buying a 4kQ, help......

Wed Nov 1 20:04:32 EST 2000

Doyt...next time I'm in the market, can I take you with me?  You're more picky
than I am!  Best Regards, Tom

"Doyt W. Echelberger" wrote:

> Here is a reasonably complete strategy for testing the car:
>
>  >ON THE PHONE, before even seeing it, I am going to talk to the owner  and
> ask basic questions about ownership history, wrecks, and maintenance. I
> will encourage talk about repairs and upkeep and how the car was used. I
> will ask about rust, body damage, interior appearance, and how the car runs
> and what needs to be done to it. Why is it being sold? What is the mileage?
> Are you the original owner? What are the tires like?  What is the asking
> price? The answers allow me to decide if I am going to take the time to go
> see the car and test drive it.
>  >
>  >WHEN AND IF I GET THERE, I do a walk-around and eyeball everything
> visible from the outside. Then I can pop the hood and look around  the
> engine compartment cold, pull the dipstick and feel the oil. Check parking
> spot for leaks. Then I can open the trunk and check for water, dirt, and
> spare tire. During the walk-around, I can eyeball the car for fit and
> finish, glass, rubber, wheel damage. I'm looking for evidence of body
> damage repairs. Feel rotors for ridges/gouges.
>  >
>  >THEN I CAN OPEN ALL 4 DOORS and check the entry sills and lower door
> edges, for rust or repairs, while looking over the rubber seals. Then I can
> enter the car and sit in the driver seat to eyeball seats, trim, feel
> floorboards for leaks, move seats, check safety belt front and back. Set
> emergency brake and release it. Look out front window for glass chips,
> cracks, scratches, fogging, bulls-eyes.
>  >
>  >WHILE SITTING THERE, I can touch and operate all the cabin controls and
> gadgets. Power locks/windows, incl trunk lock. Lights high&lo beam, dash
> lights and adjustment, wipers, heater/AC ,and radio. I will check for leaks
> by feeling the carpet. I will test pedal pressure for brakes, and pedal
> movement for clutch, listening for strange sounds.  I will go through the
> gears at rest to check shifter linkages. And I can cold start the car,
> observing how it cranks and catches, and how the idle system works cold.
> Then I can re-test the gadgets that wouldn't work without the engine
> running. Can't test quattro in/out until car is moving. CAUTION! Owner may
> have disabled bulbs in warning light cluster.
>  >
>  >I  let the engine warm up a few minutes, and then DO A SLOW TEST
> DRIVE,  in the parking lot and local street.....and then around the owner's
> town, and maybe on a cross-town freeway. This will include a moving test of
> the switching levers for the QUATTRO. Does speedometer and trip computer
> work? Rear window defroster? Strange noises on bumps? Taut and firm, or
> loose and sloppy? Power steering feel and sound? Alternator belt squeal
> with full electric load? History of new brushes. I can try starting and
> stopping and run through the gears and check out the feel of the clutch and
> brakes and accelerator systems, and the steering and suspension. I might do
> some doughnuts rt an lt in a parking lot to test for bearing noise. the car
> is warm now and i can test the full range of the climate control and
> blower. Then, back at the owner's home I can re-set the emergency brake and
> see if the clutch slips against it, before shutting down. I keep the engine
> running, and get out of the car. Emergency brake is on. Front wheels
> cranked hard right, to show tire wear.
>  >
>  >>>OUTSIDE, WITH ENGINE RUNNING, I go to the back of the car and hold a
> paper dollar flat against the tailpipe and see if it gets sucked into the
> pipe by any faulty exhaust valve. If the test drive indicated sloppy
> shocks/suspension, I would bounce the corners and wiggle each wheel for
> play. Not a bad idea anyhow. Examine tire treads for depth, feathering,
> cupping, unusual wear at edges or in center. Front and rear. Feel temp of
> tires and wheels, for heat due to dragging brake.
>  >
>  >>>>If I am still serious, I will DRIVE THE CAR FOR ANOTHER HALF-HOUR at
> higher speeds, on a freeway, and check passing systems, and wander
> tendencies. And I will watch the gauges for under/over heating. And check
> both the horn and the audio system.
>  >At this point, even if I have to pay for it, I will make sure the gas
> tank holds a complete fill-up, because an almost empty tank doesn't reveal
> tank leaks that exist, especially where the top and bottom molds of the
> tank meet... a likely place to find corrosion on metal tanks. After the
> drive, I can decide if I want to meet the selling price, negotiate, or TAKE
> IT TO A TRAINED AND TRUSTED AUDI MECHANIC FOR AN EXPERT OPINION. While it
> is on the lift, look for signs of corroded fuel and brake lines. Very
> expensive to replace. Also, I'd want a compression test.  This last step is
> the insurance policy, and is worth at least a hundred dollars if you
> already have decided to buy the car.
>
>  >So, that's it. Hope it helps. Go to this web site and check the cost of
> keeping up an Audi.          http://www.stationwagon.com/My_audis.html
>
>  >Doyt    87 5ktq    86 4KcsQ         85 Jetta TurboDiesel
>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> At 11:32 PM 10/31/00 -0500, you wrote:
>
>    what should i be looking for when I'm looking at 4000 Quattro's? I'm, well,
> kinda clueless. Is there certain problem areas,etc...   Are these cars
> reliable? Any help is very appreciated. Thanks