2007 Audi Q7 Update: 104,000 Miles and Going Strong

As I type this, I'm keeping my fingers crossed (typing with crossed fingers is difficult, maybe I'll cross my toes). I'm not usually superstitious, but I'm sitting in the local Audi dealership while my 2007 Q7 (with 104,300 miles on it) is in the service center getting new brakes, a new brake light, a recall repair, and hopefully a good bill of health. I love my Q7 and I don't want anyone to say anything derogatory about it, especially a service tech after he looks under the hood. Those types of conversations are expensive. I do have a "Mature Audi" coupon to get 10% off this service, so there's that. I'm mature driving a mature Audi. Damn. This day is starting to get rough. 


We bought this Q7 as a Certified Pre-Owned (used) vehicle in 2011 when it had

Still going strong in the snow in 2016

33,000 miles on it. (First review here.) It was in great shape and has carried us safely through rain, snow, wind, heat, and rush hour. Most of those 71,000 miles are highway miles, and besides a few summer road trips, we mainly use it in the winter to get us to Lake Tahoe for skiing. When I think about it, we really haven't had to do much to the Q7 in these six years. Like the rest of our family, it plays hard and it works hard, and when it's clean and well-fed, it's beautiful and calm.

There are a few drawbacks to having a ten-year-old vehicle. Our Q7 doesn't have Bluetooth or USB ports for easy phone charging or podcast listening. It does have Sirius/XM satellite radio, but no Pandora. I love Pandora, so this is a bummer during those long trips to and from Lake Tahoe. I would also like cooled/ventilated seats. We have four heated seats that work very well, but some days a well-timed breeze on my back would be so refreshing.

Why am I writing about a ten-year-old SUV? Basically to let you know that I wasn't a dummy to buy this Certified Pre-Owned Q7 in 2011. And I haven't been a dummy to keep it this long. It's a great SUV. It gets the job done and still looks stylish, feels safe, and is as solid as the day it was built. There have been a few repairs, but nothing major. I found a great local mechanic who gives it check-ups and replaced the gas cap when it failed a smog check. (The smog check place should have done the same, but instead suggested my Q7 needed some new valves according to the warning code. Turns out it was just a $10 gas cap.) We did replace the defroster/AC fan that is located behind the glove box after it started squeaking and suddenly stopped working during a frosty drive home from the mountains. A drive that reminded us of the Toyota Tercel we drove as newlyweds that couldn't keep the windows clear once the temp dropped below 40 degrees F. The Q7 fan is located in a tricky spot so that repair cost a few hundred dollars.

The screen on the big sunroof still works

The only other issues are a broken latch for the screen for the third-row sunroof and the gear shift leather needs conditioning. The sunroof screen isn't a big deal since we rarely sit in the third row -- I'm the only one in the family who comfortably fits there now -- but it's nice to have when we need it. And we really appreciate the extra cargo space when the third row is folded flat. My kids are now 17 (5'10' tall) and 12 (5'5" tall) and they still sit comfortably in the backseat. Oh, I also think the driver's door speaker has a wire loose, but the other speakers are working, so we ignore that.

Now I sit and wait for the prognosis from the service center with the same feeling of hope and dread as one does while waiting for news from a doctor or auditor. To distract myself, I cheated and took a brand new 2017 Q7 out for a spin. It was lovely. Beautiful. Smooth. Smart. Everything you would want in a new vehicle. I wonder if my old Q7 will smell the new leather on my jeans and give me the third-degree like our dog does when we come home from mingling with other dogs.

UPDATE: My Q7 just needed new brakes. Front and back. Rotors and pads and sensors. No biggie, right? (EEEEK!!) I elected to have a local mechanic install brakes which I bought online. This saved us about $1000, which isn't a shocker. Just be forewarned, there is a special tool needed for the rear brakes on Audis so make sure your mechanic has one or can easily get one before taking your Audi in for service.

The Boy's Bug

So there you have it. Our 2007 Audi Q7 is running well and still keeping us happy with 104,000 miles. So if you're asking if spending a big chunk of change on an Audi Q7 is a wise idea, keep in mind that it may outlast your need for such a large SUV. My 17-year-old son does drive the Q7 occasionally, but he prefers to drive his 2008 VW Beetle. He finds the Q7 to be too much to handle with his skill level, but I'm sure he'll get used to as he drives more. Not that I want him driving my Q7. I am babying it a bit with leather oil and soft cloths for dusting inside and out. I was online today looking for a soft cover to keep the pollen and sap off of it while it sits in our driveway. (The teens took over the garage as a rec room --complete with a broken down couch and a TV with PlayStation -- and now all three cars sit in the driveway. We are way too nice.) 

(c) 2017 Erika JN Fish. Car Mama. All rights reserved.