Buying used A5 / A6 / Q50S

[rx7boi]

Things have settled and I'm finally ready to get into a new (used) vehicle. I'm looking to spend around $20k - $26k and I've narrowed my list down to several vehicles that I've had my eye on for a while now.

Audi A5 coupe, A6 sedan and Infiniti Q50 Sport. I like each of these for different reasons, but I have no experience owning euro or luxury brands. I've only ever owned Honda Civics and a 2012 Genesis Coupe which I sold at 85,000km.

I found several S-line A5's in my price range:
2012 with 62,000km - $22k
2013 with 73,000km - $22k
2014 with 35,000km - $26k but has a $9500 claim from a rear collision.

I found that S-line A6's and Q50 Sport in this price range are less common, or perhaps I need to extend my search beyond Kijiji and Autotrader.

I just want to be able to get at least 5 years out of these vehicles with minimal repair bills so I'm not sure if I should make it a priority to buy something with low mileage and discard any prospects with over 60,000 kms.

I'll be doing my due diligence and trying to get service histories on any prospective vehicles but I'm under the impression that beyond that, it's basically rolling the dice and if something breaks, I'll have to fix it either way. I'm just worried that owning any of these vehicles is essentially a death sentence where I'm continually spending thousands that I don't have. I also see alot of A4's with 120,000 km being advertised as "low mileage," maybe relative to the model year but I have no idea what that's all about.

I'm also considering getting an extended warranty which would give me peace of mind, and there are certainly some A4's on the market with transferable warranties until 2021 which would give me a couple years stress-free.

Any other insights you guys have? Since it's pay to play, should I just give up the Euro dream? Haha

[flipstah]

What's your end goal? The badge, the roominess, comfort?

Those cars are different. Don't get a 2.0L A5 as it'll be a slug IMO. 3.2 ftw

[Asian_defender]

Make sure you do your homework on the A5. Oil burning issues with the 2.0L turbo, about a quart/tank

[rx7boi]

What's your end goal? The badge, the roominess, comfort?

Those cars are different. Don't get a 2.0L A5 as it'll be a slug IMO. 3.2 ftw

I actually haven't test driven the A6 3.0T yet but I've driven the S4 V6T. As for the end goal, the badge means nothing to me so I'm not partial to Audi or Infiniti. The vehicles are appealing to me in terms of appearance and performance-wise, I'm not a huge gear head and these are all way nicer than any vehicle I've ever owned. The 3.7L V6 is definitely more powerful than the 2.0T but I think I'd be happy with either one. The A5 3.2 is a little bit older than I prefer.

As for comfort, I didn't really find a difference between the A5 and the Q50S to my unrefined butt palate.


Make sure you do your homework on the A5. Oil burning issues with the 2.0L turbo, about a quart/tank

Noted! I knew the 2.0 had an oil consumption issue but I actually never looked into how much it cost to fix as alot of forum members had theirs fixed under warranty.

[NissanFanBoy]

A5 just seems like a really slow giant boat... if you're after a fun drive you're not going to find it in that garbage car.

Of those 3, I'd pick the Q50 and not because I like Nissans, it's a great combo of fun, looks AND reliability which you're not going to find in a well used Audi. You say you're not a huge car guy, then trust me you don't want to be paying out your ass for repairs and maintenance.

Performance wise you should be comparing to the S4 and S5, the Sline is just cosmetics and lower/stiffer suspension. Still slow compared to the Q50.

[rx7boi]

The Q50 is an appealing choice and I feel like it would last longer than the Audi A5, plus it's a 4 door which is will future proof once we start a family (wife will buy an SUV).

The only thing is that I might have to open up the wallet a bit more to get a lower mileage Q50S as most of them are around $28k-$30k.

I think part of the reason I took out S4/S5 of the lineup entirely is because they would be even more expensive to maintain/repair, especially with the DSG. I found a 2009 S5 with 41,500km for $28k.

I'm contemplating the 2014 A5 with 35,000km since it's extremely low mileage but I'm not sure if that $9k claim is going to cause problems for me down the road. That, and it's all the way in Regina :rofl:

[flipstah]

The A5 is a boat with the wrong engine and it'll feel sluggish. The A6 is huge, so if you want comfort with room to spare go for this.

I cannot speak for Infiniti.

[relyt92]

If you're looking for an easy 5 years I'd also say go Q50 of those choices.

[GTS Jeff]

Audi A5 - The lines are unbeatable. Muscle car aggression with German sophistication and the typical Audi understated classiness you just don't get from Gundam-Wing-Jap-Crap. One of the best looking mass production cars made IMO. Even better in S or RS trim. Downsides, slow, boat-like, unreliable, and yes, definitely need extended warranty.

Audi A6 - Looks ok. Great for either limo drivers or seniors. Not much else to say here. Not sure why it's on your list when a 4 door version of the A5 is an A4.

Q50 - The best performing car of the bunch. I don't appreciate the idea of it being a future NE-baller-mobile the way G37s are nowadays. More reliable than an Audi, but it's no Toyota either. Probably the main deal killer for me here is the shit resale value of Infinitis. And the whole Northeast drug dilla vibe.

Give up and buy the nicest white 328 you can afford is my shitty advice to you.

[rx7boi]

Shitttttt, that's what I was afraid of haha. Was really hoping that the stories about A5 unreliability were overstated. The A6 is the least-favoured option but I added it after I ran into an A6 build thread and the car looked so damned good in Meteor Grey with an RS bumper lowered on Niche wheels (you guys can rib me about the RS bumper later :rofl: ). I liked it more since there are enough A4's on the road but it's a big vehicle for sure.

I don't know anything about BMW's but isn't the 328i an even worse choice with abysmal resale value or is that just a tongue in cheek comment?

Even though the A5 only has 208hp, it still felt pretty good but as I said before, I haven't owned many vehicles so all of the choices are an upgrade for me. The Q50S is a completely different vehicle with the 3.7L (328hp).

So what I'm hearing is that even though the Q50S costs way more, I'll get more longevity and power out of it and that the aesthetics of the A5 is its only saving grace given its underpowered 2.0T engine and unreliability/expensive repair bill outside of warranty.

I can get on board with the 2.0T engine as I enjoyed test driving the car and each of them have their own appeal. I'd gladly live with less power because I love the A5 appearance. I was just more wondering if going with the A5 is as bad of a choice as I thought.

[bjstare]

Not a lot that I have to add, except +1 for the Q50 being the NE budget baller car. If you keep it for 5 years, you'll be lucky to get 10k for it. Pretty much the only car that will depreciate faster than those Audis.

[mzdspd]

Doesn't the facelift A5 (2013+) use the same 2.0T as the MK7 GTI? If that is the case, it has been a pretty reliable engine in the GTI's.

What other issues have you been hearing about for the A5?

[rx7boi]

I'm aiming for a 2013+ A5 as I've read the oil consumption issues seem to have been fixed for these models. The control arm seems to be something that pops up from time to time as well.

Overall, I really like the A5 and as aforementioned, there's a couple in the low to mid 20's that I've found. While the ponies don't stack up to the Q50S, it makes 258 ft-lb torque and I do alot of city driving so it seems like a good candidate for daily driving.

I haven't really heard of any other issues with the 2013+ A5's.

[C4S]

A6 is sweet, good family car, good size, nice looking, not as common as E-Class or 5 series, and better value A7 ..

[rx7boi]

So my next question is: if I decide to get an Audi, it seems like an extended warranty is definitely worthwhile.

Where's a good 3rd party warranty to purchase from or should I be paying the markup at the Audi dealership?

[mzdspd]

So my next question is: if I decide to get an Audi, it seems like an extended warranty is definitely worthwhile.

Where's a good 3rd party warranty to purchase from or should I be paying the markup at the Audi dealership?

So if you haven't heard of too many issues.. Why would you buy a extended warranty?

[rx7boi]

So if you haven't heard of too many issues.. Why would you buy a extended warranty?

It would just be for the peace of mind assuming the warranty plan isn't going to be outrageously expensive.

I think you and I both know the answer as to why having a warranty is better than not having a warranty.

Would you advise foregoing the warranty if I pick up something lower mileage like the 2014 with 35,000km?

[mzdspd]

It would just be for the peace of mind assuming the warranty plan isn't going to be outrageously expensive.

I think you and I both know the answer as to why having a warranty is better than not having a warranty.

Would you advise foregoing the warranty if I pick up something lower mileage like the 2014 with 35,000km?

I guess it depends on how much the warranty costs and what the deductible is etc.. I personally never buy extended warranties.

[Xtrema]

Doesn't the facelift A5 (2013+) use the same 2.0T as the MK7 GTI? If that is the case, it has been a pretty reliable engine in the GTI's.

What other issues have you been hearing about for the A5?

All the major issue are fixed around 2012/13 for the 2.0T.

Also, don't buy any of the 3.0T that's older than 2012/13 as well.

[RX_EVOLV]

Having owned a 2013 Q50S for a few years (from new), I think they are such a bargain for what they cost today. You get so much car and they depreciated HARD (so glad I sold it when I did).

[NissanFanBoy]

Lots of love for the Q50, I've never driven one but from the reviews I've read they are a massive step back in terms of driving dynamics when compared to the G37... but like a couple people already said the A5 is basically a joke of a car in that aspect.

[rx7boi]

As usual, what it comes down to is what you get for the money. Without any negotiating, I'm basically looking at the following:

2014 A5 S-line for $22k @ 210hp/258 ft-lb.
2014 Q50S for $28k-30k @328hp / 269 ft-lb

I appreciate all of the responses as some of you place more emphasis on the performance, but I'm coming from a 2010 Honda Civic so they're all a step up.

Tough choice when every dollar counts. #paytoplay

If I can find a Q50S for low to mid 20's, I'd jump on it so I'll keep an eye out.

Several months ago there was a black 2011 A5 S-line with 38,500km's for $22.5k but I wasn't ready to buy at that time.

[mzdspd]

Have you considered a Cadillac ATS? Very nice car and depreciation will definitely help you out with your price range.

[Asian_defender]

This is just the fanboy in me but if reliability is a factor have you considered the Lexus IS? I'll be honest and say functionally it sucks but 300HP AWD and Toyota reliability.

I have a second gen 250 if you want to take that for a rip. Itll give you an idea of the handling. Third gen is much smoother though

[bjstare]

FWIW, the Q50 probably puts out numbers not that much more than the 2.0T audi at our elevation since it's N/A. Definitely better than the civic, but it's not as far ahead of the audi as the numbers suggest.

[rx7boi]

Have you considered a Cadillac ATS? Very nice car and depreciation will definitely help you out with your price range.

I have looked at the CTS before out of curiousity but it's not really my jam haha.


This is just the fanboy in me but if reliability is a factor have you considered the Lexus IS? I'll be honest and say functionally it sucks but 300HP AWD and Toyota reliability.

I have a second gen 250 if you want to take that for a rip. Itll give you an idea of the handling. Third gen is much smoother though

Ah thanks for that man, I really appreciate it. In fact the IS was part of the shopping list but it didn't make the cut because I wanted something relatively uncommon, not that A5's are rare whatsoever.

Someone was getting rid of a 2014 IS350 with 43k km's for $27.5k. I was a bit too late as the seller already had a deposit from a buyer by the time I messaged him. That would have been a great pick up so props to whoever got the smoking deal.


FWIW, the Q50 probably puts out numbers not that much more than the 2.0T audi at our elevation since it's N/A. Definitely better than the civic, but it's not as far ahead of the audi as the numbers suggest.

The other factor was that the A5's torque is pretty on par with the Q50S so I couldn't see myself out-using the power especially on city roads.

It's just my luck that reliability is such a huge factor for me and I had to fall in love with the A5...I think just for my own sanity if I do get an A5 I'll have to get some sort of extended warranty unless you guys think I can escape unscathed if I look for one that's super low mileage like that 2014 with 35k km's. I read a bit more and it seems like some timing tensioner is a huge fix as well but unsure if this extends to the 2013+ models.

[GTS Jeff]

What I have done for warranty is call around for factory extended warranty. Factory warranty is important to me because I feel it helps resale and I like the dealer loaners. I called up a number of Audi dealers across the country getting price quotes and telling them what I was doing. Calgary's dealers wanted to charge nearly $2000 more than the deal I got from an out-of-province dealer. It's nice to give the local finance managers the big f-u, especially considering the amount of business I had given them over the years.

BTW, you can go for an A5, then get a piggyback tune like the JB tuner from burger motorsports, which ups the power a decent amount without shitting a TD1 on your factory extended warranty.

[rx7boi]

What I have done for warranty is call around for factory extended warranty. Factory warranty is important to me because I feel it helps resale and I like the dealer loaners. I called up a number of Audi dealers across the country getting price quotes and telling them what I was doing. Calgary's dealers wanted to charge nearly $2000 more than the deal I got from an out-of-province dealer. It's nice to give the local finance managers the big f-u, especially considering the amount of business I had given them over the years.

BTW, you can go for an A5, then get a piggyback tune like the JB tuner from burger motorsports, which ups the power a decent amount without shitting a TD1 on your factory extended warranty.

Awesome, thanks for the tip. So I could call Audi dealerships in Vancouver, etc and let them know I'm interested in getting an extended warranty and they'll quote me a price for a plan that's accessible Canada-wide?

I'll read up on the JB tuner mod as well. I was looking at APR tunes out of curiosity to see how much power these cars can make.

What vehicle were you getting a quote for and how much did YYC dealers want compared to others?

[RX_EVOLV]

What I have done for warranty is call around for factory extended warranty. Factory warranty is important to me because I feel it helps resale and I like the dealer loaners. I called up a number of Audi dealers across the country getting price quotes and telling them what I was doing. Calgary's dealers wanted to charge nearly $2000 more than the deal I got from an out-of-province dealer. It's nice to give the local finance managers the big f-u, especially considering the amount of business I had given them over the years.



I've done that with my RX8 way back when. I posted on the RX8 forum asking if I should get extended warranty, and some mazda sales guy from a Toronto Mazda PM'd me saying he can offer me extended warranty for ~$500 off MSRP. Ended up talking to him over the phone and 2 weeks later got an official letter from Mazda Canada confirming my extended warranty status.

[Kloubek]

I've always liked the A5 design. I think it's an incredibly sharp looking car. Just keep in mind that it looks way sportier than it really is - especially if you have no intention on tuning it.

I'll comment that I like the A6 mainly because it is on my list as well. I need a sporty car with luxury but preferably with 4 doors. For you though, if you don't need the extra doors I don't think there's much of a point.

[rx7boi]

I test drove a 2012 Audi A6 3.0 this past weekend just to get a feel for the car. It was a non S-line which I'm guessing why it didn't have paddle shifters but overall the vehicle felt great since it has the same SC'd V6 that the S4's have.

I'd make an offer on the 2014 A5 but that $9500 claim is too hefty and seller couldn't provide any details on what the repair breakdown was since he's the 2nd owner.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Every Audi I've driven over the years with the older N/A V6, the 2.0T felt faster because it was torquier and does not pay the Calgary altitude penalty of ~15% power loss. Personally I found it more pleasant to drive but YMMV. And it's better on gas. And you can chip it for significant power gains if you wish - no such option with the N/A V6.

My dad has a 2016 A6 3.0T S-Line and that car is awesome. A 4.6 sec 0-60 time surprises a lot of people, and puts it in line with many cars you'd think would be faster. It has a bulletproof drivetrain, famously one of the best interiors in the business, and is just an all round great car. Biggest complaint is it does not rev-match paddle downshifts, but it uses that great ZF HP 8spd auto that is common in the segment. And those massage seats :drool: It can look old-man-ish though if not optioned properly, and it's pretty soft without the S-line.

If you see 2-doors on the A5 as a disadvantage, why not look for A4's? Literally the same car in a 4D. A4's aren't unreliable (especially if you get the 6MT and with the S4, 6MT and non-adjustable suspension) and I don't see how removing 2 doors would make it less so. As already mentioned multiple times though, the A5 sure does look good. I would want a chipped 2.0T or S5 though as it's a bit of a porker.

And yeah I would not touch a car with a $9500 claim without a detail from the bodyshop/dealer of exactly what was done. I rear ended someone in my 2006 S4 at less than 5 km/h (zero damage to other vehicle), and the repair bill was $11K ($5K of which were the headlight housings) - sent it to Maranello, the repair job was flawless and the new paint was better than factory. So it very much depends what was fixed, who fixed it, and how hard it was hit - if they can't tell you all of those things and prove it, definitely a hard pass. Nor would I ever buy a car from someone who doesn't keep any records and did zero due diligence themselves when they bought the car (i.e. they didn't obtain any details from the first owner) - tells you what kind of owner they probably are as well.

[rx7boi]

Hey Mark, I agree with getting those maintenance and repair records. The vehicle was originally in BC, took a $9500 collision hit, made its way to Manitoba where it got another $680 vandalism claim, and went back to BC.

The current owner said he bought it through a broker and couldn't get any details on the claims because of some "privacy act." The only thing he said was that Audi did an inspection and it passed SK safety which means very little since he couldn't produce those reports either.

Based on the carproof, he's owned the car since 31,500km and he's selling it now with 35,000km which tells me that it's likely a massive lemon.

The A4 is a great vehicle but I see too many of them on the road; it doesn't have anything to do with a 2-door behind a disadvantage as I like them all for a different reason. I just feel that the A5 is less common and looks better.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Hey Mark, I agree with getting those maintenance and repair records. The vehicle was originally in BC, took a $9500 collision hit, made its way to Manitoba where it got another $680 vandalism claim, and went back to BC.

The current owner said he bought it through a broker and couldn't get any details on the claims because of some "privacy act." The only thing he said was that Audi did an inspection and it passed SK safety which means very little since he couldn't produce those reports either.

Based on the carproof, he's owned the car since 31,500km and he's selling it now with 35,000km which tells me that it's likely a massive lemon.

The A4 is a great vehicle but I see too many of them on the road; it doesn't have anything to do with a 2-door behind a disadvantage as I like them all for a different reason. I just feel that the A5 is less common and looks better.

Yeah a sale 3,500 KM after purchase is suspicious. I also just automatically think everyone is trying to screw me when buying something, especially used, so maybe I'm just jaded haha.

I agree the A5 looks amazing, that shape has aged really well too IMO. I think you did well by passing on that particular sample though.

[JPB]

I've had a 2011 A6 3.0T S-Line for about 5 years now. At 150k, problems have been minimal. Some maintenance has been a bit pricey, things like having to take the supercharger off to change the thermostat. There is also a problem with that vintage of the 3.0T with undersized secondary air injection ports clogging, giving an emissions code and MIL. There is an emissions systems extended warranty on the Q7 & S4 3.0T but not the A6. After an inquiry to Audi Canada they are covering mine, which is nice since it is $2k+ for engine out to clean them.

Coming from a B7 S4, the ride is softer for sure. Highway trips don't beat you up. Brakes are meh in comparison. Power is there in sport mode, and as has been mentioned you don't pay the elevation penalty.

I've bought two Audis in a row with CPO warranties, never had a problem. This one I bought from a dealer in Montreal, there seems to be more A6s out there and prices are better.