Audi Parts – It is indeed true to a degree that Germans produce some of the finest motors in the world, and their innate engineering prowess is all but a fable. With that said, amongst the big three German marques, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, I have to say that I do favor the latter-most. If nothing else it’s their obsession with Avants and inline-5s that really does it.
However, since their motto states: ’Being Ahead through Technology’, and being cutting edge isn’t cheap, people have generally gathered that owning an Audi won’t be cheap. Here’s the thing, are Audi parts expensive?
Of course, right out of the gate, I think it should be immediately eminent that if you are an Audi owner, you are expected to be able to pay a bit more than say, a Škoda. They’re made to be premium cars and quality never comes cheap. And thus you should adjust your expectations accordingly.
That said, a manufacturer like Audi touts an eclectic range of models, from their basic Audi A1 supermini all the way to the full-blown R8 supercar. Therefore, how much you are expected to spend depends on how big and how exotic of an Audi you’ve got. As such we’re taking the basic A4 with a 2.0 TFSi as the baseline.
One thing is common amongst any Audi out there, and that’s to stay on top of your maintenance. Luckily, Audi does boast a generous service schedule, with new 2019 models requiring their first minor maintenance 10,000 miles in, or 1 year, whichever comes first. Typical service parts, including Audi approved VW 505 00 engine oil and filter should come in at just around $90.
You should also definitely keep up with your transmission oil service, as the S-Tronic transmission Audi uses demands quality service and oil to stay in top shape. You’re going to need 7-litres of DCT ATF and filters, a service kit costs around $300, while the 8-speed Tiptronic comes in at around $350.
The S-Tronic has a service interval of 40,000 miles, and while Audi doesn’t specify for the Tiptronic, stick to the same interval as the S-Tronic for peace of mind. The differential fluid change should be performed around this time as well, and for $10 per qt of quality Redline fluids, it’s definitely worth it.
Onto some bigger parts such as the absorbers, where OEM BIlsteins will cost around $90 each front and back. Need a timing chain job done? The parts will total to around $500. Water pump went kaput? That’ll be around $200 in parts. Brakes vary heavily, as a basic ventilated rotors might be $100 for a set, but big ceramic rotors will easily top $1000 for just one.
Of course, now you might be thinking that doesn’t sound all that bad. And honestly, if we’re just talking about parts, Audi parts really doesn’t cost as much as you might expect. It’s comparable to other German luxury cars. However, unless you’re an especially savvy guy that knows his way around tools, you’re probably going to need a workshop to carry out most major jobs.
And if parts don’t cost you, the labour certainly will. Audis aren’t exactly DIY-friendly cars, and space is almost always at a premium here. With that said, this article is here to dispel the myth that German luxury cars automatically costs more in parts. It’s the truth if you go original, but being prudent and knowing which OEM parts you need can save you a lot in the long run. Audi parts are expensive, but Audi OEM parts don’t exactly demand all that much.