[V8] Those giggling Audi gods....

[cobram at juno.com]

I would respectfully disagree with your tech.  Having a bit of experience
with both, the only department Mercedes doesn't trump Audi when it comes
to longevity and cost of maintenance is rust.

Having owned (and still own) both, I can unequivocally say that my 1987
300TDT Mercedes is basically a German Tank with the repair and
maintenance requirements of a Japanese Appliance.

The Audi's of the same and newer vintage, no matter how much lipstick you
slap on it, doesn't even come close.  Bonus,  an 18 yr old Mercyless has
more parts available for it than a 10 year old Audi.

15 years of Boston winters, parking on the street and some pretty
impressive payload hauls, if I count everything non routine maintenance
I've done to the Mercyless on my fingers, I'm still on one hand.  Added
bonus, there's actually a lunatic fringe that will spend real money for a
"vintage" Mercedes, where an Audi of similar vintage garners scrap value
on a good day.  After 15 years of use and abuse, the Mercyless is worth
more than I paid for it, rust and all.  Oh, that's actually value too, as
there is someone aside from an insurance company that is willing to pay
that for the car.

The power steering pump is the most expensive item that I've had to deal
with so far, I got a rebuilt from California for $250.  

I love the older Audi's, they have a soul and all that, but as we, like
the cars themselves age and get closer to the end than the beginning, our
perspectives on what things are worth doing changes dramatically. 
I wish there was a new generation to take the helm, but they for the most
part, could care less.  Maybe if some HBO series features a vintage Audi
will there be a chance of a demand blip on the market screen.

I even treated myself to "new" car, a 1992 300TE, fresh from God's
waiting room in FL, less than 80k miles, dealer maintained, and if it
lasts anywhere near as long as it's 1987 predecessor will, it can double
as my coffin when the time comes.

I now have a decent 1987 300TDT for sale, pay me what the engine is worth
and drive it away with the rest of the car for free......  ;-)

BCNU,
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.

"Roger M. Woodbury" <rmwoodbury at fairpoint.net> writes:
> 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
>