Hi,
I haven't posted here in years. But I want to buy a 1996-1997 A6 Avant Quattro and everything in my area has really high mileage. I found one with 137k miles. I'm an ex-dealer Audi technician so I know these cars well. How many miles do you guys have on your 2.8? Have you had any major engine / trans problems?

My 92 had 220,000++ when i finally blew a head gasket. It probably wouldn't have blown the head gasket but the heater core went about 10,000mi ago and i guess things got a bit hotter than i thought then, and the head-gasket was just waiting for awhile. When i purchased my car it had just about the same milage as what you are looking at now. They are great engines, just keep your maintenance regular and don't let it get hot like i did and you should get 300+mi.

I can't tell you about the Tranny since i have a manual which has been perfect. I don't even have any record of the clutch ever being replaced in those 220,000mi, and i have almost complete records since new.

Cheers, Enjoy your car.

Exactly what I wanted to hear, it's what I already knew but wanted to hear it from someone else!
Thanks...

137K miles on any 12-13 y.o. car is not really high mileage. Beyond that Audis are Audis if maintained they'll run forever. If not they are money pits. For the most part 137k is not high at all for these cars. As far as engines go, I have never really seen an audi that if maintained, isn't bulletproof. Transmissions...well thats another story. These Trans are better than most that audi has produced comparing to the old stlye with the final drive fluid that noone ever checked or the first gen A8. Anyway as you should know from any Audi, it's never the engine ot transmission that gives you problems. It's more about the countless other **** that you have to live with, keep up with or replace that turns many away from these cars. Never the less, I personally wouldn't own anything else.

I've done a ton of work to it, but it's all been "consumables" and much of it was redoing all of the work that the seller had just paid thousands to have done.

As a former Audi tech, you'll have no problems, especially if you were working on them back in the day.

Wifey says she'd like to keep it for another couple of years.

In my case heater core, heater blower, AC control panel, steering rack and alternator had to be replaced.

They discounted it to $38,000, less a $3000 trade-in Honda, + $2500 down, Which we worked into a lease at $410- per month, with a $16,500 buyout at 40 months. I may be off a few bucks, but was close to this and I thought it was a pretty good deal.