Anyone own an Audi A6 ?
 

Guys ---

Please don't faint. I'm considering purchasing a "newer" car and the Audi A6, 3.0T AWD model has been tempting me. I don't buy brand new cars, so a slightly used one is up my alley.

Last week, I test drove a 2009 and a 2013 A6 ---- the A6 was remodeled in 2008 and then again in 2012. The 2013 model felt like the driver's seat area was a little bigger with the curved driver's door panel.

Anyone else own one of these newer cars?

The timing chains along with its many plastic guide rails which will need replacing are sandwiched between the block and the flywheel at the back of the engine. There are many good reasons these cars depreciate faster than yesterday's news paper.

3.0T is a great engine, although don't let the "T" fool you...its supercharged and not a turbo. They are very stout and the only thing that I've heard of that can be an issue is the early water pumps they used could be faulty. Look at the service records and see if it was replaced, or look into getting one from the Audi dealer, not sure if it was a factory recall or not. I know a handful of people with this engine in their cars and they've all been absolutely solid, even modded.

I keep eyeballing the Audis but I have a few reservations. One is the resale.

I saw a mechanic buddy pull the engine out of a V6 Passat once and I was glad as hell it was him and not me.

VW/Audi automatics are kinda scary. The newer gear unit, maybe Triptronic, maybe different, don't know.

An aluminum body A8 sure feels good wrapped around my bod. That's what keeps me looking at them.

Historical Background on Use of Aluminum at Audi

I had a Passat with the 30V Audi V6 for a while one time. If you killed the battery the throttle body would lose calibration and someone with a VAG-COM had to recalibrate the throttle body. That was a nuisance.

My girlfriend currently owns a 2006 Audi A4 2.0T. When we got the car on CPO she bought the Audi-Care maintenance plan, and the car had a 100k mile warranty as part of the CPO. I do not think Audi-Care is still available but it was like $1,800 and they did oil changes with full synthetic every 10k (we did one in between every dealer change, so the car got changed every 5k) and they also did a timing belt as part of it. The CPO warranty took care of 3 transmission fluid changes before they put a torque converter in it, which was also covered. If you can, buy one on CPO and you won't have to worry about it. The car has 100,500 miles on it now, and its parked in my warehouse under a cover, and she took my $600 190D 2.5 and loves not having to care about the car. So who knows.

Not really what you're asking about but those are my Audi experiences.

Sheesh guys. You aren't helping any. Maybe I should re-read this article and go for a brand new, fuel efficient car:

Mercedes-Benz E250 Bluetec vs Toyota Prius MPG Battle - Road & Track

Passat did not have the same engine as this A6. The engine in question hasn't been used in any VW branded products.

I'm aware, note the last sentence in my comment

Daw, I should note we really like the 06 A4. That was not be talking down about it, just a suggestion to look for a CPO car.

Unfortunately the newer V6 with 4 or 5 timing chains hidden between the engine and transmission are even less reliable than the old 30v. If you think the "service position" on the old Passat/Audi was bad, try replacing these plastic guide rails
http://i.fixya.net/uploads/images/tdisline_3.png

How do you conclude its less reliable? Just because it is more complex? Timing chain and tensioner failures are very rare in these cars.

Read the Audi/VW forums. The horror stories are non stop and the bills are astronomical. Both the V6 and V8 engines with the multiple chains at the back of the engines destroy their plastic guide rails and the only solution is to pull the engine in order to gain access. At this age its cheaper to simply replace the whole engine with a used one.
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e..._Tensioner.jpg

The parts list alone on this type of repair should be enough to give you pause.

Uhm...yeah, not coming up with much on the forums. It isn't a common failure at all on the 3.0T, not sure what forums you are looking at that have "non stop horror stories" but it sure isn't audizine or audiworld. Links please?

Daw, we've got a couple of Audis. We bought a CPO 2006 A6 wagon with 17k miles. It's been great. I liked it so much I ordered a new 2011 A4.

The A6 has just under 100k miles now. My A4 has about 33k miles. Both cars have been great...don't see myself returning to late-model MBz cars when the driving experience and front seating is so superior in the VAG product(s).

I've never driven a 3.0T, but have friends with them. Quite the engine!

I already provided you with more than sufficient evidence.

caveat emptor

A friend has an 09 A6 3.0T. Don't know how many miles it has, but it's been good to him for the previous 4 years he has had it.