Entering the market - First time buyer

[Powersmokin73]

Hello all!
This is my first real post (besides the new member/welcome post) on the board, and of course, its the ubiquitous "WHAT SHOULD I LOOK AT?!" post.

I'm considering buying an 11 A6 PP 3.0T and am wanting to get some more information.

Ive been searching the old posts a little, looking for common weak points, things that go bad, things to look for, current owner advice, etc. But I haven't found much in the way of the particular setup I'm looking at. (https://www.maximumautosearch.com/v/6635)

From my understanding, there was a water pump (or thermostat) design flaw when the engine first came out, but has since been addressed. That is the only real issue that I can come up with. I was looking into B6/B7 S4s and it was very obvious that the 4.2 timing chain was a huge issue, but I've seen nothing like this for the C6 A6. So some advice (ill expect to take a little flaming with it too) would be appreciated, as this is my first venture into luxury cars, and expensive purchases at that.

As far as being maintenance heavy, that's okay with me. Being failure prone however, is not.
A little bit about me - I am a full-time mechanic at a John Deere dealer. I work on heavy equipment. I have come from the diesel truck world with my current commuter, a 96 F-350 7.3 diesel. I'm tired of having to maneuver a 4-door long bed land yacht, getting only 13.5mpg. I'm ready for a nice highway cruiser that I can comfortably do my 50+ mile per day commute in. Living in Colorado, 4WD/AWD is a must for me, and Audi fit the bill perfectly.

So, to sum this all up. If you guys wouldn't mid sharing your knowledge with me, giving some tips and pointers, even if it may lie elsewhere in the forum, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

[Powersmokin73]

Oh, also.
If anyone has advice as to buying from a dealer, financing, etc. I would appreciate that too. I have never purchased a vehicle other than private party. This will only be vehicle purchase 3 in my life.
Thanks again.

[kocyk123]

Hi there,

I can't really give you any recommendations but if I was on the market for a 2011 A6 withing $22k range I would be looking at the one that has heated steering wheel and push to start button. You should also be able to find one with less miles on it and all 5 windows tinted ;-)

[Powersmokin73]

Hi there,

I can't really give you any recommendations but if I was on the market for a 2011 A6 withing $22k range I would be looking at the one that has heated steering wheel and push to start button. You should also be able to find one with less miles on it and all 5 windows tinted ;-)

Haha yes, I noticed that and was confused about that. But tinting at 15% rear and 20-25% front was going to be one of the first things.
Im having a hard time finding them with a $20K cap actually. There are only a few within 250 miles that match my criteria. Dark color, 3.0T, quattro, ~20K, under 75K miles. The other ones im finding are ~20K PLUS dealer handling, delivery, detailing (etc) whereas this one is 22 + tax.

I think i can bring the price down more, since this was on the lot since September. Also makes me wonder why its not been bought yet. Going to see it Thursday.

[SinCityA6]

Welcome to the forum. The 3.0t in the C6 has be relatively trouble free. You notes the thermostat/water pump issue with the 09s which was resolved in the manufacture process in 2010. Other than that, there have been no major issues.
Oil leaks have been the biggest gremlin for me. Plastic valve covers and no actual gasket for the timing chain covers lend to repetitive leaks (I am on my 4th).
Timing chain issues are not as prevalent in this motor but that does not mean it can't/won't happen.
Carbon build up is also reduced as a result of the supercharger but it is still there as there is a TSB out there covering the secondary air system for 10 years or 120k miles.
Best advise is get a complete service history on the car. If the PO is dutiful in keeping service records then you can take some comfort in the fact that it has been well maintained. No service records = WALK AWAY.


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[Powersmokin73]

Welcome to the forum. The 3.0t in the C6 has be relatively trouble free. You notes the thermostat/water pump issue with the 09s which was resolved in the manufacture process in 2010. Other than that, there have been no major issues.
Oil leaks have been the biggest gremlin for me. Plastic valve covers and no actual gasket for the timing chain covers lend to repetitive leaks (I am on my 4th).
Timing chain issues are not as prevalent in this motor but that does not mean it can't/won't happen.
Carbon build up is also reduced as a result of the supercharger but it is still there as there is a TSB out there covering the secondary air system for 10 years or 120k miles.
Best advise is get a complete service history on the car. If the PO is dutiful in keeping service records then you can take some comfort in the fact that it has been well maintained. No service records = WALK AWAY.


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It's at a dealer, so I'm not sure what records they will have. Carfax has some records, but is very vague. "Vehicle Serviced" doesn't mean much.
What leaks in regard to the timing chain? Is it just two machined metal surfaces that are bolted together in hopes that they don't leak? What had to be replaced 4 times?

[c@@kieMonsta]

It's at a dealer, so I'm not sure what records they will have. Carfax has some records, but is very vague. "Vehicle Serviced" doesn't mean much.
What leaks in regard to the timing chain? Is it just two machined metal surfaces that are bolted together in hopes that they don't leak? What had to be replaced 4 times?

The timing chain covers consist of steel metal covers with RTV applied to them attached to the the aluminum head on each side. As the vehicle ages, they can end up leaking because the RTV adhesive begins to deteriorate.

[skylinrcr01]

The timing chain covers consist of steel metal covers with RTV applied to them attached to the the aluminum head on each side. As the vehicle ages, they can end up leaking because the RTV adhesive begins to deteriorate.

Would it be possible to go around them with more RTV without removing them? Or would that be a bad idea?

[c@@kieMonsta]

Would it be possible to go around them with more RTV without removing them? Or would that be a bad idea?

Bad idea. You would not be able to apply the stuff evenly and without making a mess. Not to mention that you need a clean surface for the RTV to adhere and cure to. Best course is to remove them, clean the covers and engine head and reapply new ultra black RTV. I did on my B7 A4 yesterday. Way easier now that I've done it on my previous C6 3.2.

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[sun_dance]

Bad idea. You would not be able to apply the stuff evenly and without making a mess. Not to mention that you need a clean surface for the RTV to adhere and cure to. Best course is to remove them, clean the covers and engine head and reapply new ultra black RTV. I did on my B7 A4 yesterday. Way easier now that I've done it on my previous C6 3.2.

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+1 on this. Not only a bad idea, but a complete waste of time, it won't make any sense to simply add RTV without removal.

[skylinrcr01]

Well, that's why I asked. As always, thanks gents!