AndyinMN

Hello All,

I have always been in awe of Audi's my entire life, as well as always wanted to own and drive one. My current situation is I own a 2012 Ford truck with 62,000 miles and thinking of trader it in and acquiring a 2006 Audi A6 3.2 Quattro with 120,000 miles. My wife and I just found out we will be expecting our first baby and I would like to not pay as much on our truck payment every month to start saving for other expenses. I know there will be some expenses that come along with the A6 as far as maintenance and repairs, but saving a couple hundred dollars a month and budgeting some of the saving for repairs and some for any unexpected child expenses seems reasonable.

I would like to hear what I could be expecting with buying a higher mileage A6. This vehicle is a 2 owner car with all maintenance records performed at the same dealership. The exterior and interior look almost brand new seems mechanically very well cared for.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated! thanks!

royclark

If its from a dealership it should come with a warantee, so should be a safe bet.

iaflyer

I doubt a 7 year old model with that mileage has a warranty. I don't think it will be a Certified Pre Owned, that mileage is outside the limit I think.

I just purchased a 2010 A6 with 110,000 miles on it, sounds like a similar situation, 2 owner, dealer records, etc. What I would suggest is getting the Audi maintenance schedule for that model (http://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/a...-Year-2006.pdf I believe - figure out which services should of been done, (i.e, 5K, 15K, 25K, etc) then go through the maintenance records and see what was and wasn't done. Also you'll get an idea of what kind of things were serviced - while it's under warranty won't get too concerned that it was in a lot, because it was free for the owner (unless it seems like something is problem that keeps coming up like Transmission or engine).

Also, in a 15 minutes test drive you're not going to get a great sense of that car, especially after driving a truck. The power and smoothness will be pretty cool. See if you can get it for a longer time, drive with the radio off, listen for noises from the tires, transmission or bearings turning turns etc. Find the dealer brochure for that model and compare the features in it to what works in the car. For example, mine had Sirius radio as a Standard feature but a week after I got home I realized it was working. Lot of Googling I was able to update the MMI and get it working, but it would of been easier to discuss that missing feature when I bought the car.

Also, if you can find a way to scan for faults after the test drive, either using a Carista OBD, VCDS (diagnostic tools), or at an independent shop, that would be good to see if there are any existing problems. Usually if the Audi has been at the dealer a lot, you're not going to see a lot of serious problems - because they have the $$ to take care of them immediately.

If it's from an Audi dealer, you might be able to negotiate some things at sale like Audi floor mats (if they can get them), updating the Navigation database, or oil change for cheaper than you'll pay later on. For example, it's several hundred for the nav database, but it doesn't cost the dealer much at all. Most of the "labor" is sitting allowing the car up to update while the tech does something else.

am_ver

I would not buy a car that old unless I knew a good indy that specializes in Audi's. From my days at the U of M, I don't remember there being that many shops specializing in german auto's - but I guess my world was limited to the U/Minneapolis area.

snagitseven

120K miles... Speaking from experience, there could be a whole lot of maintenance and repair expense in that car's future. Audis are not inexpensive to repair, certainly way more than your truck. A year's worth of that $200 savings per month could get eaten up easily in one repair. If you are trying to save money, this car may not be the one for you, especially with a little one on the way. You asked so here it is... You might want to consider a newer, lower mileage car in a different brand to lower your risk.

BTW, an Audi dealer cannot CPO a car unless it's under 50K miles.

kelisko

Wise advice!!!

Audis are great cars but expect big expenses on maintenance or repairs because to reach that level of greatness, high quality materials and sophisticated engineering were used. If you are trying to save money, an out of warranty Audi is definitely not for you. It may be a reliable and cost free car, it may be an unreliable and a nightmare wreck, depending on how it's been used and cared for. If you want to take the risk, expect the worst, which you can't afford in your case.

bwb

Congratulations on your new baby!
I bought a CPO 2007 A6 many moons ago as it replaced my beloved 2001 bi-turbo 2.7T. and love it. I have spent over $5K over the last 8 months on a variety of issues- sun roof, cam seal, fuel sensor, brakes, CV boots, etc. Spent almost nothing the previous 2 years. Running great. The car will be dependable but it will require service. Expect about 1-4K a year (other owners feel free to jump in) on top of routine. Brakes (just done) about $750 a set. Thinking about upgrading to a newer or even new one soon as I really miss the turbo/supercharger.
What ever your decision is, make sure you bring it to a independent or different dealer to get it checked out.
Good luck.

The_Mizarc

I agree with what everyone here is mentioning. However there are options for buying extended warranties even maintenance agreements if you are just dying to get into an Audi. That of course may negate the savings your aiming at. I would look for a Pre FSI 4.2 from the 05-06 models. Fewer headaches. Good Luck and Congrats on the baby!!! Another Audi lover in making!!! lol

snagitseven

I doubt an extended warranty could be obtained for a 9 year old car with 100K+ miles. Even if one could be found it would be incredibly expensive.

Witchhunt

I agree . I know this Polish vw Audi mechanic otherwise I wouldn't have bought my 05
it still was a mistake unless you are Bill Gates