[V8] Quattro musings....

[Roger M. Woodbury]

My 200 20V Avant had a meltdown and spent a few days at the wrenchs.
Something to do with the fuel injection...a switch or contact was loose, and
another was cleaned and all is well.  Just in time for real winter and
tomorrow we should see a nasty coastal storm with snow and ice.  LOVE those
heated seats and of course quattro.

Really bumming this morning, because I still can't get access to Audifans
classified ads.  Makes me moody not being able to shop for all the neat
things that I think I might like to try to find a way to paste onto one car
or another. I wonder what gives with the failure of that?

Anyway, I have been thinking a bit more about another V8.  Right now there
are two interesting candidates listed on Auto Trader.  I am sure that
everyone by now has seen the very, very nice looking '93 (black/black:
OHHHHH, YESSSSSSSSSSS!) that is out in California.  85,000 for just under
ten grand, which, folks, in any language, and for any V8 is probably ALL the
money.  

Then in New Jersey is another black/black '93, with around 120K on the
clock, for half the money.  

Now, I haven't really looked seriously into either car, because I am still
looking for the "right" car, and since I am not able to leave here for at
least six months, I won't be able to travel to find the "right" car....I'm
not buying this car sight unseen.  But what is interesting is that the car
in California has Moda wheels, which make it look great, and some sort of
"trick" exhaust, which I suspect rumbles...not cool at all, me thinks.  I am
not entirely sure, but the car also looks as though the side windows and
rear windows have received a little extra tint, which is a downer for me, as
with that tint, the car is not inspectable in Maine.  

But look at each car a bit further.  The car in California has 85,000 miles,
and I wonder if that translates into "need a timing belt service
NOW"...although the car is so clean that one could presume that that has
already been done.  Then again, with the miles, it is unwise to presume
anything.

The car in New Jersey has 120,000 miles.  Since the timing belt interval for
the 4.2 V8 was changed to 75,000 miles, it would seem likely that this car
is just about ready for a timing belt service.  AND I would bet that there
are a host of other things that the car will need, "once you're in there".  

So, here's the arithmetic as far as I can tell:  IF the car in New Jersey
proves as good as it can be, and let's say, $4900 is the final, absolute
bottom line price:  the car will have to have a minimum of $1500 into the
timing belt immediately.  (Timing belt, water pump, tensioner, rollers,
crank and camshaft seals, probably hydraulic pump and assorted other gizzies
that appear when the front end is undressed.).  I think this is now nearly
$7,000...once it is done, because there will be lots  of other little rubber
gizzies in the engine bay that are just 120,000 miles old, crusty and about
to go.

The car in California is very, very clean.  But at 85,000 miles, the car is
in the right zone for all the usual oil leaks to begin...camshaft,
crankshaft seals, rear main seals, etc, etc, etc.  So the $9900 car is
really going to end up nearer to twelve grand.  I don't think that
arithmetic works at all.  

It seems clear to me that the a very nice late V8 can be had for well less
than five grand, and a few grand more makes it a wonderful car mechanically.

Then there is the '94 V8 in Ohio.  I actually sent email out on that one,
and was lusting after it, despite the color...white with tan...  But a
salvage title that is four years old or so, is still a salvage title, and it
is just a bit too far for me to go to inspect it only to find...ah, gee, no
thanks, if that is the way it went.  But just for a second I thought abut
some of the other colors of the V8 that were produced but never seen in this
country.  I have had thoughts about finding a good candidate in white, and
then taking it to the special "high end" body shop that does magical work.
Having the car taken down properly, and repainted....if it had a black
interior, I think I would chose "oak green".  

Replacing all the door and window seals, the sunroof seals, and doing the
work right, would probably cost six grand at this one shop that I am
thinking of....but it might be worth it:  for that just special V8.

Gonna ice and snow here tomorrow...guess I'd better put my musings away and
go sharpen up the shovel.

Roger