The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

[grandad1]

Hello to you all, 

I've just joined this forum to ask audi Q7 owners for some facts about ownership of these lovely vehicles. 

 

We are a land rover family and to be honest we have now lost faith in the brand. As I write we have two vehicles in the repair shop. We are not too enamoured with customer service either. 

So one man's loss is another man's treasure. 

 

So what I'd like to know is the true MPG for the 3.0 ltr 245 diesel from an owner who checks the trip

What is wear and tear like on tyres and brakes. 

Service costs though I'll probably use my independent dealer. 

Thanks in advance 

Grandad1

[Steve Q]

They can be just as costly to run in repairs mainly with air suspension issues and electrical gremlins. Having a look through this q7 section will give you some ideas 

[grandad1]

Thank you for taking the time to reply 

[Bigdave1230]

I get around 23mpg on average around where I live which is quite hilly with most days the car not doing more than 5-6 miles but on a run it’s easily over 30mpg. I had a 2007 which used to do around 180bhp where I live but I’d put this down to it having  the 6 speed gear box instead of the 8 speed which cars after 2011 have and the engine not being as refined. 
2014 seems to be the sweet spot for the 3.0 245bhp but like all cars there are exceptions. I’d say avoid cars without a religiously followed service history as sporadic history is usually a sign that the owner couldn’t really afford to maintain it and has opted to repair when things wear out. Common stuff to check

Water level - if low take the engine cover off and check on top of the engine in the vee for smell/signs of coolant. It’s common for it to leak under the dpf cooler which is around £400 to fix as it’s a pain to get to.

Suspension - lower the car to its lowest setting the raise it up to lift. It should raise quickly and without being noisy in the cabin. Usually if there’s a problem it will show itself doing this by the display greying out and a suspension light showing on the dash. Most of the time it’s the compressor at fault which costs the moon from Audi but copy’s can be bought from eBay and isn’t a big job to fit.

Make sure it doesn’t clunk over bumps or pull on the road when letting go of the steering wheel or under braking. It’s usually worn lower arm rear bushes which can seize in the bush sleeve and be a pig to get out. Not expensive but awkward if not on a ramp.

I have Pirelli pzero tyres on mine which have done nearly 15000 miles and don’t need replacing. I run them with about 42psi which seems to stop them wearing on the outer edges. My mate ran his on less and did a set in 8000 miles so we all run on 42psi. 

Unlike Land Rover it only has 1 battery which does generally last around 5-6 years before getting tired. Check in the display settings if the daytime running lights have been turned off and the time the lights stay on after the car has been locked has been set to zero as someone trying to hide the fact it needs a battery will have done this. Turn the lights on and the heater on then after about 10-15 seconds try and start it. It should fire straight up within a second without any hesitation l. Also a failing battery will disable start stop. About £300 for a battery and about 45 mins to do it’s under the passenger seat.

Heated drivers seat usually never works and is a good haggle point. It’s a common problem that the element break’s usually from a wallet in the back pocket or from kneeling on the seat. Not the end of the world if your not fussed but Audi want £600 to sort it.

probably a few other stuff but I can’t think of anymore for the min. I’ve had 4 of them now and once you’ve had one it’s very hard to find something else 7 seater that ticks as many boxes as it does. I’d say 2014, under 80000 miles, full service history, panoramic sunroof is a must, and check general condition inside and out. If something doesn’t seem right for what the owner is saying then walk away as there’s loads of them out there for sale.

 

[Bigdave1230]

2007 did around 18mpg not 180bhp! Auto correct 🤦🏻‍♂️ 

[grandad1]

Hi Dave, 

 

Thank you for your comprehensive message. Much appreciated.