I have a 2.8 right now, and the tranny went out, turns out it's gonna cost a lot to repair, so I'm gonna have to get a loan. But since I'm going to have to get a loan, should I sell the 98.5 and with what's left over after paying off THAT loan, use it as a downpayment on an '02 3.0 A4? I know the 2.8 is a reliable motor, and I'm guessing the 3.0 is a newer, better, higher displacement version of it. Any ideas would be helpful. I don't want a 1.8T only because since I will be making a car payment for the first time I won't have the extra money around to be throwing at a new turbo, or at a chip to make it have near the same power of the 3.0.

 

Sorry to hear about the tranny man. Fix it up, and maybe trade it in for a 5spd.

 

is your car a 5-spd or a tip? you can find a good local shop to do the tranny cheep if its a 5spd.. my budy just got his done for $1700 with a new clutch, there are alot of good shops around..
as for the 3.0 its a good strong motor..

 

I've had my 2003 3.0 just under 11 months now. In all of that time only once on a cold day did it take 2 tries to turn the motor over. Other than that problem free.

The only lights i've seen have been for low fluid levels. And the traction contol thingy.

The only thing I don't like is inDmode the shift from 1 to 2 is a bit slow.

 

I lovvvee my 3.0

I haven't had any troubles with the motor, just the usual 'Audi' quirks. As for the motor though, its the strongest motor I could have hoped for. It is very smooth and the power is decent. I would recommend an instant K&N replacement when you get it. I highly recommend that motor.

 

Well, I have a tiptronic right now, which blows, WHY DID I HAVE TO BE IN A LAZY MOOD WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR!!! WHY WHY WHY!!! But anyways...Aamco says $3700 to rebuild, and I'll have my car back early to mid next week...YES!!! I do like the B5's...but you get a 6-spd with the B6's On a different note...I'm not sure if I could get financed for a newer car. Being 18...living at home...and I don't have a full time job...just 2 part timers. I calculated it out to around $250 a month for 5 years...that's for the car itself, not the tranny. My mom says I should just wait until I get done with school, get a good paying job, and what-not. She's right, but I hate English, Math, History, Science. She already knows that I want to go to UTI but she wants me to waste a few years at the local JC.

 

if you want to look at some great reliable mods, check out the G2 supercharger kit by PES for the 2.8L.

its really sick

 

But in the end I would still be tiptronic. Maybe I'll buy a 5-speed b5, sell my car, and then get financed for the G2 (cause PES will finance, haha) I need to get a better paying job...who wants to hire a 18 year old kid? Will work for car stuff

 

3700$? im only saying this cause you have 1998. thats seems like alot. I bought a trans from the junk yard with lower mileage than my car for $800 (5sp Quattro), new clutch for $300 or so and its good to got. im sure you could find an auto for <1000, a local shop can handle the swap for $1000 labor (thats what i would charge).

 

Found a shop in Arizona that had the tranny, and would install it for $400, so a total of I think $2k or something like that. But around where I live I can get a used tranny from Autozone, or Kragen for no lower than $1700, and nobody would quote me under $1200 for the install. Plus they won't guarantee the install at all, and the tranny is only covered for 3 or 6 months. I get a 12 month with my rebuild. Stupid tiptronics.