Reccomendatiosn '86 5KTQ

[Eric_R_Kissell at email.whirlpool.com]

Tom Faust wrote:
>I have been offered a low mileage (125K) '86 CSTQ at an agreeable
>price. I would like to chip it. Is there any reason to avoid the '86. As
>far as operating goes is there any important difference from the later
>models with the Torsen unit?

I love my 1986 5000cstq. I have never missed having a Torsen.  I need to
get the car on a scale, because it feels lighter than the later cars I have
driven. I actually prefer the older interior in some ways to the updated
one in our 1989 200q Avant.

If the price is good, go for it. Just be prepared to replace all of the
usual Type 44 stuff as it fails. There is no reason to think the parts on a
1986 Type 44 will fail any faster than later cars. They all need repairs
too often at some point, but they drive so nice when you get them fixed it
is worth it. My 1986 had about 116k miles when I bought it in Atlanta,
Georgia several years ago. Note, my insurance company just tried to total
my 1986 5000cstq for $2200 after a deer hit in November, but I negotiated
that they will fix it for the estimated $2850. Actually, they wrote me the
check right before Christmas.

HTH,

Eric R. Kissell
1986 5000cstq, 1.8 bar (SJM), K24, Fuchs
1989 200q Avant, 1.5 bar, K24, Bilsteins
1987 VW GTI 16V, 1984cc, Bilsteins
Evansville, Indiana, USA