The title should be changed to "Don't ever take an out-of-warranty-car to a dealer" That $1300 transmission service is about $125 to do at home and many independent shops wouldn't charge more than $300-$400
Seriously. The ZF trans is legendary and used on Acura, Honda, BMW, Porsche, etc. The fact this guy does not know that is telling. Took me 2hrs to service my trans on my BMW. Not a $1300 job.
@@andreslopes8129 Yeah I had a quote of $1200 for front brakes from a Euro specialist shop and just laughed. I did the job myself with parts totaling about $300 which included pads, rotors and VW/Audi brake fluid.
When they are in proper working order they are amazing though. One time I was driving to work on the highway and a dumbass in a ram swerved in front of an SUV and clipped it on the freeway and it was heading towards me in an A4. I could smell the burning gas and oil but I slammed the brakes swerved around the fireball wreck in front of me and got over to the shoulder to call 911 and see what happened to my car and it was completely fine. For some reason German cars cheap out on plastic parts, but there handling is second to none. Lease German buy Toyota/Lexus (maybe Honda too if their transmissions are working).
@@brianbeam361 $1k, not a dealership. I have seen $4k brake jobs on average for Audi's from dealerships. They are extremely proud of their labor and parts.
I've owed three Audis a 2013 b8 S4, a 2019 b9 S4, and a 2019 rs3. They are phenomenal cars. I've modded all of them and they are very fast and very reliable. This guy doesn't do his research and purchases problematic models. For the last eight years, I have enjoyed them immensely.
Are the S lines more reliable? I am about to purchase an A5 2.0T w/54k miles on it it drives reallly nice! What are your thoughts? I am aware of European car cost as far as repairs I own a 2005 Volvo s80 it’s been super reliable aside of some minor fixes.
You’ve bought much more highly engineered cars which aren’t comparable to an Audi family sedan and the likes. Also, you likely have the budget to deal with repairs if things go wrong. I’m on my 3rd Audi having had A4’s and 5’s and I can’t see myself buying Audi in future. I have driven 6 Audis in the last few months and every single one of them had problems, it’s rare to find one that doesn’t. The quality is gone to the dogs. I wish you continued motoring good luck !
@@Paul-cl6uo Did you buy every one of them new? Did you address any of the known items depending on your model and year? These are key factors to ANY manufacturer. If you think you can just go to another manufacturer and be absent these items think again. I cannot tell you how amazing Subaru's reputation used to be about reliability. "200Kmi is just the break-in!!" and other bragertdoms. However, with the WRX? FOUR engines and THREE transmissions later... and NONE of it ever covered even when the car was within warranty. They got sued, lost and STILL do not do anything to honor THEIR defects. Bottom line is, does the manf. stand behind their work etc. The only car I've ever owned that was NOT the case is a Hyundai Sonata. Dollar for pound and performance absolutely the best money I've spent. $200 a month. 10 year 100K warranty. YES it had MAJOR issues that resulted in a class action. It had 2 motor replacements. On that 3rd motor I was outside of the warranty and even the law suit extention. They still honored it, provided a nicer loaner (Azaria) every time they had my car, for free. I paid ZERO dollars. Other than that? I will NEVER own a Porche again. Absolute garbage and you have to take them and the dealer to court. (That dealer is now out of business) Audi, BMW? So far I have no complaints with them. Again, did you buy new or used? Did you buy a VIN range of a model and year that had a known issue. A4 2008 2009 2011 are extremely problematic. 2014-16 are very reliable years. They had issues with gasket leaks on their 4cyl turbo engines, etc.. Homework before buying is the best solution to any purchase, new when you can afford it. Warranty plus no wear. If you ever went to a dealer for service I promise that is 90% of why you have a bad taste of Audi. Always go to a specialty private garage. They know more, aren't restricted by the manufacturer and are also more affordable. Plus they have zero issues installing modifications.
Start buying ones with a few features that make them stand out. My B8 A4 has been mostly reliable, my C7 S6 (modded also) not so much until it hit about 8 years. Both are at about 140K miles. It's the special features that other cars don't have that break like air suspention and FLIR.
I'm 79 years old and my last 5 cars have been Audis: 3 A6's and 2 A7's, and not one has given me any trouble caused by problems with the car itself . Once I had an issue with the dealer who scratched up my center console adjusting my GPS unit, but that's about it. Now if you buy an older car with a lot of miles and don't know how it's been treated (like this guy did) you may be in for some problems. Audis are precision pieces of equipment which when treated and maintained properly will remain in good working order for as long as you own them. But if you fool around with the horsepower, go cheap on the maintenance and do your own repairs when they arise, you're looking for trouble and you'll probably get it.
@@nodocs74I have a 2013 a6 which I take care of but I do not baby it. Never take it to the dealer put previous owner did . I have all documents never had a major anything other than a water pump . 218k running strong looks like new
Mine is serviced on time, many even early yet my S6 has had many problems. I'm a former mechanic so I know cars. Service is great, but sometimes luck is the key.
My SQ5 is serviced every 5000 miles, and tranmission service every 30,000 miles. Catastrophic engine failure at 47,000 miles (replaced) coolant leaks, overheating, burning oil. $90,000 car. Fuck Audi
@@thomasoneill1077 Was it the 2.0? My wife's A4 2.0 was rebuilt twice prior to 100k miles. Audi paid for almost all of it. On the flip side, my S6 4.0 had an o ring fail on the turbo oil line. $1.00 at auto parts store. All in all that Oring cost about $5,000. $2,800 to replace the oil lines, they don't recommend just the oring, and the rest was for a coolant leak because the hot oil leaked on coolant lines causing them to burst.
Gday Craig, I flip earth moving equipement here in Australia. I do most repairs myself. My wife’s Audi Q7 started throwing codes. Biggest mistake I made was taking it to Audi. They told me would cost 40k to fix and better to claim insurance as a technical right off. I was determined to fix it. Long story short a common issue is the heat exchanger on the auto trans gets a leaky valve that pushes coolant into the trans loom. Throws all sorts of unrelated codes. I changed the valve and trans loom which is all external and accessible. Runs 100% now. If you persevere with Audi, then get the VCDS diagnostic tool from Ross Tech. It will save you heaps. “DONT TAKE YOUR AUDIS TO AUDI! THEY WILL ROB YOU!!!” Cheers 👍👍🍻
Craig, if you think you have problems just think about the customers who will end up buying these cars. As a landlord I have saw many of my tenants so bankrupt from buying used high end cars. First they pay a high price for one with 100k miles or more and then very soon problems, and yes just like you said it's $1300 or more every time it breaks. Soon they are behind on rent, car has been repo for non payment, they are not going to keep making payment on a car that will not run, then credit is shot and all from trying to live a life and be a big shot when they didn't have the money to do from the start. My advice to working people, buy a cheap chev and keep it under warranty. The people in my world don't have $1300 just laying around for car repairs. You will never get rich from owning high end, high tech cars. Most people have poor financial knowledge.
@@alifelongsong Right? Like the only good chevys are ones with V8's in them and "body on frame". Other than that don't buy them. If you want a good used car that's not going to destroy you to drive just buy a used Toyota or Honda.
Before considering buying another used Audi, I contacted a respected independent Audi repair shop. I was quoted 30+ hours of labor and $10k+ to replace a timing chain. Audis and BMWs are great vehicles to own when they are on warranty. If you own multiple oil wells, they may be great vehicles to tune and modify to peak performance.
@@beammeup8458 Likely those old Q7 with timing chain on the back on the engine, near the firewall. Yep the engine must be removed to change the timing chain
I have owned my 2008 Audi A4 Quattro since 2009. It has 78000 miles. Stay away from the dealership. Maintenance is key. I found German Autohaus for service. Installed stage 1 Apr chip. I’m 74 and like to still feel the turbo set you back in the seat. Love my Audi! Expensive to own yes.
5:29 any time I take my vehicle to the stealership I say to them "you diagnose it, tell me the price, if that doesn't fix the issue, I'm not paying for anything other than the diagnostic" But ...."NO BUTS" if I bring my vehicle to you, the factory trained mech, you fix the problem, I pay you to fix the problem I'm NOT paying you to "try different things".
Hi, I have the exact opposite experience with Audi. I own an 2018 A4 Allroad and had a Q5 S-Line Prestige and both cars were ultra reliable, reasonable to service, and performed flawlessly. I think if you are buying cars at auction, you are purchasing someone else's problems people dump. I still love Audi's they are the best value on the road and I love they are performance based cars. I will also say, you may want to try a different dealer. Mechanics need Audi Certified Training and the dealer is only as good as the mechanics servicing their cars.
I've owned 3 audis these past 4 years ( S4 b8, S6 C7.5 and an RS3 8V) and i've never had a single problem with any of them. I never miss any kind of maintenance, and take good care of them. I always do my oil changes on time etc. These cars can be reliable if people start to actually maintain them the way they are supposed to. If you don't maintain your car, then it's going to have problems. Simple as that.
And on top of it these cars tell you everything that’s wrong with them. When the problem starts They’re so smart how can a person ruin these cars? They even have sensors all around the car so you don’t hit anything these cars are too smart to ruin.
The 1300$ must have been studied to be the just right maximum amount most buyers of these cars can shell out for a visit without feeling robbed. Who knows 😂
90% of people who only buy German cars know nothing about cars. They charge that price because those idiots think it's normal to be charged that just for looking at the car. lol
I spent 4217.73 cents my last visit because it wasnt shifting correctly transmission service oil pressure issues I will never buy an Audi again lets also add they had my car for 3 Months before they even touched it btw it's a 2017 Audi A3
2 years ago I was looking at an A8L Sport vs S6; I have 3 kids and I knew they would break all the cool features of the A8, I opted for the S6, I'm glad I did. The S6 has been great to me other than the Pre-sense camera going bad and a new one is $1000, based on your video it will probably be another $300 to put it in.
I don’t understand how you don’t get that the DEALER SERVICE was your biggest issue. Also how are you not at least driving the car around the block before leaving the dealer? You wait till you get home to discover nothing is fixed?
My Experience with the Dealership, they usually have an inexperienced person working on your car. They misdiagnose things constantly but charge you ridiculous prices. You can take your car to a dealership, and explain exactly what the problem is, and they will ignore your input, and do a lot of unnecessary steps, only to conclude you were right about what was wrong in the very beginning. Their excuse usually is; " it needed those other things anyway"... They have your car in their possession, and you are at their mercy.
Above is my experience at the Volvo Dealer in Albuquerque, NM. I had a XC60 that was shuddering during hard acceleration. They charged me $200 for diagnosing it and wanted to reprogram the transmission computer for another $200. In the end it didn’t work. I took a Volvo specialist in Santa Fe and he found the problem immediately as a bad spark plug. He fixed it within a few hours. The dealer got me for $400 without even finding the problem.
In my experience you are better off finding an independent specialist. Screw dealers. They have hours they charge for jobs whether it takes that long or not. Lower level techs that don't know what's going on. Brought my Honda accord in for a simple service and oil change. Service tech called telling me my entire rear driver brake assemble and line needed to be replaced because it was shot. She said "it was pissing brake fluid". I got in one of my saabs drove down to the dealer and made them show me the car on the lift. They were hesitant at first. I was demanding. I made a tech lower the car on the lift, made another get in, start the car, and made another raise it. The tech pumped the brakes. I asked the tech where the pissing brake fluid was. She looked at me like I handed her a plate of shit. The brakes were fine. They were replaced 5 months prior (calipers rotors pads all around) and there was no leakage. They didn't expect me to challenge it. Another Honda dealer squeezed me for a brake fluid flush. Never again. They wound up seizing my rear calipers. I noticed it 2 days later. When I brought it back they claimed it had nothing to do with them. Had to fight it with honda corporate. Mind blowing. Screw dealers.
@@patrinoo138I think the brand had serious quality issues myself and I live in Europe but the garbage fuel they have in the US is surely a factor…87-91 octane versus 95-98 in Europe
Years ago a car magazine article stated that Germam automotive engineers, when looking at a design problem, ALWAYS choose the most arcane, complex solution. Shortly thereafter, I learned about an Audi that didn't have a dipstick for checking the oil; it was apparently done electronically. It rarely makes sense to make a simple task more complex.
I owned an '09 Audi S5. I was the first owner. I purchased the maintenance plan. It did not have an oil dipstick. It never ran quite right. When I took it in for its first maintenance service, the dealership insinuated I'd let oil out of the engine. Huh? I don't work on cars; that's why I purchased the maintenance plan. I got rid of it within 2-years. What a weird ownership experience. I'll never purchase another Audi product.
While I am an Audi fan and no stranger to the reliability issues with them, it sounds to me that your big issue is your dealer. And it isn't just your dealer, mine is the same. There hasn't been a single recall that involves a decent amount of work that I have had them complete which didn't require at least one return trip to fix something they did incorrectly. The last one, a recall on my S5 that involved replacement of the Cats, the check engine light came on before I even made it home. Returned to dealer, they kept it another day, said it was fixed, picked it up and light came on again after a day. Returned to dealer after pulling the codes with my VAG-com but not telling them, and they claimed that there was a crack in a y-pipe in the exhaust and it would be $2,500.00. Once I researched the part they were referring to I realized that it was the section of pipe that the new parts connected to. They then tried to claim that it was like that before the repair which I responded 'so why wasn't the check engine light on when I brought you the car?' They finally agreed to replace the part they obviously broke and returned the car. Once the warranty is done I never, ever take my Audis back to the dealer. I use a good independent shop instead. Most are owned by mechanics that used to work at the dealer and left in disgust. Most dealers are just guessing at repairs and when they get it wrong, they still want you to pay. When they get it right, the usually screw up something else while repairing it.
Most likely the reason for the shotty work with most dealers is because the dealership’s mechanics only get paid the amount of hours that Audi USA, Audi Canada etc head office defined that a certain job should take. If a mechanic takes longer than the stated amount of hours a job should take, the mechanic works those extra hours unpaid. i’ve been told by an audi master mechanic that most times the book time for a job isn’t enough time... *** AND GET THIS *** Mechanics don’t get paid by the hour, only per job. If there is no cars in for work, they are not getting paid. So mechanics are incentivized to rush jobs in order to fit in as many repairs as they can to maximize their earnings - leading to rushed, low quality repairs. That’s also why something that should take 15 minutes is charged a full hour - because they have to charge you by the book.
Dealerships are the worst. Nothing like a good german-specialized shop. They know everything of anything. Dealerships employed kids that just got out of school and they always got their diagnosis wrong. Also, extended warranty are dirt cheap and give you peace of mind. I just bought a '21 S4 with 15 000km. I have it covered until 2028 or 130 000km for 3000$. There are also many many insurance companies out there that can work for your exact needs. I could've get a full warranty until 2030 or 160 000km for 5000$ ! But im gonna get rid of the car before that so....Seriously, it's a no brainer for these types of cars.
Crazy how I have a 2011 a4 running at 170k miles yet I haven’t had a major issue rather than a misfire due to coil pack going bad & some carbon buildup that I already planned to clean up
I’ve had two A3 hatchbacks. One 07, 82k miles. Never had any issues or problems. My 08 has 185k. Both 3.2 vr6 engines. Zero issues for either of them, except for the 08 AC (blend door actuator). Take care of them, and they will be fine. Like most vehicles. People just don’t care for them at all. People who spend money on them don’t even realize they need to take care of them.
I bought a used 2011 Q7 patrol 3.0L 9 months ago. It ran well for the first 6 months. After the 7th months, oil leaking, front differential noice, axels… the list goes on…
I also own a small lot and have been a longtime Audi enthusiast. I used to love them as well. I agree that the ride, style and luxury are amazing but the quality seems to keep slipping as they get more complicated with all their electronics, miles of wiring and countless ECU's and modules. I think they hit a high point in the late 2000's, early 2010's. I have basically become an Audi/VW mechanic because they have so many issues and have become so expensive to fix. SMH. On a side note, it sounds like your local dealership has a horrible service department. I know if one of my customers came back with these issues not resolved that there is no way we would charge them. We also would never let the car leave the shop without thorough testing. Lastly, you can program things like the MMI unit, etc yourself with VAGCOM. You can also unlock tons of cool features with it. Def a must have if you're into Audi/VW.
High point in the early 2000s to 2010s?!?!? That was damn near the worse point for Audi what you mean lmfao. They made some cool cars at that time yes but the reliability was complete shit lmao, its got much better since then not worse what are you talking about lol.
@@automotiv_imports I never said any were "reliable" I just said 2000 to about 2014 ish are by far the worst and that's a WELL known fact lol. Now as far as what years would I buy? Anything after 2016/2017 from what I have seen. My 2018 A4 sline has 90k on it and I've only done one repair which cost me 150 and 20 min of my time which was the oil separator, other than that just basic maintenance which I've also done myself so thankfully it's been cheap lol. But yea I'd say anything after 2017 to be safe would be the best years to buy if you plan on keeping it past warranty expiration lol. But then again my boys 2012 s4 has 150k and absolutely 0 issues and he's stage 3 lol. So I mean it's all relative and depends on how you drive and maintain the car really.
@@5150B9 I've had a couple of B8.5 S4's and will admit that they were both pretty solid cars requiring little. The supercharged 3.0's are great engines but even they suffer from timing issues.
I'd love to own a vehicle such as an Audi Q5 or BMW X5, but instead I went for reliability and economy and drive a Honda CR-V I bought new over 17 years ago. It's not luxurious or notably fun to drive, but a mechanic I've brought it to in the past claimed that they hardly ever see me.
Dealing with the dealership service department was the worse part of the whole Audi experience for me. It forced me to become my own mechanic. You get one thing fixed and it comes back with other issues. They don’t know how to fix their own cars and you need their proprietary software to program stuff now.
It's all a scam, the entire car industry (except for maybe the Japanese one ) is dumping quality for some bs emission scores. American cars are no better they just don't care about the consumer. Imagine how many people are losing thousands for repairs, why would GM, Audi, or Chrysler stop the flow of cash from parts and repairs ?
@@vailtonbeserra9408I wanna buy a Audi A6 2015, it has 84k miles and They want 13k you think it’s worth it ?? If I pay it off and put up 5k upfront ???
I honestly couldn't have said it better than you did. I do h. V. AC for a living and have been doing that for 25 years. But it's taking a toll on my body being a car and automotive lover. In general, this is my future and what I look forward to doing. Buying good or great vehicles and selling them to good people. At a decent price, it's not all about the money. I truly enjoy it like you seem to
My coworker has a A3 that has been at the local Audi dealership for over a year trying to get fixed. He actually had to contact Audi corporate to get involved and threaten to lawyer-up.
As a VW owner those years were known for VW and Audi vehicles to have a lot of issues oil leaks, PCV, and the more serious one Carbon built up issues. They are fun to drive but they are known to be maintenance princesses so you have to fix them right away whenever an issue appears or else. Also independent VW/Audi mechanics are way cheaper than dealerships.
Carbon build up is not an Audi VW issue. It’s a common unavoidable issue with direct injection in recent fuel efficient engines. Old design using port injection washes away carbon. Just make sure you do the carbon wash when the code comes up.
I had a B6 S4 with mild engine mods. Took it into the Audi dealership every other month because of MAF sensor issues and spent over a grand. I absolutely love the brand but hesitant on buying a newer model. I am now driving a 4Runner that has been extremely dependable the past 10 years.
These cars can sometimes be a labor of love. I’ve owned two Audi A3’s and absolutely love the cars. I opt to leasing them brand new while they’re covered under warranty. I swapped out my 2020 last year for a 2024, and it’s been great! Interesting I stumbled across your channel and your shop is only 30 minutes away from where I live in S. NH. I’ll have to stop by sometime. I hope you have some better luck in the future with your Audi’s, they’re really fun cars. -Dave
The lesson here...Don't use dealers for repair work, find a good Independent Tech that is qualified and has left the dealer to run their own workshop. There rates are way better and are often seasoned tech's that have more experience than anyone in the dealer
This is true. You buy any german car and you take it to the dealer, then you deserve to get ripped off. People need to start learning how to wrench themselves. Plenty of youtube tutorial videos
@@nathane2243Generally agree, but remember that many who buy these cars are older or elderly, not mechanical, have no clue how cars work, etc. Also, it has been increasingly the case that to get to a part, you often have to remove a bunch of other stuff. My late 1970s first car was child's play. The ones the last few decades are another matter.
I am unsure why anyone would buy an Audi money pit. Can you imagine your customers delight when they discover their used car just ate their 401k? I think these thoughts each and every time Craig becomes tumescent over one of these money pits. Thank you for being honest Craig and showing what happens to the money pit cars with nice seats.
yeah, a VW is very similar, especially in higher trim, or a seat cupra, and although I love the look of AUDIs and that quattro, even BMWs are rock solid in comparison.
I bought a low milage 2018 S6 exactly 3 years ago and it has been amazing everyday I drive it. I have a 93 stage 1 tune on it and its a rocketship. Aside from buying tread, winter and summer setups, it has been gentle on the checkbook. It just hit 50000 miles though and I am already getting antsy about potential failures on this platform that may arise, pcv/engine mounts etc. Fingers crossed that she holds up and I can avoid the nightmares you have experienced.
Hey, I am from Germany. Incompetent dealers are everywhere. But it is true that the cars are so extremely sophisticated in terms of performance and emissions that they can quickly cause problems if used incorrectly. In principle, you can't buy used vehicles like this because you never know how the previous owner handled them. Another problem is emissions standards. In order to comply with this, things like exhaust gas recirculation have to be installed, which makes high mileage almost impossible if you don't regularly clean the intake system every 20-30,000 miles. You can disable the exhaust gas recirculation system, which would solve many problems, but it is illegal in most countries. With Audi you will never have any problems with rust on the body, even if you drive across the Atlantic. Because there are no regulations from the state at the expense of the end consumer. In Germany we say: “We destroy our dearest child ourselves”. Everything for the environment…I am sorry for that!
My father has been telling me this for years lol. I was hoping that this new wave of Audi’s faired better because they are so good to look at aesthetically but this breaks my heart lol. He’s been telling me this since I was a child growing up and every time we’d pass a BRAND new Audi on the side of the road with blinkers on (it was often), being ready to be towed he’s laugh 😂 and point it out knowing I was already in love with these cars as a child. Sheesh. It hasn’t changed much!
Well most of the old audis are very reliable. 1.9tdi, 1.8T, 2.5 Tdi (2004-2005), 2.7 biturbo v6, 4.2 v8 (used in rs6 c5). If u maintain these enigines they easily run 400 000 km+. More than youre american trucks or bmw’s who eats up timing chains.😂
I think what a lot of folks don't understand about Audi, they are expensive to maintain due to their performance factor. There aren't many slow Audi's in the line up. And not to mention the bells and whistles they add to even the base models. There is also a good reason why the 3 year old Audi's are like half the cost of a new one, it's call under warranty.
The car dealer where I worked got burned on so many Audis that we longer would resell the ones that were traded in! We would immediately wholesale them no matter how nice they were. After a couple of years we decided to take a risk on a couple of exceptional ones. Again, we got burned big time! They simply do not stay fixed!
It sounds more like an incompetent dealer issue. After the factory warranty, I did all maintenances and repairs on my 2017 Q7 that was bought new back then and it has never had any major problem, not even burning oil.
Craig, I am 63 and been an independent dealer for 40years. I stock late model domestics with factory warranty and Toyota and Honda up to 10years old. My agravation is minamal. I would not take a German car for free.
Amen, that’s where I’m at. I have a friend at bmw and told them everything I’ve done on my car and it would have easily surpassed 7-8k at the dealership. Absolutely ridiculous pricing for simple maintenance and repairs.
I have a 2013 Q7 TDI, got it in 2019. Best car I have ever bought. I was lucky, still had the factory warranty from diesel gate. $3500 in repairs the first 3 months. 1 year later 10K in exhaust repair under warranty. If you are going to buy 1, make sure the whole exhaust and emission system has already been replaced.
Anytime a German car is throwing multiple check engine lights and DTC’s change the battery. Also buy yourself a launch code reader. Not only will give you real time data for your car. It will also allow you to code injectors or whatever else you need to put on that car. Things like water pump, fuel injectors, fuel pump anything that needs to be coded. I bought this launch code reader for my BMW and I have absolutely loved it.
I bought my first and last Audi in 2021. It was a 2021 A6 Premium Plus with the executive package. Around 3,000 miles Audi pushed out some “update” that froze the dash, and two screens and made the car unusable. I call my dealership and get we can schedule you in 2 weeks. Sold the car the same week and bought a Lexus.
This same scenario he mentions here has happened to me with a Mercedes at the dealer. They happily throw parts at it ( and charge you) and its still not fixed SO frustrating...having one of these out of warranty can be a nightmare. However their fast falling resale value is likely supposed to compensate the buyer for repairs costs, time and trouble
My advice is to stop going to the dealership and find a good mechanic! I am a mechanic myself and I can tell you that vw group products are much easier to maintain than other German companies! And much more reliable if you know how to service them properly! I have a 2011 s3 8p dsg with 210.000 km and never had any problems! Nice videos greetings from Germany
@@KhinNinson Change the oil every 7-8k Kilometers with High quality oil! Use only good fuel in Europe we use 98-102 octane! Clean your valves every 80k kilometers with walnut blasting! Change some faulty parts from the factory for example coil packs change them with good ones from audi r8, warm you engine before you blast it... You can find a lot off information from internet if you search the maintenance depends from witch model do you have ..
@@Kils3111 I also agree after owning multiple brands and doing all work myself audi is really easy to work on compared to other brands. Especially MB (fucking Star-Diagnosis ...)
@@KhinNinsonUse 5w40 and change oil every 3k-5k miles. Audi’s 10k mile interval is such a lie, then people wonder why German cars are money pits😂 Don’t follow the brand’s advertised service interval.
I got sucked into the Audi brand because of Hans Stuck and Waslter Rohrl absolutely destroying everyone else in IMSA and rally back in the 80's. If you havent seen them look it up, its a blast. I've owned 8 of them. The ONLY way most Audi's are somewhat affordable is if you have an amazing Audi mechanic who wont rip you off and knows the brand inside and out. EVERY 4.2 will have timing chain issues at some point and they have to pull the engine to repair it at about 30+ hours labor alone, which with parts is often 3/4 of the value of the cars. Torque convertors also fail, (Go with Level 10 on the rebuild!). All that said, there will be a new RS6 in my driveway shortly and Im going to love every minute of it, problems and all.
I'm pretty happy with my 2014 Passat SEL TSI. I bought mine for 11 grand out the door with 60,000 miles. It is 1.8 liter EA 888 Gen 3 and the car has been totally reliable. As I look at some of Audis in the interiors look exactly the same.
My Audi brakes were $2500 all around from dealer. I got rid of the thing a month later after being charged $2000 for 3 motor/trans mounts. Each mount was $400-600 because it has a stupid sensor, while all other normal motor mounts cost maybe $20-$100 at most. I will never own another Audi unless they come with a lifetime EVERYTHING warranty, or I’m immensely wealthy :D, because they are fun to drive.
I put new rotors and pads front and back on my S4 and it cost me about $450, using very good quality parts. They key is finding an honest mechanic or doing the work yourself. If you cannot do either, get a honda or lexus. They are very reliable.
I owned a 1984 Audi 5000 back in the late 80’s. Best car I ever owned but haven’t owned one since due to the cost to repair….it was always nickel and diming me with problems such as sunroof slide, door locks and finally the electrical system.
@@TurboV8boi you will see a fair amount of older/classic BMW's if you look, you'll see literal tons of older/classic Benz's around from when they actually were "the best or nothing". You will NEVER see an older/classic Audi on the road because they are ALL the size of a shoebox right now in the corner of a scrap pile. And if 1 or 2 survived, you will get NO support from VAG. They ensure their older cars go unsupported, yet Mercedes classic still offers most parts for virtually any Benz that would still be drivable & BMW also supports their older cars. VAG group cars are from Hell, engineered & built by satan.
@@RothBeyondTheGrave now that you mention it that's true. I do see a fair amount of bmw or Mercedes cars, like from the 80's, but I can't tell you if I've EVER seen an old Audi driving around... interesting. And kinda sad, I like seeing older cars in good shape still being used.
@@RothBeyondTheGrave its literally the other way around here. BMW and Mercs made before 1991 are nearly extinct while Audi 80 B3's (1986-91) are often seen on roads, because they're very well rustproofed compared to Mercs and BMWs of those years.
@@WymiataczPlays that's interesting. Where are you located? And sadly yes, they do definitely rot out. Older Volkswagen/Audi's structurally seem really solid & I wish they still had the simplified engineering philosophies they used to have.
A fellow grad student owned an Audi 100 in the early 1970's. He wasn't a car guy (barely knew how to turn a wrench) but he had nothing but headaches with it. He got to be on a first name basis with the mechanic at the dealership. So much for German engineering.
I’ve had a mix of amazing VW & Audi vehicles, fantastic engineering, fast as can be, wonderful cars. Only problem always in the shop. As result got rid of each one before warranty expired. Other cars are Japanese bought 6 new never had a problem with any of them.
A cousin of mine who owned multiple Audis (2013 Audi S5, 2016 Audi RS5, 2020 Audi RS5 Sportback) told me he never had any major issues with his Audis aside from check engine lights. He told me the secret is to keep up with the maintenance and get rid of them before 90K miles. BTW he bought them all used. He grabs them when they are 2-3 years old with very low mileage drives them 3-4 years and trades them in. Never let a German car reach high mileage in your hands. Get rid of it past a certain mileage and let somebody else deal with the headaches. No car is worth more than my sanity. I can't afford to do what my cousin does and don't want to always have a car payment so I stick with Japanese cars for now. I currently drive a 2017 Acura TLX V6 AWD very reliable car with some good power and some luxury. When I'll have the finances to own German cars then I'll go German and trade them in before they start giving me headaches. Only people who can work on their own car should own old German cars
Love Audis, my B8.5 S4 has had no problems all its life. Had a B5 A4 wagon 2.8L, B5 A4 1.8T, B6 3.0, now a B5 S4, no major problems. Also had a B7 S4, bought it knowing I had to do the chains. That was a pain but you got to know what you are getting yourself into. Best to learn to work on your own cars and be able to do maintenance that is beyond your typical spark plugs and air filters. If you bought that A3 and could not tell there were severe engine issues from the get go, then you might be in the wrong business hehe j/k. Hard lesson to learn. Had similar thing happen to me when I bought a r50 Mini Cooper... thought it was a head gasket and it turned out to be a completely blown engine. That was the first car I bought to fix up and sell and it was stressful to find out the engine is complete garbage. Me recommendation is to go to Audi forums and find out the known issues with the model you are trying to buy and then see if you want to deal with those things either right away or down the line. Once those things are sorted out, they are a pleasure to drive for another 75-100k miles before something else that is major needs attention
Dealers out here killing us with bills on these nice cars. What a bunch of headaches. Great to see German again, gotta find a way to get him back in vids again if you can. Thanks Flying Wheels!
Reason most Audi dealerships have really nice waiting rooms. I mean if you have to spend a hour or so every 6 months or so at the dealership, might as well be a nice waiting room.
I know an auto repair shop that sells used cars. I've been dealing with this shop for almost 40 years. They are honest. The shop only sells Honda's and Toyota's now.
As a german I can tell you, the Problem are not the cars because Audi is awesome. The Problem are the Audi Dealers in the USA because they absolutely have nooooo clue what to do.
Craig, I manage a used car dealership in Canada and you can’t imagine how similar the vehicles we pick up are the same as yours. Audis/German vehicles in general are great. Just have to buy the right ones. No 4 cyl turbos, stick to the 3.0SC/3.2. The 4.0TT’s are absolute money pits, stick to 4.2. Have never had the infamous timing issues on one of those. It’s tougher to find, but definitely worth it.
And please stop going to the dealer for anything other than diagnostic and calibration. Find a specialist near you, they do an incredible job and figure out problems right away.
@@veei4762I bought this exact car two years ago. It has been reliable for me up to 60,000 miles now. *knock on wood. But everyone loves it and it is an amazing vehicle. I recommend finding a good mechanic that you can trust that does imports. Also tune it to stage one and get a new exhaust when you are able to and you’ll have the reliability of a 3.0 and the speed of the 4.0TT
Dang, Craig! I hope you don't make too many more of these Audi videos or you might convince me to sell my 2014 A6 TDI which I REALLY love!! This video did convince me not to buy an A8L, which I have been very tempted to do. I 100% agree with EVERYTHING you said about the S6. So tempted to get one but I know it will be too tempting to drive it fast and I don't want a ticket. I'll be content with my A6 and the awesome Bose sound system! I'm so glad you insisted on your money back when the dealership told you the problem, charged you for the repair then it didn't fix the problem. Great video!! Love your content!!
Pay no attention to Craig his experience is his, not yours. Audi has been making cars for a long time; they make a good product with a lot of loyal customers to show for it. If not Audi what? Are you gonna go American? When did Ford and Chevy become trouble free and cheap to repair? @@u-know-this
Good seeing German again! Man, the Audi seems like it’s a comedy show. I guess it’s the difference between mechanics who have the talent to diagnose what is causing the problem and not just throw parts at it hoping to guess correctly.
My wife drives a B8, fantastic to drive around but problems pop up every 6 months or so. Excellent road trip car. Luckily we have a reliable independent Audi mechanic we go to, where I’m from; Botswana the total bill is never more than $150 per issue and we buy a lot of our parts from South Africa so I’d chuck it off to the cost of ownership. It’s been 2 years and 28,000 miles on it. We got it at 55,000 miles. (I’ve converted for my US people). PCV Replaced Front upper and lower control arms replaced Aux water pump replaced Top timing cover replaced Currently we need to replace: Oxygen Sensor Booster pipe service; there is a small leak So I’m getting some rough idle on it. Check engine light just came on. I want to replace the set of tires. 245/40 R18: Conti Sportcontact 5 Bridgestone Portenza Sport Goodyear EAGLE F1 ASYMMETRIC 5 Looking to do a road trip to Cape Town right after New Years. Cost of ownership so far has been around $750 per year including major service (2 done so far); excluding insurance and fuel.
I have a 2010 Audi A5 3.2. FSI. This car has given me troubles, however after all those problems the car has ran strong. I believe you must take care of them diligently.
I know what's wrong. When they did water pump they didn't do the timing stuff so it stretched and that's why it's misfiring and the cam sensor issues. Omg I miss u German please do another video together
@@TurboV8boi It’s more of while you’re in there? These Audi V8’s (especially the 4.0T) are known for stretching timing chains and it’s a big job to replace them and the guides (some you have to pull the engine). It’s more of a “maintenance” item anywhere from 60-100k miles depends if you’re lucky or not. Honesty S3’s are probably the most reliable of the S cars, the 3.0T isn’t bad either in the S4/5. It’s all in the maintenance.
@@shiberino8413 gotcha. Sounds like a lot of work for sure. I have a little experiance with the K series honda timing chain, I can imagine the job on a car like this.
@@TurboV8boi yeah nothing like working on a Honda (no offense) lol I worked on my girlfriend’s 98 CRV timing belt. I would never buy a used German performance car older than 5 yrs or 50k miles unless it had a very well documented service history. Just asking for problems lol
You have to buy the right ones Craig just like any other brand. There was obviously a reason why the a3 was 8k with the dsg going out. A8L is always going to have issues like that especially those years same with the s4. The s6 is nice, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 are the displacements you want from Audi
This exactly those engines are some of the best engines Audi as ever made especially the inline 5 cylinder 2.5's and the 3.0t engines . Both ridiculously reliable. And the 4.0t is just as fun just has a few issue with turbo screens causing premature turbo failures and heat exchangers
Their VW unit is having the same problem. We’ve been buying them for years, as a small business owner I can’t buy an expensive car without my customers saying I should lower my prices so I buy VW. My Atlas and my wife’s Tiguan have been trading spots at the dealer for repairs and recalls. Sold the Atlas after the third repair of the door wiring harness last week. The Tig is getting sold as soon as she decides what she wants.
@@DMoney505 the 3.2L NA V6 is a good engine apart from the oil cooler flaw. An oil cooler replacement job is a lot better than having to get a remanufactured engine
I feel your pain. I bought a 2015 VW Jetta with the 1.8 turbo and it had 90,000 miles on it. It was regularly serviced and after a month of ownership the low oil pressure light came on. I checked the oil and it had oil so I took it to the VW Audi dealership. After $5,000 in shop bills they tell me there is metal in the oil pan and it needs a new engine. The new engine was going to cost $13,000 including labor. So now I'm stuck with a broken car and 5 more years of payments at $400 a month.
I also own a car lot and never go to the dealership. Typically it’s a bunch of young kids that don’t know what to do other than throw parts at your car and charge you absorbent prices for parts and labor. Take it to an EXPERIENCED independent shop that has his reputation and therefore business on the line.
I used to be a mechanic for more than 10 years and I've only owned one Audi and that was enough for me! I bought a 1985 Audio 4000S and it was the nicest looking and coolest car I ever owned. Only had 80k miles, in the next 40k miles, I literally replaced everything except for the frame of the car, felt like the car was cursed! When I'd finally had enough and went to sell it, on the drive home the hood latch gave way and the hood flew up and went through the windshield as I was driving 55 miles an hour with twists and turns with a sheer 100 foot cliff. Loud bang and couldn't see shit, one of the scariest moments of my life! Amazing I didn't drive off the road! So after I got the car, had to replace fuel injectors, then fuel pump, then transfer case went out, then ignition packs, then transmission went out, then brake master cylinder and ABS module, then ignition computer, then transfer case again, then power steering and water pump, then alternator, then power door lock actuators, then sun roof, then security computer, then transmission again, the power window motors, complete engine rebuild, AC compressor, on and on and on... Unbelievable! German engineering my ass! People always talk about German over engineering and say that it's just because they have so many gizmos. I have a 2011 Toyota Avalon that has way more computers than that old Audi and now has150k miles and you know what I've replaced in all those miles (besides normal routine maintenance)? Nothing! It even has the same spark plugs, headlight and dome light bulbs from 2011! The automatic rear sun shade did go out but I never replaced it because the dealer wanted 2k to fix it and I just removed the fuse when it was all the way up and called it a day, LOL. Starts every time, never has left me stranded, more power than it can keep on the road, really should be AWD. And Toyota always improves, I used to have a 2002 and had 350k miles on it when I sold it to my cousin for cheap and got the one I have now. He's now got over 450k. Original engine still going strong. Anyway, my 2002 was great but my 2011 is better in every area, better acceleration without the RPM valley, improved braking, AC and ride. On the 2002 got at 120k and between that and 450k had power 1 window motor, main window master switch, center display unit, water pump, radiator, and starter. Starter and main switch went out right around 120k, but everything else went out after 220k.
All your videos are good, because they are honest about costs associated with buying, selling, fixing, or getting a car from auction. Not many videos on youtube are this straight forward.
What sucks is their v10 and v12 cars are more dependable then the 4,6 and 8 cylinders. I’ve seen v10 lambos and v12 lambos pushing 200k miles. It’s crazy.
Even their VR6s, in-line 5s, and the older port fuel injected 1.8 turbos are solid engines. The 3.2L NA V6 is good apart from the shortcomings of a flawed oil cooler design. I’ve seen 98 jetta 1.8 turbos that have over 300k trouble free miles.
Only v 10 v12 was not Audi. Lambo original and getting fazed out. Not built anymore. When any lambo races the V 10 goes in far more reliable. But this whole video is really just about how this specific Audi dealer doesn't seem to know shit and taking advantage of customers. It can be a problem with any make. Go to a Dodge dealer or a diesel service. Far more cost then this. BMW. Expensive. On and on. Do your homework before you buy. Get several mechanics opinion. Don't buy a brand new change of a model or model year. Oh and look a s models and rs . I don't and won't have a problem with my ttrs and I won't. I matinace it. Its a problem with any car if you don't
I have a 2013 Audi A4 Quattro prestige. I take it near or two red line frequently. I have 149,000 miles on it. I have a intake, APR coils, iridium, spark, plugs, Cannaan intake, custom exhaust with resonator, delete muffler, delete. I have slight leak And it eats oil. I was hit by a drunk driver, destroyed my front left sideI still race it frequently. Zero issues aside from weak seals and oil consumption. These motors are designed to see high-speed. They don’t like to drive around town or in traffic. People drive like regular drivers can never rev out the motor. I firmly believe that if you drive in Audi hard it will last you a long, long time.
I'm surprised your S6 is problem free lol. I had a 2017 S6 Prestige with all the goodies and it was by far and wide the most unreliable car I've ever owned. Freakin loved driving it but that thing got traded in the moment the warranty expired. It spent a good 3 and half months at the dealership out of the 10 months I owned it. Had the same issues with my dealership - total pain
My S6 was dealer maintained from day 1 and I did oil/filter changes between scheduled maintenance. Compared to the other 5 Audis I've owned, the S6 was a complete nightmare. Fun to drive but it was, without question, the most unreliable car I've ever owned@@anaccount7923
I only sell Audis and from what I’ve learned there’s a few cars you’d like to stay away from. Stick to the v6 supercharged engines and the twin turbo v8s but be careful with those. I’m 22 and own a used car dealership for only Audis. They can be headaches but also really easy to fix when you do it yourself. Invest in a VCDS, if you want my 2 cents on what to avoid I’ll give it you. Been selling Audis for the last 3-4 years and I know a lot about them. They’ll last forever if they’re treated nicely, problem is a lot of people don’t do that so a used one can be a gamble. It’s very sad, they’re amazing cars really.
What blows my mind is that people will pay half their annual salary for a car yet lack any basic mechanical knowledge and skill to take interest and work on their own cars. It’s common knowledge that dealerships are there to rip you off. You would be surprised how much money you could save by learning to use a quality scan tool.
If the dealership keep messing up with finding the fault it doesn't mean the Audi itself is that bad. We here in Europe use diagnostic tools and most times it helps a lot more than pure guess.
Exactly. I’m a MB and BMW fan and their new cars suck and all look the same. I tell people go get the classics. They are more reliable and have a aesthetic appeal to them.
Hey Craig, I have a similar issue. 2016 Audi A3 misfire. Had spark plugs and coils replaced twice within less than a month. Around $1300 dollars. Let's hope this works.
@@IEatYouBabies They certainly like shafting their own customers with expensive bills , they pretty much have them by their foreign induced balls at this point and they loving him for it lmao!
Had a 2013 Audi A6 3.0t bought it for $16,500 with 60k put a 100k mikes on it the engine light started coming on Sold it for $10,500 to CarMax when they were paying high prices. Long story short I loved that car. Its was fast as hell and drove through the snow like a beast.
I have a 2018 Audi A3 Premium and it's the best car I've ever owned. I did put a new water pump on it as a preventive measure but expect to receive compensation. You might need a new Intake Manifold for your 2016 S3.
I can definitely attest to all this. I have owned S8, S6 and Q7 TDI, which was the problem free vehicle and Audi bought it back from me after the lawsuit with emissions. They are amazing vehicles but the problems, goal is to get rid of them before warranty runs out. I will still buy another one this coming summer because my S8 will be out of warranty.
@@Youppp Not really, few minor things. Once it’s out of warranty, watch out. Best one was the diesel Audi, not a single issue. I put 120k on the vehicle without issue, then VW bought back from me due the the lawsuit they had, S6 had few issues and needed turbo replacement around 45k.
@@JAKE-dg4lj too bad VW group can never sell diesels in the US ever again. Also I have a 2018 2.0T VW atlas with 80k miles. no problems except a leak with the washer fluid.
@Ayo not good, but I don’t care about that. Never buy a German vehicle for their resale value. They are great, but if you can’t afford the service stay away. Service is the killer on these vehicles, break job on my S8 was 1200 😂. Sounds ridiculous.
@@JAKE-dg4lj If you had a c7 s6 and needed new turbos, then that would have been free today. The oil strainer under the turbos is being recalled because it is prone to being clogged. And if it destroys a turbo, then you will also get a new turbo for free. If this happened before the recall, then you might get your money back by contacting Audi🙌
Dude I can't stop laughing! I own an Auto repair shop in CA for 30 yrs. I also sell cars sometimes. I am an honest mechanic. I love your channel. Keep it up!!
My friend asked me what type of car he should buy his daughter. I told him to get her a crown victoria, there are enough parts laying on the interstate to repair those😂😂😂
From Germany here: get a 6 cil engine bmw but diesel (F10 series) Easy car, good technology, drives for ever, massive power, super torque, easy to work on. The 6 cil exists for years and years. Automatic transmission: dont flush them when they are running okay, just use the orginal oil and exchange it like 2 times: double the cost for the oil but just a fraction of a complete refurbishment.
Had a 2015 A5 with a recall on the after-run coolant pump for shorting/fire issues. Audi dealer did the recall work. Two months later the (new) pump shorted and fried a whole bunch of electronics (EPC light, CEL, and a bunch of other systems). Dealer was kind enough (sarcasm) to do the repairs pro bono.
Audi's are good only untill about 5 years or 75k miles. After that the repair bills start coming. Same with Mercedes and BMW. They're awesome vehicles, look good, are quick, handle well and are really comfortable at the same time. Untill they get over 5 yrs/75k miles. Then they become money pits. That's why they depreciate so fast. You can buy a used Audi for cheap, compared to new, but you'll end up spending so much on repairs and maintenance that buying it relatively cheap turns out expensive anyway. Love your channel btw! Keep it up!
So true, bought a used 2010 S63 AMG at a new Honda price, it was great condition low mileage, luckily no ABC or head bolt issue but sold it eventually due to fear of them.
The title should be changed to "Don't ever take an out-of-warranty-car to a dealer"
That $1300 transmission service is about $125 to do at home and many independent shops wouldn't charge more than $300-$400
Seriously. The ZF trans is legendary and used on Acura, Honda, BMW, Porsche, etc. The fact this guy does not know that is telling. Took me 2hrs to service my trans on my BMW. Not a $1300 job.
People are saying 1000 - 4000 for a brake job . I did it myself on the audi for $660 . 4 rotors and 4 pads
@@andreslopes8129 Yeah I had a quote of $1200 for front brakes from a Euro specialist shop and just laughed. I did the job myself with parts totaling about $300 which included pads, rotors and VW/Audi brake fluid.
@@SinlowMusic I agree. Maybe the Title of the video should be "car owners who love to waste money"
Thanks, I was about to post the same thing, plus dealerships have very high machinecal turnover. Not good for any car.
Being a car guy and not being aware about the lack of reliability on Audi is mind-blowing.
Never underestimate how shitty an Audi is. They are notoriously bad. Even a brake job is over $1000
When they are in proper working order they are amazing though. One time I was driving to work on the highway and a dumbass in a ram swerved in front of an SUV and clipped it on the freeway and it was heading towards me in an A4. I could smell the burning gas and oil but I slammed the brakes swerved around the fireball wreck in front of me and got over to the shoulder to call 911 and see what happened to my car and it was completely fine. For some reason German cars cheap out on plastic parts, but there handling is second to none. Lease German buy Toyota/Lexus (maybe Honda too if their transmissions are working).
"Break Out Another Thirteen-hundred" 🤣🤣🤣
boom! roasted
@@brianbeam361 $1k, not a dealership. I have seen $4k brake jobs on average for Audi's from dealerships. They are extremely proud of their labor and parts.
I've owed three Audis a 2013 b8 S4, a 2019 b9 S4, and a 2019 rs3. They are phenomenal cars. I've modded all of them and they are very fast and very reliable. This guy doesn't do his research and purchases problematic models. For the last eight years, I have enjoyed them immensely.
I agree
Are the S lines more reliable? I am about to purchase an A5 2.0T w/54k miles on it it drives reallly nice! What are your thoughts? I am aware of European car cost as far as repairs I own a 2005 Volvo s80 it’s been super reliable aside of some minor fixes.
You’ve bought much more highly engineered cars which aren’t comparable to an Audi family sedan and the likes. Also, you likely have the budget to deal with repairs if things go wrong. I’m on my 3rd Audi having had A4’s and 5’s and I can’t see myself buying Audi in future. I have driven 6 Audis in the last few months and every single one of them had problems, it’s rare to find one that doesn’t. The quality is gone to the dogs. I wish you continued motoring good luck !
@@Paul-cl6uo Did you buy every one of them new? Did you address any of the known items depending on your model and year? These are key factors to ANY manufacturer. If you think you can just go to another manufacturer and be absent these items think again.
I cannot tell you how amazing Subaru's reputation used to be about reliability. "200Kmi is just the break-in!!" and other bragertdoms. However, with the WRX? FOUR engines and THREE transmissions later... and NONE of it ever covered even when the car was within warranty. They got sued, lost and STILL do not do anything to honor THEIR defects.
Bottom line is, does the manf. stand behind their work etc.
The only car I've ever owned that was NOT the case is a Hyundai Sonata. Dollar for pound and performance absolutely the best money I've spent. $200 a month. 10 year 100K warranty. YES it had MAJOR issues that resulted in a class action. It had 2 motor replacements. On that 3rd motor I was outside of the warranty and even the law suit extention. They still honored it, provided a nicer loaner (Azaria) every time they had my car, for free. I paid ZERO dollars.
Other than that? I will NEVER own a Porche again. Absolute garbage and you have to take them and the dealer to court. (That dealer is now out of business)
Audi, BMW? So far I have no complaints with them. Again, did you buy new or used? Did you buy a VIN range of a model and year that had a known issue. A4 2008 2009 2011 are extremely problematic. 2014-16 are very reliable years. They had issues with gasket leaks on their 4cyl turbo engines, etc..
Homework before buying is the best solution to any purchase, new when you can afford it. Warranty plus no wear.
If you ever went to a dealer for service I promise that is 90% of why you have a bad taste of Audi.
Always go to a specialty private garage. They know more, aren't restricted by the manufacturer and are also more affordable. Plus they have zero issues installing modifications.
Start buying ones with a few features that make them stand out. My B8 A4 has been mostly reliable, my C7 S6 (modded also) not so much until it hit about 8 years. Both are at about 140K miles. It's the special features that other cars don't have that break like air suspention and FLIR.
I'm 79 years old and my last 5 cars have been Audis: 3 A6's and 2 A7's, and not one has given me any trouble caused by problems with the car itself . Once I had an issue with the dealer who scratched up my center console adjusting my GPS unit, but that's about it. Now if you buy an older car with a lot of miles and don't know how it's been treated (like this guy did) you may be in for some problems. Audis are precision pieces of equipment which when treated and maintained properly will remain in good working order for as long as you own them. But if you fool around with the horsepower, go cheap on the maintenance and do your own repairs when they arise, you're looking for trouble and you'll probably get it.
Ok maybe if you own them LIKE A GRANDPA LITERALLY😂😂😂
You only look for trouble making repair if you are a literal gremlin
@@fastinradfordableI guess you realize how you disqualified yourself from any quality response.
owned an 2012 8P for 5 years and had only typical issues and absolutely love the car
@@nodocs74I have a 2013 a6 which I take care of but I do not baby it. Never take it to the dealer put previous owner did . I have all documents never had a major anything other than a water pump . 218k running strong looks like new
ive had several audis over the last 10 years and they have been great overall. service is the key!
Mine is serviced on time, many even early yet my S6 has had many problems. I'm a former mechanic so I know cars. Service is great, but sometimes luck is the key.
My SQ5 is serviced every 5000 miles, and tranmission service every 30,000 miles. Catastrophic engine failure at 47,000 miles (replaced) coolant leaks, overheating, burning oil. $90,000 car. Fuck Audi
@@thomasoneill1077 Was it the 2.0? My wife's A4 2.0 was rebuilt twice prior to 100k miles. Audi paid for almost all of it.
On the flip side, my S6 4.0 had an o ring fail on the turbo oil line. $1.00 at auto parts store. All in all that Oring cost about $5,000. $2,800 to replace the oil lines, they don't recommend just the oring, and the rest was for a coolant leak because the hot oil leaked on coolant lines causing them to burst.
............................................SERVICE is a rip off @1200.00 per visit
Gday Craig,
I flip earth moving equipement here in Australia. I do most repairs myself. My wife’s Audi Q7 started throwing codes. Biggest mistake I made was taking it to Audi. They told me would cost 40k to fix and better to claim insurance as a technical right off. I was determined to fix it. Long story short a common issue is the heat exchanger on the auto trans gets a leaky valve that pushes coolant into the trans loom. Throws all sorts of unrelated codes. I changed the valve and trans loom which is all external and accessible. Runs 100% now. If you persevere with Audi, then get the VCDS diagnostic tool from Ross Tech. It will save you heaps. “DONT TAKE YOUR AUDIS TO AUDI! THEY WILL ROB YOU!!!”
Cheers 👍👍🍻
Great advice!!! I work on my own now too! Thankfully its honda service now. my B5 VW let me down too much
😆 40 grand, sounds like the technicians have 2 3 and a half hour coffee breaks per shift. 😂
Save your time and money and don’t get an Audi in the first place. Got a 20 year old Toyota, only changed oil and tires
I guess some people think the extra aggravation these vehicles give you is worth it.
but high end cars shouldn't have these stupid problems, but car dealers are as bad as drug dealers
Note to Craig…DO NOT take any more Audis to the dealership!!! They will FLEECE YOU!!!
SUICIDE
Also, don't buy a car from a used car salesman
🤣🤣🤣he should know that already, he made me laugh hard
@@robertbelardo7087 or 0ll
Also don’t ever buy German car again
Craig, if you think you have problems just think about the customers who will end up buying these cars. As a landlord I have saw many of my tenants so bankrupt from buying used high end cars. First they pay a high price for one with 100k miles or more and then very soon problems, and yes just like you said it's $1300 or more every time it breaks. Soon they are behind on rent, car has been repo for non payment, they are not going to keep making payment on a car that will not run, then credit is shot and all from trying to live a life and be a big shot when they didn't have the money to do from the start. My advice to working people, buy a cheap chev and keep it under warranty. The people in my world don't have $1300 just laying around for car repairs. You will never get rich from owning high end, high tech cars. Most people have poor financial knowledge.
Craig doesn’t care - move ‘em out!
I've done all the repairs. That's why I've had them for months
buying a chevrolet is horrible advice
You are so spot on, my former neighbor bought an Audi SUV and the arguments with his wife led to their seperation. It was an absolute money pit
@@alifelongsong Right? Like the only good chevys are ones with V8's in them and "body on frame". Other than that don't buy them. If you want a good used car that's not going to destroy you to drive just buy a used Toyota or Honda.
Before considering buying another used Audi, I contacted a respected independent Audi repair shop. I was quoted 30+ hours of labor and $10k+ to replace a timing chain. Audis and BMWs are great vehicles to own when they are on warranty. If you own multiple oil wells, they may be great vehicles to tune and modify to peak performance.
They're great vehicles to keep mechanics rich.
B S ! Timing chain £400 .... they saw you coming...
@@beammeup8458 Likely those old Q7 with timing chain on the back on the engine, near the firewall. Yep the engine must be removed to change the timing chain
I have owned my 2008 Audi A4 Quattro since 2009. It has 78000 miles. Stay away from the dealership. Maintenance is key. I found German Autohaus for service. Installed stage 1 Apr chip. I’m 74 and like to still feel the turbo set you back in the seat. Love my Audi! Expensive to own yes.
5:29 any time I take my vehicle to the stealership I say to them "you diagnose it, tell me the price, if that doesn't fix the issue, I'm not paying for anything other than the diagnostic" But ...."NO BUTS" if I bring my vehicle to you, the factory trained mech, you fix the problem, I pay you to fix the problem I'm NOT paying you to "try different things".
💯 they are criminals.
Hi, I have the exact opposite experience with Audi. I own an 2018 A4 Allroad and had a Q5 S-Line Prestige and both cars were ultra reliable, reasonable to service, and performed flawlessly. I think if you are buying cars at auction, you are purchasing someone else's problems people dump. I still love Audi's they are the best value on the road and I love they are performance based cars. I will also say, you may want to try a different dealer. Mechanics need Audi Certified Training and the dealer is only as good as the mechanics servicing their cars.
@@worduprussia8298 A BMW fan of all people, should not be disparaging Audi!! Geesh
Same experience with me.
Same experience with me. People will always find a way to bash any car company.
I've owned 3 audis these past 4 years ( S4 b8, S6 C7.5 and an RS3 8V) and i've never had a single problem with any of them. I never miss any kind of maintenance, and take good care of them. I always do my oil changes on time etc. These cars can be reliable if people start to actually maintain them the way they are supposed to. If you don't maintain your car, then it's going to have problems. Simple as that.
And on top of it these cars tell you everything that’s wrong with them. When the problem starts They’re so smart how can a person ruin these cars? They even have sensors all around the car so you don’t hit anything these cars are too smart to ruin.
The 1300$ must have been studied to be the just right maximum amount most buyers of these cars can shell out for a visit without feeling robbed. Who knows 😂
90% of people who only buy German cars know nothing about cars. They charge that price because those idiots think it's normal to be charged that just for looking at the car. lol
I spent 4217.73 cents my last visit because it wasnt shifting correctly transmission service oil pressure issues I will never buy an Audi again lets also add they had my car for 3 Months before they even touched it btw it's a 2017 Audi A3
I nearly bought an A3 S-Line identical to that one but fortunately I got a Lexus IS350 F Sport instead. I feel like I dodged a bullet.
1300 or 130? You sure itvis kot a three digit fee?
BMW are the same. I had a friend w one. every little thing was $1000 to fix
2 years ago I was looking at an A8L Sport vs S6; I have 3 kids and I knew they would break all the cool features of the A8, I opted for the S6, I'm glad I did. The S6 has been great to me other than the Pre-sense camera going bad and a new one is $1000, based on your video it will probably be another $300 to put it in.
I don’t understand how you don’t get that the DEALER SERVICE was your biggest issue. Also how are you not at least driving the car around the block before leaving the dealer? You wait till you get home to discover nothing is fixed?
My Experience with the Dealership, they usually have an inexperienced person working on your car. They misdiagnose things constantly but charge you ridiculous prices.
You can take your car to a dealership, and explain exactly what the problem is, and they will ignore your input, and do a lot of unnecessary steps, only to conclude you were right about what was wrong in the very beginning. Their excuse usually is; " it needed those other things anyway"... They have your car in their possession, and you are at their mercy.
Most work flat rate so some do a crappy job out of spite
Here in Europe Audi is pretty reliable. I don' know why this is the way it is in America :D
Above is my experience at the Volvo Dealer in Albuquerque, NM. I had a XC60 that was shuddering during hard acceleration. They charged me $200 for diagnosing it and wanted to reprogram the transmission computer for another $200. In the end it didn’t work. I took a Volvo specialist in Santa Fe and he found the problem immediately as a bad spark plug. He fixed it within a few hours. The dealer got me for $400 without even finding the problem.
In my experience you are better off finding an independent specialist. Screw dealers. They have hours they charge for jobs whether it takes that long or not. Lower level techs that don't know what's going on. Brought my Honda accord in for a simple service and oil change. Service tech called telling me my entire rear driver brake assemble and line needed to be replaced because it was shot. She said "it was pissing brake fluid". I got in one of my saabs drove down to the dealer and made them show me the car on the lift. They were hesitant at first. I was demanding. I made a tech lower the car on the lift, made another get in, start the car, and made another raise it. The tech pumped the brakes. I asked the tech where the pissing brake fluid was. She looked at me like I handed her a plate of shit. The brakes were fine. They were replaced 5 months prior (calipers rotors pads all around) and there was no leakage. They didn't expect me to challenge it. Another Honda dealer squeezed me for a brake fluid flush. Never again. They wound up seizing my rear calipers. I noticed it 2 days later. When I brought it back they claimed it had nothing to do with them. Had to fight it with honda corporate. Mind blowing. Screw dealers.
@@patrinoo138I think the brand had serious quality issues myself and I live in Europe but the garbage fuel they have in the US is surely a factor…87-91 octane versus 95-98 in Europe
Years ago a car magazine article stated that Germam automotive engineers, when looking at a design problem, ALWAYS choose the most arcane, complex solution. Shortly thereafter, I learned about an Audi that didn't have a dipstick for checking the oil; it was apparently done electronically. It rarely makes sense to make a simple task more complex.
I owned an '09 Audi S5. I was the first owner. I purchased the maintenance plan. It did not have an oil dipstick. It never ran quite right. When I took it in for its first maintenance service, the dealership insinuated I'd let oil out of the engine. Huh? I don't work on cars; that's why I purchased the maintenance plan. I got rid of it within 2-years. What a weird ownership experience. I'll never purchase another Audi product.
these are tricks to milk customers!
I think Mercedes started that no dipstick thing, then BMW followed, and eventually Audi.
Old story: if and American engineer can design a system with 10 parts, the Japanese can make it with 4, the German will use 100 parts
While I am an Audi fan and no stranger to the reliability issues with them, it sounds to me that your big issue is your dealer. And it isn't just your dealer, mine is the same. There hasn't been a single recall that involves a decent amount of work that I have had them complete which didn't require at least one return trip to fix something they did incorrectly. The last one, a recall on my S5 that involved replacement of the Cats, the check engine light came on before I even made it home. Returned to dealer, they kept it another day, said it was fixed, picked it up and light came on again after a day. Returned to dealer after pulling the codes with my VAG-com but not telling them, and they claimed that there was a crack in a y-pipe in the exhaust and it would be $2,500.00. Once I researched the part they were referring to I realized that it was the section of pipe that the new parts connected to. They then tried to claim that it was like that before the repair which I responded 'so why wasn't the check engine light on when I brought you the car?' They finally agreed to replace the part they obviously broke and returned the car.
Once the warranty is done I never, ever take my Audis back to the dealer. I use a good independent shop instead. Most are owned by mechanics that used to work at the dealer and left in disgust. Most dealers are just guessing at repairs and when they get it wrong, they still want you to pay. When they get it right, the usually screw up something else while repairing it.
Unfortunately these Stealership’s need a fist in the face.
you summed it up nicely
wow, I can't believe i almost bought one
Most likely the reason for the shotty work with most dealers is because the dealership’s mechanics only get paid the amount of hours that Audi USA, Audi Canada etc head office defined that a certain job should take. If a mechanic takes longer than the stated amount of hours a job should take, the mechanic works those extra hours unpaid.
i’ve been told by an audi master mechanic that most times the book time for a job isn’t enough time...
*** AND GET THIS ***
Mechanics don’t get paid by the hour, only per job.
If there is no cars in for work, they are not getting paid.
So mechanics are incentivized to rush jobs in order to fit in as many repairs as they can to maximize their earnings - leading to rushed, low quality repairs.
That’s also why something that should take 15 minutes is charged a full hour - because they have to charge you by the book.
Dealerships are the worst. Nothing like a good german-specialized shop. They know everything of anything. Dealerships employed kids that just got out of school and they always got their diagnosis wrong.
Also, extended warranty are dirt cheap and give you peace of mind. I just bought a '21 S4 with 15 000km. I have it covered until 2028 or 130 000km for 3000$.
There are also many many insurance companies out there that can work for your exact needs. I could've get a full warranty until 2030 or 160 000km for 5000$ ! But im gonna get rid of the car before that so....Seriously, it's a no brainer for these types of cars.
Crazy how I have a 2011 a4 running at 170k miles yet I haven’t had a major issue rather than a misfire due to coil pack going bad & some carbon buildup that I already planned to clean up
I’ve had two A3 hatchbacks. One 07, 82k miles. Never had any issues or problems. My 08 has 185k. Both 3.2 vr6 engines. Zero issues for either of them, except for the 08 AC (blend door actuator). Take care of them, and they will be fine. Like most vehicles. People just don’t care for them at all. People who spend money on them don’t even realize they need to take care of them.
I bought a used 2011 Q7 patrol 3.0L 9 months ago. It ran well for the first 6 months. After the 7th months, oil leaking, front differential noice, axels… the list goes on…
I also own a small lot and have been a longtime Audi enthusiast. I used to love them as well. I agree that the ride, style and luxury are amazing but the quality seems to keep slipping as they get more complicated with all their electronics, miles of wiring and countless ECU's and modules. I think they hit a high point in the late 2000's, early 2010's. I have basically become an Audi/VW mechanic because they have so many issues and have become so expensive to fix. SMH. On a side note, it sounds like your local dealership has a horrible service department. I know if one of my customers came back with these issues not resolved that there is no way we would charge them. We also would never let the car leave the shop without thorough testing. Lastly, you can program things like the MMI unit, etc yourself with VAGCOM. You can also unlock tons of cool features with it. Def a must have if you're into Audi/VW.
What are some good brands in your opinion or worth the $?
High point in the early 2000s to 2010s?!?!? That was damn near the worse point for Audi what you mean lmfao. They made some cool cars at that time yes but the reliability was complete shit lmao, its got much better since then not worse what are you talking about lol.
@@5150B9 I would never call them reliable so it's all relative. What years do you consider "reliable"?
@@automotiv_imports I never said any were "reliable" I just said 2000 to about 2014 ish are by far the worst and that's a WELL known fact lol. Now as far as what years would I buy? Anything after 2016/2017 from what I have seen. My 2018 A4 sline has 90k on it and I've only done one repair which cost me 150 and 20 min of my time which was the oil separator, other than that just basic maintenance which I've also done myself so thankfully it's been cheap lol. But yea I'd say anything after 2017 to be safe would be the best years to buy if you plan on keeping it past warranty expiration lol. But then again my boys 2012 s4 has 150k and absolutely 0 issues and he's stage 3 lol. So I mean it's all relative and depends on how you drive and maintain the car really.
@@5150B9 I've had a couple of B8.5 S4's and will admit that they were both pretty solid cars requiring little. The supercharged 3.0's are great engines but even they suffer from timing issues.
I lost faith 16 years ago. I loved audi performance but the issues aren't worth it
They should name their Audi A1300
I'd love to own a vehicle such as an Audi Q5 or BMW X5, but instead I went for reliability and economy and drive a Honda CR-V I bought new over 17 years ago. It's not luxurious or notably fun to drive, but a mechanic I've brought it to in the past claimed that they hardly ever see me.
@@Blu3_777 highly underrated comment
just like the most EXCITING women💃🏼
Yes, early to mid 2000s was the end of Audi's 'golden era'. These cars used has to be owned by a car hobbyist.
Dealing with the dealership service department was the worse part of the whole Audi experience for me. It forced me to become my own mechanic. You get one thing fixed and it comes back with other issues. They don’t know how to fix their own cars and you need their proprietary software to program stuff now.
It's all a scam, the entire car industry (except for maybe the Japanese one ) is dumping quality for some bs emission scores. American cars are no better they just don't care about the consumer. Imagine how many people are losing thousands for repairs, why would GM, Audi, or Chrysler stop the flow of cash from parts and repairs ?
I got same problem on my Audi, I fix one thing today, and another problem appears tomorrow
@@vailtonbeserra9408they do this to rake more money outta you
@@vailtonbeserra9408I wanna buy a Audi A6 2015, it has 84k miles and They want 13k you think it’s worth it ?? If I pay it off and put up 5k upfront ???
Yeah same my car went to the dealership one time when i first got it and hasnt been back since. Im a certified audi mechanic at this point lmfao
I honestly couldn't have said it better than you did. I do h. V. AC for a living and have been doing that for 25 years. But it's taking a toll on my body being a car and automotive lover. In general, this is my future and what I look forward to doing. Buying good or great vehicles and selling them to good people. At a decent price, it's not all about the money. I truly enjoy it like you seem to
I got a 2016 audi s6 bought it with 48k miles and one owners, so far no problems all i did was brake change and oil change every 5k miles
My coworker has a A3 that has been at the local Audi dealership for over a year trying to get fixed. He actually had to contact Audi corporate to get involved and threaten to lawyer-up.
As a VW owner those years were known for VW and Audi vehicles to have a lot of issues oil leaks, PCV, and the more serious one Carbon built up issues. They are fun to drive but they are known to be maintenance princesses so you have to fix them right away whenever an issue appears or else. Also independent VW/Audi mechanics are way cheaper than dealerships.
Carbon build up is not an Audi VW issue. It’s a common unavoidable issue with direct injection in recent fuel efficient engines. Old design using port injection washes away carbon. Just make sure you do the carbon wash when the code comes up.
Carbon build up is an obvious sign you don't know how engines work and how to drive your car.
Good to see German glad he's doing good.
He needs to get a real mechanic close to him .
I had a B6 S4 with mild engine mods. Took it into the Audi dealership every other month because of MAF sensor issues and spent over a grand. I absolutely love the brand but hesitant on buying a newer model. I am now driving a 4Runner that has been extremely dependable the past 10 years.
These cars can sometimes be a labor of love. I’ve owned two Audi A3’s and absolutely love the cars. I opt to leasing them brand new while they’re covered under warranty. I swapped out my 2020 last year for a 2024, and it’s been great!
Interesting I stumbled across your channel and your shop is only 30 minutes away from where I live in S. NH. I’ll have to stop by sometime. I hope you have some better luck in the future with your Audi’s, they’re really fun cars. -Dave
The lesson here...Don't use dealers for repair work, find a good Independent Tech that is qualified and has left the dealer to run their own workshop. There rates are way better and are often seasoned tech's that have more experience than anyone in the dealer
This is true. You buy any german car and you take it to the dealer, then you deserve to get ripped off. People need to start learning how to wrench themselves. Plenty of youtube tutorial videos
@@nathane2243Generally agree, but remember that many who buy these cars are older or elderly, not mechanical, have no clue how cars work, etc. Also, it has been increasingly the case that to get to a part, you often have to remove a bunch of other stuff. My late 1970s first car was child's play. The ones the last few decades are another matter.
I am unsure why anyone would buy an Audi money pit. Can you imagine your customers delight when they discover their used car just ate their 401k? I think these thoughts each and every time Craig becomes tumescent over one of these money pits. Thank you for being honest Craig and showing what happens to the money pit cars with nice seats.
yeah, a VW is very similar, especially in higher trim, or a seat cupra, and although I love the look of AUDIs and that quattro, even BMWs are rock solid in comparison.
04 S-Line 2.7L twin 5 valve with 277k miles all original equipment. Take care of your shit better
i love their A7 BUT im 100% getting an extended warranty if I ever get one lol
They’re great cars if you know how to work on them yourself. I would not recommend “normal” people owning them without any knowledge.
He's making a butt-ton of money off of those customers, so that's probably his motivation.
It's amazing how bad dealers have gotten. I've had similar experiences. They try to soak you for everything.
I bought a low milage 2018 S6 exactly 3 years ago and it has been amazing everyday I drive it. I have a 93 stage 1 tune on it and its a rocketship. Aside from buying tread, winter and summer setups, it has been gentle on the checkbook. It just hit 50000 miles though and I am already getting antsy about potential failures on this platform that may arise, pcv/engine mounts etc. Fingers crossed that she holds up and I can avoid the nightmares you have experienced.
Hey, I am from Germany.
Incompetent dealers are everywhere. But it is true that the cars are so extremely sophisticated in terms of performance and emissions that they can quickly cause problems if used incorrectly. In principle, you can't buy used vehicles like this because you never know how the previous owner handled them. Another problem is emissions standards. In order to comply with this, things like exhaust gas recirculation have to be installed, which makes high mileage almost impossible if you don't regularly clean the intake system every 20-30,000 miles. You can disable the exhaust gas recirculation system, which would solve many problems, but it is illegal in most countries. With Audi you will never have any problems with rust on the body, even if you drive across the Atlantic. Because there are no regulations from the state at the expense of the end consumer. In Germany we say: “We destroy our dearest child ourselves”. Everything for the environment…I am sorry for that!
My father has been telling me this for years lol. I was hoping that this new wave of Audi’s faired better because they are so good to look at aesthetically but this breaks my heart lol. He’s been telling me this since I was a child growing up and every time we’d pass a BRAND new Audi on the side of the road with blinkers on (it was often), being ready to be towed he’s laugh 😂 and point it out knowing I was already in love with these cars as a child. Sheesh. It hasn’t changed much!
Well most of the old audis are very reliable. 1.9tdi, 1.8T, 2.5 Tdi (2004-2005), 2.7 biturbo v6, 4.2 v8 (used in rs6 c5). If u maintain these enigines they easily run 400 000 km+. More than youre american trucks or bmw’s who eats up timing chains.😂
I think what a lot of folks don't understand about Audi, they are expensive to maintain due to their performance factor. There aren't many slow Audi's in the line up. And not to mention the bells and whistles they add to even the base models. There is also a good reason why the 3 year old Audi's are like half the cost of a new one, it's call under warranty.
The car dealer where I worked got burned on so many Audis that we longer would resell the ones that were traded in! We would immediately wholesale them no matter how nice they were. After a couple of years we decided to take a risk on a couple of exceptional ones. Again, we got burned big time! They simply do not stay fixed!
It sounds more like an incompetent dealer issue. After the factory warranty, I did all maintenances and repairs on my 2017 Q7 that was bought new back then and it has never had any major problem, not even burning oil.
Audi 2017+ are the ones you want to buy - Audi addresses the oil screen problem in the S6, etc. Can't wait to get me the RS6 Avant!!! 🏁🏁
Craig, I am 63 and been an independent dealer for 40years. I stock late model domestics with factory warranty and Toyota and Honda up to 10years old. My agravation is minamal. I would not take a German car for free.
Had the same issue when I had my BMW, $1k every time I took it to the dealer. After awhile just started doing the work myself and it wasn't that bad.
Amen, that’s where I’m at. I have a friend at bmw and told them everything I’ve done on my car and it would have easily surpassed 7-8k at the dealership. Absolutely ridiculous pricing for simple maintenance and repairs.
Taking these cars to the dealer is a very dumb move. Learn to work on your cars and you can drive whatever you want.
I have a 2013 Q7 TDI, got it in 2019. Best car I have ever bought. I was lucky, still had the factory warranty from diesel gate. $3500 in repairs the first 3 months. 1 year later 10K in exhaust repair under warranty. If you are going to buy 1, make sure the whole exhaust and emission system has already been replaced.
Anytime a German car is throwing multiple check engine lights and DTC’s change the battery. Also buy yourself a launch code reader. Not only will give you real time data for your car. It will also allow you to code injectors or whatever else you need to put on that car. Things like water pump, fuel injectors, fuel pump anything that needs to be coded. I bought this launch code reader for my BMW and I have absolutely loved it.
I bought my first and last Audi in 2021. It was a 2021 A6 Premium Plus with the executive package. Around 3,000 miles Audi pushed out some “update” that froze the dash, and two screens and made the car unusable. I call my dealership and get we can schedule you in 2 weeks. Sold the car the same week and bought a Lexus.
This same scenario he mentions here has happened to me with a Mercedes at the dealer. They happily throw parts at it ( and charge you) and its still not fixed
SO frustrating...having one of these out of warranty can be a nightmare. However their fast falling resale value is likely supposed to compensate the buyer for repairs costs, time and trouble
My advice is to stop going to the dealership and find a good mechanic!
I am a mechanic myself and I can tell you that vw group products are much easier to maintain than other German companies! And much more reliable if you know how to service them properly! I have a 2011 s3 8p dsg with 210.000 km and never had any problems! Nice videos greetings from Germany
They're usually backed up for months
How do we service them properly?
@@KhinNinson Change the oil every 7-8k Kilometers with High quality oil! Use only good fuel in Europe we use 98-102 octane! Clean your valves every 80k kilometers with walnut blasting! Change some faulty parts from the factory for example coil packs change them with good ones from audi r8, warm you engine before you blast it... You can find a lot off information from internet if you search the maintenance depends from witch model do you have ..
@@Kils3111 I also agree after owning multiple brands and doing all work myself audi is really easy to work on compared to other brands. Especially MB (fucking Star-Diagnosis ...)
@@KhinNinsonUse 5w40 and change oil every 3k-5k miles. Audi’s 10k mile interval is such a lie, then people wonder why German cars are money pits😂 Don’t follow the brand’s advertised service interval.
I'd heard it said many times, the German cars you buy in the US are not the ones you buy in Germany.
I got sucked into the Audi brand because of Hans Stuck and Waslter Rohrl absolutely destroying everyone else in IMSA and rally back in the 80's. If you havent seen them look it up, its a blast. I've owned 8 of them. The ONLY way most Audi's are somewhat affordable is if you have an amazing Audi mechanic who wont rip you off and knows the brand inside and out. EVERY 4.2 will have timing chain issues at some point and they have to pull the engine to repair it at about 30+ hours labor alone, which with parts is often 3/4 of the value of the cars. Torque convertors also fail, (Go with Level 10 on the rebuild!). All that said, there will be a new RS6 in my driveway shortly and Im going to love every minute of it, problems and all.
I'm pretty happy with my 2014 Passat SEL TSI. I bought mine for 11 grand out the door with 60,000 miles. It is 1.8 liter EA 888 Gen 3 and the car has been totally reliable. As I look at some of Audis in the interiors look exactly the same.
My Audi brakes were $2500 all around from dealer.
I got rid of the thing a month later after being charged $2000 for 3 motor/trans mounts. Each mount was $400-600 because it has a stupid sensor, while all other normal motor mounts cost maybe $20-$100 at most.
I will never own another Audi unless they come with a lifetime EVERYTHING warranty, or I’m immensely wealthy :D, because they are fun to drive.
Who the fuck pays 2.5k for brakes 😂😂😂 More like 400 To 500bucks max
I put new rotors and pads front and back on my S4 and it cost me about $450, using very good quality parts. They key is finding an honest mechanic or doing the work yourself. If you cannot do either, get a honda or lexus. They are very reliable.
Find an independent Audi mechanic, mine cost 1500 21 sq5
I owned a 1984 Audi 5000 back in the late 80’s. Best car I ever owned but haven’t owned one since due to the cost to repair….it was always nickel and diming me with problems such as sunroof slide, door locks and finally the electrical system.
I just had to google that, that's a crazy looking car. Haven't seen it before. But yeah if the electrical is giving you issues that's a bad time =(
@@TurboV8boi you will see a fair amount of older/classic BMW's if you look, you'll see literal tons of older/classic Benz's around from when they actually were "the best or nothing". You will NEVER see an older/classic Audi on the road because they are ALL the size of a shoebox right now in the corner of a scrap pile. And if 1 or 2 survived, you will get NO support from VAG. They ensure their older cars go unsupported, yet Mercedes classic still offers most parts for virtually any Benz that would still be drivable & BMW also supports their older cars.
VAG group cars are from Hell, engineered & built by satan.
@@RothBeyondTheGrave now that you mention it that's true. I do see a fair amount of bmw or Mercedes cars, like from the 80's, but I can't tell you if I've EVER seen an old Audi driving around... interesting. And kinda sad, I like seeing older cars in good shape still being used.
@@RothBeyondTheGrave its literally the other way around here. BMW and Mercs made before 1991 are nearly extinct while Audi 80 B3's (1986-91) are often seen on roads, because they're very well rustproofed compared to Mercs and BMWs of those years.
@@WymiataczPlays that's interesting. Where are you located? And sadly yes, they do definitely rot out. Older Volkswagen/Audi's structurally seem really solid & I wish they still had the simplified engineering philosophies they used to have.
A fellow grad student owned an Audi 100 in the early 1970's. He wasn't a car guy (barely knew how to turn a wrench) but he had nothing but headaches with it.
He got to be on a first name basis with the mechanic at the dealership. So much for German engineering.
They are perfectly engineered to fail right after warranty expires.
I’m still driving my 2001 A4 Quattro with the 1.8 T engine. I bought it new and it’s still running strong.
1.8 T is one of best engines they made
I’ve had a mix of amazing VW & Audi vehicles, fantastic engineering, fast as can be, wonderful cars. Only problem always in the shop. As result got rid of each one before warranty expired. Other cars are Japanese bought 6 new never had a problem with any of them.
A cousin of mine who owned multiple Audis (2013 Audi S5, 2016 Audi RS5, 2020 Audi RS5 Sportback) told me he never had any major issues with his Audis aside from check engine lights. He told me the secret is to keep up with the maintenance and get rid of them before 90K miles. BTW he bought them all used. He grabs them when they are 2-3 years old with very low mileage drives them 3-4 years and trades them in. Never let a German car reach high mileage in your hands. Get rid of it past a certain mileage and let somebody else deal with the headaches. No car is worth more than my sanity. I can't afford to do what my cousin does and don't want to always have a car payment so I stick with Japanese cars for now. I currently drive a 2017 Acura TLX V6 AWD very reliable car with some good power and some luxury. When I'll have the finances to own German cars then I'll go German and trade them in before they start giving me headaches. Only people who can work on their own car should own old German cars
Love Audis, my B8.5 S4 has had no problems all its life. Had a B5 A4 wagon 2.8L, B5 A4 1.8T, B6 3.0, now a B5 S4, no major problems. Also had a B7 S4, bought it knowing I had to do the chains. That was a pain but you got to know what you are getting yourself into. Best to learn to work on your own cars and be able to do maintenance that is beyond your typical spark plugs and air filters. If you bought that A3 and could not tell there were severe engine issues from the get go, then you might be in the wrong business hehe j/k. Hard lesson to learn. Had similar thing happen to me when I bought a r50 Mini Cooper... thought it was a head gasket and it turned out to be a completely blown engine. That was the first car I bought to fix up and sell and it was stressful to find out the engine is complete garbage.
Me recommendation is to go to Audi forums and find out the known issues with the model you are trying to buy and then see if you want to deal with those things either right away or down the line. Once those things are sorted out, they are a pleasure to drive for another 75-100k miles before something else that is major needs attention
Dealers out here killing us with bills on these nice cars. What a bunch of headaches. Great to see German again, gotta find a way to get him back in vids again if you can. Thanks Flying Wheels!
Dealers make their money by servicing the cars, not selling them.
@@adcolt54- If a dealer didn’t make money from selling, they wouldn’t be doing it
@@josephseno8272 Gotta sell them so they can come into service later.
They should make An Audi A1300
Reason most Audi dealerships have really nice waiting rooms. I mean if you have to spend a hour or so every 6 months or so at the dealership, might as well be a nice waiting room.
I know an auto repair shop that sells used cars. I've been dealing with this shop for almost 40 years. They are honest. The shop only sells Honda's and Toyota's now.
As a german I can tell you, the Problem are not the cars because Audi is awesome. The Problem are the Audi Dealers in the USA because they absolutely have nooooo clue what to do.
Craig, I manage a used car dealership in Canada and you can’t imagine how similar the vehicles we pick up are the same as yours. Audis/German vehicles in general are great. Just have to buy the right ones. No 4 cyl turbos, stick to the 3.0SC/3.2. The 4.0TT’s are absolute money pits, stick to 4.2. Have never had the infamous timing issues on one of those. It’s tougher to find, but definitely worth it.
And please stop going to the dealer for anything other than diagnostic and calibration. Find a specialist near you, they do an incredible job and figure out problems right away.
What about 2016 a7 V6, 3.0L; SUPERCHARGED
@@veei4762those are generally one of the most reliable engines audi ever offered, much moreso than the 2.0t of that generation.
@@veei4762very good engine
@@veei4762I bought this exact car two years ago. It has been reliable for me up to 60,000 miles now. *knock on wood. But everyone loves it and it is an amazing vehicle. I recommend finding a good mechanic that you can trust that does imports. Also tune it to stage one and get a new exhaust when you are able to and you’ll have the reliability of a 3.0 and the speed of the 4.0TT
Dang, Craig! I hope you don't make too many more of these Audi videos or you might convince me to sell my 2014 A6 TDI which I REALLY love!! This video did convince me not to buy an A8L, which I have been very tempted to do. I 100% agree with EVERYTHING you said about the S6. So tempted to get one but I know it will be too tempting to drive it fast and I don't want a ticket. I'll be content with my A6 and the awesome Bose sound system! I'm so glad you insisted on your money back when the dealership told you the problem, charged you for the repair then it didn't fix the problem. Great video!! Love your content!!
a ticket would be the least of your worries i would be worried about how long it would take to the next check engine light
Pay no attention to Craig his experience is his, not yours. Audi has been making cars for a long time; they make a good product with a lot of loyal customers to show for it. If not Audi what? Are you gonna go American? When did Ford and Chevy become trouble free and cheap to repair? @@u-know-this
Good seeing German again! Man, the Audi seems like it’s a comedy show. I guess it’s the difference between mechanics who have the talent to diagnose what is causing the problem and not just throw parts at it hoping to guess correctly.
A risk Audi owners must gamble with and it's just stressful
My wife drives a B8, fantastic to drive around but problems pop up every 6 months or so. Excellent road trip car. Luckily we have a reliable independent Audi mechanic we go to, where I’m from; Botswana the total bill is never more than $150 per issue and we buy a lot of our parts from South Africa so I’d chuck it off to the cost of ownership. It’s been 2 years and 28,000 miles on it. We got it at 55,000 miles. (I’ve converted for my US people).
PCV Replaced
Front upper and lower control arms replaced
Aux water pump replaced
Top timing cover replaced
Currently we need to replace:
Oxygen Sensor
Booster pipe service; there is a small leak
So I’m getting some rough idle on it. Check engine light just came on.
I want to replace the set of tires. 245/40 R18:
Conti Sportcontact 5
Bridgestone Portenza Sport
Goodyear EAGLE F1 ASYMMETRIC 5
Looking to do a road trip to Cape Town right after New Years. Cost of ownership so far has been around $750 per year including major service (2 done so far); excluding insurance and fuel.
I have a 2010 Audi A5 3.2. FSI. This car has given me troubles, however after all those problems the car has ran strong. I believe you must take care of them diligently.
Anybody in the business should know buying high line high mileage cars is the kiss of death
What is high milage? Audis tend to fall apart from 60K on the odo...
I know what's wrong. When they did water pump they didn't do the timing stuff so it stretched and that's why it's misfiring and the cam sensor issues. Omg I miss u German please do another video together
Why does the water pump change stretch the timing stuff? Not saying your wrong just curious how that happens.
@@TurboV8boi It’s more of while you’re in there? These Audi V8’s (especially the 4.0T) are known for stretching timing chains and it’s a big job to replace them and the guides (some you have to pull the engine). It’s more of a “maintenance” item anywhere from 60-100k miles depends if you’re lucky or not. Honesty S3’s are probably the most reliable of the S cars, the 3.0T isn’t bad either in the S4/5. It’s all in the maintenance.
@@shiberino8413 gotcha. Sounds like a lot of work for sure. I have a little experiance with the K series honda timing chain, I can imagine the job on a car like this.
@@TurboV8boi yeah nothing like working on a Honda (no offense) lol I worked on my girlfriend’s 98 CRV timing belt. I would never buy a used German performance car older than 5 yrs or 50k miles unless it had a very well documented service history. Just asking for problems lol
You have to buy the right ones Craig just like any other brand. There was obviously a reason why the a3 was 8k with the dsg going out. A8L is always going to have issues like that especially those years same with the s4. The s6 is nice, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 are the displacements you want from Audi
This exactly those engines are some of the best engines Audi as ever made especially the inline 5 cylinder 2.5's and the 3.0t engines . Both ridiculously reliable. And the 4.0t is just as fun just has a few issue with turbo screens causing premature turbo failures and heat exchangers
Lol
Their VW unit is having the same problem. We’ve been buying them for years, as a small business owner I can’t buy an expensive car without my customers saying I should lower my prices so I buy VW. My Atlas and my wife’s Tiguan have been trading spots at the dealer for repairs and recalls. Sold the Atlas after the third repair of the door wiring harness last week. The Tig is getting sold as soon as she decides what she wants.
I have an 08 audi A6, bought it with 80k miles and its now at 230k. Gonna run that thing into the ground. Only problems so far is electrical issues
Got a C6 A6 too, Been one of the most reliable cars I’ve ever owned! Not all Audi cars are problematic, The 2.0t is just garbage.
@@DMoney505 the 3.2L NA V6 is a good engine apart from the oil cooler flaw. An oil cooler replacement job is a lot better than having to get a remanufactured engine
@@DMoney5052.0T isn’t bad at all, A3 and A4 are some of the most reliable models
Start buying Range Rovers next!
😅😂
😂😂😂
drives for 1 mile. engine light on. oof
Rovers are even worse 😄
🤣😅😂👍👍👍👍👍
I think I'll stick with my little base model Honda CRV.
I feel your pain. I bought a 2015 VW Jetta with the 1.8 turbo and it had 90,000 miles on it. It was regularly serviced and after a month of ownership the low oil pressure light came on. I checked the oil and it had oil so I took it to the VW Audi dealership. After $5,000 in shop bills they tell me there is metal in the oil pan and it needs a new engine. The new engine was going to cost $13,000 including labor. So now I'm stuck with a broken car and 5 more years of payments at $400 a month.
I also own a car lot and never go to the dealership. Typically it’s a bunch of young kids that don’t know what to do other than throw parts at your car and charge you absorbent prices for parts and labor. Take it to an EXPERIENCED independent shop that has his reputation and therefore business on the line.
I used to be a mechanic for more than 10 years and I've only owned one Audi and that was enough for me! I bought a 1985 Audio 4000S and it was the nicest looking and coolest car I ever owned. Only had 80k miles, in the next 40k miles, I literally replaced everything except for the frame of the car, felt like the car was cursed! When I'd finally had enough and went to sell it, on the drive home the hood latch gave way and the hood flew up and went through the windshield as I was driving 55 miles an hour with twists and turns with a sheer 100 foot cliff. Loud bang and couldn't see shit, one of the scariest moments of my life! Amazing I didn't drive off the road! So after I got the car, had to replace fuel injectors, then fuel pump, then transfer case went out, then ignition packs, then transmission went out, then brake master cylinder and ABS module, then ignition computer, then transfer case again, then power steering and water pump, then alternator, then power door lock actuators, then sun roof, then security computer, then transmission again, the power window motors, complete engine rebuild, AC compressor, on and on and on... Unbelievable! German engineering my ass! People always talk about German over engineering and say that it's just because they have so many gizmos. I have a 2011 Toyota Avalon that has way more computers than that old Audi and now has150k miles and you know what I've replaced in all those miles (besides normal routine maintenance)? Nothing! It even has the same spark plugs, headlight and dome light bulbs from 2011! The automatic rear sun shade did go out but I never replaced it because the dealer wanted 2k to fix it and I just removed the fuse when it was all the way up and called it a day, LOL. Starts every time, never has left me stranded, more power than it can keep on the road, really should be AWD. And Toyota always improves, I used to have a 2002 and had 350k miles on it when I sold it to my cousin for cheap and got the one I have now. He's now got over 450k. Original engine still going strong. Anyway, my 2002 was great but my 2011 is better in every area, better acceleration without the RPM valley, improved braking, AC and ride. On the 2002 got at 120k and between that and 450k had power 1 window motor, main window master switch, center display unit, water pump, radiator, and starter. Starter and main switch went out right around 120k, but everything else went out after 220k.
Woah
All your videos are good, because they are honest about costs associated with buying, selling, fixing, or getting a car from auction. Not many videos on youtube are this straight forward.
What sucks is their v10 and v12 cars are more dependable then the 4,6 and 8 cylinders. I’ve seen v10 lambos and v12 lambos pushing 200k miles. It’s crazy.
Even their VR6s, in-line 5s, and the older port fuel injected 1.8 turbos are solid engines. The 3.2L NA V6 is good apart from the shortcomings of a flawed oil cooler design. I’ve seen 98 jetta 1.8 turbos that have over 300k trouble free miles.
@@davidperry4013 i have a S3 8L with 290.000km, the 1.8t truly might be one of the best engines they ever produced
Only v 10 v12 was not Audi. Lambo original and getting fazed out. Not built anymore. When any lambo races the V 10 goes in far more reliable. But this whole video is really just about how this specific Audi dealer doesn't seem to know shit and taking advantage of customers. It can be a problem with any make. Go to a Dodge dealer or a diesel service. Far more cost then this. BMW. Expensive. On and on. Do your homework before you buy. Get several mechanics opinion. Don't buy a brand new change of a model or model year. Oh and look a s models and rs . I don't and won't have a problem with my ttrs and I won't. I matinace it. Its a problem with any car if you don't
It's because Audi's V12 and 10s are based off Leman's projects so they're built to take a lot of punishment and not fail.
I have a 2013 Audi A4 Quattro prestige. I take it near or two red line frequently. I have 149,000 miles on it. I have a intake, APR coils, iridium, spark, plugs, Cannaan intake, custom exhaust with resonator, delete muffler, delete. I have slight leak And it eats oil. I was hit by a drunk driver, destroyed my front left sideI still race it frequently. Zero issues aside from weak seals and oil consumption. These motors are designed to see high-speed. They don’t like to drive around town or in traffic. People drive like regular drivers can never rev out the motor. I firmly believe that if you drive in Audi hard it will last you a long, long time.
I'm surprised your S6 is problem free lol. I had a 2017 S6 Prestige with all the goodies and it was by far and wide the most unreliable car I've ever owned. Freakin loved driving it but that thing got traded in the moment the warranty expired. It spent a good 3 and half months at the dealership out of the 10 months I owned it. Had the same issues with my dealership - total pain
A lot of German cars are pretty reliable if you do the maintenance.
My S6 was dealer maintained from day 1 and I did oil/filter changes between scheduled maintenance. Compared to the other 5 Audis I've owned, the S6 was a complete nightmare. Fun to drive but it was, without question, the most unreliable car I've ever owned@@anaccount7923
In today’s episode, Craig FINALLY wakes up.
I only sell Audis and from what I’ve learned there’s a few cars you’d like to stay away from. Stick to the v6 supercharged engines and the twin turbo v8s but be careful with those. I’m 22 and own a used car dealership for only Audis. They can be headaches but also really easy to fix when you do it yourself. Invest in a VCDS, if you want my 2 cents on what to avoid I’ll give it you. Been selling Audis for the last 3-4 years and I know a lot about them. They’ll last forever if they’re treated nicely, problem is a lot of people don’t do that so a used one can be a gamble. It’s very sad, they’re amazing cars really.
How about a 2016 audi a7 20k on it V6, 3.0L; SUPERCHARGED
What blows my mind is that people will pay half their annual salary for a car yet lack any basic mechanical knowledge and skill to take interest and work on their own cars.
It’s common knowledge that dealerships are there to rip you off. You would be surprised how much money you could save by learning to use a quality scan tool.
If the dealership keep messing up with finding the fault it doesn't mean the Audi itself is that bad. We here in Europe use diagnostic tools and most times it helps a lot more than pure guess.
Love to see you and German working together again 👍🏻
This is exactly how I feel about newer BMW products, after being a hardcore BMW fan for over 30 years
Exactly. I’m a MB and BMW fan and their new cars suck and all look the same. I tell people go get the classics. They are more reliable and have a aesthetic appeal to them.
@@trustyoungpierre9959 what like a 0:46 a E46 330i or a E92 330i ?coupe
@@SGM805 No, an E38.
Hey Craig, I have a similar issue. 2016 Audi A3 misfire. Had spark plugs and coils replaced twice within less than a month. Around $1300 dollars. Let's hope this works.
you paid 1300 bucks for some spark plugs and coil packs? sounds like you got screwed
@@IEatYouBabies They certainly like shafting their own customers with expensive bills , they pretty much have them by their foreign induced balls at this point and they loving him for it lmao!
@@IEatYouBabies That's what people get for going to the dealer.
1,300 dollars? That’s a crime. I got my coils and plugs for less than 210.
Parts costs around 200. These are good OEM parts, not cheap crap. It takes 2 hrs max to do the job.
Had a 2013 Audi A6 3.0t bought it for $16,500 with 60k put a 100k mikes on it the engine light started coming on Sold it for $10,500 to CarMax when they were paying high prices. Long story short I loved that car. Its was fast as hell and drove through the snow like a beast.
I have a 2018 Audi A3 Premium and it's the best car I've ever owned. I did put a new water pump on it as a preventive measure but expect to receive compensation.
You might need a new Intake Manifold for your 2016 S3.
I can definitely attest to all this. I have owned S8, S6 and Q7 TDI, which was the problem free vehicle and Audi bought it back from me after the lawsuit with emissions. They are amazing vehicles but the problems, goal is to get rid of them before warranty runs out. I will still buy another one this coming summer because my S8 will be out of warranty.
That makes sense. So Audi is an OK car but not out of warranty. Did you have any issues with your Audi cars whilst still under warranty?
@@Youppp Not really, few minor things. Once it’s out of warranty, watch out. Best one was the diesel Audi, not a single issue. I put 120k on the vehicle without issue, then VW bought back from me due the the lawsuit they had, S6 had few issues and needed turbo replacement around 45k.
@@JAKE-dg4lj too bad VW group can never sell diesels in the US ever again.
Also I have a 2018 2.0T VW atlas with 80k miles. no problems except a leak with the washer fluid.
@Ayo not good, but I don’t care about that. Never buy a German vehicle for their resale value. They are great, but if you can’t afford the service stay away. Service is the killer on these vehicles, break job on my S8 was 1200 😂. Sounds ridiculous.
@@JAKE-dg4lj If you had a c7 s6 and needed new turbos, then that would have been free today. The oil strainer under the turbos is being recalled because it is prone to being clogged. And if it destroys a turbo, then you will also get a new turbo for free. If this happened before the recall, then you might get your money back by contacting Audi🙌
I wouldn't go back to that dealership anymore
Oh man you made me cry creg what I surprise to see you and jarmen back together what a video guys awesome content just awesome 😢❤😊
Great review, Used to work for a supplier for Audi ! I’m stocked with how bad they have gone, I’d never buy one now!
Dude I can't stop laughing! I own an Auto repair shop in CA for 30 yrs. I also sell cars sometimes. I am an honest mechanic. I love your channel. Keep it up!!
My friend asked me what type of car he should buy his daughter. I told him to get her a crown victoria, there are enough parts laying on the interstate to repair those😂😂😂
If you want an Audi try a lease on one first. Lease German vehicles buy Toyotas haha
So, your local Audi dealer blows the big one. 😉
From Germany here: get a 6 cil engine bmw but diesel (F10 series) Easy car, good technology, drives for ever, massive power, super torque, easy to work on. The 6 cil exists for years and years.
Automatic transmission: dont flush them when they are running okay, just use the orginal oil and exchange it like 2 times: double the cost for the oil but just a fraction of a complete refurbishment.
Had a 2015 A5 with a recall on the after-run coolant pump for shorting/fire issues. Audi dealer did the recall work. Two months later the (new) pump shorted and fried a whole bunch of electronics (EPC light, CEL, and a bunch of other systems). Dealer was kind enough (sarcasm) to do the repairs pro bono.
Fantastic to see German Glad hes doing well
Audi's are good only untill about 5 years or 75k miles. After that the repair bills start coming. Same with Mercedes and BMW. They're awesome vehicles, look good, are quick, handle well and are really comfortable at the same time. Untill they get over 5 yrs/75k miles. Then they become money pits. That's why they depreciate so fast. You can buy a used Audi for cheap, compared to new, but you'll end up spending so much on repairs and maintenance that buying it relatively cheap turns out expensive anyway.
Love your channel btw! Keep it up!
So true, bought a used 2010 S63 AMG at a new Honda price, it was great condition low mileage, luckily no ABC or head bolt issue but sold it eventually due to fear of them.