1993 Audi 80 2.6 V6
Summary:
Good design, not perfect, but suits me
Faults:
I broke my catalytic converter (there are two in this model) when I ran out of fuel. I think fuel doesn't burn correctly when the motor is running out of it, and it enters the converter and then burns and melts the insides of it. This is because the fuel capacity meter was showing wrong when I drove the car the first time. I later corrected the meter.
Glove box must be shut very firmly; it doesn't stay closed if you just nicely close it - doesn't really bother me a lot.
Wire in the trunk had a bad connection, so some of the car's electrics went haywire: I only got dashboard gauge lights on when I turned on the fog lights and so on.
I had to replace some parts in front suspension; they had wear & tear. Also had to replace brake disks and pads. But these are parts that need to be replaced from time to time.
I bought the car when it was 17 years old, but only 76000 kms driven, so I understand some of the replacements I had to undertake.
General Comments:
Engine is little laggy on low thrust - the power comes to play when rpm reaches over 3000. So driving gently means you really don't feel any power, and car accelerates from stop to your desired speed quite slowly.
Automatic box has only 4 gears, so you can feel the shifts, and when you drive 50-60km/h, the rpms are over 2500. So driving at that speed means the rpm is almost all the time too high, and fuel consumption too. I think this car is at best when traveling longer distances, not at city speeds, and when you have to stop and go all the time.
Car is comfortable; seats and the feel of driving. Also handling is good (much depends on tires).
Audi 80 is good design, rough german (and looks like it too) and it ages well. Means that even cars from 90s don't look too old. Most cars tend to look very dated even less than 10 years old. My 17 ear old Audi 80 still looks nice and I like it. It's has that boxy or square design in the hull, and new cars are more rounded - but I think it looks cool and aggressive.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th January, 2010
29th Jan 2010, 15:22
Hi, I had a '92 Audi 80 2.0 automatic, a Japanese market model imported second-hand into New Zealand, about 10 years ago. I agree about the automatic -- as at that time, for sure European cars were never designed with an automatic gearbox in mind. It was always better as a manual. The automatic's gearing was never as well-spaced as any Japanese car's. Same experience with my next car, a '96 Audi A4 1.8i (also a Japanese spec second-hand car) automatic -- but my friend who had the 2.8i version of the A4 had a 5-speed automatic, and that was a totally different animal. Butter-smooth shifts, beautifully spaced gearing, and to add to that, his fuel consumption was the same as my car with less power. It was never a guzzler. Oh -- I also had a problem with the wiring in the luggage compartment lid, Just opening and closing it wore out some of the wiring insulation, and I just spliced them with longer wire. I still see many of the '87-94 Audi 80s here, and I agree, they age very well.