The cost of ownership - Audi A4. Day 6

"KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress" (kanatasz) 01/16/2016 at 16:14 • Filed to: None

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Hey guys,

Beware of parts stores misleading you.. I was told to buy some Dex-Cool for the Audi, and since I’m wary of errors with parts stores (Part of the Peugeot ownership experience) I decided to research if this was indeed true. Some hours later of talking to B5 2.8 owners and DIYers I found out that this isn’t the recommended coolant.. So I went to Crappy Tire and bought 3 jugs of 50/50 Premixed OEM brand VW/Audi/Porsche coolant (G12 equivalent according to most people I talked to). Mixing Dex-Cool with Ethylene Glycol based coolant could be disastrous... it will crystalize and gel your entire cooling system requiring costly repairs. Don’t do it!

Back to the headline topic... I put together all my receipts besides my laptop and I am going to share some personal financial information - I am broke and jobless since today. No regular income, just 4 cars. (I am omitting the fact that I bought 3x gallon jugs of coolant today, I will include that in a later report..)

Let’s get down to the juicy numbers, shall we? All prices in Canadian dollars.
My first purchase was when I visited the Wreckers near my house on the 13th, there I found some almost mint winter tires in a size that would fit my rims... the cost? $86.75 for all 4.

Second purchase was hours later when I went to my friend’s dad’s parts store (I get list prices there)... I spent $93.79 on the following items - Wiper blades ( $16.56 for both), oil filter ( $2.83 ), rear wheel bearing already packed and sealed ( $21.23 ), 5 Liters of 5W40 Synthetic Euro-blend ( $41.20 ). It all came up to $93.79 with taxes.

The day after I went back for some coolant, there they told me I needed Dex-Cool according to their manuals... 2x 1 Gallon jugs of Dexcool pure antifreeze ( $36.00 ). This came up to $42.13 taxes in. I remembered I needed some spark plugs so I turned around and got some. NGK BKR6E normal spark plugs 6x ( $17.52 ). Taxes in that was $19.80 . In the end I walked out with $61.93 out of my Credit Card balance.

The day after I went to the Wreckers fully prepared for the bitter cold, as I detailed in my previous post. I got the spark plug wires and coil packs in mint condition for $51.35 .

What does all this mean?
I have spent close to $300 ( $293.82 to be precise) on an Audi A4 that still hasn’t been fixed or driven. Three hundred for a car that still hasn’t moved, that’s what I paid for the car!
So far it’s not even that bad... Just wait until I start driving it and problems arise!

Cé hé sin > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 16:24

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But then again, those are all service items and none of them were particularly expensive.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 16:25

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B5s are notoriously expensive when things go wrong. Like a water leak taking the body electronic modules and the gauge cluster with it.

The plan is to take the interior out and make it into a race car.

Alfalfa > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 16:27

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Yeah, Dex Cool is really just used in GM vehicles. Some more particularly picky owners even flush out the Dex for the regular green stuff.

jkm7680 > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 16:35

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Uh, what year is it?

If it’s a 30v, it shouldn’t have that steering wheel.......

I had a ‘97 12v A4 for quite some time, really fucking rock solid car. Nothing ever went wrong with it....

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > Cé hé sin 01/16/2016 at 17:03

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More than a thorough analysis of cost of ownership over several years this was just an insight into how my project is coming along. Headling was for grab more than anything.

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/16/2016 at 17:03

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My sunroof won’t fully close... :(

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > Alfalfa 01/16/2016 at 17:04

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I didn’t want to take the risk of running DexCool in a non-GM car, so I went to buy the OEM stuff.

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > jkm7680 01/16/2016 at 17:05

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1998. I believe steering wheel was changed... weirdly all junkyard A4s with the 30V engine I found had an Audi Sport wheel on them.

gmctavish needs more space > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 17:23

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I had Dex-Cool in my GM, but now I’m running Prestone or something because I heard enough stories from mechanics of the gunk that Dex-Cool can create in cooling systems. Shitty of the parts guy to try and make a quick sale by telling you it could be run an an Audi, that’s pretty irresponsible

That's gonna leave a mark! > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 17:35

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I am broke and jobless since today. No regular income, just 4 kids.

Same thing but cars only cry silently when they are hungry.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 18:09

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You can use a hex key on the motor shaft (behind the dial. The procedure is in the owners manual) to turn it manually, because Ontario winters without a closed roof are not fun.

jkm7680 > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/16/2016 at 22:08

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Well the circles around the center of the wheel were only used on pre facelift cars.

The trunk lid is also from a pre facelift car.... Looks like you bought a mix of everything.

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > jkm7680 01/17/2016 at 11:30

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Trunk lid is from pre-facelift? no way. That’s weird... looks like original paint

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/17/2016 at 11:31

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Thank you, but I think it’s stuck or something!

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > That's gonna leave a mark! 01/17/2016 at 11:32

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I’m very sorry to hear that. Godspeed to you my friend.

KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress > gmctavish needs more space 01/17/2016 at 11:32

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Goes to show, always trust your gut before someone else.

jkm7680 > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/17/2016 at 12:14

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Actually, nvm about that last part.

That's gonna leave a mark! > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/17/2016 at 13:51

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Thank you for being concerned but I think you misunderstood me. I was trying to be funny indicating that your 4 cars were like your children that you had to feed.

CB > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 01/19/2016 at 20:45

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It doesn’t even suggest Dex-Cool on the Crappy Tire system, I think. Wouldn’t be surprised if it does, though, since CoStar is a steaming pile of rotting dicks.

Dave the car guy , still here > gmctavish needs more space 03/15/2016 at 10:42

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Dexcool was okay for top off if your system was already filled with G12 but pure Dexcool was unacceptable. I’m on my 4th Audi in the family and had two B5 A4s so I speak from experience. My DD for years was a 98 2.8 and daughter was driving a 2000 1.8t so I’ve been able to wrangle both normally aspirated and turbo engine issues. Now my DD is a 2008 A3 3.2 . I’ve done almost 200k miles in these cars and can do all my own repairs. My yearly maintenance and repairs never exceeded $300 for each car in most of the past 14 years since I bought the first car. Most of the parts store guys know little about the cars. Take my advice and do your homework before trying to get anything for VW/Audi products to save time and lower your frustration level.

Dave the car guy , still here > KanataSZ, Peugeot-lover in distress 03/15/2016 at 13:15

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My 1998 Audi A4 30v had that same steering wheel . It was an May 1997 early production date with sport , convenience and cold weather packages.