'88 5KCSTQ, Worth the hassle?

[Christopher Ritchie]

I am
now curious if I am researching a money pit, this will not be my
primary
vehicle, but I would like a bit of reliability without
outrageous
maintenance costs. I also really happen to like this particular
vintage of
Audi. Should I just get a Toyota and never have any fun behind
the wheel? I
am sure a lot depends on the particular vehicle, I just hope
this era is not
particularly bad. I really appreciate the feedback.


I think I remember that the service record is spotty and they want more than
$3K for the car.  Run away from that car.  It's not worth half that.

They are also money pits.  Engine, standard transmission, and differentials
are bulletproof.  Body won't rust because it's galvanized.  Styling still
passes for contemporary.  And it is a full sized German luxury sedan.  But
everything else breaks on the car.  You won't believe the things that break.
  Dealers can't or won't fix them.  But that's OK since they're terrible and
expensive.  Parts prices are outrageous unless you develop other sources.
Used parts are plentiful because the junkyards are full of nice examples of
these cars.  Gee, I wonder why?  Some of the engineering and repairs are
idiosyncratic, so you need to follow this list so you can do the work
yourself.  Or, find someone you can trust who knows these cars.  If you're
not willing to invest time and money, get something else.


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