Are Audis Expensive to Maintain? Here are the Facts
Audis are considered more affordable when compared to BMW or Mercedes. But when compared to Honda, it’s twice as expensive. Then again, unlike Honda, Audi makes some of the best luxury vehicles in the world.
Given that, are Audis expensive to maintain? Here are some facts.
Are Audis Expensive to Maintain?
If you compare Audi with other luxury brands, German, American, or European, it’s affordable. Compare it with daily driving cars, and it’s expensive.
The annual maintenance cost for Audi is $987. This compared to Mercedes of $1200 and BMW’s $1500 average annual maintenance cost is way cheaper. This is why Audi is considered the most affordable German luxury brand. But when the same is compared to Honda or Toyota with avg. annual maintenance cost of $428 and $441 respectively, Audi gets twice as expensive.
Audi is also more expensive when compared to brands like Lexus, and Volvo.
But when put against more dedicated luxury brands like Jaguar, Landrover, Bentley, with avg annual maintenance going above $1100, Audi again is more affordable.
To put it simply, Audi is an affordable luxury brand that is not expensive to maintain. However, when transitioning from a daily driver to a luxury car, Audi will prove to be way more expensive.
Also read: 3 Cheapest to Maintain BMW Models (& Costs)
How Much Does it Cost to Insure an Audi?
The average insurance cost for an Audi is $1,606/year, which is 36% higher than average.
Cars with higher value will have higher insurance costs, and Audi is no exception. The use of high-quality materials needs a higher premium to insure. But depending on the model, the insurance cost does increase or decrease. Here is a quick comparison.
The Audi A4, A6, Q3, and Q5 are some of the most famous Audi models. The average cost of insurance for the 2021 models are:
| Model | Annual Insurance Cost | Monthly Insurance Cost |
| Audi A4 | $1,176 | $98 |
| Audi Q3 | $1,740 | $145 |
| Audi A6 | $1,926 | $161 |
| Audi Q5 | $1,778, | $148 |
You can expect to pay $400-$800 extra depending on the insurance provider, your age, the model type/year, and the state you live in America.
How Expensive are Audi Parts?
Audi parts are expensive in general. But they are the least expensive compared to Mercedes and BMW.
Audi being a German brand has most parts imported in the US. This increases its repair and service cost. When compared against other German brands like Mercedes and BMW, Audi is the least expensive.
The 10-year repair and maintenance cost for Audi is around $12,400, $5000 less than BMW and only $500 more than Mercedes. When the same is compared to Lexus, Audi is $5400 more expensive.
To conclude, Audi parts are more expensive in general but cost less when compared to its competitors.
Also read: 3 Best Audi for Amazing Drifting
What are the Most Common Problems with Audis and How Expensive it is to Fix Them?
Among all Audis, common problems are related to electrical component failure, ignition coil, spark plugs, exhaust, and oil leaks.
The general repairs you will have other than regular maintenance in Audi are with:
Electrical components: Electric failures in Audi mainly happen due to corrosion or wear and tear. Since Audi uses complicated electronics, a simple electrical/sensor failure can lead to engine light. The general price of diagnosing and fixing or replacing such malfunctions ranges between $200-$1000.
Ignition coils and Spark Plugs: Spark plugs in Audi are set to be replaced at 30,000 miles, while ignition coils last up to 100,000 miles. But they often fail early due to wear and tear causing ignition failure.
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Replacing your spark plugs costs about $170-$220 while you pay around $250-$380 for ignition coil replacement.
Exhaust and Oil leaks: Unfortunately Audis are infamous for oil and exhaust leaks.
Oil leaks in cars can be caused due to multiple reasons. From failed oil pan nuts to leaks in the oil pan, clogged oil filter or blown head gasket can all be the reason. Due to which fixing can be $100-$1200.
Exhaust leaks are also expensive, which depending on damage can cost upwards of $1500-$1600.
Also read: 3 Best Audis for the Money (with Best Engines)
How Much Does it Cost to Replace Tyres, Fluids, and Oil in Audi?
Common Audi maintenance can range between $200-$300 to $700-$800 at every 10000 miles or annually.
A regular oil change costs around $120-$150. Getting your air filter replaced ranges between $90-$130. Brake pads replacement for an Audi runs around $300-$400. While replacing your tires at the factory would cost you $200-$400 excluding the labor charges.
Adding to these charges are the 4 most common fluids refilling in your Audi.
| Fluid Type | Cost |
| Transmission Fluid | $50-$80 |
| Brake Fluid | $80-$120 |
| Coolant (Anti-Freeze) | $200-$250 |
| Power Steering Fluid | $250-$400 |
Do Audis Lose Value Fast?
Just like other German luxury brands, Audi also loses its value rapidly. Most of their popular models lose 50% of their original value by the 5th year. And depreciate 70% by the 10th year.
A 2021 Audi would lose 20% of its original value in the first year, to 40% in the 4th year and 60% in the 7th. After which it gradually loses its value till 70% by 10 years.
Also read: Audi Depreciation: 11 Popular Models Depreciation Charts
Do Audis Consume a Lot of Fuel?
Audis are decently fuel-efficient, depending on their engine specifications. Among the Audi lineup, you also have options for hybrids and all-electrics to keep you away from regular refueling.
Audi makes luxury sports cars that are fun and comfortable to ride. These cars use powerful engines ranging from 300 hp to 600+ hp. Such engines do need more fuel than a daily driver, but they also use far more modern tech which makes them more efficient.
For example, the Audi A3 offers combined mileage of 30 MPG, whereas its competitor the BMW 2 Series offers 27mpg combined. Obviously, a lot of which is dependent on driving style and condition.
Among many models, the most efficient Audis are the A3, A4, A5, S4 sedan, the Q5, Q7 SUV. For better efficiency, you can also consider plug-in hybrids like Audi’s TFSI e models of A3, A6, A7, A8 and Q3, Q5, Q7, etc.
Which Audis are the Most Affordable?
The Audi A3 is the smallest and cheapest Audi sedan in the US at $34,000. Whereas the Q3 is the cheapest Audi SUV at $34,000.
The Audi A3 and Q3 are the most affordable options for buying an Audi. Other affordable options are the A4 and A5 sedan, Q4, and Q5 SUV, all of which are under $50,000. These models are also cheaper compared to other German alternatives.
However, it’s the Audi R8 and Q8 that are considered most valuable for money. The R8 priced at $140,000, is on par with the $250,000 Lamborghini Huracán in terms of performance.
Similarly, the Q8 competes with the likes of Lambo Urus, Bentley Bentyaga, Maserati Levante, while only being priced at $70,000.
Also read: Are Audi Parts Expensive? (with Exact Costs)
Which Audis are too Expensive to Maintain?
When compared, the Audi A5, A7, Q5, Q7, with the RS 5, RS7, RS8, and the R8 are the most expensive models to own.
While all Audis are generally expensive to own, the A5, A7 sedan, and Q5, Q7 SUV are the most expensive ones to own and maintain. The R and RS series being sports models are also high maintenance cars.
However, the maintenance cost does vary depending on where you live, what model you have, and where you get your Audi fixed.
Below is a list of Audi models that are expensive to maintain with their respective cost of maintenance over 1 year and 5 years.
| Model Name | Maintenance Cost in 1 Year | Maintenance Cost in 5 Year |
| Audi A5 | $1,164 | $5,820 |
| Audi A7 | $1,251 | $6,255 |
| Audi Q5 | $928 | $4,640 |
| Audi Q7 | $1,185 | $5,925 |
| Audi RS7 | $1,849 | $9,245 |
| Audi R8 | $2,400 | $12,000 |
Overall, How Much Does it Cost to Have an Audi?
Different Audi models have different costs of ownership. This includes everything from basic maintenance cost, to insurance, depreciation rate, fuel cost, etc. Below is a list of different Audi models with the related cost of ownership over 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years.
The cost mentioned is for the 2021 models, with an expected expenses projection in a different timespans.
| Model Name | Cost | Cost of Ownership per Year | Cost of Ownership in 3 years | Cost of Ownership in 5 years |
| Audi A3 | $34,945 | $7,781 | $23,345 | $38,909 |
| Audi A5 | $42,000 | $9,734 | $29,202 | $48,674 |
| Audi A7 | $69,200 | $15,322 | $45,966 | $76,611 |
| Audi Q3 | $34,000 | $8,193 | $24,579 | $40,965 |
| Audi Q5 | $43,300 | $10,458 | $31,374 | $52,290 |
| Audi Q7 | $54,950 | $12,748 | $38,244 | $63,744 |
Is Audi Expensive to Maintain Compared to Other Brands?
Audis are and are not expensive when compared to other brands.
Audi is a brand with a huge level of competition. You have brands like Honda and Toyota, BMW and Mercedes, Lexus and Jaguar, Ferrari and Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, all competing with Audi in different segments.
Owning an Audi is expensive when put against Japanese brands like Honda, Toyota, American brands like Ford and Chevrolet, or even Korean brands like Infinity or Genesis. But when put against its German counterparts like BMW or Mercedes, British counterparts like Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bentley, or against Italian Alternatives like Lamborghini and Ferrari, Audi gets far more inexpensive.
Making it more affordable than most of its counterparts.
