Potential new RS4 Avant owner

[nial335]

Hi

I've paid a small deposit on an 07 RS4 Avant with about 25,500 miles from an independent dealer. They agreed to have it looked over by the local Audi dealer which carried out a visual inspection. Audi dealer pronounced it immaculate apart from the DRC which was leaking on all four corners. Independent dealer had the shocks replaced by the Audi dealer at a cost of £1700 so that should hopefully be resolved. Car is on long life service with first two services carried out by Audi dealer at 6,900 miles (Nov 08) and 14,500 miles (Aug 10). Last service by subsequent owner was done by an independent garage (not an Audi specialist) at 22,000 miles in Jan 2012. I'm going to speak to them to see what they did. Their stamp in service book but no invoice. Audi say that next long life service would have been due Aug 2012 so I don't know why it would have needed service in Jan. Not too impressed that previous owner didn't service it through Audi. Any comments/ suggestions would be appreciated. Paintwork is immaculate (silver), not a mark even on the front end. Couldn't see any evidence of a respray.

Thanks

[PetrolDave]

Not too impressed that previous owner didn't service it through Audi.

Some indies are better than some dealers.

[slowmonkey]

I am a recent purchaser and got mine inspected through Audi as well, I think if you have done that then you've done all you can. All I can say is that I absolutely love mine it's by far the best car I've ever owned and in Avant form ridiculously practical as well.

God purchase looking forward to seeing some pics.

[kmpowell]

Personally speaking as somebody looking to buy an Avant, unless it has a fully stamped main dealer service history, I'm not interested.

I enquired about getting the audi warranty put on a car that had full audi service history, bar one stamp which was carried by an indi. Audi UK said they wouldn't sell me a warranty, nor would they honour any warranty claims. Not even if I paid to put it though the multi-point check.

True, the DRC has recently being done, but with so many good cars out there is it worth the risk? It's a buyers market remember.

[Dom81]

Much is down to the person you're talking to at HO, or the individual dealer. Dealers now have discretion to put all (or part) of any work down to goodwill - even outside of standard warranty timescales - and they base it on many factors. If you turn up "unknown" at a main dealer and expect anything FOC then you'll probably be disappointed, but have it serviced / MOT'd there before any problems arise, and you should find some leeway so long as earlier services were done by well regarded independents

[nial335]

Thanks for all the input so far. Spoke to the indie who did the last service and sounds like they did the job properly with genuine parts. Said they would go round to their accountant who is doing their accounts to get a copy of the original invoices for me (for the Audi parts and the service) and to ring him back in a couple of days. Can't ask for much better than that. He also did the MOT in March when he replaced the brake pads so they can't have more than 2-3,000 miles wear on them. He volunteered that the car was in exceptional condition. So sounding pretty good so far in spite of the lack of an Audi stamp. I am wondering if I might be able to get Audi to repeat the service so as to get the last long life service Audi stamped.

I did enquire about an Audi warranty - £911 for a year. Swindon Audi checked the history and guessed that an indie might have done the last one. They offered the warranty option so perhaps this blot might not prevent me obtaining a warranty. As the indie dealer offers a three month warranty (they have been in business for forty years and tell me they use a reputable warranty company) and the DRC (which is the one problem area identified by all the main dealers and various indie garages I have spoken to) has been done, I might take a flyer on that. Can't see Audi refusing to honour the two year warranty on a DRC replacement carried out less than a month ago because of an indie service that was done 10 months ago.

Take the point about a buyers market. That seems to be the case for average or high mileage cars but low mileage examples are increasingly scarce and seem to attract much interest . All the low mileage ones I've found so far have sold quite quickly and at premium prices. There was a black one at Swindon Audi on sale for £29,995 with 35,000 miles that had a lot of interest and was sold on the phone before I could get to view. I think the chap who bought it posted on this forum just recently about a likely DRC problem - covered by warranty hopefully but so much for Audi's 146 point inspection! For me it was this one or give up a frustrating search

[playle46]

Hi. Yup, it was me who got the Advant from Swindon. They said it had got a lot of interest!! The car went in today for the DRC check and have to say so far, I'm pleased with the service. Their main snr technician is handling the job and didn't have too much if a good word to say about the DRC system but at least recognised all the tell tale noises.

Good luck with the car, you'll love it!

[nial335]

Hi, small world! They told me that they had had four potential buyers ringing on one day. Plus me of course! Swindon Audi has been very helpful with advice so I intend taking my RS4 there for servicing. Pleased to hear that they're sorting out the DRC for you. Would have thought an Audi dealer would have been on to that before they took it on stock. Costly oversight it seems. I'm told that Audi has improved the DRC system to eliminate the leaks. Hope that's right.

[TimDogg]

They told me that they had had four potential buyers ringing on one day.

Doesn't sound like a buyers market to me.

[lengster1]

Immaculate low mileage example will always be in demand,which is good news for owners of them

[E10EAN]

I purchased my over the phone and payed in full, as i have always had a good experience with my previous purchases of audi s, TBH it s a genuine car but the salesman turned out to be a rip off merchant.

It was silly of me not going to look at the car,due to being busy with work etc, but lucky for me I had all the important stuff on writing such brakes tyres and DRC.

When I had delivery it looked like they just washed it "that was rubbish" and dumped it off, hence why I am now the general managers best friend for now.

I listed all my issues and are hopefully all being sorted.

[nial335]

Hi, it seems that you're not alone. The dealer where I found mine told me that it's quite unusual for them to have people come to look at a car before they buy it. Most of their customers buy a car on the telephone and the first time they see it is when it's delivered to them. And this is a dealer who sells mainly porsches, ferraris, mercedes etc.

[PetrolDave]

Most of their customers buy a car on the telephone and the first time they see it is when it's delivered to them.

Must be a lot of people out there with more money than sense then, I would NEVER buy a used car without first seeing it and driving it (and I won't buy a new car until I've driven a, near as possible identical, demonstrator).

[Graeme4130]

Hi, small world! They told me that they had had four potential buyers ringing on one day. Plus me of course! Swindon Audi has been very helpful with advice so I intend taking my RS4 there for servicing. Pleased to hear that they're sorting out the DRC for you. Would have thought an Audi dealer would have been on to that before they took it on stock. Costly oversight it seems. I'm told that Audi has improved the DRC system to eliminate the leaks. Hope that's right.

I use Swindon Audi too. They're a reasonably bunch of guys, you've just got to get the right one. New showroom's nice too