Anyone ever bother to find out their car's history?
01-16-2008, 01:05 PM
#1
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Anyone ever bother to find out their car's history?
So as I was writing out an email on my gmail account the other day I noticed that the email from the seller of my 4000 popped up in during the little "auto fill" thing that gmail seems to do. I figured it had been 2 years since I've talked with the owner, and a LOT had changed on the car (obviously), so why not email him and give him an update.
I remember back when I bought the car he said his friend gave him the car. So I figured, hell, I'll contacteah him and see how things are going and asked him to pass the email off to his friend as well so I could pick his brain a little bit about the car's history.
Well surprise surprise, he got back to me as did his friend who was the 2nd owner. Turns out I'm only the 4th owner of this ride! Original owner owned it for about 13 years and sold it in 1998. He gave me a fair amount of back info and included some pix of when he bought the car!
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k1.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k2.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k3.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k4.jpg">
I forwarded them the link to my motorgeek thread about the car and let them know of all the little updates that I've done to the car as well as future phases
Just thought it was kind of a fun story to share. The 2nd owner is going to try to make it to VIR in April to meet up with me and check out the car too. So that just adds more wood to the fire for me to get this puppy up and running for the end of april
I remember back when I bought the car he said his friend gave him the car. So I figured, hell, I'll contacteah him and see how things are going and asked him to pass the email off to his friend as well so I could pick his brain a little bit about the car's history.
Well surprise surprise, he got back to me as did his friend who was the 2nd owner. Turns out I'm only the 4th owner of this ride! Original owner owned it for about 13 years and sold it in 1998. He gave me a fair amount of back info and included some pix of when he bought the car!
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k1.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k2.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k3.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/21175/4k4.jpg">
I forwarded them the link to my motorgeek thread about the car and let them know of all the little updates that I've done to the car as well as future phases
Just thought it was kind of a fun story to share. The 2nd owner is going to try to make it to VIR in April to meet up with me and check out the car too. So that just adds more wood to the fire for me to get this puppy up and running for the end of april
01-16-2008, 03:13 PM
#3
AudiWorld Senior Member
I called the former owner up last Sept. when I found a screwdriver....
.... buried in the dashboard. He was....umm surprised and had no clue how it got there. I grilled him about the service history of the car.
The problem is that prior to about 1994 or so it was his wife's car (she bought it new) and he had no clue what was done before then since they met around then. He had no clue if the timing belt/waterpump was done, but I saw obvious signs that work was done in the area. The service book was stamped until 1990 by Howard Holmes Audi, its last trip there was for warranty odometer replacement (what a surprise). The dealer has since bit the dust. The car came with a license plate frame from Jack Daniels Audi so they might have some records. Any parts that were replaced appeared to be OEM so its likely that from 1990 on, the car was still dealer serviced.
He was able to tell me the exhaust was replaced about 3 years ago and a full tuneup was performed to past NJ inspection in 2005. All other work (primarily maintenance) was done at a local STS or something. Oh and the pass. rear door handle was replaced.
Overall the owner was pleased that the car was getting attention, because he sure didn't give it enough. If the car ever makes it to a show, I'll forward pictures.
The problem is that prior to about 1994 or so it was his wife's car (she bought it new) and he had no clue what was done before then since they met around then. He had no clue if the timing belt/waterpump was done, but I saw obvious signs that work was done in the area. The service book was stamped until 1990 by Howard Holmes Audi, its last trip there was for warranty odometer replacement (what a surprise). The dealer has since bit the dust. The car came with a license plate frame from Jack Daniels Audi so they might have some records. Any parts that were replaced appeared to be OEM so its likely that from 1990 on, the car was still dealer serviced.
He was able to tell me the exhaust was replaced about 3 years ago and a full tuneup was performed to past NJ inspection in 2005. All other work (primarily maintenance) was done at a local STS or something. Oh and the pass. rear door handle was replaced.
Overall the owner was pleased that the car was getting attention, because he sure didn't give it enough. If the car ever makes it to a show, I'll forward pictures.
01-16-2008, 03:15 PM
#4
A little detective work
& I found that my 4kq was once located in the town next to mine. Moved 50 miles away & now is back. once I get it running I intend to go show the previous - previous owner. Haven't met him yet but he drives an A4 now
01-16-2008, 04:21 PM
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BTDT + seen one of my old cars show up as 'look what I just bought'........
Looked like a real beater by then but I offered up some history on the car to the owner. Poor guy was hurt when I told him it was a salvage title that never showed up on carfax. Technical title blemish though. It was a theft recovery whenI bought it.
01-16-2008, 04:51 PM
#6
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Traced mine back to the dealer, got all service records and related paper from previous 2 owners too
<center><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/tagish8/4kTDrestofinished.jpg"></center><p>I feel fairly comfortable about knowing everything that has been done to this car since it rolled off the plant line.
I know the last owner very well and he got it from his father 3 years before I bought it. Their collected documents are mostly complete, but reveal that not too much was done other than regular maintenance: nice knowing about T belts by document, brakes, bearings and other minor stuff that wears out. Parts were changed when they should have been which has contributed to the easy resto job I had. I track every dine I spend on her and the fuel consumption yada, yada...
25 years old and 443,000 Kms down the road. Still a sweety to drive. Documented!
I know the last owner very well and he got it from his father 3 years before I bought it. Their collected documents are mostly complete, but reveal that not too much was done other than regular maintenance: nice knowing about T belts by document, brakes, bearings and other minor stuff that wears out. Parts were changed when they should have been which has contributed to the easy resto job I had. I track every dine I spend on her and the fuel consumption yada, yada...
25 years old and 443,000 Kms down the road. Still a sweety to drive. Documented!
01-16-2008, 05:10 PM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
I wish I could find the history. Anybody know how?
1986 4000 quattro Commemorative Edition.
Purchased back in the summer of 2002 for 700 bucks. The car was owned by a guy named Tyler who was part of our Indy Audi club. I had seen the car 3-4 times prior to it being for sale, and expressed interest to Tyler if he was ever going to sell. I got the car and did a carfax, the car was originally from Alabama. I wish there was some way for me to track down the original owner, or see how many owners it had.
1984 4000S Limited Edition.
I was the 2nd owner of this car. I bought it from Vorderman Volkswagen here in town, and I spoke with the original owners who traded the car in on a new 2002 Passat. I bought this car in very early 2002 and sold it before I got my 4kq. Car was mint and only had 94k on it, maintained meticulously, I cant say much more about it.
1985 4000S.
My aunt bought it as a demo car back in 1985 or very very early 1986. Gave it to me in August of 1999 as she had lost her husband a year prior and had 4 cars. Her "Baby Audi" was given to me, but it needed a bit of work, which was performed by the tech at the Audi dealer here in town. The tech asked us if we wanted to sell it, but we declined, it was quite a car. I sold it late summer of 2006 due to being in a financial drain. It now resides in a junkyard here in town because the friend I sold it to didnt take care of it. I have yet to visit it in the junkyard (I need to find which one).
Purchased back in the summer of 2002 for 700 bucks. The car was owned by a guy named Tyler who was part of our Indy Audi club. I had seen the car 3-4 times prior to it being for sale, and expressed interest to Tyler if he was ever going to sell. I got the car and did a carfax, the car was originally from Alabama. I wish there was some way for me to track down the original owner, or see how many owners it had.
1984 4000S Limited Edition.
I was the 2nd owner of this car. I bought it from Vorderman Volkswagen here in town, and I spoke with the original owners who traded the car in on a new 2002 Passat. I bought this car in very early 2002 and sold it before I got my 4kq. Car was mint and only had 94k on it, maintained meticulously, I cant say much more about it.
1985 4000S.
My aunt bought it as a demo car back in 1985 or very very early 1986. Gave it to me in August of 1999 as she had lost her husband a year prior and had 4 cars. Her "Baby Audi" was given to me, but it needed a bit of work, which was performed by the tech at the Audi dealer here in town. The tech asked us if we wanted to sell it, but we declined, it was quite a car. I sold it late summer of 2006 due to being in a financial drain. It now resides in a junkyard here in town because the friend I sold it to didnt take care of it. I have yet to visit it in the junkyard (I need to find which one).
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01-16-2008, 07:01 PM
#8
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Re: Anyone ever bother to find out their car's history?
I traced ownership of my red Coupe back to...ME! I bought it new so when there are any missing records I can only get mad at myself.
My black Coupe has had 2 previous owners. I haven't contacted them but the one had a REALLY sweet deal with mechanic's shop. There were an awful lot of N/C (no charge) work done! Oil every 3K Baby!
My black Coupe has had 2 previous owners. I haven't contacted them but the one had a REALLY sweet deal with mechanic's shop. There were an awful lot of N/C (no charge) work done! Oil every 3K Baby!
