Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

1266026612663266526663108

Comments

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • sdasda Member Posts: 6,936
    andres3 said:

    I have bad news to report.

    The 2015 S4 out of Arizona 11 months ago is no more. Cruising down the highway in top gear yesterday evening, a vibration, massive black smokescreen out the tailpipes, dummy EPC and Engine Lights, and loss of power. Towed to my Audi shop de jour by Triple A (95 minutes to get tow truck).

    Short of 45,000 miles I'm getting a recommendation that I need (as suspected) a new engine, used or new. Very difficult to find a used S4 motor with such low mileage as mine. Ball park $7-9K for a used one 50 to 100K miles on it. Audi quoted $14,200 for a new one apparently.

    The RISK of used cars.....:( :disappointed::disappointed::worried:

    Of course, the shop manager says he's curious why the engine catastrophically failed too, since he's never seen one with low mileage fail, but that the diagnostic money for that is better put towards a new engine (used or new).

    That is awful. Did the mechanic identify what failed to necessitate a replacement engine?
    Perhaps a second opinion to confirm? I assume it wasn’t a CPO Audi or have an extended warranty?

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    sda said:

    andres3 said:

    I have bad news to report.

    The 2015 S4 out of Arizona 11 months ago is no more. Cruising down the highway in top gear yesterday evening, a vibration, massive black smokescreen out the tailpipes, dummy EPC and Engine Lights, and loss of power. Towed to my Audi shop de jour by Triple A (95 minutes to get tow truck).

    Short of 45,000 miles I'm getting a recommendation that I need (as suspected) a new engine, used or new. Very difficult to find a used S4 motor with such low mileage as mine. Ball park $7-9K for a used one 50 to 100K miles on it. Audi quoted $14,200 for a new one apparently.

    The RISK of used cars.....:( :disappointed::disappointed::worried:

    Of course, the shop manager says he's curious why the engine catastrophically failed too, since he's never seen one with low mileage fail, but that the diagnostic money for that is better put towards a new engine (used or new).

    That is awful. Did the mechanic identify what failed to necessitate a replacement engine?
    Perhaps a second opinion to confirm? I assume it wasn’t a CPO Audi or have an extended warranty?
    Something to the effect of failed to come back to life when coolant was re-pressurized. Mix of coolant and oil or something to that effect. Need more diagnostic time to open engine up to prove the theory that some belt/chain snapped. Only one is visible from minimal inspection apparently.

    I think he might have mentioned something about no compression; hard to say/remember as it was over the phone while I was at work busy with work.

    I might have him write down in an email what inspections/tests he ran to come to his conclusion for the sake of the more mechanically inclined here.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    edited October 2021
    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    andres3 said:

    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    Having a complete engine failure at 45k is difficult to comprehend. Almost unbelievable.

    How many miles were on it when you got it? Is it possible the previous owner didn't change the oil, or something? But if it's a chain of some kind that broke that doesn't seem like what happened.

    Hang in there. Cold comfort, I guess, but it's just a material possession, and thank goodness not something more serious.
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    andres3 said:

    I have bad news to report.

    The 2015 S4 out of Arizona 11 months ago is no more. Cruising down the highway in top gear yesterday evening, a vibration, massive black smokescreen out the tailpipes, dummy EPC and Engine Lights, and loss of power. Towed to my Audi shop de jour by Triple A (95 minutes to get tow truck).

    Short of 45,000 miles I'm getting a recommendation that I need (as suspected) a new engine, used or new. Very difficult to find a used S4 motor with such low mileage as mine. Ball park $7-9K for a used one 50 to 100K miles on it. Audi quoted $14,200 for a new one apparently.

    The RISK of used cars.....:( :disappointed::disappointed::worried:

    Of course, the shop manager says he's curious why the engine catastrophically failed too, since he's never seen one with low mileage fail, but that the diagnostic money for that is better put towards a new engine (used or new).

    Bummer dude. 45K miles isn't much, I wonder how abused it was with it's previous owner. Is this a known issue with the engine or could have been caused by a known issue?

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    andres3 said:

    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    Long manufacturer warranties are good but extended warranties are usually a waste of good money. The vast majority of people would be better served by taking the money they would have paid for an extended warranty and putting it aside for repairs. The majority of extended warranties are never used and the ones that are used rarely pay out more than their cost. Think about it the extended warranty company has other expenses that need to be covered over and above repair bills. You think they are going to lose money selling those?

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,562
    andres3 said:

    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    I don’t suppose you have any idea of the maintenance history or the kind of use by the previous owner? Must have been some hard use for it to have a catastrophic failure.

    That’s why I shy away from buying performance/sports cars used.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,255

    @snakeweasel said:
    Long manufacturer warranties are good but extended warranties are usually a waste of good money. The vast majority of people would be better served by taking the money they would have paid for an extended warranty and putting it aside for repairs. The majority of extended warranties are never used and the ones that are used rarely pay out more than their cost. Think about it the extended warranty company has other expenses that need to be covered over and above repair bills. You think they are going to lose money selling those?

    This is what impressed me about the Genesis 5 year 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper new car standard warranty.

    2021 Genesis G90

  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    edited October 2021
    Acura's engine warranty is 6 years/70,000 miles.

    Since Audi's engine warranty is 4 years/50k it does seem worth reaching out to Audi. You're not even over the mileage limit, even though you've gone past the years. Maybe they'll split the cost of a new engine with you?
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I've bought extended warranties from the car manufacturer. They already have a warranty operation and the costs of handling extended warranties would be minor.

    I'd never buy one from IceT or his buddy who advertises heavily on TV about
    how wonderful their warranty is that covers cars from 10000 miles to 500000 miles.

    Of course now those have been replaced with Medicare advertisements from aftermarket
    companies there... LOL

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • sdasda Member Posts: 6,936
    I scratch my head when those extended warranty commercials come on and the beneficiary claims they saved $4k, etc. by having xyz. Really? How much has the warranty cost you? Was this a net $$ after premiums? Just one of many skeptical questions.

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited October 2021
    They advertise to the lowest automotive IQ folks. I watch the choice of
    background and of people in the commercials to detect whom they're trying
    to victimize. IMHO, noone comes out ahead of those warranties.

    I came out ahead on my Cobalt warranty from GM. I came out ahead
    on the Cruze warranty, by a lot. My Malibu extended warranty hasn't
    been used, so I've lost there.

    But I have had the comfort on all 3 of knowing that if I were gone my
    son and wife would have had the repairs covered at the dealer up to a
    good mileage. And by that time they could have bought into new cars
    with the original warranty coverage and then
    could replace those vehicles when the original warranty wears out.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    sda said:

    I scratch my head when those extended warranty commercials come on and the beneficiary claims they saved $4k, etc. by having xyz. Really? How much has the warranty cost you? Was this a net $$ after premiums? Just one of many skeptical questions.

    I seem to remember reading that aftermarket warranty companies pay out under 25% of the cost of the warranty per policy on average and that around 2/3rds of extended warranties are never utilized. So yes there are a few where the warranty paid off and they saved thousands but for everyone of those there are dozens if not hundreds (thousands?) where it didn't.

    My only experience getting an extended warranty was when my kids were getting their license and we went out to buy them a used car. My kids fell in love with this Dodge Neon that I wanted nothing to do with. Something during the test drive told me not to buy it. However the kids really wanted it and to entice me to buy the dealership threw in an extended warranty for free. I was right about that car, within a year they replaced the engine and then the transmission under the warranty. After that the car, while not that great, ran reliable for the kids.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290

    andres3 said:

    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    I don’t suppose you have any idea of the maintenance history or the kind of use by the previous owner? Must have been some hard use for it to have a catastrophic failure.

    That’s why I shy away from buying performance/sports cars used.
    Not saying that this is the case but the engine could have been poorly made. No matter how well you make a product every so often one will be a dog. That's why companies have warranties.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    Don’t think of those 3rd part deals as warranties. Consider them insurance policies. People have homeowners (and car) and the vast majority of those never pay out either. But if you have a catastrophic ($) event, insurance can keep you afloat. You just wouldn’t expect to use them for relatively routine stuff.

    So if you can afford to pay a repair, the math says to bank the premium and self insure. Andre had about worst case, so very low odds of happening, but given what an ESC costs for that car, still wouldn’t be that far ahead.

    find a motor at a recycler and get it shoved in there. Just do all the routine maintenance when it’s out of the car, and easy!

    Actually JRgo just posted a video analyzing the cost of replacing a dead engine, and how used is way cheaper than new, rebuilt, or remanufactured.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • dino001dino001 Member Posts: 6,163

    andres3 said:

    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    Long manufacturer warranties are good but extended warranties are usually a waste of good money. The vast majority of people would be better served by taking the money they would have paid for an extended warranty and putting it aside for repairs. The majority of extended warranties are never used and the ones that are used rarely pay out more than their cost. Think about it the extended warranty company has other expenses that need to be covered over and above repair bills. You think they are going to lose money selling those?
    I agree. It's a lottery ticket. So if you're "lucky", it pays out, if you're not, it doesn't. I used to buy them, but after about ten years made a tally of payouts and premiums and it didn't come even close (of course). In aggregate it's waste of money, but if you're graphicguy, you have to buy one. Another type would be somebody with such poor cashflow and liquid assets that can't support the car they have - why they got one in the first place is a different discussion.

    2018 430i Gran Coupe

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    stickguy said:

    Don’t think of those 3rd part deals as warranties. Consider them insurance policies. People have homeowners (and car) and the vast majority of those never pay out either. But if you have a catastrophic ($) event, insurance can keep you afloat. You just wouldn’t expect to use them for relatively routine stuff.

    So if you can afford to pay a repair, the math says to bank the premium and self insure. Andre had about worst case, so very low odds of happening, but given what an ESC costs for that car, still wouldn’t be that far ahead.

    find a motor at a recycler and get it shoved in there. Just do all the routine maintenance when it’s out of the car, and easy!

    Actually JRgo just posted a video analyzing the cost of replacing a dead engine, and how used is way cheaper than new, rebuilt, or remanufactured.

    I wouldn't consider them insurance policies because they aren't. Warranties cover things if they fail or break due to poor materials or workmanship. So it basically guarantees the condition of the product. Insurance covers events that will cause you financial losses from outside sources. in short if your front bumper falls off because it wasn't put on right that's covered under warranty. However if your front bumper falls off because you ran off the road and hit a tree that's covered under insurance.

    The laws covering each are wildly different.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • sdasda Member Posts: 6,936
    From the insistence of my wife who did not want to have a German car without some type of longer warranty coverage, we did purchase an extended warranty from the dealer. I did negotiate the price down somewhat and opted for the comprehensive coverage. It is ‘supposedly’ from a reputable company. What gripes me is the extended warranty did not apply until the Audi warranty expired yet the time period on the extended warranty started effectively at purchase reducing the actual time period the extended warranty would apply. At the rate we are currently driving we may not get anything out of the warranty other than some ‘peace of mind’.

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    sda said:

    From the insistence of my wife who did not want to have a German car without some type of longer warranty coverage, we did purchase an extended warranty from the dealer. I did negotiate the price down somewhat and opted for the comprehensive coverage. It is ‘supposedly’ from a reputable company. What gripes me is the extended warranty did not apply until the Audi warranty expired yet the time period on the extended warranty started effectively at purchase reducing the actual time period the extended warranty would apply. At the rate we are currently driving we may not get anything out of the warranty other than some ‘peace of mind’.

    And then there is the dirty little secret of warranties. You have a set number of years (usually 4, your state may vary) to bring a breach of contract suit if the warranty company refuses to honor the warranty. With warranties the cause of action (breach of contract) occurs when delivery of the product is made (again your state may vary) unless the warranty specifically guarantees future performance (99.9% don't). Which means your extended warranty may not be legally enforceable when you will need it.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    Extended Warranty may not have helped Andre, it could have been caused by something the previous owner did to the car.
    Extended warranties may help you sleep better, for example pay $2000 for 3 years of driving with no major high cost repairs of $10000 is great for some people. Odds are you won't save money buying the EW, but you probably won't pay out a large amount.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    driver100 said:

    Extended Warranty may not have helped Andre, it could have been caused by something the previous owner did to the car.
    Extended warranties may help you sleep better, for example pay $2000 for 3 years of driving with no major high cost repairs of $10000 is great for some people. Odds are you won't save money buying the EW, but you probably won't pay out a large amount.

    I would say it likely would have helped but it really depends on the wording of the warranty. Most warranties basically guarantee the condition of the product at the time of purchase. So if the previous owner abused the car and it caused the engine failure then an extended warranty would help Andre.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    f

    Not saying that this is the case but the engine could have been poorly made. No matter how well you make a product every so often one will be a dog. That's why companies have warranties.

    But it's a VW/Audi. Were it GM, of course we could use that logic... LOL

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • jwm40517jwm40517 Member Posts: 284
    We purchased the real Honda Care warranty on our 2009 Honda van for about $1200. It was for 8 years and 120k miles. It was a good value for us as it paid out far more in covered repairs than our cost.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    My mom bought a warranty, I think 6 years, on her Camry (I wasn't there, I wouldn't have let her do that). Of course it was never used.

    I bought a warranty on a 4 year old E55 AMG, it paid for itself and then some.
  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,466
    jwm40517 said:

    We purchased the real Honda Care warranty on our 2009 Honda van for about $1200. It was for 8 years and 120k miles. It was a good value for us as it paid out far more in covered repairs than our cost.

    Are you positive you bought a Honda? Real Honda’s are bullet proof. I think you got a rebadged Chevy.

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • jwm40517jwm40517 Member Posts: 284
    I thought they were bullet proof also . My simple little 1984 Civic was, only tires and oil to 125K. The Oddy, however, needed two or more AC issues, an alternator, power steering and an engine rebuild at about 90K.
  • jwm40517jwm40517 Member Posts: 284
    We bought our first Toyota in Feb this year. Good so far for the RAV4. I like the 32.5 MPG with cruise on 77 over hills to East KY. The 8 speed does shift down 3 gears and rev to about 3700 to maintain speed. I try to turn cruise off on steep grades.
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,562
    edited October 2021
    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,466
    jwm40517 said:

    I thought they were bullet proof also . My simple little 1984 Civic was, only tires and oil to 125K. The Oddy, however, needed two or more AC issues, an alternator, power steering and an engine rebuild at about 90K.

    Yep, you got a re-badged Chevy alright. I think the only guy in here that would have a hard time believing that is our poster buddy @imidazol97. ;)

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290

    My wife keeps asking who keeps messing with the stuff on our patio, we'll maybe now she will believe me since I was able to get photographic proof.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    jwm40517 said:

    We purchased the real Honda Care warranty on our 2009 Honda van for about $1200. It was for 8 years and 120k miles. It was a good value for us as it paid out far more in covered repairs than our cost.

    Please remove this story before imid sees it...we will never hear the end of it!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964

    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    I don't think his girlfriend is going to be too happy.
    Does the car have STABIL in the gas, gas can breakdown and be useless after 3 months? In fact it can come up the lines and it can block the fuel pump. Also the battery could be dead.
    If this girlfriend is a keeper you may want to figure out what is actually wrong with the car. Unless stored properly it should be driven at minimum every 3 months.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729

    andres3 said:

    driver100 said:

    @andres3
    Ouch! Sorry to hear about that........that is just demoralizing!
    So are you thinking Lexus now....because it is more reliable.
    That's probably what I would consider, if I had a major problem.

    Ultra long warranties is what came to mind... Hyundai/Kia. And that extended warranties might not be a complete waste of $$$ after all.

    There is something to be said about your considerations though. Honda was the right antidote to my Dodge experience.
    I don’t suppose you have any idea of the maintenance history or the kind of use by the previous owner? Must have been some hard use for it to have a catastrophic failure.

    That’s why I shy away from buying performance/sports cars used.
    There were pretty extensive good maintenance records since it appears to have been done at an Arizona Audi dealership. Clean Carfax/Autocheck too. Only 32K miles when purchased.

    This appears to a be a FREAK catastrophic failure. Talked to a few random auto shop mechanics/managers around my work today. They said it might be worth it to spend 2 hours labor for more investigation just for peace of mind to "know what happened." First things to ask/check - is there any motor oil left in the engine? Is there metal in the oil filter? Can you turn the engine manually or is it locked up?

    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    For the mechanically inclined here, I asked these 4 questions of my auto shop about the dead engine:

    1) is there any motor oil left in the engine? Electronic sensors said full and I checked them extremely recently.

    2) Is there any metal in the oil filter?

    3) What tests/inspections did you do to arrive at your recommendation I need a new motor (used or new)?

    4) Can you turn the engine manually or is it locked up?

    Got These 4 answers:
    1. Plenty of oil in the engine, along with lots of coolant. I believe we drained nearly 9L of oil and coolant out.
    2. We didn’t remove the oil filter.
    3. When cranking the engine over, the cam shaft viewable through the oil fill cap isn’t turning. Paired with cam/crank correlation faults stored in the ECU.
    4. Yes, spins freely and quite easily since it’s only the crank spinning and there’s no compression
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    unless you are going to pay the cost of rebuilding it, or planning to try and get Audi to cover it, seems to be just wasting money out of curiosity. I would only do it if I was willing to pay to have it put back together fixed, and does not sound like there is much chance of doing that (at least cost effectively).

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • mjfloyd1mjfloyd1 Member Posts: 3,224

    The curse of the Solomon curve? :)

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    I'm certainly no expert and those answers tell me a few things but raise still more questions.

    No cam turning usually means a broken timing belt or chain. I suppose it could also be a broken cam sprocket. Why that is is an open question.

    Crank spinning freely would usually be a good sign except for the "because there is no compression" qualifier. I suppose oil starvation causing spun bearings/meltdowns can be ruled out, FWIW. Having no compression *for the entire engine* could mean all valves crashed into pistons somehow. I can see some doing that, but all of them? Or did all pistons get holes blown in them? If so, how? Hard to believe both head gaskets failed. Was there a tune applied? Was induction pressure increased? Did a wastegate stick shut? Did massive preignition occur for some reason? Were you running ethanol fuels?

    IIRC that is an aluminum block with Nikasil-like coating on the cylinder walls, which has improved a lot since the days of the Chevy Vega but still isn't as foolproof as an iron liner. Again, though, a broken ring would affect one cylinder, not all. I'm wondering if a sensor or module failed and made the engine go very lean.

    I think you need to have a look inside with a borescope to see what's going on inside the cylinders. Even though it's out of warranty it might be worth contacting Audi and seeing if they would go good for a dealer diagnosis, since it only has 45K miles and an apparently clean service history.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,118
    ab348 said:

    I think you need to have a look inside with a borescope to see what's going on inside the cylinders. Even though it's out of warranty it might be worth contacting Audi and seeing if they would go good for a dealer diagnosis, since it only has 45K miles and an apparently clean service history.

    Given the history VW/Audi has with the clutches on both the A4 @driver100 had and the VW Alltrack Mrs @breld owned, I'm not optimistic that this request will be met with open arms.

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and let us know! Post a pic of your new purchase or lease!


    MODERATOR

    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2014 MINI Countryman S ALL4

  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,466
    andres3 said:

    For the mechanically inclined here, I asked these 4 questions of my auto shop about the dead engine:

    1) is there any motor oil left in the engine? Electronic sensors said full and I checked them extremely recently.

    2) Is there any metal in the oil filter?

    3) What tests/inspections did you do to arrive at your recommendation I need a new motor (used or new)?

    4) Can you turn the engine manually or is it locked up?

    Got These 4 answers:

    1. Plenty of oil in the engine, along with lots of coolant. I believe we drained nearly 9L of oil and coolant out.
    2. We didn’t remove the oil filter.
    3. When cranking the engine over, the cam shaft viewable through the oil fill cap isn’t turning. Paired with cam/crank correlation faults stored in the ECU.
    4. Yes, spins freely and quite easily since it’s only the crank spinning and there’s no compression
    Since the crank is spinning freely it’s not coupled to the camshaft anymore which means the timing chain/belt is gone. This means there is probably valve and or piston damage. This in turn means the engine is more than likely a goner.

    If I was going to keep the car I’d go for a rebuilt engine and not a miled up engine from a yard. Of course you could get unbelievably lucky and get a very low mileage engine from a car that was totaled due to being rear ended or T-boned. So let’s say you are that lucky, the price for that engine will approach a new crate engine. Since that is unlikely I’d ask several mechanics who they think has a good track record for rebuilt engines and hopefully the engine for your car.

    Good luck.

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,562
    driver100 said:

    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    I don't think his girlfriend is going to be too happy.
    Does the car have STABIL in the gas, gas can breakdown and be useless after 3 months? In fact it can come up the lines and it can block the fuel pump. Also the battery could be dead.
    If this girlfriend is a keeper you may want to figure out what is actually wrong with the car. Unless stored properly it should be driven at minimum every 3 months.
    His friend is a guy in the Army who is stationed in Germany. Anyone know how long current deployments are for overseas duty? I thought they lasted two years tops.

    And yes, the first thing I did was put Stabil in the tank. I can get it to run by hot wiring the selonoid but it has code Po700 Transmission control module so it won’t start or shift otherwise. He’s started it every month or so and we move it to the barn in summer but no way we’re we going to drive it on the road not knowing the insurance status.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    Michaell said:

    ab348 said:

    I think you need to have a look inside with a borescope to see what's going on inside the cylinders. Even though it's out of warranty it might be worth contacting Audi and seeing if they would go good for a dealer diagnosis, since it only has 45K miles and an apparently clean service history.

    Given the history VW/Audi has with the clutches on both the A4 @driver100 had and the VW Alltrack Mrs @breld owned, I'm not optimistic that this request will be met with open arms.
    Just wondering if Andre should tell Audi and/or his dealer what happened, and ask them to inspect the car....it might be something they can learn from, or it might be a manufacturing problem. I'd also note all that happened, one day it might come out that the engine has a problem that will be covered.

    In fairness to Audi, since I have learned a lot more about who was probably driving the car, I think it is possible the car didn't burn out it's own clutch. In fact, if I had to bet on it, I'd say it wasn't the car's fault.
    I think a particular person who doesn't know how to drive a manual was using it.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290

    driver100 said:

    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    I don't think his girlfriend is going to be too happy.
    Does the car have STABIL in the gas, gas can breakdown and be useless after 3 months? In fact it can come up the lines and it can block the fuel pump. Also the battery could be dead.
    If this girlfriend is a keeper you may want to figure out what is actually wrong with the car. Unless stored properly it should be driven at minimum every 3 months.
    His friend is a guy in the Army who is stationed in Germany. Anyone know how long current deployments are for overseas duty? I thought they lasted two years tops.

    And yes, the first thing I did was put Stabil in the tank. I can get it to run by hot wiring the selonoid but it has code Po700 Transmission control module so it won’t start or shift otherwise. He’s started it every month or so and we move it to the barn in summer but no way we’re we going to drive it on the road not knowing the insurance status.
    When I was in deployments really depended on where you went and if you were married or not. Certain ones were as short as 12 months but typically were 18 months for single and 24 for married personnel. Personnel could also request that their tour be extended. How it is now I'm not sure.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964

    driver100 said:

    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    I don't think his girlfriend is going to be too happy.
    Does the car have STABIL in the gas, gas can breakdown and be useless after 3 months? In fact it can come up the lines and it can block the fuel pump. Also the battery could be dead.
    If this girlfriend is a keeper you may want to figure out what is actually wrong with the car. Unless stored properly it should be driven at minimum every 3 months.
    His friend is a guy in the Army who is stationed in Germany. Anyone know how long current deployments are for overseas duty? I thought they lasted two years tops.

    And yes, the first thing I did was put Stabil in the tank. I can get it to run by hot wiring the selonoid but it has code Po700 Transmission control module so it won’t start or shift otherwise. He’s started it every month or so and we move it to the barn in summer but no way we’re we going to drive it on the road not knowing the insurance status.
    I read it quickly and missed "his" car. Good idea not actually driving it on the road....you'd be surprised how many people on Hot Bench get into accidents....and they don't have insurance. They usually lose if they aren't responsible enough to have insurance. Some of them say they caused the accident.....like drive into a parked car, but they don't feel responsible since they don't remember how the accident happened....in this case he was knocked unconscious by the collision. :@

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964

    driver100 said:

    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    I don't think his girlfriend is going to be too happy.
    Does the car have STABIL in the gas, gas can breakdown and be useless after 3 months? In fact it can come up the lines and it can block the fuel pump. Also the battery could be dead.
    If this girlfriend is a keeper you may want to figure out what is actually wrong with the car. Unless stored properly it should be driven at minimum every 3 months.
    His friend is a guy in the Army who is stationed in Germany. Anyone know how long current deployments are for overseas duty? I thought they lasted two years tops.

    And yes, the first thing I did was put Stabil in the tank. I can get it to run by hot wiring the selonoid but it has code Po700 Transmission control module so it won’t start or shift otherwise. He’s started it every month or so and we move it to the barn in summer but no way we’re we going to drive it on the road not knowing the insurance status.
    When I was in deployments really depended on where you went and if you were married or not. Certain ones were as short as 12 months but typically were 18 months for single and 24 for married personnel. Personnel could also request that their tour be extended. How it is now I'm not sure.
    You mean they send you on an assignment overseas longer if you are married........is that because married people need a long break? :)

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    driver100 said:

    driver100 said:

    I have a success story of sorts.

    My good natured son agreed to let his friend who is in the Army stationed overseas store his car at our house. The one year agreement became 18 months and is now approaching two years.

    In order to free up space in the driveway we put this car in the barn with the intention of switching it back out when my convertible went into storage. To our dismay the car now won’t start and is stuck in park.

    I went through all my diagnostic tricks and finally located the safety switch release hidden in the console so even though it won’t start we can push it.

    We start push-pull-towing it across the lawn up to the driveway and the skies open up creating a mud bog that requires a tow truck to get out. We finally got it up on the driveway where it will sit until the owner or the cows come home.

    I’m covered in mud but a lot happier that my convertible won’t have to spent the winter in a snow bank.

    I don't think his girlfriend is going to be too happy.
    Does the car have STABIL in the gas, gas can breakdown and be useless after 3 months? In fact it can come up the lines and it can block the fuel pump. Also the battery could be dead.
    If this girlfriend is a keeper you may want to figure out what is actually wrong with the car. Unless stored properly it should be driven at minimum every 3 months.
    His friend is a guy in the Army who is stationed in Germany. Anyone know how long current deployments are for overseas duty? I thought they lasted two years tops.

    And yes, the first thing I did was put Stabil in the tank. I can get it to run by hot wiring the selonoid but it has code Po700 Transmission control module so it won’t start or shift otherwise. He’s started it every month or so and we move it to the barn in summer but no way we’re we going to drive it on the road not knowing the insurance status.
    When I was in deployments really depended on where you went and if you were married or not. Certain ones were as short as 12 months but typically were 18 months for single and 24 for married personnel. Personnel could also request that their tour be extended. How it is now I'm not sure.
    You mean they send you on an assignment overseas longer if you are married........is that because married people need a long break? :)
    Well unless you're going into combat or going to sea family usually goes with you. So if you're going to be stationed in Germany your spouse and kids will usually be with you. It's hard for families to keep moving around so they make assignments for married people longer. Again i don't know how it works these days.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    The first CPO BMW we bought was a 1997 528i; it had a few issues which the CPO warranty covered. I think the CPO coverage paid for itself. It was replaced with a CPO 2004 X3 2.5; we never made a single claim. My M235i was a CPO car and my SA had it thoroughly inspected right before the CPO warranty expired. All that was found was a seeping oil filter housing gasket, so I did okay.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    I had a extended warranty on my 07 BMW 328i I bought in 2011 just as the factory warranty was about to expire. I managed to squeeze in a leaky valve cover gasket about 50 kms before factory warranty expired, and then about 2 years later another valve cover gasket under the extended warranty, so it paid for itself. When that warranty expired, I bought another warranty around 2013 at around 120,000kms (80k miles?), and surprisingly didn't have to use it at all.

    Only when the car reached about 180,000kms (110k miles) did I start having minor electrical gremlins with the steering lock and another valve cover gasket leak and an oil pan gasket leak. Other than that it was actually reliable. I eventually sold it dirt cheap. At 5 years and 8 months it was the longest I owned a car.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    boomchek said:



    Only when the car reached about 180,000kms (110k miles) did I start having minor electrical gremlins with the steering lock and another valve cover gasket leak and an oil pan gasket leak. Other than that it was actually reliable.

    Those are the things that I find hard to tolerate.......when little things start going wrong. That is when I have to move on - no patience!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,953
    Our '15 A3 has been pretty reliable, has had one oil leak and a coolant leak, both fixed by our new mechanic. With 65K on the clock, it's driving nicely and all it needs now is a few new tires. At this point, with the low miles she's driving, it's staying in the fleet.
    Now, my '15 VW Golf has had a few issues which VW should've stepped up and paid for, or at least paid part of, but they left me hanging each time. At 68.6K on the clock, it's been behaving but heck, if I drive 40 miles/week, I'm doing good. But for now, it's also staying in the fleet even though the new Toyota I want is finally reaching dealers showrooms. Probably just best to keep it for another year and go from there. Hopefully by then, the chip situation should be resolved somewhat and the prices for new/used vehicles will get back to a more normal range.

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

Sign In or Register to comment.