Newbie looking at an A4 Ultra Sport

[brystephor]

Hey guys, I'm new to audi's but I follow volkswagens pretty heavily. Haven't owned any newer then a mk2 however.

Anyways. Is there anything to be careful about when looking at an Ultra Sport or any 1.8t A4 for that matter?

Here's the car specs.
04 A4 Ultra sport (not avant). 1.8t. It's a manual, 6 spd I assume. It's quattro. 113k on the odometer. Mostly stock besides an exhaust and downpipe. Had timing belt done at 85k. He's asking 7k. No body damage besides rock chips from normal driving. It looks really clean.

Id be using this car as a daily driver. Is there anything to be concerned about with their reliability? I'd like to get a stage 2 tune on it eventually but that can be saved for later.

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[f0reignfeatures]

Hey man welcome to the forums! Try a few searches on here and you will get plenty of information on common issues with this car.

I have a 3.0 but general things I've seen on here that come to mind for the B6 platform are coolant sensors, control arms (especially the bushings in the uppers), and axles. Give the car a full look over top to bottom before negotiating price. Get underneath it too. If you don't know what to look for pay an indy shop $100 for the diagnostic. It'll be worth it in the long run, trust me. I've worked on cars for a few years before getting my Audi and it still hit me with a few things. Easily fixable for the most part, especially with the info on this forum, but parts are not cheap. It's also tougher to work on than other cars, especially coming from an MK2 (I used to work on my buddy's MK3).

Also look at the basics. Tires, recent alignments, etc. Does it have service records? Ask which oil was used and how often it was changed. That's very important as the mileage on these things start to climb. The 1.8 especially, being a turbo, can be prone to sludge in the pickup tube if the oil was done every 10,000 miles. That used to be the recommended interval from Audi but it was changed once they starting having problems. Coilpacks go bad too which cause misfires. Vacuum leaks too.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. These cars are a joy to drive but need constant maintenance which can get costly. Be ready to spend a few hundred every time it needs fixing. It'll cost much more if you need to have someone do the work for you.

Lastly, no matter how nice it may be, 7k sounds way too high. Around 3-4k is what I would spend for that car in my area. $4500 max, if it was showroom condition. Good luck with the car man, let us know how it goes!


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[brystephor]

Hey man welcome to the forums! Try a few searches on here and you will get plenty of information on common issues with this car.

I have a 3.0 but general things I've seen on here that come to mind for the B6 platform are coolant sensors, control arms (especially the bushings in the uppers), and axles. Give the car a full look over top to bottom before negotiating price. Get underneath it too. If you don't know what to look for pay an indy shop $100 for the diagnostic. It'll be worth it in the long run, trust me. I've worked on cars for a few years before getting my Audi and it still hit me with a few things. Easily fixable for the most part, especially with the info on this forum, but parts are not cheap. It's also tougher to work on than other cars, especially coming from an MK2 (I used to work on my buddy's MK3).

Also look at the basics. Tires, recent alignments, etc. Does it have service records? Ask which oil was used and how often it was changed. That's very important as the mileage on these things start to climb. The 1.8 especially, being a turbo, can be prone to sludge in the pickup tube if the oil was done every 10,000 miles. That used to be the recommended interval from Audi but it was changed once they starting having problems. Coilpacks go bad too which cause misfires. Vacuum leaks too.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. These cars are a joy to drive but need constant maintenance which can get costly. Be ready to spend a few hundred every time it needs fixing. It'll cost much more if you need to have someone do the work for you.

Lastly, no matter how nice it may be, 7k sounds way too high. Around 3-4k is what I would spend for that car in my area. $4500 max, if it was showroom condition. Good luck with the car man, let us know how it goes!


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Does the fact that it's an Ultra Sport with aluminum trim interior not make it worth a couple extra thousand? It's dolphin grey. The normal going price of audi's near me seem to be 3500 to 4500

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[f0reignfeatures]

Does the fact that it's an Ultra Sport with aluminum trim interior not make it worth a couple extra thousand? It's dolphin grey. The normal going price of audi's near me seem to be 3500 to 4500

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No lol. The ultrasport package would have cost a few thousand extra when the car was new. It's a 13/14 year old car at this point. Just to show you here's the KBB value for the car in Seattle Washington.



Do some more research man, don't get hustled. Know your stuff and be ready to negotiate.

[brystephor]

No lol. The ultrasport package would have cost a few thousand extra when the car was new. It's a 13/14 year old car at this point. Just to show you here's the KBB value for the car in Seattle Washington.



Do some more research man, don't get hustled. Know your stuff and be ready to negotiate.

I'm usually pretty good about this stuff, I just haven't been following Audi's for nearly as long as volkswagens. Hence why I'm here now though! The only reason I actually want an A4 over a GTI is because of quattro for the snow. I'm just loving the dolphin grey color if I'm being honest.

But I'll negotiate with him soon. Id pay between 5 to 5500 for it probably, depending how it felt on the test drive.

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[f0reignfeatures]

I'm usually pretty good about this stuff, I just haven't been following Audi's for nearly as long as volkswagens. Hence why I'm here now though! The only reason I actually want an A4 over a GTI is because of quattro for the snow. I'm just loving the dolphin grey color if I'm being honest.

But I'll negotiate with him soon. Id pay between 5 to 5500 for it probably, depending how it felt on the test drive.

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Look dude as awesome as these cars are they're not rare. Sounds like you're investing yourself into it emotionally.

At the end of the day it's your money, but I don't see why anyone in their right mind would pay 1600 more than what the car is worth. There's goes your stage 2 tune right there haha.

[brystephor]

Look dude as awesome as these cars are they're not rare. Sounds like you're investing yourself into it emotionally.

At the end of the day it's your money, but I don't see why anyone in their right mind would pay 1600 more than what the car is worth. There's goes your stage 2 tune right there haha.

I didn't believe these cars were rare, i just really like the car and the majority of time people lose money when buying a car (like every person who bought from a dealer). But your response has definitely given me things to think about and reconsider. So, thanks for the heads up on the value.

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[jesse500]

Welcome!

First off, the USP is usually worth close to double what a regular A4 is. They are sough after, whereas the regular A4's, not so much. They are quite rare, only 10 or so % of all B6's made came as an ultrasport. You will be hard pressed to find another USP local. Usually most people, in specific spec, 1 of less than 30-40 cars ever brought to the country. Cheapest ultrasport for sale locally right now is $6800, and I've seem them upwards of 14K. They usually get snagged quickly, where I've seen the same regular A4's for sale for months.

If it is a standard, it will be a 6 speed.

I personally have an ultrasport, and I love it. put 30K on it, and have had zero issues. I actually part out B6's, and have about 10 of them now. My buddies, girlfriend, all drive B6's now, and zero complaints, we've all been lucky with zero breakdowns. a few over 300K!

suspension & axles don't really start to arise issues until the 180K+ range, unless beat on. These cars are built quite well, and easy to work on. Little things like coolant flanges, coolant sensors, and drivers seat air bag connector are common issues. All cheap & easy fixes.

Audi did add a huge vacuum system, and tracing leaks can be a little costly/annoying, there is a way to simplify it abit though. The 1.8T makes lots of power, cheaply now, as parts have came down alot.

Oil changes should be done every 5K or so, to keep things rolling well.

You live in a snowy winter place? as rust is known to start behind the door blades, keep an eye for bowing out, or bubbling!!

Post some photos of the car, alot easier to get a feel for the car. 7K if very clean, with good service history, not 300 owners, and runs well, would be acceptable (if its a genuine ultrasport). I'd still try to get it to the 5-5500 mark.

Check if the steering wheel & shifter knob are perforated leather (punched) that came in the ultrasport package, the fish scale aluminum trim & door blades/bumpers are commonly added to regular A4's, lots of clones out there to be careful of.

[brystephor]

Welcome!

First off, the USP is usually worth close to double what a regular A4 is. They are sough after, whereas the regular A4's, not so much. Cheapest ultrasport for sale locally right now is $6800, and I've seem them upwards of 14K. They usually get snagged quickly, where I've seen the same regular A4's for sale for months.

If it is a standard, it will be a 6 speed.

I personally have an ultrasport, and I love it. put 30K on it, and have had zero issues. I actually part out B6's, and have about 10 of them now. My buddies, girlfriend, all drive B6's now, and zero complaints, we've all been lucky with zero breakdowns. a few over 300K!

suspension & axles don't really start to arise issues until the 180K+ range, unless beat on. These cars are built quite well, and easy to work on. Little things like coolant flanges, coolant sensors, and drivers seat air bag connector are common issues. All cheap & easy fixes.

Audi did add a huge vacuum system, and tracing leaks can be a little costly/annoying, there is a way to simplify it abit though. The 1.8T makes lots of power, cheaply now, as parts have came down alot.

Oil changes should be done every 5K or so, to keep things rolling well.

You live in a snowy winter place? as rust is known to start behind the door blades, keep an eye for bowing out, or bubbling!!

Post some photos of the car, alot easier to get a feel for the car. 7K if very clean, with good service history, not 300 owners, and runs well, would be acceptable (if its a genuine ultrasport). I'd still try to get it to the 5-5500 mark.

Check if the steering wheel & shifter knob are perforated leather (punched) that came in the ultrasport package, the fish scale aluminum trim & door blades/bumpers are commonly added to regular A4's, lots of clones out there to be careful of.

Were the USP limited production and only built in 2004? I've posted some pictures. And I do not live in a snowy or salty place but I do go to the mountains for snowboarding regularly so itd just be nice. Id actually prefer an avant but from my understanding those are quite a bit harder to come by. There are no interior pictures but he said it had aluminum trim.


It's posted on Seattle Craigslist if anyone is interested.

For people to understand what I've normally been wanting, ive been wanting an 04 VW R32 for about 6 months now, just can't seem.to find the right one within my price range (under 10k) for my daily driver. I have a high desire for 'rare' or 'special edition' cars such as 20th anniversary edition GTI's, R32s, etc. But it must be manual and clean title. Not ready to give up the manual as a young guy!

Edit: service history there's no actual records. Says TB was done at 85k along with some other random things. Engine mounts and transmission mounts replaced. Upper control arms replaced. Thermostat a week ago. Fuel pump within the last year. And he believes he is the second owner with a whole Seller between him and the original owner.

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[jesse500]

Were the USP limited production and only built in 2004? I've posted some pictures. And I do not live in a snowy or salty place but I do go to the mountains for snowboarding regularly so itd just be nice. Id actually prefer an avant but from my understanding those are quite a bit harder to come by. There are no interior pictures but he said it had aluminum trim.


It's posted on Seattle Craigslist if anyone is interested.

For people to understand what I've normally been wanting, ive been wanting an 04 VW R32 for about 6 months now, just can't seem.to find the right one within my price range (under 10k) for my daily driver. I have a high desire for 'rare' or 'special edition' cars such as 20th anniversary edition GTI's, R32s, etc. But it must be manual and clean title. Not ready to give up the manual as a young guy!

Edit: service history there's no actual records. Says TB was done at 85k along with some other random things. Engine mounts and transmission mounts replaced. Upper control arms replaced. Thermostat a week ago. Fuel pump within the last year. And he believes he is the second owner with a whole Seller between him and the original owner.

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04 & 05 only for ultrasports. The car in the photo looks correct (bumpers, door blades, wheels, ride height, trunk lip spoiler). Only got black interior(with aluminum belt line trim), was a $3000 option back in 2004/2005.

the mileage is still quite low, so no worries there. You can pop off the front motor cover and inspect belt & tension on it, to see if it has been done. Realistically the timing replacement is only a 2-3hr/$200 job.

Looks like it has a XM/sirius radio antenna (shark fin) so it probably has Bose speaker system too. Checking to see if it has lighting or cold weather package would be something to check too!

[brystephor]

04 & 05 only for ultrasports. The car in the photo looks correct (bumpers, door blades, wheels, ride height, trunk lip spoiler). Only got black interior(with aluminum belt line trim), was a $3000 option back in 2004/2005.

the mileage is still quite low, so no worries there. You can pop off the front motor cover and inspect belt & tension on it, to see if it has been done. Realistically the timing replacement is only a 2-3hr/$200 job.

Looks like it has a XM/sirius radio antenna (shark fin) so it probably has Bose speaker system too. Checking to see if it has lighting or cold weather package would be something to check too!

And this is why I come to the forums, i wouldnt if ever noticed that!

Any tips on things to look for to negotiate the price? Just a P.s. in the ad it does say it has a 3 spoke perforated steering wheel. No interior pictures yet however

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[Pr1ce]

Welcome to the forums... first off the car looks great. That being said there are a few things I'll add and repeat to what jesse500 stated.

- 7k is way too... 5k max and that great condition with service history... but no where near 7k
- timing belt and water pump... if you don't have a record of it being done then do it for whatever car you buy. 200$ is about right but for you doing it and not paying a shop
- check the overall drivability of the car such as suspension, shifting and general functions
- check the coolant color... if it's pink then the previous owner was a good owner.. they use g12 and not orange or green coolant. Not a major issue but to me it shows what kinda owner it had.

Common issues or usual issues
Glovebox broke
Center console lid broke
Cup holder is really a cup thrower
Dead pixels in dis
Back of seats popping off
Coolant flange
J plug
Check battery
Engine bay cleanliness

If the owner says that stuff has been done make sure it has been done... all those things he listed as being completed are what would need to be replaced as time goes on and miles driven.

That's all I can think of right now lol

Main thing is proof of work and price tho sir

[Gin+]

Haven't owned any newer then a mk2 however

I cut my teeth on mk2's and I've really taken to the b6 platform. Interesting mix of sport and style while maintaining practicality. I don't think 7k is crazy for a USP in excellent condition.

[Kevin C]

One thing to consider is that any AWD in the PNW is going to be priced higher than the same car than in most the country. We don't have road salt and it rains a lot. Look at used part prices in our area, often 2x higher than salt belt areas. If you want to stay with a west coast car, the availability is typically limited once you only want a manual transmission car, a B6 platform and sport suspension. 7k might be a bit high, then again after looking for a B6 with a stick, 1.8t and sport suspension for three months that had never seen road salt I overpaid for the one example that I found. The upside was I had just gotten a $5000 insurance check for my really clean 2000 Passat ( two years ago), so the incremental cost to go to a 2003 A4 in clean condition was not all that bad.

Saving a $1000 or two vs waiting... Its all about how long your willing to wait and if your OK letting the car you want go. A 6 speed 1.8T is not very common.

[pablolizarraga]

Having done a lot of driving in L.A., it's really rare to see B6 cars on the road. The ones I have seen are "the little old lady" in Pasadena cars. They're well taken care of cars but beige interior w/ wood trim and not black/grey/or white exteriors.
And.. definitely NOT USP's.
It's a rare sighting to see a USP on the road. When I do see one, I know that they've been taken care of and, most likely, taken care of by the owner because these cars require a lot of maintenance and they can be prohibitively expensive to have a shop do maintenance/repairs.
That being said...
Seems like you still have room for negotiating price. Sounds like you really like the car and you'll kick yourself if you don't get it. There'll be more for sale but you may have to wait and/or travel to get another like this one.
As you can already see, a lot of support from this forum. You have a lot of info to verify the car as advertised and also to negotiate price.
Good luck.


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[Ian1006]

Location effects price a lot, if I was in the south I could have picked up a b7 for what I paid for my b6.

In Montana an awd turbo car is a rare find though in good condition. I paid 4800 for my clean 2003 a4 1.8 tiptronic sport package with 100k on it from California and it was dealer serviced it's entire life, from what I see around me, anywhere from 4500-5500 is an average price for an a4.

I think 7k is a bit much, maybe for my area 6250 max with service records for an usp. For around 8-9k you can get an s4 so if I was looking now and wanted a more rare car I would spend an extra 2k and get an s4...my two cents.

[Pr1ce]

I'll sell ya my 03' 5sp... denim blue... super cheap but not a usp.



Perks of being in the south is we have rust free goodies.

[brystephor]

I'll sell ya my 03' 5sp... denim blue... super cheap but not a usp.



Perks of being in the south is we have rust free goodies.

If you wanna pay for delivery to Washington sure.
I don't plan on buying a car from Southern California until June or July with a buddy and we'll Road trip it back. And that's pretty much only if I don't get another car by then.

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[brystephor]

Welcome to the forums... first off the car looks great. That being said there are a few things I'll add and repeat to what jesse500 stated.

- 7k is way too... 5k max and that great condition with service history... but no where near 7k
- timing belt and water pump... if you don't have a record of it being done then do it for whatever car you buy. 200$ is about right but for you doing it and not paying a shop
- check the overall drivability of the car such as suspension, shifting and general functions
- check the coolant color... if it's pink then the previous owner was a good owner.. they use g12 and not orange or green coolant. Not a major issue but to me it shows what kinda owner it had.

Common issues or usual issues
Glovebox broke
Center console lid broke
Cup holder is really a cup thrower
Dead pixels in dis
Back of seats popping off
Coolant flange
J plug
Check battery
Engine bay cleanliness

If the owner says that stuff has been done make sure it has been done... all those things he listed as being completed are what would need to be replaced as time goes on and miles driven.

That's all I can think of right now lol

Main thing is proof of work and price tho sir

No proof of any work done. And I'd rather not buy a car that needs the timing belt done simply because I've never done one. I believe that I could, it just intimidates me because if you mess up, then serious damage happens.

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[brystephor]

I cut my teeth on mk2's and I've really taken to the b6 platform. Interesting mix of sport and style while maintaining practicality. I don't think 7k is crazy for a USP in excellent condition.

My mk2, i didnt like it. It was cool and different.4dr jetta, Big bumpers, single round headlights, 1.6td 5 speed, recaro interior. But I just didn't like feeling like the car was gonna breakdown at anytime

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[brystephor]

One thing to consider is that any AWD in the PNW is going to be priced higher than the same car than in most the country. We don't have road salt and it rains a lot. Look at used part prices in our area, often 2x higher than salt belt areas. If you want to stay with a west coast car, the availability is typically limited once you only want a manual transmission car, a B6 platform and sport suspension. 7k might be a bit high, then again after looking for a B6 with a stick, 1.8t and sport suspension for three months that had never seen road salt I overpaid for the one example that I found. The upside was I had just gotten a $5000 insurance check for my really clean 2000 Passat ( two years ago), so the incremental cost to go to a 2003 A4 in clean condition was not all that bad.

Saving a $1000 or two vs waiting... Its all about how long your willing to wait and if your OK letting the car you want go. A 6 speed 1.8T is not very common.

I'm not to concerned with 5 spd vs 6 spd. But I do really want all wheel drive. And PNW tax on cars is crazy. And I can let a car go. There'll be another. That's what I've learned from Craigslist.

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[brystephor]

Having done a lot of driving in L.A., it's really rare to see B6 cars on the road. The ones I have seen are "the little old lady" in Pasadena cars. They're well taken care of cars but beige interior w/ wood trim and not black/grey/or white exteriors.
And.. definitely NOT USP's.
It's a rare sighting to see a USP on the road. When I do see one, I know that they've been taken care of and, most likely, taken care of by the owner because these cars require a lot of maintenance and they can be prohibitively expensive to have a shop do maintenance/repairs.
That being said...
Seems like you still have room for negotiating price. Sounds like you really like the car and you'll kick yourself if you don't get it. There'll be more for sale but you may have to wait and/or travel to get another like this one.
As you can already see, a lot of support from this forum. You have a lot of info to verify the car as advertised and also to negotiate price.
Good luck.


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Are these cars that rare? Any idea on production numbers? The car is only 20 minutes or so away from me, it sounds like that's uncommon for USP A4 to be near someone or to not have to travel.

And I'll be honest. I'm not a die hard audi fan. I'm actually nervous as to how much these cars cost as far as maintenance goes. But I assume it couldn't be much more then a 1.8t mk4 volkswagen

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[deyrag]

Here's a pretty nice one for sale

https://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/5965700330.html

[Pr1ce]

If you wanna pay for delivery to Washington sure.
I don't plan on buying a car from Southern California until June or July with a buddy and we'll Road trip it back. And that's pretty much only if I don't get another car by then.

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Me pay? Lol nahhh but I won't charge 7500
Not even 1/4 I'll charge ya :)

[brystephor]

Me pay? Lol nahhh but I won't charge 7500
Not even 1/4 I'll charge ya :)

All the way from Orlando? No thanks. I have no desire to pay 1000 to 1500 in shipping for a basic car. That'd be even more silly then buying the USP for 7k

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[Ian1006]

My advice is if you can't work on the car yourself don't buy one...paying someone else to fix it will add up real quick and it will not be worth it, also vcds or a friend with it is almost a must. Just did a friends rear coolant flange for the cost of parts vs the 600 a shop wanted to charge him, after he paid I think 700ish for a timing belt job which could have been a 200 dollar job if I did it.

[brystephor]

My advice is if you can't work on the car yourself don't buy one...paying someone else to fix it will add up real quick and it will not be worth it, also vcds or a friend with it is almost a must. Just did a friends rear coolant flange for the cost of parts vs the 600 a shop wanted to charge him, after he paid I think 700ish for a timing belt job which could have been a 200 dollar job if I did it.

I can definitely do basic stuff like sensors, gasket replacements (not head), fluid changes, etc. I've never owned a car newer then 1994 though. All of this is new to me which is what makes me nervous. I just don't know how reliable these are or how often things break on them.

It's a one time barrier. It's just a fear from never having done it before basically if that makes sense?

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[Pr1ce]

Ian1006 is correct... if you don't know or aren't willing to learn don't buy the b6... or have some side money to fix it... whether you spend 1500 on a car or 7k they all cost the same to fix

[JKCutler3]

I agree above, you have to want to learn and work on these cars. If you want something you'll never have to work on get a Honda or Acura. This car will most likely require constant attention. I've thrown away $2k because I didn't have the know how, tools and space to put my car in the service position.

Purchased my USP three years ago and have put almost 40k on it. Bought it at 76k now has 115k. Heres a list of things I've replaced.

Axles - both were bad, stock had 115k on them, should have been changed around 105k caused a lot of vibration
Coolant Flange - 3 times (rear cam chain tensioner seal was leaking oil down on the coolant flange making the seal fail.)
PCV system - Plastic crank breather was broken and other hoses were worn, PCV valve was also bad
Accessory belt tensioner
Timing belt - $1000 at indy shop
A/C Pump - $1000 part at the dealer
Secondary Air Intake system broken
Thermostat - $400 at indy shop
Replaced Battery
USP Center Caps, if you don't use the steel retainer they fly off, but can buy them on eBay for $50 a set
Front Upper Control Arm Bushings are worn
Air Bag light wouldn't go off
Glove box broke - slammed it with too much stuff in it lol
Trunk latch broke - bar sticking up that the trunk locks to - junk yard part
Arm rest replaced
In dash cup holder broken
Cruise control doesn't work
Motor mounts are bad, need to be replaced
Undercarriage plastics ripped off in snow
No front undercarriage cover that protect the oil pan

I drive about 100 miles per day on average and need a reliable car. My USP has been about a 7 on a reliability scale of 1-10. I do a lot of driving in the mountains, dirt roads and snowy conditions. If I didn't enjoy driving this car and constantly working on it, I would have sold it two years ago but coming from Acura/Honda I'm in love with my Audi.

[Ian1006]

I wonder what the cost per year is on average for the typical b6 owner and what that works out to per month...I bet that most guys that don't do the bigger jobs themselves would be looking at a small car payment equivalent each month haha.
I've owned 8-9 Honda and Toyotas and love the Audi, my wife does too, so I don't mind a little extra to drive something I like and I also do all my own work.

[brystephor]

I wonder what the cost per year is on average for the typical b6 owner and what that works out to per month...I bet that most guys that don't do the bigger jobs themselves would be looking at a small car payment equivalent each month haha.
I've owned 8-9 Honda and Toyotas and love the Audi, my wife does too, so I don't mind a little extra to drive something I like and I also do all my own work.

Ian1006 is correct... if you don't know or aren't willing to learn don't buy the b6... or have some side money to fix it... whether you spend 1500 on a car or 7k they all cost the same to fix

Loving this color too.

I agree above, you have to want to learn and work on these cars. If you want something you'll never have to work on get a Honda or Acura. This car will most likely require constant attention. I've thrown away $2k because I didn't have the know how, tools and space to put my car in the service position.

Purchased my USP three years ago and have put almost 40k on it. Bought it at 76k now has 115k. Heres a list of things I've replaced.

Axles - both were bad, stock had 115k on them, should have been changed around 105k caused a lot of vibration
Coolant Flange - 3 times (rear cam chain tensioner seal was leaking oil down on the coolant flange making the seal fail.)
PCV system - Plastic crank breather was broken and other hoses were worn, PCV valve was also bad
Accessory belt tensioner
Timing belt - $1000 at indy shop
A/C Pump - $1000 part at the dealer
Secondary Air Intake system broken
Thermostat - $400 at indy shop
Replaced Battery
USP Center Caps, if you don't use the steel retainer they fly off, but can buy them on eBay for $50 a set
Front Upper Control Arm Bushings are worn
Air Bag light wouldn't go off
Glove box broke - slammed it with too much stuff in it lol
Trunk latch broke - bar sticking up that the trunk locks to - junk yard part
Arm rest replaced
In dash cup holder broken
Cruise control doesn't work
Motor mounts are bad, need to be replaced
Undercarriage plastics ripped off in snow
No front undercarriage cover that protect the oil pan

I drive about 100 miles per day on average and need a reliable car. My USP has been about a 7 on a reliability scale of 1-10. I do a lot of driving in the mountains, dirt roads and snowy conditions. If I didn't enjoy driving this car and constantly working on it, I would have sold it two years ago but coming from Acura/Honda I'm in love with my Audi.

But as a response to everyone. I do not mind working on the car so long as it doesn't have detrimental issues. I mean major things like the turbo going out every timing belt change, headgasket issues, etc. I can definitely learn to work on the car. Im not stupid when it comes to cars I just don't have much hands on experience. But I can get a bentley manual and read that and just follow that or the DIY on the forums/Internet. Id like to learn how to work on my own car, just my current vehicle isn't a good platform to do so on.

As I said before, it's the first time fear thing. I'm talking to the owner and gonna try to get him down but he seems to not have a ton of room to work with unfortunately. I do appreciate everyone's help with all of this however. The response as far as price goes seems very spread out, with some saying 5k max and some saying 7k if in excellent condition is alright.

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[hightime80]

I wonder what the cost per year is on average for the typical b6 owner and what that works out to per month...I bet that most guys that don't do the bigger jobs themselves would be looking at a small car payment equivalent each month haha.
I've owned 8-9 Honda and Toyotas and love the Audi, my wife does too, so I don't mind a little extra to drive something I like and I also do all my own work.

Jap cars have no soul. Its efficient, minimalist and unassuming. They build quality reliable yet bland cars...it wont cause u undue frustrations or make u secretly want to set it on fire sometimes like an a4 lol.
However, it doesnt reward you with the driving experience an audi does. I like being an indiviual and have something unique....very quirky but well worth the headache if u can turn a wrench. This forum is so full of info I dont even own a bentley book.
To op...if u think the b6 a4 is on par maintenance wise with a mk4 1.8t....nah
My wife has a mk4 new beetle 1.8t. Not even close. Her car is a breeze to work on and much simpler chassis. The similarity ends at 1.8t part lol
At Ian1006,
Yeah that coolant flange was a royal bitch. I spend an hr cussing trying to get the flippin spring clamp off. I told my wife it was payback from WWII.
Master race my ass😝

[brystephor]

Jap cars have no soul. Its efficient, minimalist and unassuming. They build quality reliable yet bland cars...it wont cause u undue frustrations or make u secretly want to set it on fire sometimes like an a4 lol.
However, it doesnt reward you with the driving experience an audi does. I like being an indiviual and have something unique....very quirky but well worth the headache if u can turn a wrench. This forum is so full of info I dont even own a bentley book.
To op...if u think the b6 a4 is on par maintenance wise with a mk4 1.8t....nah
My wife has a mk4 new beetle 1.8t. Not even close. Her car is a breeze to work on and much simpler chassis. The similarity ends at 1.8t part lol
At Ian1006,
Yeah that coolant flange was a royal bitch. I spend an hr cussing trying to get the flippin spring clamp off. I told my wife it was payback from WWII.
Master race my ass😝

Care to further elaborate on the differences in working on a 1.8t A4 versus a Mk4 1.8t? Besides the transmission and drive train bring different and the A4 being longitudinal rather then traverse, what makes the A4 harder to work on? Seems like the A4 would be easier because it's Longitudinal?

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[5ktq]

I've had both longitudinal and transverse (GTI). Timing belt looks like it will be way, way easier on this car. Ditto for cat, turbo, etc.

Gearbox and such is probably more of a pain on this cause it's in the middle. The front suspension is way, way more complicated on the audi (4 links each with a ball joint instead of one stamped arm with a replaceable ball joint). Rear suspension is also way more complicated if it is quattro. And you've got two more driveshafts, a prop shaft, and a rear end.

Transverse timing belt is such a pain. Hitlers revenge for sure. You gotta undo the motor mount that goes THROUGH THE BELT but you can't actually get it out, so that piece of shit is flopping around in there for the whole job.

[Ian1006]

Jap cars have no soul. Its efficient, minimalist and unassuming. They build quality reliable yet bland cars...it wont cause u undue frustrations or make u secretly want to set it on fire sometimes like an a4 lol.
However, it doesnt reward you with the driving experience an audi does. I like being an indiviual and have something unique....very quirky but well worth the headache if u can turn a wrench. This forum is so full of info I dont even own a bentley book.
To op...if u think the b6 a4 is on par maintenance wise with a mk4 1.8t....nah
My wife has a mk4 new beetle 1.8t. Not even close. Her car is a breeze to work on and much simpler chassis. The similarity ends at 1.8t part lol
At Ian1006,
Yeah that coolant flange was a royal bitch. I spend an hr cussing trying to get the flippin spring clamp off. I told my wife it was payback from WWII.
Master race my ass😝

Japanese cars I think do have soul if you customize them and make them unique (not rice) one of my favorite cars I owned was when I was 18, a crx with a motor swap, full suspension, cage, etc running 2-4 seconds behind corvettes in autocross events.
Out of the box agreed, not much appeal for most models. But so reliable and cheap to fix and modify.
I really enjoy the Audi for the reasons you stated though.

[brystephor]

Anyone know the transmission code on these? I hope it's 01E. Id love to do a VR6 swap and use the adapter plate/starter that 034 Motorpsorts provides.

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[DarkoNova]

If you're willing to learn to do stuff, I don't see why you shouldn't get it. Most stuff that tends to go wrong with these cars is pretty simple to fix yourself and it's a 50/50 shot of parts being cheap or typical German expensive lol.

Luckily, there's a wealth of information here, so pretty much anything that goes wrong, there's most likely already a DIY for it. Don't let the timing belt scare you, either. Yeah it's an important item, but 4 cylinder timing belts are a breeze. You don't even need any special tools.

Hopefully you get it or find a better one. Either way, welcome to the forum.

01E was only early B6's, IIRC. Later models had 01X/02X.

[hightime80]

I've had both longitudinal and transverse (GTI). Timing belt looks like it will be way, way easier on this car. Ditto for cat, turbo, etc.

Gearbox and such is probably more of a pain on this cause it's in the middle. The front suspension is way, way more complicated on the audi (4 links each with a ball joint instead of one stamped arm with a replaceable ball joint). Rear suspension is also way more complicated if it is quattro. And you've got two more driveshafts, a prop shaft, and a rear end.

Transverse timing belt is such a pain. Hitlers revenge for sure. You gotta undo the motor mount that goes THROUGH THE BELT but you can't actually get it out, so that piece of shit is flopping around in there for the whole job.

Agreed. New beetle (basically mk4 in a bubble) has macpherson struts. I refreshed her whole suspension in an aftersoon. Took me athat long to get a pichbolt off with an oxy torch.
Mk4s has way less modules and while it is still an obd2 car its way less complicated. Not many electrical grelims as my a4.
FWD. No drive train bearings or rear diff to go bad.
Single exhaust, cat back with a test pipe on the beetle, cake.
I cant speak for others but her new beetle stock for stock is light on its feet. My car is heavy more sure footed but cumbersome till it got tuned.
Eitherway, take it for whatever it is worth. I love my a4 but happiness comes with a price with thus car. Just take a gander at the "wtf went wrong with your POS b6" thread😃

[brystephor]

Can someone help me? Is this an USP? I haven't learned the differences between an USP and regular A4 so it's hard for me to tell. Looks to be priced much better though?

https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/26982987

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[eljay]

Can someone help me? Is this an USP? I haven't learned the differences between an USP and regular A4 so it's hard for me to tell. Looks to be priced much better though?

https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/26982987

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That one doesn't have USP.
Here's more info with pictures on how the package looks:
http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthr...ge=1&_k=09hqcz