1998 Audi A4

[pao312]

hello everyone! im planning on getting an audi a4 1.8 98 model does anyone have any comments about this particular model? mileage, maintenance, price of parts? sirain ba? pros and cons? thanks to whoever can shed some light on the topic.

paolo

[quattro]

if i were you, i'd go for a 1.8 Turbo, either FWD or quattro. the normally aspirated 1.8's are a little bit under-powered, but they're ok i guess if you're not much into speed and all you do is city driving.

reliability-wise, don't expect a european car to be as troublefree as a japanese car. mechanically, audi's are usually pretty reliable. sometimes you may encounter problems with the electronics, just like with a BMW or a Benz. like any pre-owned car, much will depend upon how the previous owner took care of it.

but euro cars are like beautiful high maintenance women. sometimes a little more headache, but an absolute blast when everything is working fine!

[ronw123w124]

Parts ang magiging potential na problema dyan, mukhang walang parts outside the dealer network ang Audi. You'll always be at the mercy of the casa when it comes to spare parts, whatever they charge you, you won't have any choice.

[ronw123w124]

Parts ang magiging potential na problema dyan, mukhang walang parts outside the dealer network ang Audi. You'll always be at the mercy of the casa when it comes to spare parts, whatever they charge you, you won't have any choice.

[pao312]

great thanks for the info! ill basically be using it for city driving so ok na ako kahit hindi sya quattro but that would be great though. is it really that hard to find parts? like sa pasay wala ba dun? i found a place before that had parts for american and euro cars so i was hoping id be able to find parts in those places if ever i do get an audi.

[vinj]

Parts ang magiging potential na problema dyan, mukhang walang parts outside the dealer network ang Audi. You'll always be at the mercy of the casa when it comes to spare parts, whatever they charge you, you won't have any choice.

That was the feedback of my friend who has an A4. He usually has friends from abroad bring in/ship the needed parts.

But all in all, if it's an second car or project car and you have the funds then go for it. It's a understated car with good potential from how i see it.

[pao312]

cool cool.. would anyone have an idea how much parts from the casa are? like the parts that usually need to be replaced? or maybe alternative places to get parts?

[chris_cinco]

Sad to say, parts are scarce but for those who where to look its no problem at all. I drive a 1991 Audi 80 which is definitely a rare car than an A4 yet i get my parts with no problem at all. Parts for Audi are easily accesible through a shop along espana. i forgot the name of the shop but that is where all my parts come from. So if you're still interested in buying the A4, parts are not problem, its the price of the parts that will kill you. From what i learned sa suking Audi shop ko is that newer model of Audi have really have high prices for parts. PM me in case you want to know the exact location.

drvie safe.

[Rasputin]

U can try an independent euro auto shop, AUTOSPORT located between Prestige Cars and Starbucks at Pasong Tamo Ext. They give superb service and they import parts for their customers.

[Horsepower]

If ever wala ka talaga makita locally, just contact me, i'll be glad to help you out ship in parts.

[pao312]

thanks guys! all great input! im glad i posted here. ill contact you guys when i need help once i get it. well im about to start checking out some cars 2mrw is there any advice you guys can give me when i check out the audis? like what to look at? thanks guys!

[chris_cinco]

Audi are great cars to own and definitely much safer than other japanese cars on the road. from my experience on my audi 80, the main thing that you should really look for in buying a car is whether it has service records or not. you need to know what your getting into. at first glance, an A4 might just make you pop-out the check book and close the deal but dont hurry. for a 9 year old car, probably mileage is about 60-80k most probably, the suspension would be going soon but that is a quick fix if money is not an option to you.

as for the engine, if you are intending to use it around the city, i suggest that you get the base engine without the turbo and quattro option just for the simple reason that more things equates to more things to fix in the future. IMHO,Audis are very solid and reliable cars with a look the holds up through the ages. may i suggest that you also look at mercedes benz w124 body, it is the same price range as an A4 but it will offer you the pride and joy of owning one of the best engineered cars in the world. hehehe. I own one as well. finally, in considering your purchase on an A4, you might encounter the problem of selling it in the future. so if youre planning to own it until forever than resale value will not be a factor worth considering. i hope you find a great car!

in the end its your choice, your money to spend.

[pao312]

excellent advise chris! at least i know what to look for when i start shopping around! althought the benz would be good ive really been into the audi since i drove one many years back. i hope i find a great car too! thanks everyone!

[chris_cinco]

i hope you find a great car indeed. ive always liked the stance of the A4. please post some pics of your new ride when you get it. goood luck

[squala]

The A4, for me, looks more exciting than it drives. It's simply a handsome car inside and out with a composed chassis, but not much else. The ride is hard and rear seats lack headroom. The steering is well weighted but doesn't feel as natural as a BMW. Overall driver involvement isn't very good - lacks fun. The 1.8 turbo engine has adequate performance (and could respond well to a racing chip) but lacks that sound you'd expect from a German car even the less powerful 8-valve 316i has a better exhaust note. Finally, maintenance can be expensive, and as it was said, parts can likely be found only in the casa.

Go right ahead if you really like this car, but avoid the non-turbo 1.8 (a 1.6 Jap can smoke it easily).

[empy]

^i agree, the 1.8 feels underpowered even with the turbo because of the heavy body...but a chip makes it just right my friend chiptuned his and it runs pretty respectably with my 330ci.

also, i'd stay away from the FWD if you like driving dynamics....quattro is a much better option in that department despite the extra weight.

[pao312]

im actually just going for the 1.8 coz im not into it for the speed in particular. thanks for the insights! i've drove one for about a week before so im familiar with its performance naman. while i have this thread open, would anyone know where the best place to get audi accessories are? like projector headlights, body modifications, emblems? like baka may shop somewhere that really carries audi accessories so i dont waste time looking for others. thanks!

[squala]

I'm pretty sure a small Audi club exists somewhere in the Metro, and if ever, the members can help you out with the stuff you need.

As for the engine, I'd really push the 1.8T instead of the 1.8. Even if you do not consider speed as a factor in choosing the car, the turbo is easier to swing around town, with much better torque. You also get 5-speed auto unlike the non-turbo which has 4-speed only. It will really struggle, and if you're after economy, it wouldn't be significantly better than the turbo. The price shouldn't also be much higher considering they're almost 10 years-old and do not hold their value as tenacious as a BMW or Benz.

Trust me, the 1.8T is a much better car. One of my highschool classmates had the 1.8 and tried the 1.8T of my other friend, and the difference was more than just a turbine and an extra cog!

[Horsepower]

How about buying the 1.8 and just install aftermarket turbo?

compared against a BMW 316/318 (E36), which is better?

[StraightSix]

I drove a friend's A4 1.8 on a trip two days ago.

Gotta agree, get a 1.8T instead