'86 Coupe Horror Story

[Jesster436@aol.com]

After years and years of wanting,  I finally bought a beautiful Tornado Red
1986 Audi Coupe GT last year.  My Aunt is on her 8th Audi and she convinced
me there would be few problems.  I love the car dearly but the problems just
won't stop.

Problem #1
The night I drove off the dealer's lot,  my digital dashboard's tachometer
(does anyone else have this feature) went blank.  Then over the next 6
months,  the other gauges would flash (how annoying!) and sometimes the whole
damn thing would just go blank for hours.  Everything's working fine for
now...
Problem #2
After owning the car for 1 week, it was broken into in front of my office.
 The radio was stolen and the trim around it was damaged.
Problem #3
Next week after that,  I ran over a spring (that dropped out of the fender of
an El Camino turning left in front of me) in the middle of the street that
rebounded back up into my exhaust, causing an annoying rattle when I
accelerate and the car now sounds like a diesel when the engine is cold.
Problems #4 &# 5
The passenger side power window switch failed (2 weeks to find a replacement)
the next month and somebody broke off my antenna.  Out here in CA the
replacement antenna (the little 6" kind) costs over $350!  So I went to
PepBoys (just like the dealer suggested) and bought their crappy little power
antenna.  It is so loud that it scares all my passengers.
Problem #6
Soon after, my transmission went out with 132,000 miles on the car.  It was
rebuilt and it lasted all of 9 months/20,000 miles.  I just got the car back
with its new transmission. I'm curious if anyone else's Coupe with the auto
tranny has problems with the redline.  Mine never goes near it.  Does yours?
Problem #7
I've had the brakes changed twice in the 16 months I've owned it and it looks
like it's time again.
Problem #8
The rear right brake light would sometimes work,  sometimes not.  My cousin
screwed in a loose metal piece on the circuit board to fit in more snugly and
all's fine with that.
Problem #9
My sunroof doesn't close all the way.  I've removed it and realigned all the
parts and it closed snugly for about 2 weeks.
Problem #10
Oh, did I mention that the car overheated 5 times?  4 times in Los Angeles
traffic, once on the way to Las Vegas. Do you know how much towing costs out
in the middle of the desert @ 3am?  In fact, I've gotten so used to seeing my
car being towed!:-(  I've rplaced the thermostat, the fan switch(which was
changed to one that turns on at a lower temp),  the coolant reservoir,  the
fuse box and the relay (the OG fan relay melted into the fuse board)
Problem #11
The Tornado Red paint on the left rear fender is starting to crack.  $300 to
repaint!
Problem #12
My driver's seat upholstery just got its first rip.
Problems #13 & #14
My alarm and Kenwood soundsystem just went dead.  I only get sound out of 1
speaker, somestimes 2 if i hit a bump!  (I'd put the Audi/Blaupunkt system
back in but it sucks more!)
Problem #15
I love this car so much!  Am I an idiot?  I used to drive a Celica that gave
me almost no problems, but I love this car so much more.  No one believes me
when I say its 10 years/155,000 miles old.  Am I just so deep in denial?
 Does anyone else feel like this? 

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

AUDIos,
Jesse

P.S.  I just saw a white 5sp '87 Coupe on a lot in beautiful condition... Oh,
God, keep me from doing it again...