I've been thinking about buying a 1999 A4 1.8T. The listed price is $4900. The car looks awesome (aside from the passenger-side mirror being cracked), but it does have quite a few miles on it--177k.

I've been lurking around here for a few days trying to get a feel for Audis, and so I realize they can live well past 200k miles, but what kind of life will it be? Will I be taking it in a lot? Is the timing belt problem really bad at this many miles? This weekend I'll be talking to the guy about exactly how well it has been maintained, as well as getting the Carfax info.

Thanks in advance. If I end up picking this car up, I think I'll be coming here a LOT more often.

 

check for documented maintenence from a good shop. Seem like high mileage for the price plus its almost 10years old. timing belt has to be done every 80000 miles if it replaced with the upgraded tensioner. also look for a recent clutch job those are prob the most expensive jobs on the car, besides a engine or tranny replacement. I dont where your at but in my area their a little cheaper. I picked up my 98 1.8 with 103000 miles for 6grand cash. Then I did the Tbelt job for 350 along with a few other small things rotors pads,dv, valve cover gasket, wheel bearings. so im into it for maybe 7000. But I did throw on some bilsteins and H&Rs on top of that. Basiclly i think its gonna need some work. If this guy gets his 4900 for it hes gonna be very happy. just my 2cents

 

Yeah, I definitely don't expect to pay the full $4900, and I don't think he truly anticipates getting it either.

I'm not too worried about negotiating the price. My real issue is how long will this car last me, granted that I maintain it well? And will it age poorly, requiring a substantive amount of repairs in the next few years (relatively speaking)? Would I be better off with a different car that might be in the same sort of class as an Audi?

Thanks for the tips.

 

I got a better deal! 6100 for 2000 1.8t with sport suspension and 88k miles! I got it so cheap because it had a check engine light and I could tell it couldnt be anything bad and it turned out to be a torn vac hose.

 

Check for
synthetic oil changes
timing belt

if those were service on time all the time the car will last a while
the amount of money in repairs and maintenence will probably cost less than a car payment over the remaining life of the car

 

177K miles isn't too high unless there's never been anything done to it. I bought mine with 156K miles for about $6K and everyone here told me that was too much. Maybe it was, I don't know, but I will tell you in those two years I've replace a lot of expected things. First it was brakes (it had the orginal rotors on it- way under legal limit), then it was a wheel bearing, then fixed the cruise control, then a TRE, then the timing belt/waterpump, then two more wheel bearing and a clutch, then the last wheel bearing along with all the front control arms/swaybar links and the other TRE. Oh, and a complete set of tires and three wheel alignments.

I would bet most here would tell me my car still isn't worth more than $5K now with over 215K miles even though if you added all that up it would equalmore than$4000 of parts and labor. I plan on driving this car a long time though so I don't mind if people think it isn't worth very much, it's worth it to me.

(and actually I have about $1600 in parts and did all the work myself)

 

Make sure T-belt kit was done. If it was well-maintained, then I would say 4K would be reasonable. I got my 97 1.8TQM Sport with 106K T-belt kit and every oil change and maintenance records from a an Audi dealer for $5400, I feel like I got a good deal. It had brand new brakes and tires. My best advice in buying an A4 is be patience. I just waited to find the right car in my price range and I couldn't be happier.

 

IMO, you should pick it up...but quick. Oh, and let me drive it.