Audi V8 Quattro

[Eye of the Tiger]

I drove it today... and what an amazing machine it is! I can't say anything bad about how it drives. Except right off the line, the engine has abundant, smooth power everywhere you want it. In Economy mode, the transmission shifts as smooth as any automatic I've ever experienced; but switch it to Sport mode, and it shifts firm up noticeably, while holding gears longer, and downshifting more quickly. There is also a Manual mode, but I didn't get a chance to fiddle with that.
Although the brake pedal takes a little more travel than I'd like at first, once the brakes grab, they are right there, powerful, and linear. For being 17-years old, the steering is freaking awesome; it goes where you turn it and has no noticeable play. The power assist is supposedly variable with speed, but the effect was transparent to me. The overall ride was as smooth as anyone could ask, yet it still corners like it's on rails. Effortless, comfortable speed - that's what this car is all about.

The interior of the beast is on the verge of being immaculate, if not for some embedded dirt in the steering wheel, shifter, and some cracks in the leather driver's seat. The seat, by the way, is soft and comfortable, yet supportive, with power adjustments and heat... oh, the luxury! The back seat is huge, with separate climate controls and retractable sun shades, but I don't really care. Despite being a 1990-model car, it actually came with a factory-installed 10-disc CD changer in the trunk, although I'm told it's not functioning at the moment. Frankly, I couldn't care less.

As far as the condition of this particular car...

Good:
-new tires
-new brakes
-new fuel pump
-remarkably clean and rust-free body (just normal rust on a few components underneath)
-no major leaks from what I could see
-drives like a dream! (not like a 'st33m! )

Bad:
-last timing belt change unknown (at least 40,000 miles ago)
-oil was over 1 qt low (I put a quart in, and it still didn't show up on the dipstick), but it's a 10-qt system, so that may or may not be significant. The oile pressure gauge seemed to read okay, and there was no oil warning on the computer display
-I couldn't check the transmission fluid, because the damn car doesn't have a real dipstick, just a filler cap.
-needs a front CV-joint, I think ($100 part, I can probably replace it myself)...

... which brings me to the clicking. I'm told by the seller, and I can believe, that the clicking in the front end is a CV-joint. However, I am just a bit suspicious that it might be another part of the drivetrain. From what I understand, the thing has THREE torsen differentials - front, center, and rear. The noise sounds like a metallic grinding under hard acceleration, becoming a light clicking while coasting, and changing in tone when the wheel is turned. Sounds like a CV, but I want to make sure it's NOT part of the AWD system, which may probably be insanely expensive to repair.





So, I'm seriously considering picking it up up this Friday... 

[TheIntrepid]

[Raghavan]

Go for it.

[CALL_911]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[SVT_Power]

so is there a definite way of telling if it's part of the drivetrain or CV without having to take the thing apart?

[Eye of the Tiger]

so is there a definite way of telling if it's part of the drivetrain or CV without having to take the thing apart?

I have no clue. I don't even know if Torsen differentials can go bad.

[CALL_911]

so is there a definite way of telling if it's part of the drivetrain or CV without having to take the thing apart?

Apparently, if he says he's gonna check.

[omicron]

That's fantastic news, Mr. Car! It's so handsome.

I have a suggestion as to the source of your mysterious ticking noise:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4

[the Teuton]

IF IT CHECKS OUT, then go for it.  I'm still weary, though, for your sake.

[280Z Turbo]

If you don't buy it, we will ban you.

[Eye of the Tiger]

IF IT CHECKS OUT, then go for it.  I'm still weary, though, for your sake.

Yeah, no kidding,  I'm weary as hell over this. It's just too good of a deal, right?

Although he doesn't exactly seem to be on top of the maintenance, the seller seems like an honest buy (but you can never really tell). Apparently, the car is rarely driven because he takes the train to work during the week, AND he has a 740i that he just bought. I sounds like he just needs to get rid of it before the parking ban starts with the first snow.

I don't know how to check if it's the CV joint for certain, but it IS the most reasonable explanation. Being a 4-5 hour drive from here, it's not exactly convenient for me to take the car to a mechanic an have it inspected and double checked. I'm either going to buy it this Friday, or I'm not.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If you don't buy it, we will ban you.

The shifter in you sig is all crooked, so I don't think I believe anything you say right now.

[280Z Turbo]

The shifter in you sig is all crooked, so I don't think I believe anything you say right now.

You're the one that's crooked...it's all a matter of perception.

[cawimmer430]

After Ron and Call_911, our third forum Audi owner! 

[CALL_911]

After Ron and Call_911's mom, our third forum Audi owner! 

[Secret Chimp]

Just bring a floor jack, get under the car, and have the guy spin the wheel he says has the bad joint with the car in neutral. If the noise is coming from one of the CV boots, there you go. If it's coming from a case, GTFO.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Just bring a floor jack, get under the car, and have the guy spin the wheel he says has the bad joint with the car in neutral. If the noise is coming from one of the CV boots, there you go. If it's coming from a case, GTFO.

You're a freaking genius and/or I'm retarded. I will do just that! 
But it will really suck lugging a jack around on the bus (I plan on taking a bus part of the way to pickup the car)

[Raza]

I don't know much about the Audi V8 Quattro, but up until recently, modern Audis, save S and RS models used three open differentials to transfer power from axle to axle and wheel to wheel.  I don't know if thing used to be different. 

[Laconian]

IIRC worn CV joints click while accelerating and turning?

[The Pirate]

Life's too short.  You should buy it.

[the Teuton]

IIRC worn CV joints click while accelerating and turning?

Before I replaced them in my car, they would only click during tighter corners.  Then, it got to the point where they were about to die when they clicked loudly, vibrated the whole front of the car and it didn't matter what I was doing or in what direction. 

Front-heavy cars like Audis and Subarus seem to go through CV axles pretty quickly.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I don't know much about the Audi V8 Quattro, but up until recently, modern Audis, save S and RS models used three open differentials to transfer power from axle to axle and wheel to wheel.  I don't know if thing used to be different. 

The seller told me there were three Torsen diffs, but upon further reading, I think it's more likely that just the center diff is a Torsen, while the front and rear are open.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Life's too short.  You should buy it.

I know.

[Eye of the Tiger]

FROM WIKIPEDIA!


quattro generation III

Used on Audi V8 starting from 1990.

What: Permanent all wheel drive

V8 with automatic transmission:

Planetary gear center with electronically-controlled multi-plate locking clutch

Torsen differential rear.

Open differential front.

V8 with manual transmission:

Torsen differential middle.

Torsen differential rear.

Open differential front.

How: The car will not be able to move if one front and both rear wheels lose traction. The Torsen effect with a front wheel raised in the air will not happen on V8 with automatic transmission. If the front axle loses traction the multi-plate clutch is automatically locked transferring up to 100% of torque to the rear axle.

[Secret Chimp]

Wikipedia also says that the Mercury Grand Marquis was first built in the 1980s. Don't trust that bullshit for car info...

[CALL_911]

Wikipedia also says that the Mercury Grand Marquis was first built in the 1980s. Don't trust that bullshit for car info...

The 1st gen was from the '80's...

[Secret Chimp]

The 1st gen was from the '80's...

Then how did I own one built in 1976?

[CALL_911]

Then how did I own one built in 1976?

Oh. I thought the '80's one was the 1st gen. My mistake.

[CALL_911]

Yeah, that's a good point. I just found out that the Grand Marquis was introduced in 1975. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Wikipedia also says that the Mercury Grand Marquis was first built in the 1980s. Don't trust that bullshit for car info...

It actually wasn't Grand until the 1975 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Marquis
says Grand was a trim back in the 70's, but in '83 it became part of the model name.