'96 Avant

[Jay M]

Tihol,

 

I have owned about 4 of the C4 A6 cars. I presently own one now, a 1996 A6 automatic which is my daily driver. 

 

1) Things that each and every one I owned needed was a streering rack replaced at about 125-150K miles (all of them leaked at the seal in the rack itself), same exact racks as the UrS6 cars....My UrS6 was replaced by PO at 110K miles. I usually bought my A6's with about 80K miles and I am sure the PO's never changed the Pentosin in the hydraulic steering system. Lesson to be learned is that the Pentosin Hydraulic Fluid should be changed no less than every 50,000 miles to remove dirt and moisture to ensure long life from the seals in the rack. I bought a brand new 1995 Sport 90 Quattro and changed the Pentosin every 50K miles and the rack did not leak a drop the entire 225,000 miles I owned it. 

2) Same thing with the automatic transmission. The trans fluid is not "Lifetime" as the Bentley indicates. The trans fluid and filter should be changed every 60K miles with only the proper Pentosin trans fluid. I just changed mine in my 1996 A6 and it shifts so much better now. My first 1995 A6 was a company car and work horse and we never changed the trans fluid on it the 175,000 miles I had it. At that point the transmission was whining and not shifting smoothly as a result. I f you test drive this 1996 Avant and the tranny is quiet and shifts smoothly that is always a good sign. If there is a clunk or a slight jerk between gears, especially between 1st & 2nd, you will definitely notice it and it means at best, the trans fluid and filter needs to be changed.

3) Driver's seat always seem to rip at the bottom seat cushion around the seam's stitching.

4) Plus the usual gremlins that afflict C4 cars, ignition switches, side view mirror delaminating, squeaky blower motor fan for climate control system, etc.

 

I would ask the owner about maintenance done to the rack and trans in particular. The rest of the car is solid, the 2.8 engine is not fast or exotic but quite reliable and a workhorse and should last 250,000 miles without a top end rebuild if properly maintained. HTH

J
> Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 09:20:19 -0700
> Subject: '96 Avant
> From: t.tiholov at gmail.com
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> 
> http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/2305185376.html
> 
> Looking at this. Whoever has BTDT - how long do these transmissions last?
> Any tell-tale signs, if they are on their way to expire? Anything else re:
> this model to watch out?
> 
> Thanks,
> Tihol
> _______________________________________________
> quattro mailing list
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/quattro
> http://www.audifans.com/kb/List_information