Cool thanks for the clarification. My rocks back and fourth maybe a a half inch at most.

 

Regarding the shifter rocking, engine and transmission mounts don't seem to be nearly as problematic as worn snub mounts. Since the snub is what controls the amount of fore/aft rock of the engine, I'd look at that as a likely source as well.

With the hood open, car running, have someone rev the engine. If you see more than a little fore/aft rock in the engine when your friend revs and lets off, replace the snub mount. OEM is less than $7, and APR is around $59 for a urethane snub.

 

Thanks for all the feed back guys!! I feel more prepared and alittle more knowledgeable. I definately don't want to rush anything but in the same, I need a car before winter hits.

If you guys see something in the PA area please let me know.

Good info on the mounts!!

 

On that note, don't go with the one in the most recent link you posted, the burgundy one with all the stuff done to it. I noticed its a FWD, if you have to deal with winter, don't settle for anything less than Quattro.

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't notice that. He has it listed as quattro....How can you tell the differance without driving it? Are the quattro's badge as such? Yeah, if it's fwd then I deffinately don't want that one.

 

Theres one on the grill, trunk, and inside on the passenger side interior trim above the glove compartment unless they an aftermarket grill and it was debadged they would be there. The carfax should tell you also

 

Snub mount is also an engine mount. Hence why I said 3 engine mounts. All 3 engine mounts go, though you are right in that the snub mount is usually the first thing to replace.

 

IMO still probably too much. Definitely replace the snub mount and thoroughly inspect all of your other mounts. The other engine mounts appear to be liquid filled because they seem to leak some crap when they go bad, which you should be able to see on the bottom of them. The transmission mounts need to be removed to be fully inspected but that's not a difficult job.

Honestly, I couldn't tell you how much movement these cars had when new because I just got mine recently at high mileage, but I can tell you that 1/2" is still a ridiculous amount of movement. My last car was a 6 speed Camaro Z28 and let me tell you, that thing had way more torque than my A4, and yet when I punched it hard, I couldn't feel the shifter move even slightly. And that was on all stock mounts with near 100k miles on them.

 

To the OP, definately look for quattro. Too bad that first one got away. I checked that link, and it was actually a 99.5 (facelift).

I bought mine for 4500 with 118K.

As for the movement in the drivetrain, anyone have any experience with DTS like this one here...
http://www.awe-tuning.com/pages/shar...rain&IL=AWEDTS

Obviously if the mounts need to be replaced, do that first... I'm just wondering if anyone has used this/ have any comments about it...

 

I have no experience with that part, but replace your regular mounts with performance mounts like from 034 or similar before buying that, IMO. I'm going with the 034 poly snub mount and their street density motor mounts. My transmission mounts I will replace with new OEM-style pieces, but I am going to fill the voids with 3m window weld (polyurethane goop) to stiffen them up.