Audi B5 A4 avant

[quattrorunner]

Why am I so excited about this car?
I just bought it the other day for no good reason. I've always loved the avants and have kept my eye open for one with no turbo and manual transmission.
I never wanted the automatic and the 1.8t has me running away unless it has recent everything replaced.
I looked at this one and the stack of dealer service records and kind of needed it.
I bought it and from that point on I've been thinking about it.
I don't really even know what to do with it but have been wanting to add wheels, lower it add exhaust etc..
I think I'll leave it alone and give it to my daughter.
Am I alone or is this a great little car for almost no money!?

[SilberUrS6]

Skip the lowering, wheels, exhaust. This car can be a long-term tank if you want that, but you have to feed the car properly. The biggest problem with Audis of any stripe is that folks blanch at the required maintenance and repair costs, and put them off. Then stuff snowballs, because these cars do not like deferred maintenance. Adding aftermarket crap to them will not help. You won't get much performance out of the mods you propose, and it will cost money better spent in keeping the car fresh with fluids, rubber and suspension parts. As an owner of Audis for the last 25 years, I can tell you that the sure path to hating the car is to do a bunch of mods to it before you know all the stuff the previous owner didn't do. Drive it for a while. Drive it a year or so, and sort it completely out. Then do mods. If you're going to give it to your daughter, make sure she has a ready supply of cash to maintain and repair it. It's not a Japanese car that you can run into the ground.

[quattrorunner]

Originally Posted by SilberUrS6

Skip the lowering, wheels, exhaust. This car can be a long-term tank if you want that, but you have to feed the car properly.

That's what I meant when I said I'd leave it alone and give it to my daughter.
This car has a long history with the dealer which is great. I won't continue this but I will continue to treat it right.
Are you saying it's a money pit? I tried to avoid that with the manual trans and v6.
My intentions are to keep good tires on it, keep it roadworthy and hope it goes another 10 years.

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by quattrorunner

Are you saying it's a money pit?

It can be, if you let stuff slide. I have had good luck with mine, but I'm kind of crazy about following the recommended maintenance intervals to the letter.

[quattrorunner]

I would definitely do that.
I have had lots of Audi history as well but quit Audi for a few years when I got bit by the 2.7t allroad. That was a scary maintenance mess.

[fanaudical]

Nice find! I wouldn't mod it - I'd keep it stock and keep up with the maintenance.

[Otter74]

I've not driven a B5 but I drove a B6 and it was such a nice car to drive! Perfect for the long trips that make up most of the driving on my normal car. But I have to keep talking myself out of replacing my Japanese sedan with a used German car! Looking at finds like this isn't helping....

[DerkPerk]

Originally Posted by fanaudical

Nice find! I wouldn't mod it - I'd keep it stock and keep up with the maintenance.

No reason to not make it look like your own. You can still do maintenance.
Ditch the ugly wheels and make it sound sweet. Awesome avant!