Faults:

Brakes (all pads and rotors) $300 (labor 3+h DIY)

General Comments:

I can't recommend this car if you want a reliable commuter car. This is a "drivers" car, and the performance and comfort of this car are wonderful, and the winter driving is superb. If you have the money and time to fix the car, you will love it and if you don't, then get a Toyota or Honda.

Faults:

Rear brakes at 116,000. Front brakes at 126,000. Front control arms at 134,000 (total of four between left and right.) Rear sway bar link at 134,000. First timing belt change at 80,000.

And the weirdest thing of all... the catalytic convertor literally came off the turbo, flames and all, at 68,000. It appeared on closer examination, that Hanz and Franz in Ingolstadt never really did make any attempt to reinforce that area (?), therefore, it simply fell apart one day. Too much Dunkel Weiss, perhaps?? And no, Audi had no comment on that, nor was it covered, as clearly any warranty was well over with.

General Comments:

My car has held up well, when I compare it against many other reviews. The brakes were all original and didn't die until after 110,000 miles. The control arms as indicated, were quite recent. I love this car. Like many have said... I really, really love this car. There just isn't another car out there that handles like this A-4. (That is under $40,000) But be prepared to spend $1500-2000.00/yr. keeping it on the road after the warranty runs out. And that is such a drag. There are also many annoying little things that I'm hoping Audi fixed after the year 2000 model. The door side strips would be one. All mine have fallen off. Lame. Rusting side mirrors...again, lame. And the timing belt service...yeeeah, if you're not a mechanic, it's $1000.00+. If you are a do-it-yourself kinda person and have the tools and basic knowledge of this engine, you can do it yourself for about $400.00 but be prepared to spend 8+ hours doing it. And from everything I read and am told by my mechanic, 60,000 miles seems to be the magic number for this service.

Sigh...expensive addiction and one I will stay with for a few more years I suspect. Just love the car too much.

Faults:

I replaced the engine coolant temperature sensor ($40) and the crankcase breather hose ($75).

General Comments:

I've only had this car for two thousand miles, but I have had ZERO buyer's remorse. I think that Audi has a bad reputation that is largely undeserved... a car is only as reliable is its owner. I made a point of finding a car with all maintenance records and that passed my regular mechanic's inspection and I haven't been disappointed. This car has excellent acceleration, incredibly comfortable interior (except for the backseat, which is cramped... keep looking if you tend to carry a full car load of people), amazing Bose stereo, and it's probably the most attractive station wagon on the market. Quattro, while not quite as impressive as my Subaru's AWD, has performed brilliantly and makes me feel very comfortable in the heavy Houston rains. Parts are expensive, but I knew that before I bought it and if you're considering an Audi, you should keep the same in mind. Having said all of that, I would NEVER have bought this car if the previous owner had not kept such meticulous records of the upkeep...upkeep, while expensive, is absolutely essential to the longevity of any car and especially an Audi. Do not buy a used Audi without those maintenance records and if it has more than 60k miles, you'd better know that the timing belt has been replaced! If you find such a car, buy it! You will love it!