[V8] Quattro musings....

[dsaad at icehouse.net]

Seems like there have been a few V8s from listers go by these pages in recent
days - some basket cases and some only "well worn". They all were going for
cheap - so why not pick up a fixer upper, and bring it up to whatever spec you
want?

My general rule is anything mechanical can be fixed. Perhaps not cheap, but it
can be done. The thing that would give me pause is body work. If there is rust
or if the body is severly worn, the cost is just too high for a car that is only
worth $5K in tip top shape. Not an issue if this is a labor of love, but it can
be hard to get the expenditure past "capital committee" if you know what I mean
:-)

I guess I would rather spend 10K fixing up a car myself rather than accept that
someone else spent the money and did the work the way I would have.


A Pleasent Festivus to all

Dave

Quoting "Roger M. Woodbury" <rmwoodbury at adelphia.net>:

> 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
>
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