Hi all, I'm after some advice.

I've just been to look at a P reg (96) 1.8 petrol manual A4 (I don't know the exact model type, although it is a Saloon) which looked quite impressive for its price, but the guy selling it had the air of a pushy salesman and I found it quite hard to trust him, and I know nothing about Audis!!

The seller works at my local garage and I know he buys and sells cars in his spare time. He seemed reluctant to let me drive the car (he drove it during the test drive) and was offended when I told him I needed to think about it. I also find it hard to believe his claim of 'I'd sooner sell it to a customer of the garage rather then advertise it for 3 times the price and entertain tyre kickers'.

The car itself seems quite good for its age and really good for its price (£500!):
- Very tidy inside, reasonable on the outside (No rust, 8-10 minor scuffs on the paintwork)
- ~11 mths MOT and ~5 months Tax
- 116,000 miles (but I'm guessing this shouldn't be a problem with such a quality make)
- full Audi service history up until 10,000 miles ago. Seller claims the guy he bought it off serviced it himself afterwards.
- Oil was clean and no coffee on the dipstick or filler cap
- engine was very clean with no signs of leaks
- seller stated that head gasket had gone but has been changed
- Lowered suspension kit fitted
- Rumbling noise from engine which sounds like a possible misfire (i'm no mechanic though), although it does have an induction kit fitted.

I'm not after an Audi specifically, but just after a car that will tide me over for a couple of years without costing me a fortune, and can't really afford more then £500 at the moment. I normally run Jalopies at £150 a pop at 12 months a time, but due to current scrap metal values there's almost nothing out there with a long MOT for less then £500.

If I decide to buy it, I will insist that I drive the car myself first and thoroughly check the service history before handing over any cash.

Is this a good buy? Are there any potential problems I should look out for? If the rumbling is a misfire, could this be a sign of any problems that are typical with this model (ie. sticking valves)? Does this all sound too suspicious to pursue?

Any advice would be much appreciated!!!

 

Based on the information you supplied, I would not purchase a car off a person like you described. The rumble could be a bad motor mount. Always trust yourself when making a purchase. If you feel something is not right, dont make the purchase!! Also, if the car did have a misfire, then I would expect that this "Mechanic" would repair the issue, UNLESS it's too expensive for the time and parts invested. Dont get mesmerized by the beautiful Audi Follow your instinct. As far as your looking for a car to purchase and last you for the next couple of years, here in the states, Audi's are not cost efective at that age, unless you plan to do all work on your car yourself. Good Luck!! Keep us updated....