2001 Allroad Cat replacement HELP!
 

Bought a 2001 Audi Allroad for my son a couple weeks ago and have run into some issues. Looked and sounded great on the lot, but I don't know a thing about Audi's ... against my better judgment, we bought the car.


Check engine light is on. I know I've got some oil leaks, but its also coming up with O2 sensor and CAT codes. Mechanic had it up on the lift and tells me the CAT's are packed almost solid and need to be replaced. He's recommending OEM cats, new plugs etc at about $1600. Since there are other issues that need to be dealt with, not sure we can afford to bring it back to "manufacturer" specs. He says he hasn't had very good luck with aftermarket, but the car already has 185K and I only need to get 4-5years and another 50K out of it. I've read through other posts and get a mixed message about 1)My options, 2)cost of options, and 3)impact of options on the performance/longevity of the car. I just need a reliable runner that I won't have to dump more money into every year.


Can a few of you kind souls set me straight? Do I bite the bullet or chase a Magnaflow option? We don't have emission tests here, so do I by-pass altogether or will I just be causing damage down the road?


Sorry for the long read, but thanks in advance!