Need help for a Co-Worker's Son

H.O. Driver

H.O. Driver

Forum Member
He is hellbent on buying an 2001 Audi A6 with a 4.2l V-8 with over 200,000 miles on it. The pictures make it look like a clean car, however nobody in their family is mechanically inclined, it needs to go to the shop for everything, including oil changes. He just graduated from high school and has to get a new vehicle becuase he got stuck on a Jeep Cherokee that he had to have with 200,000 miles on it that his parents have paid almost 3 times as much as it is worth in repairs in the last 2 years because he is trying to keep it on the road. I don't want them to get stuck with lots of money in repairs again. I know Audi's are solid vehicles but at 200,000 miles I know it will need maitnence and up keep and I don't want to see the parents sinking so much money into to something again. I have even tried talking to their son about the cost of an Audi and how simple repairs cost a lot more since there are few import mechanics up her that know what they are doing with them. Seller doesn't list the VIN in the ad and said he would text it to him but hasn't yet. It is a 3 and a half hour drive one way for them.


Please help me convince them (him) not to do it. He has $3500 for a car, there is a lot of nice vehicles up here for that price but he won't listen. Really the parents should put their foot down since they are fronting the bill for it but I can't tell them that. Also they just put a new Transfer case in the jeep for him last month but it is broken down again becuase the front axle is fried now. He "claims" he doesn't go mudding at all with the jeep.
 
to change the timing chains (or fix the timing chain guide) you have to pull the entire motor, which was a issue with the V8.
 
There is absolutely nothing cheap to replace on an Audi, and every one I have ever dealt with has sensors going bad that ALWAYS need to be reprogrammed by a dealer. My girlfriend wanted a Q7 and I absolutely refused because of the nightmare Audis are.
 
You're looking at over 1k in parts for timing/cooling system stuff when it does fail... Not if... But WHEN... And I would guess... SOON... Very soon...
 
ReiKo said:
You're looking at over 1k in parts for timing/cooling system stuff when it does fail... Not if... But WHEN... And I would guess... SOON... Very soon...
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That is what I was trying to point out, hopefully the parents man up and stop it before it gets out of hand. I told them it is okay to tell their kids no once in while. Even with other parts on the car, injectors, piston rings etc... They do wear out and fail, not becuase it was it is a bad vehicle or faulty part but things just wear out, there is nothing you can do about.
 
Roadrage said:
There is absolutely nothing cheap to replace on an Audi, and every one I have ever dealt with has sensors going bad that ALWAYS need to be reprogrammed by a dealer. My girlfriend wanted a Q7 and I absolutely refused because of the nightmare Audis are.
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I replaced timing chain, tensioner, pulley, valve, and every gasket pertaining to the job as well as odd and end seals and a rear coolant flange for like 400 shipped to my door from ECS tuning.

Not to mention they are insanely easy to work on.

The 4cyl and V6 models anyway. Can't speak for the 8. You could always go to ECS tuning and put in the model and look for common parts such as gaskets and timing chains to get a general idea of what the repairs cost.

I paid 1g for my 98, spent 400 in parts for the motor and then bought a trans filter/seal and some ATF for another 40 or so dollars and had a great running car. Quiet, smooth, etc. I sold it for 3500 after getting 9 months of driving out of it.

It was a stout car all around and sold me on Audi. I now drive a B8 Audi A4 and couldn't be happier. Recently fixed an oil leak for my B8 which included oil filter seal, dipstick seal, timing cover gasket, crank seal and a couple of other misc parts for 35 shipped to my door. Coolant that spilled was $20 at my local dealer.

Job was easy as cake - getting the car into service position takes about 15 minutes. Aside from that, the only problem I have had is the PCV valve went bad. I got one on ebay for like $50 and it was cake to replace. 35k miles and about 2 years and I have only had about $80 in repairs. Change the oil with euro blend every 10k.
 
If he won't listen to reason, this'll be a great life lesson for him. I was the same way, stubborn and did what I wanted. When I lost $8k on a Bronco I just had to have and restored (half assedly by the way) and then couldn't sell it, I learned something ;)
 
raroz28 said:
I replaced timing chain, tensioner, pulley, valve, and every gasket pertaining to the job as well as odd and end seals and a rear coolant flange for like 400 shipped to my door from ECS tuning.

Not to mention they are insanely easy to work on.

The 4cyl and V6 models anyway. Can't speak for the 8. You could always go to ECS tuning and put in the model and look for common parts such as gaskets and timing chains to get a general idea of what the repairs cost.

I paid 1g for my 98, spent 400 in parts for the motor and then bought a trans filter/seal and some ATF for another 40 or so dollars and had a great running car. Quiet, smooth, etc. I sold it for 3500 after getting 9 months of driving out of it.

It was a stout car all around and sold me on Audi. I now drive a B8 Audi A4 and couldn't be happier. Recently fixed an oil leak for my B8 which included oil filter seal, dipstick seal, timing cover gasket, crank seal and a couple of other misc parts for 35 shipped to my door. Coolant that spilled was $20 at my local dealer.

Job was easy as cake - getting the car into service position takes about 15 minutes. Aside from that, the only problem I have had is the PCV valve went bad. I got one on ebay for like $50 and it was cake to replace. 35k miles and about 2 years and I have only had about $80 in repairs. Change the oil with euro blend every 10k.
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He stated in the original post they arent mechanically inclined. Taking an Audi in for service is going to run 100-110 an hour. Thats a big repair bill for even minor issues.
 
I wouldn't even drive an Audi if I was an Audi mechanic that could get free parts, those cars seem to be nothing but (very expensive) problems.
 
Roadrage said:
He stated in the original post they arent mechanically inclined. Taking an Audi in for service is going to run 100-110 an hour. Thats a big repair bill for even minor issues.
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but at the same time he is just getting out of HS. i wasn't mechanically sound when I got my first car either but with it and all the problems that came with it, was an experience that have put me in a position where there isn't a problem I've run into that I cannot fix. I also help family and friends with repairs and have never had a problem.

Just my .02. If he's ambitious, he will be forced to learn to fix his shit. However, after seeing the prices, it's not a good idea.
 
raroz28 said:
but at the same time he is just getting out of HS. i wasn't mechanically sound when I got my first car either but with it and all the problems that came with it, was an experience that have put me in a position where there isn't a problem I've run into that I cannot fix. I also help family and friends with repairs and have never had a problem.

Just my .02. If he's ambitious, he will be forced to learn to fix his shit. However, after seeing the prices, it's not a good idea.
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nobody learns to be a mechanic on a audi thats what small chevys are for
 
I work with a guy who bought an Audi for $1,000 and he was excited about it until he started adding up the cost of parts. He will be upside down on what its worth after the repairs (and he is doing all of the labor)
 
You can easily get into 2k just in timing parts alone. That is before any labor or work. That is not a car for someone who can't work on their own ride. The timing chain is located in the back of the engine. As others have said you have to remove the engine to do the job and it WILL fail.
 
moneypit said:
nobody learns to be a mechanic on a audi thats what small chevys are for
Click to expand...

my 1.8t was the easiest engine i ever worked on.

I learned on a mitsubishi G54B 2.6L turbo. Also pretty easy, but not as easy as the Audi.

I would take working on the 1.8t or 2.0t that I have now over my LT1 if only because of ease of accessibility.

I mean, how many people posting in this thread have actual experience and not just hear say or "a buddy who paid this for that?"

I'm not for the kid getting that V8 but I don't think a lot of you realize how cheap the parts are for these cars and how easy it is to work on.

Not to mention the VAG COM cable is like `10 bucks shipped and the software is free and it tells you EVERYTHING you could ever want to know about what is wrong with the car and even gives you PROBABLE fixes. It's a freaking dream.
 
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