Faults:

Vacuum assist pump started knocking 2 days after I bought it.

Roof lining fell.

Air conditioner compressor bearings are noisy as of last summer.

Central locking has decided not to work every now and then for the last couple of months.

General Comments:

The car is front wheel drive and can suffer understeer when pushed, but that may be my enthusiastic driving. All in all, it handles well and is a pleasure to drive at any speed.

The 5 cylinder sounds great when pushed. The performance is good considering the weight of the car and the size of the motor. It keeps up with the local products pretty well.

Reliable and comfortable, well made and durable.

Would loved to have owned one from new.

Have been grateful to own such a nice, safe and reliable car. Now that I need a larger car, I will be moving to a larger Audi.

I have heard it said that if you can't afford a new Audi, then you can't afford an old one. I have had this car for six years, and it hasn't cost any more to maintain than any of my previous vehicles.

And if you want to do your own oil changes, you'll be happy to find that the oil filter is straight up and down, so it won't spill all over your engine and driveway.

Faults:

Break reservoir bayonet seal leaked ($20 fix).

Intermediate muffler corroded and needed replaced (whole system $500).

Moulded plastic tube at top of radiator that main hose clamps onto sheared off. Entire radiator replaced ($500).

Heater core leaked inside ventilation ducting - expensive to repair as required most of dash to be removed to access core ($800).

CV boots cracked and had to be replaced ($200).

Front factory oil-filled shock absorbers were apparently badly worn - still not convinced it was a problem, however new air-filled shocks are vastly superior and the handling is much improved. ($1200)

Felt material on doors has come unstuck and has proven a messy job to fix, the foam backing is crumbling and very sticky. However it's a repair I can easily do myself.

General Comments:

The car feels very sturdy, and the 2 litre engine is reasonably powerful for one of this vintage.

The factory fitted oil-filled shocks give a poor ride quality over rough roads, however after they were replaced with new air-filled shocks, the ride and handling were vastly improved. The interior is a mix of black and very dark greys - overall it is quite stylish.

My Audi 80 was in excellent condition when I purchased it and obviously well looked after. It had only 66k on the clock, and was literally close to new condition despite being 16 years old at the time.

Although I would consider the car quite reliable and I have never had it let me down in traffic, there have been several age related problems that have kept my mechanic busy (as described in the fault section of this review).

Purchased this Audi 80 four cylinder despite a preference for the 6 cylinder 1994 version - I had heard too many stories of problems with 6 to take the risk. I certainly don't regret my decision.

Faults:

Valve oil stem seals, oil cooler (fitted above oil filter). this lets oil into water system.

Door and roof liner falling off.

General Comments:

This is the best car I have owned. cleaned up it looks good and not dated at all. It uses the 1st generation fuel injection system, not needing a computer so is very cheap and easy to maintain.

From service history I have obtained it is on its 1st clutch. Galvanised body, not a spot of rust. Have installed momo gear and steering kit. Very nice to drive, I prefer this car to my wifes BMW 318is.