Type 44 breakdowns

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Only twice that have left me stranded.

My 5000CS Quattro Avant lost an alternator on the way back from Portland one
night.  Left the car at a gas station, and got a taxi to take me the last 25
miles.....remarkable in just getting a taxi in Bucksport, Maine, at ten at
night in the winter....the car had around 150k on it at the time.

Then I lost the gear shift fork in the 200 Quattro Avant, and had to be flat
bedded to the shop.  That happened a month after I had the car flatbedded
after it dropped the clutch master cylinder, but that didn't leave me
stranded:  I just drove it home the five miles in one gear.  (second, I
think, but it might have been third.).  The 200 Quattro had just over
110,000 miles I think at that point.

I also had an accelerator cable break on the 5000 CS, and had to hold the
throttle open with a shoelace the five miles to home, but I wasn't stranded.

T he two V8s that I have had never stranded me by the roadside, although the
'90 V8 did lose reverse gear entirely, resulting in having the car hauled to
a ZF transmission specialist for transmission rebuild.  Not my fault:
happened only about six thousand miles after I bought the car.

You shouldn't ever have the car dump you by the side of the road because of
a hose failure, belt failure ESPECIALLY a timing belt failure, as these are
ALL maintenance items that need periodic replacement.  Check this stuff as
often as you change oil, and you will never have a problem.

These cars do not, REPEAT, do NOT, require a 'lot' of maintenance.  What
they do require is due diligence by an owner/driver who does not want to be
dumped.  Learn what the essential features and values of the cars are, and
check for normal wear items....belts, hoses, etc, often....and you will find
them to be more reliable than your neighbor's Chebbie....

Roger