Should I buy a B5 A4?! - Page 2

Flying Frank · 19-05-15, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mellis46

It is this colour!! nice

My thoughts exactly Frank, really trying to go into this with my eyes open as its all about trying to *save* money!

Cheers for everyone's input!

I always have the same plan as you mention above.....but it never seems to quite work out that way.

ChrisG · 19-05-15, 10:59 AM

Paradise Green I think was the name of that colour, iirc. All the initial Avants that came into the country were that colour, corporate colour for the launch ! Think that was late summer 1996??

OK - to the car..... front suspension is notorious for wear and it's not worth replacing the odd arm as they are a pig to get off, even for the professionals, and you then need to do tracking ( if you do odd arms , each time !! ).
Do not buy these suspension parts from e bay etc.

The fact that Meyle etc do 'kits' of all the suspension bits says it all. Meyle or Lemforder from a recognised source/supplier, iirc the S4 guys often use allgermanparts.
Reckon on £350 for the bits .
Our (hers ) had them all replaced at 84k. (The same bits on B6s are much more susbstantial.)
Climate would have been £1k extra at that time.
You definitely need Vagcom ( or it's more modern equivalent VCDS ?) to run a list of fault codes .
Brakes are easy/cheap to do ( you can upgrade the fronts to 312mms ( from 288) with new carriers ( from the period cars that run 312 as stock , and use A6 discs).
I like ours ( sorry hers ) but it does have the 312mm brakes, quattro and 206 bhp !! )
These cars are regularly broken ( even S4s/RS4s) as they are worth more in parts.....so general items may be available cheaply.

Oh Slacky can't afford it ....... he's buying too many other bits at the moment

some of them I've already picked up and they are in one of my garages .

Mellis46 · 19-05-15, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisG

Paradise Green I think was the name of that colour, iirc. All the initial Avants that came into the country were that colour, corporate colour for the launch ! Think that was late summer 1996??

OK - to the car..... front suspension is notorious for wear and it's not worth replacing the odd arm as they are a pig to get off, even for the professionals, and you then need to do tracking ( if you do odd arms , each time !! ).
Do not buy these suspension parts from e bay etc.

The fact that Meyle etc do 'kits' of all the suspension bits says it all. Meyle or Lemforder from a recognised source/supplier, iirc the S4 guys often use allgermanparts.
Reckon on £350 for the bits .
Our (hers ) had them all replaced at 84k. (The same bits on B6s are much more susbstantial.)
Climate would have been £1k extra at that time.
You definitely need Vagcom ( or it's more modern equivalent VCDS ?) to run a list of fault codes .
Brakes are easy/cheap to do ( you can upgrade the fronts to 312mms ( from 288) with new carriers ( from the period cars that run 312 as stock , and use A6 discs).
I like ours ( sorry hers ) but it does have the 312mm brakes, quattro and 206 bhp !! )
These cars are regularly broken ( even S4s/RS4s) as they are worth more in parts.....so general items may be available cheaply.

Oh Slacky can't afford it ....... he's buying too many other bits at the moment

some of them I've already picked up and they are in one of my garages .

Spot on, thanks for this, arms me with some knowledge! Thanks

slacky · 19-05-15, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisG

Oh Slacky can't afford it ....... he's buying too many other bits at the moment

some of them I've already picked up and they are in one of my garages .

thanks Chris

triumph8 · 19-05-15, 12:10 PM

if you are interested i got a 1999 audi s4 in black with full audi/indepent service history its only done 81, 400 miles from new , i got all mot all servcie mot till march 2016, last years had new battery, new brake all round and discs, and yes CAMBELT, WATER PUMP AND TENSIONER , THEN ALL THE OTHER BELTS DONE AT SAME TIME,I DRIVEN HER FOR 9500 MILES AND DONE 5 OIL CHANGES WITHIN THAT TIME REASON I SELLING , DUE TO ILL HEALTH, NEED TO SELL CAR, CONTACT ME IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED PRICE £4,750.00

Mellis46 · 19-05-15, 12:11 PM

Bit rich for my blood, but sounds nice, GLWS

triumph8 · 19-05-15, 12:13 PM

If i know how to post photos i would

ChrisG · 19-05-15, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slacky

thanks Chris

hope your wife doesn't read this .........

ChrisG · 19-05-15, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triumph8

if you are interested i got a 1999 audi s4 in black with full audi/indepent service history its only done 81, 400 miles from new , i got all mot all servcie mot till march 2016, last years had new battery, new brake all round and discs, and yes CAMBELT, WATER PUMP AND TENSIONER , THEN ALL THE OTHER BELTS DONE AT SAME TIME,I DRIVEN HER FOR 9500 MILES AND DONE 5 OIL CHANGES WITHIN THAT TIME REASON I SELLING , DUE TO ILL HEALTH, NEED TO SELL CAR, CONTACT ME IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED PRICE £4,750.00

Hope you've put this ad on AudiSRS and 246.com

Mellis46 · 23-05-15, 10:27 AM

Bit up of an update, the A4 isn't the route into turbocharged quattro ownership I had hoped for but went to see it this morning did my best Mike Brewer and basically did the deal.

Its not quite there as a daily as above, 135,000 turned out to be 140,000 it also needs a passenger side mirror as the casing is cracked, back bumper is a bit scruffy and the drivers wing has the signs of rust bubling through. On the plus side I was pleased to see an LCD dash with all it's pixels even if the chimes dont appear to be working. It all nearly went pear shaped at one point as there was a big diesel leak after running it fir about 10 minutes, fortunately just a perished leak-off pipe! Finally it hasn't got it's original key, did the A4's have remote fobs on a 97 year?

Got to make some room at home so didn't bring it back with me so no pics yet, should be happening soon though so will keep you all updated

19-05-15, 10:59 AM	#12
ChrisG Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bracknell, Berks. Posts: 1,465	Paradise Green I think was the name of that colour, iirc. All the initial Avants that came into the country were that colour, corporate colour for the launch ! Think that was late summer 1996?? OK - to the car..... front suspension is notorious for wear and it's not worth replacing the odd arm as they are a pig to get off, even for the professionals, and you then need to do tracking ( if you do odd arms , each time !! ). Do not buy these suspension parts from e bay etc. The fact that Meyle etc do 'kits' of all the suspension bits says it all. Meyle or Lemforder from a recognised source/supplier, iirc the S4 guys often use allgermanparts. Reckon on £350 for the bits . Our (hers ) had them all replaced at 84k. (The same bits on B6s are much more susbstantial.) Climate would have been £1k extra at that time. You definitely need Vagcom ( or it's more modern equivalent VCDS ?) to run a list of fault codes . Brakes are easy/cheap to do ( you can upgrade the fronts to 312mms ( from 288) with new carriers ( from the period cars that run 312 as stock , and use A6 discs). I like ours ( sorry hers ) but it does have the 312mm brakes, quattro and 206 bhp !! ) These cars are regularly broken ( even S4s/RS4s) as they are worth more in parts.....so general items may be available cheaply. Oh Slacky can't afford it ....... he's buying too many other bits at the moment some of them I've already picked up and they are in one of my garages . Last edited by ChrisG; 19-05-15 at 11:05 AM.

19-05-15, 12:10 PM	#15
triumph8 Grown up member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 139	if you are interested i got a 1999 audi s4 in black with full audi/indepent service history its only done 81, 400 miles from new , i got all mot all servcie mot till march 2016, last years had new battery, new brake all round and discs, and yes CAMBELT, WATER PUMP AND TENSIONER , THEN ALL THE OTHER BELTS DONE AT SAME TIME,I DRIVEN HER FOR 9500 MILES AND DONE 5 OIL CHANGES WITHIN THAT TIME REASON I SELLING , DUE TO ILL HEALTH, NEED TO SELL CAR, CONTACT ME IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED PRICE £4,750.00

19-05-15, 12:11 PM	#16
Mellis46 Aero Advocate Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1,455	Bit rich for my blood, but sounds nice, GLWS

19-05-15, 12:13 PM	#17
triumph8 Grown up member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 139	If i know how to post photos i would

23-05-15, 10:27 AM	#20
Mellis46 Aero Advocate Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1,455	Bit up of an update, the A4 isn't the route into turbocharged quattro ownership I had hoped for but went to see it this morning did my best Mike Brewer and basically did the deal. Its not quite there as a daily as above, 135,000 turned out to be 140,000 it also needs a passenger side mirror as the casing is cracked, back bumper is a bit scruffy and the drivers wing has the signs of rust bubling through. On the plus side I was pleased to see an LCD dash with all it's pixels even if the chimes dont appear to be working. It all nearly went pear shaped at one point as there was a big diesel leak after running it fir about 10 minutes, fortunately just a perished leak-off pipe! Finally it hasn't got it's original key, did the A4's have remote fobs on a 97 year? Got to make some room at home so didn't bring it back with me so no pics yet, should be happening soon though so will keep you all updated