skiiipi

Guess I'll take it for another test drive.
The local Audi dealership can do a PPI + Compression test on the engine for $150+tax. Worthy investment imo.

Also you mentioned that the LCD screen on the cluster can be fixed...anybody in particular you reccomend?

mithrilG60

I had the LCD in my cluster replaced by Pixelfix in Toronto, it's about a week or so to ship to them and get it back.

The 4.2L is a great car; reasonably reliable, comfortable and brilliant on the highway. Very smooth a speed deceptive, make sure you either set the speed nags and/or have a good radar detector as it's very easy to drift 40+ over in this car without realizing it and we now what that means in BC.

As you identified, the transmission is definitely something to keep in mind. Especially on the early models, 2000 & 2001, I consider a rebuild between 160,000 - 200,000km more or less standard maintenance and it's not a cheap job. The PO had the tranny in mind rebuild about a year before I bought it and the receipt for that service is for $4,140.55 taxes in.

Most of the time these are very robust and reliable cars. You will have to replace CV boots (there are 8), front control arms and all your oil gaskets and seals but that's just part of owning an Audi. Just be aware that costs will sneak up very quickly if you start having to replace a lot of wearing parts.

The other thing to remember is that the 4.2L is not exactly the most fuel efficient engine. My wife and I make the trip from Van to Oyama about every other month to visit family, my average fuel economy for those weekends works out to about 12.5 L/100km including the flat trip through the Valley. By comparison I average about 9.5 L/100km when we drive down to Seattle and back. In town this thing is an absolute pig, I consider myself lucky if I see 22 L/100km since it's all stop and go short trip with no freeway.

Overall it's I love my 4.2L and don't regret buying it for a second, just make sure you have money put aside for a transmission rebuild and factor in the high(er) operating costs.

GTA_Driver

Ditto. I dealt local with Paul from PixelInfo, so didn't spend money on shipping.

There's nothing in subsequent years that changed. They fail on every model year 4.2, and 2.8, A6 and A4. The only difference was an updated seal in the torque converter for 2005 C5 - which is only the Allroad, since A6 was moved to the C6 platform in 2005.

Transmissions failed at 7-80,000 kms, and all the way until end of life. There's no predictable point by which they will or should fail. Some will never fail.


Most CV boot failures are the outer at the front. The others are rare.

Agree on the control arms. Most start to wear out approaching 150,000 kms and up. Some sooner some later. Replace one at a time as they fail, as some can last a really long time. On the other hand, the benefit of replacing all as part of a kit is that you get new bushings on all of them. Old control arms, even if not faulty, have rubber that hardens with age, and results in a harsh ride. New control arms will do a lot to make your car feel like new.

It actually doesn't so much depend on the engine as it does with gearing and the weight of the car. C5 is a heavy car. The transmissions aren't geared for fuel economy (or acceleration for that matter). And the economy of the 2.8L V6 is only marginally better than 4.2. Also, Audi engines are not known to be fuel efficient. If you want crazy power and decent fuel economy, look to GM with is LSx series V8.

If you're below 120 on the highway but keep it smooth, you can average 9-9.5L/100kms. If you drive 90-100 (country roads), your economy will increase to 8.5L/100kms.

In the city, stop-n-go, it's anything. It can be between 17L/100kms to 21L/100kms in the winter for me, with lots of idling and some warming up. Of course, if the engine isn't tuned, or there are issues (vacuum leaks, O2 sensor malfunction, and a whole plethora of other things), it will consume more fuel. The only time it drops to below 17L/100 kms is if I combine some highway driving.

mithrilG60

Actually there's a much higher rate of failure in the early models (both A6 and D2 A8) than in the post-facelift A6. There were still some failures in the later year but it wasn't nearly as common. The TC's aren't the common failure point on the 5HP24A, the failures typically are in the clutch packs and/or the valves and regulator springs. Both of those components did receive a refresh in the later production models which accounts for the lower failure rate. Those updated parts are also used in the rebuilds (assuming a good tranny shop) so one rebuild generally is good for the life of the car.

Of course, but the vast majority of people experiencing failures tended to see them in the 160,000 to 200,000km (or 8 - 10yr) range which is why I say expect to have to rebuild in that range. If you're lucky enough to never have a failure then you're $4K richer. Other cars, like mine, are the opposite and the transmission has been pulled 3 times in it's life. Luck of the draw.

Maybe in Southern Ontario where everything's as flat as a pancake (same kind of driving as Vancouver to Seattle) but not so much in the Kelowna area that the OP's from. Every highway out of Kelowna runs into the mountains, the up and down is not very friendly to maintaining smooth momentum. Based on my experience of driving on those highways 12 - 12.5 L/100km is about as good as you can hope to get.

Ultimately no one should be expecting good fuel economy from a 4200lbs car with a 4.2L V8, it's not what the car is designed for. I mention it only because it's shocking to most people just how thirsty this car is by comparison to most other vehicles. I know I was warned about it when I was buying and even so it surprised me how quickly a tank disappears. It's something you need to consider if you're thinking about the purchase.

GTA_Driver

That I didn't know.



My opinion, based on what I read, is that tranny failure was fairly evenly spread past 80K kms, but in the end, I haven't performed any statistical analysis or a poll.


ouch! The transmission shop warrantied their work? Sloppy craftsmanship or poor choice of parts?

Ahem. 4025 lbs.

Having said that, there should be no reason for this car to have the same fuel economy as a 6000 lbs V8 Dodge Ram with aerodynamic characteristics of a sheet of plywood. That has always been my beef with Audis. They underperform on fuel economy (and acceleration), Audi never felt the pressure to address this much, outside of their small displacement European engines, or until now (when you can get an A6 with a 4-cylinder!?!?!)

Just Me

Agree the 4.2V8 is a solid motor. You ahve the TB done (good). Check control arms in front, TREs, tranny shifting, While high maint like any luxury car, its very durable.

G