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Could you help me please?

I need to buy a car for business use and really want an Audi A6.

I have seen a couple advertised with odometer readings of approx 40K either 2.4 V6 or 1.8T at around $20-25,000 from 2001 to 2004.

Am I buying a heap of trouble for the future?

Also which is more reliable, the V6 or the turbo?

If the A6 is problematic what other cars would you suggest?

Steve

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 19 January 2009

The A6 is a well-appointed and well built car. Audi's company philosophy is advancement through technology, so even by today's standards there's likely to be plenty of cutting edge features, particularly in areas of safety which is advantages for obvious reasons.

That said, repairing anything on such an advanced vehicle is usually fairly specialised and can be quite costly.

We are aware a lot of executive vehicles such as this are now being imported out of Singapore. We advise extreme caution if this is the case with your vehicle. Corroded rubber mouldings, electrical components and wiring are all potential problems that we hear about from time to time.

It's believed Singapore's humid climate is detrimental to such parts.

A comprehensive mechanical warranty insurance could end up saving you a lot of money long term and is definitely worth considering with a vehicle such as this.

Both engines are strong, but I would expect general repair bills to be slightly higher with the V6.

The 1.8T is a great engine, but perhaps a bit small for a large car like the A6, the V6 would be stronger at ferrying around the family or towing.

You may find the smaller engine won't offer great improvements in fuel economy either as it'll have to work that much harder.

Be careful in your selection. Resale values may also suffer if petrol prices remain high or increase further.