I’d like to know how many people think I am crazy for buying a 2006 Audi A-3 2.0T with 68,900 miles on it…and no service records. And no, I am not independently wealthy. It’s already died on me once (leak in seal, water got into spark plug) back window has trouble going up, squeaky brakes, brake warning lights don’t seem to want to go off.
Who thinks I should get rid of it asap and buy a Honda?
Selling It And Getting A Honda Won’t Necessarily Help You.
In The Phrase " Impulsive used Audi purchase ," It’s The Word Impulsive That’s The Problem And Not The Words Used Or Audi, So Much.
Purchasing any used car on impulse, particularly knowing you have no service records (and no history ?) is asking for trouble.
You bought a 5 or 6 year-old car. Even a Honda that’s 5 or 6 years old, with nearly 70,000 miles on it can be near death.
I hope you didn’t pay too much for it. With that said, we don’t really know how serious any of the problems really are.
CSA
Since you are NOT independently wealthy and are not a mechanic, I would sell this vehicle asap. Most Audi owners sell their cars when the warranty is up. Although the mileage is not high, the previoius owner probably only did the bare minimum in maintenance and repairs.
If you keep it, you will likely pay in repairs as much as you paid for it in as littlte as 1 1/2 years.
Depending on your transportation needs, a simple compact car with average miles would be a good choice. My preference would be a low mileage Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, Ford Focus, as well as Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. The last two will cost you more for the same corresponding model. By all means avoid Volkswagens and other European cars. The are all expensive to maintain. Also avoid cars with complex options and any “Sports” model.
You need to give us more information. Is this your only vehicle and what kind of driving do you do? Most importantly, what is your age? I’m a 70 year old geezer and I wish in my younger years that I had bought a car that would have been fun to drive. The car I wanted was a 1960-61 Austin Healy “bug-eyed” Sprite.
Now that I am in a position where I could purchase something close to my dream car, a Mazda Miata, I won’t fit in one.
Don’t worry about what others think. Drive the Audi until you can’t stand it any more and then buy a car that sane normal people buy.
I’m with Docnick. Lose the Audi.
Well, you are only crazy if you paid too much for it. How long ago was this?
First thing–check the brake fluid level and top it off with the correct fluid (correct type will be indicated on the cover.) If this does not turn the brake warning light off, have the car towed to a shop (or drive very slowly and carefully). This is a possible safety issue.
“Squeaky” brakes might just mean you need new pads. $100-150 per axle if you are lucky. No need to take it to an Audi dealer–look for an independent local shop that works on German cars esp. VW’s. Go to “Actual Car Info” at the top of the page, then “Mechanics Files”.
Feeling sane? Or at least a little saner? Good.
What I think you’re off base on is blaming a 5 year old Audi for what could very well be normal wear and tear (brakes) or owner inflicted. (Driving through water which in turn sloshed into a plug well or in the case of the balky rear window maybe the prior owner was being a bit rough with it while it was frozen in place in the wintertime.)
So you think there are no 5 year old Hondas running around with brake problems and balky rear windows?
I’m afraid to say how much I paid- afraid of the replies in ALL CAPS and the many swear words…and dumb blond jokes…
I Won’t Make Any Jokes Or Use Capitals Or Swear Words, I Promise.
What You Paid Is Water Over The Dam, Now. However, It Could Make A Big Difference In Whether People Advise You To Keep It Or Sell It.
Did you buy the car from a dealer, used car lot, or an individual ? Any warranty at all ?
CSA
unfortunately, a dealer-- a pretty sleazy one too. I had been looking for an A-3 stick shift for quite awhile and saw the car on-line and it was exactly what I had been looking for-except the mileage was a bit high.
I’ve only had it for about 1 month. I panicked when it sputtered to a halt on the highway on DAY THREE of owning it! I will say the dealer fixed it for free and reimbursed me for tow and car rental-- shocking.
I guess I’m just looking for a little reassurance since everyone I know tells me what a stupid mistake I have made!
An '06 Audi will be a more expensive car to own, repair, and maintain than many other cars. My guess is you knew that going into the purchase. You didn’t mention why the car died on you. I bought a used T’bird only 2 years old and the battery went dead on me in a day or two. So, perhaps all is not so bad.
If you could sell the car without taking a huge loss, that might be best. With an '06 a lot of maintenance stuff the original owner didn’t mess with will land on you. Find out if the car has a timing belt. I suspect it does and it will need a timing belt water pump job fairly soon, likely at around 90K miles. Lots of fluids should be changed pretty soon, coolant, brakes, transmission, transfer case and differentials. Not keeping up with new fluids can lead to more expensive repairs in time.
I have a friend who loves Audi’s, and buys them used. He does some repairs himself and he just decided to never have an Audi with an automatic transmission after going through 2 used transmissions. Now he has a TT with a manual trans.
Since you don’t have the records of past service you have to assume it was minimal, and hopefully at least the oil was changed close to the recommended interval. Otherwise you have to figure nothing was done to your car and now it is up to you to get the maintenance up to date and keep it up to date. For details on required services you need to check the owner’s manual maintenance section.
If your Audi is a manual trans, there is hope for you. Audi’s are not bad cars and the dealer handled your problem properly in this instance. Don’t panic, enjoy the car and hopefully it will all settle down. But you do need to realize this isn’t a cheap car to own. Start looking for a good Audi or German car repair shop and get a plan to get the maintenance up to date.
This could turn out to be a great car. As UT said, find a good mechanic near you, and get the maintenance up to date. If it were me, I’d get the oil changed (as in today), get the brakes looked at (it may be a very easy fix), and then have the other fluids checked or changed (differential, transmission, brake, maybe even coolant, but leave that for the moment).
Have your new best friend (your mechanic) give it a thorough once over. It’ll cost you some, but he should find the majority of things you’ll need fixed in the next few months or a year. If you also have him do the other stuff, it may not cost as much as separate visits.
Save some $$ for the timing belt…that’ll be due at either 80K or 90K. That’s still some time away…but be ready…and do NOT skip it.
Best of luck. Have fun out there, and keep the wheels down. 
Chase
Squeaky Brakes Can Be Annoying, But Sometimes That’s All It Is, The Brake Hardware May Be fine, But Should Be Checked. The Brake Warning Light Could Be Another Issue And Needs To Be Addressed Right Away.
Some of these vehicles have computers software issues that wrongly interpret sensor output information and turn on warning lights, but this does need to be checked, ASAP.
Is it only one light, the brake warning light ? Was the light off when the dealer repaired the stalling problem ? Maybe they’d at least diagnose it for you.
CSA
I brought it to an Audi dealer right after it broke down. They gave me a good report and checked all fluids and brakes. They reset the brake light warning which came back on soon after- both brake lights work so I’m not worried about that for now. I have found a VW/Audi mechanic from a VW owner and have read the owners manuel and maintenance schedule like 50 times. I take extremely good care of my cars- oil changes, fluids, tires, timing belts and I’ve had pretty good luck with my cars. I even owned a '75 Triumph Spitfire that actually started every time! I love this forum, this is great. Thank you for all of your comments, interest, etc…There are definitely two kinds of car peple out there: those that are like me, and fall in love with the design and beauty of an automobile, throwing caution to the wind…and those that are conservative and do what is reasonable- those Honda drivers out there. I do love this car- it’s good looking but tempermental…and I love driving it. She is named after a notorious diva…Diana Ross. I’ll keep everyone posted- this is fun!
Audi is the Vauxhall of Germany.
Welcome To Our Group Of Enthusiasts. It Now Matters Not What You Paid. You Enjoy Owning And Driving The Car. I Think You’ve Got A Good Handle On This And A Good Attitude.
Looking forward to updates,
CSA
If you ultimately decide otherwise…Often times, the key is not the car but the dealer you buy it from. Advise the dealer you are going to ask the state govt. to intercede for you. Our state agencies can often help or at least advise. Then start negotiating, if you change your mind.
FYI–Opel is the Vauxhall of Germany. Both are General Motors. Audi is owned by Volkswagen.
PiptheDog–enjoy your new car and take good care.
I learned with older Porsche that the complete maintenance records and a thorough inspection by a specialist in the make (plan to spend $200 for it) are a must. Goes without saying you would have to do your own research too before you decide on which car is worth the expert inspection. This pays off many times if you keep the car for a few years. How can you like a car that you do not know anything about anyway :-))
With a reliable make, I think taking those precautions is more important than the milage of the car.
Well you can always do the inspection now and make a list of “issues” and decide if it is worth keeping.