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The special tool for the rear brakes can be rented from autozone, and you don't HAVE to have it, it just makes the job easier. FWIW, most VW/Audi's use the same rear brake caliper style.
The timing belt needs to be replaced by 60k miles (not 90 as the manual states). Synthetic oil and a larger oil filter is a must for a turbo model. Control arms and tie rods usually need replacement around 70k miles. The 2.8 is generally considered to be a bit more reliable than the 1.8T; however there is not as much potential HP if you are into the tuning thing. I have a 1.8T quattro and LOVE it. I added a chip that gave me enough extra power to keep away from most common cars on the road for about $200. The bottom end of the 1.8T is supposedly good for over 350 HP. I have had about $600 in maintenance in the last 10 months of ownership (my own labor not included). Although, I bought it with two problems that I knew of, so I factored that into the purchase. If you don't like working on cars and doing your own maintenance, then an aftermarket warranty would be a good idea. I have found though that they are very well put together and pretty easy to work on. I have replaced the turbo on mine (one of the initial problems), and it only took me about 4 hours total. So far, I'm very happy with mine. It requires more tender loving care than an Asian car, but it has a lot more personality and you don't see one in front of every house.
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1981 SC ROW Coupe
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