Newbee purchase

[Doyt W. Echelberger]

At 07:59 AM 1/27/2002 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi quatro fans
>Im in the market for a solid quatro wagon.
>So far I dont know allot about the various models / years etc....  Im
>interested in learning from the "pros" what they would recommend in
>terms of preferred years and models.
>Here are my criteria for purchase:
>Wagon - (kids / dog / gear etc.)
>AWD - live in snow country 4-5 mo/yr
>12,000$ max budget but would prefer to spend lots less.
>Year unimportant.
>Performance not a huge factor
>Im mainly interested in reliability and practicality.
>Im a firm believer in buying a solid lower mileage older car vs more
>bucks for the gizmos on a newer model.
>What year and model audis have the best reputations?
>The newer S4 and S6 seem nice but are likely out of my budget.
>Any recommendations?

...............Buy a mid-1980 model 5000 up to 1988, and model 200 after
that. Buy it from a private individual on this enthusiast list, using the
www.audifans.com Marketplace to locate it. The quattro list enthusiast is
almost certain to have already invested _vast_ amounts on money and time in
remanufacturing the vehicle. Then, for some reason, they have decided to
sell it and buy another car, not because the vehicle is faulty, but because
of personal reasons. Frequently, these vehicles are offered for more than
what the retail market is getting (Kelly Blue Book). But they are actually
remarkable bargains.
Hypothetical Example: 1987 5000 turbo quattro avant (wagon), offered for
$3,500 with 200k miles on the clock; two owners, complete records. Kelly
Blue book lists the car at being worth $1,500 average retail. The $2,000
extra above KBB gets you a list of major system overhauls and replacements
that would cost $10,000 to have done on that "average" retail car KBB is
talking about.

>Should I be worried about models with 130K+ miles?

...............everything except the body, engine, and actual quattro
differentials. Most certainly the timing belt and water pump, and the
brakes, all the rubber items like hoses and bushings, the cooling system
and climate control system, many of the underbody parts like brake and fuel
and oil lines, and whether it has been totalled and salvaged or badly
maintained.  And if you buy the car from an enthusiast, all the stuff you
should worry about has PROBABLY already been replaced or repaired. And the
owner will be able to prove it with receipts. You can then verify the
condition by having the car surveyed by an experienced Audi mechanic.

>Thanks
>aaron