I drive an 2007 Audi A4 w/ 95K miles.

After taking it for an oil change yesterday, I got a laundry list of maintenance issues that I need to address. My goal was to get a new (realistically a gently used 1-2 yr old) car next fall. Although if i will need to drop 2-3K to get my car through next fall then I probably should at least hold onto it for longer. The alternative would be trading it in for another vehicle soonish to avoid these maintenance items. Due to budget reasons I think the earliest I could take on a new car payment would be early summer

For all the Garage experts which of these items are legitimate priority items to get fixed if planning to keep my vehicle until next fall/winter.

- Tires about 1/32-2/32nd to wear bars, New Tires (no brainer)

- Brake pads down to 25%

- Coolant flange in rear of cylinder leaking anti-freeze

- Engine Mounts leaking

- Front Torsion Mount rotted, half of it is gone

- Upper Control Arm Bushings torn out

- Timing Belt and Water Pump due to replacement (costliest item $1,200): Audi recommends inspecting at 75K w/ definitely replacing by 110K. The shop I take my car too heavily recommended replacing the timing belt even though i'm only 95K as preventative maintenance since if it does break the cost is $texas.

- One of my CV boots leaking greasing.





[Edited on December 18, 2013 at 10:01 PM. Reason : l]

12/18/2013 9:59:38 PM

In order of priority:

1. Timing belt (Check if 2.0T is interference engine or not. If it isn’t wait until normal service interval at 110k to replace. If it is interference engine replace, especially if you are not the first owner or aren’t sure how and under what conditions was car used.)
2. All the torn stuff… you will be eating through tires easier with worn out bushing and break more things the longer you wait.
3. Tires (if they are in really bad shape this can be number #1 as you don’t want to have an accident or blowout. It is winter after all.)
4. Brakes

12/19/2013 2:18:55 PM

^this.

pads can be used to about 3-5% before you really need to think about changing them

timing belt + water pump on my '04 A4 was about $1000

[Edited on December 19, 2013 at 3:59 PM. Reason : .]

12/19/2013 3:54:47 PM

Thanks for the advice guys.

Think I'll replace the timing belt, water pump, fix the flange, replace control arms, and get new tires. The other stuff i'll just wait for the next service.

12/20/2013 8:18:57 AM

I don't mind driving on the wear bars, but I try to be a little more careful if it's really wet out.

12/20/2013 8:47:46 AM

$3.5K for Timing Belt, Water pump, tires, control arms, alignment, engine mounts, & fixing the coolant leak.

Fuck I could have used that on a down payment for a new A4....

12/23/2013 8:56:18 AM

sounds about right. expensive little shits. I'll never own a german car with >75k miles again

12/23/2013 9:06:15 AM

maybe skip the control arms and alignment, and maybe engine mounts, then get a new car in the spring instead of the fall?

12/23/2013 9:17:11 AM

^this is doable, if you're selling soon. Otherwise, you'll want to do control arms/alignment with new tires.

12/23/2013 9:23:19 AM

3500...that stings right there. But if you do this maintenance and then sell the car, you're giving the next owner a gift. You won't recoup anywhere near that money in the sale. I'd say either do the maintenance and then plan on keeping the car at least another year, preferably longer, or sell it now as-is, take the hit, and put that 3.5K down on a new (to you) ride.

If you have the work done, which is the more financially sensible move IMO, you could probably do better at another shop (especially if that quote is from the dealership). If you can find another place with a good repuation that specializes in VW/Audi or at least German cars, take the quote to them and see how much they can undercut it by.

12/23/2013 10:00:21 AM

Yeah there is no way I could take on a car payment (at least for what kind of car I would want) until I change my living situation (rent too high). I think I'll just keep my whip until end of 2014 at this point. Might as well get my monies worth out of the new tires. The only reason I went ahead and did engine mounts was because they would be "in there" anyway and the parts weren't that expensive relative to having them redo the labor to get access to the engine again.

The quote is from a reputable European Car service shop right outside of Charlotte. Woodie's PAS. Could only imagine what the dealership would have charged!!!!

Honestly I do enjoy driving my car. Has the 6-speed and sport suspension. Just figured after 5 years was about time to get something newer and to avoid this kind of maintenance.

Figure at this point the only thing I may need to worry about is the clutch in another 20-40K...

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 10:53 AM. Reason : l]

12/23/2013 10:50:50 AM

I'm in the same boat with mine (tires, alignment, bushings) and a few other different things. I really don't want to put that kind of money into this car.

I put it on craigslist to see if there was any interest... which there was... and I was offered something around trade-in value multiple times

12/23/2013 11:00:09 AM

Are brake pads something I could do myself? Thinking by summer may need to actually get these done....

12/23/2013 11:05:00 AM

yeah, pads and rotors are incredibly easy (unless that car has pressed-on rotors, in that case just the pads part is easy)

12/23/2013 11:11:42 AM

Anyone that knows anything about cars will ask whether the major service has been done when they see a car with 90-100k miles up for sale, and they will adjust their offer accordingly.

12/23/2013 8:33:56 PM

We do timing belt/water pump with a new serpentine belt and front upgraded polyurethane snub mount for about $1050. Highly recommended at 95k.

Let me know if you want a more detailed estimate on this or the other stuff.

sales@apex-tuning.com

12/27/2013 5:52:53 PM

^^most buyers, definitely most buyers of used luxury cats, don't know shit

12/28/2013 10:11:40 AM