2013 and Earlier - Audi A4 Prices Paid and Buying Experience
How did the purchase process go for you? Was the dealer a help or a hindrance? Any problems having your Audi serviced?
KarenS
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KarenS
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Oh by the way the dealer is Schaumburg Audi in Chicagoland.
Billy
--'rocco
Anyway, through the Costco Auto Program, I got a better price for the same car, $900 over invoice price. The car includes:
2.8 A4 Quattro w/ auto transmission
Leather Seats
Celebration and Cold Weather Packages
Ebony Pearl paint
With destination charge, the invoice price is $31,899. The MSRP is $35,535. My price is $32,799. Seems reasonable to me, based on the edmunds TMV price and the carsdirect.com price that I got on-line.
-Ravi
Am I being unrealistic, or am I dealing with the wrong people. Is anyone else having this experience?
Took it in for a rear end "squeek" and a transmission "clunk", for lack of better way of explaining it. Told the Serv. Man. about both problems. Dropped off in a.m., they drove me to work 30 miles away. Called 3 hrs later to say the feel they know what was causing problems. They pick me up in early afternoon and take me back to dealership. I pick up car and didn't even drive out of the lot and could hear the clunk was gone but the "squeek" was still loud and apparent. I turned around and parked in front of the service dept. The serv. man was at my door before I could even get out of the car, asking if there was still a problem (most serv. man. would hide behind the counter if they saw you come back!). He proceeded to drive the car himself, pick up the mechanic that had been working on it and they both drove the car. Both concluded a rear rocker problem; needs to get replaced.
It was obvious they NEVER drove the car to test that the problem was COMPLETELY solved. I now have to waste another day dealing with it. I appreciate them being forthright, but the job should have been done right the first time. No loaner was given, either. Here I sit, two weeks later, still waiting for my parts.....and wondering whether I made the right "car' choice.
Dealership: International Autos, Milw. WI
JB
Any thoughts?
tiger182 - here's a lease deal on an A6 at one of the Cleveland dealers... www.stoddard.com click on Audi, then specials or internet specials, forget which one it is..
They were able to offer me a good deal on a 2002 A4 3.0 Quattro - around $1700 over invoice. Can't wait to pick it up tomorrow!
I've spent time looking at a couple of other dealers in the area, and none of them compare to Fred Baker. They've also won numerous awards for sales and service.
I've heard of some people lucky enough to get $500 over invoice while others could only get $500 under MSRP. In the end, we're all ending up with a really great car :-)
Regardless of how others around the world fare in their transactions, if you feel that you've done the best you can in getting a price that is fair to you and fair with the dealer, then you have achieved your goad and should be happy with it.
The salesperson at Bill Cook was courteous, patient and appeared genuinely interested in making the sale. The moment I walked into Fred Lavery, I got the feeling that I was not welcome. Eventually I bought my car from Bill Cook, and he gave me a great deal as well. No service need so far, but I am totally satisfied with my purchase experience.
N
I just got A4 from there, and I was very impressed with my dealer.
I recommend him to everybody. I will know what I'm saying.
Jim Murphy 215-938-0600
anyway, I purchased my car from them too.
ye, they have many audi brand specialists(I don't know what's specialists mean, just same as dealers?)
I was also happy to buy from them, and those people are nice. (service dep people too. <-this is important for free maintenance!!)
good luck guys who are looking for audi.
If you are reading this and considering an Audi purchase in the next 3 months - this may not be the right time. It seems that dealers know this car is hot.. and they can almost charge MSRP. And forget Onstar. I would never buy a car in 2002 without a Telematics system on it - and if you want Onstar in an Audi - better be prepared to drop 5K on options !!! Build your own Audi. ? .. hmmm it should say : build your own - pay MSRP and wait 4 months. These dealers seem to have no inventory of vehicles.
If you live in New Haven CT, you will also experience the uglyiest Audi dealer I have ever seen in my life. It's located in Wallingford CT with 5 brands crammed into a shack like warehouse building.. The sad Audi rings are spray painted on metal mesh falling off the building....... very very funny.
My next car might be an Audi - I hope in the mean time that Audi USA fixes the sales channel.
I believe it is true that an Audi will be slightly more expensive to service and repair than the typical domestic car. They also don't have the stellar reliability record of Japanese cars. But the reason I bought an A4 is for the joy of driving it. I usually buy Japanese cars for thier reliability and also have owned VWs but I missed the feel and the drivability of a German engineered vehicle. Yes, I know I have accept the fact that an A4 may have less reliability and cost more to repair down the line but that's the price I'm willing to pay for the smile it puts on my face while I'm at the wheel. The refinement and that certain feel of the road I experience while driving the A4 is something that I just couldn't find in a Japanese sedan for a comparable price.
My '01 A4 1.8T quattro is a little over a year old now and I haven't had any mechanical problems yet. But the '01 model was the last year of the B5 platform so they had six years to work out most of the bugs. The 1.8T engine has actually proven to be fairly realiable during the years it has been used. It is an award winning engine as it has been on the Ward's ten best engine list several times during the last few years. The 1.8T has many applications across the Audi/VW model line which should help service knowledge and parts availability for many years to come.
So how did you feel when you drove the A4 you're looking at? I've got to believe that that the A4 will be much more fun to drive than an Explorer. They are totally different vehicles. And, I believe the '99 A4 1.8T quattro actually has a much better reliability record than a '99 Explorer according to Consumer Reports.
Good luck and if you have any more questions, e-mail me and I might be able to give you a few more resources which may help you with your decision.
So far, I have been impressed with my experience. I usually look at customer relations when purchasing a care, and I think that this dealership will keep me happy. I am also enjoying my car very much. It is better than my original expectations.
Thanks for any help
I was able to get dealers in my area to quote me $1000. over invoice on any in stock 2002 A4. Don't settle for the additude
These high-buck German cars w/turbo's and other high tech gadgets do and will break down. The warranty is an important issue for anyone to ponder before buying these types of cars.
Of course, I do not know the intimate details of greggsa4's Audi breakdown, but there is the issue of maintenance and how these cars are driven. I went new because I know the turbo models have the tendency to be driven harder than the average car, and the upkeep is more demanding... i.e.-low oil levels can be death to the turbo units!
I'm not saying by any means that greggsa4 beat the crap out of his Audi and never changed/checked the oil- I'm saying these vehicles are more complicated, are driven faster, and require more watchful maintenance than the average Honda or Toyota!
Greggsa4 had a terrible out-of-warranty experience with the Audi brand and I can't blame him for never coming back, probably for reasons beyond his control inherent in the brand!
P.S. I follow the RX 300 thread here, and if you read back through the various posts, there are a lot of posts about that car's engine and its tendency to develop "sludge" which many owners are very unhappy about also.
Ten miles from the dealer, I got my first speeding ticket in six years!
I've been reading the board to get an idea of how reliable (or not reliable) the A4 is. I'm looking into the A4 and a Nissan Maxima but I can't decide. One week I love the A4 and the next, I want the Maxima. I've been indecisive for about 6 months now (and still no new car). Also, what should I expect to pay for an '03 A4 (automatic)? I don't even want anything special in it (not even leather). And can anyone tell me what the track record for the A4 is on reliability? I drive 25 highway miles to work and the last thing I need is to be stranded. I apologize for my ignorance. I know the Maxima is reliable but I really like the idea of owning an Audi (and I hear it drives really great), but I don't want to end up regretting my decision. Thanks!
1.)The cost to transfer the policy
2.)what is covered during the 2yr/100,000 mile warranty. (i.e parts/labor, deductible)
3.)Can any audi dealer service the car besides the dealer where car/warranty was purchased from. Thanx in advance.
4.) Is a loner car covered in the warranty
5.) I like to do my own oil changes, will performing scheduled manitenace nullify the warranty
6.) What are the limits of the warranty in regards to recurring problem(s)
Also is there a fee to transfer the balance of the remaing factory warranty to the new owner. This is a 02 demo model. What should I be on the look out for??