RE: Pre-purchase advice

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

> The wagon has a nifty computer that is supposed to show mpg and other fuel
> consumption related data.  It appears that the fuel consumption related
> data
> is not working.  How hard is this likely to be to fix?  How common are
> these
> computer thingies in the older Audi's?
> 
I think that they are pretty common in the 5ktqs (AKA 5kCSQs).  There is a
potentiometer in the air box that the computer uses for fuel economy ...
chances are all you need to do is to hit it with a little contact enhancer
(DeoxIt or something similar).  I had the same thing on the '88 5kCSQAvant I
bought a few years back ... got me a few $$ off the sales price.  When I
looked into it back then the potentiometers are no longer available as
separate items from Audi.  

> The memory seat function no longer works.  Likewise the rear PW switches
> do
> not work, but the driver control of rear PW works fine (ie, the windows
> work).  Again, can I assume these are easily fixed, as in clean some
> switches?
> 
Well, it could be very easy or a real PITA.  It turns out that the memory
seat gets power from the _passenger's_ power seat circuit ... if the
passenger's seat isn't working it is probably that fuse that is blown (or
has been used as a spare).  There is one thing to check out very quickly
when looking at a prospect, and that is the wiring loom that goes to all the
window and mirror switches on the driver's door.  Pull back the rubber boot
in the hinge area and see if the loom is intact or if it has a bunch of
wires that have work hardened and broken.  I've also had to disassemble the
memory switch panel on the door to clean it up, as water had gotten into it
over the years and caused poor electrical contacts.  

The fact that the window works from the driver's panel pretty much
guarantees that the problem is in the switch in the rear door ... this can
be easily confirmed by swapping switches between the rear doors (assuming
one of them works that is :).  

While electrical problems on these cars can be a real pain in the butt I
find that in most cases I am able to identify and fix the problem without
having to spend a lot of money on new parts.  If you aren't the sort of
person who does their own work on at least minor things, I would recommend
that you turn and walk away from this car (as well as most any 84-90
5000/200 quattro) ... it isn't that I don't like them it is just that they
are worth so little and hired guns are so expensive to fix them.  All that
said IME they are quite DIY-able cars ... if you have time and enjoy that
sort of thing.  Not only are they DIY-able, but it is quite easy to upgrade
them to make them a bit more "peppy" ...

> Ditto the cruise control.  No longer works.  What might I be up against?
> 
Once again there are a few things that can go wrong, but it is probably an
easy fix.  There is a vacuum safety circuit that goes to the brake and
clutch pedal.  The switches are both vacuum and electrical, and one or the
other may need to be adjusted.  It may also be the case that there is a
vacuum leak somewhere in the CC.  Another possibility, if your brake lights
aren't working your cruise control may not work.  The worst case is that
either the column switch has a problem or the vacuum pump has gone out.
I've fixed the better part of a dozen Audi cruise controls ... and have
never had to do anything more than fix a vacuum leak or adjust a switch.  Oh
yeah, one other thing just came to mind ... there seems to have been a
recent spate of older cruise controls failing due to a grommet on the rod
which connects to the throttle body becoming brittle and falling apart.  If
this has happened the PO may have simply removed the rod.  

> I have never owned a turbo anything.  Color me nervous.  What should I be
> looking for in the engine compartment as possible warning signs?
> 
Well, I guess the two main signs here are to look at the max boost level and
to check for oil smoke in the exhaust when the car is started after sitting
for a while (like overnight).  It is my opinion that the stock turbo systems
on the 85-on 5000 turbos is one of the most robust and should not be much to
worry about.  The car is not designed to use that much boost in stock form,
and the turbo uses water cooled bearings to help when the car is shut down
before the turbo has had a chance to cool.  The auxiliary pump that drives
coolant through this system is one of the most fragile parts of the system,
but my thinking is that even if this pump fails you'll get some cooling
water flow from convection ...