I figured I'd share what my cousin and her husband drive. It's a 1986 Audi5000S. I've only got one photo of teh car itself, but it's a good indicator of the typical day.

Today was the first day I really took a close look at it.

Off the top of my head this things has wrong with it:

• Driver's tail lights and turn signal were out - blown bulbs and corroded contacts (I fixed them today)
  
• Exhaust system has a bad leak about midway between the cat and the muffler (temp fixed)
  
• P/S belt was loose (I tightened it)
  
• A/C compressor pulley is worn and wobbles
  
• A/C doesn't work
  
• Alternator buzzes
  
• Part of the intake hose not connected (rusted off)
  
• Nearly stalls on startup
  
• Idles rough
  
• Leaks oil
  
• Leaks a lot of hydraulic fluid from multiple places
  
• Exterior driver's door handle broken
  
• Interior driver's door lock broken
  
• Both head lights held on by string
  
• Passenger side bumper mounted corner light missing
  
• Needs tires
  
• Brakes suck
  

They don't really have the money to replace it, so I've offered to help repair what I can. My cousin isn't mechanically inclined. She almost opened the coolant reservoir cap while the car was hot before I stopped her... Her husband is handy but not really so much with cars.

Tomorrow we make a yard from for some parts, if any yards have these old things.

Here's the mighty 2.2 I-5 and the leaky hose we didn't know the name of until I figured it out a few minutes ago.

This all being said, it's done 216,000 miles which isn't too shabby (amazing for an old Audi, IMO), and the body is actually in really good shape...no rot.

>>"Leaks a lot of hydraulic fluid from multiple places"<<

Technically-speaking, the only 'hydraulic' system on the vehicle should be the brake system (doesn't appear to have a power convertible top... ). Hope that's not the case.

WRT the engine compartment- looks like a HS shop class engineered it. Dig the tiny offset radiator! What a mess.

>>"Leaks a lot of hydraulic fluid from multiple places"<<

Technically-speaking, the only 'hydraulic' system on the vehicle should be the brake system (doesn't appear to have a power convertible top... ). Hope that's not the case.

WRT the engine compartment- looks like a HS shop class engineered it. Dig the tiny offset radiator! What a mess.

Actually it's the steering system, and yes it takes hydraulic oil and the reservoir is a labeled hydraulic reservoir. It's German, they do things different (and weird).

I know about the radiator! When I looked at the bay for the first time I thought it was so weird.

I think I see it.... if you squint real hard, you can see the clearly superior German engineering! It's right there between the slant I-5 and the offset radiator... but in front of the sideways distributor, right under the cruise control module that reaches halfway across the engine bay for the throttle body only to reach back to the center again for the spark advance.....

clearly superior to the sucky pushrod technology.....

My steering rack leaked too! Superior German engineering FTW!

Actually, you can clearly see superior German engineering every time you need to buy anything other than gas and oil for it, because it's so damn expensive.

Well that's that then. The problem went from bad to worse and now they're tired of of dumping money into it. Kinda irrational since they don't have another car but they're junking it. Oh well.

Actually it's the steering system, and yes it takes hydraulic oil and the reservoir is a labeled hydraulic reservoir.

Well, don't I look foolish. I think I was equating in my mind that the steering system is 'geographically contained', whereas the brakes run the full wheelbase, and 'all over the place' made think of a larger system.

Yeah- that's it.

Eek!

A decent used Cobalt might be their salvation...

Chris

Not if they can't afford it.

A lot more people will be in there boat given how bad the economy really is...

I love German cars to death.

Mercedes Benz was at their peek in every way, BMW was a fantastic car, Porsche was still PORSCHE & even Opel made some cool stuff.... but a 1980s AUDI....? No Thanx!

I've always thought AUDI's dark ages to be the late 1970s to mid-1990s.

This car shares NOTHING in any way, mechanically or other wise with my two beloved 1980s Kraut Karts.

I like old Mercedes Benzes when they aren't in the shop. When they aren't breaking, they can be nice to drive..solid, comfortable. Still drive my sister's Mercedes money pits occasionally, the red '91 300CE ht especially so..was fun to drive w/ the sunroof open and windows down in the winter/spring. The '84 500SEL needs an exhaust manifold or exhaust pipe, the interior fills w/ poison gas after a few min of idling.