I've been looking at a '95 90Q for about 6 or 7 weeks. 5-spd, v6, 65k, pwr everything but seats. The guy's been kinda sketchy on the details and doesn't seem to know anything about cars. He's told me the following: 3 owners, front end damaged summer 2003, he's selling it for a buddy(who bought it off the guy trying to sell it>so the seller was a previous owner). His buddy got a company car and that's why he's ridding of it. So, I took it for a test drive(after waiting for 3 weeks to do so). Got in, windows, blinkers, moon roof did not work. He told me to take it around the block cuz it didn't have updated plates. I took it on the freeway for a real test drive. After 20 minutes of regular driving(kept it below 3,500rpm) I found that it was getting pretty hot. Popped the hood, small amount of "vapor" was rising from the tranny, which looked to have liquid on it. The starter had just been replaced. The car has been sitting for at least a few months and this was the first time it had been taken out. The guy got pissed that I took it out b/c he "didn't have time to deal with a 4 hour police ordeal."(plates expired) The guy's been kinda pissy and really doesn't seem to want to sell it to me. I offered to take it to get looked at by an Audi dealer, from there i could give him an offer. Of course deducting the cost of repair from the asking price of $3,700. He said that he is not going to pay for repairs and he's selling it "as is." 7 weeks of phone calls, electrical problems, sketchy seller knowledge... What do you think? Any advice and/or insight will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hmmm I would definetly stay away from that car. The fact that he isn't open about the car or willing to fix the thing may point toward problems with it. It already doesnt sound to be taken care of very well.

 

Like Jestnomen said just walk away, dont buy a car that you cant have looked at first by a mechanic. Second, if you plan on having an Audi dealer work on one of those cars when ever it needs anything it really isnt worth buying one no matter how good the condition is. The cost of repairs will kill you. I dont know if you have owned an older audi but I find mine to be high on maintenance and the parts alone are pretty pricey. Just my 2 cents...

 

Yea, i know it seems sketchy. I'm only gonna have the dealer give me an estimate. All work will be done either by me or a Mark Petric (cleveland area audi mechanic). I currently own a 1990 100Q, 5spd, pwr everything, leather, 185k. So I know where you're comin from Floored. I'm kinda lookin to step up here to a car that would be worth modifying. All the signs on this 90Q have pointed to "NO" so far. I guess I just really want it to happen, but it's really not meant to be. Thanks for the input guys!

 

I would stay from this one. There might be even more hidden problems that you have not discovered yet. And I love the "...selling it for a buddy..." to me that is a clear warning to stay away.

 

The front end damage is fixed, the car is cosmetically sound. My room mate (nissan/bmw knowledge & experience) and I looked the entire car over when the seller was away. Looked fine. Salvaged title 7-18-03. Registration renewed (fixed) 10-21-03. The guy has returned only about 2 or 3 of my 40+ calls. Anybody know of any other '95-'97 90 Quattro v6 manual w/low miles for sale? Or looking for a 1990 100Q 185k manual? Thanks! Keep it comin!

 

Anything that had a "salvage title" is not worth the headaches down the road. It's easy to look for the major problems when first buying any car but it's the little things that get you in the end. Based on what you have described it's not a bargain. Forget about it and move on.

 

I think it depends, a "salvage title" can some times be misleading. My friends younger brother backed into my car and cracked the bumper and marker light and my car was deemed a salvage because it would have cost 2-3k to fix with new parts and paint. I ended up getting a parts car for 300 and fixed everything in 3 hours.

I personally really like this 1988 90Q on ebay right now. Looks like it has a lot of upgrades, and he claims to have had the engine rebuilt 9k ago. If you are in the area it might be worth a look.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...504038025&rd=1

 

The definition of salvage title varies from state to state and not to be confused with "total loss". In NY if a vehicle ends up in a junkyard or dismantler and if you want to buy it whole as-is it gets a salvage title. In some states cars with salvage title mean structural damage to frame or undercarriage. Some states don't allow salvage titles to be registered, I think NJ falls in to this category. My 100Q was hit front and back probably in the same accident many small nagging problems didn’t become apparent until a few months later. Rust, water leaks, paint fading at different rate, missing small parts, wrong parts, parts from different model years, electrical problems, etc.

 

I'm pretty sure the car's stayed in toledo, OH. Vehicle hist. report says Toledo, Maumee, and "Central Region".

Thanks for the advice guys.

not too sure what the damage was. He DID say it got a new paint job though (black now).

Though he's asking 3700 bux for it, he also said obo. so i'm gonna offer him like 2000. maybe it'll **** him off. maybe i'll get an audi for cheap? who knows.