Checklist for Reliability of Older Audis

[Marc Boucher]

As we'd discussed, my Audi 100 just died with no warning last Friday.  I feared the worst in terms of repair bill but today I got a call that the part (ignition booster) is $61 and very little labor.  Let's assume that they got the diagnosis correct and this chapter will shortly be closed.

 

I'd like to open a different subject: what could have been done to prevent this?

 

The car is well maintained, both by me and by a garage specialized in Audis.  

 

I'll pull the codes from time to time, but they've never really revealed anything of consequence.  Plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor were done less than 10,000 miles ago.  Same for fuel pump, which is a well-known weakness in these cars.

 

I realize that the car is old, but I'm hoping to put together a basic checklist of items to verify to help ensure reliability.

 

This one threw me for a loop.  Even a failing fuel pump will usually give some signs.  A broken belt or hose will at least give you a chance to get the car somewhere.   But in this case, the car shut down just as I was exiting the freeway, with not even enough chance to get it onto the right shoulder.

 

Was this just a freak occurrence or does this part belong to a list of parts that are known to fail, or should be checked routinely to avoid being stranded on the street?  Would some kind of advanced diagnostic have spotted this, even without any symptoms?  If not, at least what could be done to minimize the risks of being caught in a similar situation in future?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.  

 

MC