1998 Audi A4 1.8T review from North America
"Money pit"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Timing belt broke at 79k miles, service interval is at 105k miles. Blown engine that I'm responsible for because of Audi's mistake.
Power windows, both, broke down. $300 a piece to fix the small plastic piece. Around 60k miles when this happened.
Driver airbag light came on, diagnostics showed a broken sensor. $450 to fix.
General comments?
Comfortable car that handles well and is ergonomic and somewhat luxurious. Great car, but not reliable at all. A lot of small details on top of the things listed above, in general a money pit. I think I'll stay away from Audi and VW in the future.
Recommended reviews
![]() ![]() | Great performance, fit and finish, but prepare for very high maintenance costs |
![]() ![]() | Piece of junk |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 2/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 59000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 79000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Passat |
| Date of Entry | 8th December, 2003 |

