1986 Audi 4000 CS Quattro from North America - Comments

I have owned two of these now. Keep the first one for a parts car. It's nail in the coffin was the CIS Fuel Distributor.

Headlight switch burned out.

Dash light burned out.

Headlight socket melted.

Cracked vacuum lines all over.

Alternator failed at 230k miles.

Fuel Pump went at 232k miles.

This car is based on the late 70's early 80's Rally cars that won the European 1st place overall races 3 years in a row. The Audi AWD (Quattro) system is to this day revolutionary, and after racing against cars well above it's class for 3 years and brining home the 1st place every time, Quattro was banned from the European Rally races as an "Unfair Advantage".

I'll take all the Unfair Advantage I can get! Bottom line, other than the super rare and pricey Audi Quattro Coupe, the 4000 Quattro is as close as you get to the real Rally car. Very light at a mere 2800lbs, it has a short ratio 5speed tranny which gives it a lot more git-up and go than one would expect from a 115hp, 136tq engine. The engine is known in the Audi circles as bulletproof. The lower end is said to be stung enough to handle up to 600HP, and people have (after some serious mods) taken the stock 10V engine to 300HP.

The interior is pretty basic by today's standards. It was nice in the 80's when leather on the seats, doors panels and the steering wheel were a cool thing. The controls are pretty easy to find and do what you expect. The most annoying thing is that the car was not offered with intermittent windshield wipers. You have 3 speeds to chose from, that's it!

On the outside the car looks sort of cool and in a way classy. 2 of the biggest problems is the clear coat that Audi used to spray over the paint. On both cars I have had the problem only on the doors, the hood and fenders are not effected. When damaged, it starts to peel and over time becomes very ugly. The other major beef is the lighting. The headlights on the US model plain out suck! The Euro models have a semi-projected beam that can actually make light at night. The US model scatters the light and as a result long distance visibility can only be attained with a pair of Rally-looking KC lights mounted on the bumper.

The car is what one would call an electrical nightmare! For whatever reason, Audi did not use heavy enough gauge wire in a few places and the common area of failure is in the headlights. Heat created by the resistance of lightweight wire and low capacity circuits causes the headlight switch to melt about every 10 years. Headlight sockets too melt down over time.

Reliability-wise the car is very basic so there is little to break. They are very solid and go for ever. My first car was dubbed "The Unstoppable Audi", for all the abuse and hell it went though delivering Pizza for while, being raced on gravel roads, taking jumps over railroad tracks etc... The drive train on these cars is absolutely bullet-proof. Both engine and tranny can handle well over 3 times the power that is in the car.

One thing that does suck is that when something does break, expect to pay 2-3 times as much for it as you would think. 4 calipers with pads cost me $1000, the fuel distributor that went TU on my first car runs about $1500 from the dealer. Fuel pump cost $300, ended up with an aftermarket one for $190. Parts are not cheap! Work is even worse. Unless you find a mechanic that knows and loves this car, you are going to pay an arm and a leg for some guy to learn the backward ways of Audi.

All that being said, it is an awesome handling and performing car! I hope to turn my second one into a Rally racer with the Oregon SCCA rally club!

I just wanted to say that these cars are NOT expensive to fix. The original author didn't try junkyards for parts. That is where you can get good deals. And working on these cars yourself is SUPER EASY. Audi has created a very easy car to work on.

I'm not sure what the author is talking about for brakes. I bought brand new Brembo rotors and pads for about $150.

He said Calipers, Calipers run about $200 each.

And I wish junk yards around me had audis in them, I rarely see anything close to what I need.

I also have a 1987 4000 Quattro CS. Mine is also bomb-proof. Even though the odometer stopped at 164,499 miles, the car has well over 200k and still running strong. Unbeatable. And super fun to drive!

I Have a 1986 4000 Quattro CS I got for my second car and just about love it to death it takes any thing I throw at it. But my lights did go out once, but it was fairly cheap just a couple of light bulbs. The power is just perfect for my, but I think I could use a little more anyone else.

There's a lot of things that weren't mentioned in the previous comments, so I thought it would be good to add some of my own. The 4000cs quattro is in my opinion the greatest car on ever. It is the best preforming car for your dollar, without question. It is a beast in the snow, and can out-perform any other car. Dirt roads are fun too. The car really is a rally car for the everyday person.

I've found them to be incredibly reliable as well. Parts can be found for reasonable prices, and the community of 4000 owners is both helpful and very knowledgeable. The paint and body of the cars is far more durable and resistant to rust, compared to other cars from that period.

As aforementioned, the US lights are weak. I highly recommend the eurolight upgrade. They look way nicer, and work better than the KC or Hella rally spot lamps. The interior is very simple, but I'm usually too busy enjoying the driving experience to notice.

I currently own 3 of these cars, and have retired 2 others for parts.

I own an '87 4000 cs quattro. It has been one of the best cars I have owned, and 90% of all my cars have been Audi and VW. The car did have some minor issues I had to fix after driving it for a while.

Yes... The headlight switch melted and it was $167 at the VW parts store for a new one. I noticed bad sockets for the headlight bulbs caused the switch problem. After fixing the sockets I replaced the bulbs with xenon 90w/110w which help me see a much wider range.

The front suspension is about to get revamped with new control arm bushings and struts which can all be done at my house.

One thing I would recommend is Lucas Oil Stabilizer and Lucas Fuel Injector Cleaner/Stabilizer. The fuel additive will save the fuel pump and relay. The oil stabilizer makes the engine run smoother and longer while the product is pure petroleum and drains out every oil change... Everyone I know runs this stuff at least through winter.

My friend has a GT coupe with the same engine 2.2L 5cyl. with over 410,000 on the car and the original engine, fuel pump, and wheel bearings. My cars Odo stopped at 154,000 about 3 years ago, it still has original cylinder compression and runs great. All around I love this car and will buy it (4000 cs) again, and again. Everyone should try local junkyards or used parts resellers for parts. Remember almost every part is interchangeable in between at least a few Audi and VW models.

You may eventually need a breather elbow on top of the valve cover. When this gets a crack in it your car won't run or idle. Problem is the part is not available as most other parts you can buy new. This one I got from a local VW yard, off of a 5 cyl. motor.

Good Luck everybody with your Audi's!

It's Sept 2009, I've had my 86 Audi 4000 CS Quattro for over 5 years. This thing is very reliable. You gotta do the scheduled maintenance though - as with any car. Don't ignore timing belts.

That being said - beyond normal maintenance - the car does not miss a beat. It handles very well - unbelievable in heavy rain and snow. It's comfortable. I see all these new cars I want to buy - but this one pulls so few dollars out of my wallet - I think I'll keep it.

The sheet metal is thick - hard to dent. The paint is high quality - with clay and polish - a 20+ year car will look great.

Parts? Lots of places online have them - dig around. Consider taking the car to a mechanic who knows Audi. They charge about $10 an hour more - but it's worth it.

If you are lucky enough to see these cars advertised - run - do not walk - if it's in good condition and maintained.

I would not let mine go for under $2,500 - what would I replace it with? Nothing close at that $.

Cheers!