High Mileage?

[The Polisher]

Due to the current climate (not mentioning the "R" word at all!!) it looks like I shall be keeping my Audi to 4 years rather than 3.

(company leased car, but even so, still gets treated with respect like it were my own!)

My question is, I have 114,000 miles on it right now, its 3 years old in September, by which time it will have around 130k on it. When its 4 years old it will be at something like 175k............... so, what will it be like over the next 18 months or so.

Who here has a B8 with higher miles than me, how is it standing up and is it still good to drive with starship miles on?

It is routinely serviced at Listers Audi Birmingham (the best dealer I have EVER encountered!) and anything remotely not right is sorted immediately.

Who has more miles, and what can I expect?

Just had, I think the start of the problems. Last service it needed 2 rear shocks due to leaks and now the clutch is starting to judder when hot on pull away.

Anyone?

[John140]

Its refreshing to see someone who is getting his moneys worth out of a car that should be built to last in the first place !
With the odd repair, from what I've heard engine/gearbox wise youy should have no problem with these mileages, the only risk really is a piece of expensive elctronics giving up the ghost.
Midlands car dealers in general seem to be the best in the country, perhaps because they still cling to the great sleeves rolled-up engineering heritage of this area !

[Hammy969]

Polisher

That is a lot of miles, I got my A4 4 days before you and it has just turned 41K. Great car with only a few niggles and a wheel bearing all covered under warranty.
Sorry I can shed any light on the mammoth mileage, hope the next 15 month are good to you.

Ham

[ScottyUK]

My question is, I have 114,000 miles on it right now, its 3 years old in September

I got mine at the same time. If you know the 100,000 miles off then you've still done more than me! <blush>

Mines staying for a while yet.

[magt1000]

My 58 Plate A4 has now covered 102k...Probably going to run it for another year at least.

I purchased the car just over two years ago with 34k on the clock. I've had the following issues since:

Ignition key lock replaced (warranty)
New rear windscreen due to failed heating track (warranty)
DPF sensor replaced (warranty)
New fuel filler cap switch (warranty)

The above problems were not hugely problematic but at 80k miles with the car just over 3 years old the clutch started to slip. I pestered the dealership to help out and investigate the clutch problem at some kind of discount but they were having none of it. In the end I had a specialist independent replace the clutch, he ended up having to change the flywheel too which was discoloured due to getting hot, £800 in total (I dread to think how much at the dealership!!). I've looked at the replaced parts myself and the clutch wear plate is only half worn, it looks to me as though there is a mechanical defect with the spring on the pressure plate that meant the clutch was not engaging properly when the foot was fully released from the pedal. I just haven't had the time to chase Audi UK in relation to this but the specialist sourced the parts from the local Audi dealership and his contact there said they keep hardly any parts on the shelf in the servicing centre to save space....except that is for Audi A4 clutch assemblies which they are changing all day every day. I suspect they have problems but maybe I'm just being overly suspicious....

[gregpot2000]

My 58 Plate A4 has now covered 102k...Probably going to run it for another year at least.

I purchased the car just over two years ago with 34k on the clock. I've had the following issues since:

Ignition key lock replaced (warranty)
New rear windscreen due to failed heating track (warranty)
DPF sensor replaced (warranty)
New fuel filler cap switch (warranty)

The above problems were not hugely problematic but at 80k miles with the car just over 3 years old the clutch started to slip. I pestered the dealership to help out and investigate the clutch problem at some kind of discount but they were having none of it. In the end I had a specialist independent replace the clutch, he ended up having to change the flywheel too which was discoloured due to getting hot, £800 in total (I dread to think how much at the dealership!!). I've looked at the replaced parts myself and the clutch wear plate is only half worn, it looks to me as though there is a mechanical defect with the spring on the pressure plate that meant the clutch was not engaging properly when the foot was fully released from the pedal. I just haven't had the time to chase Audi UK in relation to this but the specialist sourced the parts from the local Audi dealership and his contact there said they keep hardly any parts on the shelf in the servicing centre to save space....except that is for Audi A4 clutch assemblies which they are changing all day every day. I suspect they have problems but maybe I'm just being overly suspicious....




Wow! I had to double take when I read your problems, as they are the exact same issues I have faced with my car on 106,000miles!

Ignition key lock replaced (warranty) - Used to get an "IGNITION LOCK ERROR" or something similar every so often, although cleared itself and I have not seen it for a while

New rear windscreen due to failed heating track (warranty) I have a track that doesn't heat properly, it does bother me it looks kind of "cheap" from the outside, but it doesn't stop me looking out of the window, and I only use it half of the year anyway, summer it gets practically no use at all.

DPF sensor replaced (warranty) The DPF Pressure sensor? I had this throw up the EML around 2 months ago, £80 for an indie to source and fit a new one, a modified part so obviously a common problem.

New fuel filler cap switch (warranty) This has gone on mine as well, I got instructions from a member here on how to fix, and parts are only around £15, but just haven't got round to it yet, not a massive problem, does worry me occasionally what if some chav decided to pour sugar or something in.

The clutch as well! I had the exact same problem in the past, and a few members on here did as well, all with my kind of mileage, it seemed that the clutch was slipping for me when accelerating hard, eg from motorway slipways, but curiously it was intermittent, for example it did it on one leg of a 300mile trip all the time, but driving back it didn't do it once....again though it hasn't done this for around 6months.

[magt1000]

Thanks for your reply Greg.

I guess its comforting to know these are known/common issues and that I'm not the only one! I presume a lot of these known defects have been ironed out with the updated B8's but it would be interesting to hear whether that is the case from other memebers? If my car was out of warranty but suffering from any of these problems I would be pestering my local delearship to have it fixed free of charge on the basis that it is a known part defect and therefore the car was not sold fit for purpose.

I would be worried about the clutch if I was you. My clutch slip was also intermittent but frequent (I never had a 1 week let alone 6 month gap) but I just couldnt take the risk of a cataostrphic failure somewhere out in the sticks given the miles that I do so I bit the bullet and got it sorted. I was pretty appauled by the way I was treated by Audi Cambridge. The car was purchased from an Audi delearship and they had previously had all of my custom yet they were unwilling to even contemplate investigating the problem in the first instance to see what might have been going on. The service manager there came across as particulary arrogant and I have been using Bury St Edmunds Audi ever since, who I might add are excellent and put Cambridge to shame.

In the end the independent quoted £500 to replace the clutch whereas the delaership wanted £750. Audi had just increased the price to £750 from £650 on their 'reduced service pricing list'. At £650 I might have been tempted to stick with the dealaership but £250 is not pocket change (to me at least). I still have the old clucth and flywheel in my garage so I might take some photos and post them on here to get a second opinion.

[Abyss]

I bought my A4 as an ex lease car with 118k on the clock
it has a full and comprehensive Audi dealer service history and the main things that have been replaced are:
Clutch and flywheel @ 90k
a wheel bearing @ 60k

Apart from that, drives brill !

[JimC64]

Hey there, I can't speak from personal experience withyour particular make / model but..........

I assume that you travel mostly motorway miles in your job generally speaking with some stop / start and aroun town thrown in? The reason I ask is this......

I did a similar job ( sales manager ) some years ago and ran a Peugeot 309 1.9 GLD ( dog of a car but reliable ) from new with 7 delivery miles on it, and 3 years later it had 196k miles on it. The clutch went to around 120k and had a few other monor niggles, wheel bearings etc etc but nothing too expensive. It was serviced regularly for the first year at the dealership, then at the works by their "techs!!" and never really missed a beat.

If the above description of your job is correct and its serviced well by the local dealer I'd guess it'll still be going strong at 175k

[markp306]

The above problems were not hugely problematic but at 80k miles with the car just over 3 years old the clutch started to slip. I pestered the dealership to help out and investigate the clutch problem at some kind of discount but they were having none of it. In the end I had a specialist independent replace the clutch, he ended up having to change the flywheel too which was discoloured due to getting hot, £800 in total (I dread to think how much at the dealership!!). I've looked at the replaced parts myself and the clutch wear plate is only half worn, it looks to me as though there is a mechanical defect with the spring on the pressure plate that meant the clutch was not engaging properly when the foot was fully released from the pedal. I just haven't had the time to chase Audi UK in relation to this but the specialist sourced the parts from the local Audi dealership and his contact there said they keep hardly any parts on the shelf in the servicing centre to save space....except that is for Audi A4 clutch assemblies which they are changing all day every day. I suspect they have problems but maybe I'm just being overly suspicious....

The 143TDI does appear to be a common factor with this clutch/flywheel problem. I had both changed on my 143TDI at 35k miles. The flywheel was damaged due to a bearing failure and grease ingres. (Check out the posting for "clutch judder"). Unfortunately for me, the clutch was a side effect of the flywheel problem so both were changed. (I think Audi installed updated parts because the car has been transformed). The dealership cost to replace both items is circa £1900 too, but that is another story.

The other problems with my 143 start on "day 9" of ownership and the list goes on from there and many are in common with other forum members. What happend to the legendary quality anyway?

[Hillbeley]

My 2.0T M8 ES Avant now has 120K, I will be handing it back in a few weeks, I have only had a new gearbox @ 100K and engine re-build/ modification @ 70K(the common excessive oil consumption finally blew holes in the top of 2 pistons).
The front left wheel bearing went at 110K but it still drives like new.
Only one set of brakes - I don't like to use them.
Long term MPG - 32.8 (it got much better after the engine rebuild). And it will now get to 40MPG on my commute. Long term MPH - 58MPH.
Next stop trying a 520D Tourer????

[sportq]

My fathers '08 TDi 143 just had the clutch replaced at 110K. Audi did a goodwill claim and reduced the bill from £1800 to £200! To say he was shocked is an understatement. The fault was a loud noise when depressing the clutch pedal, not wear though.

Pete