2004 Audi Quattro in Macedonia, Ohio

Vehicle Description

Same owner since 2006. Everything works, including air suspension. New engine 15,000 miles ago, new tires, new brakes, extra set of wheels with snow tires. The ultimate winter warrior!

The Burgundy Pearl paint still looks great. Not perfect, of course, but for being 13 years old, it’s pretty darned nice. Audi galvanized the bodies on their cars to protect against rust and it works—this car is almost entirely rust free save for a small spot at the bottom of the driver’s door that would be easy to fix. Everything else is in great shape, including the fender flares (which are actually painted, not molded in-color) and all the aluminum trim such as the door “blades” and roof rack. You’ll also note that the roof is painted the same gray as the bumpers. This is a great-looking car, particularly from the rear ¾ view. Unfortunately, I’ve usually been driving it instead of admiring it from behind, but there’s no question that they nailed the look.

The interior is two-tone Sabre Black and Platinum leather, which is Audi-speak for dark and light gray. Aside from some very light scuffing on the driver's out bolster, the upholstery is fantastic and everything works, including cold A/C, all the power windows, the sunroof, and all the gauges. The Bose AM/FM/XM/CD stereo sounds fantastic and ut’s still nearly silent inside at highway speeds. This car has the Winter Sport package, which includes heated front AND REAR seats, and they all work, too. The cargo bay is positively huge and yes, it does have both the sliding cargo cover and the retractable dog net—too cool. Both rear windows and the big hatch window feature roll up sun shades built right in, and they do make a difference on hot days. In fact, it’s full of thoughtful little details: side mirrors that automatically tilt down when you put it in Reverse, pop-out storage slots in the doors, a sun visor above the rear-view mirror, A/C vents for the backseat passengers, map lights front and rear, a pass-through for skis, and even washers for the headlights. There’s simply not bad seat in the house with the allroad.

Mechanically, the car has been bulletproof reliable. Forget what they say about expensive German cars and their maintenance costs, this car needs gas and oil (always Mobil 1) and it’s good to go. But that said, it’s important to note that this car does have a brand-new engine complements of State Farm. See, four years ago, we drove it to a large car event that was pummeled by a massive rain storm—overnight, nearly 18 inches of rain fell. It was coming down so hard that when we went to start it in the morning, the drain in the air filter housing could not clear the water fast enough and the engine ingested water, which destroyed it. Now it’s important to note that the car WAS NOT UNDERWATER and was not totaled, the engine just swallowed water. The good news is that my insurance company bought us a new engine, installed, and while the car shows about 148,000 miles, the engine is only about 15,000 miles old. It’s fresh and ready to go and feels exactly the same as it did when I first bought it in 2006.

The real miracle of the allroad is the drivetrain, and it’ll never steer you wrong. Quattro is incredible and even if you’ve driven all-wheel-drive cars before, never like this. In the winter, there is no weather that can stop you from getting where you need to go, especially if you use the snow tires that are included with the car (mounted on the original 17-inch allroad wheels). It is assisted by an adjustable air suspension which can raise it enough to provide more than 9 inches of ground clearance. The system is fully operational thanks to two new Arnott air springs up front. We also just put a fresh set of rotors and pads on all four corners about two years ago and it sits on a set of Audi RS6 replica alloy wheels and 245/40/18 Goodyear tires with about 10,000 miles on them. And as I mentioned, the original 17-inch wheels are included and carry a set of 225/45/17 Continental snow tires with plenty of life left in them.

The car also includes all the receipts for maintenance on this car since I bought it, as well as all the tools, space-saver spare, air compressor, and all the books and manuals.

I love this car. It’s the best car I’ve ever owned. I have mixed feelings about selling it. It’s always a joy to drive and has never given me a moment of trouble beyond a few things that really weren’t the car’s fault. Next winter when there’s a storm, I’m going to miss it—a lot—while you will look forward to the end of the world so you can go out and have some fun with this car. For the money, you’ll never own a better combination of speed, luxury, practicality, and competence. You, too, will come to love the allroad.

For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com