All cars are of the same basic design, which is to break just after the warranty runs out. However, with proper maintenance some cars may go beyond 300,000 miles.
Somebody will buy that crappy Audi, change a few cheap parts, and then drive another few hundred thousand miles until it is rusted out.

 

yeah AUDI'S r a lil expensive to fix, but i bought a twin turbo luxury car knowing stuff is going to break & factored in that even if i had to replace the entire motor or trans i was still ok cuz of the deal i got & i can do it myself(learn how to negotiate...& pay cash).

That being said my all wheel drive "money pit" has saved my *** (& possibly life) twice when i was ran off the road & onto the median...if it was any other front or rearwheel drive car it woulda been VERY BAD (try going from 80mph on asphalt to 80mph on grass & dirt in a Mustang & see what happens!!!!!)

 

Wow, too bad about your A6. The previous owner(s) must have abused it or it was just a lemon. It seems that the older A6's seemed to have had more problems than the ones that were built from 2001 on. But I would not judge all Audi's (or Euro Lux cars) based on one bad apple. I have driven several different types of Euro car's from 1985-1998 (Opel's, Fiats, BMW's,VW & MB) and found the most reliable (from that era) was my 1997 Opel Astra 1.8i-16v Sw. I still have that one as a beater (hoopty) and it still runs good with over 190t miles (320tkm) on it!

 

i'm on my second a6-4.2. first one was a 2001, got totalled after only 6 weeks so i can't attest to it's reliability. my second (and current) is a 2003 (4.2 fully loaded). the car has been a dream. 90k miles, never so much as a hiccup. the only problem i have had with it is that the cup holder over the radio is too small for my new insulated coffee cup. so i designed an adapter on 3-D CAD and grew the part on my FDM prototyping machine. problem solved. i'm getting ready to do the timing belt job, it's not a problem, i knew about it when i bought the car.

 

quit hitting curbs and your stuff wont fall appart

 

damn, have you been ran off the road twice?
Did you pick a "race" with someone or something?

 

Oh man... finally someone who knows the deal. I have had a couple of close calls as well as wrecks, and I have to say a FORD or Chevy would have gotten my A$$ killed! I mean the latest Ford Forcus (US Specs) still runs with rear DRUM Brakes??!! Can you say 1970's!!!

 

Even a Ford requires frequent repairs, as some parts will become unreliable. So, if the car won't start, but then a half hour later it starts, the old owner trades the 1998 Ford Taurus in for a Toyota. I still have that Taurus.
Latter, I bought a 1996 A6 wagon, which had been traded in at another Toyota dealer and then auctioned off to a used car dealer.
I got both cars cheap!
However, I don't like to buy a car which can't pass the safety and emmissions or that requires too many costly repairs. So, if the car was poorly maintained, then it is a worthless junker.

 

To the OP, I understand your frustration. However, you have to keep in mind that we are talking about a car that is over 8 years old. All cars need maintenance after a certain time. For the most part, I thought the 2.8 motor was pretty solid except for the reported common gasget leaks. I think the major problem is that the car depreciates, but the maintenance really doesn't. Due to the higher costs, many people skip some needed scheduled maintenance on the Audis until it develops into a more expensive job. I have a 99 A4 2.8 (152k) which has an airbag light on, a very slight power steering leak, and now the rear glass is not secure in the bottom. I have an '01 A6 2.7t (155K) which has a torque converter cel and a slight oil leak. The A6 has definitely cost more in repairs and time. I have given up on the oil leak. Like others have suggested, I found a good Indy, and I use the DIY section of the forums. My A6 is old and I am ready for my next vehicle. Even with all of that, My d*mn A6 still rides smoothe as hell. People still compliment me on the "luxury" ride aspect. Also, when I stomp the gas, the APR ECU still puts a smile on my face. My suggestion, sell the A6 since you are not happy with it, and maybe look into a Honda/Acura or Nissan/Infiniti. Good luck.

 

I worked for FORD, hate them. I'll fix my piece of crap four rings of hell with a smile on my face anytime of the week.
However i own a 99 GMC truck just in case something has to be flown in from germany, know what you are getting into and stop complaining about crap you don't understand. You sound like a cheap mercedes owner that i loathe.