RE: 5000 CST: to buy or not to buy?

[Aleksander Mierzwa <alex@matrix.com.pl>]

If you don't mind driving manual gearbox, a quattro would be a better
choice. If you are mechanically inclined, you can buy a seal kit for
less than 20 bucks and, with help of Bentley manual, repair the power
steering pump yourself. The only serious problem common to turbos are
oil lines. On cars of this vintage the clamps on the lines are usually
corroded and can break at any time, resulting in instant oil loss
(several listers, including myself have experienced this failure). There
are four lines (two at the oil cooler and two at the turbocharger). If
the clamps are corroded, they need to be replaced. Another problem
common to all 5Ks is the hydraulic fluid pressure accumulator. With the
engine idling, press the brake pedal very hard. If you feel the pedal
vibrating and the brake warning light comes on, the "bomb" (as we
usually call the accumulator) is dead (and not cheap :-( - $200-300 ).

Aleksander Mierzwa
Warsaw, Poland
mailto:alex@matrix.com.pl
87 Audi 5000CS turbo (mine)
88 Renault Medallion wagon (mom's)
91 mountain bike (just in case both cars broke at the same time :-)

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Eugene Sokolovski [SMTP:esokolov@glue.umd.edu]
> Sent:	Wednesday, November 26, 1997 8:05 PM
> To:	quattro@coimbra.ans.net
> Subject:	5000 CST: to buy or not to buy?
> 
> Hi all 
>   I am new to the list and would like to hear any 
> comments/opinions/suggestions about subject .I am 
> thinking about buying an '86 5kcst with 127K on the
> clock. It's not quattro, but it is 5-speed.The car seems
> to be in good shape, and all the electrical works except
> cruise control.Yes,it does have a power steering pump leak,
> (~ $300 fix) and the owner wants $2000 for it. Does this sound
> like a good deal?  I know that Audi parts here in US are
> expensive, but I am familiar with cars and have always fixed
> my cars by myself. I never worked on turbos though. Are they
> much more complex to work on? Are they reasonably reliable? 
> Any other "common" problems with these cars? Any comments would
> be greatly appreciated.
>                       Thanks
>                             Eugene