Caliper question

[rdh@sli.com (Robert D. Houk)]

   I have been informed by my repair guy that my 89 200Q needs a rear
   brake caliper.  (The symptoms that I have are that the parking brake
   sticks.)  He has tried to fix this before to no avail.  He says that these
   should be replaced in pairs and that the options are as follows:
   1. new calipers from Audi -  $400/ea
   2. aftermarket parts from ??? - $200/ea
   3. have mine rebuilt - $166/ea

   Is this reasonable advice?  Is there anything else that I can do??

I'd suspect the parking brake *cable* first, if the brakes work nor-
mally otherwise. Cheaper (a lot) than calipers, and an '89 should
not need calipers this early in its life. On the other hand, the
problem certainly *could* be the caliper(s) . . . [I'm not saying your
mechanic is wrong/lying to you!]

As to replacing the calipers, I'd go for new (factory reman) units over
rebuilding your old ones. When I had my rear calipers replaced ('83 UrQ),
I could get the "Audi" calipers for something like $500/each, or get the
"original" manufacturer's calipers with the Audi trademark ground off for
around $200 each . . . (guess which one I went for). (The parking brake
cable wasn't so easy, had to get Audi/Germany to ship one over...it ac-
tually took less than a week, I was amazed!)

					-RDH