Hey all,

Just picked up an 02 A4 Avant this weekend. I tested it against serveral other nice cars. The 03 Volvo S60 and 03Saab 9-5 were the other two of my top three choices. The Audi was just so much smoother and nicer to drive. The wagon was a plus as well as I have a big German Shepherd and a lot of Hockey gear to tote around. So while the wagon might lose me a few cool points, I'm okay with that cause it just makes life so much easier.

My inital reaction is amazment at how well this car is designed. It just feels precise and silky smooth at the same time. Plus friends and even just bystanders seem really impressed in it. I never realized how much attention Audi's get. The gas mileage thus far is really good.

I do have some questions though. I'm partial to Mobile 1 full syn oil. The book suggests 0W-40. Which seems like an extreme viscousity. What is commonly used by enthusiasts? What is commonly used by mobile one loyalists?

I do have one minor complaint about this car. The horn has got to be the whimpiest thing I've ever heard in such a cool car. Is this a common upgrade for A4 owners? If so I'm guessing there are write-ups on replaceing them with more appropriate sounding horns? Any links or suggestions about replacing this would be great.

I've also heard some nay sayers say that Audis are unreliable. I didn't have much time to do a ton of research on this car as I needed something asap. But the researchI did do was all praise of the 02 A4. Are Audi's unreliable/high maintenance? Are there certain areas of the vehicle which have problems?

Thanks so much for any feedback you guys can give.

Mike

 

The reliability of the car is just going to depend on how well its taken care of, as with any car. Of course, if you have a turbo engine, it will be moremaintenance, and if you have to replace something it's going to cost more since its German. But all in all, if you treat it right, it will do the same to you.The people that say theyre unreliable are usually the ones who change their oil every 15,000 miles and never do anything, and they wonder why things go wrong.

 

How true it is. I'm a firm believer in taking good care of a vehicle and it rewarding you with reliable service. That being said I've owned cars in the past that had design flaws which would lead to more problems in a certain area. My Pontiac had a weak read end that was undersized for the engine tourque. My Dodge employed cab forward designed and pulled the steering rack way far back and had all sorts of inner tie rod issues. I'm just wondering if there are any common flaws on the A4 that might pop up more than usual?

Mike