Jelio C

Hi there,
potential new owner of a '92 100CS quattro wagon. Its got 140K on the 2.8 V6, body is in pretty good shape, interior is fantastic, suspension feels firm....
The power steering seems to work well, but a loud whine (maybe a bit lower than a real whine) type sound is omnipresent. LCD indicates something up with the powersteering. Owner bought at auction, says it was checked out and it just has non-approved fluid in it.
Anyone had experience to either confirm or deny? Even if its a bad pump (though no leaks and response is good, so I want to believe), it seems a good deal at $1900.

Also, a section about 8 inches long along the glass of the rear hatch is pretty rusty. Through pessimistic eyes, there may not be much metal left. I'd imagine its easier to replace than repair....
finally, power locks aren't working with the switch, but do work with the key, so I'm guessing easy fix?

If anyone reads this and see's some glaring faults in my assumptions, or thinks it may be the deal I think it is, please comment.
Thanks all,

Jelio C

I did an extended Test drive of the car. Its kind of my second (but potentially far more practical) choice for a vehicle. My first is an old Range Rover, and if there is a car that can exceed audi repair costs hands down, its a range rover.

I've had 2 other Audi's: a 1997 A4 w/ 1.8T, APR chipped, really awesome car, and an '87 5000CS quattro, also chipped, spring-ed (overpressure valve spring).

This car seems extrememly tame in comparison: 2.8 12V, auto trans. Acceleration is downright slow. Too slow. I'm thinking (from info gleaned from other posts) that the brake is continuing to send signals to the trans. The motor needs to get past 4K rpm to even wake up. Acceleration is much the same as the land rovers i'm testing.

I put the parking brake on at a gas station, and it got worse from there. The brake was engaged for nearly 10 minutes after, when I did a HARD brake from 40 mph and it seemed to release. Still, the glacial accelleration, and while driving it, the Check Engine light came on and would not go off. Also, the Anti-lock light is on, and I'm unable to turn it off with the switch on the dash. any input?

rovers are looking good.....
thanks

Ben2

C4's aren't race cars, rather they're well-engineered solid cars for adults. You won't get mind boggling acceleration. I think a C4 is 10-14 seconds 0-60 depending on body and drivetrain configuration. If a fast car is what you want, find something else.

Jelio C

Not to get into a flame session here, but do you really think sarcastic name calling is truly necessary here?
Regardless of how much of an "adult" you may or may not believe I am, I'm not a racer-punk looking for some hotted up lowered import hot-hatch. I DO understand that Audi's are well engineered solid cars for adults: as I mentioned, I've owned two prior Audi's. I've been driving Audi's for better than 10 years. What I don't have is experience with the 2.8L 12v motor.

After driving several other Audi's with the same motor, I now know there IS something wrong with the car I had been testing. The other vehicles have "normal" acceleration for a mid-sized, normally aspirated, family cars: smooth, linear, able to merge without dropping the hammer. This other was dead until 4K.

Ben2, reading your other posts you don't seem like a jerk, so I'll chalk it up to waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Try not to take it out on new members, though. It really discourages positive discussion about what we all know to be good cars.

Ben2

Who's name calling here? I'm genuinely confused by the tone of your response.

Jelio C

I read heavy sarcasm in this statement: "C4's aren't race cars, rather they're well-engineered solid cars for adults."
If that wasn't meant, sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm just trying to get some input on a potential vehicle to use to commute and get my kids around in, especially during bad weather.

blh1959

If I may jump in here.

Having experience with both a Range Rover Classic (sold the Rover years ago) and a 94 C4 Wagon. I lean towards the Audi for my driving situation today. I don't do any off road stuff any more so I don't want to pay fuel penalty. But on to your questions of reliability. I think my 94 C4 wagon is more reliable then my 88 Rover classic. My 94 Audi has spent less time in the shop in the 20k miles that I have owned it then my Rover did in the same amount of mileage. My 94 Audi goes in for oil changes and when I got it I had the timing belt changed. There have been little things do to neglect from the previous owner that I have dealt with, rotting trim pieces, broken light lenses. I have replaced the brake pads on all 4 corners, ignition switch and repaired the dash lights. To me all minor stuff for a car that is 17 years old

It sounds like the car you are looking at has some issues that can be resolved but at what price. Can you get the price of the car down?

Some of the parts for the early C4's and wagons are hard to come by. If it needs a tail gate I know of three wagons in the Seattle area that I think have good tail gates.

I bought my 94 Audi with 60K original for $3500 it had some issues that got cleaned up with out much additional cost.

As far as the acceleration goes they are dogs out of the hole with out jumping on them, but then again my Rover wasn't quick either. Out on the road the Audi shines and cruises all day nice and smooth and I step out of the car with less road wear on me then most of other cars I have owned.

If you can get the car checked out that could answer a lot of questions for you from the window switch to the check engine light. I am thinking o2 sensor for the check engine light, maybe the switch for the windows, Sticking caliper for the brake. Not sure about the ABS.

Others on here will have some better ideas as to what is going on with the problems you mentioned.

Best of luck

Brian
94 Audi 100CS Quattro Wagon 80k
95 Toyota Previa Alltrac 299K
01 Audi S4 Avant 80k

Ben2

That statement wasn't sarcastic, I don't know what I did to imply that it was and I'm sorry that you took it that way. I meant simply what I said; these Audis are good for older people who don't care much about rapid acceleration. If you care about acceleration, you're not going to be happy with a car that does 0-60 in 10-14 seconds so you'd be best getting something else.