sources instead and have them installed by an independent Audi specialist.

Oil changes are best performed each year or based on the manufacturer recommended mileage whichever occurs first. Some Owners want to change oil on shorter mileage intervals like every 5k to 10k miles vs. every 20k miles as per Audi's recommendation. I, personally, won't go for the Audi recommendation. 20k miles in between oil changes is simply too long of an interval. Depending on how much you drive in a year, if not that much like I do, I would do yearly oil changes. Oil is quite affordable but it is the essential life blood of an engine. So, clean oil will definitely be something that would greatly contribute to the longevity of an engine.

The 2019MY B9 A5/S5 Sportback should be available for ordering as early as end of October this year. It is best to inquire with you local Audi dealer. Best of all, test drive the 2018 model and see if it fits or suits your requirements.

Best of luck!

BobTX10

Thank you all so much for the replies. This is really informative and helpful. Just looked up Audi care. Seems like a no brainer to me since I will plan to have the care for quite a while. Will most likely get the plus.

Very interesting to read about the different engines. I'm glad to hear the s4/s5 didn't have too many problems. Looks like I'll be getting a '19 if they come as early as October, but will definitely be test driving and researching more until that time comes.

N8!

I am spec'ing the following items on my Sportback:

1. Audi Care Prepaid Maint Pgk ($869)

2. Major Component Coverage -6 yrs/75,000 miles ($3,195)

I feel #2 is a bit of an insurance policy to prevent too much pain when it comes to repair time during the 60 month loan period. It is expensive, and I am wavering on the "$'s to Benefit" ratio...

Thoughts?

plat27265

In my opinion, getting extended warranty depends on how much you plan on using your car. If you drive and travel a lot, I believe the extended warranty would come in as a nice thing to have. If you don't expect to drive your car that much every year, it would mean less wear and tear so there will most likely be no major warranty claim to put the extended warranty into good use after 6 years. In this case, I recommend keeping the warranty money in a bank account and continue building it up throughout your car ownership. If, at the end of the day, you don't use it for any repairs, you get to keep it 100% with interest. The reliability of the B8/8.5 Audi cars are quite good especially the S series. Based on that history, I do not think there is much to fear about something, like a major component, easily breaking down after the warranty period has expired. Again, if you drive your car a lot, which means more wear and tear, then I think the extended warranty is a good idea.

Spartan-S5

I am interested also in knowing what the costs are of maintaining one of these cars.

If you get Audi Care and have the 4 year 48,000 mile warranty, isn't your cost 0 till after you are out of the 4 yr/48K range?

Is there an above cost to bring the car in just for Audi Care? Does Audi Care not cover the parts themselves, etc?

Would like to know. I'm one of these people that keeps a car about 10 years.

plat27265

I believe you are confusing Audi Care for the Audi extended warranty. Audi Care pays for your scheduled maintenance services up to 5 years (first year included in car purchase - free).

The car comes with 4 years bumper to bumper Audi warranty. For example, a six year Audi extended warranty just means you are extending the warranty for 2 years past the standard 4 years warranty. A ten year extended warranty extends the warranty for another 6 years.

Here is a link to the Audi USA MY2017 Audi Care Brochure: https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...r-Brochure.pdf

Here is a link to the Audi Extended Warranty (Pure Protection Plan) Brochure: https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...O-Brochure.pdf

Glisse

No, the 2.0TFSI has an output of around 125hp per litre, the 3.0TFSI is 118hp/l. So you have it the wrong way around. But neither are highly strung.