Hey guys, new to the Audi world. Have always wanted one and now I finally have the chance (totaled my old car, check from the insurance in the mail...)

I found a 2001 Audi A4 2.8 Quatro with the 5 speed manual being sold by a private party. It has 129,000 miles on it and he's asking around $5,000 (or obo) for it.

Since I'm pretty new to the Audi scene what should I be looking for when I go to test drive it on Friday? He said he just put a lot of money into it doing the routine maintenance when it hits that higher mileage and he said he always did the standard stuff throughout the life of the car.

Basically, I'm a noob and I might be beating a dead horse by asking this question in a forum like this. If I'm breaking any type of forum rules by posting in the wrong spot/posting something I shouldn't, I apologize, just looking for any help and advice I can get.

If you need any more details to help guide me what to look for I can give them to you.

Basically what I'm looking for is:

What are the problem areas for these cars?
Any specific thing I should look/listen/feel for?
Is the price right if the condition is what he says it is?
How hard are these to work on yourself (I'm no mechanic but I'm fairly mechanically inclined and are fairly familiar with working on the 1.8T's found in Volkswagens in Audi's)?
How hard are parts to come by if I don't life near an Audi/Volkswagen dealership?
And anything else I may be missing as an Audi noob.

Thanks guys!

 

Welcome, have you read the FAQ yet? I would start with the noobie guide.

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/b5-...%2A%2A-109459/

 

Maintenance to ensure is done.

-Timing belt AND waterpump (this including new thermostat and housing) should be done at around 85k miles. Should be done again 60-70k miles. This is critical maintenance that must be done!

-Proper synthetic oil change every 3k-4k to ensure no oil sludge build up

Common Problems.
LCD Screens on the cluster and HVAC can have dead pixels. I haven't had it happen but most people have.
Fuel Sending Unit dies, cluster cannot read how much gas you have. $40 part
ABS Module Dies, must remove and send to someone who can solder and fix it. $50 ish
Driver side seat rip (if the seats are leatherette and they have zero rips you are one in a million)
Wheel bearings are known to go bad on these cars. Swerve left/right and listen for groaning sounds and vibrations.

I think all the rest is just basic car stuff, eventually any cars suspension set up needs to be replaced, same with brakes/rotors.

Check the lower door moldings (black plastic pieces) if they don't look very flush to the door and you can see some space in between them chances are there they will break/rot off and they cost $160 for a set of 4.

The 2.8 platform is different then the volkswagen/audi 1.8t platform. IF you had a volkswagen 1.8t and bought a audi 1.8t I think you would notice it is pretty similar but i don't think any parts are interchangeable.


If your paying $5000 the car better be immaculate honestly, I know kellybluebook values it around $5000 probably.. but KBB overestimates and theres a reason insurance agencys use other methods of value estimation. I have seen plenty of people from a bunch of audi forums get into nice b5's for $3000-$4000.

 

Thanks for the tips and the quick response!

Here is what the seller said he has done recently:

"All preventative maintenance has been done... It has been meticulously maintained, oil has been changed every 3k miles with 0w40 European Formula. Babied by the book. At 115k changed timing belt kit, wheel bearings, spark plugs, maf sensor, air filter, brand new tires, new struts and coil springs, alignment done. Tires have 6 months warranty and the alignment too. It has no leaks. It runs smooth and has plenty of power. Gas milage still what it says in the book."


Thanks for the link BaseDrifter, I'll check it out! Sorry for being such a noob!

 

Is it FWD or AWD?

Check the control arms and tie rod ends. Since it's the 2.8, you shouldn't have to worry so much about the oil sludge as much as you would with a 1.8T. Make sure he has receipts and paperwork for the timing belt; don't take his word for it.

Keep in mind, if you plan on going "fast" at all, you're buying the wrong car. You realistically can't make it faster without putting more money into the car than it's worth. You'd be better off starting with a 1.8T or an S4.

The 1.8T has the aftermarket support. But if you're alright with 193HP around 129,000 miles ago, then you'll be fine. The engine is strong and if it has been cared for like he has said, then it will likely last you over 200,000 miles. A handful of guys here are over 200K (I'm at 193 and mine wasn't in great shape).

$5,000 sounds pricey to me. It would have to be in fantastic shape considering you're getting the "slow" car and that B6 models, although not in the greatest of shape, are for sale around $7,000 to $8,000 now.

The B5 S4 comes stock with nicer interior, exterior, better handling, more power, etc. to start with and can be had for about $8,000 as well now, though they cost a lot more to maintain.

So make sure you know what type of power you want to have.

 

Thanks for the reply Skythe. Even from the few responses I've gotten, I've already started to like the Audi community. I'm fine with just having the 2.8. Being able to put some simple mods in it would be nice but I would never do anything too drastic so if theres not a whole lot I can do for a low cost, I wont lose any sleep over it.

Good advice on the receipts for the maintenance, I dont know why I didnt think of that.

The car is AWD

Audi has always been a dream of mine so I figure this would be a good place to start. Especially with the situation I'm in (totaled my old car on the interstate 2 weeks ago by hitting a deer so I'm out of a car until I get one)

 

I used to write out long *** responses to threads like this, but a while back I found this:

Audi A4 B5 Buyers Guide [German Car Wiki]

Not perfect, but pretty damn close.

 

Thanks CCA4, a lot of good stuff there.

 

What jumps out at me is doing the timing service at 115k. If that's the second time it was done, then that's great. If it was the first timing job, that casts every claim of meticulous maintenance into serious doubt as it should be done between 60-65k. Check on that before opening your wallet.

 

A lot of good advice here! If you plan on doing your own work ( saves a bunch of money)..

We have the entire North American Parts Catalog LIVE & Search able on our site if you ever need to obtain OEM parts pricing!

We also have the ability to source all available European OEM parts as well!

At the top right hand corner there's a search box where you can type in part numbers or look up the part by name.

Check it out HERE!


Let me know if you have any questions.

Jason