1993 Audi 80 16V from UK and Ireland - Comments

The bushes on the front wish bone suspension needed replacing. The car pinks very badly when the car is accelerating and when running hot. It has now developed an annoying whistle when accelerating.

Quite possibly the most uncomfortable car I have owned. Looks wise, hasn't dated that badly and as expected the body work is excellent, but the paint is fading in parts (don't buy a red one). Performance is adequate, but expect to be embarrassed on twisty roads, but makes up for it on the motorways, got me from Liverpool to London in 3&1/4 hours. Engine is a bit harsh at speed added to the hard ride it's hard work driving the car on long distances. Boot space is poor for an estate, but overall leg room is good even for passengers. Overall not impressed so far, I expected a lot more, had the car for 4 months now and looking to change it. Very low miles for year, the guy who had it before me was a hermit, so anyone interested?

Can you tell me why the audi whistles when you hit the gas and stops when you take your foot off?

Your car will soon be braking down!! My 16v has the same problems it would pink under 3/4 to full throttle. I was 180 miles away from home when thecar died. The fuel injection unit is faulty. Irregular pressure is causing the problems then it will just die. I was quoted £915 to have the mixture controller unit changed and that was with second hand parts!!! SELL IT QUICK!!!

If the paint is fading, I think your car is "suspect" as to where "it has been"...in other words, what its life has been. You have little enough sun in UK compared with Australia. I recently looked at a 1994 model with 274000Km on the clock and the paint was original and unfaded. A wipe of my hand on the paint where slightly dull produced no residue, but the paint shone. After 274000 in the Aussie sun, this car would be faded. If that is a defect in the paint choice by Audi. As it didn't, it is someone else's paint on your car (I think).

Some Audi fade a little on the spoiler, but if the paint used doesn't fade here it shouldn't fade there. In France weather all cars get a sort of scum on the paint, different from fading, so perhaps in UK too.

My first thought was that you have one that has been resprayed because acrylics do fade.

In closing, I don't think I'd want an auto in this car, but the one I looked at was a V6 manual and a very good driving car, quite fast (not like my SAAB 2.3 Turbo) but would suit most drivers who like a car that will go when asked to go. That car had Eibach suspension, and even though the tyres were ok tread, obviously were old yet the car handles well. It was a 2wd.

Tyres should be changed every couple of years (in my view) as they harden with use and become less effective. Well some do; some are "less effective" from the outset. Brake fluid should be flushed each year. Cars respond to good servicing, but sadly, many of the more expensive cars bought over here were bought by people who wanted the car but malreated it or didn't have it serviced owing to the expense (on top of hire purchase and insurance). So many of the rundown expensive cars in my exerience came from the "wealthy" areas around the Eastern Suburbs.

With any car (including Audi) if you loved it because it had "always" been garaged (clearly it wasn't "always;" otherwise it would have no kms on it)then continue to give it that life because you will see it go downhill fast by comparison. On the other hand, the Audi metal galvanising is a huge asset when the car is used in the wet and parked on kerb shoulders. Even so, cleaning door and sill and under bonnet and boot drains, if at all blocked, with a plastic spatula is a good idea in contributing.

The Audi does have a much more timeless look than most of the junk produced, which looks ugly at the outset, or ugly a couple of years later and they are galvanised, so Audi did have some ideas correct.

A few didn't stand the test of time with steering, but then there are a lot of people who turn the wheels while the car is static, whenever they park or are leaving from "Park" for example. The strain on the components is much higher than driving a car properly, and unfortunately power stearing makes the abuse easy and hides the feeling of the stress. The results are early drive gear and power steering damage. Cheers.