I am a new A4 1.8 owner. I can't believe the number of problems that I read people are having. I think that the look, ride, fit & finish are all so incedibly perfect! I would like to keep this car beyond the warranty period but I am now concerned. I also noticed that someone making it to 100,000 miles was news enough to make the front page of this site. I would think for $30,000 you should expect a lot more than 100,000 miles.<p>Don't misunderstand me, I simply love this car - everything about it!! I just know that some of the problems people are having can cost thousands of dollars to fix if they are not covered by warranty.<p>Maybe some input from people who have many miles without issue would be nice.<p>Frank

I think, as a generalization, German cars aren't as reliable as Japanese cars. BMWs, Mercedes, and Audis have always had all kinds of electrical problems. No matter what Audi loyalists say, Audis and VWs in the 80's were HORRIBLY unreliable. I think Audi and VW have really improved their quality in the last couple years and are now pretty much on par with the other German brands. German cars are DEFINITELY not trouble free, but they still hold the edge over other brands in style and fun factor. If reliability was my number one concern, I would have purchased a Honda or a Toyota. I know I'll probably get a zillion flames for saying this and the first reply to this post will probably be Cathleen saying how her HOnda stranded her 3 times, but look at all the reliability stats out there. Hondas, Toyotas, Acuras, and Lexuses are SUPER reliable cars. Hondas and Toyotas are also pretty inexpensive to fix compared to German brands. Problem is most of the Japanese brands are pretty boring :) Anyways, back to A4 reliability. I have around 13,000 miles on mine and so far I've had a defective fuel sending unit and a couple rattles and squeaks. So far nothing too serious. I'm NEED to keep this car at least 8 mores years, so I hope it'll stay reliable. I'll keep my hopes down though because our current VW has had three busted engine heads in 110,000 miles, two broken water pumps, damaged CV joints, busted transmission, fuel pump dead 3 times, massive electrical problems, and MUCH MUCH MORE!!!<p>Mike

Frank,<p>The 100,000 mile article was not about "Wow! An A4 <b><i>FINALLY</i></b> made it to 100,000 miles." Rather it was about one of the first A4's to reach the milestone given how new they are to the U.S. Understand that they were only introduced in the U.S. in 1996. Most A4's don't have nearly that many miles on the odometer so it was notable that an owner has driven their A4 that much.<p>As far as perceptions about quality and reliability go I'd have to agree with everything that IronMike posted.<p>Sean<br>97 1.8Tqm (RIP)<br>99.5 1.8Tqm On Order<ul><li><a href="http://www.seansa4page.com">Sean's A4 Page</a></li></ul>

The one guy making headlines with 100k miles made headline because... how many people do you think there actually are to have 100k miles on a car in 3 years that it's been out there? Yes, introduced 1996 (well, very late 95). I put 110k miles on my previous car in 4 years and people called me nuts.<p>This is my / my family's 4th Audi and while it broke down a bit more than my Accord (it never really *broke down* while the Accord did once), it is a hell more fun to drive. Yes the armrest squeaks but you could not fold the Accord armrest back. Yes the "OIL" service indicator couldn't be reset but the Accord didn't have one. Yes the brakes squeal but at least they can stop the car from 100mph with 4 occupants - something not possible with an Accord from 65mph (I tried). In this context, I take squealing brakes any day.<p>- Stan<br>Total about 400,000 miles in Audis (with only one clutch replaced)<br>

My 4000 Q lasted much longer than my civic. Yes, when the civic died it was all at one time, the audi just had little things go wrong, alot earlier. If I was forced to drive a car for 100,000 on end, I much more trust teh stoutness of a german car than the perfection but light weight of a japanese car.

Alex,<p>Things to keep in mind:<p>1) This is an enthusiasts forum. We talk about every little tiny detail about our cars till we make relatives and friends roll their eyes.<p>2) When you get a bunch of people talking about cars you will find that posts about problems will outnumber those posts about perfect cars. Think about it. How many people are likely to post on a regular basis that their car is perfect? People post when they have problems and are looking for answers. I don't think that this is something Audi specific. You go to any car site where there are discussion groups and you will find discussions about problems.<p>3) True "Horror" stories are actually a minority. They may receive a lot of discussion but that does not make them a common occurence. I would venture that most of the problems reported are fairly minor in nature and significant problems represent only a small percentage of those encountered.<p>4) Buying a car should not be scary. If you are afraid to buy an A4 then don't. Its entirely up to you. No one is going to hold your hand and pat you on the head. We certainly can't guarantee that your ownership will be trouble free. We will, however, offer you as much advice, support, experience and collective knowlege as we can to make your ownership an enjoyable and fruitful one.<p>5) If you like the car and can afford it then by all means buy one. I and many others on this forum choose to buy cars not because they are "transportation" but because we like to drive and the A4 makes us happy. I have no doubt that you will enjoy it too.<p>Sean<br>97 1.8Tqm (RIP)<br>99.5 1.8Tqm On Order<ul><li><a href="http://www.seansa4page.com">Sean's A4 Page</a></li></ul>

My reason for buying A4 is in order below:<p>1. Value<br>2. Technology<br>3. Quattro<br>4. Character<br>5. Grown up car<p>I considered the following but:<p>1. 3 series - Too much money, everyone got one<br>2. C280 - I'm too young to drive a benz <br>3. Acura(any) - Door slam sounds like a Kia Sopia<br>4. Volvo - I can't stand 5 cyclinder<br>5. Saab 9-3 - Dashboard is in my face.<p>98.5 1.8t quattro

I just spoke with my sales rep today and found out that the new A4 is now in Houston!! It looks like I'll be back in the saddle within the next couple of weeks as long as there aren't any delays in Texas. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trying not to get too excited since I still have some time to wait.<p>Sean..

I am the original owner of a 4000Q with 240k miles and still going strong. Japanese cars are more reliable for the first 100k miles or so, but beyond that everything seems to wear out all at once. Audis (at least the 4000Q) are really built to last!

...my '89, 90Q (at an admittedly low mileage of 106K) has held up very well. It's had a few problems hear and there, but most were minor, like bad switches, or were caused by my own fault (we won't go into that!). This car has had fewer visits to the service department than a Honda Civic Coupe I owned for two years, or any other car I've had, and only stranded me once because the fuel pump died (because I ran it dry several times!). <p>The main thing is that after all these years, my 90Q still looks good, is a joy to drive, is safe, and is one of the most comfortable cars I've ever been in. Since Audi has supposedly increased its quality control since then, I see no reason to doubt that most A4's (there will always be bad ones no matter what make) will hold up for many miles.<p>I plan to retire my 90Q (actually let someone else enjoy it) by next fall, as I'm getting ready to order myself a TT. I am absolutely sold on Audi automobiles. :-)<p>Charles<br>

I was just thinking that many of the repairs I read about on A4's tend to be potentially major or expensive ones. If I don't get the A4 I was think of the 323i which has its problems as well, they just don't seem quite so bad.

...the Mercedes 240D! :-) And you know what? It's from Germany! Nothing like a two ton tank with a 67 HP diesel that runs forever, huh?<p>Charles<br>

d

Frank,<br> This forum is a focal point for people who are both very satisfied and very disatisfied with their cars.Visit any site for any vehicle and you find a similar mixture.I got my 98.5 2.8QM in Nov.98 and have put 55,000kM.(34,000miles)on it.I have had 1 problem during this time-licence plate bulb.I am a car fanatic and very critical of things that are not right.When I decided on Audi it was based on a lot of research.My criteria were- extreme fun to drive,reliabilty,ability to maintain its integrity over high mileage.I'm confident that my choice was the right one.Relax and enjoy your car.The glass is half full

My previous car was a 1992 Saturn SL2. I traded it in in December for a 1997 Pre-Owned 1997 A4 1.8TQM with only 14400 on the odo when I got it. Now has 22000, and been reliable over the past 8000 miles. Except for a oil change to replace a cracked fuse box cover and fix the parking brake handle, the car has been well. On a forum like this, you are going to see people who have problems with their cars and it will seem like everyone has a problem with their car.<br>Go to the Saturnia enthusiest page, and you will see loads of problems with the Saturns. It is at www.erols.com/core/, and go to the message board. Even the Bimmer.org boards you will see loads of problems on the BMW cars. Yet they are reliable, as the Audi as the MB, as the Japanesse plates, and the Saturn.<br>If you want an accurate gauge of how are cars reliablility, read Consumer Reports. And look on the internet at places like cars.com just to name one. They will give you an acurate representation of how the cars reliability is. I would have never bought a used car, especially when it is a first year model, such as the 1.8T engine. Yet what I read an researched told me that it was a good choice. And after 8,000 miles I am extremely satified.<br>Forums like this are breeding ground of people who have problems with their cars, and are not the rule. Out of all the A4's that are owned in the US and Canada, I would say less then 5% actually check in to this board or even no about this board. Most people are not enthusiests.

84 Mercedes 300D (Turbo) - 169k miles - nothing wrong minor repairs (cost about $700) [Daily driven]<p>1986 Jetta - 124k miles very minor repairs (Made in Germany) [daily driven]<br>1990 Jetta - 192k miles no probs until crankshaft broke. (Made in Germany)[looking for engine]<br>1990 Jetta - 96k miles no problems (just a valve cover seal) (Made in Germany)[ sold for my 1.8T]<br>1986 Golf - 46kmiles (engine went) 55k miles clutch broke to pieces, 85kmiles we got rid of it. Let me note it was made in the US (Pensylvania plant). [no comment...this was a US Made Lemon]<p><br>1989 Volvo 740GL - 170k miles minor repairs (fuel relay) (Made in Sweden) [Driven daily, this was my college car/truck...so you know what it went through.<p>I believe if you take care of your car it will take care of you. All I did to these cars is make sure that I changed the oil every 3k miles. All minor repairs I did myself or w/ friends (brakes, belts etc). When comparing cars, and you decide to leave from the German made world you'll see driving just isn't fun. It is just not the same anymore.<br>VWs and Audis and all German cars are made for people who love to drive, the rest is for those who just drive because they have to.<p>Dimitri<p>===<br>99.5 1.8TQMS

===<br>99.5 1.8TQMS

<br>- Cars will break cause there mechanical and complex. And Expensive cars are expensive to fix.<p>- People don't post everyday "My car is great I had no problems today!". Nope, they read and post but people with a problem are more likely to post asking for help or complaining. So to say you see a lot of "negative" posts you would have to compare that with the number of readers not posting complaints something that you can't really do.. (Squeky wheel gets the oil, type of thing)<p>- I think the story about 100k, was because the A4 is rather new and are just coming off of warranty so it was just to show the new cars ability. It could have just as easily been audi 5000 makes 300,000+ miles.<p>- People here sometimes are VERY picky, your mileage may vary. For example, A "creek" between 2-3k RPM's you may not even notice but to someone else it's torture.

I had a 1993 90 CS Quattro before my current 99 A4 1.8TQMS. What a bipolar car. At times it was great, at other times a big piece of ****. The A/C evaporator went twice, the lifters were shot at 40k miles, the suspension was too stiff and unrefined, and the seats were very uncomfortable. Some of these complaints are designed related, but the lifters and A/C problems were pretty annoying (and expensive). I also had recurring engine check light problems that took the dealer forever to figure out. So far the A4 has been terrific.

NT

This isn't for the A4, but for all Audis built in 1993. Quality standards and quality have only gone up on the current models. Noctice that Audi is ahead of BMW, Honda, and Saturn. I wouldn't have guessed that. By the way, you may get a better perspective if you go to the BMW forums and read up on problems they have. It probably won't be more, but it will be very similar. By the way, don't mention that you may get an A4, they will really let you have it. They're not the nicest group of people. I tried going on there a couple of times and it was just ridiculous how they treated each other. In cast there are BMW people reading this, I don't mean that ALL BMW owners are asses, but there was no shortage on the forums. Anyway, here is the JD Power thing. I couldn't find a newer one, although I'm sure there is a better one that would be more pertinent to the A4. But, like I mentioned before, the A4 is considered to be much improved in every area (reliablilty included) over the older cars. Oh yeah, 100k in a car that can't be older than a 1996 is just news in that there aren't many A4s with 100k out there. I've got 220k on my 90.<p>JD<p>Sorry, I can't get the picture poster to take my picture. Anyway, it was a chart showing the number of problems per 100 vehicles in the first four years of ownership. Audi was ninth out of something like 29 manufactures. Lexus was first. Cadillac (I think) was second. Mercedes was fourth. BMW was 11th. You can look stuff up on thier web site.

I've owned both Hondas (2) and Audis (4). The Hondas were great for about the first 7 years (if you want to know why check out Japan's rules on inspections), then everything began to fall apart, and I don't think they know how to make a cloth that won't rot in the sun (look in any 8 year old Honda rear window). The Audis on the other hand gave me the lengendary electrical and hydralic problems, but at least they looked great, which made those problems worth fixing (the drivelines also last forever). The electrical gremlins are easy and cheap, unlike that wonderful hydralic system. You would not believe how happy I was to see it gone from the A4. I think that, as well as all the rave reviews, was what conviced me to dump the 5000TQ for the A4.

Mike ~<p>These scuff marks are really killing an awesome and clean interior. Any ideas or hints on the secret formula? Thanks in advance.

PROBLEMS PER 100 VEHICLES, taken from August 1999 Automobile Magazine, p.21<p>Jaguar 110<br>Buick 114<br>Infiniti 118<br>Acura 124<br>BMW 125 <br>Lexus 131<br>Toyota 135<br>Honda 137<br>Cadillac 139<br>Chrysler 148<br>Nissan 149<br>Lincoln 150<br>Merc/Benz 151<br>Volvo 155<br>Plymouth, Porsche 164<br>Audi, Mazda 167<br>INDUSTRY AVERAGE 167<br>Ford 169<br>Saab, Saturn 171<br>Subaru 173<br>Oldsmobile 174<br>Dodge 175<br>Mercury, Pontiac 185<br>Chevrolet 192<br>Hyundai 194<br>GMC, Mitsubishi 199<br>Land Rover 200<br>VW 223<br>Jeep 234<br>Isuzu 242<br>Suzuki 299<br>Kia 333<p>Interesting... if you look at the results of Initial Quality Study of 41,004 owners of 1999 model year in their first three months of ownership, Audi is apparently just Average. Ouch, as a side note, on VW.<br>

C’mon, that is so unrealistic to say that ALL Japanese cars are more reliable than German cars. Have you ever owned a Japanese car? If you did, than you were either really lucky or didn’t own it long enough.<br>I had 3 German cars (VWs), then went to 2 Japanese cars (Hondas) and now I’m back to German with the A4. The family cars were Audi, VW, Porsche and BMW and a few American products too, so I had plenty other cars to compare to. My Hondas had JUST AS MANY problems as my A4 has had. The VWs I had were trouble free.<p>Other friends who have owned Japanese cars also had trouble. Not to mention a lot of them look like hell after a couple years with all the rust.<p>To make such a statement that ALL Japanese cars are better is just plain not true.<br>Regards,<br>-C.<br>

I'm more interested in long term reliability, but first 3 months counts too.

It always makes me wonder when a person says that Japanese cars are not reliable. Did you not observe how the tremendous growth in sales of Japanese car companies in the 80's forced American car firms to evaluate just what the hell they were doing. We all realized that they were making cars that didn't break!!! I'll not mention the fun factor, because American cars aren't fun either. Americans want, FOR THE MOST PART, cars that don't break. And when we were exposed to the idea that a car could be manufactured with less defects and a longer expected life, we BOUGHT it. Why was the Honda Accord the #1 selling car for so many years... and now the Camry for like the past two years. The damn things don't break, ON AVERAGE. Low brand cars like Suzuki, Kia, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi do not apply. I speak primarily of the ones that hit it big in the 80's. Nissan, Honda, and Toyota, who by the way are still hitting it big. Americans changed their tune and began to imitate the Japanese firms. We still don't make a fun or reliable car, IMHO. If you want to talk about a fun-to-drive car..... I'll take the A4 any day, or even a 3 series. I also want some DAMN RELIABILITY. Is that too much to ask? Do all of you mean to imply that because a car such as the A4 has a stiffer suspension, less body roll, bigger brakes, and overall a much higher "fun factor" than an Accord, that it is impossible to maintain the Accord's reliability??? Why can't I have it all? Somebody step to the plate and make me happy!!! Are you reading this Mr. Pieich, or however you spell your name? Someone is going to do it, and they will get my business.<br>Hope it's Audi.<br>Conker 98 1.8TS-tip

I had Honda - it had more problems than our family's prior Audi and it had more problems in the first 10000 miles than my A4 has had. The honda started rusting after 5 years here in the NE.<p>Tom<br>1.8TQMS Silver/Ecru

Driven nothing but Hondas since 1976 until I got my 98.5 1.8T QSTip a month ago.<p>1. 76 CVCC wagon; some engine work at 55k; axle work at 75k; a good but not great vehicle.<br>2. 82 Accord had 240k TROUBLEFREE miles on it, used no oil and got 28-30 mpg when i gave it to my daughter who drove it in Houston (1yr) and on to Tucson (2 years); just normal maintenance (a couple of brake jobs; one clutch job, tho problems cropped up in the 280k range... chee, ya think they'd build em bettah, huh???:=)).<br>3. 91 Accord had 212k TROUBLEFREE miles --and i do mean that for both cars--no squeaks, rattles, 30mpg, used NO oil between changes, just the normal recommended maintenance.<br>4. 92 Civic now has 142k TROUBLEFREE miles, no oil use, 32 mpg; routine maintenance. My daily commute car, so you can see why my A4 joy is a quantum leap up....<p>I go with with what some others have said; some cars have problems, but statistically, Hondas have had far better than average reliability ratings; Consumer Reports and other data confirm that my Honda experience is fairly normal.<p>I'd also add that my recent love affair with the A4 reminds me just a little of buying that first Accord--a HUGE improvement over the 76 CVCC wagon. And the differences between the A4 and the civic and accords? well, I still have this huge, silly grin on my face when I tap the tip down to 3d for this near right angle curve on hiway 22...<br>and the times i just stand and stare it it....<p>LP<br>98.5 1.8T QSTip in Pearl<br>

A lot of owners have just reached or are about to reach the end of the Audi Advantage 50K/3 year warranty period. Up to now we've all pretty much just had Audi cover any problems. We'll start to see just how much these things cost pretty quickly.<p>Sean..

<br>We had an 82 Isuzu, and while we had little more than typical problems with it consumer reports listed Isuzu as less reliable than American cars at the time. Honda now sells Isuzu products, so I hope that they have improved. I've had Japanese, American, and Audis. The Audis, including my 86 Audi with over 200K miles, are the only ones that have not left me at the side of the road. To be fair, my 76 Dodge PU only made me walk because someone borrowed it and ran it out of gas (gauge didn't work). My UrQ died on me once, but that is hardly a typical Audi. I had also just bought it, and the PO hadn't taken care of it.<p>Todd W

I must have had the only two bad Hondas. Really, they did okay but I was going to the dealer about once a month for something.<br>The lists were long. The first was driven about 80k and the second 140k. I sold my last one to a girl in the local area. A month ago, I saw it for the first time in 3 years. It didn't look so hot. By now, it must have over 200k and it looks as solid as swiss cheese.<br>Oh well. <br>-C.

First, I never said my A4 was more reliable overall than my Hondas, I merely said I had as many problems with my Hondas as my A4. Actually, to date, the A4 has not stranded me so, yes, it has been more "reliable" in that way.<br>BTW, I personally would never compare Japanese cars to American. Sure, American cars may be getting better, but of all the cars I test drove before I bought the A4, the U.S. cars were just not up to snuff for me. I would buy a Japanese car still, over an American car.<br>Look at MY car history: German, German, German, Japanese, Japanese, German. Although I've driven a fare share of U.S. products, you can see I never thought one was good enough to deserve my hard earned cash.<br>Perhaps on average the Japanese cars are superior in overall quality. Perhaps there are some that are equally fun to drive. That really isn't my point.<br>I'm merely trying to get all these people to think more about how ALL car makers have quality problems and Audi is not THE WORST brand out there. Everyone is on this witch hunt to say they are junk and it's not true. <br>As my Dad who was an engineer and spent years of his career trying to build the perfect products, it's hard. You are always doing new designs and using new products, depending on suppliers to give you top quality and so on. It's just not always possible to get it all perfect. Beleive me Audi and VW want it perfect. My God, they're GErman and Germans are perfectionists to a fault. They just have a problem getting to where they want to be.<br>Of course they WANT to build THE best car! I remember my Dad as manager of the VWoA/Audi quality assurance lab in non-metallics, being so very frustrated with certain parts. They would work endless hours trying to perfect and improve them. I guess that my background (observing the Auto industry at close range) helps me to better understand the issues which are faced by ALL manufacturers.<br>Hell, I remember the big stink that happened with my one Honda. There was a MAJOR recall of several model years for these seat belt buckles that would fail under stress because the plastic was just plain defective/weak. This is a serious safety issue. It was all over the news. The representative for Honda blamed it on "the messy Americans that eat burgers and French fries in their cars." noting that the grease was degrading the plastic and causing it to fail. My Dad was absolutely furious being that plastics was his specialty. He was like "What a buffoon!" Grease should never degrade plastic and make it crack, that is an outright BS excuse!<br>So, my point is....no car maker makes a perfect product. Audis are not junk, they are great cars overall and deserve a little more credit.<br>-C.<br>

...isn't saying much. How hard could it have been to build a better and less expensive car than the Americans back then? Hondas of those years were actually crappy cars, with engines that blew by 100K miles, and that was only if the body lasted that long. Just better; not good!<p>Charles<br>

...'93 Civic Coupe EX was in the shop atleast probably 15 times during my two year, 26K mile ownership, and I had to pay big time for a 15K service.<p>Bad Clutch chatter (never resolved)<p>bad heater motor (four trips, two dealers to replace)<p>dead window motor<p>loose window (due to window glass sticking to seals)<p>Door misalignment (fixed by tech leaning against door and bending. WHat the...)<p>Creaks, squeaks, and rattles.<p>Air conditioning evaporator leak.<p>Other things I can't remember right now.<p>I might also add that that car was very unstable under heavy braking; rearend swinging side to side!<p>All that, and after owning a MAzda 626 and mitsubishi Mighty Max (don't even say it!), the Honda seemed like a good car!<p>Charles<p><p>

I read a satisfaction survey about a month ago from a group other than J.D. Powers and Audi ranked 9th while Honda and Toyota ranked 17th and 19th. Of course Lexus was #1 with Caddy not too far behind to my surprise. <p>As for the cost of ownership, Hondas and Toyotas are not at all cheap to fix. I do know this from experience. Japanese parts have gotten expensive. It might surprise some of you if you started buying parts for new Hondas and Toyotas. <p>I bought my parents a new air dam part for the A4 they own and was surprised at how cheap it was considering its size, about $100. (they pulled up too close to one of those extra high curbs we all love so much)<p>I think if you started comparing similar parts on other cars you might be surprised.

At least someone else out there gets it! I can't tell you how many times I've been in the passenger car with someone who drives their car and doesn't even notice that it's got a problem. (both female AND male drivers) I sometimes will say, "don't you notice that whining...or creaking *or* why is this broken, ever notice that huge gap in your door seal?" They'll be like, oh well, it's been a good car, though. What!? It's like they don't know (or care) that there's a problem until the car actually breaks and strands them! So, I think that surveys that are based on these types of owners are totally skewed. After all, if they don't bother to take their car in for service, how does J.D. Powers/Consumers Report have any idea that the numbers aren't high for repair on those cars because the owners never bother to bring them in.<br>I truly believe people who buy more expensive performance cars are naturally more picky and conscious about their cars.<br>-C.