Ownership Cost for 1996 Audi A4 (2.8 quattro)
Estimated: $36639 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $1241 | $596 | $521 | $472 | $422 | $3252 |
| Insurance | $1451 | $1502 | $1554 | $1609 | $1665 | $7781 |
| Fuel | $1733 | $1785 | $1848 | $1922 | $2008 | $9296 |
| Maintenance | $2763 | $2359 | $1092 | $806 | $2291 | $9311 |
| Repairs | $977 | $1138 | $1298 | $1417 | $1627 | $6457 |
| Taxes & Fees | $366 | $366 | $366 | $366 | $366 | $542 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $8532 | $7421 | $6366 | $6259 | $8061 | $36639 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 1998 | STEERING | CONTROL ARM ON MY 1998 AUDI A4 FRACTURED WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. AUDI TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NHTSA # 10016418, #11242004 COMPONENT DESCRIPTION: 22. SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM BULLETIN NUMBER: 11242004 BULLETIN DATE: NOV 2004 VEHICLE: 1,998 AUDI A4 SUMMARY: SERVICE ACTION JE CAMPAIGN-CHECK/REPLACE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS. AUDI HAS FOUND THAT IN RARE CASES, ONE OR BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON AFFECTED VEHICLES CAN EXHIBIT WEAR, EVEN THOUGH THE DAMAGE TO THE RUBBER BO ( NHTSA ITEM NUMBER - 10016418 ). *TR |
| 1996 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | IN 1998, WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AUDI WAS ADVISED OF A PROBLEM WHICH BEGAN WITH A NOISE IN THE CAR. THIS WAS EVENTUALLY DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED IN 2/2000 AT NO COST TO MYSELF AS AUDI ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A "DEFECT" IN THAT MODEL YEAR. 2 WEEKS AGO, I DISCOVERD THAT THE LOWER CONTROLS ARMS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THEM TOGETHER. I AGAIN REPORTED THIS TO AUDI OF AMERICA AND WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT THEY HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL AND TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER. I WAS INSTRUCTED AUDI AND MY MECHANIC THAT THE I COULD LOSE THE STEERING AT ANY POINT. UPON INSPECTION BY AUDI THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CARE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT THESE UPPER CONTROL ARMS MUST BE REPLACED. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH THEM, THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE AND RUDE AND HAVE AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE PARTS, BUT I MUST PAY ALL OF THE LABOR AT THEIR PREMIUM PRICES. SINCE THE CAR IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE I DO NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE IT TO A REASONABLY PRICED AUTO SHOP. AUDI HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR TWO YEAS, AS I WAS TOLD BY AN AUDI MECHANIC THAT THEY HAD CONSIDERED A RECALL. AUDI IS PUTTING THEIR CUSTOMERS IN GREAT DANGER AND WILL DO NOTHING UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED. |
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