We are accustomed to believing in the impeccability of the "Germans", in the reliability of the "Japanese" and in other axioms (or still legends?), Which the automakers themselves have been stubbornly repeating for decades. Of course, there are independent studies proving that this or that respected brand won recognition all over the world for a reason. It is all the more interesting that some other reliability ratings completely refute popular misconceptions.
Myth 1. Cars used to be better
We live in the era of disposable items. Durable-looking "hiking" boots can come apart at the seams in a couple of months, even if you only walked around the city in them. The paint peeled off from the body of the "fifth" iPhone in the first days of operation. And I personally know a Ford Mondeo buyer, who in the first year of owning a car faced so many small and not so troubles that he handed the car back to the dealership. Has this ever happened before?
It is believed that the models of previous years were created with a much larger margin of safety. It is impossible to say whether it is true or not. But manufacturers take into account the fact that we have begun to change cars more often and rarely think about what kind of repair a car will need after 200 thousand kilometers.
It is believed that companies en masse have switched to lower quality components, starting to purchase them from manufacturers from third world countries. The automotive component industry has indeed changed: for example, the Chinese company Fuyao Glass Industry has now ranked second in the supply of automotive glass to factories of various brands (by the way, this year it opened production in Russia and began to supply glass to the Volkswagen plant in Kaluga) ... Such examples are of concern to old school motorists.
However, statistics can dispel doubts. Studies carried out on the European market show that among the current 4-5 year old cars there is the same proportion of copies with various kinds of malfunctions (about 11%) as among cars produced 15 years ago and surveyed at the beginning of the 2000s. Such data are given in the reports of the German organization TUV, which is engaged in vehicle inspection. Of course, in this case we are talking about neat Europeans who maintain their cars in good technical condition.
And what is overseas? The statistics are even better there. Research by the American J.D. Power, fixing all (even the smallest) problems that arise during the operation of machines, show that over the past 10 years the number of comments has already halved! In 2003, there were an average of 273 problem parameters per 100 three-year-olds, and in 2013 this number dropped to just 126 (data from the 2013 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study).
However, if we talk not about the "average" car, but about the models of specific brands, then you can see that depending on the year of manufacture, reliability can vary within very wide limits. For example, according to the TUV rating, the reliability of Renault vehicles has dropped significantly over the past decade. In the 2004 report, the Laguna and Megane models, four to five years old, are in quite decent places - on the level of the Audi A6 and BMW 5-series. Of the used cars surveyed, only 10.5% of the Laguna and 11.3% of the Megane were seriously damaged. Over the years, the situation has changed radically.
In a 2013 report, Laguna and Megana, aged four to five, are already at the bottom of the list, at 18% and 23%. Even lower - Renault Kangoo (23.2%), and the most unreliable car was recognized as the related Dacia Logan (25.8%).
A similar drop in quality is observed with Citroen. If the Xsara golf-class model in 2004 surpassed the Audi and BMW business sedans in reliability, showing the result in only 9.8% of faulty cars at the age of 4-5 years, then the Citroen C4 that replaced it breaks down almost twice as often (16, 7%).
However, such examples, fortunately, are an exception. First of all, the hardened "automobile gurus", who found the times when "Mercedes was still the same", and the new Lada are no longer like "the very first" Zhiguli "", believe in the special quality of the previous models. To believe them or not is a philosophical question. Neither one nor the other can provide any reliable statistics of breakdowns.
Myth 2. Engineering excellence of prestigious brands
At world car premieres, journalists are always impressed by how luxury brands effectively present their technical know-how. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus, Range Rover, Cadillac - all of them will certainly show new components in a section and allow you to ask engineers in detail about all the benefits of fresh solutions. This is done so that buyers have no doubts that they are paying not only for the brand and expensive finishing materials, but also for real technical excellence. True, not a single brand, of course, admits that a car stuffed with advanced electronics is more capricious than simpler models, and components and assemblies that have received new design solutions are sometimes less reliable and more expensive to repair than cheaper designs.
A year ago, the British organization Warranty Direct, which collects statistics on warranty and post-warranty repairs of cars in the UK, published a rating of the worst cars in the last 15 years. The list can be called shocking: it consists almost entirely of the flagship models of the German car industry. It was a real surprise that even such models were included in it, which, on the contrary, were called the most reliable in other ratings. The worst ten cars, in terms of Warranty Direct, looks like this:
- Audi RS 6 (2002-2011 years of release)
- BMW M5 (2004-2011)
- Mercedes-Benz SL (2002-2012)
- Mercedes-Benz Viano (1996-2004)
- Mercedes-Benz CL (2000-2007)
- Audi A6 allroad (2000-2005)
- Bentley Continental GT (2003-2012)
- Porsche 911 (body 996) (2001-2006)
- Range Rover (2002-2012)
- Citroen XM (1994-2000)
This amazing selection of machines can be easily explained: the experts took into account not only the total number of breakdowns, but - more importantly - also the cost of repairs. This explains why the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-Benz SL were blacklisted. Of course, the comparison of the cost of repairs is only partially fair, but it should be noted that the rating taking into account the “monetary factor” gives more correct results than without it.
Although without taking into account the "price of the issue", the reliability of many respected brands raises serious doubts. For example, statistics on engine breakdowns are not in favor of Audi, BMW, Mini and Volkswagen, according to Warranty Direct experts. For every 27 Audi vehicles, there is one engine breakdown. Worse is only the MG Rover brand, which has one breakdown for every 13 cars. Well, the best results were shown by the brands Honda and Toyota, in which one engine breakdown occurs in 344 and 171 cars, respectively.
Not only in Warranty Direct research, but also in American rankings these brands are not showing the best results. J.D. Power brands such as Audi, Mini and Volkswagen also rank in the top ten for reliability when judging vehicles at age three. And BMW also performed lower than the industry average.
To be sure, you can refer to another independent rating - Consumer Reports, which contains statistics of calls to American car services from 2003 to 2012. Among the twenty cars, which are said to have received “significantly higher than average” number of hits, were such expensive models as the BMW 7-Series, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GL, Mini Cooper S and Volkswagen Touareg.
Myth 3. Reliable "Japanese"
They say that the Russian ambassador to Japan at one time traveled alternately in a Mercedes and a Lexus. There were always a lot of problems with one machine, and the other served impeccably. Guess which one? This story was told to me by a friend of mine who had worked at the embassy for several years, and I later retold it to many acquaintances. Everyone usually guesses correctly, because Japanese reliability is an axiom. Or not already?
In recent years, the Toyota brand has become notorious for several large car recalls at once due to various kinds of factory defects, but this brand still occupies high lines in reliability ratings. The ability to quickly eliminate the deficiencies found, perhaps contributes here.
Really, Toyota models and Lexus occupy quite high lines in many ratings, but this cannot be said about other brands. And Toyota is not praised by all researchers. For example, the German automobile club ADAC, which has been researching the reliability of cars for many years, did not notice any particular advantages for Toyota. The list of 21 cars, the owners of which use the service least often, includes only one "Japanese" - Nissan Micra. Well, Honda Jazz got into 12 outsiders. Of course, here we can talk about the error of German research: in the car fleet in Germany Japanese models not so much. But in America, there are definitely enough of them.
According to J.D. Power, among "three-year-olds" Lexus is in the lead, but Mitsubishi is one of the three outsiders. Only Dodge and Land Rover are worse than this brand. Subaru, Nissan and Infiniti also perform worse than average.
Research by Consumer Reports (statistics of calls to car services from 2003 to 2012) also confirms that the Japanese are the Japanese. Several Toyota / Lexus, Honda / Acura, Mazda and Infiniti models are awarded the title of the best. The rest of the Japanese brands, according to the researchers, do not represent anything remarkable in terms of reliability.
Myth 4. "The British" are the most problematic
Testing new models of Jaguar and Land Rover, we note from time to time that English engineering has made great strides in recent years. Take, for example, all-aluminum bodies: this solution is now used not only on sports cars, but also - for the first time in history - on purebred SUVs. Both on highways and on serious off-roading, these cars will not give way to anyone, but all words of admiration usually have to be accompanied by already boring remarks about reliability ratings.
No joke: in J.D. Land Rover's Power brand has been repeatedly ranked as the worst of all, and Jaguar is only five ranks higher in the most recent rankings. If for 100 used Lexuses at the age of three years there are 71 noted problems, then Land Rovers have 220.
However, representatives of the British brand say that the quality of the machines has improved significantly in recent years. Indian concern Tata, which acquired Jaguar Land Rover in 2008, has made significant financial investments in reliability and innovation.
To find any confirmation that the unreliability of British brands is already an outdated myth, you need to seriously try. Well, for example, in the latest rating worst cars ADAC no English models. Also in the twenty most unreliable models according to Consumer Reports, there are currently not a single Jaguar and Land Rover car, despite the fact that there is a BMW 7-series and X5 (statistics of calls to car services from 2003 to 2012.) That is, according to this study, it turns out that the Jaguar XJ and Range Rover sport surpass them in quality. However, the fact that the "British" were not among the worst here is still a weak consolation.
But a fresh study by Warranty Direct is already inspiring hope: the Jaguar brand entered the Top 5 in terms of engine reliability, behind only Honda, Toyota, Mercedes and Volvo. True, experts immediately make a reservation: the most expensive warranty case over the past 15 years has been a Range Rover engine breakdown. The renovation cost £ 13,000, which is equivalent to RUB 680,000.
Myth 5. Mass brands save on reliability
As much as buyers of luxury models want to feel the superiority of their cars over cheaper ones, in terms of reliability, many cheap models have long made their way to the leaders. If one can argue about all of the above myths, finding certain contradictions in the ratings, then all the researchers almost unanimously note that in terms of reliability, some small cars are not only not inferior to expensive models, but also surpass them.
The ADAC ranking includes models such as the Volkswagen Fox, Renault Twingo, Peugeot 206, Nissan Micra, Ford Ka and Citroen C1 among the extremely reliable cars. They are placed on a par with the Audi A5, A6 and Q5; BMW 1st, 3rd, 5th series, X1 and X3; Mercedes A-Class, B-Class, C-Class and GLK.
According to TUV statistics, the top ten used cars aged 4-5 now look like this:
- Toyota Prius
- Mazda 2
- Toyota Auris
- Toyota Corolla Verso and Smart Fortwo
- Mercedes C-class
- Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Boxster
- Porsche 911
- Volkswagen Golf Plus
According to Warranty Direct, the absolute leaders in reliability (including the cost of repair) are the following models:
1. Mitsubishi Lancer (2005-2008 years of release)
2. Opel (Vauxhall) Agila (2000-2008)
3. Suzuki Alto (1997-2006)
4. Toyota Aygo (2005-2012)
5-6. Honda HR-V (1998-2006) and Volvo S40 (1996-04)
7. Mazda MX-5 (2005-2012)
8-9. Mercedes E-class (2006-2012) and Toyota Yaris (1999-2003)
10. Honda Jazz (2001-2008)
One continuous myth
Finally, it should be said about those models, the reliability of which is not measured at all by any statistics. And the idea of buyers about how faithfully such a model will serve is based solely on myths, rumors and isolated cases that happened with friends and acquaintances. V best case to this you can add the results lengthy tests and resource tests, which are satisfied with journalists, but their results still should not be attributed to all released copies of a particular model. It is, of course, about products Russian brands, about foreign cars of local assembly and about Chinese models.
Curious reliability tests are carried out by our colleagues from "Autoreview". At the test site, they simulate the operation of the machine in various modes, and the loads are increased. This makes it possible to assess the endurance of machines at an accelerated pace and to identify many "congenital diseases" of certain structures. Many models do not stand up: serious breakdowns occur long before the end of the tests. For example, on Chevrolet aveo of the Kaliningrad assembly, the gearbox withstood only 18,000 km, the shock absorbers started flowing much earlier, and the front stabilizer nuts were unscrewed already in the first thousand kilometers.
Let it be difficult to judge the reliability of all machines from one copy, but when in comparative test direct competitors are involved, the results become more revealing. Take, for example, parallel life tests Renault Duster and Chevrolet niva... Some buyers of domestic models are convinced that the available foreign cars are not much superior to Russian cars, but in terms of reliability, the difference turned out to be huge.
Tests simulating 100,000 kilometers on various types of roads, including serious off-roading and cobblestones, revealed the Duster's suspension to be commendable. For the first time in the history of Autoreview life tests, after a long test, the suspension did not require replacement of a single element. But the diagnostics of the motor based on the results of a long-term test showed that it wears out much faster than it should be. The model also had many other disadvantages, but they are all essentially nothing compared to the problems that Niva had. Experts noted that everything that can rust, including the cylinder block, rusted under the hood. During the test on the cobblestone road "Shniva" had to change 10 (!) Shock absorbers. In the gearbox, the teeth of the fifth gear collapsed and it was jammed.
Of course, tests of single copies do not give the picture that develops from statistics that take into account the breakdowns of hundreds of thousands of cars. But after all, manufacturers themselves record all calls to official services, and it is possible that sooner or later independent organizations will also have access to statistics from Russian service stations. And then, perhaps, common myths about Russian models and foreign cars of local assembly. So far, unfortunately, we know very little about their true reliability.
| A place | Model | The proportion of faulty cars | Average mileage (km) | A place | Model | The proportion of faulty cars | Average mileage (km) |
| 1 | Toyota Prius | 4,0% | 63 000 | 62 | Volkswagen Touareg | 9,9% | 92 000 |
| 2 | Mazda 2 | 4,8% | 48 000 | 62 | Audi q7 | 9,9% | 101 000 |
| 3 | Toyota Auris | 5,0% | 57 000 | 64 | Citroen C4 Picasso | 10,0% | 76 000 |
| 4 | Toyota Corolla Verso | 5,1% | 71 000 | 64 | Suzuki swift | 10,0% | 54 000 |
| 4 | Smart fortwo | 5,1% | 42 000 | 64 | Bmw z4 | 10,0% | 52 000 |
| 6 | Mercedes C-class | 5,3% | 68 000 | 67 | Mitsubishi colt | 10,1% | 56 000 |
| 7 | Porsche cayenne | 5,6% | 76 000 | 67 | Ford mondeo | 10,1% | 95 000 |
| 7 | Porsche boxster | 5,6% | 46 000 | 67 | Nissan qashqai | 10,1% | 64 000 |
| 9 | Porsche 911 | 5,8% | 47 000 | 67 | Volkswagen passat | 10,1% | 111 000 |
| 10 | Volkswagen Golf Plus | 5,9% | 61 000 | 71 | Hyundai getz | 10,2% | 54 000 |
| 10 | Ford fusion | 5,9% | 51 000 | 71 | Opel zafira | 10,2% | 79 000 |
| 12 | Suzuki SX4 | 6,2% | 61 000 | 71 | Nissan note | 10,2% | 60 000 |
| 12 | Mazda 3 | 6,2% | 61 000 | 74 | Volkswagen beetle | 10,5% | 52 000 |
| 12 | Audi TT | 6,2% | 58 000 | 75 | Opel astra | 10,6% | 70 000 |
| 15 | Toyota Avensis | 6,3% | 78 000 | 76 | Volkswagen caddy | 10,9% | 87 000 |
| 15 | Bmw x5 | 6,3% | 83 000 | 76 | Opel Agila | 10,9% | 49 000 |
| 17 | Mercedes SLK | 6,5% | 48 000 | 78 | Nissan micra | 11,1% | 52 000 |
| 18 | Toyota RAV4 | 6,7% | 69 000 | 79 | Ford galaxy | 11,3% | 101 000 |
| 19 | Audi A3 | 6,9% | 74 000 | 80 | Bmw x3 | 11,6% | 80 000 |
| 20 | Mazda MX-5 | 7,1% | 44 000 | 80 | Honda accord | 11,6% | 76 000 |
| 21 | Volkswagen eos | 7,2% | 58 000 | 82 | BMW 5-series | 11,9% | 99 000 |
| 22 | Audi A4 | 7,3% | 92 000 | 83 | Daihatsu sirion | 12,0% | 52 000 |
| 23 | Ford fiesta | 7,4% | 53 000 | 84 | Chevrolet aveo | 12,3% | 52 000 |
| 24 | Audi a6 | 7,5% | 111 000 | 85 | Skoda superb | 12,4% | 94 000 |
| 25 | Volkswagen golf | 7,6% | 71 000 | 86 | Mercedes E-class | 12,5% | 110 000 |
| 25 | Mini | 7,6% | 53 000 | 87 | Renault modus | 12,8% | 50 000 |
| 27 | Ford C-Max | 7,7% | 67 000 | 88 | Hyundai tucson | 13,0% | 65 000 |
| 28 | Honda civic | 7,9% | 64 000 | 88 | Volkswagen polo | 13,0% | 56 000 |
| 29 | BMW 3-series | 8,0% | 79 000 | 88 | Kia picanto | 13,0% | 53 000 |
| 29 | Renault twingo | 8,0% | 41 000 | 91 | Volkswagen sharan | 13,2% | 98 000 |
| 31 | Toyota Yaris | 8,1% | 53 000 | 92 | Fiat bravo | 13,4% | 65 000 |
| 32 | Honda jazz | 8,3% | 53 000 | 93 | Citroen c3 | 13,9% | 57 000 |
| 32 | Mazda 6 | 8,3% | 77 000 | 94 | Renault scenic | 14,0% | 70 000 |
| 34 | Toyota Aygo | 8,5% | 53 000 | 95 | Suzuki jimny | 14,3% | 49 000 |
| 34 | Mercedes B-class | 8,5% | 60 000 | 95 | Kia rio | 14,3% | 64 000 |
| 36 | Opel meriva | 8,7% | 52 000 | 97 | Hyundai atos | 14,4% | 46 000 |
| 37 | Volkswagen touran | 8,8% | 89 000 | 98 | Renault clio | 14,5% | 55 000 |
| 37 | Opel tigra | 8,8% | 47 000 | 98 | Ford Ka | 14,5% | 50 000 |
| 37 | Volvo C30 | 8,8% | 69 000 | 98 | Chevrolet matiz | 14,5% | 46 000 |
| 40 | Seat altea | 8,9% | 70 000 | 101 | Kia sorento | 14,6% | 82 000 |
| 40 | Ford focus | 8,9% | 74 000 | 102 | Volkswagen fox | 14,7% | 55 000 |
| 40 | Ford S-Max | 8,9% | 95 000 | 103 | Skoda Roomster | 14,8% | 67 000 |
| 43 | Volvo S40 | 9,1% | 89 000 | 103 | Peugeot 207 | 14,8% | 56 000 |
| 43 | Suzuki grand vitara | 9,1% | 66 000 | 105 | Citroen c2 | 14,9% | 57 000 |
| 45 | Opel vectra | 9,2% | 87 000 | 106 | Citroen berlingo | 15,2% | 76 000 |
| 45 | Skoda Octavia | 9,2% | 92 000 | 107 | Fiat Punto | 15,3% | 61 000 |
| 47 | BMW 1-series | 9,3% | 66 000 | 108 | Alfa Romeo 147 | 15,5% | 65 000 |
| 47 | Citroën C1 | 9,3% | 56 000 | 108 | Volvo V70 | 15,5% | 114 000 |
| 49 | Subaru forester | 9,4% | 72 000 | 110 | Alfa Romeo 159 | 15,8% | 83 000 |
| 49 | Kia Cee´d | 9,4% | 65 000 | 111 | Citroen c5 | 15,9% | 89 000 |
| 49 | Peugeot 107 | 9,4% | 54 000 | 111 | Seat Ibiza | 15,9% | 62 000 |
| 52 | Hyundai matrix | 9,6% | 55 000 | 113 | Citroen c4 | 16,7% | 70 000 |
| 52 | Mercedes A-class | 9,6% | 55 000 | 114 | Fiat panda | 16,9% | 51 000 |
| 52 | Honda cr-v | 9,6% | 71 000 | 115 | Peugeot 307 | 17,8% | 72 000 |
| 55 | Mercedes CLK | 9,7% | 62 000 | 116 | Peugeot 407 | 18,0% | 85 000 |
| 55 | Nissan x-trail | 9,7% | 81 000 | 116 | Renault Megane | 18,0% | 76 000 |
| 55 | Mercedes ML | 9,7% | 94 000 | 118 | Fiat Doblo | 21,4% | 80 000 |
| 58 | Mazda 5 | 9,8% | 74 000 | 119 | Renault Laguna | 23,0% | 90 000 |
| 58 | Opel corsa | 9,8% | 53 000 | 120 | Renault kangoo | 23,2% | 72 000 |
| 58 | Seat leon | 9,8% | 73 000 | 121 | Dacia logan | 25,8% | 73 000 |
| 58 | Skoda Fabia | 9,8% | 53 000 | 120 | Renault kangoo | 23,2% | 72 000 |
| 121 | Dacia logan | 25,8% | 73 000 |
It was deservedly considered an extremely successful model and was produced from 1997 to 2004. The chassis design turned out to be very promising, but even the most successful cars cannot live on the assembly line forever, especially in the premium segment, where Audi has settled since the late 80s.
The new A6 in the body, designated C6 / 4F, inherited many of the generic features of the previous model, including the layout and structure of the suspensions. But the body has noticeably increased in size and, of course, replaced the entire line of motors. No less changes have taken place inside: the MMI multimedia system is only the visible part of the iceberg. The many times more complex structure of electronic units and actuators remained out of sight. Well, and, as expected, more chic, "premium", dynamics and ... prices. All according to the laws of the genre.
The car was also remembered for the monstrous V10 on the sports versions of the S6 and RS6. The engine is of the same modular series as the V6 and V8 FSI, but it is on the basis of this block that the unit for the new Lamborghini will later be made. And for Audi, an atmospheric version of 5.2 liters with direct injection with a capacity of 435 liters was in store. with. and a completely unrealistic biturbo with a volume of 5.0 liters and a capacity of 580 liters. with., and also with a good margin for additional forcing.
In the photo: Audi S6 and RS6
In the process of restyling in 2008, the car seriously changed its appearance, electronic filling and the line of motors. And then she managed to light up in a scandal with the recall of cars with a 3.0 TFSI engine in several stages, whose piston group literally "swallowed" not just quickly (which the owners are already used to), but very quickly. Fortunately, for the Russian owners they have in store a pleasant surprise, leaving in the range of engines the three-liter V6 of the old reliable series 218 liters. pp., which, along with the 3.0 diesel engine, looked simply amazing against the background of extremely problematic more "perfect" engines with their "oil-oil", failures and even fires. However, let's take a closer look at everything.
Body and interior
Audi in this body really almost does not rust - the oldest cars are just getting spot defects in the paintwork in the area of the rear wheel arches. The paint on the front arches peels off a little earlier, but corrosion is not noticeable "by eye", because the fenders and the hood are made of aluminum. True, it also corrodes and collapses over time, turning into a white powder. The robust body structure does not allow any particular liberties: the subframes are as strong as the side members and attachment points. Unless the boot floor and floor spars suffer - the car is low, and contact with curbs and other obstacles often occurs among not very neat owners. Outwardly it is invisible, but it would be nice to update the anti-corrosion layer.1 / 4
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In the photo: Audi A6 2.7 TDI Avant "2005-08 and Audi A6 4.2 quattro S-Line Sedan" 2005-08
Also note the frame. windshield- there may be damage to the paintwork, and the condition of the joint sealant in the engine compartment of cars with V8 and diesel V6 engines, a large load on the front end and high temperature can damage the seams very early, but such a defect is rare. The beautiful interior of the A6 is fraught with many potential "crickets". Alas, the complexity of the reinforcement work here is much higher than average, breakdowns of additional equipment are common, poorly diagnosed and periodically you have to remove the seats, door trims and even the dashboard to access the blocks and connectors. Collecting everything is difficult, and materials age over time. In general, the design is not designed for multiple assembly and disassembly. But the quality of the materials has become even better, except that the leather of the seats and steering wheel is no longer as good as on old cars, wear and tear are often found. But you can't see the buttons with white rubbed areas, all the inserts are silver or delight with a wooden shine, like new ones, for many, many years. And small things work well even at an age, the buttons do not lose their elasticity and clarity of switching.
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Salon Audi A6 Allroad 4.2 quattro "2006-08
Serious damage? The climate unit can "please" with the failure of one of the six gear motors. New roads, and changing a failed part is long and dreary, services often offer the removal of the entire dashboard for work. The fan motor is not particularly reliable, climate displays “burn out” over time - loops lose contact, MMI loses sound, buttons, settings, navigation ... The control keys on the central tunnel are in the vulnerable zone - they are often corny with liquid. By the way, sometimes the sunroof and autumn leaves are to blame for this - they clog the drains, and then the water flows into the salon, right in the center.
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Salon Audi A6 Allroad 3.0T quattro "2008-11
The broken-off parking brake button is already our "trick" - many owners are trying to "drift" or simply pull sharply, "until it clicks." It is clear that the Germans did not count on such barbarism, the key simply breaks. And the cigarette lighter is not located well, coins or metal debris can get into its vertical connector and cause a short circuit.
Otherwise, everything is fine, and the state of the cabin depends on the quality of the service where the A6 was serviced, as well as on the number of breakdowns in the cabin electronics. The cars are not that old, a full set of problems is present only on completely abandoned copies, killed by "high-quality" dealer service with multiple replacement of elements, and on traveling cars that are used "for slaughter".
Electrical and electronics
It is the electronics of the car that owe the appearance of almost all salon "problems". After all, there are a bunch of independent electronic units with their own settings and features. Any electrical breakdown on the A6 is not solved at all by a fifteen-minute visit to an electrician, but by serious work of people specializing in such an electrician. And it is paid accordingly. For example, a non-working seat heating came out at ... 42 thousand rubles. Well, what do you want, 10 thousand - work on finding and flashing blocks, 32 thousand - the price of a new block and replacement work. By the way, the heating mat itself in the seat was intact, if it broke, then it would be 20 thousand more, if not to introduce "emeli" instead of the original rugs with precisely calculated heating zones. Can you imagine how much it will cost to repair the parking brake? Wiring harnesses to the right and left rear caliper and even fixing the button and removing the error? Yes, minus 50 thousand rubles from the budget. Refused to adjust the mirrors? A new door block and firmware of the comfort block, the issue price is 30 thousand rubles with a used replacement block. No battery charging? Oh, the choice of problems is truly rich, from the most banal generator failure to a failure in the charge control system, and replacing the generator is still a "good" option.
You need to love this car very, very much. And never quit, otherwise it will simply not be restored later. There are more than three dozen electronic units, they all fail in very different ways: someone dies quietly, someone plants the entire tire and stubbornly defies diagnosis, someone gives out something much more ingenious. The system can work for years without failures, but if problems appear, they are solved for a long time and expensive. Of the more banal, purely electrical problems - headlights, correctors, reflectors, the glass itself die, there is another trouble on restyling - the LED line goes out. If the ESP acceleration sensor fails, half of the "very necessary functions" stops working and an error lights up on ... correctly, on the ABS unit. In general, there is nothing to do without a scanner and knowledge of the features of the machine. And the engine compartment spit on 4.2 motors and the sensors do not live long - they are hot. Starters and fans live little on all gasoline V6 and V8. Rear parking sensors suffer from weak sensors. I am afraid that the list of those electronic components that spoil the lives of the owners quite regularly will be long. There are too many of them to highlight really serious patterns. The future owner just needs to be ready for everything and take even the smallest things very seriously. And avoid maintenance in services where such a car is seen for the first time.
Suspension, braking system and steering
Multi-link suspension has long been considered an extremely problematic area. But even the multi-link front and rear on the A6 will not seriously unsettle the owner of the car. Of course, the cost of replacing everything on a "departed" car is very high. But everything breaks at once rarely, expensive units have inexpensive analogues, and the mileage of most elements during normal urban operation is at least 60 thousand kilometers, or even times more. With a very careful movement and normal operation, the car can move away 200 thousand kilometers without serious intervention. Of course, with the V8 under the hood and on the "electrical tape", the suspension bulkhead turns into a mandatory operation at every maintenance.
At the front, the lower front and upper arms are traditionally the first to suffer. At the rear, it is also the upper arms that fail first. Fortunately, almost all loaded assemblies have replaceable bushings on at least one side, and the cost of spare parts is low. Separately, it should be noted that the silent blocks of the front subframe also need to be changed regularly, especially on cars with powerful motors. Front wheel bearings run only 100-120 thousand on cars with heavy motors and sports suspensions. At the rear, the resource depends on the mode of operation: if the car often drives with full load and on bad roads, then it will have to be changed after a hundred. If this is urban exploitation, and even with a maximum of one passenger, then they can be said to be almost eternal.
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In the photo: Audi A6 Allroad 3.2 quattro "2006-08
Optional air suspension is not common and has a bad reputation. But now the price of pneumatic bellows is no longer prohibitive, there are substitutes and craftsmen who repair systems and even modify them. For example, you can put a sealed casing, "a-la Porsche" and reinforce the system with a large receiver.
In the photo: Audi A6 Allroad 4.2 quattro "2006-08
The steering is completely traditional here: a hydraulic booster and a rack with Servotronic. Everything is quite reliable, the rack is not prone to leaks and knocks, the hydraulics are well done, the pipes do not leak, the pump is reliable. Complaints about the small resource of steering rods and tips are mainly typical for cars with very wide tires. The brakes differ in size and design. Large brake discs are prone to warping and even imbalance over time and should be replaced on time. And the life of the pads is small, but this is typical for heavy and powerful machines. Otherwise, everything is very reliable: brake pipes very rarely fail even in cars of the very first releases, and the ABS unit suffers only from problems with on-board electronics. However, when buying a car, you should pay attention to "collective farming" - brakes with Porsche panamera or another custom set of brake discs and calipers is relatively common. The handbrake also often fails, but even here there are problems of a purely electrical nature - it cuts off the wiring to the individual motors of its drive, and people, in addition, break the control button in the cabin.
Transmissions
The manual transmissions are reliable here, but the dual-mass flywheel requires regular replacement or repair, and the pleasure is not cheap at all. Cardan shaft Quattro and wheel drives are strong and durable. With runs for one and a half to two hundred thousand kilometers, the intermediate support of the propeller shaft and the front outer CV joints can surrender. Quite a decent resource. It is worth monitoring the oil level in the rear gearbox: if there are leaks on the housing, then it is worth checking it regularly or repairing the breather and oil seals. If the oil goes away, then it will fail very quickly. There are two types of automatic transmissions. A Multitronic variator was installed on front-wheel drive cars, and a classic ZF gearbox relied on all-wheel drive. I already talked about Multitronic - at first there were continuous problems from the variator. On the C6, they installed a highly modified version, which differs both in the control unit and the filling of the unit itself, and it delivers relatively few difficulties. Since 2005, this box can be considered very reliable, the number of failures due to structural failures is really small. Since 2006, variators of the 0AN series have appeared, which perfectly digest the moment even powerful diesels 2.7 and 3.2 FSI engine. Most of the complaints about the box are related to the mode of operation and design features... The chain variator is still a variator. He does not like slipping, sudden starts, shock loads, towing heavy trailers and driving at maximum speed. In addition to everything, there are generic "sores" - the cones are damaged during towing and the chain resource is 100-180 thousand kilometers. And if you tighten up with replacement, then the chain will break the cones, and the repair will come out "golden". With quiet operation, even with rather powerful 3.0 MPI and 2.0 TFSI engines, the resource is very good and, most importantly, predictable. There are almost no minor glitches, glitches and failures. The main thing is to check it when buying, it is very important to work on a cold one, there is no obvious slip and extraneous sounds with smooth movement. And after full warming up - about 10-20 kilometers of track, normal operation without jerking with traction, adequate switching when accelerating "to the floor" from a speed of 10-20 km / h and higher. Shocks and howling when picking up speed, as well as hard jerking when "switching down" are unacceptable. The price of the chain itself is relatively low, about 20 thousand rubles for the "original", but if it is not changed on time, then the costs, as I have already said, will increase by an order of magnitude. Six-speed automatic transmissions of the ZF 6HP19 series on all-wheel drive vehicles with engines up to 4.2 liters and 6HP26 with engines 5.2 cannot be attributed to particularly fragile structures, but you should not count on a long resource either. The active use of blocking the gas turbine engine during acceleration, work with the slip of the main clutches sharply reduce the resource. Vibrations and wear products in the oil break the automatic transmission bushings and contaminate the valve body, which is then separated into a separate unit called mechatronics, which also fails successfully.
If the owner drives carefully and at the same time changes the oil in the box often, at least once every 40-60 thousand kilometers, then it will travel more than 200 thousand, and the volume of restoration work will not be very large: repair of gas turbine engines, replacement of clutches and something little things. But usually the operation is much tougher - frequent runs with gas to the floor (remember, this is Quattro), irregular oil changes at intervals of 60-100 thousand kilometers or "before impacts", plus constant overheating of the box. It is surprising that the structure can withstand at least 150-200 thousand kilometers in such conditions. But the price of repairs ... To the replacement of the friction clutches and linings of the gas turbine engine, the repair of the box bushings is added - they are broken by dirty oil with vibrations, plus the repair or replacement of mechatronics. A mechatronics unit costs 300 thousand rubles, repairs - from 15 thousand, but the typical cost of intervention is about 50-70 thousand rubles. At the same time, the quality of the repair is “as lucky”. And even a purchase by a competent owner often no longer saves you from expenses - the transition to a regular "partial" oil change at every or every second maintenance, the installation of a reinforced automatic transmission radiator with a filter will only prolong the agony. If the oil pressure in the automatic transmission is already low, then the wear will go at an increased rate, and any "acceleration to the floor" will sharply reduce it. And, unfortunately, the boxes with runs already from 80-100 thousand begin to be capricious: shocks when switching, failures, illogical work. The problem is not always easy to localize; many cars have been driving this way for years. Fortunately, the adaptive capabilities of the control system are great and a dealer scanner with a new firmware works wonders: often already clearly dying structures go to the last spurt and stretch another 30-50 thousand km of completely normal operation after adaptations. Both the variator and the ZF 6HP submachine gun often break the owners with their attitude. You need to understand that a powerful car is bought in order to use its power, and not to get stuck in traffic jams. The variator provides a minimum number of failures with careful operation and a stable resource, and the "automatic" ZF allows the driver a little more, provides better dynamics, better tolerates hard acceleration, but at the same time it will not endure bullying for a long time.
Motors
Audi tried to do big car dynamic and economical. Therefore, almost all engines of that period were with direct fuel injection, as lightweight and unified as possible. Among the A6 engines, only three gasoline engines are knocked out of the general row. It is a turbocharged inline-four with 2.0 TFSI (BPJ), 3.0 V6 MPI (BBJ) and 4.2 V8 MPI (BAT). All these are the last motors of the old series of related EA113. The three-liter is an outlet for Audi owners, it is powerful, 218 liters. with., with a good sound, and reliable - not at all prone to an oily appetite. The larger V8 4.2 essentially differs from it only in the extra two cylinders, a tighter layout and frankly excess power. The two-liter supercharged one is not so reliable, it often suffers from an oil appetite, but it is simpler in design and, as a result, is cheaper to operate. It has an excellent boost margin: let me remind you that the engine was essentially the same on the Golf R VI, and there they removed 300-450 hp from it. pp., which is comparable to the recoil of the V10 on the S6.
All engines - with a combination of a belt and a chain in the timing drive, cast iron sleeves with inexpensive spare parts and a minimum problem areas... Of course, turbocharging at 2.0 requires high-quality service, and direct injection of the first generation is quite capricious, but there are adapters for more modern high-pressure fuel pumps and injectors, high-quality firmware. As a result - from gasoline engines these three are rightly considered the best. With regular replacement of the timing, Supplies, ignition modules and maintaining the control system in good condition, the number of problems is minimal, the resource is far beyond 300 thousand. A series of engines 2.4 MPI (BDW), 2.8 FSI (CCDA / BDX / CCEA), 3.2 FSI (AUK), 4.2 FSI (BVJ), 5.2 FSI (BXA) and 3.0 TFSI (CAJA), in fact, differ only in the number of cylinders and piston stroke ... They have a unified cylinder diameter of 84.5 mm, and the younger engine has a simple distributed injection. These motors also have common problems.
Audi cars are a typical example of the German car industry. This car brand is characterized by reliability, durability, excellent maintainability and the obligatory equipping of its models with the latest technical achievements.
If you delve a little into history, then it is worth stopping at truly people's cars of Russia and Ukraine - Audi 80 and Audi 100.
The Audi 80, which belongs to the middle class cars, was produced in 1966-1996. And his brother, a class higher than the hundredth model, was produced in approximately the same time range (1968-1994).
These cars, imported to the CIS countries in the nineties, already, with a significant mileage (more than 150,000 km), had, moreover, a huge potential resource of both the engine and the body. Therefore, the first repairs after the import of the Audi were postponed for several years. Several factors contributed to this:
a) starting in 1986, these Audi models began to be produced with a fully galvanized body (the originally established corrosion guarantee of eight years was increased to twelve);
b) the cars were equipped with reliable gasoline (E, S) and diesel engines (D, TD, TDI). A huge number of imported cars worked up to 500,000 km before overhaul. Separately taken Audi came to our service station for the first overhaul engine with total mileage, equal to seven hundred thousand kilometers. Topping up oil for 10,000 km was 1.5-2 liters (so, in principle, these cars could ride a little more).
But the unkillable Audi 80 and 100 were replaced by the Audi A4 and A6. The range of engines has expanded, five-cylinder engines have sunk into oblivion, and some models are equipped with a tiptronic automatic gearbox (with the additional possibility of manual gear shifting).
In 1996, the Audi Station wagon and the Audi A4 quattro with all-wheel drive appeared.
Although the new models also had improved appearance, and modern equipment, their reliability has slightly decreased. If we take the reliability rating for 2002 according to the British magazine "Which?", Then for the Audi A6 (new car) it was 90%, and for the Audi A4 it was even lower - 87%.
All these problems are associated with the general trend of cheaper cars by the world's major manufacturers. The use of cheaper components always affects the quality.
In recent years, Audi vehicles have regained their somewhat shaken positions. This is again a reliable, comfortable, modern car. But technical advances have gone so far that a high-quality Audi car service can only be provided by a service station equipped with the latest science and technology. This is especially true for diesel engines. Only competent specialists will be able to properly adjust the operation of this main unit of the car, which will immediately turn it from a simple vehicle into a "high-spirited horse".
You can talk a lot about Audi cars, but let's dwell on the main thing: timely maintenance from good specialists is a guarantee of the trouble-free operation of your car.
The largest experts are the German companies Dekra and the Association of Technical Inspection Agencies VdTÜV. In addition, breakdowns are recorded by the ADAC automobile club in Germany and the independent organization Consumer Reports in the United States. Popular car research is done annually by marketing agency J.D. Power, and in Russia, the online auction CarPrice began to maintain reliability statistics.
The algorithm for evaluating the models of these companies is different, but there are models that have retained their leadership in several ratings over the past couple of years. Including, these are the models of the Volkswagen Audi Group.
Audi A1
The most compact Audi model is the leader of several ratings at once. The ADAC reports only 5.9 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles. In the TÜV rating, it is repeatedly in the lead with excellent results in terms of breakdowns: 6th place in category 2-3 summer models(3.0% of breakdowns), 12th place in the category of cars that have been used for 6-7 years (10.6%).
Porsche 911
In 2016, the 911 took the top position in the TÜV rating in several nominations at once. Based on the results of various ratings in 2017, the sports car has confirmed its reliability - and not only its new versions, but also the Porsche 911 at the age of 6-11 years old are distinguished by their durability and reliability.
Volkswagen Golf Plus
This charged hatchback has more than once been knocked out in the ratings of reliable cars. So, in the authoritative TÜV rating of 2018, with a result of 6.7% of breakdowns, it is in 17th place in the category of 4-5 summer cars. And among the models of 6-7 years old, it takes 6th place. Quite a decent result.
Audi A4 / A5
According to the CarPrice portal, this is one of the most reliable and attractive cars. In the segment of cars up to a million, the Audi A4 was overtaken only by the already mentioned VW Jetta and Kia Sorento.
According to TÜV, the reliability of these Audi models does not fall over the years, but only increases. So, in the 2018 ranking, A4 / A5 models at the age of 6-7 years dropped to 7th place with a result of 10.1% of breakdowns. Impressive!
Audi q3
The winner of the compact premium crossover category, the Audi Q3 has made a spot in the J.D. Power 2018. The main selection criterion is the assessment of the owners, how many and what defects they found in their cars after three years of their operation.
In the TÜV rating of the same year, the Audi Q3 can also be easily found. Among the models of 2-3 years old, she is in 6th place, among 4-5 year olds - in 17th.
Audi q5
This spectacular premium SUV is not only beautiful but also reliable. So, the TÜV-2018 rating gives the model 6th place in the segment of cars aged 2-3 years, 4th place for 4-5-year-old models and an honorable 2nd place (after Porsche 911) in the section of 6-7-year-old models. ...
That is, the owners pay a lump sum when buying a crossover, but then they do not invest huge amounts of money in repairs. Thus, the percentage of breakdowns for 6-7 year olds Q5 is 8.1%. Only.
Audi TT
Shares with the Audi Q5 the honorable second place among 6-7 year old models in the TÜV-2018 ranking. An impressive result - 8.15% of breakdowns identified by experts. For a 4-5 year old TT, the same percentage is 5.2%, and this is 6th place. Among models 2-3 years old, Audi TT takes the 12th place in the rating - 3.8% of breakdowns.
Audi A6 / A7
According to ADAC, the breakdown rate for this model is 5.4 per thousand cars. According to Dekra, the A6 in the back of the C7 was the most reliable car with a range of up to 150 thousand km for three years in a row.
At the same time, J.D. Power Audi A6 moved from 2nd to 4th place. According to the TÜV - 2018 version, the 2-3 year old model earned the 9th line in the rating, and the 4-5 year old A6 / A7 received a result of 5.9% of breakdowns, and this is the 10th place.
Volkswagen Polo V
VW Polo of the fifth generation entered the top 3 reliable cars in the aftermarket, according to the Russian CarPrice rating. The assessment is based on the technical condition, exterior, interior design and breakdowns.
Ranked by TÜV Polo He also showed himself well: 8.5% of breakdowns for 4-5 year old models and 12.4% among 6-7 year old models, this, of course, is not a loud claim for leadership, but quite a confident "four". Keep it up.
Volkswagen jetta
The leader in the segment of cars worth up to 1 million rubles in Russia, according to the CarPrice rating. The sedan that attracted the Russians is distinguished by its expressive appearance and does not annoy its owners with frequent breakdowns.
Who let you down
More than once noted in authoritative ratings, VW Tiguan, was the leader of the J.D. Power in 2016. But among 6-7 year old cars, according to TÜV, Tiguan is clearly not the best choice. The breakdown rate is 19.7 higher than the average, which puts the crossover at the end of the rankings.
An ambiguous situation has developed with VW Passat... The popular favorite showed itself very weakly as a reliable car: with a result of 14.6% of breakdowns after 4-5 years of operation and 18.7% for 6-7 years, the Passat was sent to the orange and red zones of the 2018 TÜV rating. The situation with VW Passat CC is even worse - it weaves at the end of the list of not only old, but also 2-3 year old models!
Other outsiders that owners often complain about are VW Sharan(19.2% after 6-7 years of model entering the market) and Vw fox(23.5% breakdowns for 6-7 year old models), according to the 2018 TÜV version.
Do not miss: 5 VAG Cars You Shouldn't Buy - Find Out Why
Today one of the most popular car manufacturers is the Audi concern. All models created by this company are good in their own way. But it's worth talking about the most popular ones.
Cars from the last century
Many old ones can compete in quality and power with the new products of our time produced by other concerns. Although the Audi concern did not succeed in the XX century as it does now, it produced really reliable cars. Take the Audi 80, for example. This mid-size car was produced for 30 years - from 1966 to 1996. But the best model in this series is the RS2 Avant. The most powerful car was equipped with a 315-horsepower engine, and its maximum speed was 262 km / h. It is worth recalling that for the end of the last century, these indicators are quite good.
Still very popular were the “Audi” models known under the “100” index. The family of these cars was published from 1968 to 1994. The best car boasted a 280-horsepower 8-cylinder engine. It was installed under the hoods of cars produced from 1991 to 1993.
However, do not focus on sedans. It is also important to talk about other cars as well. For example, about supermini cars. In the 70s, the Audi concern produced such a car. It became known as the "Audi 50". The car was sold only in Europe. The car has become the best on the market in its segment. And all because she had a rich package (for the 70s) and a low price. We managed to sell over 180 thousand copies.
2000s and success
As time went on, technologies improved, and together with them the Audi concern became better. All models that were produced in the future delighted potential buyers with their equipment and characteristics. The A6 series has become very popular. The sedan of this series in 2005 even won the award as the best car in Europe.
The most powerful version was the 4.2 FSI quattro AT. Under the hood of this car is a 350-horsepower engine, thanks to which the car accelerates to 100 km / h in less than 6 seconds. Maximum speed is 250 km / h (electronically limited), and the consumption is 10.8 liters in the combined cycle.
The beginning of the XXI century has become successful for the company. After all, it was the A6 series in 2005 that surpassed the popularity of the Mercedes E-class and BMW 5-series.
Sports cars
It should be noted sports cars“Audi”. All sports car models are special. Take the 2013 Sport Quattro Concept, for example. The characteristics are amazing. The maximum speed is 305 km / h, and acceleration to hundreds takes only 3.7 seconds! Motor power is 700 horse power! It is not surprising that among the sports cars produced by Audi, this car ranks first in terms of cost and performance.
Released in 2010, the RS6 MTM Club Sport is good too. The power of this car is 730 hp, acceleration to hundreds - 3.6 seconds, and the maximum speed - 350 km / h.
Another luxury model is the Quattro Concept. Engine power - 408 "horses", acceleration to "hundreds" - 3.9 seconds, and maximum - 300 km / h. This is also a concept.
New items
Above were listed some of those released by the concern "Audi". All models, of course, cannot be named, but they really deserved attention. And now a few words about the cars that have been released recently.
Q7 is the most expensive car to maintain. In 2015, the second generation and electric version were introduced. It became known as the e-tron. This car is equipped with a diesel three-liter hybrid, the power of which is 373 hp.
Another sensation is Audi's R8 Spyder 2017. The new model, pictured above, boasts a 540-horsepower engine that accelerates the car in 3.6 seconds. The maximum speed can be 318 kilometers per hour. The cost of the new item is as impressive as its characteristics. It starts from 186 thousand euros.
Audi TTS 2016 is also considered one of the most luxurious cars of the current year. Not surprising, since this is a coupé made of extra strong materials (steel and aluminum). Under its hood, a 310-horsepower engine is installed, which can be driven by both the 6MKPP and the automatic S-Tronic. By the way, the price is quite modest when compared with the cost of the previously listed models. It starts at 3,135,000 rubles.
And one more novelty worthy of attention. This is the Q5 model. Stylish and comfortable crossover, which is offered with several different engines... The most powerful and economical is a turbocharged diesel engine. It has 320 "horses". And there is also a bi-turbo petrol unit that produces 20 more "horses".
In general, every car produced by the Audi concern deserves attention. But the most popular and powerful models were named above. It is safe to say that this list will only grow in the future.
