RE: Quattro's

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

> Everytime I try to find parts, the first thing they ask me is......."Is it
> a quattro?" which translates into
> 
> " Empty all of your wallet on the counter or just part of it".
> 
That isn't true ... they just want to make sure that you get the right part!
You will be paying through the nose either way ... :-)

> Do you guys REALLY feel that the AWD setup is that much better and worth
> the extra bucks in keeping this
> already expensive beast roadworthy?
> 
I live in California in a place where I can't remember ever seeing snow on
the roads where I live ... and I don't ski so I don't drive in the mountains
_that_much_ in the winter time, but I am convinced that AWD is a necessary
part of an active safety strategy.  I have definitely experienced an odd
"torque steer" -like effect when driving FWD cars through puddles on
rain-soaked freeways ... I've never noticed anything like that in a quattro
...

IMHO Audi does know how to build a robust drivetrain ... AAMOF, I would say
that if you were going from a car with an automatic tranny to one with
quattro (which means a manual tranny on the older cars) you would be moving
toward a more trouble-free life ... :)

> I would appreciate your experiences and input as I have my eyes on a well
> worn 87 5kq of a co-worker and am wavering on whether to buy the car from
> him at some point.
> 
If this is your target I would warn you to look over the service records for
this car carefully.  Make sure that the car was properly serviced, and look
specifically for things like the steering rack, brake pressure accumulator
(AKA bomb), hydraulic pump, CV boots and exhaust system.  Check over
functionality of the Climate Control system, differential locks and trip
computer.  This year and model is probably one of the most notorious for
nagging, nickle & dime problems ever for Audi (IMO of course ... and keeping
in mind that I do own both an '87 5kCSQ and an '88 5kCSQA :) ... but no
different from the '86 you already have ... at least it is a non-turbo ...

HTH!
Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)

P.S. - I'm not really that at all against the car, but you do need to look
them in the mouth!