We had a 2021 Audi RS6 Avant come through for a pre-purchase inspection. Listed at a dealer in Stratham with 35,000 miles on it, and the client who requested the PPI actually found us from out of state in New Jersey. He found us through Claude LLM, which is pretty cool. I’m glad he did because nobody around here is as thorough as we are with these inspections. Nobody.
Exterior
This is the big one. Carfax showed a previous accident, and we can tell exactly which panels have been repainted or repaired. A lot of this car has been repainted. The paint work wasn’t the worst we’ve seen, but some of the panels didn’t line up correctly. For a lot of people shopping at this level, that’s a deal breaker. Although it was raining the day we did the PPI, because of how long the PPI takes to do, the car was pretty much dry when we finished. So we were able to see the previous paint work and any paint imperfections without issue.
Body Damage
Deep scratches throughout the exterior. Not light swirl marks — real scratches. The driver side side skirt was detaching towards the rear. The PPF (paint protection film) was peeling and bubbling in some areas. This is common when PPF is applied after paint work was does. PPF sticks best when the car is brand new with the factory paint finish.
Engine & Mechanical
RS6 Engine Oil Leaks
We found two oil leaks during the PPI. One being from the oil filter housing. This was just starting. Not a huge area of concern.
The other oil leak was coming from the upper oil pan. This was more of a concern because the oil was actually leaking enough to make it to the plash pan.
Checking the oil filter
It is important to check the oil filter for any metal debris. It is something that does not take too long to do, but is extremely important to check that box.
Mice/Rodent Issues
Mouse damage to electrical wiring can cause all kinds of intermittent problems down the road, and repairing it isn’t fun. These are things that should absolutely be caught during any legitimate oil service or certification inspection. It is apparent this car has been sitting around for a while. Mice issues are very common in New Hampshire.
Undercarriage
Rust Prevention
The underbody had starting to become rusty looking in some areas. For a luxury car at this level. Cars like this typically are only driven in the summer. If that was the case the chassis should like like it was brand new. Unfortunately that is not the case here. We always recommend undercoating your vehicle when it is as new as possible. This prevents any rust from starting no matter home much or how little you drive it.
Damaged and Broken Plastics
The driver front lower inner fender has significate damage to it. It may not look at much but every rotation of the wheel/tire is throwing dirt, water, and road debris inside the bumper area.
Interior Wear
For a car with only 35,000 miles that’s being sold as “certified pre-owned,” the interior wear we found was notable. Leather seat scuffs and creases. When you’re shopping in the high-performance luxury category, you expect better than this — especially from a certified car at a dealer.
Here’s the takeaway
This Audi dealer had this RS6 listed as “certified pre-owned,” which clearly means nothing when you actually look at the car. Oil leaks, mouse damage, previous accident with poor panel alignment, body damage, rust — all on a certified car. This is what “Audi Certified Pre Owned” means…
- Models 5 years or newer
- No more than 60,000 miles
- Vehicle History Report shows vehicle meets Audi Certified pre-owned guidelines (passes comprehensive inspection)
This is exactly why it’s so important to have an independent shop do your pre-purchase inspection. Never have a dealership do a PPI — they’re never thorough enough. And honestly, if you’re looking at a high-end newer vehicle, at the very least I recommend having a body shop do the PPI too, to really cover the previous damage and paint work on a luxury car.
If you’re shopping for an Audi or VW and want real answers before you hand over your money, reach out to Heather at Reflex Automotive. We offer loaner cars and back our work with a warranty — and we’ll always tell you the truth about what we find.