Although I am a BMW guy, I still appreciate getting behind the wheel of something different every now and then. Having driven many other cars, there are characteristics I do genuinely love about other brands, mainly most European brands, and after BMW, I will say that Audi is my guilty pleasure.
Furthermore, because I’m constantly driving a plethora of late-model cars, especially luxury cars, on a near daily basis in my line of work, I’ve become somewhat spoiled and therefore less excited than I once was each time I get behind the wheel of a nice car. I’ve actually come to find much more enjoyment in getting some seat time in older “wholesale” luxury cars that get traded in, for older cars with older mechanics and technology simply exhibit more character and differences not found in modern cars.
Now the story of this Audi A6 and how it came into greater prominence in my life is special to me. Spending most of its life up in Kennebunkport, Maine, this A6 was purchased new and maintained for most of its life by the same family, who happened to be good family friends of my friend Adam. Following the husband’s untimely death, his widow was looking to unload some of his cars, with this A6 being one of them.
In case you don’t recall Adam from some of my previous posts over the years, he’s a guy with a heart of gold and also one with a fondness for high-mileage, expensive to maintain, older European luxury cars. He also typically drives in excess of 30,000 miles per year, so in a situation like his, it’s always a good idea to have a backup vehicle when one is in the shop. When the opportunity to purchase this then-90,000 or so mile A6 for $3,000 presented itself back in 2017, Adam decided to get it as a supplement to his 2009 Volvo XC90 (soon replaced by a 2012 Land Rover LR4 as his daily).
After almost two years and some significant maintenance invested into bringing it back to life, plus 40,000 or so miles added, primarily by his younger sister, Adam expressed the desire to part with the Audi. By coincidence, my partner Pat was in dire need of a new vehicle, as his well-worn 2004 Toyota Camry was on its very final leg. He toyed with the idea of leasing something new, but ultimately decided he’d rather buy something cheap cash for less than he would’ve put as a down payment.
Having once owned a 5-speed manual Passat wagon, Pat liked the idea of going back to something German and after test driving the Audi, he decided it was a good fit. After a vehicle check by a trusted mechanic at my former dealer, Venmo to Adam of $2,000, signing over of the title, and a quick trip to the registry, the car was his. We knew it needed new tires and a couple of other minor things to pass the ever-stringent annual Massachusetts vehicle inspection, and out of convenience, Pat took it to a mechanic right up the street from where he lives. Clearly trying to rip him off, this guy quoted him a bill of over $5,000, claiming it needed everything from new control arms and stabilizer bar to new taillights.
I told him I’d take it to a trusted mechanic that my family has been using for close to ten years, and as I expected, most of what the other place told him the car needed to be merely roadworthy and pass state inspection was total bull. Treated to an oil change, new hood strut, tightening of the exhaust clamps, a set of new Yokohama AVID Ascend GT all-seasons, and its inspection sticker, the Audi was all ready to go for Pat.
Due to our busy work schedules and currently living almost and hour apart, Pat and I typically only get to see each other on the weekends (hopefully something soon to change). So while the car was finished on a Tuesday, I got to drive it until that Saturday while Pat drove my 2 Series, which also left me time to get it a fantastic detailing.
As I said, Audis have always been a guilty pleasure for me, especially as I’ve always had a somewhat love-hate relationship with the brand. From an onlooker’s perspective, I’ve always found Audi designs to be highly attractive and aesthetically pleasing in their understated ways, yet the lack of significant visual change from one generation to the next has always kept their excitement factor low.
Taking this into consideration, there is no denying that Audi designs hold up incredibly well over time, something that cannot be said about most competitors. This C6 generation, the third to bear the A6 name, was sold for the 2005-2011 model years. Although heavily evolutionary of the more radical C5, the C6 incorporated Audi’s now familiar single-frame grille and slightly more athletic proportions. Its looks evolved into the slightly more formal looking C7, but the overall familiarity makes this car look great today, even after 13 years.
Yet styling alone isn’t responsible for my dichotomy with Audi. There’s also the point that Audi tends to deliver less cohesiveness across its brand in terms of driving dynamics than BMW or Mercedes-Benz. I’ve driven some Audis that I’ve found very impressive and capable, while I’ve driven others that I found downright disappointing and lacking the driving dynamics expected with a premium German car. Thankfully, this A6 4.2 is a car I truly enjoy driving.
There’s a special sort of satisfaction that comes from its 4.2-liter 40-valve DOHC naturally-aspirated V8. From its ample on-tap power, to its aircraft-like engine notes, to the growl from its throaty exhaust, it’s an engine that puts a smile on my face. Rated at 335 horsepower and 310 lb-ft torque when new, this A6 is certainly no slouch. Acceleration from stop is quick and instantaneous, with plenty of low-end torque making for smooth shifts at low-RMPs through its 6-speed triptronic automatic, unless pushed very hard when it will rev well past 3,000 RMP.
For a 13-year old vehicle, overall handling is superb. Steering is nicely-weighted and accurate, striking the expected balance between the heaviness of BMW and looseness of Mercedes. Cornering is sharp and precise, with no noticeable body roll or floatiness expected with a larger sedan. The struts were replaced under Adam’s ownership, and ride quality is very good, on the firm side which is how I prefer. This car truly does everything it was designed to do with remarkable ease and composure. It excels in being a well-built, sharp handling, comfortable midsize German sports sedan, and makes no claims about being anything other than just that. What’s more is that the combination of its understated styling and robust V8 makes this particular A6 a true sleeper.
Among other advanced-for-the-time and appreciated features are steering-linked adaptive bi-Xenon headlights, LED tail lamps, rain-sensing wipers, power rear sunshade, and its absolutely fabulous Bose 13-speaker surround sound system. Comfort and support from its 12-way power front buckets is good, although I’d personally like a bit more lateral and thigh support by way of adjustable side bolsters and extendable thigh cushions.
Thankfully, the 6-level heated front seats work superb! I do like a nice toasty seat even on a damp spring day, and with this car coming before the various lawsuits against manufactures involving people claiming they suffered burns from heated seats, on the highest setting these seats are marvelously hot!
Furthermore, all of its other electronics are also working great. It is worth noting that this C6 was the first generation A6 to feature Audi’s Multi Media Interface (MMI), a comprehensive command center for all media, phone, navigation, climate, and vehicle setting functions. It takes a little getting used to, but apart from software and screen graphic updates, Audi really hasn’t changed the overall layout of its hardware until the most recent C8 A6 released for 2019. I’ve experienced it in most other Audis that I have driven, so I’ve had time to become versed with it.
In my time with it, I quickly came to like this 2006 Audi A6 4.2 very, very much. Far more importantly is the fact that Pat likes it. It suits his needs and driving style well, and in a time of need, was an affordable solution, at least for the short term. How long he will keep this car is certainly in question, as the longevity of a high-mileage, older German car can be a gambling game, even if it is well-maintained. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, but at least for now this Audi is a gracefully aging autobahn cruiser.
Reading this, I realized that despite having some fairly eclectic automotive experiences, I’ve never driven an Audi. And in fact I haven’t ridden in one since a brief outing in my boss’ new 5000 Quattro in 1987 or ‘88. AWD, pearl white with black leather and a 5 speed, that car seemed like the epitome of a luxury sports luxury at the time.
Dman – should you travel to a place where you need a rental car, try Silvercar by Audi, if it is available. You’ll get a brand new A4 or Q5 to try out…start by downloding the app…It is a great rental experience!
Yes and as with seemingly any car, there’s a CC for that!
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/new-cars/rental-car-classic-2015-audi-a4-quattro-s-line-from-silvercar-com-finally-a-better-option/
It’s changed a bit since I wrote this as Audi actually ended up buying the company and has expanded the offerings a bit (but still always a silver Audi) but I’d still consider them.
Thanks for tip … a month ago I would have said I never rent cars, but in fact I just returned from a week in Florida and the airport we flew to, Orlando, does in fact have Silvercar. Instead I used Hertz and selected a “VW Jetta or equivalent”, and my choices were Cruze, Soul or Sentra. I picked the Soul and it was fine, but hardly a Jetta, let alone an Audi. Next time …
I agree. After driving the boss’s wife’s 2009 300 series MB and his A6 5.2 of the same vintage, I’d take the Audi. Much better connected to driver and the road. My only complaint was the tiny control knobs and switch gear. Very hard to read, but I loved the MMI. Looking for a used one now but afraid of the upkeep
You’d probably appreciate a set of S6 seats swapped in to this one for more support but that being said these are all-day comfortable, perfect for a cross-country jaunt.
This is a very nice car, I still slightly prefer the prior generation, that body in 4.2 guise just looked meatier with the more flared fenders that the V8 got you but this looks a little leaner and goes just as well. The instrument panel layout works great, everything falls to hand and if you look at a current Hyundai Sonata it’s actually surprisingly similar in dashboard layout.
Overall I think Audi parts are cheaper than BMW parts, so as long as you have a good mechanic that can be creative and think outside of the box, this can stay on the road for quite some time with regular maintenance and staying on top of issues. But once the issues start mounting then the overall bill becomes too high and poof, it becomes unreasonable. i.e. a $1000 repair every six months or whatever is manageable compared to a new car payment if corrected quickly but if you let them go then three $1000 repairs all due at the end of the year makes the car become non grata, just like that white LR Discovery you drove a while back.
This also still has the better quattro system, none of that current “Ultra-quattro” nonsense that’s really a FWD system until AWD is needed. This one’s still full time and better (IMO) than what most of the competition ever came up with. Add some good winter tires and this will be unstoppable next winter. I hope Pat enjoys it!
One minor nit – these were sold in the US starting in the 2005 model year, ’04 was still the C5 chassis.
All good points Jim! I knew you’d have some good insight given your previous Audi ownership and expertise!
Swapping in S6 seats does sound very appealing, something I’d likely do if it were my car.
With regards to how long to keep this car, or any older luxury car for that matter, you and I share a similar mentality. Once any needed repairs start amounting to the equivalent of a new car payment, I’d say it’s time to part ways.
By chance if this car stays relatively problem-free and cheap to maintain in the near future, Pat’s probably going to keep it as an extra car for us while he’ll lease a newer A3, A4, or Allroad.
Currently, we’re actually in the process of starting to seriously consider homeownership together and getting pre-approved, so as you know keeping credit perfect and debt-to-income ratios favorable are key.
I recall us discussing Audi’s “lessening” of its Quattro all-wheel drive in its more basic models, and I’m certain that’s the root of my dissatisfaction with some of the recent Audis I’ve driven, such as the Q5 and TT convertible.
And typo corrected!!! 🙂
It’s hard for me to read this and not draw some parallels to my own (now seemingly ancient) Audi-owning experience. My first car was a 1981 Audi Coupe, bought in 1989 when I was a teenager. While Pat’s car appears new, both in terms of design and technology, my own 8-year-old Audi was at that time virtually a relic.
Audi changed a great deal over the course of the 1980s, and my own car, with wind-up windows, plaid upholstery, and no hint of “luxury” was a different species from the prestige marque that Audi had evolved into over that decade. And the unintended acceleration hysteria caused used Audi prices to plummet, making an older version like mine actually affordable to a teenager.
With Pat’s car, I bet that 90% of the general population would assume its brand new. The design looks new, like you said, and car design hasn’t really evolved dramatically over the past decade. The technology on this A6 also appears competitive in modern times. As for cost of ownership… I hesitate to speculate on that – that’s one thing that would drive me away from buying a former prestige vehicle on a new car, but for Pat’s purchase price, he could hardly go wrong.
In Europe, Audi stayed closer to its roots for longer. In 1993, you could.still get an 80 with crank windows, no A/C, manual mirrors, no rev-counter… Here’s is my lightly optioned TDI inside (steering wheel is from a coupe)
Let’s try a different file…
That’s not just a wheel from a Coupe, that one is made by Nardi and quite sought after, asking prices are usually in the several hundred dollar range.
Mine was missing the center piece and I ended up only paying a fraction of that, I guess I was lucky, felt like I’d struck gold when I found it at the scrapyard 🙂 did the swap a couple of days ago! It had a 4 spoke before, and the difference when driving is night and day
Audi’s last gasp with anything remotely near that trim level in the US was the 1988-91 B3 80/90 range… Audi still offered then a base-model 80 with plastic hubcaps, non-premium upholstery, few luxury items, etc. But from what I recall, the more uplevel 90 outsold the 80 handily, and Audi never looked back.
Reminds me quite a lot of my wife’s 2006 Audi A4 with the 3.2, which we bought in 2009 with 30k on the clock and kept until last Summer (2018) when the cost of upkeep just became too much. I agree with you on their timeless and slow-to-age styling and their solid and quick road manners. Ours was the same shade of silver, which held up great too. I hated to give it up.
Other than the gaping maw grill, a continuing design craze which these Audis started, they look rather like a fancied-up Passat. A clean, handsome design, if a bit plain.
Too bad that long-term reliability and high cost of ownership are the downfall of these and other German luxury cars of the era. Used Audis, Benzes and BMWs of this vintage are usually bargain-basement cheap for a reason.
I’ve never driven or ridden in an Audi, but they’re definitely on my bucket list. However, I’m not sure I’d want to foot the repair bills as they age. My sister in Michigan used to own a VW Passat TDI that she was quite happy with, but when VW offered her a nice chunk of cash for it as a result of Dieselgate she took the money and bought a used A3. So far she’s happy with it, but considering that she’s used to (and still owns) two older Hondas that just keep on going, I’m not sure that she’ll want to keep a finicky older German car in the driveway.
The C6-generation A6 does look ultramodern, compared to a contemporary 5 Series, S-Type, or E-Class. And they’re built like tanks in terms of the way they drive.
I briefly dated a guy with one of these, but his was on the decline. Specifically, he was facing a four-figure sum to replace the timing chain guides, which required removing the engine since they faced the firewall.
I did look into aftermarket warranties Pat could get for relatively cheap, but he decided against it, especially as these high-mileage warranties generally get pretty poor reviews as far as the company honoring claims.
The thought of this car needing a new timing chain has been one of my worst fears from the start though. Having worked for MINI for 3 years, I was used to the incidence of service customers haven driven their higher-mileage R56s with the Peugeot engines needing new timing timing chains to the point that repairs far exceeded the value of their vehicle.
European cars of this era are not worth much money people shy away from them when the mileage starts getting up there, Fortunately this happens here around 200-300,000kms, you suddenly have a really nice car nobody wants, perfect as far as I’m concerned its around half life and theres usually plenty of mileage left in them if you remember to service them. When a major problem occurs its cheaper to buy another one than repair the one youve got.
Headlight issues caused a mate to off load his 3.5L V8 BMW recently, he got tired of dumping money into it nice car and all that but that isnt the first problem its had.
“Headlight issues caused a mate to off load his 3.5L V8 BMW recently, he got tired of dumping money into it nice car and all that but that isnt the first problem its had.”
See, this is what infuriates me about the premium European makes, OK, mainly the Germans since they are the main volume players – When is the last time anyone heard of “headlight issues” on a Toyota, Nissan, or even a Mitsubishi? Ever? Certainly not to the extent that someone would get rid of the car vs fixing whatever the issue was. At the prices one pays, this is just not acceptable. But I guess as long as people keep paying for new ones…
It’s a cultural thing, really. A lot of people tend to lease luxury cars or otherwise off-load them by warranty’s end and they’re naturally just very complex vehicles loaded with features anyway. It’s why, as much as I love buying used and love my cars fully loaded, I’ve shied away from buying used + European. On my shortlist for my next car – again, probably used – there’s a Lexus but no BMW, Audi or Mercedes.
If I’m being overly cautious and furthering European car stereotypes, let me know. But if I have a choice between a Lexus IS that drives almost as well as a BMW 3, or a BMW 3 that’s more likely to have annoying and expensive issues pop up, I’ll take the Lexus IS. And I say this as someone who would absolutely love to have a BMW 3!
To get this Audi for two grand, I’d happily wire all the lights, wipers, window motors etc, with toggle switches just to have that much style. I just wouldn’t tell anyone.
I have been on my own since I was 16. I have been supporting other people since 19. I have always lived paycheck to paycheck. Still doing it at 48. I’m not complaining. I had reasons for my choices and don’t regret them, but one of the consequences is I’ve never had money for a car that I really WANT. Some have been nice, and many fun but the priority has always been to make a smart purchase and to only spend money when necessary. That’s why I have so much experience with the average and boring cars often featured here, and can’t really relate to the big money stuff so much.
I’ve never driven a German car. Or an Italian one. Or anything really fast. I have been tempted at tax time to get one of those 2-3K BMW 5-series or something like that on Craigslist, but common sense comes back and I either put some money into my existing cars or buy another good running older car.
But that Audi is a car I would want regardless of price. It is beautiful! The thought of driving something that nice even for a short time for what I paid for my old Avalon is exciting. I even put high octane in the Toyota to get the extra few horsepower. (It actually makes use of it in this car)
But it doesn’t make 335 horsepower. Or look like that Audi.
Not sure why I wrote my life story in a reply box to you, but this is where I happened to be when I got the urge to write.
Thanks for indulging me!
I, too, have a complicated relationship with Audi. I know they’ve definitely improved over the years in terms of handling and ride quality but I still feel like I’d lean towards a RWD BMW over an AWD Audi. Looking at how well that 13-year-old interior (!!) has held up though makes me remember Audis definitely have their strong suits. Interior design is one, for sure. BMW interiors never seem to change, for better or worse, while Mercedes’ interiors this century have sometimes aged poorly (their mid/late-2000s interiors with the fiddly little buttons, for example). This 2006 A6, though? Stunning.
To that end, my biggest complaint about Audis is that they never seem to change much externally. I see now that this is a good thing when you have a used one.
Besides, any misgivings I had about Audi mostly evaporate when I consider Pat’s has a delicious 4.2 V8.
Funnily enough, I considered getting a family member to rent one of these back in ’07 to drive me to the formal (prom) in. It was the only luxury car I remember seeing on car rental websites. Alas, logistically it wasn’t to be and by then I’d missed out on getting a ride with some friends in a ’59 Chevy so I ended up going in a typical stretched AU Fairlane. Boring.
Man, I feel for someone driving 30,000 miles a year for a job. That’s a lot of dead time.
I love to drive but I’m happy my commute involves a bus or train. You can be productive on a bus or train, you can’t in a car. Unless it’s autonomous.
Tell that to the late Irv Gordon, who drove well over 60,000 miles a year in his world record-holding 1966 Volvo…solely for “the hell of it.”
Disclaimer: I knew Irv and had the good fortune to chat with him on more than one occasion. He would regale me and others with plenty of stories – example, once he drove from his Long Island home up to Rutland, Vermont just to have lunch at a diner. Then after lunch, he drove back home. All in the span of one day.
Did I read that right, $2000?
That has to be a mistake. That’s what a rundown Camry goes for here.
That is a stunning car inside and out.
For that I’d be happy to get six months out of it before an expensive repair. Until then I could live large. 335 hp for 2 grand? AWD? Leather/wood/and no giant television glued to the dash? Where has this been all my life?
I no longer want LT. Dan’s Grand Prix. I want that Audi!
Okay, I still want the Grand Prix, too…
I have no recent Audi experience. My most recent was the 1994 A6 owned by a former law partner and his wife. It was the typical German luxury car experience. It was beautiful, comfortable and impressive in every way. But once it hit about 8 years old it began requiring four figure cash infusions 2 to 3 times a year. The last one resulted in his independent mechanic buying it very cheaply.
I understand the allure and the seduction. But something is wrong when a Honda Fit or a Buick Lacrosse of the same vintage has more market value because they can be counted on to keep running. My initial reaction was that there is nothing more expensive than a $2000 Audi. For your friend’s sake, I hope I am wrong about this one.
Sounds like a great deal on a well maintained car, I’d have probably jumped at that price too. And yes like others have mentioned, the timing chain that is facing into the firewall on these will ultimately be this car’s death knell, just not worth the cost of repairs. But keep the engine filled with fresh synthetic oil and you might be surprised at how much longer it goes!
Gorgeous car and well-bought! To many years (months?) of good service and adventures!
I too am vexed by European brand lack of reliability. I fully understand the majority of their market here in the US is leasing, with the repairs bills being passed down the line. Doesn’t Europe have BHPH lots too? How does the common middle class afford the upkeep over there? Do they have lower expectations, better maintenance regiments, or a combination of both?
I’ve been privileged (or stupid) to have owned 5 different Euro brands anywhere from 9 months (Fiat) to 12 years (my current Saab). Only one has been bought new (Volvo), and after 3 years the maintenance bill was extensive enough to trade it in. Always go running back to the Asian brands that have rarely given me trouble up to 200+k miles.
My ‘79 Audi 5000 was one of my favorites – solid as a tank, classic demure style. Once the water pump went out at 60k, as well as developing a slew of electrical gremlins, we had to break up.
It is nice that few years ago had this kind os V8 powered executive saloon without sports pretension. Today if you want a V8 E class or 5 series you are obliged to have a AMG Sport or M Performance car. Even in the smaller ones, the six cylinder versions of the A4, 3 series and C class are always sporty. It is almost impossible to find a non-S class Mercedes with the classic grille and hood ornament.
I like sports sedans, but a car like yours V8 A6 seems like a nice cruiser with a good balance between comfort and performance