Most popular Audi A4 for sale

"An Audi without Quattro* is like a day without sunshine" - the sales guy was laying it on thick, but I wasn't about to be swayed with slick banter. However, one test drive later (including an abandoned parking lot) started making me a believer too. I did my research, I had my drive and I was sold.

* Quattro is a term Audi use to describe their all-wheel drive system (which is permanently engaged) which helps provide extra grip in slippery conditions by redistributing power between all 4 wheels to keep the car on course.

7 years later and the car is still a favorite, despite some mechanical flaws and wishing for a little more acceleration from stop. The A4 is a solid car with agile handling and a quiet and comfortable ride.

Specs:
* 1.8 Turbo
* Quattro (all wheel drive)
* 4 CYLINDERS (5 valve per cylinder = 20 valves total)
* 150 HP / 162 @ 2200 RPM
* Fuel econ: 18/26 approx (city/highway)

Pros:
* Styling: good looking car, even after 7 years
* Steering: good weighted steering (not too light, not too heavy), allowing good road feedback
* Handling: this car feels solid and is very capable - handling well even at speed
* Exterior/interior: the car is well built and somewhat classy, down to the interior trim details - nice
* Luggage space: good large trunk with ample luggage space
* Safety: crash test ratings were good. Engine is designed to collapse under the driver in event of head-on collision, reducing risk of injury to front seat occupants. Front airbags. Side protection.
* Braking: Good & reliable (although I can never come to a smooth stop without a *very* small lurch - perhaps it's just my car)

Cons:
* Mechanical problems: auto/manual gearbox shifter (now slides beteen manual and automatic without 'staying' in place!), and also the computer chip (had to be replaced for $400), the A/C compression (seized, replaced for about $800 if I recall correctly, as the entire coolant system had to be flushed) and some fuel sensor (approx $200).
* Interior problems: none really except for a slight tear in driver's seat (leatherette) and a crack in plastic trim behind driver's seat belt and a slightly faded on-board computer LCD.
* Rear legroom: a bit cramped legroom for adults
* Fuel: my 1.8 turbo requires 90 octane, so I fill up on premium fuel. One tank is about $40, and lasts approx. 300 miles (I use it mostly in stop-go commuting to work and other relatively short runs).
* Lights: I replaced the original 1999 low beam bulbs as they were too dim
* Acceleration from 0: sometimes feels a little slow from a stop, however the Turbo helps provides boost acceleration at speed for quick overtaking. You can also buy aftermarket chip to boost HP by 40-45 (I didn't).


Overall I like the Audi brand and despite some mechanical problems and complaints about power, it's a fun car to drive and is very quiet and comfortable. I'd be keen to test a more recent year model to see how things have improved.

Ok, as the title states "Sell it as soon as the warranty expires!" and I will explain why. At about 60K miles a "combination valve" started to malfunction. The dealer explained that this valve did not affect the drivability of the vehicle in any way but was part of some emissions control system. This was not really a big deal but since it would randomly set off the check engine light, I had it replaced for $250. At 70K miles the oil pump malfunctioned costing $1200 to fix (parts & labor). At about 80K miles the antilock break control module malfunctioned costing $1400 to fix (parts & labor). At 85K miles 3 of the 4 power windows (including the driver's side) malfunctioned...price to fix, about $250 per window. There were also numerous small issues (trim coming off...etc.) that I didn't list. The car now has about 90K miles and I really hope that nothing else goes wrong! For those of you that might be thinking about taking the car to a non-dealer service center, forget it, I already tried that and most places don't even want to change the oil let alone do anything else to the car. So to anyone that still might want to buy an Audi, my advice is simple, buy it with a warranty and sell it as soon as it expires or be prepared to spend $200 per month in repairs just to keep it going.

I was looking for an all-wheel-drive car with good performance that was not another Subaru. Subaru makes a good vehicle - just not terribly exciting. The Audi fits that bill perfectly, as it IS exciting to drive. I love the handling, performance and the design of both the exterior and interior of the car. One thing about european cars (if you did not already know), is that repairs - IF NEEDED - will be more expensive than domestic or asian vehicles as a rule.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK whenever you buy a vehicle, on eBay or otherwise! There are plenty of resources which allow you to 'discover' the potential issues or chronic problems with a particular model. In the case of the Audi A4, there appeared to be potential issues with tie-rod ends, brake rotors, and leaking cylinder head gaskets. In this case, the CarFax report (provided by the seller) clearly documented that these issues had been corrected by the previous owner of the vehicle.

Euromastercars (the seller in my case) is a real professional, and lived up to every expectation during the transaction.

The Audi A4 - in this case an Avant (station wagon) Quattro (AWD) with the 2.8 litre V6 and a manual transmission - is an award-winning car that is head-and-shoulders above its' competition. FIVE STARS.