Should I buy this A4 B5 2.8L Quattro?
08-09-2018, 08:04 PM
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Should I buy this A4 B5 2.8L Quattro?
So I just went today to look at a 1998 Audi A4 2.8L 30V Quattro. 5Spd manual gearbox. The interior was immaculate, the exterior was perfect besides two quarter sized surface rust spots on the front of the hood. It had a couple issues and I wanted to consult with the guys who have owned them before choosing to purchase it.
Before I get into it, I want to mention that I will be doing all the repairs myself. I believe people mistake the terms 'reliable' and 'costly to repair' as being synonymous. I have heard that these cars run very well when taken care of. That being said, this one is in excellent condition, but has 280k miles. The first thing I did was inspect the oil which was leveled off and perfectly free of debris. Hoses were nearly all replaced under the hood and from what I COULD see (super packed engine bay), everything was in really good condition under there. No leaks on the underside of car, coolant flowed properly, all interior buttons and functions worked great. All parts that came with the cars are there.
Now for the problems:
-First, a screeching sound when I eased into first gear. It felt like the clutch was fried, but it was just fine when I got into second. Through the whole rev range, first gear sounded terrible and felt a bit weak. Reverse felt fine too. I didn't feel grinding so I hope it was the clutch and not first gear.
-Second, the speedometer was not working. Everything else worked great in the cluster besides the speedo. Easy fix or no?
-Lastly, the back two tires were bare. I know Quattro favors a front wheel bias so this one got me. I also know that extensive driving with unequal tire wear can damage the Quattro system. Thoughts?
I plan on doing the following if I get the car:
-Replace timing belt, water pump, thermostat. The previous owner doesn't know much about Audi's and never really drove the car (can't drive stick), thus I don't know when it was last done. Looks to be in good shape but I don't trust not knowing. Whoever owned the car before him pushed the car to 280k miles so I'm pretty sure he did the routine maintenance. I already own the tools to replace these items and I have access to a full blown garage (military).
-Replace clutch regardless.
-Suspension components felt great but within a year I plan to put new tires and suspension components on (OEM, I am not lowering this car).
-I have no clue about the speedo but I will try and fix this? Any idea what this can be?
I have not owned one of these guys yet but the car seems to have no other issues. Almost too good to be true? What do you guys think? It's going for $1350
If you have any questions about what else I inspected I will let you know. I looked at everything I feasibly could.
Before I get into it, I want to mention that I will be doing all the repairs myself. I believe people mistake the terms 'reliable' and 'costly to repair' as being synonymous. I have heard that these cars run very well when taken care of. That being said, this one is in excellent condition, but has 280k miles. The first thing I did was inspect the oil which was leveled off and perfectly free of debris. Hoses were nearly all replaced under the hood and from what I COULD see (super packed engine bay), everything was in really good condition under there. No leaks on the underside of car, coolant flowed properly, all interior buttons and functions worked great. All parts that came with the cars are there.
Now for the problems:
-First, a screeching sound when I eased into first gear. It felt like the clutch was fried, but it was just fine when I got into second. Through the whole rev range, first gear sounded terrible and felt a bit weak. Reverse felt fine too. I didn't feel grinding so I hope it was the clutch and not first gear.
-Second, the speedometer was not working. Everything else worked great in the cluster besides the speedo. Easy fix or no?
-Lastly, the back two tires were bare. I know Quattro favors a front wheel bias so this one got me. I also know that extensive driving with unequal tire wear can damage the Quattro system. Thoughts?
I plan on doing the following if I get the car:
-Replace timing belt, water pump, thermostat. The previous owner doesn't know much about Audi's and never really drove the car (can't drive stick), thus I don't know when it was last done. Looks to be in good shape but I don't trust not knowing. Whoever owned the car before him pushed the car to 280k miles so I'm pretty sure he did the routine maintenance. I already own the tools to replace these items and I have access to a full blown garage (military).
-Replace clutch regardless.
-Suspension components felt great but within a year I plan to put new tires and suspension components on (OEM, I am not lowering this car).
-I have no clue about the speedo but I will try and fix this? Any idea what this can be?
I have not owned one of these guys yet but the car seems to have no other issues. Almost too good to be true? What do you guys think? It's going for $1350
If you have any questions about what else I inspected I will let you know. I looked at everything I feasibly could.
08-10-2018, 04:00 PM
#3
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Not so sure about that price being good. Why would the owner buy a stick if he cannot drive it? Sounds fishy.
In general this car is not especially costly to maintain. But at those miles I would be suspicious of most components.
In general this car is not especially costly to maintain. But at those miles I would be suspicious of most components.
08-10-2018, 05:25 PM
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He bought it for his daughter expecting her to learn how to use it (I met her), and she tried and gave up on it. I think that might be part of the reason the clutch needs replacement.
He bought it from the original owner and because he couldn’t drive it, we had to meet at his house instead of somewhere public. It sounded fishy to me but after checking out the car it seems honest.
What would you pay for the car? I do plan on talking him down to something that will let me at least replace the tires without going over 1350
He bought it from the original owner and because he couldn’t drive it, we had to meet at his house instead of somewhere public. It sounded fishy to me but after checking out the car it seems honest.
What would you pay for the car? I do plan on talking him down to something that will let me at least replace the tires without going over 1350
08-11-2018, 04:42 AM
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I will offer $800 and not take it much higher. Needs new tires, clutch, VSS/Magnetic ring, flushing trans fluid, and unknown mileage... I don't think he will get a better offer from someone who wants the car for anything more than destruction derby or parting out.
09-05-2018, 01:18 PM
#7
AudiWorld Member
if it helps any, I have a 98 a4 quattro, manual v6 so exactly what you're looking at. I'm second-owner and have 204k on it. Everything has helped up really really well. For that matter, the interior still seems newer than either of my volvos (both of which are also 1 owner but newer with far less mileage) or my alfa. Parts do tend to be pricey, work itself doesn't seem terribly bad but yea, I would imagine you should expect suspension work sometime in the very near future, I think it's the lower control arms but they tend to go at around 80k. Don't be surprised if the power steering starts to groan at times, it just happens.
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09-07-2018, 11:53 AM
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Bought it
Bought it a couple weeks ago. Thanks for the help! I picked it up for $1050, but it turns out the alternator was dead (stupid me, all the signs pointed to it). Clutch is fine but syncros for 1st seem to be worn pretty bad. For twelve years the car got about 30k miles on it per year so I’m thinking it was mostly a highway car.
Im buying a VAG COM after I get the alternator replaced and drive it back home (it died closer to my buddies house 80 miles away). Idk if the VSS is the problem but I suspect a poor ground may cause the speedo to stop getting a signal and it may have put strain on the alternator. Just a theory at this point.
Ill be replacing all front and rear suspension components after I get it running. I may replace the clutch, DMF, and rebuild the trans at a much later date when money becomes available. Besides that, without a VAG COM I can’t see any other issues with the car. Even with a bad Alt the car revved and drove very well.
Many suggestions on a good VAG COM to buy?
Im buying a VAG COM after I get the alternator replaced and drive it back home (it died closer to my buddies house 80 miles away). Idk if the VSS is the problem but I suspect a poor ground may cause the speedo to stop getting a signal and it may have put strain on the alternator. Just a theory at this point.
Ill be replacing all front and rear suspension components after I get it running. I may replace the clutch, DMF, and rebuild the trans at a much later date when money becomes available. Besides that, without a VAG COM I can’t see any other issues with the car. Even with a bad Alt the car revved and drove very well.
Many suggestions on a good VAG COM to buy?
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