hillpc

We look forward to seeing the part out. Or sell the whole thing?

Stromaluski

Don't get me wrong. Everybody needs a hobby. And any hobby you have is going to cost money. It's just a matter of finding the hobby that you enjoy enough that you don't mind the money you spend on it. On the upside cars are less expensive than a drug habit.

nw-indiana

The return on these cars is enjoyment and transportation, not cash. You've laid out a long, expensive list.

If you have a good place to work, lots of tools, and the time, you can make this car a hobby. (And if you have the motor out, be sure to do plenty of preventative maintenance before you put it back in - complete timing belt set, the breather hoses that disintegrate, fresh valve cover gaskets if there is any seepage at all, and the replacing the plastic oil cooler pipe with aluminum immediately come to mind).

I have a few of these cars because I like them, and I'd rather spend my weekends in the shop than in a bar. At the end of the day, though, it is an expense rather than an investment.

Number48

I am willing to bet some here would argue that point...lol!

jfrahm

I'm at the point of: selling my 2001 A8 cheap; fixing it up and selling it (a little less) cheap; or trying to scrap it or sell it to a parter-outer. I held onto it a lot longer than I expected to, having bought an S8, because it was really useful as a winter car.
It's still useful as a winter car and that makes me think maybe I should sell it now so someone can use it to blast up the mountains to ski or snowboard.
I probably should have junked it when I got a cracked cam chain tensioner pad and a cracked exhaust flex, but I fixed the tensioners and drove it 4K miles instead (with a slight exhaust leak). It's tough to tell when it's time to move on
-Joel.

Number48

jfrahm, I too recently cracked my drivers side flex pipe during the rear propshaft seal replacement. I was able to get a new 4" long flex pipe from NAPA, and I welded it in myself for a decent repair. An exhaust shop could probably do it for about $100.
Where are you located if you're going to sell and what are the particulars about your car (colors, wheels, etc.)?

jfrahm

Do you recall what size flex adapter you used? I did not see much room to weld onto before the cat on this side (LH I think). Someone, Sam maybe (?), had them installed at a shop and they put really small diameter ones in.
I was kinda thinking 2.25" ID would fit over the stock headpipe:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/EXT51111

I'm near Boulder, CO. 2001 SWB A8, Green metallic (peeling clearcoat) over tan. I have 3 sets of wheels, 17" fat fives and two sets of 16" A6 wheels with all season and winter tires. Maybe I'll start a thread.
Cheers,
-Joel.

Kamelot

Honestly, I am open to any offers for selling the whole car. Usually that's the sure way to go but this is a special case imo. I got fudged buying this car, I feel more comfortable selling the parts that work for sure.

Kamelot

Oh don't you tempt me now! Haha seriously though I do agree with you there. Cars aren't an investment unless they're garage kept antiques. I don't have the budget to delve deep into cars right now. Sad truth :/ I'll stick with the books and my job until I could afford it! Or perhaps..drugs?

Kamelot

Yikes.. I'm renting the place I currently reside in, and I am without a true garage to work on my car. The cherry on top is the price of preventive maintenance on cars like these too, I look forward to when I could afford to work on a car like this as a hobby!