[V8] ... reality check

Fri Dec 19 12:23:57 PST 2014

I tire Betty apart recently. Kept stuff I could use and sent the rest to the junk yard as well.   

 It was bitter sweet to see her go but it had to b done. 

Ron 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 19, 2014, at 1:53 PM, Ricky Joshi <rickyjoshi01 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I guess I'm not sure why a perfect V8 interior would be sold to a
> junkyard.  I'm a buyer for black leather front and rears for $1000.  Just
> saying.
> 
> On Fri, Dec 19, 2014 at 12:46 PM, Ingo Rautenberg <ingo.rautenberg at gmail.com
>> wrote:
>> 
>> Pat,
>> 
>> I'm very sorry to read of your travails. Both of mine had fully-functional
>> clusters. My original  5 speed V8 had a service file almost two inches
>> thick when I bought it 10? years ago. It had custom ground cams from
>> Germany, had its block replaced by Audi due to excessive oil consumption
>> and was a real hoot to drive. I have friends who can attest to four wheel
>> burnouts and the lopy rumble of a Boss Mustang sound. Alas, these cars do
>> require regular maintenance and a steady supply of cash. I loved that car
>> almost as much as my '84 Urquattro, but the resulting financial problems
>> from the economic collapse in 2008 and my mother's waning health made for a
>> perfect sh!tstorm and a
>> my realization that I needed to be very frugal with my money. So for the
>> time being I'm driving an E34 BMW 2.5 liter with 208k on the clock. It's
>> not pretty or fast, but it's reliable and light-footed and fun. And tire
>> wear is negligible. It's easy to replace items and well-thought-out in its
>> execution. Plus the parking brak uses brake shoes for the rear instead of
>> the spiral dual duty rear caliper piston that VAG should be ashamed of.
>> Parts are far less expensive and are readily available.  I'm sure I'll get
>> another Audi in the future. Don't despair. I figure I've put  400,00 miles
>> between all of my V8s.
>> 
>> Good luck.
>> 
>> Ingo
>> 
>>> On Friday, December 19, 2014, patrick gillen <pat_gillen at msn.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Merry XMAS to all from a struggling V8Q dissenter (sound like an AA
>>> meeting?):
>>> 
>>> In all these V8's going to the crusher, is there a totally working
>>> cluster, original or with  re-soldered colored harness jacks? I need one,
>>> and if all jacks were not re-soldered, the lower the miles and the most
>>> laboratory-perfect-ambient-the car-operated-in the better.  441 919 035 P
>>> VDO 110.008.369/047.
>>> 
>>> If not, after 16 yrs of fighting parts unavailability, I suggest we all
>>> cut the esoteric V8Q BS, rally together and CRUSH THEM ALL. It was a good
>>> car, but a never ending money and more importantly time sink is no
>> longer a
>>> good car. When I bot mine 16 yrs ago from an elderly doctor-only driver
>> who
>>> only drove it salt free garage to garage, his dealer service file was an
>> 1
>>> inch thick at 100k miles. I added another inch of service file for
>> another
>>> 70k except mine is mainly parts receipts and countless labor hours.
>>> 
>>> I have been driving 50 yrs and the V8Q is plain and simple, an out of the
>>> box lemon. A lot of it's technology is transplanted from its brethren,
>> how
>>> could it be so screwed up? Two inches of service file is not right for
>> any
>>> vehicle under 200k that is used on the street, at least for the common
>> ones
>>> I have owned. And all my problems are the same ones you had.
>>> 
>>> My position now, which I first found laughable not too many months back,
>>> is supported by a nameless NW V8Q expert who really opened my eyes
>> recently
>>> as I bought a HP hose from his shop as yet another part that can't be
>>> bought new. He got a wrecked V8Q exactly like mine on Thurs, I called him
>>> Friday out of frustration looking for a used hose and he said he was
>>> crushing it on Sunday. I said, whaaat? So stupidly, I wasted the better
>>> part of a day chasing a used +3000 psig hose before the crusher got it,
>> all
>>> along wondering about my sanity on a used pressure hose.
>>> 
>>> And I'd almost be happy to eat the last $1k in various parts I've spent
>>> while I can't still drive it out of the garage because some genius
>> decided
>>> the defective cluster solder joints should also control something so
>> simple
>>> as the radiator fan. Like y'all, I too sincerely appreciate most of the
>>> Audi engineering but some of it is beyond ridiculous and done without
>>> senior engineering oversight and I am done defending it.
>>> 
>>> So let's crush all the V8's, the rare 5 speeds first. And if there is a
>>> '94 floating around somewhere, lets bonfire it in Pioneer Square; I will
>>> light it and take the heat. But first, let's deal on a cluster so I can
>> get
>>> another 30k mi while rationalizing all my recent wasted labor and
>>> parts...until the next fiasco.
>>> 
>>> Pat
>>> 1990 V8
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: V8 [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com <javascript:;>] On Behalf Of
>>> Allan Vega
>>> Sent: December 18, 2014 7:35 PM
>>> To: Ingo Rautenberg
>>> Cc: V8 Audi Fans
>>> Subject: Re: [V8] ... reality check
>>> 
>>> (Closes eyes, and sticks fingered in ears) la la la la la la la can't
>> hear
>>> what your saying la la la la la
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Dec 18, 2014, at 9:03 PM, Ingo Rautenberg <
>> ingo.rautenberg at gmail.com
>>> <javascript:;>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> I literally gave mine away last month to the local salvage yard. Both
>>>> 5 speeds :(  They both needed work: The one had a perfect interior and
>>>> the other had an almost-perfect totally rust-free exterior. Both
>>>> needed steering racks, one needed a fuel pump and the other had half
>>>> of the injector wires eaten through by a rodent (guessing a chipmunk or
>>> squirrel).
>>>> I just didn't have the time or space to work on them. Audi-less for
>>>> the first time in 28 years.
>>>> 
>>>> Ingo
>>>> 
>>>>> On Thu, Dec 18, 2014 at 8:35 PM, Steven B <urq222 at ymail.com
>>> <javascript:;>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Funny, I just came to the realization that one if not both of my cars
>>>>> will end up being donated for charitable tax purposes and end up in
>>>>> wrecking yards somewhere ...
>>>>> ... wow ...
>>>>> I'm pretty sure I found the pick-n-pull where Gerry's '91 5-speed
>>>>> wound up ... and almost had a chance to go out there to confirm my
>>> suspicions ...
>>>>> Steve Buchholz
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