The Truth about Owning a 19-Year-Old Audi A4 Avant Ultra Sport (B6)

Рет қаралды 6,191

Joe Hutchinson

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 58

@Bruhvant 10 ай бұрын

Been daily driving my USP damn near everyday since 2016. Such a good car.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

That's great to hear. I totally agree, it's a great car!

@A4orce84 10 ай бұрын

Heck yeah, more B6 content! My Ultrasport just turned 20 (2004 model) years old! Congrats Joe, car still looks great!

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Congratulations on your Ultrasport!!!

@FrederikSchenk 10 ай бұрын

Keep it, keep it keep it :) Love the B6!

@Treizez34 10 ай бұрын

Super happy to see you two are still driving and taking care of this car.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Yes, it's great. I am sure there will come a time when we need to make a change, but we have been very happy with this car for so long.

@craigsmith1354 10 ай бұрын

As a fellow Avant owner I can tell you for sure it's the most underrated car ; love it !. The utility of it all is great . Yes New York roads ate my brand new tires and my oil pans engine and Trans . The only good thing is that I was an Audi tech so nothing to fear . Here's a tip for you FCP euro and ECS tuning for parts then have you mechanics install the parts . Saving$$$ . Great video ,loved watching keep it rolling 👍.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

As an Audi tech, you have a great advantage!!!!! But thanks for the advice. And I agree, this is a very underrated car. Thanks for watching!

@tessras4715 4 ай бұрын

Hi hello I'm new from Caribbean where can I order my car parts? I have the same exact car just got it two days ago

@1855Media 10 ай бұрын

1000% keep it. The only caveat… they made e90 328i wagons through 2011 with manual transmissions. Not easy to find, but that inline 6 is pretty bullet proof and would solve your desire for more power.

@benshane8455 Ай бұрын

It’s a MT6 Avant….Keep it on the road at any cost:)

@JIMMYHIBBS1 10 ай бұрын

Maintenance is cheaper than depreciation on a new car - i have a 2009 BMW 3 series convertible with only 24k miles, and my brother has a 2005 Range Rover - and yes, they cost a lot of money from time to time - but well worth it, and none of the modern keyless security issues, or stop start nonsense … golden era 2000 - 2012 to me …. Cars turned in to computers after this …

@quattroanelli3558 4 ай бұрын

14:32 are those Bi-Xenons with gray housing, like in the S4 2005 ? Greeting from proud B6 owner, 310.000 km on the clock 😊

@Kann1971 10 күн бұрын

'm from Spain, and I just changed my old a4 b6 2.0 20v for an A4 b7 avant sline with the 2.0 tfsi engine from the first generation, with 200 hp...and I agree with you, the sports chassis, the space, the driving are incredible I should add that I am a professional driver, and since I work shifts I usually use my colleagues' cars. In recent months I have used everything from a Kia Sportage, a Kia Picanto, to a BMW m3 and a Volvo T5, all recent...and frankly, I don't envy them. It is also true that my B7 does not have Quatro traction but it makes up for it with its more "punchy" engine. Think that the area of Spain where I live is not dry, it is quite similar to England, and therefore to where you live, that is, roads that suffer from the weather, potholes, curves and to that add many hills, so an engine with some power is appreciated. Here we also suffer a lot from the SUV trend, and people still continue to buy diesel cars, so on that side I understand you...we are talking about that on the highway, and within legal limits (here 120 kmph) the consumption of this car is for 8.4 liters per 100 km. while a diesel is around 6 liters at the same speed, but the taxes, the extra cost and the insurance that a diesel has make it unattractive for me, since above all I use vehicles that are not my property, and that also I live in a small city where public transportation is free. It seems to me that it is a car that people look at a little from the side, but that whoever knows it, whoever tries it, says "oh my, what a great car!!!". Congratulations and let's see if it lasts you many more years!!

@clato74 2 ай бұрын

A simple 500💲 remap will give you 40-50 hp and around 100nm on premium fuel without reliabillity issues

@iadubber 9 ай бұрын

Love it! I have an 05 A4 S-Line Quattro 6 speed (unofficial USP of 05) and have really dumped a ton of money into it the past 5 years. It's a 3.0 so it has those extras like power folding mirrors, reverse dip passenger mirror, Xenons (auto leveling), power rear window shade. Still love it, but the repair bills just keep mounting. I sure as hell wish it was an avant!

@jcb3354 10 ай бұрын

Great video. As personally owning an USP as the original owner I have replaced most if not all the items you addressed. It happens with the age of the car (2005 USP), but what I can tell you is that thanks to youtube you have can fix much of the minor items you address. Coils and plugs are cheap. Valve cover is even cheaper. You just need to roll up your sleeves. Labor costs are a nightmare. I get all my stuff from FCP Euro, lifetime warranty and fast shipping.

@tylervr6 8 ай бұрын

Oh look! 2nd owner to an ‘05 Dolphin Grey Ultrasport Avant (with the 1.8T/6MT combo too haha) you’ve definitely made a solid decision keeping this. We have an ‘11 e91 328i with the sport package, and I truly enjoy the USP almost every day of the week over the e91. Make a few friends in the community, do some basic wrenching, and in the long term you’ll enjoy both saving thousands of dollars while keeping your Dolphin as good as new. Cheers!

@adamdmi5752 26 күн бұрын

in Eu this model is called Audi A4 Avant. That's it ;) but yes, good one :) pleasure to listen this review!

@nocomp420 Ай бұрын

If youre a DIY'er, this car is so easy to work on.. tons of info out there to get you through any repair

@bayuaryanto4017 10 ай бұрын

Great car. I was surprised the alternator lasted 18 years on yours. Mine was 13 years. On my Avant B8. That was for prevention since the starter was gone last year. They are great car once you can handle all the quirks. Great video! Thank you

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Perhaps we got lucky with our alternator. Relatively speaking, our Avant has relatively low mileage too, so maybe that helped it last so long. Thanks for watching the video! I appreciate the support.

@bayuaryanto4017 10 ай бұрын

You’re welcome. Thanks for the video

@kubenvenketraju3854 6 ай бұрын

Keep it😊 ....... I own a 2004 Audi B6 1.8T ( BEX ) Avant . I do the normal maintenance and she still pulls strong in South Africa 🙂

@bobh1572 10 ай бұрын

Hi Joe, I enjoyed watching your video about making the decision to invest in your vehicle. You do have a good technician. I think those repairs would have cost more at my independent Audi shop. We have a 2008 Audi A6 Quattro with 150K miles. The A6 has been very reliable. I had to do the carbon cleanup at 120K miles. That was about $2500. Since then it has only been a radiator/fan issue and the need to replace the valve covers. The A6 has been a great car. It has made more than a few 500 mile trips to New Orleans as well as several trips from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. It is very comfortable and still looks quite good. It is the only vehicle that my 5'10" daughter does not complain about sitting in the back seat. My wife drives it mostly. I just put gas in it and get to drive it on long drives. However, we don't really drive it much on the long trips anymore. Just before the pandemic, I thought about replacing both the front and rear suspension. However, that did not happen. I am sorry now that we did not replace the suspension as the vehicle does not handle quite as well as it did in the past. I worry about the transmission. I tried to get my Audi dealer to change the fluid at 100K miles, but they would not. They said it is "good for the life of the vehicle". However, I do wonder what they mean in terms of a "lifetime". I wish that I could get a map update for the navigation unit. The last update was back in 2016. I also find my xenon headlights don't seem to illuminate the road as well as the newer vehicles in our household. I had the bulbs replaced, but that did not help a lot. Perhaps, the ballast also needed to be replaced along with the bulbs. Now, I tend to drive it less at night. You are correct that it is nice to not have a car payment. You are lucky that your spouse seems to be on the same page as you on your investment decision. My wife is very wishy-washy. One day she is in favor of keeping the A6. The next day she is talking about getting a new Cabriolet. It makes it difficult to make an investment decision. I think that we will likely keep the A6 until there is a need for a major repair that seems too costly. Then, it might get easier to get her to buy into a decision. Good luck with your Avant and your investment decision.

@wuaw2011 10 ай бұрын

Welcome back to KZbin:). If Modern is something you do decide to go with check out Golf R or Audi RS3. They are the modern cousins of your A4 wagon and can be had with a manual) as well as have room for dogs)

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! And yes, those are really good choices (the R or RS3) to check out! Going on the list!

@eevelyn19 10 ай бұрын

Honesty a lot of this work could have been done cheaper and is par the course for the mileage and age, but the car is absolutely mint and is an excellent car to keep on the road.

@AlexanderObolsky 9 ай бұрын

Awesome video! Thanks for taking such good care of her during your ownership! What car did your wife end up getting to replace this?

@darlenehutchinson4534 9 ай бұрын

You are so kind. Enjoy!🌻

@TC-V8 10 ай бұрын

Loved my B6. Had the exact same car; sport quattro; but with 1.9tdi, loved it - but starting to get corrosion especially on the front arches. Was on 230,000 milee when i sold it.

@mathisve 10 ай бұрын

I feel like you could have done a lot of this yourself relatively easily at home for 1/4th the price if that's what you're into. Obviously time is money and it might make sense to pay for the labor elsewhere. Either way, glad to see you back here!

@wezeyp6362 10 ай бұрын

Have a B8.5 A4 right now but plan to move into a B8.5 S4 or C7 A7. Planning to keep them long time maybe even 200k+ miles.

@ywes 10 ай бұрын

We didn't get "ultrasport" in EU, but I have very similarly specced 2004 B6 avant quattro (6-speed manual of course) minus the sunroof and wheels, but got the misano red color from S4, plus it is the bit more powerful version of 1.8T (BEX) 😁 Has now 250k km (100k by me) and funny how similar the problems have been around the same mileage. Suspension (rear shocks mainly) was shot around 180k (I think that in reality much earlier but I didn't notice it right away), exhaust was leaking from exactly same location (the seam at the Y-pipe) and I changed that around 230k after couple years of leaking (bit sportier sounds during that time 😄). Also, the wheel bearing (front right) started to make noise around 220k, so I changed all four and no problems since. Valve cover gasket does leak easily, but it is luckily easy to fix. Alternator is still the original, so I guess it might go soon! One weird problem has been the outer CV joints in front and those I have been changing roughly every year since I first changed them around 170-180k (I guess the part quality has been going down). Have you checked the rubber hoses and plastic T-pieces etc around the engine and PCV/coolant system? Those are prone to cracking after so many years and heat-cycles (like all plastic pieces in the engine bay). If the power feels low, there is a simple solution for that: bigger turbo and injectors (and other necessary bits and pieces)! For example, K04 hybrid turbo is pretty straight forward installation and keeps the OEM look pretty well while giving around 250-300 hp (depending on the other mods), which is decent but the car is still usable as a daily 😎 But personally, I like the car/body style and practicality (even tho it is a small wagon). It is also pretty easy to service (no need for laptop but it has OBD so you can diagnose problems if you want). Powerwise it is bit low but 1.8T is reliable engine when maintained regularly and it can handle tuning pretty well.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Sounds like similar issues around the same mileage points. Very interesting. Looks pretty consistent. I'll check those rubber hoses and plastic pieces you mention. I have been a bit hesitant to do performance upgrades as this car is mainly used by my wife, who is not a speed fanatic (like me 😎). But she will agree that the car does lack power. Nevertheless she enjoys the Avant's size and handling characteristics.

@hotshotfx3502 10 ай бұрын

Awesome to see you keep it such good condition.. 👍 Ive got 14 audi allroad wagon. 175k i do all fluids, spark plugs every 30k miles.. She is beautiful clean, rust free and smooth driving.. only wish it was a 6 spd But the zf 8 speed is wonderfull. I was skeptical about the allroad it sits 1.5 inches higher.. but after research the b8.5 allroad uses the a4 avant body , but its matted to the a5 suspension, so its much wider track then the regular A4 Handles amazing, throw it into any turn 80 mph handles and grips like a true sports car .but comfortable and smooth as butter . I always describe it as the car handles like a sport car, but rides comforate wise as an suv . I agree take this over CUV anyday

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Although the allroad sits higher than the ultra sport, it still has a lower center of gravity than a typical crossover. I like the look of those allroads. Keep it going!

@-loki-7727 10 ай бұрын

The best looking A4. Plenty of little +1's you can do. Get a minor chip upgrade, when the exhaust goes, upgrade it a little. Even down to light bulbs, the new stuff is just a bit better. Same thing with the stereo and speakers. You can even upgrade the leather for about 1200 + instal to make it all new.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

We agree, this is such a good looking version of the A4. The looks still hold up 19 years later, we think. Thank you for the tips on the +1s.

@Mtematiks 10 ай бұрын

Use to have the same car, black ! Someone offered me great money and I gave it! Now I have B7 sedan with 1.8 Turbo with 55K miles on the clock. Done all the maintenance myself, I also done the cover gasket, but while there I made my Valve seals, they were shot! Which probably you should do this when cover was down for the gasket change. I change them on place whthout tearing dow the head. Purchased a special edition B7 and will now transfer all goods from there to mine. :) Very underestimaded car, this car rund and drives like new car now, like a Toyota etc... It is quiete inside, comfortable and so on. Also, this is the last Audi engine which is worth purchasing, all the NEW TFSI garbage are not worth ! Also I am runing it on LPG Convertion with Prins and Keihin kit.

@kylegrant4303 3 ай бұрын

would love to take this off your hands once you do decide to sell it!

@kcw9313 10 ай бұрын

Zero issues with my bought new 2005 Land Cruiser. Just regular fluid changes and other wear items like pads, rotors, shocks and bushings. All oem always. 200k miles. Zero rust. No accidents. Not one cel or fault ever. I could probably get $30k for it. Keeping it for another 200k miles.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

That's great! Keep it rolling!

@kcw9313 10 ай бұрын

@@Joe_Hutchinsonyou as well. Your avant- with the aero bumper is a good looking car and still way cheaper than buying new where the depreciation alone will well exceed the $13k. As to Audi build quality being commendable, I guess it’s all relative. Toyota is levels above.

@Joe_Hutchinson 10 ай бұрын

Yeah, we love the look of this Ultra Sport package. And I agree, although it seems like the repairs have added up to a lot in the last three years, we still feel we are ahead of the game.

@alextoft9199 4 күн бұрын

Beautiful B9 A4. Still looks great. Seems like you've had to spend a lot on it. Hopefully it will get to 200k. I love the 1.8t. Volkswagen petrol engines aren't the best. We have a 2002 Skoda Fabia Comfort Estate. They are also owned by Volkswagen. Not sure you have them in USA. Its a very ugly small estate car. I just love it though and I'm very attached. We've had it since new. Its still so good at nearly 100k miles. Very minimum maintaince costs. Its a 1.4 16v 100bhp manual. A lot of same problems. Coil packs went on two family trips. It's not a powerful car. 50mph was difficult to achieve. It stalled on a hill in the countryside and I rolled backwards into the bushes. Burns oil on the motorway. Its the piston rings in our case. We just put more oil in it. Its on its last years of life. My Dad now owns it and doesn't take care of cars like we do. No point fixing it at 23 year's old. I would prefer a petrol B9 but would probably buy the 1.9 TDI PD. It's very reliable. You can get that engine in my Fabia. You would have a basic, noisy bulletproof car. 500k easily possible. Greetings from Northern England. We have similar awful roads.