Faults:

I have a 96 A4 2.8L Quattro with 91000 miles on it...

All I can say is it's not the best car to start off driving. Part of me is fairly sure I have the first A4 ever made. Anything you could think of going wrong has happened. From control arms to CV joints, I have had it all replaced and the car still runs terrible.

I love the appearance of the car and the drive when it runs semi decent, but the amount to service this car needs is getting out of hand.

I have a couple friends who also have Audis, and I get mixed feelings from them.. some of them love the car and haven't had any problems with it, and some hate it and want to get rid of it like mine! So you're pretty much 50/50 on whether you are gonna get a good one.

I would never ever buy another 96... with it being the first generation of the A4, it had too many kinks that needed to be worked out.

So far in the past 3 months, the car has been in the shop 3 times, and has cost me close to 3 grand... and it's extremely slow, and being 21 years old and a girl that's very into cars.. that's not a plus!

Plus these cars depreciate very fast, and hold no value as the miles go up and the years add on... they hold a very low trade in value, and just aren't worth getting in the first place.

Now I'm looking into getting a 2001.5 S4...can't get enough of the B5 body style!!!

Faults:

When I bought the car it needed:

-new rocker arm in front right suspension

-new power steering return hose

-back right brake line was leaking

-new timing belt

-new accessory belt.

I was able to replace all of this for under $1000 by going to a non- factory repair shop.

General Comments:

I love this car. It is fun and comfortable to drive. It is also very stylish. The quattro makes all the difference in the world for handling.

It is by far the smoothest ride I have ever been in and is very quiet also. It is not the quickest off the line (0-60mph in about 9) but it tops out at 160 although I have never taken it that fast, but I have often hit 110mph with no trouble what-so-ever.

Faults:

5-speed manual transmission flushed with new fluid at 103k miles. Transmission makes grinding noise only on 1st gear because previous owner had never flushed the transmission fluid as required every 25k miles.

Outer tie-rod ends were replaced at 103k miles. Worn out tie-rod ends causes excessive vibrations while driving. Replacements cost $100.

Original head-unit malfunctioned at 104k miles. New Pioneer head-unit installed.

Sunroof controls are malfunctioning at 103k miles. Sometimes it will close and other times it stays partial open. Replacement cost $150.

Thermostat was replaced at 104k miles. Original thermostat was stuck in open position causing bad fuel economy. Replacement cost $30.

Brake and clutch system flushed with new fluid at 104k miles. Required every 2 years.

Power steering system flushed with new hydraulic fluid at 104k miles. Previous owner flushed with regular power steering fluid! Audi requires use of hydraulic fluid for power steering!

Both catalytic converters rattle loudly at 108k miles. Replacement cost $500 each because only the catalytic converters from the dealership will be C.A.R.B. legal in California.

C.V. boots cracked open on both front axles at 110,000 miles. Both axles were replaced with rebuilt axles. Replacements with core exchange cost $100 each.

Dashboard warped along the edge that is touching the windshield. This occurs if it was exposed to excessive heat from hot summer days. Sun-shields should be used when A4 is parked in direct sunlight.

Unknown location of water leak on drivers side floor during heavy rains. Possibly leaks from the rubber sealing the hood latch cable housing.

Randomly an instrument cluster bulb burns out. Replacement cost $3 per bulb.

Interior dome light switches all fell out. Poor design renders useless interior lighting.

Climate control LCD screen flickers on/off randomly. Just a poorly designed electrical connection for the LCD screens. tapping around the edges of the screen temporarily fixes the flickering when it occurs.

Factory alarm module removed. Alarm would go off randomly whenever the A4 was parked on uneven surfaces.

Low RPM vibrations felt inside cabin during cruising speeds around 30-50mph. This is caused by the back pressure of the exhaust system. Occurs in most A4's with factory exhaust system because 2 mufflers are utilized in conjunction, not separately.

General Comments:

If you are mechanically inclined and are able to service these vehicles yourself, then they are excellent vehicles to own. Parts are expensive, but so are BMW and Mercedes parts.

The 2.8 litre engine is solid, but does not yield performance. The turbo 1.8 litre engines have performance potential, but are not solid and require proper maintenance to avoid seize up from oil sludge.

The ride quality of the A4 is smooth with some wind noise at highway speeds. The handling is excellent in twisty roads.

Original paint holds up well if taken care of. Same goes for the leather interior.

Do not use rubberized steering wheel covers as they will damage and deform the leather steering wheel over time.

Short shifter kit is recommended for the manual shift transmission models.

I highly recommend buying the 1997 or newer models rather than the 1996 because of the tip-tronic transmission, revised climate controls, revised instrument cluster, nicer steering wheel, and increased engine power.