I'm planning to buy a 96 A4 - done about 100k km - I'm interested in getting some feedback about the car. I've heard a few horror stories on repair costs and I want to know what the long term maintenance costs are.

2.8T ? You mean tiptronic (2.8Tip), right? "T" alone usually denotes "turbo", which the 2.8 is a normally aspirated engine. The '96 is a 12v N/A motor. The 98 and newer 2.8s are a 30v N/A motor.

Anyway, I have 80k on my '96 2.8 quattro. So far, my only real complaint has been the control arms. That is a problem that ALL A4s have, it is not exclusive to the early models at all. In fact the older control arms have lasted better than the newer ones from what I've seen and experienced. Even 99.5 models are already going bad and are being replaced.

This is not a cheap fix, BTW. So that IS something to consider when buying a used A4 without a warranty. If you can buy some kind of warranty for the car, do it. A dealer quoted me $2,600 to replace all four front control arms- parts and labor.

The other thing to look for is what condition the dash/instrument panel (I.P) is. On some older A4 models, the dash material separated from the foam core up toward where the glass meets the front of the dash/I.P. Defective glue job and hot sun.

This has not happened on my '96 but did on my Dad's. We sold his car for a lot less $$, taking in to account that this was an aesthetic annoyance. Most people didn't even notice it...you had to point it out. Nevertheless, it should be something to look for. If it is not a hinderance to you, you could use that as a point to negotiate the price down.

If the car does NOT have a lifting dash, get one of those UV sheilds (I have one from Covercraft) to protect the dash from the hot sun. My dash still looks great!

I've had my car since new (3.5 years). It has been fantastic and I love it. It's as fun to drive as day one and I have done plenty of mods. to make it even more fun. I have had few problems overall and it's been very reliable. I also put it through a lot of hard labor. I do track events all summer long and push the car very hard.

As for maintenance prices, you should call a local dealer and also a local independent Audi mechanic to get their pricing for basic jobs and regular maintenance issues. That will give you the best feedback on what YOUR local actual costs would be. I know some people pay half of what our area dealers charge...it's all in your location.

What maintenance records does the car have? Did the previous owner have the timing belt and water pump replaced? This is a big job. If not, find out what that costs in your area and then you may want to negotiate a lower price based on maintenance that has not yet been done.

Mainly, these are issues/concerns that you would have for any used A4, regardless of the model.
-Cathleen (80k and very happy)

Man,do I feel stupid. I knew that. Of course, I have the manual and never even considered the Auto but I did know that the Tip came out later.
The other bummer was that they said I could wait for the 1.8T but they were only coming out inititally in Auto...no stick. No leather, No wood, etc. so I decided to get the 2.8.
Being the enthusiast driver....I would definitely not get an Auto 12v. That would be the gawd-awful slowest A4 out there. That's okay for a non-enthusiast, but would be pure torture for a fast-drivin' nut like me.
-C.