# 2005 Audi A4 - Shoulda bought a Lexus **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** audi\ **Created:** [October 19, 2021, 9:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072 "2021-10-19T09:11:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FreedomFighter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9de0a6/32.png) [@FreedomFighter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FreedomFighter)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 9:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/1 "2021-10-19T09:11:39Z")
Engine likes to drink a lot of wine. You need a lot of money for repairs to drive these cars, period. Who cares for the name. Should had bought a Lexus. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 9:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/2 "2021-10-19T09:20:58Z")
> [@FreedomFighter](#): > > Engine likes to drink a lot of wine. What kind of engine do you have, wine doesn’t have enough alcohol content for any engine to run on that I know of. > [@FreedomFighter](#): > > Should had bought a Lexus Lexus over Audi every time. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 12:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/3 "2021-10-19T12:40:58Z")
Car is only 16-17 years old, doesn’t it have to be 21 to drink wine? ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 1:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/4 "2021-10-19T13:02:09Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > doesn’t it have to be 21 to drink wine? Not in Europe, where it came from. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 1:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/5 "2021-10-19T13:05:16Z")
> [@FreedomFighter](#): > > Engine likes to drink a lot of wine. I strongly suggest that you enroll it in AAA. No, not the towing and road service company! You should enroll it in **A** utomobile **A** lcoholics **A** nonymous. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/6 "2021-10-19T13:25:03Z")
I fully don’t expect a response but I will ask anyway. Before blaming the car my questions to you are… Did you buy it new or used? If new, what kind of oil change regimen have you used; both as to time and miles? How often, if ever, does the hood come up to check the oil level? Depending upon your answers, the cause may be you or a prior owner. I know. It’s not my fault; a way too common attitude in today’s society… You could have ended up with one of these Lexxi…(tongue in cheek) > **[Radiator Leaks!](https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/45907-radiator-leaks/)** > > Buyers beware!! Do not buy a Lexus GX 470 or any car from Lexus!! The radiators leak and Lexus refuses to stand behind the product. I would have expected this kind of treatment from Ford or GM, and now Lexus shows that they are no better than any of... ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/7 "2021-10-19T13:45:43Z")
I don’t stand behind **any** car, I don’t want an inattentive driver to back over me! ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/8 "2021-10-19T15:26:00Z")
> [@FreedomFighter](#): > > Should had bought a Lexus. Should have done your home work researching the different models before you bought. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/9 "2021-10-19T19:57:36Z")
The commonest cause of radiator leaks in not very old vehicles is from stone or gravel puncturing the front of radiator tubes. This is NOT covered by any warranty. Lexus- the car for people who would otherwise buy a Toyota,but think they don’t cost enough to befit their status. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/10 "2021-10-19T21:25:08Z")
Or the car for folks who want something nicer than a Toyota… ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 5:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/11 "2021-10-20T05:08:10Z")
A 17 year old Lexus wouldn’t be an inexpensive vehicle to own unless you buy your parts at the local self serve auto salvage yard. > [@oldtimer-11](#): > > The commonest cause of radiator leaks in not very old vehicles is from stone or gravel puncturing the front of radiator tubes. This is NOT covered by any warranty. Every Lexus vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, the A/C condenser is exposed to road damage, the radiator is relatively protected. I have replaced more than 100 Lexus radiators, they all leak from the plastic tank or tank seal. ![20200102_170003](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/d/0d5afec07515b6f9087dcfef3217998ea393b8bf.jpeg) ![20200103_140806](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/c/3c14e22e4b7ff676f234838e011cde1ee988485c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/12 "2021-10-20T19:07:53Z")
Pretty much every aluminum radiator with plastic end tanks that I’ve replaced has been due to leaks where the end tanks are joined to the aluminum radiator. Is that the most common leak point on all brands? Seems like it is, from my limited experience of 5 or 6 radiator replacements. As a matter of fact, one of the new radiators I installed leaked when new at the end tank. That was a fun day. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/13 "2021-10-20T19:09:17Z")
My Lexus ES300 cracked the tank near the top hose boss, caused by a bad motor mount letting the engine rock, flexing the tank. ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/14 "2021-10-20T19:14:34Z")
The Toyota truck I owned which shall henceforth be referred to by the name my crane operator gave it, “the world’s ugliest Tacoma”, was leaking at the end tanks when I bought it. And apparently for quite a while before I acquired it judging by the brown mist underhood from rusty water spraying from the seam. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/15 "2021-10-20T22:57:45Z")
I guess I am betraying my age. I have owned more cars without a/c than with and many of the cars I had with a/c had radiators that were much larger than the a/c condenser. A/c did not become necessary in our climate until the elimated the flow through vents, wing windows,and did not shut off hot coolant to the heater when you shut off the heat. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/16 "2021-10-20T23:11:39Z")
> [@oldtimer-11](#): > > I guess I am betraying my age. I have owned more cars without a/c That makes two of us > [@oldtimer-11](#): > > flow through vents, wing To bad they d0n’t make them that way any more my two old trucks stil have them. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/17 "2021-10-21T21:13:35Z")
Back in the “good ole days”, there were accessories available to make low end cars look like expensive cars. When Cadillac introduced the “fishtail” taillights back in 1948, bolt on “fishtail” lights became available so one could make a 1949 Chevrolet look like a Cadillac. If you were impressed with the portholes Buick introduced on its 1949 models, there were fake bolt-on portholes that could make almost any car resemble a Buick. If you had the yearning for a Packard, but only had a second hand Ford budget, a bolt on Swan hood ornament was available. Even better, if you longed for a Rolls Royce, but could only afford a VW Beetle, a hood with a fake Rolls Royce grill was available so you could impress people with your ride. We need something along the same line today so that Toyota’s Corolla and VW’s Golf can be made to resemble a Lexus or an Audi. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/18 "2021-10-21T22:33:57Z")
My two favorites the 40 Ford kit for the Beetle and the Bullet nose kit for the El Camino/Malibu. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/19 "2021-10-22T19:07:29Z")
Or maybe this… ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/e/9/e93b1e0840c3d4549ffef32c074d4f69f2031c3b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![longhorns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@longhorns](https://community.cartalk.com/u/longhorns)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072/20 "2021-10-24T19:05:42Z")
An Audi owner told me a dealer wanted $802 to replace his thermostat. Warning to all. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2005-audi-a4-shoulda-bought-a-lexus/180072.md?page=2)