I have a 96 Audi A4 with around 183K miles on it. I am the third or fourth owner of the car. I don't really know how well it was maintained or anything but I traded a motorcycle for it and now I'm the proud owner of my first Audi. While driving the car started to heat up a little bit. At first it was just about 2 marks above halfway, then it would get up a little higher sometimes. As I drove through a canyon it would get hot when pulling hills then cool back off when there was less load on the engine. On my last trip through this canyon it got up to 3/4 on the temp gage. When driving the other day it got up to 3/4+ and my overheat light came on. Now it gets up to operating temp (half way up the gage) then it creeps up to 3/4 and past to the point of overheating. I think it's a thermostat from what I've read around but it could also be a water pump. I'm thinking about taking it to a little independent shop that specializes in VW and Audi and having them do the work. I'm pretty handy with a wrench myself but I'm a starving student and don't have a garage with all the nice tools and what not, plus I need this work done as quickly and as inexpensively as possible. I would appreciate any recomendations on what the problem is, as well as the best way to solve this issue. Thanks

 

The car also has the following problems
-slight engine tick (could be a lifter, or maybe something else)
-check engine light is on (can't pull codes because the OBDII plug doesn't power up a scanner
-A/C blows but isn't cold (I recharged it but it leaked out the freon somewhere)
-Heater doesn't work, isn't warm (climate controls don't function all the time)
-Sunroof doesn't work
-ABS light is on
-Brakes light is on (I replaced brake pads)
-Seatbelts dont roll back up (needs new rollers due to accident)