FS: 1998 Audi A4 Quattro 2.8L 5spd <$4000

[ScottyB]

Why do I want this...

drinking a little early this friday i see?

Serious question time - what does this thing need?

I remember reading these things have a serious appetite for eating front suspension parts, i.e. balljoints/hubs.
Are there any electrical gremlins? Windows/Door Lock/Sunroof gremlins?
What kind of shape are the tires in?
Is the cooling system original?

LOL, you're serious. OK, they have a 5-link front suspension and 4-link rear so there are alot of things moving around. the control arms were making noise on mine at 90k but it wasn't like the car was going to fall apart, i probably could have driven another 20k on them. sounds like at least 1 corner is replaced, and usually the fronts are creaking before the rears. each corner is going to run about $300 if replaced with a Meyle heavy duty kit (have to buy for the entire front or rear end when you purchase control arms though). the latest kits should last longer than OEM. basically, if it needs control arms you're out about a grand not counting labor.

i never had an issue with the wheel bearings. the rears are supposed to be the usual suspects. can't really comment i guess.

ironically almost every single issue i ever had with the car was related to the stupid 1.8T. electrically the cars don't suffer nearly as much as the mk.IV golf/jettas do although you run into coil pack issues on the turbos. you will get some cars with faded pixels on the dash info center ala BMW's of the same vintage. as for me, sometimes the alarm would go off if the windows were down and the car was locked and it was over 90 degrees outside, otherwise i never had an issue with electronics.

you just have ask yourself how much time you want to invest on fixing stuff when things break. they are not easy cars to get around (everyone knows the "service position" picture with the front end gone). things are tight, screwed together with lots of fun fasteners and not always cheap to replace. otherwise they are a nice, safe mile killer that can be pretty fun with the right mods - like this car has. pretty much at the bottom of the depreciation curve too.

audiworld/audizine are your friends