In all honesty, how bad of an idea is it to buy an A4 for my girlfriend?
 

In other words, I'll be maintaining it if anything goes wrong.

I'm only familiar with the S4, not the A4, but I love the B5 so much and it has been so good to me, I have a hard time recommending that she not get this car.

It's an '01 with 57k miles for $8500 (tip). Good deal? Are these cars really the maintenance nightmares everyone says they are or are they like the S4 and only cause problems when you treat them bad?

What's the deal with the sludge btw?

Thanks.

Hit it
 

I'm always of the opinion that B5 are as reliable as you treat & maintain them....

Sage advice. If you must buy an A4 for the girlfriend, get a 30v 5 speed.

that is what my girl drives but she works too :-)

Do you like pussy? She'll have to come back to you for every job. (sponsored by Bad Idea Coilpacks)

Thank you. This is the answer I was looking for. More...
 

Would you say it's a better idea to buy an '01 with 60k miles for ~$9k or a '98 with 150k miles for ~$3500?

Used is used in my book, and both will probably require maintenance. If she could save some cash up front, that would be great IMO. But if these cars really fall apart after 100k, probably not a good idea. But I don't know if I believe that because my 90 is still running strong with 230kmiles.

Let me rephrase. I will be buying it, but she will be paying for it.
 

I'm kind of like an agent in finding her a good car. I don't want to get her a POS because I will never hear the end of it. I don't mind doing work on the A4 since I love Audis, but I don't it breaking down and stranding her every other week..

What's the deal with the coilpacks?

Re: In all honesty, how bad of an idea is it to buy an A4 for my girlfriend?
 

I have an 01 and have had no problems I think they worked out a lot of the early b5 issues by this point. I got almost 100k on mine too. I've always heard to stay away from the '97 1.8t's

And mine is in the 3%. She has drifted trough turns at speed more than once...
 

And has never wrecked it. And at other times she drives slower than my mother.