More details about the pitfalls when buying Audi A7 of the first generation (2010-2018 years of release).

 

So, even now, when the first released Audi A7 is ten years old, almost all examples on the secondary market look very attractive on the outside. But if you "go deeper", it turns out that not everything is as good as it seems at first glance. The rear bumper of the Audi A7 begins to vibrate slightly over the years, which is why it gradually wipes off the paintwork on the rear fender. Not all owners are in a hurry to tint the damaged area. Another traditional unpleasant surprise is the refusing to open the filler flap. The fact is that over time, moisture begins to enter the hatch lock, which in turn disables the motor. And if at first the hatch refuses to open only with the onset of frost, then after a while it cannot be opened even at positive temperatures. As a result, the owners try to open the door by force, which usually ends up with a broken mechanism. The cost of the latter at Audi dealers can reach 8-9 thousand rubles. Another 10 thousand rubles will have to be paid for the replacement, since a seemingly simple process in fact turns out to be very laborious and time-consuming.
Not only the motor of the gas tank flap suffers from moisture, but also the sensors of the Keyless keyless entry system. The sensor will cost at least 5-6 thousand rubles. It is hardly possible to postpone the replacement until better times. The system is configured in such a way that if at least one sensor fails, the rest also stop working. With the onset of frost, one should expect surprises from the rear-view mirror folding system. Not surprisingly, seasoned Audi A7 owners turn it off in winter. A typical problem of the early years of Audi A7 is the crunch of gears in the drive of the MMI display mechanism. To its credit, Audi should say that it did not disown the obvious problem and almost always allowed its authorized dealers to change the entire unit as part of a warranty repair. As a result, used copies of the Audi A7 with such a problem are almost never encountered. For the time being, Audi A7 owners have few electrical problems . And this is somewhat surprising, since there are a lot of electronic systems in the German sedan. Occasionally systems start to malfunction, but in most cases glitches disappear either after restarting the MMI multimedia system, or after turning off the car ignition.
For some it may seem strange, but the diesel versions of the Audi A7 are in the greatest demand in the secondary market . This is indirectly confirmed by the price of such cars: all other things being equal, they are more expensive than gasoline. In fact, there is nothing strange about this. Firstly, the diesel engines of the VAG concern delight with very attractive fuel consumption and very attractive dynamics. With a 3-liter diesel engine, when driving quietly, the far from small Audi A7 will require about 10 l / 100 km in the urban driving cycle. If you drive actively, the fuel consumption will increase to 12 l / 100 km, but given the dynamics of the 245-horsepower engine and the weight of the car itself, such an appetite can be called very moderate. When driving in highway modes, in terms of economy, the Audi A7 with a 3-liter diesel engine can even compete with miniature B-class hatchbacks. Many owners, when driving at a speed of 90-100 km / h, easily manage to achieve a fuel consumption of 6 l / 100 km.
However, the 3.0 TDI engine is valued not only for its extremely low fuel consumption, but also for its high reliability. Of course, it is impossible to say that a 3-liter diesel engine is generally devoid of shortcomings, but by modern standards there are very few of them. The weak point, as with any diesel engine, is the EGR system. With predominant driving in the urban cycle, EGR must be cleaned every 60-70 thousand kilometers. If the engine has the opportunity to sometimes "breathe" during high-speed trips on the highway, then the EGR system can be cleaned a little less often: approximately every 80-90 thousand kilometers. Another typical nuisance is antifreeze leaks in the camber of the cylinder block. After re-sealing the gaskets, the leaks stop, after which you can forget about this problem for at least several years.
Otherwise, there are no comments on the 3-liter diesel engine. But it is important to understand that the diesel unit of the Audi A7 will serve faithfully only if the car owner treats it accordingly. For example, in our conditions, it is better to forget about the oil change intervals recommended by the manufacturer forever. The replacement interval must be reduced to 7-8 thousand kilometers. In extreme cases, if the car very often moves in a gentle mode along the highway, the engine oil can be changed every 9-10 thousand kilometers. Naturally, in no case can you save on the quality of oil. Another mandatory rule for owners of the Audi A7 with a 3-liter diesel engine is to monitor the health of the fuel system. Fortunately, in most cases it all comes down to timely replacement of the fuel filter and refueling at proven gas stations. Since a 3-liter diesel engine is very thermally loaded, it is worth paying special attention to the performance of the cooling system. Ideally, the cooling system radiators should be thoroughly flushed annually. If you follow these simple rules, then a diesel engine can last about 600-700 thousand kilometers without serious problems. And this is true not only in relation to the "weak" 245-strong version, but also to the 3.0 BiTDI unit, which at different times developed from 313 to 326 horsepower.
One of the petrol engines available for the Audi A7 is a 300-horsepower 3.0 TFSI. A technical feature of this engine is the use of a mechanical Roots type supercharger located in the camber of the block, instead of a traditional turbocharger. Many car enthusiasts consider the 3-liter gasoline unit to be extremely unreliable and problematic and, unfortunately, there are plenty of reasons for this. Until 2012, the 3.0 TFSI did deliver a lot of problems, but many of them were resolved during the warranty period. However, with the formation of scoring on the cylinder walls, Volkswagen engineers were partially able to cope only by the beginning of 2014, when the spraying on the cylinder walls became more durable. Only in 2015, when cast iron liners began to be used in 3.0 TFSI, the problem of cylinder formation was finally solved.
However, among specialists who are familiar with Volkswagen engines firsthand, there is a different opinion regarding the formation of scoring on the cylinder walls. It's no secret that the turbocharged engines of the VAG concern are easily and fairly cheaply tuned, after which their power increases by 1.5-2 times. For example, after the Stage 1 chip tuning, the 3.0 TFSI output immediately increased by 120 horsepower and became equal to 420 horsepower. As a result, the dynamics of the Audi A7 became even better: the first hundred kilometers per hour, the modified car gained an average of 4.5-4.7 seconds. After the Stage 2 revision, the dynamics improved to 3.9-4.0 seconds to the first hundred kilometers per hour, and the engine power increased to 470-500 horsepower. It is not surprising that at such very high loads, the resource of the 3.0 TFSI engine was reduced several times. And it is precisely among those power units that have undergone tuning to a greater or lesser extent, most often those where scuffs on the cylinder walls were found with very small runs.
Another reason for the formation of scoring is insufficient warming up before starting the movement. Many owners are used to focusing on the coolant temperature readings, while completely forgetting that the temperature of the oil and the engine itself can be much lower than the operating 90 degrees. The formation of scoring was also facilitated by the widespread use of 95th gasoline by owners, while the German company recommended using 98th gasoline, which at the time the Audi A7 debuted on our market was not available at all gas stations. Nevertheless, even taking into account the peculiarities of operation in our country, it must be admitted that the compressor 3.0 TFSI initially turned out to be frankly raw. What is at least one liter of oil consumption officially allowed by Audi for every thousand kilometers. The increased oil burner was subsequently defeated by replacing the oil separator, but how much the resource of many units has decreased due to frequent operation in the oil starvation mode is anyone's guess.
The timing chain is another weak point of the 3.0 TFSI. To count on the fact that it will last more than 150 thousand kilometers is at least naive. The cost of replacing the chain is about 130-150 thousand rubles. Other problems include early catalyst failure, which usually occurs in the range from 60 to 120 thousand kilometers. It is better not to delay the replacement, because otherwise the catalyst will begin to deteriorate, after which the ceramic chips will inevitably end up in the cylinders. In the best case, everything will end with the formation of scoring, in the worst case, with a major overhaul of the power unit. Replacing a faulty catalyst with a new one is not a cheap pleasure. For an analogue of a branded catalyst, you will have to pay at least 30 thousand rubles. A mileage of 60-100 thousand kilometers becomes critical for engine mounts. Fortunately, their cost is relatively low. By the mark of 100 thousand kilometers, the pump usually develops its resource. It is worth paying close attention to the same mileage on the thermostat. Considering the high-temperature mode in which the power unit has to work, it should be replaced at the first sign of incorrect operation.
Don't think that the 3.0 TFSI engine lacks strengths. For all its many shortcomings, it is able to please with both dynamic performance and fuel consumption. The latter in urban mode fluctuates in the region of 12-14 l / 100 km, which can be considered a very good indicator. The 204-horsepower 2.8 FSI six can also boast of decent power. Of course, with it, the Audi A7 is a little less dynamic, but in most cases there is still enough horsepower under the hood. In technical terms, the 2.8 FSI engine is in many ways similar to the 3-liter TFSI, but at the same time there are noticeably fewer problems with it. From the list of shortcomings, it is possible to remove both the formation of scoring at minimum mileage, and problems with the heat exchanger gaskets. Of course, the 2.8-liter power unit is not completely immune from the formation of scoring, but they appear with much more solid mileage. An important nuance: the gasoline engines of the Audi A7 require regular cleaning of the intake system. This must be done every 80 thousand kilometers. Otherwise, it is worth preparing for contamination of the valves, which in the future is fraught with the appearance of very serious problems. After restyling in 2014, the line of power units of the Audi A7 was replenished with a 249-horsepower 2.0 TFSI gasoline engine. It is quite possible to recommend it for purchase, if only because of the attractive cost of service. For example, replacing the timing chain with a 2-liter engine will cost only 30-35 thousand rubles. For comparison: owners of an Audi A7 with a 3.0 TFSI engine will pay at least 3 times more for the same operation. The weak point of the 2.0 TFSI is the pump. But since the specialized mechanics are aware of this feature, it is not uncommon for the pump to change in advance. As for the diesel units, after restyling they practically have not changed in any way. They can still be considered the best option.
Most Audi A7s in the aftermarket are equipped with the S-Tronic robotic gearbox. Initially, there were a lot of complaints about the "robot" with a "wet" clutch, but by 2012 Audi engineers were able to solve most of the problems that arose. To some extent, the future owners of used Audi A7s were even more fortunate: in the vast majority of copies on the secondary market, the mechatronics board, which initially withstands only 30-50 thousand kilometers, has already been replaced. In order to "kill" the mechanical component of the robotic transmission, it is necessary not only to forget about changing the working fluid in the box forever, but also to drive the car extremely aggressively. There are not many such “riders” among the owners of Audi A7, so on most of the used cars the oil in the “robot” still changed every 60 thousand kilometers. But there are not so many people who want to spend every 100 thousand kilometers to replace the mechatronics board together with the solenoids. Nevertheless, there are many known cases when the S-Tronic robotic box withstood 150 to 200 thousand kilometers without replacing the clutch and repairing the mechatronics. It is noteworthy that after the restyling of the Audi A7, the mechatronic in the box became more durable, due to which the cases of its failure at low mileage became isolated.
The most inexpensive modifications of the Audi A7 with front-wheel drive relied on the continuously variable Multitronic variator. Such cars on the secondary market are rare. The most powerful diesel engine worked in conjunction with the "automatic" Tiptronic from the ZF company. The automatic transmission is considered robust and quite reliable, although occasionally owners complain of kicks and jolts when shifting gears. Fortunately, in this case, the case, as a rule, did not reach the point of repair. Both in the variator and in the automatic transmission, it is necessary to change the working fluid every 60 thousand kilometers. The oil itself is relatively inexpensive. But if, together with the working fluid, at the same time change the pallet gasket, as well as the internal and external filter, then the cost of oil service for the transmission will increase from 7-8 to 30-35 thousand rubles.
The multi-link suspension of the Audi A7 is not to be feared. Of course, changing the silent blocks on two levers, by definition, will be cheaper than doing a similar operation on eight levers, but due to the overall reliability of the structure, this will very rarely have to be done. The weak points of the Audi A7 suspension include wheel bearings, which require replacement every 50-60 thousand kilometers. It saves that wheel bearings are inexpensive. A high-quality non-original part can be purchased for 5-6 thousand rubles. With high mileage in the front suspension, they will probably be asked to replace the stabilizer bar. Another relatively weak point are the upper silent blocks of the front levers. In the rear suspension, after 100 thousand kilometers, the stabilizer struts will have to be replaced. The rest of the " consumables ", with careful operation, can withstand a mileage of 200 thousand kilometers.
An electromechanical power steering is used in the steering of the Audi A7. Since it is built into the steering rack, the design turned out to be not the simplest and most maintainable. Fortunately, at the moment there are not so many complaints about the failure of the steering rack. Sometimes it is possible to bring the rail back to life with the help of an inexpensive flashing of the control unit. If this does not help, then you will have to prepare to replace the steering rack. The cost is at least 200-300 thousand rubles. Of course, there are craftsmen who are ready to take on the repair of the rail, but practice shows that after restoration it does not serve for a long time. As a result, an expensive replacement is only postponed. Another way to solve the problem is to buy a used rail. But this is largely a lottery, since the residual resource of an already used node is not known.
The Audi A7 sedan is perfect for those who are not yet ready to move in the back seat of the Audi A8 or who think the Audi A6 is an overly banal car. In technical terms, the "seven" is in many respects similar to other models of the German company, thanks to which there will be no problems with maintenance or repairs. Problems will begin if owning an Audi A7 turns out to be too expensive for its owner. Without proper maintenance, neither complex turbocharged engines nor the S-Tronic robotic box will last long. Even a very reliable 3-liter diesel by modern standards, without proper care, it is unlikely to do without serious problems. It is very expensive to own a used Audi A7. It is even more expensive to repair. So before you go in search of a used German premium, you should re-evaluate your financial capabilities.
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