"Roadster Man" (roadsterman)
09/22/2016 at 17:21 • Filed to: None
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"Roadster Man" (roadsterman)
09/22/2016 at 17:21 • Filed to: None | 0
| 12 |
This is the new family member. My mother just got a GREAT deal on a 2004 A6 wagon quattro. She bought for like $4,000 and it’s got 95,000 miles on it. I don’t know if they offered different engines in the A6 wagon, but this one is the 3.0.
We bought it from my grandmother who had a dealership do meticulous service on it. After browsing the service records, I was delighted to find a recent timing belt replacement.
And then the damn thing started leaking fluid all over my parents’ driveway. We took it to the dealership and they told us there are three issues.
1. Prop shaft (what dealership called it) seal is leaking, so it was transmission fluid that was staining the driveway every night. Grandmother had a gravel driveway, so it’s an excusable oversight.
2. Rear brakes are “on their way out and need replacing soon.”
3. Power steering fluid is “dirty”
#1 needed to be done, I wouldn’t let my mother drive around leaking transmission fluid. It was done, to the tune of $700.... They said three hours in labor, so a seal costing about $400 is pretty surprising...
#2 seemed like bullshit, but I may take a look at the brakes soon. A private mechanic (or even I) can replace a set of brake pads. the dealership service center wanted $500. No thanks.
#3 seemed like TOTAL bullshit. Power steering fluid is dirty? How does it get dirty? It’s a closed-loop system if I understand correctly— no gaskets to let other fluids in, unlike a bad head gasket that might let oil get into the coolant and vice-versa. This seemed like they were straight up trying to rob my mother. They wanted $450 to flush the power steering system and replace the fluid. NO THANKS.
Now, we don’t have a local private mechanic we can trust with this car. I can’t even trust the local mechanic with my Miata after they put the wrong oil in my engine.
Here’s the big question. We just bought the car, we haven’t sunk much money into it yet, and we have a back-up car because we haven’t sold my mother’s old car yet. Should I tell my mother to sell the Audi? What kind of reliability issues do the 3.0's have, if any? My parents both want to get rid of the car, with such and expensive repair needed directly after buying the thing, they just see a money pit. Does anyone have a 3.0 Audi that lasted the long haul? Even with the new timing belt is this thing still going to be a money pit?
sm70- why not Duesenberg?
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 17:24 |
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My mom has an ‘04 A6 Avant with the 3.0. The motor does require maintenance, but has been surprisingly reliable considering that she tends to prefer reactive maintenance to preventative.
bob and john
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 17:25 |
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the 3.0s were 1/2 decent engines.
if they want tog et rid of it, YOU grab it.
really. its not that big of a deal. though I would LOVE to see 700 for replacing a seal.
BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 17:29 |
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Prop shaft leaking: fix it. It happens.
Brakes: they either are or are not within safety spec / good at stopping. If they need to be replaced, replace them. Get a second opinion.
PS fluid: I make it a habit to change mine every 50k, because yes, it gets dirty. Grab a turkey baster (maybe some tubing) and like $6 of PS fluid. Easy. (Unless VW made it impossible to change, which they probably did)
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BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 17:30 |
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Oh, and assuming Audi used the same fuel pump on this that they did on the Jetta and Passat, buy a new one and keep it in the trunk.
TysMagic
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 17:30 |
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I had similar money in a 05 A6 sedan with the 3.0 with 115kish - I cut and run due to terrible valve noises indicating future terror
Land_Yacht_225
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 17:52 |
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It’s a 12 year old car, and $700 is getting off real easy. To buy a 12 year old GERMAN car and only need $700 in immediate work is about the best possible scenario you could get.
In all honesty, it seems like your parents’ mindset is the real problem here. It sounds like they aren’t up for German car ownership and that you should probably get them into the nearest Toyota dealership for an emergency Corolla lease before, god forbid, that Audi is going to need its first $80 fancy synthetic oil change. Sorry to be sarcastic about it, but it sounds like they aren’t fans of having to fix anything and need a car that won’t break at all.
My advice, sell the car to yourself. That timing belt service is worth it’s weight in gold. If your grandmother was really checking all the regular service intervals that car may as well only have 30,000 miles on it. At $4,700 all in you are still way up on the whole deal.
Garrett Davis
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 18:04 |
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None of that seems bad at all, besides the ridiculous prices they wanted for labor.
If you keep proactive on maintenance, they will probably be fine. The 3.0 is probably the sturdiest motor you could get in that generation, and wasn’t near as fickle as the 2.7TT or suck down as much gas as the 4.2.
That being said, this is not a car for the people who just want to drive their cars and not worry about them too much. Nothing wrong with that at all, they just either need deep pockets or be willing to wrench themselves. If not, then that is where Lexus comes in.
PS9
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 18:10 |
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Opponaut buys old cheap Audi wagon:
Hey, awesome! Good luck with everything man. Keep us posted!
Opponaut’s MOM buys old cheap Audi wagon:
What the hell, man. You just let her do that? Seriously, do you not love your mom at all?
RallyWrench
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 18:28 |
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The transmission output seal leaked because it has a binding forward CV joint on the driveshaft, I guarantee it. It’ll happen again. The grease cooks because of its proximity to the Cats and no longer lubricates the joint. Sometimes you can simply disassemble, clean, and repack the joint, but if it’s worn it’ll need replacement, they’re available separately of the driveshaft.
Full brake jobs often cost $500 if you pay other people to do them. But rears on that car shouldn’t exceed perhaps 400 with rotor replacement, including cleaning and lubricating the caliper slides.
The PS fluid does indeed get dirty over time, it accumulates small particles worn from the pump and steering gear, and heat and pressure take their toll. That’s why there’s a filter built into the reservoir.
In my experience with client’s cars, the 3.0 is generally a very stout engine if it’s properly maintained. They often leak or burn oil, and I’ve seen one crack a block, but the vast majority of them keep running with less maintenance costs than a 1.8T.
CompactLuxuryFan
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 19:36 |
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Don’t let a dealership visit scare you on an old(ish) Audi. Right when I got my A4, I had it inspected at a dealer and they handed me a $7,000 estimate and basically told me my car was unsafe to drive. Audi-specialized indie shop said it was fine. Two years later it’s been pretty damn reliable! (Not that cheap to maintain, though)
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Roadster Man
> RallyWrench
09/22/2016 at 21:33 |
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A CV Joint replacement? Hmm...
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RallyWrench
> Roadster Man
09/22/2016 at 21:42 |
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At least a service. It’s at the front of the main driveshaft from the transmission to rear diff.