AudiWorld Forums - B7 A4 2.0T possible purchase- Info Please

Hi All, I have been reading in on the posts along the same lines. I have the possibility to purchase an '07 A4 2.0T, S-Line Titanium. It is at my local dealership going thru the Certification check (I was able to sneak a look and quick drive prior to it's going into the shop).

I "may" be replacing my '97 A4 2.8 (it has 175K miles). This car still runs nicely but will need a bit of work in the next year, which I am sure not to get back out of it, except for another year or two of solid driving (it's never left me stranded and gets 100 miles a day put on it, so I feel guilty even thinking about replacing it).

The '07 details: It's a Tip, Sport package, Tech Package, both front seats are power and heated. It appears to have original tires (to certify the car dealer will have to replace all as one tire blew out on my test drive, no acceleration, no corner, just going straight off of a stoplight in traffic... boom... my fault, I should have waited for it to go thru the shop first). All of the tires have small chunks missing, and cracks along the outside edges, indicating the car has been driven hard. The car and possibly the tires, Pirelli P6, has 24k miles on them, so to Certify, it will get new rubber. The wheels look to be in good/fair condition. The interior trim has a little damage (probably have to replace that piece). No manuals, two minor, but annoying, tools missing in the spare tire tools. Exterior, only minor damage here and there, body looks good. Some minor scrapes underneath, like getting to close to the curb but no dents or scrape marks on anything vital (this car is really nice to look at). Engine sounds good. The car appears to have been driven hard, that's okay, as long as it was properly taken care of.

I will be going back to look at the car again, and probably drive it. If it's certified, should I worry about it at all, I have concerns about the Turbo and the Tip being handled roughly.

-Anything I should be aware of, listen for, or test when I drive it again?
-Are there any clues that anyone is willing to give me regarding the overall
stability of the car?
-Pass on this one and hope that, if times are better next year, my dealer will luck into another one, or be kind enough to order one in for me?
-Any experience with the sport suspension and the P6s in snow?

So, here's the meat of the question, go or no go. If it is not Certified, it's definitely a no go, I can't have repair worries right now as I know I will not have a job after September 30. But I am not sure I want to chance having something fail horribly on the '97 and be in a spot.

Thank you very much in advance for the input.

scott conner
'97 A4 2.8