It seems when I mention purchasing an Audi (which I want to do soon), people always bring up that they are either: unreliable and expensive to maintain, or that they are solid cars that are expensive to maintain but maintenance is low. So what is your honest opinion???
Are the parts for Audi's THAT much more expensive than.. say... a Lexus / Infinity / Honda / other "US" cars / etc ??
Do things go wrong with Audi's often? As in, vehicle 'breaks' at a faster rate than other vehicles?

I figured asking you guys is going to be my best response. I hear both ways and it gets annoying. The standard features are definatly better.. that is one thing I have learned. Thanks in advance

 

Audi maintence will be around what otehr german cars are. More than hondas and domestics, not sure about infinti and lexus thou. I dont have that many problems from the car. Most are from the previous owner not doing maintence. Car has never over heated or not started. If u treat her well she will treat u well. But it also depends on the engine alot. I have the 2.8 which is very reliable.

 

parts are more expensive than japanese and american cars for sure. japanese cars are more reliable, and most of today's american cars are too. audi's are definitely not unrealiable though. my car has 140k miles and still runs very strong. i know quite a few audi owners with well over 200k miles on their a4s. maintenance <i>can</i> be more, but it doesn't have to be. if you're a diy kind of person, audis are excellent. they are very easy to work on, often easier than a japanese or american car. i've saved myself several hundreds of dollars doing installations myself.

 

yea thats tru. The major killer otehr than mods being more b/c less demand for them it is becase of the labor to do some of this stuff. My mechanic is 90/hr i believe.

 

Are you considering a new or used Audi? Regardless, Audi genuine parts may be a bit more expensive than parts for Japanese and American cars. The reliability factor actually depends on the owner and previous owner(s) for used Audis. As APG and Bent mentioned, Audi's are only unreliable if one neglects to perform scheduled or normal maintenance. Don't let others influence your decision on buying an Audi, because most on the forums would agree that they are well built and reliable.

 

Yea, I know a decent amount about engines. I did all the stuff to my car on my own. Modifying the bumper and custom mounting the intercooler, installing the pain-in-the-rear turbo back exhaust, gauges, boost controllers, etc. Of course alternators, pumps, belts, etc is a given. I would just have to buy one with low miles so I know it has not been owned in poor conditions for a while... which I might not be able to afford.
I actually am looking at Subaru Legacy GT's as well. They have a 2.5T with 250HP awd stock, and many features like climate control, etc. The price is easier to overcome as well.

 

In England they have a reputation of been built from better materials than say bmw or merc as no rattles or squeaks from interior.
Mine is 3 years old and like new inside with about 35k done.But reliability wise i think bmw have the edge,saying that i have had mine almost a year and only problem was a headlight that would not turn off. fixed free under warrenty though .

 

I would say that if reliability is a large factor in your decision, go with the Subaru. I have both and Audi and a Subaru. Most definitely less problems with the Subaru (of course it's not as nice of a ride either.) My '98 Audi's engine has been solid, but the electronic sh*t is failing left and right. In this area I think Audi is severely lacking in quality. Electronics should not start failing after 5 years. My LCD is crapping out, sunroof motor failed, cruise control doesn't work, headlights have gone out on me a couple of times while driving. Just recently...3 times in the past week my hatchback is popping when I start the car.

Some of the stuff I listed has fairly easy fixes (DIY), but I'm just being lazy. Still.......that type of stuff should last a good 10 years in my opinion.

 

Thanks to everyone for their honest opinions. We will see what the future holds. If I can afford a slightly used Audi I might do it, otherwise... I will get a new Subby with the 2.5T. Lots of features, and COBB tuning does a great job with ECU re-mapping. Even easier than APR, GIAC, etc.

 

I purchased for a winter car a 98 A4 avant 2.8 30v Q back in Aug. I purchased it with 100,000 miles on it, and I have already added 15000+ on it, and I have not had any major problems. The car was well maintaned before me.

Granted one thing I have noticed expensive, is the suspension is a pain in the *** compared to other cars, and because of it's complexity it has alot of extra parts that can wear and tear prematurely.