[V8] V8 might be going away soon...

[urq]

... a '95 90Q ... it looks pretty good and there's no question that newer
Audis with manual trannies are difficult to come by here in the states ... I
don't know how resale is holding up on these cars in general, but $5K seems
high to me for a 14 model year old car.  Therein lies the rub ... even with
good maintenance the car is full of 14 year old electrical parts, and I
would expect that in the not too distant future the car will begin to
exhibit the sorts of maintenance needs that your V8 shows.  Have you
considered what you might get if you plowed that $5k into your V8?  ... or
perhaps find the V8 5-speed you're looking for and start from that basis?  I
am not familiar with the resale values on 5-speed V8s, but I suspect you'd
be able to find one for the same price as that 90Q ... even though in my
mind the V8 is far superior ...

I believe the strength of the Audi models preceding the 90Q is the
electrical simplicity.  To this day, if a clean 4kQ or Coupe GT came to my
attention I'd be more likely to buy the older model over a 90Q.  

All that said, I have been trying to determine which model of newer car I
would select to replace one or both of my V8s ... I'd like an Audi A6 Avant
with a manual transmission ... but it seems all the recent Avants did not
have the MT option.  I will repeat my earlier statement ... if Audi offered
a TDI-equipped Avant with either a manual transmission or DSG, I very well
might buy the first new Audi I've owned since 1978 ... 

Steve B
San Jose, CA (USA)

-----Original Message-----

I'm afraid this V8 probably just has too many problems for me to try to keep
it right now.  I know the timing belt should be done, but I don't even want
to bother with it if the transmission is just going to go out soon anyway
(vibrating/grinding sort of noise comes from under the car on
acceleration).  Plus the CAT light is flashing, the "check engine" light
comes on at idle, the "ABS OFF" light is usually on, and the "AIRBAG" light
comes on randomly.  Oh, and none of the buttons above the radio work, so I
can't turn the foglights, rear window defroster, ABS, etc., on or off, and
the only way to roll the windows up/down is from the driver's seat (the
lock/unlock button doesn't work).

I want to get another V8 eventually, but I'll want it to be in much better
condition and have a 5spd.  For now, I'm thinking of getting this:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/976736814.html
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