Re: Quick checkout list needed for 4000

[Andrei Kogan <abk@phy.duke.edu>]

Mike,
Based on my experience with a 1984 4000, which we bought with 220K miles
and now had  for 4 years:

The  log that the previous (original) owner kept on the car showed no
repairs except for regular maintenance up to 180,000.  Between 220,000 and
280,000, we had to address the following:

1.) Both outer cv-joints (they busted the boots and I suspect that was the
major reason for selling)

2.) Big long painful tranny story ( not a problem in your case--- it will
be a 5 sp

3. Parking brake cable

4. Intermittent lack of cooperation from rear left window. --we ignored it
and it went away after 2 years.

5. All brake pads. Rotors are also bad --- lots of grooves, but the car
stops anyway, so I am ignoring that


6. Front shocks -- old ones were NOT original and dying.

7. Outer tierod on the ajustable side --- there was a lot of play 

This was all done within 2 weeks after we got the car, mostly because of
the CV-joints repair was necessary and other stuff was just close by. in
the next 2 years , 

8. Started burning oil, replaced valve stem seals --- fixed

9. Starter solenoid died -- replaced starter

10. All door handles 

11. Turned on a rear window defogger once, blew out the back window. Got a
replacement form J/yard, left the defogger disconnected.

12. Ignition switch -- the car started cutting out at random when hitting
bumps. Replacing the switch fixed it.

13. Speedometer died at 240,000

14.The heater  temperature ajustment control started slipping somewhere
inside,
so sometimes it takes several tries to turn off the heat.

15. The radio on/off switch/pot is dead

For the past year and a half, we we've just been changing oil.
I would say, ask for the records and check general stuff, including items
mentioned above. We never had a hint of either a fuel-related or an
electrical problem on this car (fingers crossed) except the grounding of
the back light clusters and the ignition switch.  

 At 08:56 AM 9/4/98, you wrote:
>4000 Gurus:
>
>Tomorrow AM as Audi expert-in-residence (Wha? Who, me?), I get to go look
>at a 1986 Audi 4000 which a friend of mine is interested in buying. 100K
>miles, 5 speed, 4 cyl, sunroof, probably 2WD or the seller would have
>mentioned it's being Quattro.
>Best Regards,
>
>Mike Arman
>
>