3.0 reliability - costs

**naiku** · 10-06-2008 10:14 AM

I tried a search but mostly came up with results for the 4.2 or 2.7TT......... how reliable is the 3.0 A6? I am looking at a 2003 with 62k, just wondering how reliable they are and what the maintenance costs run.

My current car has been a money pit as far as reliability (I think its a Friday afternoon car) and so I want something reliable. I don't mind maintenance, but constant repairs are no fun. Also, is $13,900 a good price for a 2003 3.0 with 42k on the odometer? I am debating offering them $13k and going from there.

Thanks.

**Stampy** · 10-06-2008 05:37 PM

3.0's to my knowledge are pretty solid. Just the usual TB job, and regular maintenance. You might want to try searching the B6/B7 forum. I think they have more info on that.

**golovemd** · 10-06-2008 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by naiku

I tried a search but mostly came up with results for the 4.2 or 2.7TT......... how reliable is the 3.0 A6? I am looking at a 2003 with 62k, just wondering how reliable they are and what the maintenance costs run.

My current car has been a money pit as far as reliability (I think its a Friday afternoon car) and so I want something reliable. I don't mind maintenance, but constant repairs are no fun. Also, is $13,900 a good price for a 2003 3.0 with 42k on the odometer? I am debating offering them $13k and going from there.

Thanks.

So does the car have 62K miles or 42K miles?

**naiku** · 10-07-2008 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by golovemd

So does the car have 62K miles or 42K miles?

Crap, sorry, thats not exactly helpful....... there are 2, the first one I saw has 62k miles for $13k and then I found another about a mile down the street for $14k with 42k miles.

At the moment I am leaning towards the 42k one. They are both 2003 3.0 models.

**slee22** · 10-07-2008 07:20 AM

Are they CVT or quattro? If CVT, stay away. The pro is: it's smooth while driving since it never shifts. The cons are: chains can break if you plan on modding, it's jerks if you take off too slow and eats up the tires if you take off like you would in a normal car, if you get the dreaded shudder problem, the dealer will flash the TCM and if that doesn't fix it (which it usually doesn't) they drop in a new tranny (upwards of $11,000) since it's a non-servicible unit.
Other than that the 3.0 is a pretty robust motor.
BTW if you hear what sounds like valve-slap in the motor its the injectors and nothing to worry about.
I just sold my 3.0...not because of the motor/tranny but because the rest of the car was costing me too much.

**naiku** · 10-07-2008 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by slee22

Are they CVT or quattro? If CVT, stay away. The pro is: it's smooth while driving since it never shifts. The cons are: chains can break if you plan on modding, it's jerks if you take off too slow and eats up the tires if you take off like you would in a normal car, if you get the dreaded shudder problem, the dealer will flash the TCM and if that doesn't fix it (which it usually doesn't) they drop in a new tranny (upwards of $11,000) since it's a non-servicible unit.
Other than that the 3.0 is a pretty robust motor.
BTW if you hear what sounds like valve-slap in the motor its the injectors and nothing to worry about.
I just sold my 3.0...not because of the motor/tranny but because the rest of the car was costing me too much.

They are both quattro, its the main selling point for me in getting an Audi. Do you mind giving some details on what was costing too much on your 3.0? was it regular maintenance? or things breaking?

Also, if I bought the one with 42k would I still have the balance of the manufacturer warranty? So if something broke within 8k I could take it to an Audi dealer and get it repaired under warranty? Just answered that myself, its a 2003 so even though less than 50k miles no warranty......... so what usually breaks on a 3.0 around 45k?

**m-avant** · 10-07-2008 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by naiku

so what usually breaks on a 3.0 around 45k?

My 03 needed transmission work @ 45K - CPO covered it. The issue was with the torque converter. From what I was told, only the Audi dealers replace / repair torque converters, other folks replace the whole transmission.

CV boots also require attention at that mileage.

**slee22** · 10-08-2008 07:49 AM

^^Yeah I had to do CV boots around 48k and then I had to do control arms, shocks and rear brakes in another 5k or so. Then a little later I had to do window guides, blinker relay, got a water leak at the upper corner of the windshield that would flood my carpet when it rained, went through 2 passenger airbags due to faults, 02 sensors...I know there's more I just can't remember.
I got an extended 90,000 mile warranty when I bought the car which some of this stuff was covered under. It was just a PITA for it to be in the shop as much as it was.

**naiku** · 10-08-2008 11:48 AM

Its frustrating in a way, I know that any used car, hell any car, is going to have some problems and its a gamble as to how well any given car has been looked after. And even with a warranty its still a gamble as to what is going to be covered. I think I am more nervous of any car now due to the crap I am having to deal with from my current car.

I just want something that's big enough for a family of 4, and reliable, AWD is a great bonus, other than that I don't want to be all that picky!! lol.

**iNsaNiA** · 10-08-2008 01:25 PM

hey, im selling my 3.0 if your interested. 90k miles though. still in great condition. havent had an issue with reliability at all. car has run great. it is the quattro. fully loaded with everything except navi. let me know. thanks.

**naiku** · 10-08-2008 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by iNsaNiA

hey, im selling my 3.0 if your interested. 90k miles though. still in great condition. havent had an issue with reliability at all. car has run great. it is the quattro. fully loaded with everything except navi. let me know. thanks.

Thanks, but its not really worth me traveling any great distance since there are a few within 50 miles of me. Good luck with the sale.

**naiku** · 10-08-2008 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by slee22

^^Yeah I had to do CV boots around 48k and then I had to do control arms, shocks and rear brakes in another 5k or so. Then a little later I had to do window guides, blinker relay, got a water leak at the upper corner of the windshield that would flood my carpet when it rained, went through 2 passenger airbags due to faults, 02 sensors...I know there's more I just can't remember.
I got an extended 90,000 mile warranty when I bought the car which some of this stuff was covered under. It was just a PITA for it to be in the shop as much as it was.

Do you think yours was an exception though? CV boots understandable, how much were they to fix and was it DIY? same with brakes, shocks, to me that sort of stuff is regular maintenance.

My current car is a 2004 Maxima, for the most part they are (from what I can tell) reliable, yet mine is a dog. Just wondering if its the same with the A6, are most reliable but you get the occasional dog.

**slee22** · 10-09-2008 08:29 AM

I had all the work done by a euro indie shop. CV boots were about $350 installed. The shocks and control arms pissed me off going out at 50,000 miles (luckily control arms were under warranty). Most of the problems I had others did too, like blinker relay, window guides, and the occasional airbag problem.