Re: '86 4000CSQ

[Bfuson@aol.com]

I'm the original owner of an '86 4000CS Q so might be able to help a little.

There were a few 1986 Commemorative Edition autos in both the 4000 and 5000
series.  I've only heard of them in the quattro line, but I'm not positive of
that so it's an assumption on my part, definitely not factual.  

For 1986, the red leather interior was an indicator of the commemorative
version.  For the 4000Q it included the trip computer, the power sunroof,
special floormats (mine are black with red outline quattro stitching), and
the red leather interior.  A side note here, the trip computer's gas mileage
indicator is interesting, but don't believe it as anything other than a rough
indicator of gas flow and vacuum draw by the engine.  There is a three
position switch inside the instrument cluster which biases the caluculation
at one of three levels.  They/you can adjust this if you want to try to get
you gas mileage calculation a tad more accurate.

I'm now on my third quattro (still have the '86, a traded '89 200Q, and
currently a '92 S4) and the trip computer continues to be inaccurate.  It's
better in the S4, but I would never bet on it in a pinch.

At this point, the 4000CSQ has over 220K miles on it, is still my favorite
overall (probably because it was my first quattro) and it continues to be
unbelievably reliable.  It's had two brake replacements (should be due for a
third set in a few thousand more miles), the clutch was just replaced for the
first time, everything else has just been normal maintenance.  Admittedly, it
doesn't have the power and response of either the 200Q or definitely the S4,
but as a car to take out and enjoy driving on fun roads - I like it.

If yours has been taken care of, and you do the same it should easily last
you a long time.  Note: I tend to be a maintenance fanatic and am probably a
little wasteful along that line, but I learned from aviation that if you take
care of your equipment it will be there to take care of you.

Enjoy!