matteblackcoupedude

Hello guys, I come to you from the nissan/bmw realm with some questions.

First, to provoke some responses, a pic of my cars (I need more posts to attach pictures I guess. replace the XX with "tt" and you''ll see them.)



557 RWHP, 2.0 turbo. all hand built.

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/P1000427.jpg?t=1213276845

And next, my BMW. as far as anyone knows, the only one of it's kind (with this type of paint done properly) in the world.

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/042.jpg?t=1213277267



And now that you''''ve forgiven me for not knowing exactly what to search for (being an utter audi noob) herein lies my question.

I spotted a 100/200 sedan for sale, quattro, with an autotragic and 155k miles. I called the guy, and he says it runs fabulously, its only problem being a power steering leak.

I've seen inside the car (all cars here in juneau, alaska are unlocked) and it''''s very clean inside. has the onboard phone and everything. so far as I can tell, everything that can work without the ignition key, works. power seats, parking lights, etc.

No rust that I can see, either on the body, no bubbles in the paint (Fading on the trunk) and no rust underneath.


I popped the hood, and she's got a v8! I'm guessing the 3.6.


What should I look out for when test driving the car? I know old audis are notorious for electrical hiccups, but will these be honest to god concerns? the car will only be driven occasionally (3-4 times a week) and I am on a very limited budget of 1600 overall. no real commuting, just poking about around city, and on the 55mph highway across town if necessary.

I can probably get the car for 1100.

some pictures (sorry about the quality) it looks much better in person. This isn't a fixer-upper (though it might be if I fall in love with it and drag it back down to arizona) and I need something that I won't have to wrench on myself, as all my wrenches are 3000 miles away.

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0026Medium.jpg?t=1213276905

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0016Medium.jpg?t=1213277205

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0020Medium.jpg?t=1213277218

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0024Medium.jpg?t=1213277232

hxxp://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0028Medium.jpg?t=1213277249

Katman

557 RWHP, 2.0 turbo. all hand built.

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/P1000427.jpg?t=1213276845">

And next, my BMW. as far as anyone knows, the only one of it's kind (with this type of paint done properly) in the world.

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/042.jpg?t=1213277267">



And now that you've forgiven me for not knowing exactly what to search for (being an utter audi noob) herein lies my question:

I spotted a 100/200 sedan for sale, quattro, with an autotragic and 155k miles. I called the guy, and he says it runs fabulously, its only problem being a power steering leak.

I've seen inside the car (all cars here in juneau, alaska are unlocked) and it''''s very clean inside. has the onboard phone and everything. so far as I can tell, everything that can work without the ignition key, works. power seats, parking lights, etc.

No rust that I can see, either on the body, no bubbles in the paint (Fading on the trunk) and no rust underneath.


I popped the hood, and she's got a v8! I'm guessing the 3.6.


What should I look out for when test driving the car? I know old audis are notorious for electrical hiccups, but will these be honest to god concerns? the car will only be driven occasionally (3-4 times a week) and I am on a very limited budget of 1600 overall. no real commuting, just poking about around city, and on the 55mph highway across town if necessary.

I can probably get the car for 1100.

some pictures (sorry about the quality) it looks much better in person. This isn't a fixer-upper (though it might be if I fall in love with it and drag it back down to arizona) and I need something that I won't have to wrench on myself, as all my wrenches are 3000 miles away.

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0026Medium.jpg?t=1213276905">

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0016Medium.jpg?t=1213277205">

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0020Medium.jpg?t=1213277218">

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0024Medium.jpg?t=1213277232">

<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/popnsplat/ak/PIC_0028Medium.jpg?t=1213277249">

Dave from Gig Harbor

My suggestion is to run for your life unless you have tools and the time to work on it. It appears that you are capable, but not equipped to do repairs. While these older Audis are great cars, you will find they need lots of attention. In addition, the parts to do the repairs can be very expensive.

I do not have a V8, but am basing my experience on having owned 4 of the 200 Quattros which are similar.

Kneale Brownson

If you don't know whether the timing belt has been replaced recently, you're looking at a car that needs almost $1,000 in parts and a similar amount in labor before you drive it anywhere.

If you haven't driven the car, you don't know whether the slushbox operates all right or not. Regardless, the simple first treatment for a V8 slushbox is to drain and refill repeatedly four times, which equals four gallons of ATF.

That ding in the passenger front fender will be a fairly complex bodywork process. Or a fender replacement. Lots of shops won't bother trying to get a dent out of a fender flare.

A leaking PS pump can be rebuilt with a $6 seal kit. Leaking hoses will be a bunch more expensive to replace.

This is just the beginning of the possible issues with an unknown Audi V8.

matteblackcoupedude

I will be driving the car today and asking the owner more questions.

I'm very mechanically inclined, and can oftentimes hunt down a problem without even a wrench. But I can't fix said problems without tools.

How long do these v8's timing belts last?

If I get the car I can spend about 500 on it to tidy things up. I don't give a damn about the bodywork, so long as it's not rusted out. The body is better than could be expected for a car of it's age in the area it's living.


Is a somewhat ill-maintained audi v8 not worth looking into as anything other than a new project? that 3.6 v8 is a lot more alluring than a honda accord slushbox with 230k on it...

- GT Style -

*ding* - A non loved V8 can easily kill the pocketbook

- GT Style -

<ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forum/faq.shtml#11">https://www.audiworld.com/forum/faq.shtml#11</a</li></ul>

Kneale Brownson

V8 timing belts should be changed every 60K miles or five years. Every other change should include a bunch of additional parts related to maintaining proper tension on the belt. Otherwise you're looking at 32 valves making dents in the pistons.

Chad T

Just a timing belt will put you over budget on that car. Parts alone are $500+ even at discount prices. Forget it if you have to hire the labor out.

An old Audi can be a cheap driver though. V8s are kind of advanced. Might want to start with something simpler.

itsav8

60k is correct....but the elapsed time frame's 7 years I thought.