I have a 98 A4. when attempting to open hood, something broke when i pulled on the release handle inside the car. Don't know if it was the cable or the latch(I'm guessing the latch).

Any suggestions on getting the hood open besides taking it to a dealer.

 

if it's just the latch, you can take a pair of pliers and pull the cable end that's left and open the hold that way.

 

If you have to, break the grille and open the latch that way. A new grille is still cheaper than a trip to the dealer.

 

Definitely DO NOT do that. This happened to me recently. It is as simple as taking off the belly pan, reaching up to the hood latch, and flipping the lever with a stick. I used a 24" extension.

Turns the plastic piece holding tension on my cable at the latch broke.

 

You don't need to break the grille to get the hood open. Go under the car, remove the belly pan, and use a long pole, piece of wood, whatever and slide the latch to the side from the bottom.

Edit: DAMN YOU REDLINE!

 

You think you can beat me?

 

I was close.

 

I have the 2.8 quattro. There is barely enough room to see up into the engine bay let alone stick a 2 foot extension up in there to get to the latch. Is it still possible to do it that way.

 

Most people don't get this, but a v6 is actually shorter by design than a straight four. Shorter by half a cylinder actually. Try hard so you don't have to buy another grill