Are Audis Expensive to Maintain?

Are Audis Expensive to Maintain

Owning a luxury vehicle can turn your ordinary drives into extraordinary experiences. With that in mind, you probably will only consider the cost of repairs and maintenance when you drive off the lot after buying your new luxury car.

While owning an Audi car may seem significant, other vehicle maintenance costs can be significantly lesser. Even with high-end models, such as those from Audi, regular repairs and breakdowns can still cost you a pretty penny.

Since these cars often come with components and high-performance parts, any required repairs could add up quickly.

Before making a purchase decision, you must understand the costs associated with owning an Audi vehicle. But are Audis expensive to maintain?

In this article, we will examine the cost of maintaining Audi cars!

Are Audis Expensive to Maintain?

Although Audis are great cars to own, they're also relatively expensive to maintain. According to a report by RepairPal, the average cost of maintaining an Audi vehicle is around $987 annually, almost double the national average for cars.

It's not surprising that these luxury cars require specialized parts, which is where the numbers come from.

Are Audis Reliable?

Reliability is one of the most critical factors you should consider when deciding how expensive it would be to maintain a car.

Although luxury brands like Audi make some of the most stylish and luxurious vehicles on the market, they aren't known for their reliability.

According to RepairPal, an organization that provides vehicle repair services, Audi has a mediocre 3.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating.

The reliability rating that RepairPal uses is based on various factors, such as the average cost of repairs and the likelihood of severe repairs.

The average cost of repairs for an Audi vehicle is around $987 annually. This is significantly costlier than the average cost of repairs for other brands.

If you're an Audi owner, you're probably ready to spend around $1,000 on regular maintenance and repairs.

The average number of visits an Audi owner makes to a car repair shop is 0.8 times a year. This is significantly higher than the average of 0.4 visits for other brands and models.

The probability of major repairs for an Audi vehicle is 13%. Unfortunately, this brand didn't do well regarding repair severity. Although it's slightly higher than the average of 12% for all models, it still needs improvement.

Before making a purchase decision, you must understand the costs associated with owning an Audi vehicle.

One way to help with this issue is by signing up for the company's maintenance plan, known as the Audi Care package.

This prepaid maintenance plan can help protect you from inflation, but it's only sometimes worth it.

Audi Maintenance Cost and Schedule

Although different models' maintenance schedules vary, the same guidelines are used for all Audi vehicles.

One of the most important services that an Audi vehicle owner should perform is a brake pad check. This service is performed every 10,000 miles.

Other regular services include an oil filter and engine replacement, a multi-point inspection, and a reset service reminder.

Standard maintenance service is performed every 20,000 miles. These services include a brake system inspection, a fluid level check, a check of the door hinge, a light inspection, a multi-point inspection, and a tire adjustment. If necessary, a replacement of the windshield wiper blades.

  • Every 2 years, you replace the dust and pollen filter and change the brake fluid.
  • Replace the spark plugs after 40,000 miles.
  • Change the transmission fluid after every 6 years or 40,000 miles, whichever comes first.
  • Replace the air filter every 60,000 miles
MaintenanceMaintenance Cost
10,000-mile
$118-$145
20,000-mile
$456-$606
30,000-mile
$118-$141
40,000-mile
$700-$900
50,000-mile
$120-$140
60,000-mile
$510-$680

Audi A3 Maintenance Costs

The all-around versatility of the Audi A3 makes it an ideal choice for high-performance cars.

According to RepairPal, it has a 3.5 out of five reliability rating, which is good enough for 4th place among compact cars.

Although it's an entry-level model, the A3's maintenance costs are lower than those of other luxury compact cars.

Its annual repair bill is $741, which is lower than the average of $801 for luxury cars. Also, it has a good repair frequency of 0.5 times, which is lower than 0.7 times for other compact cars.

Audi Q5 Maintenance Costs

The Q5 is the best-selling model Audi, and it offers a variety of features and options that are not found in other compact cars.

Its 3.0 out of five reliability rating is good enough for 11th place out of 14 for luxury midsize SUVs.

It's also less engaging a drive than other models, such as the BMW X3 and Porsche Macan.

The Q5 has poor ownership costs, with the average cost of repairs at $928 annually.

Its frequency of visits also hurts its reliability, as it has a repair rate of 1.2 times per year, which is significantly higher than the other luxury SUVs.

Audi A4 Quattro Maintenance Costs

The versatile and athletic A4 Quattro is an excellent choice for those looking for a luxury sedan with good handling and various tech features.

It has a reliable 3.0 out of five rating, putting it in 21st place among 31 luxury midsize cars.

Owners of the A4 Quattro will likely pay around $925 annually for unscheduled repairs, which is significantly higher than the average cost of repairs for luxury cars at about $739.

It's also likely that the owners will visit the shop around 0.7 times a year, and 14% of the repairs will be major ones.

Audi Extended Warranty Protection

If you're planning on keeping your Audi for a long time, you need to consider an extended warranty, which can provide you with up to ten years or 120,000 miles of protection.

An Audi dealer can help you mitigate the cost of repairs on your vehicle by offering an extended warranty, different from the four-year, 50,000-mile warranty that new cars come with.

With a prepaid maintenance plan, you can also cover all scheduled maintenance costs.

Many people need to realize that an independent auto warranty company can also provide an extended warranty for your Audi.

Having third-party coverage can give you more flexibility and allow you to get additional benefits, such as roadside assistance. In addition, an independent warranty can lower your cost compared to the dealer-provided one.

When comparing the cost of repairs and maintenance, it's important to note that the dealer's services are typically more expensive than those offered by independent mechanics.

Even if you maintain your vehicle in a local shop, high-performance repairs and specialty parts will still add to a higher annual maintenance bill.

If you're planning on keeping your Audi for a long time, it's important to note that regular maintenance can extend its life by up to 150,000 miles.

Having a well-maintained vehicle can lower maintenance costs and prevent potential issues. Developing a routine maintenance schedule can help keep your car ownership stress-free.

Audi Repair Costs

Aside from regularly scheduled maintenance, car owners regularly visit the mechanic for repairs. This is because repairs are typically required at some point. Unplanned breakdowns and fender-benders are the things that happen to car owners that no one wants to happen.

However, with some luck, the costs of these repairs can be computed into the vehicle's maintenance budget. Despite being one of the most popular car brands in the world, Audi ranks low in terms of its reliability. In a survey by RepairPal, the company ranked the brand 28th out of 32.

Its high tendency to break down was cited as one of the reasons why it was ranked lower than other brands. This is mainly because older models are prone to breaking down more often than newer models, which are more reliable.

The cost of repairs for Audi is higher than that of other brands due to how they typically have issues that are almost twice as frequent as the average vehicle. Even though repairs for Audi aren't usually severe, they can still be expensive compared to other brands.

According to RepairPal, a severe repair can cost more than three times more than the average cost of repairs for all models. An AC compressor replacement for an Audi costs between $1,100 to $1,500, while an AC condenser replacement costs $750.

The ABS Control Module Replacement costs $1,500, a serpentine belt replacement goes for $120, and an AC evaporator replacement costs $1,700. Everyone has their own definition of an expensive repair, and it is hard to predict precisely how much it will cost you.

However, car owners can follow a simple maintenance schedule to keep their vehicle's costs low.