A6 Excitement

[FlatBlackCaddy]

There's a half ass chance that I might actually be driving this thing soon.

For anyone that isn't familiar with the situation(probably everyone). I bought a 2000 A6 2.7T manual a while ago(7 months or so) that I was going to use as a new daily/winter driver.

The car had some damage, looks like it was hit in the lower rear quarter panel in front of the rear wheel. Didn't look too bad, the hit was low and didn't ruin the C pillar, quarter window or any trunk/tail light/bumper lines. It was no doubt totalled due to the cost of a quarter panel replacement. I bought it and figured the quarter could be saved and therefore fixed at a reasonable price.

Long story short:

I bought it, wanted to save the quarter
Sent it to a frame guy, known him for years. Probably didn't want to but he tried to save it
Did a pretty good job, so I slapped some mud on it and pounded around on it for awhile.
The door jamb was "there" in some sense, most of the lines where gone and it was pretty rough.
The panels was pretty rough, really after getting halfway into it I regretted not just having a quarter put in.

So anyway, finally FINALLY!!!! got the damn thing painted today. I just don't have time to do this shit, plus I really REALLY hate bodywork.

But, it looks good enough. It's an old(er) car with high(er) mileage.


















This jamb was mangled, most of those lines are fiberglass filler(duraglass). NOT the way I'd prefer to do it, but it works for a driver.





Glad I'm done with this painting shit, now I can clean this stall out and get it back to use as a cleanup stall.


I just put new filters in before doing this job, they were bright white just hours before this picture. This is why I hate this shit.



Now I can move it next door and remove the drivers and passenger front seats and then shampoo the carpet. Finish cleaning the interior and start hanging the doors back on it. After that, a quick polish and an oil change and away she goes.

Never thought I'd get this damn thing done, granted I never actually bothered to work on it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

How many fucking garage do you have

[FlatBlackCaddy]

How many fucking garage do you have

Just one detached and one attached. The "moving next door" comment meant to the other "half" of the garage. There is a dividing wall and door that section off this wash stall/paint booth.

The hoist and all the tools and other shit are in the other half.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Oh that's cool. I hope that orange peel comes out with polish. Still looks better than most factory paint jobs these days.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Oh that's cool. I hope that orange peel comes out with polish. Still looks better than most factory paint jobs these days.

Are you talking about the rear door(the one on the right)? There is a bit more on that than the quarter and front door(which are pretty flat). Some is desirable  because factory paint jobs have a degree of orange peel on them.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

The quarter on the left was painted and the trunk on the right is factory.

Pretty comparable as far as the texture. Audi does have some pretty flat paint.

If I where painting a GM vehicle it would have been alot easier, I could have just rolled on the clear with a roller and been good.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I still have my motorcycle to paint, but that will be a walk in the park. Mostly just scuffing and shooting(color change). There are a few plastics that need some repairs but no where near the amount of work that this thing needed.

Can wait until they are both done, I've been putting these off for months.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Lol. You could use the roller from one of those truck bed liner kits.
Hey wait... What about Herculined Audi?

[S204STi]

Looks nice, considering.  Good job.

[Secret Chimp]

Uh... can you repaint my Miata?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Found these on the work computer, just for an idea of what I started with. It would have been alot easier with a quarter cut in but for some reason I thought painting the seams(cut in points) would have been alot of work. Really though after the time I spent on it I would have been better off paying the money for the quarter and having the frame guy put it on.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Uh... can you repaint my Miata?

Sure, I'll do it after I paint my Miata.

At the rate I move, that should be sometime around 2018. 

[MrH]

Wow.  So you've got two garages, and you can do body and paint work?  Where did you learn all of this?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Wow.  So you've got two garages, and you can do body and paint work?  Where did you learn all of this?

I own a auto body supply store, so I'm real familiar with the processes of doing the work. I can muddle my way through it based on that. Plus I don't like doing it but I'm not going to pay anyone to do it(I'm a cheapass).

[MrH]

AH ok.  I was wondering what you did for a living.  Given the stable of cars you have, I'm guessing business is booming

[FlatBlackCaddy]

AH ok.  I was wondering what you did for a living.  Given the stable of cars you have, I'm guessing business is booming

Not really, I'm just really financially irresponsible and love cars. 

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Haven't worked on this in a while, but got alot done today.

Got the last door put together and all the trim back on. Spent a good majority of the day dicking around with little stuff. I cleaned up all the rims and got one of the headlights done, also ran the buffer around the whole car. It's starting to come around.

I hate doing lights, and man these are bad.

"new" vs old


The wheels on this car were/are junk, this guy that had the car before me just really neglected the hell out of this thing. The interior is by far the worst I've seen in a long time.

Still nothing that elbow grease and some good cleaner can't fix.


Halfway there



I'll hopefully have this thing on the road by next weekend.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I guess I never posted these, I'm not joking when I say this thing was a shit hole.





I'm spending more time cleaning this damn thing up than I did fixing the damage.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Thats bad! But at least it's cleaning up good for you. Are you gonna keep it or sell?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I'll probably only drive it for a little while then sell it.

[MrH]

Any idea how much you'll make off of it?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Any idea how much you'll make off of it?

Sadly, not much. I've put way too much time into it.

I'll be lucky to make maybe 1000 bucks. I've made alot more doing much less off of cars in the past.

I'll be happy to get it done with and move on to other projects in the garage. I can't spend so much time on a "non project" car. I've got way too much to do to the other cars before summer hits. So this will probably be my last damaged car I get in (hopefully) a long time.

[MrH]

Sadly, not much. I've put way too much time into it.

I'll be lucky to make maybe 1000 bucks. I've made alot more doing much less off of cars in the past.

I'll be happy to get it done with and move on to other projects in the garage. I can't spend so much time on a "non project" car. I've got way too much to do to the other cars before summer hits. So this will probably be my last damaged car I get in (hopefully) a long time.

Was the plan to keep it originally?  I figured you had enough vehicles and didn't need an A6 too.

Evo 9, 300zx, miata, and 540i, right?  You've got an S13 or something too?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Was the plan to keep it originally?  I figured you had enough vehicles and didn't need an A6 too.

Evo 9, 300zx, miata, and 540i, right?  You've got an S13 or something too?

I was going to drive it for a few years, but now I'm thinking I don't need the hassle or want to spend the time working on an older higher mileage car. What I really need is something I can drive and not have to spend time on. So i'll probably end up buying something new or certified pre owned in the next 3-4 months.

I have an Evo 8, 300zx, 240sx(project), and the miata. The 540i was replaced by a saab 9-3 which was sold awhile ago.

[MrH]

I was going to drive it for a few years, but now I'm thinking I don't need the hassle or want to spend the time working on an older higher mileage car. What I really need is something I can drive and not have to spend time on. So i'll probably end up buying something new or certified pre owned in the next 3-4 months.

I have an Evo 8, 300zx, 240sx(project), and the miata. The 540i was replaced by a saab 9-3 which was sold awhile ago.

Honda Element!  Best everyday beater cargo box ever

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Honda Element!  Best everyday beater cargo box ever

I'd prefer a first gen xB, my dad has had a few and they are a descent utility box with good mileage.

Personally I'm looking for something that isn't going to lull me to sleep and can handle a backroad or two.

Fiesta ST, Focus ST, Certified used GTI or Golf R.

[MrH]

Out of those, I'd pick a Golf R if it wasn't so expensive.  GTI or Focus ST is probably a better buy though (Fiesta's too small).

What about a WRX wagon?  Might be able to get a good deal when they try to clear out inventory for the upcoming model.

[giant_mtb]

One does not simply simultaneously own an Evo and a WRX.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

One does not simply simultaneously own an Evo and a WRX.

Actually...

An early 2000ish(the bugeye) wrx wagon was exactly what I wanted for a DD and winter car. They just cost more than I'm willing to pay for it, so i've moved on.

I see nothing wrong with owning the two, at the same time. Now, if they were the same color that might be a little weird.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Out of those, I'd pick a Golf R if it wasn't so expensive.  GTI or Focus ST is probably a better buy though (Fiesta's too small).

What about a WRX wagon?  Might be able to get a good deal when they try to clear out inventory for the upcoming model.

CPO GTI's certainly seem to fit the bill the best. For around 18K I can find a couple year old 4 door gti(manual) that would be a great blend of economy, fun to drive, semi-luxury and utility. The Golf R would be nice, but for what I can find they are going to be about 7K more(CPO). Don't know if I need that extra power or awd for a DD. I'm trying to be somewhat realistic and restrained. It's just going to be a car that's kept stock and driven like other normal people drive(to work, store, etc). Then again, i've never been good at normal, I see that used S6's are getting down in the price range that I'm in.