hawk 7

I am looking to purchase an older Q7 in the next couple of months. One of my questions would be is the 3.6 worth considering? This will be mainly a back up vehicle. Are there any reliability issues to look out for in a 3.6 vs 3.0? If the 3.0 is a far superior engine I will just look for a 2012 and up. Any advice given is greatly appreciated.

tigerwillow1

I bought a 3.6L 2008 with 100k miles 1-1/2 years ago. So far the engine and transmission have run well. Great vehicle when nothing is broken. Pure road mpg is about 21, in town can go down to 15 mpg. It's a good-running vehicle, handles well, and feels very solid. I have been disappointed with the maintenance it has needed.
1. Leaky valve cover gasket fixed by dealer ~$600.
2. Outside mirror motor failed. Swapped it myself.
3. One of the HVAC flap motors failed. Swapped it myself.
4. ATF leak at plastic mechatronic connector seal. Requires draining ATF, which needed replacement anyway. ~$1000 at indy shop.
5. Audi Lane Assist module (at inside rear view mirror) failed. I replaced with used module for under $100. Dealer cost would have been around $1,000.
6. Leaky sunroof drain fixed.
7. Coolant leak where plastic pipe enters water pump housing. Not fixed yet. Requires a few hundred $ parts and a few hours labor.

I avoided m.y. 2007 because of the oil bolt failure risk. Changing the oil filter is a pain in the rear.

968racer

I have an 08 3.6 purchased 4 years ago at 70K. I now have 108K miles.

1. Replaced outside mirror motor. $45 if I recall correctly.
2. Both rear O2 sensors $120

I did transmission filter & fluid change as well as diffs & transfer case oil around 80K as preventative.

The great thing about this car is road trips. I can go through the Smokey Mountains with 5 passengers & loaded luggage and it will not need to downshift on the interstate. It did downshift going through the Rocky Mountains but the thin air & steeper grades were factors. It's been a pleasure to drive and very reliable. No regrets.

hawk 7

Thank you guys for taking the time to read and comment. I am happy to see that in real world conditions it can get over 20mpg. This will be a backup car but we may take it on longer trips.

I know buying an older car the most important thing is how it was cared for. With that being said, are there any Q7 specific issues that I need to look out for?

dnasty

I too am questioning the same thing. I see mainly 3.6's and I've heard to avoid the 07 and get a MY 08 and newer.

hawk 7

Thank you for the information. What issues do the 2007's have? If it is too long of an explanation, can you send me a link to the thread(s) in which this is discussed.

Good Luck with your search!!

tigerwillow1

Official 24V 3.6L Engine (oil pump bolt) failure thread

My understanding is that a wrong bolt was used to hold a sprocket to the crankshaft. In many cases the bolt failed, often leading to engine destruction. Supposedly fixed for '08 production runs. (I don't claim to be an expert on this, so if it's incorrect, please fix it without any flaming).

Of course, the '07s have the sunroof drain problems but this also applies to later years.

hawk 7

Thank you for posting this link.

hawk 7

Bump

I think I may be leaning towards the 3.0t. Has anyone owned both that can give their opinions??

jdub_johnson

We own a 2008 with the 3.6 and a 2012 with the 3.0. 3.0 is way more torquey on the low end and fun to drive but hauling a full car or heavy loads, you can't beat the 3.6. Entertainment wise the 1st gen MMI is rudimentary compared to gen2 in the 2012. 120k currently on the 3.6 and I am having the occasional rough start at cold with CEL, resolves itself and runs great. Not spending the $1500 dealer recommended to scrape out carbon, no effect on gas mileage. My private German car repair shop did the prepurchase inspection on the 2008 I bought private party, when I called he asked me if it was the 3.6 or the 3.0. Told me not to buy if it was the 3.0, lots of problems that year, said I could put 200k easy on the 3.6 and to go ahead and buy it.