What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

Hello Guys

Going to a car auction tomorrow to buy a 3 yr old audi a6 avant. In the Appraisal report it says "Qtr Panel nsr; Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% & Bumper Front; Dented; With Paint Damage" Does this mean it has been in some sort of accident and i should steer clear of it especially the word ripples sound like the possible crash sent ripples through the body or does it mean the paint job has ripples? I can't see much from the photos on the bca website so going to go tomorrow and check it out in person.

What's your thoughts on this. Any thoughts welcome :)

Regards

CP

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - madf

If you have to ask for assistance buying a car that has been in an accident, you should not buy it. You appear nott to have the technical knmowledge to assess it. Why you think we can without sight of teh vehicle do so is a mystery to me.

Run Away!

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

thanks for the help

Edited by urgurinder on 12/11/2017 at 18:32

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - Manatee

In fairness, the OP asked what "rippled" means. I don't know either.

The problem with a previous repair is that you can't see what the damage was (and is).

It would have to be very cheap, and even then could still turn out to be an expensive experience.

If you were thinking of making it into a nice one, forget it it. If you want a good one, buy a good one. It's nearly always cheaper in the end.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

thanks for that Manatee... i'm hoping it to go very cheap.. there arent many used audi a6s with all the bells and whistles but this one has.. the option list alone can add 30% to the new car's bill... thats the only reason really i'm considering it.. it's being sold by lex's autolease if that means anything... but yes, like you say, if you want a good one, buy a good one.. may just have to cough up.. i got time on my side so trying all the options atthis stage...

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - SLO76
It's likely to have been involved in a relatively light accident (as the panel has been repaired rather than replaced) and instead of having it fixed properly via their insurance they've repaired it on the cheap. Poor quality paint repairs like this deteriorate quickly and kill the value. I wouldn't touch it. Buy a good older example from a large dealer, preferably an approved used car from a main dealer instead. Remember, these are complex prestige cars that will never be cheap to maintain, do so on a shoestring budget and you'll suffer.
Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

Thanks SLO76 for very good advice.. this vehicle is 3 years old, just out of warranty but only 14k miles on it and with loads of bells and whistles (adaptive cruise control, audi lane assist, parking camera sensors etc etc)

do you know if ripples mean ripples in paintwork or ripples in the metal sheet of the body...

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd
It's likely to have been involved in a relatively light accident (as the panel has been repaired rather than replaced) and instead of having it fixed properly via their insurance they've repaired it on the cheap. Poor quality paint repairs like this deteriorate quickly and kill the value. I wouldn't touch it. Buy a good older example from a large dealer, preferably an approved used car from a main dealer instead. Remember, these are complex prestige cars that will never be cheap to maintain, do so on a shoestring budget and you'll suffer.

I work sandwiched between two franchised dealers. One German "prestige" the other French. They have all their approved used cars smart repaired by exactly the same guys in a van all the independents use as well. If I want something done he pops around the fence.

Major repairs they may do a better job of but for the minor pre-sale prep stuff they paint bumper scuffs, minor dings, creases, craked plastics etc. by the same people as anyone else in exactly the same way so I'm far from convined an approved use will get you anything special in that department.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

I can definitely believe that... A nearly new Audi"s dents were being sorted by a man outta a van at the end of local Audi dealer's car park!!

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - SLO76
"I work sandwiched between two franchised dealers. One German "prestige" the other French. They have all their approved used cars smart repaired by exactly the same guys in a van all the independents use as well. If I want something done he pops around the fence.

Major repairs they may do a better job of but for the minor pre-sale prep stuff they paint bumper scuffs, minor dings, creases, craked plastics etc. by the same people as anyone else in exactly the same way so I'm far from convined an approved use will get you anything special in that department."

Yup all our branches, franchise or not used the same smart repair firm for minor repairs but major work was distributed between our own insurance approved bodyshop and a small backstreet site that was nowhere near the same standard. Approved used stock had to be spot on or you'd have the manufacturer down on your head if they found out and they did frequent site visits. Typically we would never allow anything that had seen more than a minor smart repair to become approved used.
Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - FiestaOwner

Just a thought. Does the auction company have to declare if it's a Cat C or cat D?

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

they must.. it is neither cat c or cat d

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd

It means it has probably been filled and painted. Probably a car park or other sort of scrape which has been remedied at the end of a lease or similar.

Auction reports can be very misleading - you need to look at it. It might be very difficult to see or might be horrible,

If it is otherwise an OK car it wouldn't necessarily put me off. If it is very high spec it'll go expensive and any dealer will just budget £175 for re-painting if necessary. If it is a particularly high spec car Audi dealers will still bid strong money on it.

Edited by pd on 12/11/2017 at 18:50

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - elekie&a/c doctor

I would be very cautious here.Modern cars are very "flexible" on the panels and plastic parts,So what appears to be minor damage could be hiding a much more serious condition behind ,that is not easily visible.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

Thanks doctor. I'll try to look out both for the condition of the panel and the inconsistency in the panel widths... If both of them look questionable then I'll walk away... If its just that panel paint job is poor then I'll probably bid especially if it seems to be going cheap

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

Thanks for that info PD..... Local Audi did say that they send their usedbuyexpert up and down the country to source the exact car for me... Might end up competing with tomorrow if the car looks OK in flesh.... The main thing I'll be looking for is the consistency of panel gaps... If that's inconsistent then I probably will walk away...

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

Duplicate post.

Edited by Avant on 12/11/2017 at 22:21

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - Avant

""Qtr Panel nsr; Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% & Bumper Front; Dented; With Paint Damage...." And 14,000 miles in 3 years.

I'm getting a picture of an elderly owner, 80-in-the-shade, always driven big cars for 50 years, using the car for short trips, with a hands-on approach to parking in the supermarket car park. Had it repaired by a back-street cowboy so as not to have to tell their insurer.

Unless you can get information that that's not the case, the low mileage is possibly more of a risk than the body damage.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - TedCrilly

Could be an easily repareable bargain, or it could be a moneypit.

Without a careful examination by someone who knows both exactly what they are doing and looking for its anyone guess.

Its a desirable high end low mileage car. If the bodywork was a cheap and easy fix I would expect it would have been snapped up within the trade.

I am getting a picture of a trade in that is hiding something major.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd

I am getting a picture of a trade in that is hiding something major.

It is a Leaseplan disposal.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd

""Qtr Panel nsr; Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% & Bumper Front; Dented; With Paint Damage...." And 14,000 miles in 3 years.

I'm getting a picture of an elderly owner, 80-in-the-shade, always driven big cars for 50 years, using the car for short trips, with a hands-on approach to parking in the supermarket car park. Had it repaired by a back-street cowboy so as not to have to tell their insurer.

Unless you can get information that that's not the case, the low mileage is possibly more of a risk than the body damage.

Since when do 80 year olds get cars from Leaseplan? More likely a company perk awarded to a Director who never has to drive anywhere so it sits at home and is used by wife/husband for shopping and picking the kids up hence low miles with dings.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - TedCrilly

So leased cars are never neglected and never develop issues??,.............really?

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - badbusdriver

Each to their own, but I just don't understand the mentality of the OP. Taking a huge risk buying a very complex car like this on the cheap with potentially dubious history, just to get all the bells and whistles?. Surely it would be better to to get a lower spec (or older) car with no damage and full history?.

Hey ho!

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd

Each to their own, but I just don't understand the mentality of the OP. Taking a huge risk buying a very complex car like this on the cheap with potentially dubious history, just to get all the bells and whistles?. Surely it would be better to to get a lower spec (or older) car with no damage and full history?.

Hey ho!

It is a 14k mile car from a large multinational company so I'm not sure the history is that "dubious".

Obviously it comes with no warranty and any such car is some sort of "risk" but it isn't really particulaly dubious in terms of where it's been or who has owned it.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - badbusdriver

Each to their own, but I just don't understand the mentality of the OP. Taking a huge risk buying a very complex car like this on the cheap with potentially dubious history, just to get all the bells and whistles?. Surely it would be better to to get a lower spec (or older) car with no damage and full history?.

Hey ho!

It is a 14k mile car from a large multinational company so I'm not sure the history is that "dubious".

Obviously it comes with no warranty and any such car is some sort of "risk" but it isn't really particulaly dubious in terms of where it's been or who has owned it.

The OP wants to know exactly what is meant by 'rippled' on a panel, there is no explanation for this on the auctions website or listing. Other forum members rightly suggest that the car has probably been in an accident of some kind. Other forum members have also pointed out that if the damage is minor or superficial, i.e, not hiding something serious, why would it not be repaired properly (which, were the damage minor or superficial, not cost that much) then retailed.

Maybe i am just overly cautious, but this suggests a potentially dubious history me.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

my thoughts exactement PD

Edited by urgurinder on 14/11/2017 at 09:50

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - Engineer Andy

Each to their own, but I just don't understand the mentality of the OP. Taking a huge risk buying a very complex car like this on the cheap with potentially dubious history, just to get all the bells and whistles?. Surely it would be better to to get a lower spec (or older) car with no damage and full history?.

Hey ho!

Perhaps they've got 'German car syndrome', i.e. thinking having a germanic marque parked on their driveway will increase their cache in their circle of friends and colleagues, even though they may not be able to afford to run it when a big repair bill comes their way...I've never liked 'status cars'. I'm sure some dealer or repair shop will be loving it though - more business their way when the inevitable major failure occurs after maintenance is scrimped on...

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - badbusdriver

Each to their own, but I just don't understand the mentality of the OP. Taking a huge risk buying a very complex car like this on the cheap with potentially dubious history, just to get all the bells and whistles?. Surely it would be better to to get a lower spec (or older) car with no damage and full history?.

Hey ho!

Perhaps they've got 'German car syndrome', i.e. thinking having a germanic marque parked on their driveway will increase their cache in their circle of friends and colleagues, even though they may not be able to afford to run it when a big repair bill comes their way...I've never liked 'status cars'. I'm sure some dealer or repair shop will be loving it though - more business their way when the inevitable major failure occurs after maintenance is scrimped on...

You probably have a very good point Andy, i'm sure that is a factor, but not all. The OP seems desperate to get this car at whatever risk simply because of the spec. This is from one post:

here arent many used audi a6s with all the bells and whistles but this one has.. the option list alone can add 30% to the new car's bill... thats the only reason really i'm considering it..

And this is from his next:

and with loads of bells and whistles (adaptive cruise control, audi lane assist, parking camera sensors etc etc)

So it isn't just to get an Audi A6. But it does certainly smack of 'being able to show off' all these wonderful (while they are working) gadgets!

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - galileo

Those keen to have a "German" car should be aware that Audis, Mercs and some VWs are built in Poland, Argentina, South Africa, Mexico etc., so may be German designed but not originating from that country. Built wherever labour is cheap.

(Same globalisation applies to most other brands, of course, Uk built Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans for instance)

Edited by galileo on 13/11/2017 at 17:20

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

what can i say :)

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd

So it isn't just to get an Audi A6. But it does certainly smack of 'being able to show off' all these wonderful (while they are working) gadgets!

Well, maybe, but it is his money and if he wants to have a nice car with some toys who is to say he shouldn't? We'll all be dead very, very soon in the grand scheme of things...

Whilst I will openly admit I am not a big fan of some of the German manufacturers and VAG cars leave me mostly cold you can take things too far and inverse snobbery against some marques is just as bad as over enthusiasm for them.

It's his money and if he wants this particular car why not? Just look at it very carefully before bidding to ascertain whether it is a decent car which has had a minor repair or a dog.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

what a balanced view of things PD and every post helpful..

so i didnt get the car yesterday as it went much closer to the high street prices including the private buyers fee.. i've found one car with the requisite options on the used market and if i can get it within 5% of the auction's value and with a year's warranty thrown in then i know i'll have paid a decent price for the car :)

car by the way was spotless, hence why it went higher than i expected.. i coud neither spot nor feel any ripples..

Thanks again for the help.. i'm in a better position evaluating & valuing the car than i was at the start of the post :)

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - pd

car by the way was spotless, hence why it went higher than i expected.. i coud neither spot nor feel any ripples..

Auction reports can be misleading at times. I've seen many a horrible Grade 1 or 2 car and some quite decent Grade 5s. It's like when people advise someone a car is "OK" because the MOT history is good or rubbish because it failed on 6 items in 2012. It is madness lazy car buying - all this sort of paper info only adds info and background and can help rule out some without looking at them but it is only ever extra info which has to be read in context.

There is only one way to really judge a car and you still have to do it the old fashioned getting bored, wasting time and standing in the cold way. There is no short cut I'm afraid.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - Manatee

It's like when people advise someone a car is "OK" because the MOT history is good or rubbish because it failed on 6 items in 2012. It is madness lazy car buying - all this sort of paper info only adds info and background and can help rule out some without looking at them but it is only ever extra info which has to be read in context.

There is only one way to really judge a car and you still have to do it the old fashioned getting bored, wasting time and standing in the cold way. There is no short cut I'm afraid.

Wise words I think. To which I would only add, do not ignore any suspicions or reservations you may have - either find another, or get to the bottom of it.

A pal of mine bought an MX-5 a few months ago, the main question mark being the fact that the rear sills/wheel arches had clearly just been repaired, with really no way of knowing whether it had been done properly or bodged, so he took a chance. It drives really well, and is mechanically very good, Turns out it is a serious ruster and the rear arches are already bubbling. Fortunately not too much money involved in that purchase, but sorting it out as much as it sensibly can be sorted will mean it will have cost the price of a nice one - and it will still not be as good.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

do not ignore any suspicions or reservations you may have - either find another, or get to the bottom of it.

Noted Manatee... i'm feeling a bit out of comfort zone here so reminders like this help to nail the basics, thanks :)

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

There is only one way to really judge a car and you still have to do it the old fashioned getting bored, wasting time and standing in the cold way. There is no short cut I'm afraid.

Noted and thanks.. and about the shoddy grading as well.. enjoy going to auctions :)

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

i am looking to do 30-40k a year on the motorways ... bells and whistles can be a differece between life and death as i see it... u can call it my midlife crisis as i'm making the leap from sound jap/korean to german :)

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

to add some context i'm looking to do 30-40k a year on motorways which makes the bells and whistles ie adaptive cruise, extra safety tech worthwhile

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - madf

to add some context i'm looking to do 30-40k a year on motorways which makes the bells and whistles ie adaptive cruise, extra safety tech worthwhile

If safety is a concern, take a proessional along to assess the car.. Someone qualified to asess car damage. The cost will be minimal in the scheme of things and it's your life we are talking about being potentially at risk.

Audi A6 Avant - Poor Previous Repair; Rippled UpTo 30% - Serious?? - GSW1

fair shout, thanks