1990 Audi V8 Quattro V8 from North America

Summary:

A dream come true car!

Faults:

The Bose stereo went intermittent.

Often stalls when put into reverse.Have not found out why.

This car has had no breakdowns and still runs like swiss clock at 202,000km.

General Comments:

This car is the best handling and most comfortable car I have ever owned!!

On the highway @ 120 km, it still only uses 7.8 liters for 100km!!

Never use a low octane fuel, it performs much better and gets more miles per gallon with high octane gas.

Once you have owned this car, you find yourself comparing all other cars to this one as it has now become the standard.

It corners and handles like a sports car no matter if the road is dry or wet and when I found out that it weighs 4,000 lbs I could not believe it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th August, 2004

1990 Audi V8 Quattro 3.6 Litre V8 from North America

Summary:

A German bullet train with character to spare

Faults:

Water Pump seized at 107k miles stripping 14 teeth off the timing belt.

Check engine light on. Diagnostics indicates oxygen sensor.

Speedometer & tachometer have a life of their own.

Driver seat bum warmer not working.

General Comments:

I had the 90k mile service performed right after acquiring the car at a local independent Audi shop. Basically amounted to a tune up, oil change, and new oxygen sensor. Cost was $400.00. I figured that was fairly reasonable. I had them check the condition of the timing belt, which showed fairly new. Records indicate that it was changed at 70k miles.

Water pump seized while driving along about 30 mph, at about 2200 rpm. Haven't really had a chance to check damage to valves; hoping not a whole lot of damage.

I miss my Audi. It's been sitting in the garage for about 5 months now - don't really have the money to fix it at this time.

An incredible car to drive. Yes, around town acceleration is somewhat sluggish, but definitely comes into its own out on the open road. Have had the cruise set at 125 mph for about 20 miles. Wonderful, secure feeling. Garnered a lot of dirty looks from other drivers, but oh well...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd July, 2004

28th Nov 2004, 07:24

Valves will be bad! This is high compression, low valve clearance engine! Repairing this all aluminum motor is not for the faint of heart! You will need a serious bank roll and a VERY GOOD engine re-builder.

Btobsharpe@yahoo.com.

11th Jul 2008, 13:21

The previous comment is wrong on this engine, the block is actually cast iron :) Which adds serious durability bottom ends of these motors. This repair of the broken timing belt should just be standard. Guaranteed you will have bent valves, the big problem is if the pistons got punctured. Your best solution is usually to just have a used motor put in rather than try to correct this madness. Plus you can replace all gaskets and the timing belt with the motor on a stand which is much easier and less time consuming. You'll essentially have a new motor at this point and much less maintenance down the road. I've even seen people dropping the 4.2 v8 from the a8 and s8 in, I don't know if this requires a transmission change as well though.

1st Sep 2010, 03:39

The problem with the timing belt might have been caused by the water pump, because it may not have been replaced together with the belt. On Audis, VWs and so on, it is a safe practice, and generally recommended, always to substitute the water pump together with the timing belt!

Bye.

25th Mar 2015, 20:33

I have owned this fabulous car since its birth.

1990 V-8 Quattro. 48,000 sticker price. A born classic and Audi's 1st super car! Very few around! The car is a limited edition as you know.

At 75,000 miles, I had the fuel pump replaced due to limited driving of the car! Solely to keep as the classic it was born to be!

Mc