89 Audi 200 turbo purchase questions

[Kent McLean]

Paul wrote:
> I am looking at a 89 200 Turbo front drive with about 70K original miles 
> that has been neglected for the past few years.

They've all been neglected, or they wouldn't be for sale.

 > It has had the rack
> replaced but is leaking at
> the banjo bolt connections from one or both hoses 

May need new crush washers.

> as well as having a 
> radiator leak onto the drive belt. 

The old radiators have plastic ends that a prone to leaking
with age.  A new one will cost you a couple hundred bucks,
and is easy to replace.  Most people go with all metal
radiators, but the original lasted 15 years. Take you pick.

 > Power door locks do not work but mechanical operation is ok.

Probably a vacuum leak.  I think there is a pump under the rear seat.

>  Interior can be brought back to near excellent with a days work. 
> Exterior and engine compartment need another days work. It also needs a 
> battery and an alignment. 

All part of buying a used car.

 > Not sure about the climate control but A/C
> blows cold and is turned on by a dash mounted toggle switch some 
> mechannic has jumped into the system.

That's not good.  Good the A/C is working, bad someone mucked
with the switches.  May just need a new original switch.  May be
that a sensor isn't working, causing the auto AC feature to not
work.

> The car seems to be large and solid with amazing build quality however 
> is not an example of simple engineering. I can pick it up for about 
> $1000 and suspect it needs at least another $500 to make it reliable.

Heck, for $1000 I'll let you have my '89 200. It's a Turbo Quattro.

Kent
'94 100 S Avant
'89 200 TQ, "Bad Puppy", needs a new home