Re: Newbie question - S4/S6 synopsis (k

[HaleyD@YANKELOVICH.COM (Haley, Doug)]

Jon (jwilliam@water.net) said:
>Great info!  I didn't make the connection between the 200 and the S4.
> There is an 89 200 available in my area with about 89k's on it going
>for $6300.  It is an automatic though and not a quattro.  Is this car
>worthwhile or should I wait for a later model (91) quattro?

Nothing wrong with an '89.  The parts etc for the 10 valve engine are _significantly_ less pricy than for the 20 valve.

If it were me, I wouldn't consider it without a quattro.  The automatic wouldn't be my first choice either.  That said, you
should probably look at the car.  Be wary of maintenance, however.  If they're not kept up with they can nibble you
to death (like a demented duck!).  At the least, you should get service history, make sure the timing belt has been replaced,
and check the brakes for warped rotors (really $$$ for 200's).  I think there've been a lot of discussions on the list
for thiings to watch out for.  You should get a list before you go shopping.

These are very durable cars and high-mileage examples shouldn't be avoided.
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Doug Haley (haleyd@yankelovich.com)
"There is no fundamental difference between a sufficiently advanced technology and magic" (A.C.Clarke)
'92 S4 (mine)
'95 Saab Turbo Conv (hers)
'91 Sentra SE-R (theirs)
'61 Alfa Giulietta Spider Veloce (ours)
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