I'm the second owner of an 87 CSTQ and there's so few on the road it seems,
and people that know the car complement me on her condition (visually!), but
at 155k, she's showing her age mechanically and electrically.
Considering her age, the cost of replacement parts, resale value , is she
a keeper or is it time to say sayonara?

--
Antony Rodino

 

Antony,
Well...if you're giving it away, I'll take it
But seriously, it depends what you are looking for in a car.
The Type 44 5ktq is no so complicated that you need a mechanical engineering
degree with a minor in computers to work on it in your own garage (not that
the dealer's service techs are either.....) Although I have no idea where
you live, if it is in the snow belt (aka "salt belt") the heavy galvanizing
that they applied to the steel that they punched the car out of will mean
that with a little maintenance the body will last practically forever.
True, there are some fiddly bits that break - most notably door handles,
power window mechanisms, brake pressure accumulator, misc. wiring..... but
that considered, the junkyards are clogged right now with cars that the 3rd,
4th, .... Nth owner said, "40 bucks for an oil filter? Screw that!!!" and
junked it (The local wrecking yard is my 5ktq's candy store.) Now if only
they had known about _WHERE_ to buy the parts. I get mine from a fellow
a.a.a poster in Buffalo. There are many sources on the net too. Check out
www.audifans.com for a list of suppliers (Blau has new OEM master cylinders
for U$99) . There's tons of tech help there too - search the archives for
any problem you have, and if you don't find the answer, then post a question
to the group - a number of q-listers are developing a "knowledgebase" for
fixing stuff on these cars. Check out www.sjmautotechnik.com - Scott
Mockry's amazing resource for the Type 44 DIY'er - he also sells stuff too
(consider that reading his site is free...). The Bentley manual is the best
source of info on repairing Audis - get one used from eBay or from someone
here on the list.
If you like turning wrenches - as I do - then you'll love keeping the car.
The Type 44 body style has not become dated as most other cars made in the
late 80's (designed in the early 80's) have become - it's still a beautiful
car to look at IMHO. Sure, every once in a while things break - but they're
not impossible, nor made of gold. As far as the resale value goes, well,
thanks to 60 Minutes and their "Unintended Acceleration" BS-sensationalism,
I have a "killer car" for cheap. I figure that I pay a fraction of how much
I'd be paying monthly for an S4, or an S6 for maintenance on my 5ktq - and I
can increase the stock 162 hp cheaply - VERY cheaply. I love the manually
locking differentials - and use them often - and don't miss the ABS when I'm
"locked" - I'm not a braille driver who needs to follow cars 2 feet back at
80 mph.
If you're of the means, go for an RS6 - I would if I had that kind of cash
(and didn't want to work on my own car). I'll store the 5ktq for ya.
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"Antony Rodino" <arodino@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:y9WRa.61730$3o3.4055192@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> I'm the second owner of an 87 CSTQ and there's so few on the road it
seems,
> and people that know the car complement me on her condition (visually!),
but
> at 155k, she's showing her age mechanically and electrically.
> Considering her age, the cost of replacement parts, resale value , is
she
> a keeper or is it time to say sayonara?
>
> --
> Antony Rodino
>
>

 

Thanks Steve. It's just that she's making some noises that I've never heard
from any of the cars that I've owned and with the average part cost for this
car..(ever notice that almost everything you're looking for is for all
models "except Quattro"?) I suppose the problem is that I really like my
car, but I don't really love my car..and considering that I have to choose
investing in this or my spider that I'm not spending anything on which needs
restoring..oh my god..can I confess my love for Italian marques on this
list? Sorry..there's dissention in the ranks..

--
Antony Rodino

 

You'd be wise to monitor the traffic on audifans.com - prices of parts are
not a massive as the dealers make them out to be. (Believe it or not, FAW
in China still makes the Type 44 sedans! - where do you think all those
"Clear Corner Lights" on eBay come from?)
Oh, the "Car Budget" dilemma.....yep, we all deal with that. I consider
that it's easier to deal with a car whose various mechanical bits break down
every once in a while but whose body is solid....than a car whose body
dissolves around the mechanical bits before they've had a chance to wear
out. There are lots of mechanical bits to wear out - a recent Audifans
posting counted something like 20 electrical motors in a Type 44 sedan
(seats, mirrors, a/c vents, etc.) - so long as you do all of the "while
you're at it" fixes (like waterpump during a timing belt change....you've
done that, RIGHT?.....or a rear crank seal during a clutch change) then the
number of suprise part failures you'd expect (and the cost of them) is
drastically reduced. You don't have to keep it in showroom condition - I
drive mine on construction sites and sometimes it looks like I'm using it as
a dump truck - wash it and spray wax once in a while and spend the time
polishing the Spider. On the Italian Job....hey, confess away - we all have
other interests as well - I sometimes sneak away from maintaining my "fleet"
to work on my 1952 Rock-Ola jukebox (they just cough up parts in protest...)
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"Antony Rodino" <arodino@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:Qf5Sa.62582$3o3.4110372@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> Thanks Steve. It's just that she's making some noises that I've never
heard
> from any of the cars that I've owned and with the average part cost for
this
> car..(ever notice that almost everything you're looking for is for all
> models "except Quattro"?) I suppose the problem is that I really like my
> car, but I don't really love my car..and considering that I have to choose
> investing in this or my spider that I'm not spending anything on which
needs
> restoring..oh my god..can I confess my love for Italian marques on this
> list? Sorry..there's dissention in the ranks..
>
> --
> Antony Rodino
>
>

 

Just to keep your spirit - my 1985 5000TQ has over 400 000 km and looks and
drives fine - doesn't even consume oil.
The 44 car has seven lives and if yours ran out of one there are six more to
go.
www.sjmautotechnik.com offers some technical help.

If you can bring it to Toronto I will buy it on the spot.
It a car to be loved.
Plamen, Toronto
1993 100S, 1986 5000TQ

"Antony Rodino" <arodino@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:y9WRa.61730$3o3.4055192@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> I'm the second owner of an 87 CSTQ and there's so few on the road it
seems,
> and people that know the car complement me on her condition (visually!),
but
> at 155k, she's showing her age mechanically and electrically.
> Considering her age, the cost of replacement parts, resale value , is
she
> a keeper or is it time to say sayonara?
>
> --
> Antony Rodino
>
>

 

and another thing that started not too long ago, is that any time there is
an electrical load, i.e.-cooling fan, high beams or headlights at an idle,
the alternator belt screeches something fierce. the car always starts right
up, no charging light warning and the belt is tight. is the voltage
regulator going? the alternator itself? or is she just trying to be annoying
when I have a date in the car?

--
Antony Rodino

 

Belts get glazed. Replace belt should fix it.

Tony
'91 100Q 5spd
BTDT

Antony Rodino wrote:
>
> and another thing that started not too long ago, is that any time there is
> an electrical load, i.e.-cooling fan, high beams or headlights at an idle,
> the alternator belt screeches something fierce. the car always starts right
> up, no charging light warning and the belt is tight. is the voltage
> regulator going? the alternator itself? or is she just trying to be annoying
> when I have a date in the car?
>
> --
> Antony Rodino