BaptizedDemon

Hey everyone, I'm happy and excited to say that I will be picking up my car on Saturday from the dealership. 2018 A4 Premium Plus. Not only did I want to introduce myself but I also want to know if there is anything I should watch out for when I look over the vehicle. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope to read and respond to many threads to come!

bniner

First check carfax.
Check the vehicle history to ensure it had 10k oil changes at a minimum, 5k oil changes are better.
If you aren't bringing it to an independent shop for a pre-purchase inspection which you should be doing, here's a list:
Physically check the coolant level to ensure it's full and check for seepage from the water pump & thermostat housing and sweet odor of antifreeze from a hot engine.
Check for signs of hydraulic fluid seepage from the engine mounts
Like any other car check all body panels for signs of work, paint colors that don't quite match or metallics that look different between panels.
Check that panels have a nice tight gap everywhere on the car as Audi fits all panels extremely well.
Open & close all doors, trunk, hood, sunroof & gas flap. They should all operate perfectly and close with minimal effort and a nice latch sound. (not a VW door slam)
Drive it at highway speed and ensure there's no odd wind noises.
Make sure the transmission shifts smoothly.

Aviator6

Make sure that the spare tire, jack, & all the tools needed to change a flat tire are in the trunk, including the tool used for removing the lug bolt plastic covers - they tend to get lost. Owner's manual should be in the compartment above your left knee. And, spend as much time as you can with a knowledgeable sales rep. I know we have roadside assistance, but depending on where you are when it is needed might be quite a wait.

djc6

I would focus on cosmetic issues, which they won't want to fix after delivery. Mechanical issues espcially if there is still some factory warranty or CPO warranty left, are much easier to get taken care of. Cosmetic issues might also indicate it was previously in an accident. I had a third party german shop look over the car.

Issue i had with my 2018: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-...osion-2977351/

Eventual resolution: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-...putes-2999753/

BaptizedDemon

Well this is awesome! I was part of a mazda forum and a Lexus forum for previous vehicles and never got this many responses as quickly. So far you guys have given me some good points to look out for. The spare tire and jack honestly didn't even cross my mind! I've read through about 98 pages of the threads on the A4 B9 and haven't really seen anything continually popping up. I'm guessing these car are just super awesome and don't have any issues besides cosmetics? (The chrome trim thing kinda P****s me off.) Again, thank you guys so much!

djc6

Oh, and make sure you get the scratch-off code to setup Audi Connect - otherwise forum threads say its a PITA to get a replacement, comes from Germany. It looks like the plastic thing next to key fob - top of page 2:

https://www.audiusa.com/dam/nemo/us/..._myAudi-v2.pdf

BaptizedDemon

I have seen quite a few posts about that issue! So I'm not going to be dishonest here, I'm not exactly sure what all features the vehicle has yet as it's getting shipped from another state. What all does Audi connect do? Unlock and lock doors and allows you to see oil and fuel level? Do the features of the vehicle affect it at all? I'm asking because I'm not sure if I would use it very often.

djc6

I set it up because my car came with the scratch off unused. There is a free service level. I can check if car is locked/unlocked, remotely lock/unlock, it tells me things like when I need maintenance, oil change, I see see fuel levels, if I left the windows open, if the wiper fluid is low - a bunch of status information. It includes a stolen vehicle locator (which I think just calls Audi...) mileage tracker, some other misc stuff.

I can also locate the car. I wonder if the previous owner on the vehicle you are purchasing set this up? What is preventing them from still locating the car and looking up all the other metric data? I.e., I'm not sure what i'd need to do when its my time to sell the vehicle.

BaptizedDemon

I thought the vehicle locator was a service that needed to be paid for, if not I will definitely set it up.
I feel as thought when the vehicle is sold and the vin is registered as such then Audi might have a way to disable these functions for security reasons.

djc6

Stolen vehicle locator definitely on the free tier:

https://www.audiusa.com/us/web/en/in...i-connect.html