Buying High Mileage Audi A4 - Page 1 - Car Buying (2024)

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With a bit of luck and regular maintenance the car should do 200000 miles happily enough.

However the trip from 150000-200000 miles is when the quality of the drive will really start to suffer. Either put up with it starting to feel loose and baggy in suspension and steering, slower and thirstier ( fuel and oil ) in performance, or shell out for new suspension joints bushes, engine valve seals etc. MOT fails on these items could force your hand.

I'm not saying don't buy it, but if you do then do so knowing the likely pitfalls.

You don't say spec yours is but there are plenty of A4s available, some newer and lower mileage than yours: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=year-...

Which one is right for you will depend on how long you plan to keep the car, and what mileage you plan to do, your aspirations in terms of age and spec and your attitude to the cost of wear and tear. Do you have a particular attachment to the car that you have been offered ( being sold by someone you know , for example ) ?

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Which engine does it have? Mine has the 3.0 TDI and is in 138k, I’d highly recommend it. I’ve known the car since it was brand new, and in that time it’s needed the inlet manifold swirl flap motors repaired (£500) outside of normal maintenance and that’s it. These are a common issue on the V6, and other maintenance has been no more expensive than any other car.

The key is a good service history, With receipts, and you should be ok. The manual gearboxes are excellent, not sure about the automatics.

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Joelonghair said:

To me this seems like a needlessly expensive proposition. £8k for a car with 150k on it, and your adding 20k a year for up to four years? Look for a lower mileage vehicle.

This.

And £8k seems a lot for a base spec high mileage A4

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Same money, full main dealer hostory, 1/3rd of the miles:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Would probably be yours for £7750 or thereabouts.

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For the use that you are planning to put the car to this is the wrong place to start.

You may end up with a car like SD_1's which whilst it's good that nothing has needed replacement up to now it does mean that everything is 140000 miles old and likely to need replacement during your ownership.

A car like the one SCEtoAUX found would be a much better bet, subject to the usual checks of course.

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Wooda80 said:

This is exactly what I agree with. Last car I had was a 2003 civic 88k on the clock but in the last 2 years before I got it apart from engine and clutch literally everything had been refreshed even had a new air conditioning unit cost the guy £600 I got the car for £750. Put 35k on the car in a year, only did 2 oil changes and front brake pads. Sold it when the clutch started slipping only thing that hadn’t been changed.

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IMO I would go 2 years older with much lower mileage.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Or same year and Cat N

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

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Not really fly in on a friday evening (in Manchester/London/Scotland etc) then look for suitable cars in that area as well as doing HPI/M.O.T checks ahead of time & you'll land a good car which you can either drive home or have (last time I shipped to the Rep it cost £490) transported, or going to a car Supermarket (like Car Giant etc) will mean you can land a decent car.

If you're doing 20k I'd be looking for things like this:

Mondeo Titanium X Sport 54-67k these are a better steer than the A4 & better spec'd

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Accord EX 55-64k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

508 Allure

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mercedes C350cdi Sport 51k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

C250cdi

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

A4 S Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

330d SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

325d M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Insignia Elite Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Octavia VRS 49-67k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

If any of the above are something you'd be interested in then look for other options in the surrounding areas & you'll end up with a car with a third of the mileage of your opening post.

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ZX10R NIN said:

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Must say your help on these threads is admirable

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I wouldn't be too concerned about buying a car with that mileage, but I don't do too many miles a year any more.

If I was planning on 20K a year I'd definitely want to start off with less than 150K, even if it meant buying one a year or two older.

Although I can understand how where you live can limit your options.

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I had an A4 Avant B6 model with the 2.5 v6 tdi lump. Bought it with 117K on the clock. Sold it with 140K ish on the clock and i am still friends with the guy i sold it too. He's used it for all sorts. Le Mans trips etc. Its well over the 225k mark i think and still going strong and the 2.5v6 wasn't considered their best engine reliability wise.

The reason i got an Audi A4 diesel was at the time, my best friend had a B5 audi A4. 1999. I think it was the 1.9pd tdi (red i) and when it finally sold it on it had done i think in the region of 350+ K miles.

He went from that to a Peugeot 506 SW with 50K but wasn't looked after - it died in less than a year and to be fair to peugeot, their diesels have a better reputation even than that.

He is now on a 2006 reg VW Passat. Bought with one owner and had 136k on the clock when he got it around May time, its now about 178k and doing fine, you'd never know. He's done two wheel bearings and a lower control arm. Nothing that wouldn't need doing on a 2006 motor anyway.

I think the point i'm trying to make. Is just because it has high miles doesn't mean its doomed to failure. If its well looked after, maintained etc, it could go for quite a while further yet. If that 150K in 4 years is on motorways or cross continental driving the likelihood is that it will have had a fairly easy life and even the suspension and steering will still feel pretty good and tight. It isn't likely to have worn as much as the mileage may indicate. Just be prepared to think about given it a refresh with some of the money you save on buying it in the first place.

I certainly would consider buying one at 150k. Hell i'd consider buying a petrol high miler if the money is right. The miles aren't what matters to me. Its how it drives and how its been cared for.

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OP, didn't realise you were in Ireland which changes things a little.

But surely there must be lower mileage but slightly older examples in NI you can get.

Coming to the UK to buy one may cost too much to be worth it IMO.