Re: Newbie needs to know what to look for

[PlyBoyDoct@aol.com]

Quiet frankly, Joe, this car has many problems.  But so is owning any car 
with a few year/miles on it.  The mileage mean nothing if the previous owner 
took car of it.  Meaning change oil @ 3-5k, and tune ups at the right time.  
Fuel pump is a problem on some cars, and you might have cold/warm start 
problems.  As for the price of the parts, its not all bad.  This list 
provided me with parts for FAR less than the dealer, sometimes 70% off from 
the dealer, and the same part.  This car is definally a car to consider.  

Jason C
89 200t10v (replaced the 5000cs)
Redmond WA

In a message dated 5/15/99 1:40:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
occupant@blazenet.net writes:

<< Hello everyone,
 
 The archives are (temporarily) closed or I would have looked there first. I
 realize this question could have a l-o-n-g answer so feel free to e-mail me
 directly if you don't want to pester fellow listers.
 
 Here we go: What do I need to look for in a used Quattro? The local used
 Eurocar dealer has a lovely '87 5000CSq turbo with ~125k, 5 spd, leather,
 sunroof, blah blah blah. I know nearly zilch about Audis and a lot less about
 Quattros. (He's asking $4995)
 
 Further, NOT to sound sarcastic, but please don't tell me "nothing breaks,
 just be kind to them"...everyone has (at least) one Achilles heal. I can tell
 you from one year of Mercedes turbo diesel ownership that the previous owner
 darn well better have changed the oil & filter because repairs due to timing
 chain failure _start_ at $5k, adjust the valves, check for blow-by, how to
 check if the vacuum(which runs more stuff than you might imagine, like door
 locks) is working, what it means($$) when the cruise control isn't working,
 "Rust: just ugly or a warning $ign?"
 
 I have an '87 Renault GTA I bought new which I keep for snow/ice duties (even
 though an '82 300D-T weighs 3,595lbs., _don't_ make it your 'snow car' -
 they're terrible!). Frankly, I'd like to get back to one car. One with some
 zip(a turbo does NOT make a diesel "Zippy", just tolerable), room for a bunch
 of people and goes in sloppy eastern PA snow/ice/slush.
 
 A followup question: Are they bears to work on? I can imagine that by '87, 
the
 enginebay is crammed with more wires & plumbing than the Empire State
 Building. I _really_ hate to say it, but "rumor" is that parts
 are...well..."AlmostMercedesPriced". Any truth?
 
 Thank you one & all! :)
 Joe Krepps <-Euro-holic
 '82 MB 300D-T, 198k, just had major $ervice but ready for the next 198k
 '87 Renault GTA, 103k, semi-retired >>