Buying my first Audi

I am looking at buying my first Audi. I am looking at either the 2003 3.0 with 58,000 or the 2004 2.7T with 43,000. I am also considering a 2003 3.0 with 59000. I love the AWD option as I live in the midwest + handeling. I have been doing some reading here since I found this forum and it seems like both have +'s and -'s, however none really address the main reason I am buying this car. ATM I need something that is sporty, safe, reliable, and fun to drive AND gets good gas millage. My SUV currently gets about 15mpg on the highway so the 25 to 27mpg is a great upgrade. I also wanted a bit of a bigger car so I can fit my dog kennel in the back for weekend trips. I plan on drving about 400 miles per week. I don't plan on doing any performance mods, other then maybe a filter or other little things, though I have found an RS bodykit that I love the look of. I also plan on keeping this car for about 4 years or so till I can buy a 2 year old diesel Audi in 2010 or 11.

So, which one do you guys think is the best option for my usage? If I go with the 3.0's I'm going to insist they do the TB and waterpump replacement so I don't have to worry about that since they are at the 60k range, and 70k will be coming fast at 400 miles / week. I also plan to get an extended warranty to cover me for 2 years of replacements as it sounds like they my need a good amount of stuff replaced depending how they were driven by the previous owners (which I have no way of knowing).

Thanks for the help, and I can't wait to get one!

Hey and welcome on Go-Audi.

When I read this part of your post I immediately thought of an Allroad 2.7t. You should check one out!

I put 80k on my A6 in three years. With a kid in travel hockey, I frequently drive 1000 miles/week and a lot of highway. With the 2.7T and MT6 I consistently get 23-24 at 65-70 and 22-23 at 75-80. Sometimes a little better in warm weather. Gas mileage is noticeably worse in sub-freezing weather.

The A6 has a very spacious trunk and the rear seats go down. But if you want serious room, look at the All-road.

This car is flat out the best winter, snow vehicle I ever owned. It has something like 8 air bags, ESC, and ABS.

That's about the info I was looking for. Pretty much every site shows them getting between 25 and 27 hwy which is double what my SUV gets. I don't have a problem with bringing her in for regular fluid changes, and checkups, but I also don't want to spend 1000's a year on maintenance, nor do I want her in the shop more then I drive her. I had a Jeep that I bought brand new, and the sucker was in the shop more then I drove it...traded it a year later. I'm a car guy so I want something with style, and that pretty much leaves Audi, BMW and MB. MB and BMW makes only a couple of cars with AWD, so that pretty much rules them out. What I would really like is a Euro A6, as they have even better looks IMO, not to mention great diesels! Hopefully Audi will be bringing all of their diesels to the stats in 08/09 and I can get a 2 year old one in 2011 at a nice discount.

This fourm is great though, I had been reading a lot of "problems" Audi's and was not sure if I really wanted to get one as I am not looking for a money pit. But, after reading here, and other fourms, it seems like if you take care of it, do the scheduled maintence, and treat it right, it will be just fine, and while not as fun, the non turbo would be less maintence worries.

What tires would you all recommend for good all season driving? I got my SUV for the deep snow, but would like to go with just one set of tires if possible. Was thinking something from Bridgestone, BFG, or maybe Yoks.

Any other info on the 3.0 with about 60k that I might want to consder? I am hoping to buy it by the end of the week if all goes well.

Congratulations! I remember buying my first car and how good that felt and how magical that was. It always feels good to have something that you did yourself like buying your own car. Congrats. I hope you enjoy your new baby.

congrats, really a good news...
enjoy with your baby and also a new car...

3.0 audi cars are nice it has 6-speed automatic transmission and 280-300 horsepower and trubocharged engine i has many other features in it