Wind up windows

[Buchholz, Steven]

> Has anyone replaced their power windows with regular windows that roll up 
> and down?  I think this would be much more cost-effective and reliable
than 
> replacing 1-4 window regs.  Is this possible in a 5K?
> Any BTDTs?

... that presumes that the window regulators fail a lot I suppose.  Between
all of the Audis that I have with power windows [14 regs] (and the addition
of the Audis my brother in law has that I service) [12 regs] I have replaced
one regulator ... and I'm about to do my second.  The first regulator was
done on the POS that I bought, and the reg was ripped out by the PO.  I
later found that most all of the connections in the driver's door hinge loom
were damaged, so it may well have been true that the regulator the PO
removed was not bad at all!  The one on my BiL's '88 5kS is most definitely
a frayed cable ... which I hope to repair for free (Thanks Wallace!).  Given
the fact that IME the problems with the windows tend to be more electrical
than mechanical in nature (broken wires and bad contacts in the switches)
... things that IMO/E are easily and inexpensively repaired.  

Seems to me that one could go out and spend less than $100 on brand new
switches and check the wiring looms in the doors and repair any damage ...
and end up with power windows that work great and need no maintenance.  To
go to the manual windows you're going to have to get all the mechanisms AND
a full set of color matched replacement door panels to make it work ... and
then you end up with a fancy looking car that has roll up windows.  Here in
the USA I think your chances of finding the manual windows are best in the
oldest 5000 models, and I believe they are either fully compatible, or can
be adapted.  The other option would be to look for them outside the USA.  

If I were looking into a crank replacement for a motor, I would be more
interested in doing this for the sunroof!

Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)