Originally Posted by Devil_Inside

I've had a couple of issues with my 2012 A7, which currently has just over 60k miles. I bought the car used, just out of warranty. Prior to purchasing it I had brought it in for a PPI at an Audi dealer in Chicago (I am located in Boston, but the car was in Chicago at the time) and they found a few issues that turned out to be non-issues, but missed a couple of real problems. I think PPI's are completely useless as I had a very similar experience at a reputable BMW dealership not too long ago, but that's a different conversation altogether.
Anyway, the big ticket items were a new mechatronics unit and a water pump. Luckily AoA and my local dealership worked together and I was able to get them to cover the repairs since the warranty had just run out. Aside from that, there has been a handful of recalls, and some other minor repairs.

I love the car and I have no regrets, but I definitely lucked out and I have an excellent relationship with my local dealer. If I had to pay for the mechatronics out of pocket it would have been a different story.


The best advice I can give you is to try and find a CPO car. The extended warranty plans for our cars are extremely expensive (to the tune of $7,000+ for Fidelity). You will pay extra for a CPO car, but not as much as an extended warranty and you will have piece of mind for two years. Also, find a reputable dealer (if you don't have one) and start building a relationship with your service advisor. He/She will be your best friend what you need them, but there is only so much they can do.

Get a PPI - they will most likely find something which you can use towards negotiating the purchase price of the car. If they miss something you have a leg to stand on should an issue arise shortly after.

Find a good indy mechanic for general repairs. A lot of the repairs can only be done by the dealer, but there's still plenty you can do elsewhere.

Invest in a VAG-COM and learn how to do the maintenance yourself. Audi wanted close to $1,200 for the 55k service; I ended up doing it myself for less than $300 using all OEM parts and it took me 2-3 hours (belts, plugs, filters, oil, etc)

Lastly, try to stay away from the "Spaceship package" - you know, the one with the night vision camera, adaptive cruise control, etc. While it is so cool to have, it is a nightmare to fix and just adds so much complexity to the car. A simple alignment will cost you over $1,000 if they have to recalibrate any of the sensors. I got lucky and I was able to find a "Prestige" trim without that package, which is rare. I love the air conditioned seats, etc, so it was worth it.

Originally Posted by fstkmaro

which vag com tool do you recommend?

Originally Posted by fstkmaro

which vag com tool do you recommend?

Originally Posted by tenspeed

Ross Tech. There are others but they have limitations. New cables are around $360. Used cables sell for around $300. Software is downloaded from the Ross Tech site.

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