Well got the car back again and dealer told me they replaced one of the catalytic converter (cats) and if that does not solve the problem I am on my own. Well I got the Check Engine Light (CEL) back! When the light comes on the fuel mileage is terrible and car runs a bit rough. The same 2 CEL’s are back, P2097 and P2098, right bank too lean and left bank too rich. I am having difficulty believing that the sensors can pick up the change of exhaust after the converters. The mechanic is trying to say velocity has changed, but then it should give the same error for both sides and not say one side is too rich and the other too lean. I simply installed exhaust after the cats, this error doesn’t appear for any other car just mine.
People stop me and tell me they like my car! While I am gracious if they only knew the consistent problems I have had. This car is truly a stripper, looks great but expensive to maintain. Sad part is Audi doesn’t want to help and have left it all on the dealer. I think Audi Canada is punishing me because I have an American car and they frown on cross border shopping. I never imported this car and I never got a awesome deal on the vehicle, so in the end I am getting the shaft with this lemon.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Service...Again
Back to its home away from home, the car went in on Monday to fix the outstanding and new problems. Mechanic has been very busy and unable to work on my car; I was supposed to have it back Monday evening. I have a B7 2.0 A4 with the S-Line as a loaner, this car works without any software bugs. Each 2.0 I have had has been different, this one is a slow unit with lots of turbo lag. I don’t understand why you would buy a 2.0 Audi, all you get is the name Audi and you have to pay extra. The car is very boring and not equipped with any great options, you may as well by a fully loaded domestic or Japanese model. At least you would get reliability and a higher trip level, this 2.0 does not even have a trip computer, I can’t set the display to show travel time or anything other than time and kilometres left on the tank. I am told Audi cannot keep the B8 2.0’s in stock, well I am sure there will be a lot of warranty claims in time…
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Another day...
Another day another trip to service for my car, I don’t think I have had the car for more than a week without it having to go back to service since April. It definitely has not run without a CEL or some type of problem for more than 3 days at a time since April! Still working through the Insurance bull to get my stereo replaced. Insurance has been very difficult and taken a really long time trying to save money, I think in the end they saved $40 over my original quote, and dragged this issue out for nearly 5 months. I think in the long run with all the time spent getting quotes and talking to people they probably lost a lot more money. I included a happier picture today of my bike and car. Wherever I go people compliment me on the car, but all I wish for is that it would run for more than 3 days at a time, at this point another civic would be awesome. So for service tomorrow, we have, low oil, Check Engine Light, clips missing to hold door panel on, clunk from front end, and oil seepage on valve cover.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Exclusivity and German Vehicles
I wish I had bought the Japanese luxury car with “no soul” as the German car salesman put it. At least it would run for more than a week at a time. My Low oil light just came back on, and the car has a brand new short block right from Germany. I have a CEL that we just keep replacing parts to fix and the front end clunks now. Audi told me to pound sand and won’t honour my warranty and even took away my CPO warranty after giving it to me. While this is a stunning looking car, it is really only good for parking in my driveway, it only looks good but doesn’t actually run. I would like to compare this car to a dating a stripper, they are beautiful but boy are they expensive and high maintenance! This S4 is my stripper... I am not sure these Audi people have anything on domestics, we all just buy into the exclusivity but otherwise they fail more than most other cars. At least now I can say I have to pay $100 for Audi windshield wipers rather than $20 for our old Civic, I can even pay $500 for a Audi windshield that cracks the same as the $200 one on any other car. Today was a bad day for me and my B6 - again.
On a positive note - my car goes in to have the stereo replaced tomorrow after it was stolen in April while the car waited for warranty at the dealer.
On a positive note - my car goes in to have the stereo replaced tomorrow after it was stolen in April while the car waited for warranty at the dealer.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
B8 Audi Review, domestics Worse - NO WAY!
I have 4 loaners in the last few months while my 2005 Audi B6 S4 has been in the shop. The 3 2.0T loaners I have had all had software bugs or issues with the transmission and I am consistently told the software needs to be upgraded.
Loaner 1: B8 3.2: Car worked great, was pretty fast and had a nice colour display and parking assist, doors opened when you pulled on the handle.
Loaner 2: B8 2.0T: Air conditioning did not work, had to pull door handle twice to open, the car was incredibly slow.
Loaner 3: B8 2.0T Dynamic suspension did not work and you had to pull on door knob twice for it to open, but car had good power, transmission intermittently “clunked”.
Loaner 4: B8 2.0T: Side assist worked intermittently and randomly flashed, car drove well and had way more power, transmission good and door opened on first pull.
Loaner 5: B7 2.0T: Car worked just like a car should, but didn’t have the neat features like start button and all the rest. This car did not need a software upgrade.
I would be hesitant to purchase a B8 Audi and would maybe wait till they fixed all the software glitches and improved build quality, it seems you even need a software upgrade for the tail lights on the Audi SUV after the previous software caused some problems. A friend of mine has another B8 2.0T that makes terrible noises intermittently at start-up and barely runs initially, but I am sure you can get a software upgrade for that too.
I don't think buying an Audi is a good idea.
Loaner 1: B8 3.2: Car worked great, was pretty fast and had a nice colour display and parking assist, doors opened when you pulled on the handle.
Loaner 2: B8 2.0T: Air conditioning did not work, had to pull door handle twice to open, the car was incredibly slow.
Loaner 3: B8 2.0T Dynamic suspension did not work and you had to pull on door knob twice for it to open, but car had good power, transmission intermittently “clunked”.
Loaner 4: B8 2.0T: Side assist worked intermittently and randomly flashed, car drove well and had way more power, transmission good and door opened on first pull.
Loaner 5: B7 2.0T: Car worked just like a car should, but didn’t have the neat features like start button and all the rest. This car did not need a software upgrade.
I would be hesitant to purchase a B8 Audi and would maybe wait till they fixed all the software glitches and improved build quality, it seems you even need a software upgrade for the tail lights on the Audi SUV after the previous software caused some problems. A friend of mine has another B8 2.0T that makes terrible noises intermittently at start-up and barely runs initially, but I am sure you can get a software upgrade for that too.
I don't think buying an Audi is a good idea.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Mother Trucker!
Wow – I thought this was finally over and the oil situation was fixed. Well today was another eye opener, at lucky 97,777km the oil light came back on! And I also heard a pronounced clunk from the front end like I did last week when the tire blew up, except this time the tires are fine. Something is broken or not connected back up properly in the front of this car. The car also gave the worst fuel mileage ever with 300km’s to a tank of fuel before the CEL came back on, the week before without the CEL the car gave over 400Km’s to a tank of fuel city driving, which is impressive. So let’s review, Check Engine Light (CEL), low oil light, clunking from the front end and poor fuel mileage.
This oil light may be within Audi standards, since this is the only car I know of that you have to add oil between services regularly, almost like an old two stroke!
This oil light may be within Audi standards, since this is the only car I know of that you have to add oil between services regularly, almost like an old two stroke!
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