Thinking of purchasing a 5ktq

[Motor Sport Visions Photography]

Well, you're likely to hear a lot of negativity towards the Type$$, er
Type44 turbo quattro here. I'll mirror that with the advice that you be
patient and buy as good of one as you can get, don't settle for deferred
maintenance issues you think you'll catch up on later--these are not
cars you'll likely ever "catch up" with if you start out in the hole. I
will only suggest a 5ktq to someone who is capable of doing the vast
majority of their own maintenance. Aside from tire mounting and
alignment nobody but me has touched mine for nearly 5 years and 60k
miles, and the car is better off (at 193k now) because of it I am
certain (and I know my wallet is).

Now, with that preface, I will also go on to say that this '87 5ktq is
perhaps *THE BEST* car I have ever owned. I have lost count how many
vehicles I have owned since I started driving in 1979, but I'll try ; 5
BMWs (4 1600/2002s and one 2800cs), 4 Volvos (ranging from a 1972 142 to
my wife's present problem child 1994 850t wagon), 3 Porsches (1 914, 2
911s), a bunch of Fiats (call it a phase in life, what can I say, they
were fun), 5 pickemups (2 Toyota, 2 Ford, 1 Jeep), and of course the
best of the bunch, 8 Audis :) (including 2 type$$ turbo quattros). Yeah,
it has suffered from the usual type 44 issues and has some right now I
need to address (front suspension rebuild, sagging headliner, AC
Compressor, and I'm running my winter tires due to need for new rubber)
but it has only died away from home once (fool pump) and with an initial
purchase price of $2950.00 in 1997 and reasonable maintenance and repair
expenses (thanks in no small part to this list and Rod at TPC) this has
been one wonderful car.

I have run with a QLCC chip and Scott Mockry's 1.8bar spring for just
about the entire time I have owned the car. I have never "babied" the
car, always run it hard. It has taken my family on countless long road
trips in comfort and safety. It is a fantastic highway car (even with
the 193k mile old suspension needing some bushings, ball joints, tie rod
ends, etc. it still trashes our much newer Volvo 850t in both ride and
handling). 5ktqs with boost mods are not "quick" as they are geared
high, heavy, and thus tend to be pretty sluggish off the line unless you
like to do semi-abusive launches, but they are "fast." (Still feels
faster than the slushbox equipped Volvo 850 turbo).

So, if you find a good well maintained example and are capable (have
tools, place to work on it, etc.) of self-maintenance I have no qualms
suggesting a 5ktq as being a bargain in the used car marketplace. If
you're looking for something like one that needs a little less attention
perhaps a 1991 200tq or Ur-S4 would be a better choice. FWIW, I do not
spend every weekend working on my cars either. I do now split my commute
between my 5ktq and a 4kq we recently bought (alternating weeks) but
that is to equalize the miles building up and keep them both on the road
regularly. I enjoy them both too :)

HTH and good luck.

Mike Veglia
Motor Sport Visions Photography
http://www.motorsportvisions.com