theanimala

This is unreal. Just got back from an adventure tonight. Had basic oil change done on the car this morning (98 A6 Quattro, Assured). Get a call this morning that it needs the left and right differential gaskets replaced, as well as left and right cam gaskets replaced. Under warranty, what do I care? (BTW, car has 40K miles. $859 repair covered by Audi, but what kind of reliability is this).

Pick up the car and my wife is following behind me. We are on a very dark windy road when I see her start flashing the brights like crazy and starts slowing down. I start slowing down too, when she suddenly comes at my very, very fast. I hit the gas to move. She starts slowing down again and gets the car to the side of the road. I run up to the car and all I can smell is some buring smell, very strong. She tells me that the engine just started revving and she had to lay on the brakes with all her might to get it to slow down.

I have her get out and I check the gas pedal. The carpet is not over it, and there is no cable stuck that I can tell. I turn the key to start the car and the engine immediately redlines. I turn it back off again. I can tell now the burning smell was her brakes from pushing on them so hard (emergency brake was fully released).

Call the police and Audi Road Side Assistance. Since we are in the middle of nowhere they give us expedited service. Good thing I had my car which has the nav system so I could tell where we were.

I know this sounds almost like the Audi stories of the 80's with the uncontrolled acceleration. My question is, could this be related to something the dealer had just done? I mean, we were no more then 5 miles from the dealership. Totally unrelated?

Finally, I have to question the reliability of a car that has 40K miles and has already had $1200 worth of repairs (gauge cluster and the problems above). I really like this car, but today really made us scared. My wife says when we get it back she's not sure she wants to drive it. I have 85K on my Lexus and beyond a rattle or two, I have not had to put a cent into it.

Sorry for the long ramble. But this simple oil change became a several hour long dillema that still is not solved...

LCP

Oh boy. You better get them to give you an explanation, and post it here!

IndyAudi

I have learned that when you experience a problem immediately after a service, it is usually something stupid that a technician did or did not do... like draining the differential instead of the oil pan and forgetting to refill it (first-hand experience here). I would be hesitant to have it looked at by your dealer. Their impartiality may suffer under the circumstances. Instead, take it to another dealer or independent shop and get their version of what happened, then approach your dealer armed with this info.

About the reliability, as Audi fans, we can't keep shooting the messenger. It is a fact that a good deal of our (A6) problems are reliability issues that occur ridiculously early.

Someone recently noted that our resale valuations are suffering for it. As I type this (03 Feb. 2003), a local used car dealer has a '98 A6 quattro sedan (only slightly high miles) priced at $11,900. I'm hoping that it has a dirty CarFAX, oil leak, flood damage - anything - to justify that price. But I think that this is just the Consumer Reports Syndrome catching up with us (no CR rants please).

My wife and I also came from the Japanese side of the fence, and we find these alarmingly frequent repairs maddening. As for my '98 A6 and '99 A6 Avant, they are definitely becoming a love-hate relationship for my wife and me. I love them; she hates them. She hates them a lot.

You can't ask for much more in a car, but it seems like we shouldn't have to spend $1000 - $2500/yr. on pumps, gaskets, gauge clusters, power window guides (AGAIN!), LED readouts, lower control arms, etc. on cars that are barely five years old. Don't get me started on dealer service.

To add perspective, our household income is barely six figures. Perhaps our patience would be less taxed had we gone into banking or law - but hey, that's our fault! And right when I have decide that I have had enough, that I'm going to go buy an Acura, the new TT 3.2 is announced. "Honey, come here and look at this...!"

Bobby Ricigliano

Maybe it is because I am a religious man that I have had 0 dollars in repairs over the last 9 months, and I do love this car. For kicks I have been test driving new Mercedes and BMWs because I take a distorted pleasure in hoping up and down dealership rows on Saturday afternoons. It is great to see what is out there, but I am sure I have been blacklisted all over the Chicagoland area for it. Dollar for dollar, I could not be happier with it. At the moment it is quite beyond affordability and I rely on supplemental income to pay each moth for it, however the extra work does not bother me as everyone that sits in the car loves it. I hate to hear all these stories and some of them genuinely scare me, but I can not help but recommend Audi's to everyone that asks me about mine. Unless things change, which they all too often do, I could anticipate me being an Audi owner for life, in spite of the dealerships.

Finman

the second time was the last time my mother droved the car.

Glad you are both fine...good luck finding the problem...good thing you had a wimpy 2.8

Stoney

These are the kind of problems that no one believes. Best if you can make them see it happen.

Potomac-Greg

... financing options out there, virtually anyone can end up owning one of these cars. Unfortunately, you can't finance a $7,000 repair, and many folks would have to rob a bank to come up with the money.