Faults:

Oil cooler started to go, putting oil in the water.

Lower joints started to knock (8 of them), which are very costly to replace; £400-800 including parts and labour.

Lambda sensor on its way out (Audi say every 160000).

Rear speakers didn't work.

Flushed the engine, and then it started to burn about 2 litres every 100 miles. Fixed by adding Ametech into the oil (I recommend 100%).

General Comments:

A very reliable car, and you feel top notch and are looked upon as someone with money, even if it is 13 years old.

Terrible fuel consumption about 34 mpg.

No performance whatsoever, but gets better the higher the revs.

In my opinion, a pointless engine, and these 1.6's don't last very long.

Quality is all around you, and you can feel safe too.

A very heavy car, but really good car, but buy the 1.9 TDI 1999 onwards.

Faults:

Fuel pump.

Bottom suspension arm.

General Comments:

Got my Audi; a proud moment. I had always wanted one. Driving home, I thought this is it, what a car; comfort, German quality, it's got it all.

Anyway, went out the next day, take the wife and kids for a run, really to show it off, but it wouldn't start. Phone the AA; it needs a new fuel pump. OK, it got one, Nora Batty, how much, 500GBP fitted.

3 weeks later, driving to work, a big bang; steering wheel about snapped my arm off turning, and in the ditch it went. The bottom arm had snapped. Thought this could only happen to me, but hey, no, after speaking to a few A4 and Passat owners, I'm definitely not alone. Seems to be a problem. The bit that worries me is the day before it happened, we were going down the motorway with the family; what if it had happened then?

Faults:

Clutch went, while towing a caravan; took the flywheel with it, £1200.

Lower door trims fell away from car. Door clips OK. Trim rotted from behind. Audi sell these by the bucket load.

Rear wash wiper packed up; new motor, £60. Don't get caught like me! It's an easy fix, I've since found out; spin the plastic drive cog round 180 degrees and use the other side of it.

Wiper motor squeaky at 110.000 miles. Second hand one fine, nasty old job to do.

New battery at 130.000, as awkward as the wiper motor.

General Comments:

Bad bits: seats hard, sun visors gappy, only cassette player. no CD. Alloy wheels/centre cap flaky.

Good bits: very well made, electrics good, wiper pattern good, had a lovely solid feel to it, oil/air filter change easy, done every 5000 miles.

Faults:

Suspension links were changed at 75,000 miles, and again at 150,000.

Air mass meter failed at 95,000 miles.

Wheel bearings changed at 80,000 miles, and again at 145,000 miles.

Problem with the alarm at 105,000 miles. Fixed itself.

Camber out on back wheels at 155,000 miles, causing bad tyre wear. Camber cannot be adjusted on this model, and no apparent cause. Still investigating the problem.

Crack on turbo intake pipe at 156,000 miles, causing fumes in the car.

General Comments:

The Audi A4 TDI Quattro is a beautiful car to drive. It handles very well in corners and the acceleration is very quick. The engine is one that I can rely on, and has caused no problems in my 87,000 miles of driving.

The main problem with the car is the suspension links. There is nearly always one of them that is causing a knocking when travelling over a bumpy road. These links are very costly to replace. I think part of the problem with wearing in the suspension links is the condition of the Irish rural roads (very poor). Other than that, most of the other problems are pretty minor.