2000 Audi A4 Quattro from North America - Comments

Mass Air Flow Sensor 73,000mi

(Manufacturer refused to reimburse cost under their recall reimbursement plan because the vehicle was 3,000mi over the 70,000mi limit despite proof that the car had been misdiagnosed for more than a year)

Combination Valve 73,000mi.

Rear Wheel Bearings (2) 75,000mi.

Oil Pump 78,000mi.

Timing Belt 98,000mi

(Due to the nature of interference engines the failure of the timing belt caused the engine to be severely damaged)

The 2000 A4 1.8T Quattro is a pleasure to drive, but expensive to repair. It seems that when something goes wrong it is often major and very costly.

The last failure (timing belt) may result in repairs totaling $4,500-$6,500. I am currently waiting on a response from Audi of America regarding warranty information. If no consideration is given and I am left with the full cost of repair I intend to bring the matter before a court of law.

If you like Audi and are willing to take a chance it can be a great experience. My only advice is "Super Size" the warranty. In other words, buy the extended warranty if offered. Be sure the dealership you purchase from carries the Audi as the #1 brand and has a reputation for providing honest service.

PS Some Dealership Service Department employees are payed on commission. This is a very bad conflict of interest for the consumer.

I am in the market for a used A4, and it concerns me that a timing belt failure can do a lot of damage. When your timing belt failed at 98,000 miles, was that the original belt or the second one?

The timing belt that failed was the original.

The manual says to replace at 120,000mi. Dealer service rep. said sixty, but when asked about the owners manual stating 120,000mi could offer no explanation and did not insist on 60,000mi. The belt failed at 98,000mi.

After all was said and done the manufacturer (Audi/VW) would not contribute one penny to the cost of repair. The justification was the timing belt is simply a "wear" item.

I felt hung out to dry by the dealership and the manufacturer. I will avoid the purchase of any Audi/VW products in the future.

After being left out in the cold by Audi and having the repairs completed ($3600 local garage) I traded the Audi in on a Lexus IS and I am very happy now.

I will never own another Audi ever again.

It is important to note that the breaking of a timing belt will do major damage in many of the cars we think of as common. Honda's, for example, can be badly damaged by a broken timing belt. I had it happen, and it ruined my engine.

I've got a 2000 Audi A4 1.8 Turbo Quattro. It developed an oil drip (at 90k miles). Turns out the cam seal and one of the turbo hoses were leaking. I had my mechanic replace the cam seal, some other seal, timing belt, water pump, turbo hoses, all belts, flush the radiator, and charge the air conditioner, and it cost me $1086. My mechanic did say the Audi was very hard to work on. The entire front end, except the quarter panels, had to come off.

The a4 1.8T has a history of timing belt failure, usually somewhere between 60k and 100k miles. The owners manual recommends changing it at 120k miles, but your care manual does say 60k miles. It is approximately $200 for the belt/tensioner replacement kit (a relatively cheap repair that will save you several thousand in the long run.) Take care of the car, make sure you're doing oil changes every 3000 miles with the 1.8T, and pay attention to your warning lights!

You could have changed the timing belt/tensioner yourself and saved a considerable amount. The job is not very difficult if you have the right tools (which in this case aren't much more than a nice socket set). Fixing your own problems is one of the joy's of car ownership. :D.

RE: P.S.

All service advisers work on commission at pretty much every dealer in the world. This is how they make a living. There is no conflict of interest because they make money off of repairing cars, it's called business. The dealer has to cover a great many expenses through each repair, paying a tech, paying the adviser, paying for the parts and a parts person, as well as maintain a profit.