About to be out of warranty...what to look for at 45k mi...?

**LawDawg** · 08-04-2008 12:23 PM

Are there any common problems that I should have them address or look specifically for before coming out of warranty? I want this thing CHERRY before expensive stuff starts breaking on me. Car has 45k on the clock.

**sloweryucf** · 08-04-2008 12:31 PM

Honestly I didn't have anything happen until around 60k

**demea** · 08-04-2008 01:05 PM

Mine came out of 4 yr/ 50k last week. Ask your service advisor, if you're friendly with him/her. Mine hooks me up with stuff and info all the time.

**jackyaudi** · 08-04-2008 01:09 PM

Can you buy an extended warranty? If so, do it and dont even think twice about it. If I were you, I would check the whole car myself or take it to a professional garage to check it for you, there are tons of things that might be wrong but you still dont know about. Lift it up, and check the hell outta it. VAG it as well for any errors.

**LawDawg** · 08-04-2008 01:11 PM

Any suggestions on an extended warranty to buy? One that works will w/ the Audi dealer system? As long as someone else is paying, I have a great relationship w/ my dealer, and free loaners. If it was coming out of my pocket though, I'd assume go elsewhere.

**tank8677** · 08-04-2008 01:19 PM

u can buy extended warranty through ur dealer. mine is about to be expire in few months so i went and ask my dealer, they said u can buy additional 4 yrs/50k miles for about 3500-3700. the main question u have to ask urself is how long r u planning to keep the car, if u gonna keep it for a long time then yes its a good investment but if u r only gonna keep it for short period of time then no..thats just my 2cent though.

**LawDawg** · 08-04-2008 01:21 PM

That is good advice. We thing along the same lines. The nice thing is that if I give the shop foreman a heads up, he'll turn a blind eye to a 1+ setup from APR (he has a good relationship w/ local tuner), so that could be a plus too, if it is indeed true.

**windyctyaudi** · 08-04-2008 01:32 PM

Get an extended warranty! They are a lil expensive but well worth it mine has saved me about $3500 so far

**gdawg'05a4** · 08-04-2008 01:40 PM

Nothing really specific to look for. Just give the car a once over or have a indy look at it and pay him an hour's labor. Most charge 1 hour to give it a look over and let you know of potential items.

Having 97,xxx miles on my 2005, I've spent $2000 out of pocket for unexpected repairs, which is still less than any extended warranty I would have paid for. Average cost was about $3000+ for a policy up to 100k miles. The two items I had to repair were the steering rack (leaking driver's side boot at 61k) and the wiper transmission/bracket. Would have fixed the wiper thing myself and saved $250 in labor but it was in the middle of a snow storm and I was on the road. Had to get it fixed otherwise I couldn't drive.

I'd say bank the money for a warranty in a high yield savings and use it when repairs come. If the car has been good to you during warranty and well maintained, no reason to think things will start breaking left and right for the next 50k miles.

**jackyaudi** · 08-04-2008 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by gdawg'05a4

Nothing really specific to look for. Just give the car a once over or have a indy look at it and pay him an hour's labor. Most charge 1 hour to give it a look over and let you know of potential items.

Having 97,xxx miles on my 2005, I've spent $2000 out of pocket for unexpected repairs, which is still less than any extended warranty I would have paid for. Average cost was about $3000+ for a policy up to 100k miles. The two items I had to repair were the steering rack (leaking driver's side boot at 61k) and the wiper transmission/bracket. Would have fixed the wiper thing myself and saved $250 in labor but it was in the middle of a snow storm and I was on the road. Had to get it fixed otherwise I couldn't drive.

I'd say bank the money for a warranty in a high yield savings and use it when repairs come. If the car has been good to you during warranty and well maintained, no reason to think things will start breaking left and right for the next 50k miles.

When it comes to cars, you never know when something breaks, and what it could be. One factor is sure, the older it is, the faster it might fail you. A blown turbo + cat, for example =~ $3000 in repairs. Thats already the price of an extended warranty. Like I mentioned on another thread, Audi spent already an estimate of $7000 on my 2002 A4 within one year only. I did not count about $400 of exterior repairs on rusting and many other interior repairs with the seats, trunk, etc. These things alone can run for about $1000. At my current rate, by the end of the warranty(next year), the dealer would have spent anywhere from $9000 to $14000 on repairs. Now, would you want to pay this much or have a peaceful sleep at night thinking you are covered if your car fails you?? I am almost SURE that within 2 years of extended warranty (let alone 4) the dealer will spend as much as you payed him for the warranty on your car. Anything additional is money you save directly.

These are german cars, not Honda or Toyota. Audi pieces can still be very expensive.

Edit: I did not mention that mine has about 57000 miles on it. Not much considering its age.

**gdawg'05a4** · 08-04-2008 03:00 PM

True, anything can happen with a car . But it is on a case by case basis. You know your own car the best and what's been done and how it has been maintained. In your case, you've had a lot of repairs compared to me.

It's all a gamble like any insurance. They're banking on you not having to make any claims and you're banking on making claims that amount to at least what you spent on the policy to get your monies worth.

If I bought an extended warranty, I would have blown through it in 2 years, like I did with the factory warranty. By end of summer, I'll be at 100k, which would be the end of an extended and I have not spent as much as a policy would thus saving $1000+.

**jackyaudi** · 08-04-2008 04:05 PM

Thats true, I guess its a case by case basis. Specially if you owned the car from the beginning, you know best what it is all about and how it behaves. But I guess most of us here would spend more than $1000 a year to maintain their cars, therefore it can be worth to get an extended warranty for 2 years for $2000. Time will tell :)

**Arclight** · 08-04-2008 06:39 PM

I had my valve cover gasket replaced about 50 miles before she went out of warranty...it's replace me now or replace me later because it will leak.

**MarkChai** · 08-05-2008 01:42 AM

2nd on VC gasket, also check cam chain tensioner seal, have'em check all 8 CV boots on quattro, all 4 on CVT, if your TIP is stock have it checked for cracks or tears, scour the interior for peeling surfaces and switches, have them check brake pads and rotors to be sure they are within spec, make sure all 4 exhaust hangars are intact... might as well check control arms bushings as well. All little stuff that adds , and about 70% of the above was replaced under warranty between 40K and 48K for me.