I am considering buying my first Audi and am doing a bit of research. I'm looking at A4 automatics and from what I can tell, people either love them or hate them. Questions I'm looking for answers to are:

- Are there any particular model years I should stay away from? I have heard some can be very problematic/expensive because of repair and reliability issues.

- I want somthing i can take over the moutnains in the winter, so AWD is a must. Can someone tell me the engine sizes and if you really notice that much difference in performance and/or fuel consumption? If I go with the smallest engine, will I have the pedal on the floor board only to keep at 55 mph over the pass, or does it too have enough power behind it to drive at a 75 mph clip on an incline, without sending the RPMs through the roof? Is there a Turbo model?

- Any large repair concerns I should look for? I'm thinking in terms of negotiation replacements w/ the dealer before buying. I'm ideally looking for something with around 25K - 35K on it.

- If well maintained, how long will this car last? One independent mechanic specializing in German cars said it's a crap shoot w/ Audis and despite being under Volkswagen, they are not on the same platform and not yet mainstream here in the U.S., so parts are very expensive compared to BMW, MB, VW.

Any other insight would be much appreciated.

Many thanks!

 

I only just bought mine (New) a few months ago, so i can't really talk much about reliability, but i can shed a little light on this...

If you go with 2009+, you only have 1 engine option - 2.0T. The "T" stands for "Turbo". It has plenty of power, and will go 75mph without a problem. 2007-2008 gives you a choice of either the 2.0T or a 3.2L (non-turbo). I can't speak to the power of the 3.2L, but i would assume it would have ample power as well. I have the 2.0T, and with my 90% city driving, i'm getting about 24-25mpg combined. I get low 30s hwy.

Also, if you go New, you have the full factory warranty behind you. That's why i decided to go New instead of Used. If you do go Used, if you look for a CPO, you get a 6-year 100,000 mile limited warranty. I have no idea how comprehensive it is, but it would help with at least some of the repair costs.

Hope this helps a little!

 

had mine for almost 2 years. switched over from volvo...best decision ever as the volvo required too much maintenance. My audi a4 has about 27,000 on it and have had 0 problems but that doesn't really help you with the reliability issue too much since it hasn't hit 35K yet. the only thing is that it burns through a decent amount of oil compared to my previous cars but that doesn't bother me at all. In terms of mileage i get somewhere in the mid to high 20's i would say. overall very pleased with it. best of luck!