1990 Audi V8 Quattro review from North America
"A velvet hammer. If you hate compromise, you'll love this car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The car sprung a hydraulic leak once in 1998, which an aircraft mechanic at the local air-strip was able to fix. He even had the correct hydraulic fluid for it!
The battery died when I left the car with lights & blinkers on & engine off for 30 minutes 2 years ago. Turned out the battery was 10 years old. I replaced it and no more problem.
In 80k miles of very "spirited" driving, that is the sum total of non-scheduled maintenance.
Regular maintenance is as expensive as it gets. I must have spent $5000 when I first got the car between shocks, timing belts, and synthetic fluids all around, but the payoff has been well worth it.
Two gripes:
1. The defroster is pretty weak, esp. for a car with a pass-through ski-bag, seat-warmers, and 4-wheel drive!
2. The early electronics are annoying. Warning beeps when the windshield washer is running low and break-wear indicators that exaggerate.
General comments?
It takes some getting used to a V8 tuned like a small engine (all top end) but the rewards are plentiful when the revs get past 3500. At lower speeds, such as in town, it is comparatively ponderous, but with a chip & an air filter it will pass 150mph without even breathing hard.
The quattro encourages sporty driving. When it slips, you just accelerate!
The interior is a 10, from the seats to the phone & sound system. So much speed, so well appointed. Compares favorably with cars 5 years newer. Its middle name is "road-trip", esp. with its 22.5g tank!
Equally at home opening night at the opera and spending Christmas skiing.
Recommended reviews
| An awesome car, but you better know how to use tools, or make a lot of money |
|
| 1990 - V8 Quattro 3.6 litre 32 valve V8 Fast, gorgeous, luxurious, but not for the faint-of-wallet |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.6L DOHC V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 50000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 130000 miles |
| Previous car | Audi 5000 |
| Date of Entry | 9th April, 2002 |