2011 Audi A4 dead at 290,232 miles, most reliable car I have ever owned.

**mqbond007** · 02-11-2017 03:00 PM

2011 Audi A4 dead at 290,232 miles, most reliable car I have ever owned. Died of a blown turbocharger 14 days shy of 6 years in operation. I do drive a lot annually.

The only parts replaced other than oil/air filters, oil, brakes, tires, and spark plugs as follows:

17,730 mi HVAC powered vents replaced, covered under warranty.
90,765 mi Replace 1 ignition coil, $216
94,962 mi Replace piston due to oil consumption, covered under extended warranty then by class action settlement.
111,622 mi Replace drivers side front wheel bearing, $712.
117,162 mi Replace 1 ignition coil, $288.
165,807 mi Replace rear struts, $1,252.
175,953 mi Replace breather valve, $199.
265,879 mi Replace passenger side front wheel bearing and 1 ignition coil, $712 for both total.

Nothing else was changed. Original water pump, radiator, battery, front struts, etc. still running till the end. Never changed the transmission fluid. Only changed the radiator fluid once at 94,962.

**Mussa** · 02-11-2017 03:45 PM

Wow that must be a world record for a 2011 a4. I feel much proud now:)

Did you have any tunes done and what was your oil change interval? Is your car manual or auto? Are you planning to change the turbo and continue driving?

**na_v** · 02-11-2017 03:48 PM

Wow this is insane, roughly 467 000 km. As mussa said any plans on upgrading turbo or is that it for her

**wabbit23** · 02-11-2017 04:10 PM

Id say just swap the turbo and keep going. It seems like you've got the most reliable A4 made so why stop now.

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**weagle1856** · 02-11-2017 04:17 PM

Why don't you replace the turbocharger and keep going?

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**JeriQo** · 02-11-2017 04:34 PM

replace turbo. keep it as a DD.
i still keep paying repairs for my mazda which is my current car. i just recently spent 600 for a starter replacement

**GilliamOS** · 02-11-2017 05:42 PM

How often did you change the oil? How did the interior hold up after all that butt time?

**Captain Amazing** · 02-11-2017 06:48 PM

Original timing chain tensioner too? Or was that replaces when they did the oil consumption.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by Captain Amazing

Original timing chain tensioner too? Or was that replaces when they did the oil consumption.

*Replaced

**Liquid Smoke** · 02-11-2017 07:55 PM

that's impressive. but why would you consider it dead? we got stock turbos going bad at under 80k lol, just get a new turbo, doesnt sound like the car is anywhere near dead if it's just that, i'd keep it going.

**mqbond007** · 02-11-2017 08:07 PM

Oil change every 10,000 miles as in the service manual. Yes, it was the original timing chain tensioner. Interior was excellent, everything worked. It was never tuned. Car was auto.

I use to work on Audi and Porsche cars 20 years ago. I know I will need a turbo, I can tell the fuel pump is going, and I can tell the chain tensioner is just hanging in there. Things that will soon need to be replaced; the battery, the brakes, and the front struts. Who knows how much longer the water pump, alternator, and radiator will hold out. Plus the hood, bumper, and front quarter panels could do with a re-spray of paint. Not worth it. The cost of OE parts (its all I believe in for extended duration) and labor (I wouldn't want to deal with todays cars) is better spent on another car.

**19birel** · 02-11-2017 09:48 PM

Out of curiosity, do you still have the car and if so, how much would you sell it for? Sounds like she served you well!

**bendover4dover** · 02-11-2017 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by 19birel

Out of curiosity, do you still have the car and if so, how much would you sell it for? Sounds like she served you well!

Literally just thinking the same thing.

Just me but that many miles so quickly blows me away, the only time I see that is in our delivery trucks.

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**spin0rz** · 02-12-2017 12:11 AM

So many people are paranoid about their chain tensioner giving out and this guy has 290k miles on the original one? What the...

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**DownhillA4** · 02-12-2017 12:14 AM

Excellent. its worth jus fixing those items and keep racking up the miles. Heck, you can get most of them off salvaged way lower mileaged cars.

**pule333** · 02-12-2017 01:41 AM

And nobody asked the obvious question lol.. what the hek do you do for a job? 50k a year wow!!! Wouldn't it be easier to fly or move closer? My hat goes down to you sir

**Mussa** · 02-12-2017 02:26 AM

300k miles:

Original turbocharger
Original tensioner
Original transmission fluid (ZF8 I guess)
10k oil change intervals
No tunes

ZF8 must be rock solid compared to stronic (dsg). If it was a dsg the transmission fluid should have been changed 8 times already!

And now i'm more inclined to believe that a tune does shorten the engine's life.

**19birel** · 02-12-2017 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by spin0rz

So many people are paranoid about their chain tensioner giving out and this guy has 290k miles on the original one? What the...

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Honestly I think he just got really lucky, I work at a dealership and just last week we had 2 A4's in with failed timing chain guides. That is still an item I'd replace at 100k.

Originally Posted by Mussa

300k miles:

Original turbocharger
Original tensioner
Original transmission fluid (ZF8 I guess)
10k oil change intervals
No tunes

ZF8 must be rock solid compared to stronic (dsg). If it was a dsg the transmission fluid should have been changed 8 times already!

And now i'm more inclined to believe that a tune does shorten the engine's life.

A tune can definitely shorten an engine's life. By how much depends on many factors including how well the engine is maintained, how hard the car is driven, and how aggressive the tune is. When you tune a car, you're putting more strain on all the engines components, for example, if he had been tuned, his fuel pump, turbo, and probably a few other components likely would have died already (or earlier in the case of the turbo), the car might have also consumed more oil too.

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**Project Quattro** · 02-12-2017 08:56 AM

That is damned impressive. I'm with the other guys here, though... throw a new (or used, they're cheap) turbo it it and keep on rolling. The car isn't that old, just high mileage, so there's no reason to think it won't serve you well for years to come. And repairing is almost always way cheaper than a new car... you only listed a few grand worth of needed repairs there.

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**Hybrid81** · 02-12-2017 09:01 AM

I should have a K03 available soon. Great price for the most reliable A4 ever

**yxri** · 02-12-2017 09:27 AM

Impressive. In my opinion I would get rid of it. too many things look like need k be repaired. I would just dump it or use it for a track car? That would be cool

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**mqbond007** · 02-12-2017 06:29 PM

I see investment clients. My route originally was 30,000 miles per year, then 50K, then 60K, now I'm just under 100K per year. I need something reliable that isn't going to stick me with lots of repair bills. I bought a CPO Mercedes with a 3-year unlimited mile warranty. I think I can make Mercedes pay on that warranty.

**spin0rz** · 02-12-2017 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by mqbond007

I see investment clients. My route originally was 30,000 miles per year, then 50K, then 60K, now I'm just under 100K per year. I need something reliable that isn't going to stick me with lots of repair bills. I bought a CPO Mercedes with a 3-year unlimited mile warranty. I think I can make Mercedes pay on that warranty.

Diesel?

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**Party_Marty** · 02-13-2017 05:25 AM

Good going man! I put on around 30k a year and I will be up there in numbers before I know it. Granted I have modified mine a bit

...I hope to see those numbers as well!

**AOW162435** · 02-13-2017 08:02 AM

Impressive!

Andreas

**Roadtrippn** · 02-13-2017 08:41 AM

I have my stock turbo for sale... just saying lol

**weagle1856** · 02-15-2017 07:30 PM

You should post in the Mileage Shout outs thread going on right now btw ;)

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=749440
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