hubcap

My wife and I are looking to replace our 2000 Passat GLX and are considering the A4 - specifically the 3.0 CVT sedan. My questions relate more to the '02, '03, '04 model year changes. It seems that ordering a custom '03 is not an option at this point, so I am curious what changes are expected for the '04 A4 and if there were any significant changes between the '02 and '03.

I have read about the ignition coil pack issues that have plagued a number of A4s. Is that malfunction limited to a certain VIN range? Has it been experienced with both the '02 and '03 models? Has there been a service bulletin issued that is routinely honored/addressed by the dealers?

A local dealer has a certified '02 3.0 CVT, 15K mi, loaded (parktronic, nav, everything) priced at $31,9XX. I know that they will move some on that price, but I was interested in knowing what others thought would be a fair price for that car considering that '04 models will likely be available by late summer.

I'd rather not wait for '04 models - please provide comments/suggestions.

nexus617a4

1. There have been a number of posts in the last week detailing the changes for 2004. For the 3.0, it's mainly a question of how features are grouped into packages, plus changes in color options. No major changes IMO happened between 02 and 03 (other than rear heated seats no longer being available!).

2. Coilpacks were an issue mainly with 01 and 02 1.8T engines. For 2003, only very early models had problematic coils, and very few 3.0s of any year had problems. So I wouldn't worry about a new car having CP problems. And if you do, all dealerships have been good about replacing CPs quickly for about a month or two now.

3. Sorry, not too familiar with the used market... yet...

GTakacs

1. The changes affect mainly 1.8T owners and not 3.0 owners. What affects 3.0s for MY 2004 are the following: For 2004 you can get Sirius or XM satellite radio as a factory installed option. The premium leather can only be ordered with Quattro and not with FrontTrack on the 2004. Rear bun heaters were pulled after MY 2002 from both 1.8T and 3.0 and they didn't make a comeback for 2004 either.

2. Coil pack issues mainly affected 2002 and early 2003 1.8T engines throughout the VAG umbrella (A4, Passat, Jetta, Golf). Some V6 engines also had the issue but nowhere near the level 1.8Ts where hit. It is also speculated that some mixture settings of the 1.8T ECU were to blame to cause the massive number of failuers. You've got nithing to worry about at this point.

3. I would not pay more than $30K for that car. Check edmunds.com for true market value and you can go from there. But just as an illustration, I have seen a certified 2002 A4 Avant Quattro 3.0 with 6-speed manual and 6K on the odo sold for $30K a month ago. It didn't have NAV, parktronic or xenons but did have the other goodies.