I have myself quite the mancrush on a 99 2.8 quattro with 76k miles, sticker price is $7,995.

Have read lots of information so far, newbie thread included. Thanks for the wisdom so far, seeing lots of concerns about the engineering on the timing belt on the 1.8. Are there similar issues on the 2.8 with the belt?

I can expect around $1,200 to have the dealer replace a timing belt?


Thanks for any info. you can share.

 

The 2.8 isn't all that bad really, and if you have basic tools (wrenches, sockets, torque wrench) plus a set of Torx bits and some Allen bits, you can do the job yourself pretty easily. There were three of us working on our first one (an ATQ engine 2000 Passat), and none of us had done an Audi t-belt before, although we are all experienced with wrench work, and we had it back under its own power in less than six hours. It's probably the easiest t-belt job I've ever done. I'm confident it'd be done in under 5 hours next time.

I only caution you on one thing - do the t-belt before 80k max. It's not so much the belt as the tensioner that is more likely to fail. That's not to say it will but it's not worth risking it, because it WILL cost you the engine if it does.

 

low mileage aside- $8k for a 99 2.8 isnt exactly a deal. they can be found with only slightly more mileage (not many 10 year old cars have under 90k) for $5-6k. as long as it was well maintained theres no problem buying a higher mileage car.

and yes you can save yourself $800 or more by doing the timing belt yourself. thats something to bring up when you go buy the car, maybe they knock $1000 off the price if you tell them you have to do the belt right after purchase.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...303/28belt.jpg

 

Case in point: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...178969914.html