Audi Quattro as a daily driver
Discussion
I am seriously thinking of getting rid of my '06 Audi A6 for a 1990 Quattro. My weekly mileage is fairly low - the car spends a lot of the week on a drive. I either cycle to the local station or, if I am working away, drive and leave the car overnight. However it is fair to say that every now and again I need something that is capable of doing big miles.
i have adored the Quattro since it began production but have never got close to a decent one. I have such a car in my sights at the moment and I have to say it is very tempting. The problem is that I have too many cars already so one has to go before another joins the fleet. I have an Austin Healey 3000 but it is firmly a fair weather car and so is effectively hibernating for the next few months. I have always admired people who uses a classic as a daily driver and this is my chance to join that hardy bunch. However, and on the other hand, the A6 is extremely comfortable and dependable and it feels a big deal to get rid of it for a 20 year car - albeit (in my opinion) a very handsome one. Thus my dilemma!
Can anyone give me any guidance? Will I find the Quattro a decent car to live with e.g. reliable if it has to sit overnight in car parks in the winter and stil practical for the odd long journey? Any views and experience very welcome. I suspect I am just losing my resolve slightly here so please feel free to give me a robust view one way or the other as to whether I should go for this.
Thanks
Busted
PS I ought to add that Mrs Mattress is completely behind the move - "Whatever keeps you happy dear" - sort of thing. So the world is really my lobster on this one!
i have adored the Quattro since it began production but have never got close to a decent one. I have such a car in my sights at the moment and I have to say it is very tempting. The problem is that I have too many cars already so one has to go before another joins the fleet. I have an Austin Healey 3000 but it is firmly a fair weather car and so is effectively hibernating for the next few months. I have always admired people who uses a classic as a daily driver and this is my chance to join that hardy bunch. However, and on the other hand, the A6 is extremely comfortable and dependable and it feels a big deal to get rid of it for a 20 year car - albeit (in my opinion) a very handsome one. Thus my dilemma!
Can anyone give me any guidance? Will I find the Quattro a decent car to live with e.g. reliable if it has to sit overnight in car parks in the winter and stil practical for the odd long journey? Any views and experience very welcome. I suspect I am just losing my resolve slightly here so please feel free to give me a robust view one way or the other as to whether I should go for this.
Thanks
Busted
PS I ought to add that Mrs Mattress is completely behind the move - "Whatever keeps you happy dear" - sort of thing. So the world is really my lobster on this one!
I had one a few years ago.
Used it as a daily driver and to this day I regret selling it.
Mine was, supposedly, the third one imported into the UK.
All I know for sure is that it had a few plastic panels, LHD and huge turbo lag!
When I got it I had a specialist make it run right, if I remember correctly the injection system needs specialist knowledge to 'make it work right'.
A lot of the parts are from the Audi Coupe and if you get friendly with your local Audi parts man it will save a lot of money on parts!
Down side - the back seats are a bit small, the boot is very small and you will drive it a lot more than you, now, intend too!
When you get used to the turbo lag it is a easy car to drive and silly fast.
It does take a while to get used to, you have to get used to going into a corner and planting the throttle before the corner.
In the corner the turbo will kick in and the grip will pull you though the corner at a speed that will make you want to do it again and again and again etc.!
Used it as a daily driver and to this day I regret selling it.
Mine was, supposedly, the third one imported into the UK.
All I know for sure is that it had a few plastic panels, LHD and huge turbo lag!
When I got it I had a specialist make it run right, if I remember correctly the injection system needs specialist knowledge to 'make it work right'.
A lot of the parts are from the Audi Coupe and if you get friendly with your local Audi parts man it will save a lot of money on parts!
Down side - the back seats are a bit small, the boot is very small and you will drive it a lot more than you, now, intend too!
When you get used to the turbo lag it is a easy car to drive and silly fast.
It does take a while to get used to, you have to get used to going into a corner and planting the throttle before the corner.
In the corner the turbo will kick in and the grip will pull you though the corner at a speed that will make you want to do it again and again and again etc.!
I say go for it! What's the worst that can happen? You don't like it or you find the quattro isn't as reliable as you hoped (can't imagine it of course but say it happens) - it will not have lost value so you could simply sell it on and scratch another car itch.
Seriously - go for it. You only live once.
(I'm doing just shy of 4,000 miles a month in a 1990 325i touring and the old girl is coping with it admirably although I can't help feel I'm slowly killing her - I'm dying to get a newer car to give her a rest. My point is that she's returning 29.6mpg average and much of my maintenance costs (£700 in two months) has been preventative rather than reactive to a breakdown). And every journey is an event.
Go for it chap!
Seriously - go for it. You only live once.
(I'm doing just shy of 4,000 miles a month in a 1990 325i touring and the old girl is coping with it admirably although I can't help feel I'm slowly killing her - I'm dying to get a newer car to give her a rest. My point is that she's returning 29.6mpg average and much of my maintenance costs (£700 in two months) has been preventative rather than reactive to a breakdown). And every journey is an event.
Go for it chap!
Get the latest model UR quattro you can afford with the 20 vale engine. beware of electrical problems, particularly the LED dash. Body is galvanised of the later cars which should help, providing there is no accident, however biggest problem, which is why I stopped using mine, is that Audi stopped producing spares for the ur quattro about five or six years ago, I had problems finding things like switches that had worn out.
Engine wise the situation should not be quite so bad with the 20v engine as it remained in production after 1990 in other models.
Engine wise the situation should not be quite so bad with the 20v engine as it remained in production after 1990 in other models.
I have a 20 valve Ur Quattro which has only done 43,000 miles - but with the spares situation I wouldn't use it as a daily driver. In New Zealand my brother has an early '81 LHD quad head lamp quattro (70,000 miles) - but again it's a high days & holidays machine. In terms of running costs they're comparable to a Porsche - so there's nothing remotely budget about them. A nice classic - but with Audi abandoning them, not the most sensible choice for a daily driver.
wildoliver said:
the earlier "quattro" type 85 B2 type coupe (ashes to ashes type).
If the above, take some sensible advice, from a not-sensible person (I have two of them). Don't do it, not as a daily drive. The frustrating thing is that they make a fantastic daily drive. But Audi barely support them, and parts are a nightmare. I'm forming a theory that Audi don't like them because they make their current output seem dull.Yertis said:
wildoliver said:
the earlier "quattro" type 85 B2 type coupe (ashes to ashes type).
If the above, take some sensible advice, from a not-sensible person (I have two of them). Don't do it, not as a daily drive. The frustrating thing is that they make a fantastic daily drive. But Audi barely support them, and parts are a nightmare. I'm forming a theory that Audi don't like them because they make their current output seem dull.
aeropilot said:
Yertis said:
wildoliver said:
the earlier "quattro" type 85 B2 type coupe (ashes to ashes type).
If the above, take some sensible advice, from a not-sensible person (I have two of them). Don't do it, not as a daily drive. The frustrating thing is that they make a fantastic daily drive. But Audi barely support them, and parts are a nightmare. I'm forming a theory that Audi don't like them because they make their current output seem dull.I had a 1983 WR URQ for 19 years, it was exceptionally reliable and safe, a touch complex and difficult to sort out should you be unlucky. I had mine chipped and slight lowered via HR springs. There was turbo lag as a 10 valve singing engine, however I treated it a motorbike throttle via pedal and that pedal tickle helped turbo spin up. I had very little lag after 2300 rpm and at 3k it really was off. There was a glass sunroof installed by others and that helped cool it in summer. Had slight regrets about selling but also have good RS2 for modest use as well, in URQ I did close to 100k miles, business and private, at 170k it had never had head off in my ownership, used no oil and was an excellent piece of kit. However it would be unfair as a daily driver now. Parts are pricey and difficult so be careful but as a car ACE every time.
My RS2 use is restricted to sensible journey but that performance is something else courtesy of Porsche engineering covering an Audi bodyshell. Hopet his helps.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/6.gif
Keith
I am dragging this one up from last year - after 12 months of dithering I am going to go for it and get myself a Quattro as a daily driver. Thank you everyone for the advice by the way.
This works for a variety of reasons - I have changed job and my new place will provide a daily driver for Mrs Mattress. My annual mileage is pretty low. My other car - an Austin Healey 3000 - is about to go for its winter nap, and moreover my A6 needs to be changed and I cannot for the life of me find a single modern car I can get excited about apart from the Maserati Quattroporte. The problem with those is they are crippingly expensive with hideous depreciation to boot. Lovely car though.
So, I think I have found a contender to buy but do not trust my judgment on a 20 year old car. Does anyone know of any Quattro specialists, clubs, etc that I could contact to do an inspection, in or around my area - right on the Staffordshire/Cheshire/Shropshire border.
Thanks
Busted
PS I am kicking myself - earlier in the year I showed the Healey in the village fete local to my parents in Draycott. Parked next to me was a mint Quattro and I got chatting to its owner, who was heavily into the Quattro scene by the sound of things and local in Stoke-on-Trent. Why I never took his details I don't know.
This works for a variety of reasons - I have changed job and my new place will provide a daily driver for Mrs Mattress. My annual mileage is pretty low. My other car - an Austin Healey 3000 - is about to go for its winter nap, and moreover my A6 needs to be changed and I cannot for the life of me find a single modern car I can get excited about apart from the Maserati Quattroporte. The problem with those is they are crippingly expensive with hideous depreciation to boot. Lovely car though.
So, I think I have found a contender to buy but do not trust my judgment on a 20 year old car. Does anyone know of any Quattro specialists, clubs, etc that I could contact to do an inspection, in or around my area - right on the Staffordshire/Cheshire/Shropshire border.
Thanks
Busted
PS I am kicking myself - earlier in the year I showed the Healey in the village fete local to my parents in Draycott. Parked next to me was a mint Quattro and I got chatting to its owner, who was heavily into the Quattro scene by the sound of things and local in Stoke-on-Trent. Why I never took his details I don't know.
Hi Busted,
Try Phil Payne for your inspection :-
http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quattro/
My advice is if you are using as a daily driver over winter make sure it has been well treated underneath before the salt goes down. Also, is it going to be kept outside?
My Ur quattro is currently stripped for bodywork restoration. Beware, not all of the models or all their body parts were galvanised. Rumour has it (as they were effectively 'hand built') that only some cars, and then only some panels were treated.
Good luck and enjoy it! I miss not having mine up and running.
Cheers
Paul.
Try Phil Payne for your inspection :-
http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quattro/
My advice is if you are using as a daily driver over winter make sure it has been well treated underneath before the salt goes down. Also, is it going to be kept outside?
My Ur quattro is currently stripped for bodywork restoration. Beware, not all of the models or all their body parts were galvanised. Rumour has it (as they were effectively 'hand built') that only some cars, and then only some panels were treated.
Good luck and enjoy it! I miss not having mine up and running.
Cheers
Paul.
Paul
That is great thanks. I was chewing the garage thing over. The long and the short of it is that I can make space in the garage, by way of turfing the children's Polo permanently outside. Will having the car under cover make a real difference? If so then that is what I will do. Thanks for the info on the underside. Having announced by decision to Mrs Mattress she is smiling indulgently which I have taken as a yes, so need to start getting organised.
Something that occurred to me this afternoon. Higher up on the thread from last year, someone mentioned that parts can be obtained readily enough if I was not over bothered about originality. I read this to mean parts from an Audi main dealer. Is this right? Also, for servicing and simple fixes is an Audi main dealer equipped or interested in Quattros, or do the get sniffy? I am only thinking practically and have no desire to give my local Audi any more money than I already have over the years (by the way they quoted by £440 for a new battery and rear light lense for my A6 - £440!!! I politely refused). I suspect the nearest specialist will be many miles away so if a main dealer is an option it is at least pretty close.
Thanks
BM
That is great thanks. I was chewing the garage thing over. The long and the short of it is that I can make space in the garage, by way of turfing the children's Polo permanently outside. Will having the car under cover make a real difference? If so then that is what I will do. Thanks for the info on the underside. Having announced by decision to Mrs Mattress she is smiling indulgently which I have taken as a yes, so need to start getting organised.
Something that occurred to me this afternoon. Higher up on the thread from last year, someone mentioned that parts can be obtained readily enough if I was not over bothered about originality. I read this to mean parts from an Audi main dealer. Is this right? Also, for servicing and simple fixes is an Audi main dealer equipped or interested in Quattros, or do the get sniffy? I am only thinking practically and have no desire to give my local Audi any more money than I already have over the years (by the way they quoted by £440 for a new battery and rear light lense for my A6 - £440!!! I politely refused). I suspect the nearest specialist will be many miles away so if a main dealer is an option it is at least pretty close.
Thanks
BM
Can be done as I did with my BMW E30 M3. Was daily driven and lived outside 365. Problem was old cars like this don't much like that and the rust soon started. Basically,the winters killed the car in the end and I had to stop using it. The good news is I still have, the bad new is its stripped down to every last nut and bolt awaiting restoration.
If you go for it, then take great care in winter to protect it. I would get every inch protected with a Wax Oil or similar/better product in every area possible.
If you go for it, then take great care in winter to protect it. I would get every inch protected with a Wax Oil or similar/better product in every area possible.
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