[V8] Those giggling Audi gods....

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Actually, I rather enjoy the sound.  It's not really mocking, and for my 
part, it seems the older my Audis get the softer the giggling gods 
sound.  My 100 Avant is less than a tank full of fuel less than 200,000 
miles and runs like a swiss watch.

My V8 slept last year away in the garage, it's battery firmly connected 
to a battery tender, with periodic visits by me to turn the key and hear 
the eight cylinders begging for a romp.

A while ago I was having a theoretical discussion with my wrench as the 
shop was installing somethingorother on the Avant. I said I was 
contemplating "rolling the fleet" and going back to one car and that one 
car might well be a '99 to 01 Mercedes 4-matic wagon.  I said the prices 
were right, the supply seemed strong and the car appropriate for the 
driving my wife were doing.

His response was easy and quick.  He asked why I would consider doing 
that. He said the problems/repair areas that the Mercedes of that(or 
any) vintage are largely similar to what I had going on with my Audis.  
Ball joints, tie rods, miscellaneous seals and normal wear items. The 
only real mechanical maintenance item missing on the Mercedes that is on 
the Audis is the timing belt.  And he said the Merecedes timing chain 
guides were wear items that often require replacement at around 100k or 
so, and that can...not always...but that can get expensive.  Then the 
best part:  He pointed out that I have had enough Audis so that I 
largely know what the failure and wear items are that will need to be 
replaced.

This pas thread about crank position sensor....yup!  BTDT!  I have also 
done the tie rods and all that jazz on both the V8 and the Avant. The 
last time the Avant was in the shop it was running less well than 
usual.  Nothing specific, just sort of weak and unenthusiastic. I also 
knew the front struts were gonzo, so they were on the list.

What the mech did was to replace the struts and bushings first, then he 
went and replaced about forty miles (well, so I exaggerate a little:  
isn't that expected to please the Audi gods?), well, ok, thirty miles of 
vacuum hose and tubing.  The result was that the car was dead silent on 
the road again, and the engine was smooth as silk. In fact, I really 
think the engine and transmisison are smoother now at near-200k than 
they were at 39k when I first drove the car off that dealer's lot in 
Kansas City fourteen years ago.

So, experience with the cars works. I have also had the extreme 
displeasure of having the backup light switch replaced...that's the one 
that dips the passenger side outside mirror.  Seems that switch is 
located above the transmission beneath the car. Driving around on 
Maine's heavily salted and sanded winter roads allows...no maybe the 
Audi gods encouraged...the location of this switch to accumulate salty, 
wet sand and other winter road crud that eventually destroys the 
switch.  The switch? Well, about $400!  The labor? Well, about six and a 
half hours by the book!  (My wrench sold me the switch at his cost which 
was just over $200.) but it still was a VERY expensive maintenance kind 
procedure.

I also am a veteran of an Audi 200 Avant transmission shifter bushing 
failure. That plus a sudden and unexpected front half-shaft failure on 
the same car were the only times one of my Audis left me stranded...oh, 
other than the time my first V8 suffered massive reverse gear failure 
that resulted in an transmission overhaul...oh...yeah...don't get me 
started on that.

So, next up will be a new windshield for the V8.  Going to call the 
insurance company on that maybe today. This should be interesting...more 
experience!  I hope the Audi gods are smiling today!

Roger


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
http://www.avast.com