Buying an A6, why isn’t it CPO?

[Spitfire007]

About to purchase a 2016 A6 3.0 with some nice features, and 37xxx miles, and about another full year of warranty left.
In the negotiation, the dealer’s used car Mgr wouldn’t budge much on the price, maybe $500....27500 to 27000.
I asked him to sweeten the deal a bit and make the car CPO, and he said there’s no money in it anymore, it costs him 1800 and that the extra year of warranty on cars doesn’t really make them more valuable or easier to sell. He said they reserve CPO for the manager cars that are a year old with under 10000 miles.
Thoughts? This is an Audi dealership in NW philly, or just outside.

[SaigonDesign]

2016s are on the older end of the CPO scale, so not surprised they won't CPO it. CPOs are usually lease returns, demo cars, or manager cars that are 1 - 2 years old. Also, the price would go up $2000 - $2,500 for you if they CPO it. You can always ask for AudiCare to be thrown in gratis instead.

BUT, if they won't CPO it, I'd check for a TD1 flag (previously tuned, which will lead to any warranty work being denied), CarFax (accidents, flooding, etc.), and for a clear title (no "branded" title, for example). They may not want to CPO it as that means they have to put money into the car to bring it up to spec - that might mean new tires, new brakes, maybe even recall work or deferred maintenance (water pump, wheel bearings, etc.).

If they won't budge on pricing, ask to do a PPI (on your dime) for peace of mind - get a trusted mechanic/garage to go over the car and report back on any deficiencies or issues. That will give you additional info to what you're dealing with and if you should move forward. It's about protecting yourself and your investment, so do the due diligence up front and be prepared to walk away if it gets ugly.

[15 Phantom S6]

Like SaigonDesign mentioned, verify with the dealer to see if there is a TD1 flag on your car. Make sure to get the response in writing from them so no issues later on.. Many have been burned by the verbal confirmation of no TD1 flag only to find out otherwise when a warranty claim comes up...

If you don't know what TD1 is, its the code they put on file for your VIN when they notice modifications like a tune for example. They will then deny any warranty work related to the modification, but many dealers use the TD1 as an excuse to deny any warranty claim...

[doughboy17]

2016s are on the older end of the CPO scale, so not surprised they won't CPO it. CPOs are usually lease returns, demo cars, or manager cars that are 1 - 2 years old. Also, the price would go up $2000 - $2,500 for you if they CPO it. You can always ask for AudiCare to be thrown in gratis instead.

BUT, if they won't CPO it, I'd check for a TD1 flag (previously tuned, which will lead to any warranty work being denied), CarFax (accidents, flooding, etc.), and for a clear title (no "branded" title, for example). They may not want to CPO it as that means they have to put money into the car to bring it up to spec - that might mean new tires, new brakes, maybe even recall work or deferred maintenance (water pump, wheel bearings, etc.).

If they won't budge on pricing, ask to do a PPI (on your dime) for peace of mind - get a trusted mechanic/garage to go over the car and report back on any deficiencies or issues. That will give you additional info to what you're dealing with and if you should move forward. It's about protecting yourself and your investment, so do the due diligence up front and be prepared to walk away if it gets ugly.

Excellent advice all around. Put away the additional $2K you would have paid for CPO to cover any possible repairs after the new car warranty expires. It could be invested in a stable dividend paying utility stock. Whatever car you buy, ensure it has documented, regular maintenance performed.

[JaredA6]

Which dealer is it? I live in the area just recently purchased by A6. There is a specific dealership that I dealt with that refused to move on prices on their used inventory, claiming their market research was extensive and their prices were listed as the best they would do. I walked away and they have contacted me with two price drops in 3 months... I'm not in the market anymore... but that dealership is in an affluent area and there are a lot of suckers evidently. Wait them out if you can, or remind them how long the car has been on the lot, and how much it costs them to leave it on the lot for months unsold..

[Vinng86]

Yep, be prepared to just walk away no matter how nice the car is. They'll try to stall you ("You drove so far!") but remember that it's your money and they have to cater to you. I actually bought mine off-warranty, non-CPO and used the lack of warranty/CPO as a reason to haggle the price down about $2k.

[JaredA6]

If it helps, thats exactly what I ended up doing. Drove to a Ford dealer in Maryland and got a non cpo out of warranty 2016 A6 3.0T P+ with 24K miles for less than what they are offering you.

Check to make sure that your warranty is actually still valid, dont assume just cause its a 2016. I believe mine was out of warranty because of it was actually purchased NYE 2015.

"Yep, be prepared to just walk away no matter how nice the car is. They'll try to stall you ("You drove so far!") but remember that it's your money and they have to cater to you. I actually bought mine off-warranty, non-CPO and used the lack of warranty/CPO as a reason to haggle the price down about $2k."

[Spitfire007]

It’s at Audi Ft Washington.
The price really isn’t bad given mileage and options. Plus it’s a color combo I really like.
3.0T, Blue, brown interior, S-Line, LED lights, Bose (like all of them), cold WX package (like all...haha)
It’s a looker, and still has a full year of original warranty left as it is a very late 2016.

Thanks for the TD1 info! I’ll be sure to get something in writing.

[SaigonDesign]

Sounds like you're in love with the car - this is a dangerous place to be ;)

Definitely do your due diligence. TD1, open recalls, check consumables (brakes, tires, etc.). Try and do a PPI or, at very least, budget for some $$$ repairs (just in case).

Good luck.

[pfar54]

Are you sure about having one extra year on the warranty? My warranty expires this month on my 2016.

[Spitfire007]

I’ve called other dealers for a vin check to ensure all recalls are done and to inquire about service history.
There are no flags, and it still has one Audi Care service left on it (45k).
It has 4 new tires on it, and the front and rear brakes are at 10/8 mm left. Drives normally, everything seems to work.
I’d expect it to be much cheaper if it had no warranty left, but the in service date shows 9/29/16, so about 11.5 months left on original warranty.
Yeah I like the car, but can walk away at any time. It’s just a car in the end.

Thanks a lot for the insight.

[Spitfire007]

Yes, definitely a year’s worth left over on the warranty, I have that in writing.

[JaredA6]

It’s at Audi Ft Washington.
The price really isn’t bad given mileage and options. Plus it’s a color combo I really like.
3.0T, Blue, brown interior, S-Line, LED lights, Bose (like all of them), cold WX package (like all...haha)
It’s a looker, and still has a full year of original warranty left as it is a very late 2016.

Thanks for the TD1 info! I’ll be sure to get something in writing.

Yup, thats who Im talking about. Walk away and they'll email you in a month with a better price. I thought about that car, but I'm not a fan of the brown.

[Spitfire007]

I’m tempted to walk and wait...but the car ticks pretty every box...decisions decisions.

[bahula03]

Just to throw it out there- if the price is close and the car doesn't leave anything to be desired as far as options and condition, there's value in just being done with it IMO. You're the best judge of value and whatever urgency there may be to buying a new car, and while $500 or $1000 isn't negligible money in the short term...in terms of buying a $30k car it's a ~1.5 or ~3% discount.

[SaigonDesign]

Just to throw it out there- if the price is close and the car doesn't leave anything to be desired as far as options and condition, there's value in just being done with it IMO. You're the best judge of value and whatever urgency there may be to buying a new car, and while $500 or $1000 isn't negligible money in the short term...in terms of buying a $30k car it's a ~1.5 or ~3% discount.

This.

In the end, we can't make the decision for you. If the car scratches your itch, go ahead and do it. Just go in with eyes open and budget for unexpected contingencies.

[doublezero30]

makes perfect sense. you can only sell a car for so much. the cpo costs $1800 but then if the car needs brakes and tires to pass cpo inspection theyre looking at another $3000 cost (yes sales departments pay service the same as a customer that walks in the door, sometimes more tbh) so thats $4800 added. now that $27500 vehicle costs $32,300 and only comes with an extra year of warranty. Hard sell.

[prestige.phantom]

This might or might not help, but you could maybe try waiting until early November. I do some part time work at a franchise Fiat, Alfa, Maserati dealer and our manager updates used car pricing each month depending on how long the car has been in inventory. This could lead to a price decrease of anywhere from $200 to $2000 on our inventory. If that A6 you are looking at has been there for a while then chances are they will reduce it next month. Obviously it might be a small reduction, but it might help. Similarly, dealers really try to move cars the last week of the month. They will do almost anything to move inventory during the last week of the month (even if it means taking a small loss). So you could wait until the end of the month and see if they are really interested in making a deal. Obviously not all dealers and mangers function the same, but perhaps this helps a little. Good luck, I love my C7!

[xanmato]

CPO fun facts!

This is the base requirement list for a car to be eligible for CPO:

Has the vehicle passed the Vehicle History Report and has mileage been verified as actual?
(See AudiCPO.com, Program Eligibility section for ineligible data flags)
Is the vehicle 5 model years old or newer with no more than 60,000 miles?
Is the vehicle free from current or evidence of past after market modifications? (Free from chassis, body,
electrical, or engine performance modifications; free from ANY chip or wheel and tire modifications. Dealer
installed Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) accessories are acceptable)
Is it certain the vehicle does not have an extensive or unreasonable service history?
Do all VINs match with labels and plates intact? (frame/windshield/B-pillar-FMVSS sticker; no alterations)
Is the unit’s history free from any Manufacturer buyback (lemon law) or cash settlement events?


A CPO is really just an extensive checkover, but doublezero30 is right on the money. The dealer must replace things like the tires, rotors/pads, etc if they are worn past a specified amount. A fresh set of P-zeros still cost the dealer around a grand. If it's not worth it, then no CPO. At that mileage, I would guess the rotors are under minimum spec and would need to be replaced.

[Spitfire007]

^^^maybe the rear brakes? It’s otherwise pretty clean, 4 new tires and front brakes are solid.

Thanks a lot for all the insight!

[Rob4.2]

get it! did the same. they wouldn't budge on price although they've been lowering it every month for 8 mos. total of $9k price drop in that span. 10k miles non-CPO

finally, it went down to a price I was sort of willing to pay (exact trim/color i liked) and made the deal. couldn't find one with the color/trim i liked

anyway, a week later i felt some warping on the rotors. came back brought it to service and they replaced the front rotors for free (pads were new 100 miles) sort of felt I got some money back [:D]

only bad news is found out also a week later front lower center grill is cracked.

[bryanb8]

OP did you get it? Doesn't look like they have the one you described on the lot (at least not listed). https://www.audifortwashington.com/used-inventory/index.htm?search=&compositeType=&year=2016&make=Audi&model=A6&saveFacetState=true&lastFacetInteracted=inventory-listing1-facet-anchor-year-2

[Spitfire007]

Finessing the deal as I type this...

[Spitfire007]

Got the car! It’s great! Really like it.
Trying to figure out how to upload photos on here...it seems a little archaic...

[doublezero30]

awesome! picture uploading here is kinda wierd. you have to used the img code...i believe its called bb code. Flicker and photobucket should give these as an option when you hit share,

i got my 2013 A6 recently, obviously too old to cpo but they told me it needed front brakes soon. soon ended up being like really soon, but i spent $300 on drilled and slotted rotors and ceramic pads from R1 concepts and put them in myself. much better than having a $1200 brake job tacked on to the cost of the car in my opinion.

[Spitfire007]

Here it is...hope the pics upload.



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[Spitfire007]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191019/2164b629e0aaca582cade56a066f683b.jpg

Loving the LED lights so far.


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[JaredA6]

Looks good, congrats! How was dealing with them once you decided to pull the trigger?

I luckily found out the hard way this week that I do have some warranty coverage left. Electronic steering rack died on my way across the Ben Franklin Bridge friday morning. I can say these cars are absolutely no fun without power steering. Way too heavy. :) Luckily its being repaired under warranty.

[Spitfire007]

Looks good, congrats! How was dealing with them once you decided to pull the trigger?

I luckily found out the hard way this week that I do have some warranty coverage left. Electronic steering rack died on my way across the Ben Franklin Bridge friday morning. I can say these cars are absolutely no fun without power steering. Way too heavy. :) Luckily its being repaired under warranty.

Good thing you have that warranty!

My salesman was awesome. Very nice guy.
Their used car manager was just doing his job, I get it.
There were a few details in the paperwork that needed adjustment (mileage recorded was off (read a “3” instead of an “8”, and needed to add the all weather mats I negotiated), so the finance/paperwork guy was irritated).
They did not detail the interior of the car all that well, and missed some details in the paint (even leaving some swirl marks which I caught in bright sunlight days after I bought it).
I’ll just have a pro do it right the first time and be done with it. Yeah I’ll pay again but it’s not worth another visit to the dealer to have them do a shoddy job. Probably do the interior myself since it’s super easy..

All in all, the car is great. Glad I have warranty for another year, and I feel like I got a good deal for a car equipped the way I wanted it. Couldn’t find another like it unless it was black or silver, and I needed a change from those colors.


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