So I found what looks to be a very nice 1998 Audi A4 Quattro on CL. It is a legit ad and i have been talking to the seller for some time. I know there are a lot of problems with audi's and i want to know if it is worth the money. I will post the link to the ad below. i want legitimate facts please, not just 'omg its an audi you have to get it.' i know they are cool. but i dont have a ton of money to be repairing it every 2 months. Thanks.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/2176171802.html

and yes, it is the car that i have in my garage; i plan on taking it off because i dont actually have it (yet)

 

also, i was looking at another 98 a4 that i liked better cosmetically, but it needs a new engine. i have no idea how much an engine for these cost, so that would also be helpful. thanks

 

"Priced to sell" and they list minor cosmetic flaws...suspicious. Then he says it's been super reliable, but he just had the motor replaced 15,000 miles ago. Why is he selling it after having work done?

All the extras they list shouldn't sway you one way or the other. The thing that SHOULD sway you are receipts and documentation of all the work they claim to have done. ie.: timing belt, tensioner, and water pump, new engine, control arms, when were the turbos replaced, and how's it doing with sludge. I would have it looked at by an Audi mechanic who's not out to fix every little thing on the car, but will provide you with realistic information about the vehicles true condition. The price seems considerable though

Kinda weird the steering wheel is turned that far, but in the other pictures the wheels are almost straight...

I'm not telling you to not get it, but I would be cautious while trying to see through the fluff in the ad

Good luck!!

 

i like the car, take it to a mecanic have it checked out by someone you trust the car is a great price drive the **** out of it and see how it holds up

 

Cool, thanks guys. My problem is though I don't really know any Audi technicians or anyone that knows a ton about the mechanics of a car. Can I take the car into a dealership or shop and have them check it out without burning through my wallet?

 

A dealer and high end shops will most likely charge you $90 (that's what it is where I am) just to look it over. If you test drive it and it feels and sounds okay, then it would be a good idea to bite the bullet and put out the money to know what you're getting into. If he has the maintenance records and receipts, that's a huge plus. The timing belt should be changed every 60 to 80k miles. The control arms which you can see in the wheel well are likely to go if they haven't been replaced recently.

A bad one would have cracks in the rubber or something to not being "new looking" and you would hear a squeaking sound when going over bumps, turning the wheel, or pushing down on that side of the car.

It might look like this
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/wheel29-image001.jpg

A lot of the work is expensive, but much cheaper if you do it yourself. A lot of forum members would probably be willing to help out if you live near them, but I'm not familiar with how many members are in the Seattle area.

If you don't have it looked at and it turns out to be a problem, it could end up taking over your bank account, so I personally would have it checked

 

Well, the seller sold the car from under me because someone was offering the money today. Understable, but annoying. I have seen numerous other ads, including one that I liked a lot. It has a few mods, and says there is nothing wrong with it. I'll post a link below. 75% of the people on here probably know more about cars than I do, so if someone would take a look at it and give me some feedback then i'd appreciate it.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/2171516986.html

 

i really like the red one u just posted, but FYI in MOST cases don't buy a "modded" car. In this case it seems just a chip and boost gauge wich imo is perfectly fine.

timing belt about 20k with a new turbo, not a half bad deal.
and i hate red cars. but i like it. only thing i don't like(besides mileage, but shouldn't be a problem if taken care of) cosmetically, is that its not a face lift model.(1999.5+)

 

That one is going to be sold to me tomorrow morning, sorry.







Same thing, looks like he knows what he's doing but we can't tell from here. Receipts and documentation are your best friends

 

Alright thanks a lot guys. I really appreciate the help.