18th Apr 2004, 18:56
What are you guys talking about?
My dad owns a '97 Audi A4 1.6, 110 hp (stick shift) (soon to be mine!!!).
I drive it VERY often and love it!
It only gave some minor engine problems when we missed the scheduled services. And I gotta tell you that my dad drives it as if it were a truck, loads it up with heavy merchandise (he's a commercial representative).
Other than that it drives beautifully.
Service and parts cost a little, I agree, but if you take care of it it will keep in the same condition as when you first bought it. The Audi dealer charges too much! Your best deal is to take it to any other Audi authorized garage, they charge less and do a better job.
I drag race this car often and have beaten even tuned up cars ("mine" is not tuned up!).
Overall; The A4 is a great car and whoever had a major problem with it it;s probably their fault due to lack of care...
Chriss Jwainat
Thessaloniki, Greece.
27th Sep 2004, 19:51
I don't know what you guys are talking about...
I have an Audi A4 2.8 and I have only the best comments for it, it handles like a dream and has a lot of power. Yes, the parts can be expensive and there are few dealers in the middle of nowhere, but overall I think its worth the investment, and if you take care of it, the car is wonderful. (i guess you just have to take the time to care for it)
4th Jun 2005, 23:08
Hmm really??? I'm thinking about buying me one...lol...now I'm having second thoughts after reading all those comments!
31st Aug 2006, 08:47
I am the proud owner of a 1997 Audi A4 1.8T with less than 50,000 miles on it. A beautiful silver one with no rust. Fun to drive when it's working properly and better looking than much of the newer stuff on the road. But you cannot judge a book by its cover. This year alone almost $5,000 in repairs - AC, control arms, electronics, catalytic converter etc... They checked the timing belt and assured me it was okay. It's amazing how many Audi's of this vintage I see in the dead of summer driving around with their windows down. Anyway the conundrum is this - sell for next to nothing - gamble that it has one more winter in it - or hedge one's bets and keep it, but purchase a back up vehicle just in case... I'll let you know in the spring - but an Audi never again not because of deficiencies in newer models, but because of a company that engineered a piece of junk and didn't do the right thing... Lexus here we come.
9th May 2008, 11:09
Bought a '97 A4 1.8T Quattro a couple years ago 'cuz it had low miles. Beginning to suspect the miles were low due to so much time spent in the dang shop. So far, replaced control arms, engine oil cooler, repaired a major oil leak, about to repair a major coolant leak, the sunroof is possessed (oh so much fun when it's raining!) and as a previous poster mentioned, the climate control seems to have a mind of it's own also. Oh, and now the transmission seems to be acting up. It's a beautiful car and I love the heated seats in Utah winters, but I'm either gonna have to sell at a loss or pour even more money into it. Ugh.
20th Jan 2009, 18:53
I bought a 1997 Audi A4 1.8L Turbo (automatic) in 2002 with fewer than 50K miles on it. Within a year, the timing belt blew the engine. It has been a grocery list of horrors ever since. After getting it out of the shop with a fixed drive shaft, tranny service, heater core, thermostat and water pump (over $3k)...the engine blew again going up a mountain. I love driving this car and that pleasure keeps me paying for painful repairs. You have to REALLY love this car to keep it. (And have a backup vehicle!)
27th Mar 2004, 23:45
Absolutely true - the car appears to be built for a limited lifetime. A $25.000+ car that is worth scrap value after 6 years and less than 90 k Miles!
It appears that timing belt failures are "pre-scheduled" - Unfortunately I did not know about audiworld and this website before, so I was not warned that the recommended change interval was too long.
Audi-USA appears to ignore their responsibility. Other manufacturers (Mazda) issued recalls for the same defect.