Ownership Cost for 2006 Audi S4 Quattro
Estimated: $45735 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $2802 | $1345 | $1177 | $1065 | $953 | $7342 |
| Insurance | $1672 | $1731 | $1791 | $1854 | $1919 | $8967 |
| Fuel | $2167 | $2232 | $2310 | $2402 | $2510 | $11621 |
| Maintenance | $2763 | $2248 | $1265 | $1368 | $2291 | $9935 |
| Repairs | $977 | $1138 | $1298 | $1417 | $1627 | $6457 |
| Taxes & Fees | $955 | $955 | $955 | $955 | $955 | $1415 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $11336 | $8802 | $7979 | $8195 | $9424 | $45735 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 2000 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | WHILE DRIVING ALONG CA-35 (SKYLINE BOULEVARD) AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2005 DURING LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING AROUND A CURVE, BOTH THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ON MY 2000 AUDI S4 CAME ON, ALONG WITH 3 WARNING TONES. SIMULTANEOUSLY, A SUDDEN CHANGE IN BRAKE FEEL WAS DETECTED ALONG WITH A "THUNK" NOISE FROM THE FRONT REGION OF THE VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE AND REPAIR ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH OF WHICH CONFIRMED AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRONIC FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE'S ABS CONTROL MODULE (A $1000+ PART). SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES 3-4 OF THESE INTERMITTENT FAILURES DURING THE COURSE OF A DRIVING DAY. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT BRAKING, IT'S ANNOYING BUT SOMEWHAT INCONSEQUENTIAL. HOWEVER, WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENS DURING BRAKING, THERE IS DEFINITELY A MARKED CHANGE IN BRAKING BEHAVIOR AS THE ABS CONTROLLER GOES OFFLINE. UNDER EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS, I IMAGINE SUCH A FAILURE COULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY AND RISK ISSUE. SOMEWHAT TAKEN ABACK BY THE TOTAL ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS OF $1600+, I DECIDED TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEM AT SITES SUCH AS THIS (NHTSA ODI), AUDIWORLD.COM AND THE WEB AT LARGE. WHAT I FOUND IS A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF THIS SORT OF FAILURE ACROSS A WIDE SWATH OF AUDI MODELS DURING 1999 TO 2000. FURTHER, I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE ORIGINAL PART INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE WAS REV. A AND REPLACEMENT PARTS BEING INSTALLED ARE REV. E. CONVEYING THIS INFORMATION TO AUDI'S CLIENT SERVICES THROUGH TWO WRITTEN LETTERS RESULTED IN NO ACTION ON THEIR PART BEYOND A CONFIRMATION OF "YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, YOU MUST BEAR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR." THAT'D BE FINE WERE THIS A WEAR OR MAINTENANCE ITEM OR DUE TO MY OWN NEGLIGENCE; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE EVIDENCE STRONG THAT THIS IS A DESIGN AND/OR QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEM ON A CRITICAL VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEM. |
| 2006 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | MY 2006 AUDI S4'S LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE DRIVING ON VERY COLD DAYS. OCCASIONALLY, MY LEFT OR RIGHT HEADLIGHT WILL TURN OFF COMPLETELY. I HAVEN'T HAD BOTH GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT I AM WORRIED THAT THIS WILL OCCUR EVENTUALLY. THE FLICKERING IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT HAPPENS AT LOW SPEED WHILE I AM DRIVING THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM WORRIED THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE CHILDREN CROSSING THE STREET GOING TO SCHOOL. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SERVICED BY THE AUDI DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE AND IT IS STILL OCCURRING. *TR |
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