flg8r90

Hello All,

Audi Nub here, looking to make the jump.

I found a 2004 A8L for sale with 45000 miles. All dealer maintained records, garaged for $19K. I've done a lot of reading on the forum and the internet.
All I have is two questions :

1) Is this a good price ? I don't know if I agree with the 5-$6K bump for a low mileage vehicle. Low mileage doesn't mean it won't break down. I've also seen if a vehicle sits too long it's not good either.

2) Is there anywhere to get an extended warranty on this vehicle ?

Any opinions or comments appreciated. Thanks

BASARAB

I would get a newer one with more mileage. Extended warranty is going to be a rip off for that age

bmwm750

Completely agree. I get way more concerned about cars that have spent their entire lives sitting around than I do cars with good maintenance and miles.

mishar

Agreed. 2004/5 have more issues than later years. Powertrain is very reliable, so higher millage won't be that bad and electronics is better on a newer models.

03_AR_CO

I just bought a well maintained, 04 A8L for considerably less $12K, true it had 2x the miles, but in great shape, good records, and excellent condition. All the electronics in good condition minus the rear window shade, which was not a deal breaker for me. I can get to it at some point. And for the price I paid I feel like I can afford to sink a few hundred into it.

I have all the MMI firmware updated, and the navigation as well. About to take on swapping the telematics module for the OEM bluetooth module. We will see how that goes. Other than that I am enjoying the ride, mileage is better than my allroad, and for me more fun to drive.

flg8r90

I'm trying really hard to walk from this car and find a newer one but I personally know the owner of this car and he is EXTREMELY meticulous. Any time any of his cars get rained on he will rinse it off and dry it when its back in his garage!! And he is the original owner. I'm going to try to negotiate it down a some more.

I've called some reputable indie shops in the area for repairs quotes. $950. for timing belt and & $100. for 9 qt Mobile 1. Do these prices seem reasonable?


Does this sound like a good deal ?

Here is a quote I got for an extended warranty for 2004 A8L:


THIS PLAN IS THE BEST COMPONENT TYPE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER COVERAGE AVAILABLE.

This coverage is directly underwritten by Amtrust Group ("A/Excellent" rated by AMBest) for the highest level of financial security

offers you many benefits our competition can't promise including the following...
* Extended Warranties direct to consumers and dealerships nationwide at wholesale prices has been our business since our inception in 1979.
* We offer only Premium, Top-Rated vehicle Warranties.
* No Gimmicks, No Coupons and No Up Selling tactics, ever!
* Our high volume and low overhead allows us to offer the LOWEST PRICES RIGHT FROM THE START for the most comprehensive coverage available for your vehicle.
* Our company is owned and staffed by Warranty Experts, Not Salespeople or Telemarketers.
* We understand the three most important words "Yes, It's Covered"!

PLEASE PRINT THIS E MAIL!

Thank you for your request for a price quote for an extended warranty. These prices are all for Component Type Bumper-To-Bumper warranties. This is one of the most comprehensive Enhanced Component policies available. Coverage INCLUDES breakdown and failure due to NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR on all covered items. See Policy Details at bottom of E-Mail for coverage details.

Ref. # RYPC50060SP (12)
Premier Coverage
$100.00 Deductible Per Repair Visit
1 Year/12,000 Additional Miles- $1,610.00
2 Year/24,000 Additional Miles- $1,885.00
3 Year/36,000 Additional Miles- $2,130.00
3 Year/50,000 Additional Miles- $2,360.00
4 Year/48,000 Additional Miles- $2,600.00
4 Year/60,000 Additional Miles- $2,845.00
Other Deductibles Are Also Available
Low Down Payment Financing Available
This Coverage Also Includes:
* Towing
* Rental
* Lockout Service
* 24 Hour Roadside Assistance
* One Deductible Per Repair Visit
* All Warranties Are Transferrable & Renewable.

Repairs can be done at any repair shop or dealership in the United States or Canada. Payment will be made directly to the repair facility at the completion of repairs by the warranty administrator's corporate credit card account.



“WHAT IS COVERED"
***Premier Coverage***
Engine: Crankshaft and bearings, oil pump, internal timing gears, timing chain, camshaft, camshaft bearings, valve lifters, rocker arm assemblies and push rods, pistons and rings, wrist pins, cylinders, connecting rods, distributor drive gear, all internal components of engine block and cylinder heads, if damage is caused by mechanical failure of an internally lubricated part. Gaskets and external seals will be covered if their replacement is necessary to complete an otherwise authorized repair. Cracked engine block, cylinder heads, and piston cylinders are not covered. Broken crankshaft is covered if break is caused by either bearings or piston failure. Valve guides are covered only when guide sleeves have not slipped below original Position.

Turbo Charger/Supercharger: All internally lubricated parts due to mechanical failure.

Timing Belt: If Service Contract Purchaser has followed manufacturer’s recommended maintenance intervals for replacement.

Transmission/Transaxle: The internal components of the automatic transmission or manual transmission. Drive chain gears, carrier bearings, and
internal transaxle seal. The manual transmission case and automatic transmission case and torque converter, transfer case, drive gears, forks, bearing thrust washer, bushing, washer, and housing are covered, if damaged by the failure of internally lubricated parts.

Differential Assembly Components (2 & 4 wheel drive): (Front & rear)
differential housing including pinion bearings, side carrier bearings, ring and pinion gears, carrier assembly, washers, axles and axle bearings.

Cooling System: Water pump, thermostat, mixture control valve, overflow
reservoir. Blower motor, heater core, electric radiator fan motor, fan clutch, fan blade.

Fuel System: Mechanical fuel pump, electric fuel pump, vacuum pump, metal fuel delivery lines, fuel tank, fuel sender, pressure regulator, fuel injectors.

Air Conditioning: Condenser, compressor, evaporator, accumulator,compressor clutch, idler pulley, idler pulley bearing, hi/low compressor cutoff switch, pressure cycling switch, cooling fan motors. If the damaged or malfunctioning compressor causes damage to the expansion valve, or receiver dryer, the damaged component(s) will be replaced.

Steering: Internally lubricated parts contained within the steering box and pump housing, including rack and pinion, control valves, internal oil control seals, bearings, and shafts, steering box and pump housings if damaged by the failure of internally lubricated parts.

Brake System: Master cylinder, wheel cylinders, disc brake calipers, ABS master cylinder, vacuum booster, hydraulic lines and fittings, pressure modulator valve, isolation dump valve, accumulator, wheel speed sensors.

Electrical: Alternator, starter motor, front wiper motor, cooling fan motor, heater blower motor, electric horn, clock, switches for the following; neutral safety, overdrive, reverse indicator, power windows, power door locks.

HI-Tech Electrical: Alternator, starter motor, front and rear wiper motor, cooling fan motor, fuel gauge, cooling sender, neutral safety switch, overdrive switch, reverse indicator switch, voltage regulator, distributor, ignition module, ignition coil, starter solenoid, wiring harness, power window switches, door lock switches, cruise control module, power window motors, power seat motors, power door lock actuator and switch, power sunroof motor, mileage computer, electronic instrument cluster, distributor ignition coil, automatic climate control electronic control module, head light switch, convertible top motor, clock, electric horn.

Suspension: Control arms, control arm shafts, bearings and bushings, radius arm and bushing, wheel bearings, stabilizer bar, stabilizer link, stabilizer bushing, spindle, torsion bars, mode selector switch, height sensor computer, control module, actuator.

CV Joints: CV boots must not be torn at the time of failure. Lubricated joint failure only. Universal Joint (U Joint) is not included.

Fluids: Engine oil, power steering fluid, antifreeze, and transmission fluid are all covered items when required during the authorized repair process.

Seals and Gaskets: All seals and gaskets are covered for premature failure on vehicles with up to 125,000 miles at the time of failure.

Thanks for all of your responses.

jakematic

My opinion
That's a lot of money no matter how you look at it.

Yes, there are a lot of things covered. Most of which never go bad in any vehicle.
However, the two items that piqued my interest were the TPMS sensors and the transmission.
Not sure about the 04 transmission, but have heard of very few D3 transmission problems.
See Brozee's posts on getting good OEM TPMS via Tire Rack / Discount Tire.

My suggestions
If you are paying that $2,845 (the only one I'd get) in cash, put it in a special saving account for repairs.
It you are financing it at less than 6% maybe, depending on the term and $/1,000 rate.

Thoughts
Let's say you have 10 repairs at $100 deductible, that's another $1,000 making it $3,845.
If it specifically covered NAV, MMI, CD player, and ECU's, maybe.
If it absolutely covered air suspension / compressors, absolutely.
A lot of the items listed can be niggly things that with some elbow grease and shopping for parts you can do quite cheaply yourself.

I'd be tempted to not go with a warranty if the "typical" Audi repair at $1-$2k isn't going to break the bank.


As far as the $1,950 for the indie - not terrible.
I paid $2,400 at the dealer for it but that included air filters, water pump, sunroof drains, the whole nine yards.
Not sure what all is included other than oil and belt by the indie.

Go with your gut.
If this is the one, do it; after you negotiate your best deal.

enGage

I'll give you a different opinion. You can find a newer one, but if it costs $10,000 more, that is $10,000 that can go into an older car.

I own a 2006 and I was looking at 2008s and 2009s, but the 2006 was the cleanest of the dozen or so cars I looked at. It was a 9.9/10. It was owned by an elderly couple that purchased a new A8 every three years. They had the car professional detailed twice a year and had the 3M clear bra on the front so it doesn't even have rock chips.

Basically I said to myself: Why pay more for a new car that doesn't look as good? I don't have a warranty, but paid $10,000 to $15,000 less than the newer vehicles I was considered. With seven quarters of college calculus under my belt, I did the math. $15,000 will fix a lot of stuff and the car looks better. It was a no-brainer for me.

I haven't seen the car you are considering, but shared my experience because it sounds similar to yours. So do the math and do your best to value the subjective assessments as well (condition of the car, a maintenance record not as good as the newer version, etc.) and see what you come up with.

mishar

Just thinking ... If you want to sell it tomorrow guy won't know the first owner personally and it won't be one owner car, so you will loose $5K. May be not.

You are far away from a timing belt job. It comes at 85K miles.

audiA8Lct

brother dont do it have a 2004 i bought 5yrs ago good in the beginning and that year is starting to be come obselete im thinking of going to jaguar