A visit to Leeds

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

Audi quattro MB - Pearlescent White - F926 GUB - 78120 miles recorded.

Chassis 85-J-900707,  engine MB001434.

Obvious faults:

The car is at least four different colours and several textures.  The rear 
right upper quarter and the left side lower panels are possibly original - the 
rest is variable quality re-spray.  There are a number of poorly repaired chips 
- one quite prominent on the driver's door, and a nasty graze on the rear left 
wheel arch, as well as numerous scratches.  There are a number of coach lines 
applied in inappropriate places - the suspicion is that these have been applied 
to hide poor paint matching.  The offside rear light cluster is significantly 
inboard of the rear quarter panel.  Both rear light clusters have non-stock 
white lining.

Both front and rear bumpers are slightly distorted by impacts, as is the boot 
rim.

The front tyres are new or nearly new.  The right rear shows typical wear 
associated with the right front and is certainly illegal because of the usual 
2" inner band.  The left rear shows uneven wear around the circumference, 
perhaps because of bad balance or a driveshaft problem.  Both rear tyres should 
be replaced before the vehicle is driven energetically.

The automatic aerial is snapped off.  There is no spare wheel.  A second rear 
foglight has been fitted at some time, probably by fitting a LHD reflector into 
a RHD strip.  This modification violates Construction and Use.

The offside boot hinge shows the typical late ur-quattro corrosion problem 
caused by the factory not painting under the hinge.  The boot lid is fibreglass 
and the gas-filled struts need renewal.

The interior is good, apart from the messy removal of oversize rear speakers.  
The parcel shelf needs replacing.  The driver's seat side support is broken 
(NOTE: parts no longer available from Audi) and the front screw is missing 
from the driver's door handle. The electric mirrors showed the usual reluctance 
to operate first time, and the wiring within the door hinge boot needs 
checking.  There is no radio.

The car starts and idles correctly.  Hydraulic lifter rattle is minimal. 
Pulling the dipstick causes the correct stumble - removing the oil
filler kills the engine, as it should.  The camshaft and crankshaft seals 
appear to be in order.  There are signs of expert maintenance - all of the 
injector cooling shroud mounting screws are still present, the rear tie rods 
are clean and paint-dotted, and the CV boots are pristine. All hoses are in 
good to excellent condition. The oil lines look new. The clutch master cylinder 
is not leaking. The wheels have been balanced internally.  According to rumour, 
the turbo was replaced at 60,000 miles.

The bonnet releases and locks unevenly.  This, together with the misaligned 
front bumper and depressed right headlight frame suggests improperly repaired 
front impact damage.  This is also consistent with the incorrect posture of the 
air conditioning condenser.

Air conditioning (factory kit) is fitted but is not working.  The condenser 
appears to be mounted much too low, and shows both physical damage and 
serious corrosion problems.  This is probably the result of the same impact 
that has misaligned the bonnet catches, and the vehicle has been driven some 
distance since the event without proper repairs to the condenser mountings. The 
radiator shroud has been damaged by inexpert removal.

The front right driving light reflector is corroded and needs replacement.  The 
light is also depressed on the top inside edge and further damage might be 
discovered by inspection.

The car's strength is the engine which appears to be in excellent condition.  
The service history is impeccable as far as the last service due, which appears 
to have been missed.

Its greatest weakness is the state of the paintwork. Although pearlescent 
whites in good condition are valued, the colour in this condition is merely a 
liability and the vehicle needs a complete professional respray.  It is a bit 
of a stretch to call the spraying that has been done "work" - the car was badly 
masked, inadequately stripped and neither the colours nor the textures match.  
Any Audi main dealer would unhesitatingly reject it.

A lot of items need to be replaced: radio aerial, rear parcel shelf, rear 
tyres, air conditioning condenser, driving light reflector, seat squab, mats, 
hydraulic lifters, timing belt, at least two wheel rims, radio.

Overall, the vehicle needs between GBP3500 and GBP4000 spending on it to
achieve medium to good concourse.  With a current valuation, in good
condition, of around GBP11500 a purchase price of GBP7500 to GBP8000
could be justified.  Parker's Car Price Guide lists an 88F 'top book'
at GBP6500 - trade price is GBP5200.

The dealer was not prepared to negotiate from a phantasy price of GBP12500, 
which the vehicle would struggle to fetch even if concourse excellent.

At this point, discussions ceased and the vehicle was not driven.  The 
on-board diagnostics, however, suggested that the cold start valve is not 
functioning.  The dealer volunteered that the previous owner had complained of 
having too much performance on occasions - the symptoms sound extremely similar 
to the classic "warm-up overboost" experienced with MB engines - but this 
could not be verified. If so, an exchange metering head and warm-up regulator 
must be added to the initial costs.  Many points (the entire underbody series, 
for instance) were not checked.

-- 
 Phil Payne
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club