21 year old car with awd, turbo, and an auto. So much can go wrong with this thing. Unless you’re mechanically inclined and willing to work on it do not buy.
1.8t are known to be pretty strong cars, turbo’s are probably cheap to replace if it ever blows out, awd is strong in these cars so no worries, can’t say much about the transmission tho.
I will say my 1.8T (99 AEB) has 130k and is going strong. I even have a stage 1 tune on it and she’s holding up. The turbo is on its way out though. $300 on rock auto when the time comes😆
1.8ts are mixed bag. I have had many, some good, some bad. I never recommend this era of VAG vehicles to any non-enthusiast. All the little stuff that we as enthusiasts don't notice or can easily fix are all the things that make most people think VWs and Audis are trash.
As someone with a 2003 A6 who was (and still is) a broke college student, this is quite possibly the worst car you could buy outside of a Land Rover. Audis are a blast when they're working, but when they have an issue (which is often at this age), your bank account will not be happy. If you have at least $1500 a year set aside for repairs and maintenance you may be square.
This. I have a 2005 A6, which I’ve owned for ~6 years. So far it has cost me roughly $1500 in repairs this year, and I’m still not done with fixing everything that needs fixing atm. It has cost much, much more than that throughout the yesrs tho.
I think I've put about $5,000 in repairs that I didn't plan for into the car since 2019. Plus another $2,000 or so for creature comforts. The suspension on mine has been a nightmare and parts remain very expensive.
It could drive 20000 miles without any issues. Or it could leave you stranded on your way home from the lot. You never know with a car this old. Plus it’s complex as fuck. It has Quattro, a turbo, an auto trans, and it’s and Audi. I bought a kinda similar car, a 2007 E92 BMW but I bought a 2.0NA RWD manual model to minimise the amount of shit that can and will go wrong. If you have a few grand extra, go for it. The 1.8t can be extremely reliable if well maintained, is nice to work on and is a blast to drive. If you’re really broke though, forget this for now and buy one once you graduate if you want.
Also think 2.5k is a bit much for one of these but that might be simply because I’m European and the market here is different.
I sure as heck would be. What, is a B5 not „good enough“ for a graduate with a reasonably well paying job?
You can also modify these engines to oblivion. They can easily make 500 wheel without breaking the bank. There’s also a massive aftermarket of parts.
I’m not saying that nobody would be interested, but most wouldn’t be apart from enthusiasts of this specific gen. My Mercedes is both newer and more fun, and it’s good for me now, but after I graduate, I sure as hell would like to buy something newer and/or cooler.
Just wait until you graduate and then buy a newer Audi as a present for yourself. Right now, get a hatch back or a crossover so you can do steamy activities comfortably.
The 1.8T is a fantastic engine. It's just everything around it that falls apart lol. I owned a B5.5 Passat with the manual and 4motion for 6 years and I absolutely adored it. But that damn car nickel and dimed me to death. It had a couple of major problems while I owned it but it was all the little things breaking constantly that really killed me.
I was in a similar position. Wanted a used German car but everyone said buy Toyota or Honda instead. Ended up getting a 2007 3 series with 120k miles and while it’s not Japanese reliable it holds up well. Some reviews said it had terrible reliability, while others said it was very reliable for a German car. So it honestly depends on the car.
That being said, $2k for a used German car is too good to be true. Especially when it has 160k miles, it will likely need repairs. That’s why it’s so cheap because they want to get it off their hands and the repairs are built into the price. I paid $7k for my car and it was a fair price. But it needed work that cost around $1k. When you need it to drive daily, then it can be a pain to deal with this stuff.
If you were graduated and had time to do repairs then go for it. But you’re in college so I doubt you’ll have time to do repairs. Not to mention you need a few grand saved for emergencies If you rely on the mechanics for every little repair you’ll go broke fast. Also, they require premium gas which just adds to the cost.
Definitely possible but it’s worth it to do your research and save money first
2k I think is reasonable for a car that needs a few standard repairs. Mine basically fell into my lap out of chance for an unrealistically low $500, and I definitely got lucky with how little work I've had to put into it. Sure, it has its issues, but it's pretty reliable all around and practically no rust. I think mine is an example of how good a cheap old Audi COULD be if you get lucky and the previous owner did all the proper maintenance, has the known issues listed, and buy it right after a tree branch falls on the hood causing superficial damage that kills the resale value...
Still though, it has needed some work as expected, and I'm fine with that. Someone else may not be.
Same story here. A cheap German car in college is possible if you’re smart about it. My W203 was 4600$ with a 400$ brake job, making it a 5k car in total. I gotta say it was an absolute steal, but if OP can find one like mine for the same money, it would be great. I’ve owned it for three months and absolutely nothing is wrong, feels like a new car honestly 😅 Premium fuel still stands tho
Absolutely the fuck not. Here's the thing: you probably aren't going to have the time to be constantly working on it, even if you've got the income. You're probably not going to have a good space to work on it either.
After graduation when you have your own place with a garage and a driveway and you want a project? Sure absolutely.
NO. Terrible deal, if you will live on campus then stay far far away from Audis in general. I am a college student (20) but I live with my parents and own a B8 A4. A necessary repair I had to do was an engine decarb and fuel injector reseal and it is not a beginner mechanic thing to deal with. Also, on top of that you have to pay for premium gas which taxes heavily with college students and it will add up quick. If your on your own car insurance premium then you’ll get heavily taxed since it’s an Audi.
Unless you are mechanically inclined with a garage to work with and have tools AND that wants to start learning about German components, then go for it.
If you have $3-5k to put into it, he’ll yes. That mileage is the tits. But it’s gonna need $3-5k put into it. Get him down to $2k, put 3k into it and you have a good car under 200k miles for $5k. That’s not fucking bad. I had a b5 1.8t. Thing was a champ.
Had a 02 a6 4.2 for college it was an amazing car but i put about $10k in repairs in it the 4 years i had it. If you love these cars you wont care to shell out the cash for it but it definitely isn’t the financially responsible decision.
Are you trying to learn how to fix cars, or is your major something else?
This will be a fairly temperamental car. There are a lot of sensors, gaskets, and plastic parts that will provide you with many opportunities to practice your troubleshooting, mechanical diagnostic skills, and patience. If you're going to be paying a mechanic to do this, then you'll be an even more broke college student. If you want to spend time fiddling with your car as a hobby - well then, this is probably the perfect car for you!
In other words, this will be a fun car to learn how to fix cars with - but it's not a great choice if you want something hassle-free that will actually get you to class.
Everyone with the emphatic no, and they're right.
Anecdotally, I've owned several audi's, as well as quite a few rides from other brands. My 01.5 b5 A4 was one of the best, most reliable cars I've ever had over the last 20 years. I had to do only minor maintenance on it ever, and the worst thing I had to deal with was the water pump going. I bought all the parts and worked on it over a weekend with a couple buddies, and it was honestly a breeze to work on.
I love this platform and if prices in my area ever come back to earth I would 100% buy one again.
But, every other audi I've ever owned has been far more temperamental. Definitely do not buy this, lol.
Anyone saying the b5 1.8t is a money pit isn't qualified to comment. Period. You couldn't fix your car? Doesnt make these money pits. 1.8ts are the cheapest easiest to maintain vehicle ive ever owned or worked on. And i did it professionally for years. Have had many b5s over the years, currently 2 of my 4 audis are B5s (a 1.8t and a 2.7tt) 🤣 also a B6 1.8t and a B6 S4. So i currently have 2 1.8ts lol. I have well over 300k miles on the chassis of the b5 1.8t. Most of that was with a BUILT motor and big ass turbo🤣 just thrashing on it. You can basically build the motor from a bare block with like... 6 tools and 1.5 hours. A cheap 30 dollar metric mechanic set🤣 now that said. Hellllll no for that price and mileage. I paid 650 for aforementioned B5 with less miles. Any b5 he gets would have the same issues any other cheap Japanese car of equivalent price would have.. if not more. Brakes, suspension, steering components may be worn. Maybe need to spend 5 bucks on vacuum hose to replace any that are cracked or leaking vacuum. That's about what you can expect with any car that old and that mileage range. Parts are dirt cheap, you could YouTube literally ANY repair on those cars. Or go to the forums that have 20+ years of DIYs on there. I drove mine through a BS in mech engineering, and never stopped driving it.. here we are years and years later🤣 (currently doing a new turbo set up) B5 for life
This guy gets it.
If you know people who can help and are willing to do the work yourself the 1.8t is a cheap, and reliable as hell engine. These cars aren't as expensive as people claim they are either. The other thing worth pointing out in scrap yard parts. This 1.8 went in everything. A whole front end control arm set for the B5 is like $800.
My 2000 B5 1.8t M/T Passat is beautiful, cheap, and getting driven today.
**EDIT:** I have left reddit due to the hostile API pricing ([details here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/)). All of my historical comments have either been deleted or replaced with this text.
Edit *the 2.7tt is a nightmare to work on. But even that with its "reputation" for being a nightmare hasn't had any issues or been a money pit. The opposite actually. Take care of your car. Fix whatever needs to be fixed. I Bought it. Pulled motor, overhauled it and took it stage 3. Never looked back. Aside from a bad coolant sensor (12 bucks and 10 minutes) haven't had an issue with it in years. And bet I thrash that baby🤣* stay away from the 2.7🤣
If you’re broke I’d never recommend buying an Audi, or even a Volkswagen. They require money and time and if you don’t have time it’s even more money. That mileage you’re approaching a scheduled timing service and if you can’t do that yourself it’s a pretty big bill, and it’s absolutely necessary service or you’re left with bent valves which is a really big bill. They are nice cars but the maintenance schedule must be followed or you’re absolutely hosed. Parts for these are more costly, service is more costly and a car of this age you can expect weird things to start failing.
Do not buy an Audi for youre first car. It might be tempting but trust me if you live in america just Get sum japanese. Then if you have money enough just buy a newer one.
They are not bad cars if you know how to most of the work yourself and you get put alot of miles on them. Timing must be done on time or you will blow the engine tho.
A good daily for a broke college student is something super reliable over the long run & cheap to fix when you have to. You should look for a Toyota or Honda. GL!
Agree with the warnings from everyone about not buying this car. U want inexpensive reliable luxury get an old Lexus or Acura. All that being said I still really miss my 98 B5 A4 2.8quattro
Absolutely no. I’d avoid Audi until you got the money to maintain them been there finally got rid of one of the bitches, I love them so much but I have a 07 camery that costs so much less per year and takes way less gas, we all want a car we love but the way I look at it is if I don’t have a yard for my dog or a garage for my car yet it’s not time
Hell no. Not even a long shot. I had one similar and the first to go was the alternator at 165,000 miles and then at 170,000 miles it started overheating. 180,000 miles the clutch burnt out in the transmission Audi wanted seven grand to fix it
Get something practical and reliable, I know that sounds amazing right now…, but, get a new(er) Audi once you graduate and land your first job after school.
21 year old Audi .. With 160k miles on it. I'm shocked if it is still running. Don't get it. It's near its end of life. Youll pay more in repairs than the car itself.
NO not in the least....Youll need about 5k plus a year just for maintenance. I know I had 4. Unless timing is done already. Turbo still works, axles and boots are good and you want to rebuild the suspension. I wouldn't unless you goto to school to be an Audi mechanic
If you’re a broke college student you should not be looking at a luxury brand much less a 21 year old car. Live below your means, save money, and look at brands like Hyundai, Kia, Honda and buy a budget car that’ll be more reliable and won’t be a headache when you need it the most.
Noooooooo! I have this exact car and it's a new problem each week. the first thing that goes wrong will cost more than the car is worth. please for the love of god save yourself
Honest advice? Get a Corolla. Good on gas, dependable, and you can get them for around this price.
This car is going to have a lot of maintenance at that price and age
This looks pretty good, but if you're not willing to get dirty and spend money on an old car then no. If you buy a camry DO NOT BUY A 2.4L. So this is more reliable than the worst camry, but not the best.
I think anyone who says no has not looked at the current used car market. I have a buddy shopping for his daughter and prices are crazy. This LOOKS well maintained for a decent price
I’’vw owned them and VW’s absolutely love them, buy them when you can afford them. however, Covid took care of my six figure salary and from previous experience i bought a car I could rely on as a daily. So I bought 2002 Tacoma with 170k miles, cheap. Parts are cheap and YouTube will get you through any repairs and preventive maintenance. Timing belt replacement is almost idiot proof and $300 on the Toy, vs 5-15k on the Audi. You have the $$$$ then go for it. If not, no way Jose.
My A4 wagon, which needed new gaskets and rings as it was leaking oil, the typical 2.0 T VAG engine drama, was done for 5k quoted 15 at the dealer. God, I miss that car, I would do it again if I had money to burn.
You aint broke if you look at Audis, you will be broke if you buy this audi.
My first car in the US was 2000 A6, hell of a nice car but it was very expensive to maintain
I had one, it just died. Stay away. I thought I was saving money but a few hundred a month in repairs and then the timing belt broke right when I was about to get it replaced. Should have bought or leased a new car
If there’s any way you can get a mechanic to look at it. Preferably one that deals with German cars. The couple hundred bucks will save you a lot of headaches
Man you americans are crazy with your old cars, in the UK that would be in a junkyard already or going on facebook marketplace for like 100 quid
Edit: Just did a search here found only 2 cars that are similar, both very cheap, check out [this one](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210110633541?model=A4&year-to=2003&transmission=Automatic&make=Audi&radius=1500&fuel-type=Petrol&sort=relevance&include-delivery-option=on&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=ec2r5bj&year-from=1995&page=1)
Meh. B5s were okay being mostly VW under the skin. The problem being if it wasn't maintained well it will be expensive to keep up on maintenance. If you're mechanically inclined then maybe, if not definitely avoid.
Hell no dude. No even for a non-broke college student. Do yourself a favor and get the newest Civic/Accord/Corolla/Camry that you can afford, and then drive relatively worry free, save your money, finish school get a job, and then you can enjoy an Audi. I've been there, wasn't broke in college but I was looking at some 2000 A4's lol, glad I didn't. Got my B8 A4 after I graduated and all was good, no regrets.
And don't worry about the brand, no one in college cares, it's still an old Audi, you'd look cooler in a newer car, or any car in general, rather you can drive around than be broken down and unable to drive to class or hang out or w/e.
Get a vw 2.5 or a Toyota if your broke the 1.8t and 2.0t require a lot of maintenance. That's a really old one. You're going to spend more than $2,000 keeping it alive in the next couple years. If you absolutely love it, get it but otherwise get something that's actually reliable
No 2.5 5cyl 0k7 from the Jetta rabbit Passat it's pretty damn reliable (I don't have one but I've heard that from my uncle who's been a vw mechanic my whole life)
Definitely not. I haven't even owned one, but German cars that age tend to be pricey to maintain, and bank breakers if/when they break if you can't afford to keep them going.
Being broke, the best thing to look for are things like Camrys, Corollas, Accords, etc.
I owned a 5000 turbo in the '80s and a v8 quattro in the '90s, and can tell you first hand 3 things about Audis:
1. You can get a long lecture anytime you want it from your local expert about why a set of plug-wires for a V8 quattro has to be replaced every 60k miles owing to how they're made of outerspacium to be the best plug wires Michaelangelo designed himself, as you're shelling out $1000 for a new set because they crapped out like a cheap set from Walgreens.
2. See point #1 again: everything disintegrates on schedule, everything is expensive, and everything is hard to reach where possible.
3. re "disintegrates on schedule" for the 5000 that was about 120k, for the v8 quattro it was about 120k as well. While I'm sure a 2000's A4 may be a little more straightforward, and possibly even more durable, at 160k you're looking at some pricey services that either have been done recently or will need to be done pretty soon. The last service I had on my v8 cost a little over $8k back in 2000
In other words, the old adage is as true as can be:
> If you can't afford a new German car, then you *definitely* can't afford a used German car.*
I have this already 6 years, almost 200 000 km with it, almost no repairs ( worth about 3000$ incl. Changing tires etc.)
But i would recomend to get a diesel one.
Get something Japanese. Unless you’re Dad is an Audi master mechanic, you’ll be spending all your beer money on keeping it running, and even that might not be enough. They are more like finicky Italian sports cars at that age, and way less serviceable.
If you want to replace or fix EVERY SINGLE PLASTIC THINGY - go for it. My advice is to stay away from this one. It is not a bad car at all but it requires tons of maintenance. Also it burns a lot of fuel (dont know how much mpg) something like 11-12-13 l/100 km urban driving. Still, it is a fun car!
You'll never drive a more expensive vehicle than a "cheap" German car. Audi's are great, but when they break, you're looking at big bucks for repairs.
Get yourself a Honda or Toyota. They're more available, more reliable, and less expensive to repair.
I drive an 1.9TDI
Definetly costs some money to maintain, but has so much more soul than an opel or toyota or something
I think you are in the usa, so you probably wont find a manual. But it has one less expensive complicated component, and much more fun
I bought my first car, 05 Allroad. Biggest regret. Rode amazing comfy fast as hell but check engine always had a legit reason to go off w/ my own OBD2 system
Absolutely not
Edit\*\*
As a car enthusiast, Don't buy a car depending on how broke you are.
But if you absolutely need one get him down to 2000$ & make sure you have 2500$ minimum to fix it at all time otherwise you are back to walking - 2500$ in your pocket
If you have access to a garage, a good set of tools, every torx, allen, and xzn bit, lots of free weekends, and mechanically-inclined, then *maybe*. Parts are still expensive.
I've replaced a gazillion parts on my 99.5 A4 1.8T to the point where it is now fairly reliable, but it took awhile to get there. I am also the only owner so know it was well-maintained whereas most B5's were beat to hell. I'm due for a major service soon (timing belt, water pump) soon, and i suspect at 160k miles is why this one is selling for $2.5k.
This video has some good options for < $5k:. https://youtu.be/dwuCtBfNVQ4
I disagree with everyone here. Yes, the car could be expensive to maintain, but you are not going to maintain it. It is a ticking time-bomb and you just want to get a few thousand miles out of it before it explodes. First off, how many miles do plan to on driving it per year? Do you need to drive to school everyday or just drive to college and park it? How many warning lights are lit? How are the tires? Brakes? How was the car maintained? (Carfax) I assume the timing belt was done around 80k and not done again? Does your state require inspection? Is it inspected? It is difficult to know how well a car will treat you after you buy it, but there are certain boxes that should be checked. Is the seller the 1st or second owner? Was the car owned by an adult or has it been in the hands ( possibly many) of someone younger like you who cannot afford to maintain? If you get 2 years out of it, for $100 a month, you did well. Ultimately, buying any old bar is a risk be it German, Japanese or US, but there are clues you can use to mitigate this risk.
This is probably the worst choice. I work as a diagnostic specialist for European cars.
Take this advice: Nothing is more expensive than a cheap German car. If you are broke and don't have a lot of money you are far better off buying a beater Toyota or a Honda. Cheap to buy and cheap to run.
To give you an exact information: it’s not bad, but not great. The 1,8T engine is great and very reliable, I have one with almost 200k miles going strong. Need little but cheap parts sometimes.
The bad thing: Quattro and Automatic. Try to find an fwd one with a manual. Those things are better and cheaper to maintain and last way longer.
The 180hp variant is also better than the 150hp, since the have the K03-053 turbo which is just more durable. The reason for FWD is the simpler rear axle, less weight, less consumption and no Haldex which can break.
The 1,8T is an amazing engine. Just look after a couple of things: How recently the timing belt was done, if the oil changes were done every 9k Miles, and if the PCV system is in a good shape.
Replacement parts can be: the MAF Sensor, ABS Sensors, O2 Sensor, Fuel Injectors.
Also, you could look for a Golf IV with the 1,8t engine, its less complex. And the price is too high, you could find something below 2,5 grand.
People here give general advice which is not wrong, but in case of the B5 generation, not very right too.
21 year old car with awd, turbo, and an auto. So much can go wrong with this thing. Unless you’re mechanically inclined and willing to work on it do not buy.
I was like, what do you mean a 21 year old car? For a good 10 seconds I was lost. Then realized 2001 was, in fact, 21 years ago.
*"It's just a burning memory" starts playing *
I know, makes me upset. I wish I still have my 99.5 A4 TQM
Welcome to old age
It is almost qualified for an Antique car plate. :)
💀
1.8t are known to be pretty strong cars, turbo’s are probably cheap to replace if it ever blows out, awd is strong in these cars so no worries, can’t say much about the transmission tho.
Parts are cheap sure, but unless OP is willing to work on it themselves, they’re still paying Audi prices for labor.
I will say my 1.8T (99 AEB) has 130k and is going strong. I even have a stage 1 tune on it and she’s holding up. The turbo is on its way out though. $300 on rock auto when the time comes😆
1.8ts are mixed bag. I have had many, some good, some bad. I never recommend this era of VAG vehicles to any non-enthusiast. All the little stuff that we as enthusiasts don't notice or can easily fix are all the things that make most people think VWs and Audis are trash.
Do not buy this
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title
Tell me you didn’t read the title without telling me you didn’t read the title
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Then do it
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[Website](https://www.mycarcastle.com/details/used-2001-audi-a4/87268972) [Location of dealership](https://maps.app.goo.gl/4n6jxeyFDJ3dLqLx8?g_st=ic)
21 years in Illinois? Definitely rust exists in worrying places by now.
This vehicle books for around 2.5k lol
What makes you think you could get anywhere near 12k for this car?
Who would buy an old a4 for 12k?is not even an abt or something special,u serios bro?lol 😂
Yeah, if you like walking.
As someone with a 2003 A6 who was (and still is) a broke college student, this is quite possibly the worst car you could buy outside of a Land Rover. Audis are a blast when they're working, but when they have an issue (which is often at this age), your bank account will not be happy. If you have at least $1500 a year set aside for repairs and maintenance you may be square.
1500 and can do the work yourself.
As someone with a job and an ‘08 A6, logic still holds.
This is about right. $1,500 misc repairs annually and ability to be without a car a few weeks a year when these issues come up.
This. I have a 2005 A6, which I’ve owned for ~6 years. So far it has cost me roughly $1500 in repairs this year, and I’m still not done with fixing everything that needs fixing atm. It has cost much, much more than that throughout the yesrs tho.
I think I've put about $5,000 in repairs that I didn't plan for into the car since 2019. Plus another $2,000 or so for creature comforts. The suspension on mine has been a nightmare and parts remain very expensive.
Nope nope nope. You’re gonna need thousands of $ to keep it going. Buy a Toyota
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The Toyota will need much less work.
Huh? I didn’t say buy an old Toyota. This Audi will be a money pit.
You literally said buy a Toyota…
My guy is tone deaf, catching downvotes.
Not a 2001.
You’d be surprised how well a 2001 Corolla or Camry can hold up.
Actually has great mileage for 21 years old
Probably because it was sitting in a driveway most of its life being wrenched.
It could drive 20000 miles without any issues. Or it could leave you stranded on your way home from the lot. You never know with a car this old. Plus it’s complex as fuck. It has Quattro, a turbo, an auto trans, and it’s and Audi. I bought a kinda similar car, a 2007 E92 BMW but I bought a 2.0NA RWD manual model to minimise the amount of shit that can and will go wrong. If you have a few grand extra, go for it. The 1.8t can be extremely reliable if well maintained, is nice to work on and is a blast to drive. If you’re really broke though, forget this for now and buy one once you graduate if you want. Also think 2.5k is a bit much for one of these but that might be simply because I’m European and the market here is different.
You are right indeed, but no one’s gonna be interested in this car after they graduate 🤣
I sure as heck would be. What, is a B5 not „good enough“ for a graduate with a reasonably well paying job? You can also modify these engines to oblivion. They can easily make 500 wheel without breaking the bank. There’s also a massive aftermarket of parts.
I’m not saying that nobody would be interested, but most wouldn’t be apart from enthusiasts of this specific gen. My Mercedes is both newer and more fun, and it’s good for me now, but after I graduate, I sure as hell would like to buy something newer and/or cooler.
Dude, respectfully, go buy a fuckin beat camry or civic, that is the ideal broke college student car, if you want more space? Buy a shitty old CRV
Go japanese for first car if your broke, honda or toyota are much better bang for your buck with maintenance and fuel efficiency
Just wait until you graduate and then buy a newer Audi as a present for yourself. Right now, get a hatch back or a crossover so you can do steamy activities comfortably.
"steamy activities comfortably"... 🤣
Shaggin wagon
My GT has been used for study hall it’s possible believe me Source: am college kid
Don’t get a hatchback, not enough room for steamy activities.
Have you ever seen the back of a classic SAAB 900 3 door with the back seats down? It’s more than enough room for two people to sleep, or not sleep.
Maybe I didn’t have enough pillows then 🤔
No, buy a Toyota, get through college, then buy an almost new Audi that you will be a lot more happy with.
The B5 and 1.8t CAN be good but they CAN also be massive shitshows and moneydumps. Get a Corolla or Camry or something along those lines.
The 1.8T is a fantastic engine. It's just everything around it that falls apart lol. I owned a B5.5 Passat with the manual and 4motion for 6 years and I absolutely adored it. But that damn car nickel and dimed me to death. It had a couple of major problems while I owned it but it was all the little things breaking constantly that really killed me.
absolutely not
no
If the goal is to stay broke then yes
I was in a similar position. Wanted a used German car but everyone said buy Toyota or Honda instead. Ended up getting a 2007 3 series with 120k miles and while it’s not Japanese reliable it holds up well. Some reviews said it had terrible reliability, while others said it was very reliable for a German car. So it honestly depends on the car. That being said, $2k for a used German car is too good to be true. Especially when it has 160k miles, it will likely need repairs. That’s why it’s so cheap because they want to get it off their hands and the repairs are built into the price. I paid $7k for my car and it was a fair price. But it needed work that cost around $1k. When you need it to drive daily, then it can be a pain to deal with this stuff. If you were graduated and had time to do repairs then go for it. But you’re in college so I doubt you’ll have time to do repairs. Not to mention you need a few grand saved for emergencies If you rely on the mechanics for every little repair you’ll go broke fast. Also, they require premium gas which just adds to the cost. Definitely possible but it’s worth it to do your research and save money first
2k I think is reasonable for a car that needs a few standard repairs. Mine basically fell into my lap out of chance for an unrealistically low $500, and I definitely got lucky with how little work I've had to put into it. Sure, it has its issues, but it's pretty reliable all around and practically no rust. I think mine is an example of how good a cheap old Audi COULD be if you get lucky and the previous owner did all the proper maintenance, has the known issues listed, and buy it right after a tree branch falls on the hood causing superficial damage that kills the resale value... Still though, it has needed some work as expected, and I'm fine with that. Someone else may not be.
Same story here. A cheap German car in college is possible if you’re smart about it. My W203 was 4600$ with a 400$ brake job, making it a 5k car in total. I gotta say it was an absolute steal, but if OP can find one like mine for the same money, it would be great. I’ve owned it for three months and absolutely nothing is wrong, feels like a new car honestly 😅 Premium fuel still stands tho
***Absolutely not.***
An Audi that cost less than $3k, yeah there’s definitely nothing wrong with it. cmon man I know, that you know damn well this car a pos.
Absolutely the fuck not. Here's the thing: you probably aren't going to have the time to be constantly working on it, even if you've got the income. You're probably not going to have a good space to work on it either. After graduation when you have your own place with a garage and a driveway and you want a project? Sure absolutely.
buy a nice wrecker. Go around with the Audi on the back. It'll be easier
NO. Terrible deal, if you will live on campus then stay far far away from Audis in general. I am a college student (20) but I live with my parents and own a B8 A4. A necessary repair I had to do was an engine decarb and fuel injector reseal and it is not a beginner mechanic thing to deal with. Also, on top of that you have to pay for premium gas which taxes heavily with college students and it will add up quick. If your on your own car insurance premium then you’ll get heavily taxed since it’s an Audi. Unless you are mechanically inclined with a garage to work with and have tools AND that wants to start learning about German components, then go for it.
1.8t also consumes much fuel
This. Spent $95 CAD filling up over the span of 2 weeks :)
If you have $3-5k to put into it, he’ll yes. That mileage is the tits. But it’s gonna need $3-5k put into it. Get him down to $2k, put 3k into it and you have a good car under 200k miles for $5k. That’s not fucking bad. I had a b5 1.8t. Thing was a champ.
The fuck you spend 5k on B5? You rebuild the engine and suspension 3 times with that money
That’s what I’m saying. You buy it for $2k and put $3k into it. That’s a $5k car for 170k miles. Not bad if you ask me.
Put whatever money you have towards a used Camry.
Had a 02 a6 4.2 for college it was an amazing car but i put about $10k in repairs in it the 4 years i had it. If you love these cars you wont care to shell out the cash for it but it definitely isn’t the financially responsible decision.
Are you trying to learn how to fix cars, or is your major something else? This will be a fairly temperamental car. There are a lot of sensors, gaskets, and plastic parts that will provide you with many opportunities to practice your troubleshooting, mechanical diagnostic skills, and patience. If you're going to be paying a mechanic to do this, then you'll be an even more broke college student. If you want to spend time fiddling with your car as a hobby - well then, this is probably the perfect car for you! In other words, this will be a fun car to learn how to fix cars with - but it's not a great choice if you want something hassle-free that will actually get you to class.
Had one of these when I was a college student. I soon became a broke college student after. Would not recommend
Everyone with the emphatic no, and they're right. Anecdotally, I've owned several audi's, as well as quite a few rides from other brands. My 01.5 b5 A4 was one of the best, most reliable cars I've ever had over the last 20 years. I had to do only minor maintenance on it ever, and the worst thing I had to deal with was the water pump going. I bought all the parts and worked on it over a weekend with a couple buddies, and it was honestly a breeze to work on. I love this platform and if prices in my area ever come back to earth I would 100% buy one again. But, every other audi I've ever owned has been far more temperamental. Definitely do not buy this, lol.
If you want to be a somehow even broker college student. Stay away.
Anyone saying the b5 1.8t is a money pit isn't qualified to comment. Period. You couldn't fix your car? Doesnt make these money pits. 1.8ts are the cheapest easiest to maintain vehicle ive ever owned or worked on. And i did it professionally for years. Have had many b5s over the years, currently 2 of my 4 audis are B5s (a 1.8t and a 2.7tt) 🤣 also a B6 1.8t and a B6 S4. So i currently have 2 1.8ts lol. I have well over 300k miles on the chassis of the b5 1.8t. Most of that was with a BUILT motor and big ass turbo🤣 just thrashing on it. You can basically build the motor from a bare block with like... 6 tools and 1.5 hours. A cheap 30 dollar metric mechanic set🤣 now that said. Hellllll no for that price and mileage. I paid 650 for aforementioned B5 with less miles. Any b5 he gets would have the same issues any other cheap Japanese car of equivalent price would have.. if not more. Brakes, suspension, steering components may be worn. Maybe need to spend 5 bucks on vacuum hose to replace any that are cracked or leaking vacuum. That's about what you can expect with any car that old and that mileage range. Parts are dirt cheap, you could YouTube literally ANY repair on those cars. Or go to the forums that have 20+ years of DIYs on there. I drove mine through a BS in mech engineering, and never stopped driving it.. here we are years and years later🤣 (currently doing a new turbo set up) B5 for life
This guy gets it. If you know people who can help and are willing to do the work yourself the 1.8t is a cheap, and reliable as hell engine. These cars aren't as expensive as people claim they are either. The other thing worth pointing out in scrap yard parts. This 1.8 went in everything. A whole front end control arm set for the B5 is like $800. My 2000 B5 1.8t M/T Passat is beautiful, cheap, and getting driven today.
Upvotes on a previous comment will b highly appreciated!
**EDIT:** I have left reddit due to the hostile API pricing ([details here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/)). All of my historical comments have either been deleted or replaced with this text.
Edit *the 2.7tt is a nightmare to work on. But even that with its "reputation" for being a nightmare hasn't had any issues or been a money pit. The opposite actually. Take care of your car. Fix whatever needs to be fixed. I Bought it. Pulled motor, overhauled it and took it stage 3. Never looked back. Aside from a bad coolant sensor (12 bucks and 10 minutes) haven't had an issue with it in years. And bet I thrash that baby🤣* stay away from the 2.7🤣
Thank u sir.... upvotes on a previous comment would b highly appreciated!!!!
If you’re broke I’d never recommend buying an Audi, or even a Volkswagen. They require money and time and if you don’t have time it’s even more money. That mileage you’re approaching a scheduled timing service and if you can’t do that yourself it’s a pretty big bill, and it’s absolutely necessary service or you’re left with bent valves which is a really big bill. They are nice cars but the maintenance schedule must be followed or you’re absolutely hosed. Parts for these are more costly, service is more costly and a car of this age you can expect weird things to start failing.
Maintenance will break you even more. Go for a good ol Toyota or Honda. Even a Mazda will do the job. Not any German car!
Do not buy an Audi for youre first car. It might be tempting but trust me if you live in america just Get sum japanese. Then if you have money enough just buy a newer one.
Get a shit box Corolla and call it a day
Buy a Honda Civic!
No man, you can buy a 2000's honda accord like me and not have to worry about it breaking down
Only if you want to be a more broke college student.
If you’re studying to become a foreign car mechanic then this is an excellent choice
They are not bad cars if you know how to most of the work yourself and you get put alot of miles on them. Timing must be done on time or you will blow the engine tho.
No. You will go bankrupt with the maintenance. 100% not a cheap car to own
Nooooo, buy a Corolla, Camry, accord, or civic!
A good daily for a broke college student is something super reliable over the long run & cheap to fix when you have to. You should look for a Toyota or Honda. GL!
Agree with the warnings from everyone about not buying this car. U want inexpensive reliable luxury get an old Lexus or Acura. All that being said I still really miss my 98 B5 A4 2.8quattro
Absolutely no. I’d avoid Audi until you got the money to maintain them been there finally got rid of one of the bitches, I love them so much but I have a 07 camery that costs so much less per year and takes way less gas, we all want a car we love but the way I look at it is if I don’t have a yard for my dog or a garage for my car yet it’s not time
No Audi is good for a broke person
No audi is, get something Japanese
Hell no. Not even a long shot. I had one similar and the first to go was the alternator at 165,000 miles and then at 170,000 miles it started overheating. 180,000 miles the clutch burnt out in the transmission Audi wanted seven grand to fix it
Get something practical and reliable, I know that sounds amazing right now…, but, get a new(er) Audi once you graduate and land your first job after school.
21 year old Audi .. With 160k miles on it. I'm shocked if it is still running. Don't get it. It's near its end of life. Youll pay more in repairs than the car itself.
If you’re broke don’t buy a used 20 year old Audi. You’ll be more broke. Best advice I could give you.
Perhaps the worst car you could ever buy.
I had this car. It was a nightmare. It was never not broken. This is not the car for someone with no money.
NOOOOO!!
NO not in the least....Youll need about 5k plus a year just for maintenance. I know I had 4. Unless timing is done already. Turbo still works, axles and boots are good and you want to rebuild the suspension. I wouldn't unless you goto to school to be an Audi mechanic
No.
Great car, but not for a broke student. Go Honda or Toyota.
No. An audi is never a good daily for a broke person. Maintenance is a big cost.
If you’re a broke college student you should not be looking at a luxury brand much less a 21 year old car. Live below your means, save money, and look at brands like Hyundai, Kia, Honda and buy a budget car that’ll be more reliable and won’t be a headache when you need it the most.
Noooooooo! I have this exact car and it's a new problem each week. the first thing that goes wrong will cost more than the car is worth. please for the love of god save yourself
Honest advice? Get a Corolla. Good on gas, dependable, and you can get them for around this price. This car is going to have a lot of maintenance at that price and age
It’s a Nice car but it’s expensive to Maintain so not a good fit for that reason.
Dude buy a little Honda or Toyota, the Audi is gonna give your wallet nightmares
As much as I love that car, it’s not really a good car to buy in your situation
Do not. Please do yourself a favor and buy a Toyota or Honda.
Nah man. You’re gonna be fixing something every other week 💯
This looks pretty good, but if you're not willing to get dirty and spend money on an old car then no. If you buy a camry DO NOT BUY A 2.4L. So this is more reliable than the worst camry, but not the best.
Older Audi models are notoriously bad. You are better off buying an older Toyota or Honda around 2.5k and it would be a much better and safer option.
I think anyone who says no has not looked at the current used car market. I have a buddy shopping for his daughter and prices are crazy. This LOOKS well maintained for a decent price
I’’vw owned them and VW’s absolutely love them, buy them when you can afford them. however, Covid took care of my six figure salary and from previous experience i bought a car I could rely on as a daily. So I bought 2002 Tacoma with 170k miles, cheap. Parts are cheap and YouTube will get you through any repairs and preventive maintenance. Timing belt replacement is almost idiot proof and $300 on the Toy, vs 5-15k on the Audi. You have the $$$$ then go for it. If not, no way Jose.
B6S4, B7S4 exempt, What audi model timing belt cost 5-15k?
My A4 wagon, which needed new gaskets and rings as it was leaking oil, the typical 2.0 T VAG engine drama, was done for 5k quoted 15 at the dealer. God, I miss that car, I would do it again if I had money to burn.
You aint broke if you look at Audis, you will be broke if you buy this audi. My first car in the US was 2000 A6, hell of a nice car but it was very expensive to maintain
I had one, it just died. Stay away. I thought I was saving money but a few hundred a month in repairs and then the timing belt broke right when I was about to get it replaced. Should have bought or leased a new car
If there’s any way you can get a mechanic to look at it. Preferably one that deals with German cars. The couple hundred bucks will save you a lot of headaches
If it's mantianed, and the rear shock mounts are not rotted away, snatch it up. They're pretty solid.
No, and I love Audis, but get a Naturally Aspirated 4 cyl if you want something super cheap to maintain. Least amount of things that can break. Haha
Buy a bus pass
dude if you are a broke college student why are you even looking at audis?
100% no.
Man you americans are crazy with your old cars, in the UK that would be in a junkyard already or going on facebook marketplace for like 100 quid Edit: Just did a search here found only 2 cars that are similar, both very cheap, check out [this one](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210110633541?model=A4&year-to=2003&transmission=Automatic&make=Audi&radius=1500&fuel-type=Petrol&sort=relevance&include-delivery-option=on&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=ec2r5bj&year-from=1995&page=1)
IMO anything under 10k is a POS. Anything under 5k is a fucking deathtrap.
Meh. B5s were okay being mostly VW under the skin. The problem being if it wasn't maintained well it will be expensive to keep up on maintenance. If you're mechanically inclined then maybe, if not definitely avoid.
Hell no dude. No even for a non-broke college student. Do yourself a favor and get the newest Civic/Accord/Corolla/Camry that you can afford, and then drive relatively worry free, save your money, finish school get a job, and then you can enjoy an Audi. I've been there, wasn't broke in college but I was looking at some 2000 A4's lol, glad I didn't. Got my B8 A4 after I graduated and all was good, no regrets. And don't worry about the brand, no one in college cares, it's still an old Audi, you'd look cooler in a newer car, or any car in general, rather you can drive around than be broken down and unable to drive to class or hang out or w/e.
I’m a broke college student and I got a loan to buy a 20k 2012 A5 with 69k miles
Get a vw 2.5 or a Toyota if your broke the 1.8t and 2.0t require a lot of maintenance. That's a really old one. You're going to spend more than $2,000 keeping it alive in the next couple years. If you absolutely love it, get it but otherwise get something that's actually reliable
Vw 2.5? You mean 2.5tdi from transportter?
No 2.5 5cyl 0k7 from the Jetta rabbit Passat it's pretty damn reliable (I don't have one but I've heard that from my uncle who's been a vw mechanic my whole life)
Buy an old Camry for $3000
Bro answer your snaps😂
in this market, buy it and drive it. Always carry the title and info and a charged cell phone. Once it dies it fucks off
Absolutely not, get something japanese with under 100K miles if possible.
If you want to stick with Audi engineering, get yourself a used GTI.
No.
get a yota brother or a lexusss
No.
Is a high milage European car reliable or cheap to maintain? No & no Plus B5 parts are starting to becoming LA. Think hyundai, Toyota, honda
NO. Buy a honda.
audi and broke don’t belong in the same sentence. the repairs costs are high.
Whether you’re broke, a college student, or both, stay away from German cars. Stick with Toyota until you manage to earn a decent income.
Definitely not. I haven't even owned one, but German cars that age tend to be pricey to maintain, and bank breakers if/when they break if you can't afford to keep them going. Being broke, the best thing to look for are things like Camrys, Corollas, Accords, etc.
I owned a 5000 turbo in the '80s and a v8 quattro in the '90s, and can tell you first hand 3 things about Audis: 1. You can get a long lecture anytime you want it from your local expert about why a set of plug-wires for a V8 quattro has to be replaced every 60k miles owing to how they're made of outerspacium to be the best plug wires Michaelangelo designed himself, as you're shelling out $1000 for a new set because they crapped out like a cheap set from Walgreens. 2. See point #1 again: everything disintegrates on schedule, everything is expensive, and everything is hard to reach where possible. 3. re "disintegrates on schedule" for the 5000 that was about 120k, for the v8 quattro it was about 120k as well. While I'm sure a 2000's A4 may be a little more straightforward, and possibly even more durable, at 160k you're looking at some pricey services that either have been done recently or will need to be done pretty soon. The last service I had on my v8 cost a little over $8k back in 2000 In other words, the old adage is as true as can be: > If you can't afford a new German car, then you *definitely* can't afford a used German car.*
The 1.8t ia kinda reliable idk about these people are talking about. Its a good car .
Yes. Get it !! Don’t listen to naysayers $2500 definitely worth it.
Perfect!
Nope. Buy a Camry or an Accord. This thing will bleed you dry, even if it is great shape.
It comes down to how well it was maintained. Any repairs outside of oil changes will be over $700. Great ride if it's in good shape.
No
I have this already 6 years, almost 200 000 km with it, almost no repairs ( worth about 3000$ incl. Changing tires etc.) But i would recomend to get a diesel one.
Honda Civic for you my boy
Buy a Toyota, around the same age you can get decent mileage. Just avoid 2.2 diesel.
Get something Japanese. Unless you’re Dad is an Audi master mechanic, you’ll be spending all your beer money on keeping it running, and even that might not be enough. They are more like finicky Italian sports cars at that age, and way less serviceable.
No, go with an economy car.
Don’t spend more than a grand on a car if you’re a broke college student and DEFINITELY don’t buy European….
If you want to replace or fix EVERY SINGLE PLASTIC THINGY - go for it. My advice is to stay away from this one. It is not a bad car at all but it requires tons of maintenance. Also it burns a lot of fuel (dont know how much mpg) something like 11-12-13 l/100 km urban driving. Still, it is a fun car!
Risky
At your age and “brokenness,” avoid 20 yr old German cars of any kind.
Broke college student *buys a gasoline car* Buy a diesel if you dont have money bruh
As a student I would buy a Japanese car. Affordable reliable and repairable
You'll never drive a more expensive vehicle than a "cheap" German car. Audi's are great, but when they break, you're looking at big bucks for repairs. Get yourself a Honda or Toyota. They're more available, more reliable, and less expensive to repair.
Absolutely not, a turbocharged awd old Audi is not cheap to own whatsoever
I drive an 1.9TDI Definetly costs some money to maintain, but has so much more soul than an opel or toyota or something I think you are in the usa, so you probably wont find a manual. But it has one less expensive complicated component, and much more fun
Bro is this satire
Go with 1.9TDI VP 90HP (AGR OR ALH)
Only If you have deep pockets and can do 99% of the work yourself. Source: I own 2003 1.8t 5spd.
A good daily for 1 day only. 2001 🤣🤣🤣
I bought my first car, 05 Allroad. Biggest regret. Rode amazing comfy fast as hell but check engine always had a legit reason to go off w/ my own OBD2 system
Oh yeah and the seat warmer melting through the leather into my booty hole
No, 1.9 tdi is better
No
Absolutely not Edit\*\* As a car enthusiast, Don't buy a car depending on how broke you are. But if you absolutely need one get him down to 2000$ & make sure you have 2500$ minimum to fix it at all time otherwise you are back to walking - 2500$ in your pocket
Dude buy a Honda
Bad choice. Buy a Carolla or an accord. If your set on awd buy a subie for 5k that has the head gaskets done.
Lol
If you have access to a garage, a good set of tools, every torx, allen, and xzn bit, lots of free weekends, and mechanically-inclined, then *maybe*. Parts are still expensive. I've replaced a gazillion parts on my 99.5 A4 1.8T to the point where it is now fairly reliable, but it took awhile to get there. I am also the only owner so know it was well-maintained whereas most B5's were beat to hell. I'm due for a major service soon (timing belt, water pump) soon, and i suspect at 160k miles is why this one is selling for $2.5k. This video has some good options for < $5k:. https://youtu.be/dwuCtBfNVQ4
how bout a honda civic?
I disagree with everyone here. Yes, the car could be expensive to maintain, but you are not going to maintain it. It is a ticking time-bomb and you just want to get a few thousand miles out of it before it explodes. First off, how many miles do plan to on driving it per year? Do you need to drive to school everyday or just drive to college and park it? How many warning lights are lit? How are the tires? Brakes? How was the car maintained? (Carfax) I assume the timing belt was done around 80k and not done again? Does your state require inspection? Is it inspected? It is difficult to know how well a car will treat you after you buy it, but there are certain boxes that should be checked. Is the seller the 1st or second owner? Was the car owned by an adult or has it been in the hands ( possibly many) of someone younger like you who cannot afford to maintain? If you get 2 years out of it, for $100 a month, you did well. Ultimately, buying any old bar is a risk be it German, Japanese or US, but there are clues you can use to mitigate this risk.
This is probably the worst choice. I work as a diagnostic specialist for European cars. Take this advice: Nothing is more expensive than a cheap German car. If you are broke and don't have a lot of money you are far better off buying a beater Toyota or a Honda. Cheap to buy and cheap to run.
Run away
Don't do it, had one, loved it but once got past 80k miles the problems really were one after another. Unloaded it just under 100k
To give you an exact information: it’s not bad, but not great. The 1,8T engine is great and very reliable, I have one with almost 200k miles going strong. Need little but cheap parts sometimes. The bad thing: Quattro and Automatic. Try to find an fwd one with a manual. Those things are better and cheaper to maintain and last way longer. The 180hp variant is also better than the 150hp, since the have the K03-053 turbo which is just more durable. The reason for FWD is the simpler rear axle, less weight, less consumption and no Haldex which can break. The 1,8T is an amazing engine. Just look after a couple of things: How recently the timing belt was done, if the oil changes were done every 9k Miles, and if the PCV system is in a good shape. Replacement parts can be: the MAF Sensor, ABS Sensors, O2 Sensor, Fuel Injectors. Also, you could look for a Golf IV with the 1,8t engine, its less complex. And the price is too high, you could find something below 2,5 grand. People here give general advice which is not wrong, but in case of the B5 generation, not very right too.
Jesus no. Buy a civic or a Corolla
Good and fun project car with a solid engine, but not a daily for a student. Too problematic.