I just bought my 1st Audi, I bought it to mod. It is a 99.5 A4 1.8T. I chose it based on what I've read on these boards about the best cars to mod (no DBW). I carfaxed it and gave it a look over before I paid, all was ok as far as I can tell. I am a bit concerned about the tranny and instrument cluster. It's a stick, and when I get on the gas the shifter itself moves quite a bit, and reverse is tough as hell to get into. I don't know if I am just not used to the way it drives, if I have a bad mount someplace or something more serious.

The speedometer sometimes sticks and 'ticks' back down to zero when I stop. The volt meter is reading at 14+v, so I think the battery is always charging off the alternator. It grunts a bit when I turn it over, which further leads me to believe I need to change the battery. Would a low battery have an affect on the workings of the instrument panel? All the other electronics seem to work fine. Oh and there is an odd tick coming from behind the glove box, doesn't follow any pattern that I can discern in my 100mi trip back home.

The car has a mint exterior, and the driver's seat only has some normal wear, everything else inside is cherry. Only the drivers side floor mat shows signs of use. I think the previous owner took care of it, going to see if a dealer can get me the maint records. I got it for a good price, but I'm hoping that the loose tranny and ticking speedometer are fixable without too much work. Has anyone experienced either problem before?

Thanks for helping a new owner.