My friendly foreign car dealer, an old guy who loves Audis, called me this PM to tell me he had a '90 200 Turbo, super clean, he says, Pearl White, and since I obviously love Audis, as it took him 4 calls to get me to buy my '90 100 from him (price came down with each call, 1800 finally, plates, transfer, tax, etc. included. Might have overpaid, but I'm happy.)

Anyhow, he called to tell me he would sell me this 200 for 850 and my car. I think the price will come down some. That would make it some 2400 I will have paid to have this car.

Have to go see it, of course, but, since I don't have any Blue books, or Orange books, anyone think a price of 2400, as it would work out to, is too much for this car? Guess I am asking you Offramp. You seem as sharp as anyone on the forum. Plus you are ON the forum, which most others are kinda sporadic.

Also, with the car I have, I am having a little bit of hesitation in engaging reverse at times. Most of the time it goes right in, sometimes it won't till I goose it just a bit, and then it slams in. Reverse valve sticking, was considering having a pressure flush and fluid change, at about 80 bucks.

Big prob to me is, I have done a bunch of replacement work, both half shafts, 1 front wheel bearing, stabilizer bar bushings, lower track control arm, due to worn ball joint, 2 new front tires, and 2, count 'em, 2, front end alignments, as I can't get rid of a hard pull to the right on acceleration, back acroos the centerline when getting off the gas. Roughly 600 bucks of repairs, plus tires.

Almost worth it to get rid of the "torque steer".

So, is that too much for this car?

Cheers,

George

Hi George.

I sometimes think that I spend too much time on this forum even if they are just an occasional glance to see if perhaps I can help or steer someone in the right direction. Lately I have been a bit lazy and prefer to trouble shoot more on the theoretical side than turning wrenches. Don't get me wrong I still buy too many tools ;) and do my own work but seem less enthusiastic. I guess it is part of growing older and being married.

Getting back to your question. $2400 for a '90 200 turbo is not bad and I would say it is about right. I have seen a few 200 Quattro versions here and there and find it rather amazing that they still go for about $3500. Recently a coworker who is also an Audi enthusiast showed me an ad for a low mileage 91 20V 200TQ for an asking price of $3500. Pearl white is my favorite color and something I wanted when I was looking but after looking at two models up close, I quickly changed my mind. The clear coat was nasty, shows scratches very easily. As a mater of fact both cars looked very weather beaten and as if someone went over them with 60 grit sandpaper.

According to some information that I have read a 1990 model could either be a 20V EFI or 10V CIS. The 10V is easier to work on, the parts are cheaper and more readily available. The 20V versions might have the dreaded UFO brakes, just seen a pair of rotors for $700 and that is not dealer prices. Give the car a good looking over as you could end up doing the same work all over again and then some. The problem with older luxury models is that people become cheapskates and neglect or have some incompetent buffoon work on them.

The problem of pulling to the side is sometimes more evident with certain models. This is due to the steering geometry for a particular vehicle. However if you are constantly chewing up one tire then there is high probability that there is damage to the body itself and something might be out of alignment. Tire pressure, vehicle load, road ruts and banked grading will upset the balance.

Offramp,

No, I'm not chewing up tires. First alignement was because it DID eat up the right front, had a new one put on, a new wheel bearing put in and stabilizer bar bushings, then aligned, about 4 days later, along with the second tire.
Torque steer, which my old diesel had, and was removed by replacing the stabilizer bushings, was still there after the alignment. Went back, they test drove, said, Yeah, it sure does, then pointed out a bad ball joint. (First time they did an alignment for me that they let something like that slip. My Ford pickup, they tried to sell me a lower spindle bearing with almost NO motion visible. They caught THAT.)

Replaced Lower Track Control Arm and ball joint, went to another alignment shop. They had one hell of a time getting the tie rod ends to move, suggests the first shop did not do toe on the car. Was 3/16 of an inch toe on the right front. 3/32 of total 12/32 tread gone in less than 7000 miles on a 720 rated tire.

Went back to original shop, they aligned it again, gave up, said they did not know what else to do. Still pulls to the right.

e-mailed tire maker, got a call the next AM. Final result was take it back, call him for authorization to replace the tire, possible "conicity", per a link from Chumley to VW-Audi. If it doesn't fix it, at least I will start with a new tire, rather than a 1/4 worn tire.

Gonna go look at the car tomorrow, after I get all my belts replaced. Bought them all today, total 40 bucks for 3 vees and timing belt, from the local foreign car parts dealer. Last time I bought a timing belt, from another store, it was more like 50 for it alone.

You know, my car now is a silver grey metallic, tons of scratches in the clear coat. My Indianarot Metallic '85 also showed scratches like crazy. My mech had a car on the rack with scratches, wet sanded, then buffed. Looked like a mirror. Just the clear coat.

So, a good buffout might have repaired those cars. Don't know if I am going to like pearl white though. Still, it might grow on me.

Cheers,

George

Hope this isn't boring you or any other readers.

Offramp,

Hi, been a week, went to see the car, price did come down some.

While I was there, however, he pointed out another '90 100, and said "26000 original miles".

Story is that the original owner bought it in '90, died in '92, sat in the garage for 11 or 12 years before the widow had it transferred to her name and got new plates. Drove it 10 thou or so, then sold it

Excellent, outside, didn't look too well at the inside, nor under the hood. Possible lots of things dry rotted. Tests have shown that oil, either petroleum bases or synthetic, will flow off surfaces after varying periods of time, so possible lots of rusty parts in the gearbox and final drive.

Still, a '90 with 26 thou on it! Remarkable, huh? Anyone interested, I'll go take some digitals, mail them, tell you where to go.

He DID say he paid high for it, so would ask a little high for it. What high means here, I didn't ask, as I wasn't interested.

Damn, my car runs better every day, except for that damned steering pull.

Cheers,

Georg

It all depends where the Audi was stored. If it was in a garage then things might not be all that bad but if it was sitting outside then it is anybody’s guess.

I got a story that probably has the 26K Audi beat. I have known two individuals who have made similar purchases. One bought a 400 CID 1967 Pontiac GTO with 34K, all original with a 4-speed and garage kept. He got it through a newspaper add that just plainly said "For sale, 1967 Pontiac, red." A friend once found a 1965 389 GTO convertible with 59K in all original condition, also garage kept.

Offramp,

Good stories. Them, I wouldn't mind buying.

Guy called me again, price has come down again. I'm damned near ready to buy it just to get rid of the torque steer, if that is what it is, that I have. I just drove a simple 38 miles up the pike at approx 70 mph, and the "float" in the steering is starting to get to me. Annoying and disconcerting. You don't know where the damned thing wants to go. Pissing me off. Scary driving, especially at high speeds.

Plus, the Turbo option does appeal to me, so long as it is in working order. I think I can determine that, as I have owned one of them, and loved it.

I'll ask what he wants for the 25K job, maybe post it here.

Might be driving another car when next I post. Talked to my youngest daughter, she thinks i should buy it.

Cheers,

George

He says it might need a half shaft, clicking a little. Ah, well, I'm used to that with Audis. They need repairs that other cars never reach the mileage to NEED those repairs.

Its been a few weeks, did you end up grabbing the 200? I had an '89 200 turbo. I really liked that car in retrospect...traded it for a *cough*subaru*cough*. Not my finest moment.

Dog,

No, I've replaced ball joint/lower control arm, both half-shafts, all the belts, stabilizer bushings, brakes all around, and had the air charged,and fixed the exhaust, and had it lined up after new front tires.

The 200 needed all that and also strut cartridges. I didn't want to go to all that labor and materials again. Plus, I didn't drive it long enough to tell if it had any other major troubles. Did I mention the headliner was falling off, and was gone entirely from the sunroof flap?

One of the main reasons I'm PO'd at my car is I can't get AM radio reception, and neither does the 200.

He did, by the way, come down from 850 to 450 and my car Not worth the aggravation, to me.

Still think I will go to the auction with a friend who just might be able to bid on something mid 90's or later. Now, something like that, I would be willing to throw some money at!

Cheers,

George

BTW, if you're anywhere near Pittsburgh, PA, I'll put you in touch with him. It's still sitting there, would bet he'd take something under 2 grand for it.