What do I look for on a 5000CS quattro?

[rob hod]

        I bought my '88 100 after having a '87 Coupe GT for over three
completely trouble free years, - In other words all I had to do was regular
servicing and replace the exhaust, oh and the water pump when it started
weeping. The only bad thing thats ever happened with either car that was not
predictable was the window sticking last weekend.(on the Avant)

       Living in the UK we're able to get cars up to the late 80's with
virtually no emission control junk on them. When you combine that with
excellent build quality/ galvanising /paint etc I can't see how these cars
can be a bad bet. You just have to accept that with quattro's and turbo's
and emission controls theres just more to maintain than other cars. When I
was looking around for a daily hack last summer I went for the 100 Avant
based on these factors and got a 135k example in really excellent order for
800 GBP ($1200?) I have had good service from it so far AND its an auto!. I
personally would not have bought a late 12 year old car from any other
manufacturer. Apart from the window problem anything else I've had to do is
strictly related to age or bad work done in its previous life when
maintained by Audi Dealers.

    How long, I wonder, before I get to regret these words.......


Original


>Except for the exhaust manifold, and the resirc pump, those sounds like
>"Olde Car with High Mileage" problems, not 5kcsq problems.

>
> How about these problems:
>
> Cracked exhaust manifold
> worn valve stem seals
> bad fuel injectors
> bad fuel pump
> Plenty of leaks, from hydraulic lines, diff seals, engine seals,
> valve cover gaskets, oil cooler lines, master cylinder grommits,
> clutch master and slave cylinders, etc.
> Heater blower fan
> worn suspension bushings, strut inserts, rear tie rods, etc.
> broken electrical doo-dads (radio, power seats, dash lights, etc)
> coolant recirc pump
> braking system rebuild