Well maybe you guyz seen my other thread about looking to buy the A4 with a bad clutch. That seller is very very hard to reach so I gave up on him a little and decided to go check out an a4 that was running because I had only driven a 1.8t A4 before.

So I decide to go test drive this 1997 audi with 248k miles just for kicks right! It was 2 grand and I wanted to know how a high miles A4 would feel like since the one I want has 183k on it.

I call the guy and we agree to meet at a the local Best Buy. So I show up there in my car and he is in a SUV so I ask him "where is the car?" He says his friend is coming with it. His friend shows up in it and you can tell as he is pulling into BestBuy that the car is rough. The guy who shows up in it is an hispanic guy that speaks a broken english. Anyway I start looking at the car...

- no low beams
- dash is peeling
- driver side door panel is broken
- sunroof dont work
- its an ex ricer I can see holes when they had put audi badges on the dash
- the cluster lens is cracked
- cel bulb is gone
- tires missmatched and worn
- climate controls are gone, they dont work at all and the screen is blank


And I didnt even pop the hood! After that I quit looking for bugs.

So I decide "what the heck" I'm gonna drive this just to see how it rides. I knew I wasnt gonna buy after seeing the car but I wanted to know how the motor felt.

So I drive out of there. The car rode OK. Motor pulled fine but it was a little "stumbly" but it was torqie enuff for my likings. At least I know I can live with the power of the vr6 for a beater. There is vibration from the tires and the more I drive the windows get all wet I have to keep wiping the windshield down with my ahnds. So I tell the guy I'm gonna go on the highway for a few miles to feel the power on the highway. As I'm sitting on the overpass waiting for that green arrow, the car dies. I try to crank it back up but it wont. after 30 seconds I tell the guy "need help pushing it to the side of the road?" At this point even he knows the deal is not gonna go down I push the car to the side and then it cranks up again for so reason.

So I tell him "just give me a ride back to my car" As he is driving me back to my car the car dies again on 2 more occasions. The he realises that if he keeps the revs up the car keeps running. so he's sitting at the light reving at 2k it's hilarious. AT this point there is so much fog on the windows that you cannot see a damn thing,,,, he blows right thru a stop sign and what do you know... BLUE LIGHTS BLARRING!

He pulls over and the cop comes up to my door and asks the guy for his license. I see the guy give a mexican drivers license to the cop. The cops then says "that license is not valid in the state of Georgia" Do you have an american license? The guy says no. Then the cop asks for my license so I hand him my license. He assumes I know the guy so He asks me "why are you in the car with him if you dont know him?" So I tell him "I'm test driving this car" Then he asks me "then why are you in the passenger seat?" Then I tell him "the car wasnt safe to drive so I asked for a ride back to my car". The the cop is chuckling a little at this point. He says "this guy is going to jail for driving with a non-valid license!"

Then the cop tells me "do you want to drive this car back to your car?" I tell him "not really" He says were sitting in traffic so he hints that I should drive the car back to my car to get off the middle of the road. So I say ok and I drive it back to my M5 which is parked at BestBuy and the cop is following me with the blues on. It looks to others like I'm running from him lol! Anyway I park next to my car and the cop looks at my car. Then he tells me "you are free to go". I get in my car and leave.


I have no idea what is gonna happen to that mexican guy




So now you guyz has to work hard to convince me to buy an audi I feel like they are jinxed after this incident lol!

 

im sorry but that is a really funny story.

if your going to look for a car to mod don't get a 12v. go for a 1.8t, and you might want to look for one with lower mileage than 180k i mean it will probably ride like it was brand new depending on the owner, but you might run into some problems and things needing to be replaced with a car with that many miles. i got my car with 89k on it from an older guy, kept it in great shape, only serviced at Audi, had all records. and was very nice and forward with everything.. just keep looking you will find the right one eventually.

 

Wow dude sounds like you drove one of the worst! If your in my area I'll let you drive mine to change your mind. It isn't a prime example due to a bad clutch but its will most definitely show you that they do ride nice!

 

I know I cant stop laughing. I cant say I feel sorry for the guy because he was not very honest about the condition of the car.

This one belongs in a junk yard or a demolition derby.

My M5 has high miles too but it runs like new because it's well maintained

 

Sounds like you had an adventurous day!

High mileage doesn't always necessarily mean that the car is ready to die. The miles could be freeway miles and that's not bad.

It all really depends on how the previous owner maintains the car.
I've seen some car with high miles that are in pristine conditions.

Anyway, I hope your next test drive will turn out better. Also great job for choosing the B5 body style. In my opinion the only timeless style out of all the A4's/S4's that will never get outdated.

 

hahah that sounds like an awsome test drive.

you shoulda offered to bail the guy out if you can keep the car. driving w/o a license in NY is $150 bail. that would be funny as hell. other then that, i wouldnt buy a car w/ almost 300k. i personally wouldnt buy one over 100k but i dont know your price range.

 

where in NY are you. from the previous stores youve posted a lot of it sounded familiar.

 

I'd by a car at any mileage if it clean and well maintained. My M5 has 239k but rides better and looks better than some I have driven with 94k and 112k.

Original paint on all but bumpers due to scuffs, 2 mature owners before me. Can is very clean most people dont know the miles. even when they ride in it you cant tell.

If I found a cheap A4 in this condition I'd buy it.

 

Just drove past BestBuy and car is sitting there now

 

I'm surprised they didn't tow the car away.