Audi S5 cracked bushings?

[flappy]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forums here, just looking for some advice on a car im looking to purchase here in hong kong.
its an 09 s5 v8, with about 39k kms on the clock.
I took it for a car inspection today and the results were that theres cracking in the bushings on all the front control arms, top and bottom. The garage quoted me 20,000hkd which is about 2600 usd to replace all the control arms.
So my questions if anyone can help are,
(1) is this a common problem? should i be walking away from this car?
(2) ive done some research and read that i can replace the bushings rather than the control arms, is this true? or is it recommended to replace the entire control arms.
(3) with cracks through the bushings is it an issue that needs immediate attention if it doesnt noticeably affect the cars characteristics?

Thanks in advance.

[tofast2belast]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forums here, just looking for some advice on a car im looking to purchase here in hong kong.
its an 09 s5 v8, with about 39k kms on the clock.
I took it for a car inspection today and the results were that theres cracking in the bushings on all the front control arms, top and bottom. The garage quoted me 20,000hkd which is about 2600 usd to replace all the control arms.
So my questions if anyone can help are,
(1) is this a common problem? should i be walking away from this car?
(2) ive done some research and read that i can replace the bushings rather than the control arms, is this true? or is it recommended to replace the entire control arms.
(3) with cracks through the bushings is it an issue that needs immediate attention if it doesnt noticeably affect the cars characteristics?

Thanks in advance.

there's a TSB for this. not sure if its a "Recall" yet or not but many have been affected by that, and would cause vibrations/shaking at highway speeds..

and yes the bushings can be replaced without having to do the whole arm. you would have press them in

[ander]

I had similar problems on my 2008 S5 around 45k miles (driver's side) and again around 60k (both sides) miles. I tried doing preventative maintenance the first time but still ended up with trouble. The car is tracked and I live in a city with horrible horrible roads (cracked a rim on my 2001 S4 Avant).

I'd shop around on the pricing.

[TTRStud]

Go ahead and look through my thread where I asked this exact same question. Thanks to the knowledge and generosity of another member here, I was able to piece together an entire kit (control arms + bushings) and had my entire front suspension redone on both sides. I paid about $800, or maybe a little less, for everything, and 90%+ of the components were OEM parts. Only a pair of arms was by another manufacturer, which happens to build OEM components for other brands, and I believe at one point Audi used them as well. Quality is the same and no difference between what came off the car and the replacement arms.

The thread includes part numbers and even where to buy them from! I hope this helps.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-arms-bushings

[flappy]

Wow, thanks for the prompt replies guys. Really appreciate it.

Go ahead and look through my thread where I asked this exact same question. Thanks to the knowledge and generosity of another member here, I was able to piece together an entire kit (control arms + bushings) and had my entire front suspension redone on both sides. I paid about $800, or maybe a little less, for everything, and 90%+ of the components were OEM parts. Only a pair of arms was by another manufacturer, which happens to build OEM components for other brands, and I believe at one point Audi used them as well. Quality is the same and no difference between what came off the car and the replacement arms.

The thread includes part numbers and even where to buy them from! I hope this helps.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-arms-bushings

Thanks, i'll have a look at that link now, yea im not too fussed if its 100% OEM or not, just as long as it isnt a recurring problem. You've had no problems since?

[TTRStud]

Wow, thanks for the prompt replies guys. Really appreciate it.



Thanks, i'll have a look at that link now, yea im not too fussed if its 100% OEM or not, just as long as it isnt a recurring problem. You've had no problems since?

0 issues, and I drive my car daily. The bushings have a tendency to need replacement anywhere between 45k-75k miles. Depends on how you drive, the streets where you live etc. It is CRUCIAL that when you install them (or have them installed), the suspension is preloaded to a standard ride height point before tightening all components. Most people who replace bushings and have premature wear is due to not preloading the suspension, so when the car is sitting at its neutral height, the bushings are twisting/loaded constantly.

I went OEM because I had no interest in stiffening anything beyond the way the car already feels. The S5 with mode selection and the sport differential feels pretty good out of the box for a grand touring car.