Simply put, I'm interested in buying an Audi, but I know nothing about them as a car. Im looking for some guidance from you, so drop all the knowledge you can.

I don't know which ones I should be looking at because of the specifics I want:

I dont know which are turbo'd and which are not
I don't know which take premium gas
I don't know which year marks the addition of more computer controlled systems (for ex: '90 and above bmw's integrate more electronic controlled stuff which makes them harder to work on yourself)
Most of my questions are never addressed in for sale listings online so thats my dilemma.

I want a generally nice car without all the unnecessary top of the line stuff, I want to be able to work on it myself ... point me in the right direction or tell me if i'm way off

 

Wilkommen to the forums!

spend some time reading in the model sections of the forums. Pay special attention to the stickies as they contain a lot of FAQ stuff. Almost all the models have trim options that are can be either naturally aspirated or forced induction. For what is/was available in any particular model I've found Wikipedia to be very helpful.

As far as fuel goes, it is my understanding that they all come from the factory tuned for optimum performance at 91 octane. running less octane will compromise performance and efficiency and can lead to premature failure of some components.

not sure what the cut off year is for "everything is controlled by the DAMN computer" but I assume it is similar to the bimmers.

a lot of us here (especially the b5 A4 guys) do all of our own work without too much problem. there are a lot of knowledgeable DIY guys around to answer questions.

good luck

 

Awesome advice. Thanks... 'Gibbs!...we have our heading!'

 

What's your ideal price range? That is always a good starting point... (Hard to have a heading if you don't know where you're starting )

And welcome to the greatest forum on the interwebz... (I'm not about bashing other sights, but this one is by far the most friendly and helpful).

 

Thanks for the welcome, Im looking between free-$6kish area. I come from another forum for my other vehicle which is why I came to this forum for my audi questions

 

In that price range, you're looking at a really nice B5 A4 with either a 2.8L N/A or 1.8 Turbo, a decent B6 with the 3.0L N/A or 1.8 turbo, or a beat up B5 S4 with a 2.7 Bi-Turbo. All come with either a manual or auto trans, and that's a personal preference. The S4 comes with a 6-speed, the other just a 5 speed. A 2.7 bi-turbo A6 may also be an option.

I don't know much about the models prior to the B5, but you can pick up a good 99.5-2001 B5 with a 1.8T and have a little cash left over to mod a bit. It is also a pretty straight forward car to work on yourself. I have done a lot of repairs on it myself. I haven't run into a problem yet that I had to take to a mechanic (knock on wood). And the forced injection engine is much more easily modded than the N/A 2.8.

All Audi's take premium. If the 25 cent difference at the pump is going to be an issue, then these cars are definitely not a good idea. Maintenance bills (even for the DIY) can start to get hefty at times. But if you take good care of it, she runs like a dream. I love mine, and with 14X,XXX, she still runs strong and is a blast to drive. I'm just thinking about selling in order to get bigger and better (B6 S4 with a 4.2L N/A V8).

One last thing... If it's not quattro, save your money and get a VW... Quattro (Audi AWD) is what makes Audi and Audi. Without it, it really is just an overpriced, rebadged VW.

 

Exactly what these guys said. A C5 A6 (97-02/3) with an NA V6 can be had in your range as well - it's a lot roomier than an A4, especially in the back seat. If you have kids, look hard at the A6. The A4 is pretty tight for them once they're out of car seats.

 

In your 6k range which is doable but not going to net you the best car, go wi a b5(I would say 99.5-01) a4 1.8t(modabilty) qm.