Tips on buying a 5KTQ

[Efraim Gavrilovich]

Wow, Doyt, you painted very glum although pretty accurate picture. By the
way, you forgot the notorious steering rack which will invariably fail in
every car. I guess I am lucky because quite a few components you mentioned
are still OK in my 211K mi 5KTQ (knock on wood). It's hard to imagine why
would any sane person even consider buying one of these cars. But the car is
great, I absolutely love it and forgive it all these little shortcomings.
Efraim Gavrilovich
1988 5KTQ 340,000km (211K mi), 1.8 Bar
1990 90 114,000km (71K mi)
Vancouver, Canada

----- Original Message -----
From: "Doyt W. Echelberger" <Doyt at buckeye-express.com>
To: <KMracer007 at aol.com>
Cc: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2002 5:12 AM
Subject: Re: Tips on buying a 5KTQ


> At 12:33 AM 2/24/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> >I am looking around for a 5000 turbo quattro right now , I was wondering
> >if there are any major "audi problems" that I should look out for.
>
> ..............Hello Kenny....Depends on what you mean by "major".......The
> hydraulic  pressure accumulator fails about every 5 years, along with the
> door handles and window switches and window regulators, and wiring in the
> driver door (due to flexing at hinge). Eventually the clutch breaks or
> fails and you drop the tranny to swap it. Even the linkage of the shifter
> breaks, eventually, in some cars.  Speedos/odos almost all fail, along
with
> cruise control. Multifunction switch on steering column burns out and
> headlights can't be switched. Best to relay the headlights. Climate
control
> units behind glove box frequently fail, as does the heater blower motor
and
> a spring on one of the air distribution flaps. Windshields and headlights
> get pitted. Rear calipers and e-brake cables get rust-frozen and fail, as
> does the brake pressure regulator for the rear brakes.. The exhaust is
> suspended by a special bracket at the tranny, and that bracket fractures,
> putting a big load on the exhaust manifold studs, which break eventually
as
> the system flops around, like when you go over a railroad track at speed.
>
> >  I know to check the records (if any) that the previous owner has had
for
> > work done on the car. Are there any major rust areas
>
> ...............Unlike your 86 4kq, these cars are double-side galvanized
> and simply "never" or almost never rust in the galvanized chassis
> areas.  But underbody components aren't protected that way, and they
almost
> all rust, especially in salt-belt cars.  Also, the black rub rail trim on
> the doors tends to deteriorate from the inside of the rail, which is a
> slate-like material that also serves as a structural member that prevents
> intrusion from a T-bone collision. The material swells up, flakes off, and
> the shape of the trim piece changes radically. Not pretty. Easy to see.
> Expensive to replace. Also, I have heard of small rust-outs developing
when
> the drains at the rear of the front wheel wells are plugged with organic
> debris. Cars from the salt belt will all develop underbody component rust,
> and all the metal lines carrying fluids will rust and leak and need
> replacement. Fuel pumps tend to fail eventually.  The oil cooler swaged
> fitting corrode and fail catastrophically sometimes, and the you can't get
> the old fitting off without serious damage to the cooler. The plastic
> radiators all fail eventually, especially at the upper inlet neck. The
> throttle switch electrical internals develop microfractures of the solder
> joints, and the switch requires repair or replacement.  The Michelin Man
> hose cracks and leaks, as does the lower vacuum hose on the wastegate. In
> fact, all the rubber hoses eventually deteriorate and need replacing.
There
> is a little short hose fitting at the front of the engine, that feeds
> coolant to the turbo, and this fitting starts leaking eventually. All the
> motor and tranny and subframe mounts and rubber bushing will be shot or
> already replaced.  After all, the cars are at least 13-14 years old and
ALL
> the rubber items will probably be in bad shape or will have been replaced,
> perhaps several times, by now. Also, the suspension parts will be near the
> end of life, such as the rear transverse control arms and the various ball
> joints and tie rod ends.
>
>
>
> >  or drivetrain issues to lookout for?
>
> .................expect to replace the center support bearing of the drive
> shaft, at some point in the life of the car. About $130 from Blau, plus
> labor.  Wheel bearings eventually all fail and get replaced, at about $200
> each if someone else does the work.
>
> >Also if you live in western WA and have a 5KTQ for sale email me off the
> >list. thanks for all your help quattro list!!! later
> >
> >~Kenny
> >86 4KQ
> >75 280zt
>
>
>