re: Are German cars worth the maintenance headaches and associated costs?

No get a lexus ive had ZERO issues over 2 cars in 15 years than I had in 2 years witb a Mercedes. All had about 30k miles when I bought them.

Unless its for my dream car (911) I will always have a Lexus

No.
Double no for Brit cars.

No, and it’s why I just unloaded my Mercedes. The more expensive the car, the more you spend on upkeep.

The Audi is a nice, luxury without flash performer.

We bought an A4 for our kids and it’s been very solid but repairs are a bit pricey.

We have one Audi and one Mercedes. Got rid of another Audi and bought the Mercedes. Both Audi’s have had many issues. Water pump will go out at about 60k and will cost $1200+ at a shop or a weekend if DIY. I did it once on a Q5 and twice on an A3. Turbo will have issues at about 75k. Replaced it on the a3 and reason we dumped the q5. Great looking cars but made with junky plastic parts.

Short answer....... not unless you have lots of money.

They can be very expensive to maintain, but they generally drive like a dream.

I have a VW Golf.

2018 with 64k miles and the only problem I have ever had was a leaky sunroof and I fixed that myself by google and then cleaning out the little drainage hoses (kind of a pain in the arse).

I had a 2008 Golf before this one. No major problems at all until 8 years/120K. The only bad one then was a broken ignition key cylinder that had to be replaced by a dealer and cost close to $1000.

Little stuff like that can be really pricey with them but I've personally not had many issues and the cars are great to drive.

Owned a few Audis. Very little maintenance on any but we usually trade in around 60,000 miles. Be aware they depreciate very fast.

Do yourself a favor, pick up a Consumer Reports New Car Guide. As for Audi’s, just about every model has negative ratings for Owner Satisfaction and Reliability. The major problems, in-car electronics, body hardware, power equipment, climate system and electronics. Shade tree mechanics have limitations. Parts are another problem.

You drive a Honda and Acura, two of the more dependable vehicles on the road, why change?

VW, much of the same as Audi, same owners. Same problems.

Resale values drop quickly, on both.

My cousins flew into S. Tx. they had a VW sedan for a rental, I’m 6’1”, that was by far the worst car I’ve ever tried to get in and out of.

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I know that the main issue with the German cars is the abundance of plastic parts, which wear out much quicker than the aluminum/rubber counterparts found in Japanese-made brands.

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The big issue today with premium cars including the Germans is the maintenance trap of the technology licensing that makes it very difficult to do simple maint yourself. For that reason I will never buy one. Lease maybe but not buy.