2001 S8

Yes the PPI is worth it. I had my accessory belt tensioner go out last week. New tensioner, belt and labor $431.00. If the PPI comes back with a failing belt tensioner it's a bargaining point along with the VC gaskets.

Sounds like a solid car though. Good luck.

jfrahm

Just FYI The serpentine belt tensioner roller can be replaced for under $30 with a roller for a Hyundai 2.7L, Mine was pretty worn out at 150K miles. The idler was in better shape but it can also be replaced cheaply and easily.

Jbaker1121

Thanks for the info. Was quoted $425 @ an Indy for the VC gaskets. I suppose I will request a quote to see what it will be for that service. I dont want to do $4k if I need to spend $900 right away to make sure it's running safely...

Thanks for the info!


PPI Should be scheduled for tomorrow, and we should be getting the car tomorrow evening or saturday.

Do you think if I am going to have a shop do the pulley, VC gaskets, that I should have them do the TransGO transmission kit referenced above, as well as Trans fluid? May as well do it all at once while the car is under the knife...

I do have a few local indy options, and do not have the time or space right now to do the work myself...but our budget was $5k for the car anyway...

jfrahm

Since you asked... My general advice is that one should not buy a D2 or similar older Audi if you are not doing most repairs yourself. You are better off buying something with fewer expected repairs and lower repair costs, cheaper to own in the long run. If you do get one figure that it comes with an unpaid $10,000 repair bill, and in time you will see if that bill comes due. Certainly expect $2K-$3K in the near term for catch-up and the like. these cars are cheap to buy due to the expected running costs. I also feel that a PPI is usually a deal killer and a person getting a PPI for a $5000 car should be getting a different car. The buyer of a $5000 D2, once a $75,000 car, should either be able to inspect the car themselves and/or can cheaply fix whatever's wrong with it they do not notice or bother to look for upon inspection. As a deal killer, a PPI on a $5000 car usually turns up a laundry list of needed fixes, the buyer wants redress and the seller already feels the car is priced with the issues in mind, and the deal falls apart.
A PPI on a car like this is usually pretty shocking. In my experience they are also not super good at catching all the issues and problems that they should.

I do not know anything about that shift kit, I am intrigued.

My 2001 A8 has been great but did take a bunch of reasonable wear parts in the 120K-160K mileage range and I have been ahead of some stuff like the fuel pump, belt drive, timing, etc. and I do all the maintenance and repairs myself short of actually mounting tires. This helps me avoid some of the problems or at least detect them early so I can fix stuff before it breaks in some expensive or inconvenient way.

-Joel.

Jbaker1121

Thanks for the reply. Not sure if you read all the included info, but almost everything you would imaging needing to be replaced by this mileage, according to these forums, has been done as far as "usual" wear and tear items go.

I want the PPI done because I do not know a reputable audi indy in my area so I chose to have a dealer close to the seller do the PPI. This is because certain items like scanning the ECU/TCM etc for faults or updates can only be done with the right scanner, which an audi dealer will have, and your backyard mechanic likely does not. I m not getting a PPI where they check the lights and if the seats move back and forth - I am having them specifically check certain items I saw when I looked at the car in person, as well as things I could not have seen in a parking lot (underneath...)
Furthermore, the only reason I am considering this car is because of the maintenance history - there are no mysteries as to what was done and when it was done - it is all there, all the receipts are in a binder in the trunk of the car and I reviewed them. (looking at your last paragraph, all of these things were done to the car in the last year or so...)
Yes it is a $5k car but that does not mean you should gamble your money away on not-so-hidden issues that may be obvious if you throw the car up on a lift and know what to look for.
I saw a few others that were auction cars with a 6th owner knowing nothing about the history - even if they looked prettier (an 03 with sport wheels and navy paint) not interested because of the great unknown.
I can tinker and do easier DIY I have no time or a place to do such - I don't have a lift to inspect the undercarriage or suspension, which is obviously something you'd want to do when buying a used car. So, unlike some people, I do not have the place tools nor time to do a thorough inspection of a car before I buy it. So, I planned to bring it to a place that knows the cars, has the right tools, and has the time and place to do it - and I can pay for it. Just because it is a $5k car does not mean potential buyers don't have the means to have an inspection done to it...
Obviously any used car comes with a repair bill that you "pay" for over time. It would be silly to say otherwise.

jfrahm

I saw scheduled maintenance type stuff, plus a fuel pump? No CV joint boots, no axle shaft seals, no front wheel bearings, no HVAC work? Maaaaybe the trans will behave with fresh fluid but I suggest having the cost of a rebuild in the cookie jar.

My point is not that you cannot afford a PPI but rather that if you are doing a PPI on a $5K car, you are looking at the wrong car. If you had a jack, jackstands or ramp you could look under the car if you wanted to and IMO the buyer of a $5K D2 would want to.

Obviously any used car comes with the expectation of repairs, but the D2 much more so and thus the $5K price tag, half of a comparable LS430. It's not because the LS430 is better looking or has a higher status badge.

...and if you do not have time or space for some DIY, and I mean changing an alternator or birthing an axle or driveshaft, then no way no how nosir, the D2 is not the car for you. In my opinion. Hope it works out for you.

Jbaker1121

Still don't get the "if you are doing a PPI on a $5k car you are looking at the wrong car" - not every one has access to specialized equipment that a dealer or even an indy shop would. buying the car to have something cheap to drive to keep miles off of my other car.

I stand corrected: I didn't list every single thing that has been done on the car, but I think he has done all you have mentioned..I didnt look through every single receipt. it seemed like if it showed any signs of wear, it was fixed..

Certainly on this car you would not recommend buying it without a PPI understanding I do not have access to a shop nor lift nor jacks nor tools. I am not a backyard mech but can handle simple things - I have friends who are and can come to my aid if something goes wrong, but I am not expecting a tinker toy - it seems well sorted...

I appreciate the warnings

Jbaker1121

just got a quote from a local indy for all the work mentioned. 'best price' was $1250.

no thanks. If the guy doesn't lower the price, I'm not going to get the car.

For $5k being paid before driving there are other cars

2001 S8

I'm glad you had the PPI done. It opened your eyes to just how expensive these D2s are to keep running, even when properly maintained prior to you buying it.

The $1250 bill would most likely be the first of many high $$$ bills over your ownership. That doesn't include the $2500+ ticking time bomb AKA: transmission.

If you are not comfortable with a $1250 bill, it would be in your best interests to find a different option.

Good luck.

jfrahm

Sounds totally reasonable to me, $5K plus around $2000 (when it's done) for catch-up and whatnot and you are on the road for $7K in a pretty low mileage, very nice car. If instead it is the unfortunately-not-so-rare Pedestrian Edition then it's $3500 overpriced.

I still maintain that doing a PPI on a $5K car like the D2 is just indicative of a potential buyer who is not in a position to deal with what is coming down the pike.
If the buyer really really wants one and is OK with being way upside-down on the cost of owing it that is an exception, but for a car to just drive around and keep miles off a leased vehicle or whatever, nope. Maybe the buyer for a $10K D2 in better shape might be well advised to do a PPI but at the $5K, almost "beater" level, the buyer should not only be capable of inspecting the car themselves but also should feel like they damn well should as some shop is not going to know what to look for.

A PPI on a $5K car like a Camry is also fair enough. I think it is reasonable for someone who is going to have a car maintained at a shop to spend $5K or so on a solid piece of transpo infrastructure like a Camry. I'd also think it was reasonable to slap another $2K down shortly after purchase to get a $5K Camry sorted.

-Joel.