Re: Advice (long)

["James A. Zwahlen" <jazman@cnmnet.com>]

Bob Davis wrote:
> 
> Greetings from a long time lurker!
> I just looked at a Pearl White 1989 200 Quattro at a dealer today and I'm
> thinking about buying it.  The car is beautiful (the last owner obviously
> loved this car) and has only 60k mi. on it.  It has the sport seats with
> the gray leather.  The dealer is asking US$11,300 for it, but it's been
> there a while, he doesnt know what he has, and I think he wants to get rid
> of it ASAP.  Sounds good, huh?  All is not wine and roses.
> (1)  When I got there, the car wouldn't start - dead battery.  So the guy
> there tries to roll start it with no luck (I wish he hadn't done that) and
> then brings up a charger/jumper and (after I told him where the battery was
> and removed the back seat) hooks it up.
> (2)  When I turned ther key, it sounded like the fan was running - even
> though the engine was stone cold.
> (3)  The car started fine, but wouldn't idle properly.  This continued
> through the test drive.  It's the ISV, right?
> (4)  Here's the really expensive sounding one.  While driving the car it
> seemed very slow.  The boost guage was *indicating* 1.7 bar or so at peak
> and all of the other guages looked fine.  I was comming down a mountain on
> the Hwy., and couldn't even muster 70mph in fourth!  Trying to figure out
> what was going on I realized that if I lifted off of the throttle, the car
> would slow down fast (remember, I'm going down a mountain).  Eureka! It
> must be the brakes.  When I got back to the dealer I half expected to see
> flames from the brakes.  As it is, the pedal feel was shot (stiff and
> notchy), the brakes stank to high heaven, and I fear that the fluid may
> have boiled.
> Also, the "ABS OFF" light stayed on the whole time even though I pressed
> the button repeatedly.
> Any Ideas on what this may be all about would be much appreciated.  If the
> dealer can get it fixed right, Id' love to have this car.  Also, If anyone
> has an oppinion on what would be a fair price to pay, I'd love to hear it
> (I'm in Knoxville, TN).
> 
> TIA, Bob
> 
> P.S.
> FWIW, I saw a '83 Ur-Quattro today at another lot.  It has 70K mi or so on
> it and It's silver.  Pretty (very) clean.  The guy said that it belongs to
> his son-in-law, and that he sold it new when he worked at the local
> Porsche-Audi store.  Also said that it's "all sorted out" and mentioned TAP
> modifications.  I didn't have much time, so I didn't get all of the
> details.  If anyone is interested, I'll find out what I can.  The car had
> GA plates on it reading "REAL-Q".
> 
> Bob Davis
> First Internet Resources
> (423)577-9800
> davisrp@1stresource.com


I suspect the brakes are applying themselves.  This could happen if the 
master cylinder is going bad.  The brakes fail in the "on" mode.  Could 
this be related to the ABS not functioning  ???  I'm don't know.

Can't help you with the idle problem.  


jazman

'87 5000CS Turbo Quattro (original owner, 91k miles)
'93 100CS (no Q)  (original owner, 36k miles)