Woes R' Him

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> 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.

Regrettable but not the car's fault...

> 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.

Ditto....

> 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.

You can get a Harada (try Crutchfield - catalog or on the WWW) for a 
very nice replacement which has an $18 replaceable mast.  Antenna was 
about $60 when I last bought one.

> 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?

Hope you had them replace the torque converter as well.  That could 
have been a problem with the re-failure.  I can't guarantee it';s the 
same, but on my 1990 200, the shift points are adjustable; there's a 
cable which runs from the accelerator pedal to the tranny, then UP to 
the throttle linkage on the engine.  However - before you have it 
re-set, check your ownner's manual carefully to make sure it's not 
set to exceed the max. rated speed in each gear.  Believe it or not, 
my 200 automatic is not SUPPOSED to be able to rev to redline in each 
gear before shifting, according to the manual.  (This seems really 
DUMB - but it has to do with the flaky transmission, which in my 
opinion is not suited for the 100 and 200 sedans.)

> 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.

Don't use factory brake pads...and don't buy the parts from the 
dealer.  Get good rotors on the aftermarket and try Repco pads - 
those on this list have commented often about their pads - the 
MetalMasters seem to be cited most often.  (And I'll bet others will 
comment about them after this....)

> 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.

Bueno.

> 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.

I ahve been told that the sunroof MUST be assembled with every part 
adjusted correctly and VERY well tightened, and that a frequent 
culprit is screws working loose.  Sounds like a good place for the 
MILDEST grade of Loctite.

> 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)

Sounds like you need to have the radiator checked.

> 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!)

Probably lousy installation by some aftermarket shop.  Trace the 
connections and I'll bet a Cyber-Donut and Cyber-coffee that you'll 
find loose ones.
 
> 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? 

Welcome to the Love/Hate relationship many of have with our Audis.



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Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
Ag Communications                   Fax:    409/862-1202
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
College Station, TX  77843-2112
W3 page - http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/rpe/alpage.htm

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