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Buying a used Audi A4 B8? Here's what to look out for

13th August 2024, 11:12 by Ananth Iyer

This car don’t hold its value for long compared to the Mercedes C-Class (W204) and the BMW 3 Series (E90).

BHPian Shreyfiesta recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Used buying guide : Audi A4 B8/B8.5

Introduction :

You've just been given a promotion and now have the budget to move up to a bigger car that fits the bill. You’ve taken a look at the cars in the ₹ 8-12 lakh bracket but you really want to make a statement and move up in life. Get yourself an entry-level premium sedan at the price of a brand-new Maruti Baleno. Say hello to the Audi A4 B8/B8.5, probably one of the best cars to enter into the premium car segment?

The B8 generation has aged beautifully over the years.

Well, the B8 generation Audi A4 (2008-2016) is a solid, well-engineered sedan that makes a good buy in the used car market. This car don’t hold its value for long compared to the Mercedes C-Class (W204) and the BMW 3 Series (E90). So, buy one if you plan to keep it for a long duration. If you attribute luxury with something which is fill it, shut it type, this is not the car for you. Get a well-maintained Camry with your eyes closed in such a case.

Probably the toughest of three-way fights?

Understanding the variants :

The Audi A4 B8 was built based on Volkswagen group's Modular Longitudinal Platform, MLB-B to be specific. This platform allowed for a shorter front overhang, resulting in a greater wheelbase length without no major increase in overall length compared to the older generations of A4. The B8 generation itself was offered in sedan and estate (Avant) bodystyles. In the Indian market, the B8 generation sedan began in 2008 and ran all the way until mid-2016, with a mid-cycle refresh in 2012 (codenamed B8.5). The S4, a high performance variant of the executive sedan was launched in India softly in 2012. Only a few units were sold here, so let's exclude it from this thread.

Pictorial comparison between pre-facelift and facelift.

Majority of the pre-owned examples available in India are 2.0 TDIs.

For the pre-facelift A4, you can find various configurations like 1.8 TFSI petrol, 2.0 TFSI petrol, 3.2 FSI petrol, 2.0 TDI diesel and 3.0 TDI diesel in the used car market. Facelifted models came in 1.8 TFSI petrol, 2.0 TFSI petrol, 2.0 TDI diesel and 3.0 TDI diesel. Majority of the used examples available in the market are diesels, with the 2.0 TDI version accounting for around eight out of every ten cars. 2.0 TDI itself was offered on the A4 in two different state of tunes from 2013 onwards : 105 kW and 130 kW. The engine of course was the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, the construction, the bore and stroke, the compression ratio were all identical on the two engines. The additional power and torque then was courtesy a rewired ECU.

A facelifted 177bhp A4 2.0 TDI being test driven by Motorbeam in 2014.

Engine specifications table from a 2012 brochure.

The 3.2 FSI V6 petrol Quattro was discontinued in early-2012. While the four-wheel drive 3.0 TDI V6 diesel was quick enough, it was made available only on demand. Audi India kept experimenting on the A4 with trim levels as well for quite a long time. Premium, Premium Plus and Technology were the variants offered on the facelifted A4 initially, and Standard and Premium Sport trims came later in 2014. The Premium Sport has 20-spoke alloys, carbon black ORVMs and all-black cabin to differentiate it from other variants. Economic variants like Business Edition and Celebration Edition were stripped-down to the max, and were sold only for a limited period. A lot of creature comforts including sunroof, cruise control, window curtains, electrically-adjustable driver seat, etc were deleted from the latter in favour of a lower starting price back then.

Throwback to the time when there was no confusion in Audi's model nomenclature.

A Phantom Black A4 3.2 FSI Quattro displayed during the launch event in 2008. The 18" 5-spoke wheels were exclusive for the 3.2 FSI. Image courtesy : Hanmust.

Bodywork :

Corrosion isn't an issue with the VAG cars unless it has been living by the sea or has seen a poor accident-repair job. Audi India normally provides warranty against corrosion/perforation for a period of 12 years, without mileage limitation. This is transferable without cost to new owners, if ownership of the vehicle changes within the warranty period. Front wheel well rusting is a typical issue in pre-facelift cars. The wheel well liner, made of felt-like material, scrubs against the fender and the paint peeling and rusting begins from the inside. It would be wise to upgrade the wheel well liners to plastic ones, which comes installed on facelift models. Facelift cars get additional stone guard protectors too, and they are snapped with some kind of fixing pins in the wheel well liner (not in fender itself). If you want to have these on your pre-facelift car, you need to cut the pins away and tape them on wheel arcs.

A clear picture of the area where the rust is normally located.