You will only get a worthwhile second opinion on an elderly car from someone who can examine it. Not easy online ! Do you have any knowledgeable friends ?

It's a 16 year old car and so nothing can be guaranteed. But I think you'd be better off with a petrol than a diesel. Older cars with diesel engines can be very expensive and difficult to repair. Petrols are more reliable and less problematic. You just need to give the car a good look over, and drive it to make sure you're happy with it. Take someone with you for a second opinion. Be prepared to walk away if you're not happy with anything. If you haven't paid a deposit then you're not obliged to buy it and you won't lose anything.

The advisory re front suspension is quite serious - on this platform it's a difficult / expensive job - The front suspension is a complex affair. Also beware/ check for rust - some are good, some are terrible - seems to be luck of the draw. As mentioned further up the thread the 2.0 petrol can be an oil burner (look for evidence around the exhaust exit pipe, wipe surrounding bodywork/bumper with kitchen roll and any evidence of oil - walk!). Difficult at this time of year but try and check the air con is working. I also always advise people to carry out a HPI check.

The A4 is a lovely car but I suspect there will be a few big bills ahead and the road tax is fairly expensive as well (over £300 a year). On a plus side it looks as if it has had recent front/ rear brakes.

Edited by Big John on 10/04/2023 at 23:52