First German car

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: shokhead
Something I'm not use to but this engine does not have an oil dipstick.


That belongs in the “If you could change” posting …

 

[shokhead]

It is odd for sure!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: shokhead
Something I'm not use to but this engine does not have an oil dipstick.

Thankfully it does have an oil dipstick tube, so you can buy a dipstick online. I bought one for our Q5 because I do not fully trust the digital oil level readout - it is known to give odd readings.

 

[shokhead]

Went ahead and bought a dipstick. Figured it would really raise the resale value!

 

[shokhead]

Boy was I shocked yesterday. Dropped car off at Audi dealer because I thought battery was going bad. They checked the system and indeed I needed a new battery. Called and said it was ready and of course it was covered under fac warr which is still good till April 23rd. I said what? The battery is covered? Yes. I had no idea it would have been covered. Cool!

 

[Oro_O]

3yr/20k is an awfully short life for an OE battery - typically they are quality batteries. I would get out a mm and make sure there’s no charging issue (or take it to an OReilly, etc.; they do free alternator testing). Make sure there is not something else going on while you still have the warranty.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Or
3yr/20k is an awfully short life for an OE battery - typically they are quality batteries.

OP bought the car used. Who knows how the previous owner treated the vehicle and how long it sat unused.

BTW, wife is short tripping her Q5 as well. I fully expect its battery will suffer premature death as well.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: shokhead
Called and said it was ready and of course it was covered under fac warr which is still good till April 23rd. I said what? The battery is covered? Yes. I had no idea it would have been covered. Cool!

Good to know. I had no idea.

 

[shokhead]

Originally Posted By: Or
3yr/20k is an awfully short life for an OE battery - typically they are quality batteries. I would get out a mm and make sure there’s no charging issue (or take it to an OReilly, etc.; they do free alternator testing). Make sure there is not something else going on while you still have the warranty.


Audi checked the electrical system.

 

[shokhead]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Or
3yr/20k is an awfully short life for an OE battery - typically they are quality batteries.

OP bought the car used. Who knows how the previous owner treated the vehicle and how long it sat unused.

BTW, wife is short tripping her Q5 as well. I fully expect its battery will suffer premature death as well.



It had just come off a lease when I bought it. 4 years old in April as that's when the 4 yr. warr expires.

 

[shokhead]

Checked yesterday and it's a varta car battery. Never heard of them.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: shokhead
Checked yesterday and it's a varta car battery. Never heard of them.

Varta is one of the more popular car battery brands in Europe. Historically, it had good reputation. Johnson Controls acquired Varta car battery business some years back, so I don't know how their quality is these days. Wife's Q5 came with a Varta AGM battery from the factory as well.

 

[harbor]

All Crossfires (MB SLK 320) came with Vartas from the factory and many lasted 7-8 years. Good batteries.

 

[shokhead]

Interesting.

 

[shokhead]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: shokhead
Checked yesterday and it's a varta car battery. Never heard of them.

Varta is one of the more popular car battery brands in Europe. Historically, it had good reputation. Johnson Controls acquired Varta car battery business some years back, so I don't know how their quality is these days. Wife's Q5 came with a Varta AGM battery from the factory as well.


https://www.vartapowersports.com/en-us/news/varta-batteries-make-north-american-debut

 

[Silverado12]

FWIW Chrysler also covered my battery when it suddenly died after 2 1/2 years. No pro rate.

 

[CincyDavid]

The factory battery in our '14 Accord lasted 2 years...replaced with a 100 month Honda replacement under warranty, not pro rata. It happens. To be fair the Accord has been recalled 3x so far, the CRV twice, and the Jetta not at all, with no defects.

By the way, my first German car was a '69 Beetle with rusty floors, so if I drove through puddles water would splash up by my feet and around the parking brake. The battery fell out of it one morning and was dragging the ground...had to take the front license plate off and use it to prop up the battery. Good times!