Young Professional wanting a 07 A4. Worth it?

btc33

I am a young professional who makes $46,000 a year. I am not a big fan of Accords, Camrys, etc but I am needing something with good gas mileage. I am looking to spend around $18,000 on a car. I really like the 07 A4 but I have heard many mixed reviews about them.

1. They burn oil too fast. Is this a big issue? I don't mind keeping a bottle in the trunk but I don't want it to be too costly.

2. They are not reliable. I will hopefully be getting one that still has a warranty on it, but I have heard they are very expensive to fix.

I know I can afford an Audi, I just wan't to make sure I am not getting a car that 1) I can't afford maintenance on and 2) it will break down often.

Also, can anyone give some suggestions about any other entry level luxury car I should go to? Lexus, Acura, etc. Or if there is a lower end car that has become nicer recently.

kinct

Buying used is a crapshoot. I bought my 2007 A4 "brand new" in July 2008 - the car had a lot of options, pushing it's price up, plus it was a "manual" and therefore "less desirable" (haha, not for me, the exact opposite was true!). So, I got a great deal on the car. Nearly 49000 miles later, here is the full list of what has gone wrong with the car:

1.

Um, yep, that's what's gone wrong. No excessive oil burn (really none noticeable whatsoever, but I am sure it burns SOME oil). I change my oil (myself) every 5000 miles (Mobil 0w40, Audi filter). No dipped headlights, no nothing.

Now, on the other hand, we did buy a used 2005 A6 (3.2l) in January 2011. That car has had some electrical issues. No clue as to the root cause, but I suspect the clown who had it first left windows rolled down in a rain storm or something and now I am paying the price. But, other than that, it's been OK.

Still, when buying used, you are trusting / hoping the guy/gal before you did not abuse it, got the right maintenance done at the right time. Sorry, but all too often, people don't - whether it is ignorance, don't give a damn, or whatever.

IMHO, you are better off buying a new, less expensive car, rather than something used. If you are really good with cars and have some tools, access to tools, this might work out for you (a used A4). But again, you are rolling the dice.

Buy a new car, treat it well, save up your $$$ so maybe next time around you can buy something new that you would really enjoy. The Audi's are nice, but can get pricey.

That said, I love my A4 and overall like the A6.

isellhondas

If you are concerned about repair bills and expense, I would stay as far away from an Audi as you can!

Kirstie_H

Agree with both comments. If you can't afford $800/month in repair bills, don't buy it. Now, you might have very FEW repair bills, but having had a similar vehicle in the past that was running $800/month in repair costs, I can tell you that it is entirely possible. Even if you have few problems, each fix is likely to cost you a LOT, because there aren't any bargain parts on that vehicle and the repairs are complicated and take a lot of hourly $$ shop time.

kevinc5

I picked up a CPO 2008 Audi A4 about six months ago. It was a lease return with all maintenance done by the dealer who was selling it. 38,000 miles. I paid about $21,000.
I've put about 8,000 miles on it with no significant problems other than high oil consumption. Took it in for what I expected would be routine service. The dealer ran an oil consumption test and told me today that Audi would pay for a ring job. I'm safe under the warranty so I'll see how the work turns out. Other than that, I'm very satisfied. A CPO A-4 is much better than an Accord or Camry.