Should I Buy a Used Car with a Rattle?

BrewerHaHa on 24/02/2018 - 19:51
Last edited 25/02/2018 - 08:58

Hi everyone, I'm going to a dealership tomorrow with the intention of buying an Audi A3 2010 quattro. I test drove it and there's a rattle from the rear of the car but doesn't affect performance.

I had the car inspected by MTA and there was a thought it may be the wastegate but this has since been ruled out. The car was taken to a mechanic then to Audi to check (I'm not sure if Audi only checked the turbo or the whole vehicle - I'll find out tomorrow) but the Audi report seems to say the vehicle is fine.

Should I drop the money on the car if this rattle doesn't affect the driving? I'm really torn. It's for my mum and she likes the car, but the thought of buying a lemon is driving me mad.

I've already placed a deposit of $1k on it which makes me even more torn and it's not refundable.

Edit: I'm not a hoon. On the weekend I like camping and going to the snow. AWD makes life a lot easier.

Automotive

Comments

    • BrewerHaHa on 24/02/2018 - 20:04

      The rattle only presents itself when slowing down (coasting or braking) on any type of road (not rough like is described in the article)

  • rambutann on 24/02/2018 - 20:17
    +9

    If it was an older, cheaper car then sure… But a 2010 Audi.. God no.

    • [Deactivated] on 25/02/2018 - 11:55

      A 2010 Audi is pretty damn old. I’d be avoiding any Audi/VW that old.

      • rambutann on 25/02/2018 - 14:38

        Yeah definitely. By cheaper older car I'm talking 2000 corolla where rattle probably don't mean shit.

  • pegaxs on 24/02/2018 - 20:20
    +8

    If you have heaps of disposable money and want a frustrating project car to throw money at.

  • activ8newbs on 24/02/2018 - 20:34
    +3

    Don't do it - not on a Euro Luxury car

    They are notorious for their poor reliability and high service/repair costs.

    Negotiate to either get $1000 back (at least most of it), or buy another car from the same dealer and use the $1000 towards it.

    Don't tell the dealer your plan, otherwise he will choose not to negotiate because he knows that you're likely to purchase something anyway (opposed to forfeiting $1k)

    • BrewerHaHa on 24/02/2018 - 20:56

      My plan to not buy? To be honest, I'm ok with forfeiting the 1k. In the grand scheme of things it's not too much. If it's a lemon with this rattling, I'm sure that it's going to cost more than $1k to repair. So I'd rather lose than $1k than buy a dud and have piece of mind that I've got a car that works as it should.
      I'm just in the market for a car around 10k with AWD that has decent fuel economy…is that so much to ask for?!

      • SPCTRE on 24/02/2018 - 21:07

        Is AWD nessesary? Not many 10k cars out there in AWD unless really old. Considered Subaru?
        Depends how you define “decent fuel economy” but all AWD cars aren’t that great on fuel compare to FWD.

        • BrewerHaHa on 24/02/2018 - 21:17

          I just enjoy going to the snow and going off road (just dirt, gravel and grass) and AWD makes it a lot easier. Less chance of getting stuck in the mud or wet dirt and there's not always people around to give you a tow.

        • SPCTRE on 24/02/2018 - 21:54

          Thought the car was for your mum 😂
          I’m guessing she love the snow, off road dirt, gravel and grass.
          Sounds like the wrong type of car for those kind of terrains.
          Consider 4WD?

        • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 07:38

          @SPCTRE: She's not the only one that drives it but she is the main user. 4WDs are a little too large for my mum and our garage is very small

          Edit: I'm not doing any serious or real off roading. Just going on unpaved roads and grass when visiting parks

        • Oz8argain on 26/02/2018 - 11:54

          @BrewerHaHa: subaru

  • chumlee on 24/02/2018 - 21:30
    +12

    That rattle noise is your lose change that you will be left with in life savings if you buy a used Audi

  • volcanoeqcycle on 24/02/2018 - 21:53

    Only if it hums

  • Euphemistic on 24/02/2018 - 21:59
    +3

    Why would you put a deposit down if you think there is something wrong with the car. I’d have been gettingrnhw dealer to fix it prior to givinrhwn any cash.

    Still, this forum is here for ‘unusual’ questions I guess.

    • bghunter on 24/02/2018 - 23:13
      +1

      gettingrnhw
      givinrhwn

      and 'unusual' words… ;)

  • jason101 on 24/02/2018 - 22:06
    +3

    I have been driven crazy by car rattles in European cars before and have needlessly replaced ridiculous numbers of components (which were not the problem) costing thousands of dollars - nothing will bring a tear to your eye faster than dropping your car off at some specialist (in my case) exhaust place, having expensive components like cat converters and other exhaust bits replaced only to drive out of the driveway and hear the same noise as you drive off. If you are buying from a dealer and love the car - pay MORE if you have to but insist you drive it off the lot rattle free.

  • BrewerHaHa on 24/02/2018 - 22:36
    +2

    Thanks friends. I will not buy the car tomorrow unless the rattle is gone.

    • Oz8argain on 26/02/2018 - 11:55

      it will come back as soon as you drive out of the dealership

  • [Deactivated] on 24/02/2018 - 22:46
    +4

    Should I Buy a Used Car with a Rattle?

    I would definitely swap one of my kids rattles for an Audi a3

    • retiredfeline on 25/02/2018 - 11:49

      Maybe there's a snake in the car.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/02/2018 - 23:50
    +1

    80k audi?

    • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 00:03

      If I had 80k to spend on an Audi i think I would spend less time on OzBargain

  • Lukeae93 on 25/02/2018 - 02:11

    It does sound like it could be the wastegate making the noise. Is it a fast paced metal clicking noise when decelerating in gear? Easy way to check is to grab the wastegate actuator arm and jiggle it back and forth to see if it makes the same noise

    • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 07:33

      It was sent to a mechanic and Audi to have a look. It's not the wastegate :(

  • pantsparty on 25/02/2018 - 07:37

    How much is the car? Mileage?

    • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 07:38

      $14k @ 120,000KM

      • pantsparty on 25/02/2018 - 07:43
        +2

        There is no way I would feel like I am looking after my mother letting her buy this when she can buy a nice brand new hatchback for around $20k which will not cost her a fortune in maintenance and has a good warranty. Some people are dazzled by European brands such as this but at this age and mileage it is likely to be a money pit.

        • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 07:49

          Not that many with AWD. My mum is also hates Japanese cars (while I like them because of they're value for money) so this is like a compromise.

        • pantsparty on 25/02/2018 - 07:54

          @BrewerHaHa: why do you need AWD on an old small car? As long as she knows buying this is a gamble and she can get a much better Japanese car for the money than not much you can do if she won’t budge on getting a European car.

        • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 07:58

          @pantsparty: I mentioned above it's because I sometimes go onto dirt/mud/grass and if I get stuck I can't always get a tow. I've been trying to find a Subaru which will satisfy us both but the old boxter engines are terrible with fuel economy.

        • pegaxs on 25/02/2018 - 08:31
          +2

          @BrewerHaHa:

          That’s not what AWD in these cars is for. The A3 isn’t AWD so you can do rally cross in it. If you want to do what you are saying, get an “All Road” or a Subaru Outback, something that is actually designed to do what you are asking.

          You keep saying, “it’s for me Ma”. She like getting on wet fields and doing donuts like a hooligan?

          You want to take this car out and paddock bash it and you’re worried about “fuel economy” and “rattles”?

          You don’t get to have a turbo charged, AWD Euro sports car AND get good “fuel economy”

        • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 08:50

          @pegaxs: I'm not going to do rally cross, I'm driving to camp sites. The A3 is one of the cheapest AWD cars (even if it is haldex). Currently garage is too small for a larger car (length is the limiting factor). Turbo doesn't affect fuel economy unless driving hard and extra fuel needs to be added to get the most efficient fuel/air ratio

        • pegaxs on 25/02/2018 - 09:21
          +1

          @BrewerHaHa:

          I don’t know much about the A3 AWD set up, but commonly on these smaller vehicles, the way it works is set up for asphalt driving, NOT for muddy paddocks. There is usually no torque distributing mechanisms in these boxes. ie: cross differential or inter differential locking. Basically, if you get wheel slippage at one wheel, all your power disappears out that one wheel. You may not get any benefit out of an AWD system how you intend to use it. Not every AWD system is a pseudo 4WD system. But, as I said, until I know how the A3 AWD system works, I can't make any firm comment on it. It would more likely be the traction control system doing all the work.

          Turbo doesn’t affect fuel economy? Well, I beg to differ. If you are jamming twice the amount of air (14psi/1bar) into an engine, to maintain that "fuel/air" ratio, you need to jam in twice the amount of fuel. And it doesn’t take a lot of "hard driving" to get a turbo to come on boost. Hell, a small hill will cause the turbo to come on boost…

          The biggest killer to fuel economy is the AWD system. It uses up a lot more fuel due to the engine having to drive an extra set of tyres and pull around the extra weight of a AWD system.

          Either way, I wouldn’t be buying a turbo AWD sports type hatchback to go "camping" with and then saying it's for "economy". If you want an A3 Quattro, then just buy one, but justifying the AWD part because you go "camping" is just your brain justifying/validating you to buy the car.

        • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 09:37

          @pegaxs: the turbo isn't something I care about.
          With haldex if you lose traction to one when you still get three wheels getting power I believe. There's a new ISH Subaru impreza with better fuel economy then the Audi which I'm looking at but garage size constraints are very painful. Small hatchbacks are pretty much all I can go for to lug snowboards, skis and camping gear. Packing and unpacking in a hatch with the seats down is amazing.

          Recommendations?

        • Kangal on 25/02/2018 - 10:28
          +1

          @BrewerHaHa:

          Audi's AWD system is good…. on its higher-end models.
          The A3's got a cheaper version. And not only that the AWD is almost pointless on that puny 160HP unit.
          Heck, with degradation, and the more mainstream rpm's you're only talking about 90HP.
          Like pegass said, its designed with bitumen in-mind. It is not good for snow, dirt, grass, stone.
          Are there Rally A3's? Sure, but they also have over $300,000 of modifications done and you don't look like your going to do such a project. Don't get sucked in with the marketing hype.

          This car you are buying, you are buying it primarily for yourself, and as a backup for your ma.
          You need to be honest to yourself about this.
          The A3's really nice on the inside, and is non-offensive on the outside, and has the "I have money" status.

          However, this is OzBargain.
          We don't look for what's the cheapest, we look for what's got the most value.

          And this A3 certainly isn't. The fact that the Audi specialist themselves couldn't figure out the rattle is a big RED FLAG.
          It means this is a lemon, and you get NO SUPPORT. If you want a proper AWD system the older EVOs will do.
          But since its out of your budget you should instead look into a modest Subaru, the Outback is a medium-sized car that will fit into your garage and is designed to handle snow, grass, dirt etc etc… albeit its not quite as luxurious or "I have money" status as the Audi but it really gets the job done.

          However, like I said before AWD is pointless unless you have the power behind it.
          I would say 150kW's (200hp) and up is when it really makes a difference.
          And you're going to struggle to find a car with that much power in your budget… unless you get a car with factory Turbo, and swap out the OEM unit for a slightly bigger one.

          So in summary you want:
          - something with status
          - something with some luxury
          - something with performance
          - something with AWD
          - something easy to drive to shops for Ma
          ….you're not getting that for cheap, even if used

          I would consider nixing the requirements of "status" and "AWD", then increase your budget to $15k…. then consider your options.

        • justaperson on 28/02/2018 - 15:02

          @BrewerHaHa: If thats the case wouldn't something like a Peugeot 4008 be a perfect compromise? Same car as the Mitsubishi ASX (which is the same size as an Audi A3) so you're getting a very reliable car but the Peugeot rebadging gives the appearance of driving a euro car so your mum will be happy, and the AWD system. Plus you'll be getting a much newer model in your price range: https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Peugeot-4008-201… Just thought it might be something to consider if you haven't before

        • BrewerHaHa on 28/02/2018 - 21:12
          +1

          @justaperson: Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not big into SUVs and really like the Subaru Impreza 2.0i. Just want to know if it'll fit in the garage…

        • justaperson on 01/03/2018 - 11:51

          @BrewerHaHa: Impreza is an awesome car for the money. Fuel economy isn't amazing but the AWD system more than makes up for it, and they're not much bigger than a standard Corolla so they fit in most car spaces too

        • BrewerHaHa on 01/03/2018 - 14:46
          +1

          @justaperson: The fuel economy of this Impreza is surprisingly good. Better than the Audi and it has AWD all the time (unlike Haldex on the Audi). Downside is power is quite low but that's not a bummer for me.

  • EightImmortals on 25/02/2018 - 07:57
    +1

    So if the mechanic AND the Audi specialist can't find/fix it then it's obviously something that's going to cost you a lot of money/stress at some point. Just walk away, there's plenty of other cars out there.

    "My mum is also hates Japanese cars (while I like them because of they're value for money) so this is like a compromise. My mum loves the Audi"

    Dude, emotional decisions around big money items rarely work out well. :)

    • BrewerHaHa on 25/02/2018 - 08:00

      THanks for your input. I'll take a look at what thie Audi report has to say. Going to see the car soon. I'm thinking that I'm just going to walk away and leave the deposit.

      • EightImmortals on 25/02/2018 - 08:05
        +1

        Walk away but claim that the car didn't pass mechanical tests, that should be a clause in the contract somewhere allowing you to get your $1000 back?

        • pegaxs on 25/02/2018 - 08:33

          Exactly. Doesn’t matter if it’s a car dealer or private sale, they can’t hold onto your $1000 deposit. They can hold onto a portion of it for wasting their time and to cover reasonable costs, but not the lot…

        • SPCTRE on 25/02/2018 - 11:35

          I would say it depends on the circumstances. If I have already gone out of my way to get RWC and then you get cold feet, I’m keeping all of the deposit.
          If I’m selling a bike and you want to test ride it, I expect full payment on my asking price upfront before I let you test ride it.
          If it gets stolen I already have the money and will still report it stolen. If you crash it, you buy it. Will have a deposit contract stating this for both party to sign and agree too.
          Unless somewhere written on paper that allows for a refundable deposit, I would keep it all.

        • EightImmortals on 25/02/2018 - 12:38

          @SPCTRE: Are you a dealer?

        • SPCTRE on 25/02/2018 - 12:48

          Not a dealer. Should of mention this is what I do as a private seller.

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