Faults:

The radiator outlet broke from years of flexing plastic.

Thermostat was stuck wide open.

The A/C programmer needed a tug to get the heat to turn on and off.

The turn signal/cruise control/high lo beam lever wore out and stayed on high beam unless you physically pulled back on it while night driving.

General Comments:

This is a wonderful car despite the little niggling problems. I absolutely don't recommend any German car for a person who can't do their own maintenance and/or repairs. The Audi parts are unreasonably costly. I could see paying a high price for some near infallible part, but the parts available are apparently meant to fail every 100,000 miles or less.

The 5 cylinder engine is a great unit, and I know one man who has almost 360,000 on a 1991 Audi 1000 non turbo. The hydraulic lifters make quite a lot of noise after the miles get past 100k, and it is optional to change them or drive this amazing car around with a valve train that sounds like it's munching up a coin collection.

The headliners are poorly done, and that subtracts from a really nice interior.

The Audi is very smooth and comfortable, with a pleasing suspension that is tuned perfectly for my driving style.

The stock turbo is just right for leaving a stop. You start quite slowly, then the boost comes on subtly yet crisp.

It could be a love hate relationship with an Audi 5000. As long as you love it more, you may end up keeping it and writing it off on your taxes as a dependent.

Faults:

When I bought this car used, it ran perfect and I only ran across 2 problems in the time it was owned.

First there was a problem with the fuel injection. When the engine was hot, it would not restart till it had cooled for a bit. Took it to the shop and it was fixed and never showed up every again.

Also about after a year of owning it, the tranny went out. Took it in had a new one put in.

Other than that, it ran perfect till it was totaled.

General Comments:

Love that car. I had taken it on many trips all over. Drive it to family out east, 1000 mile trips, would drive all day at 75 and it never even twitched. I do not remember the gas mileage, but I do remember it was impressive.

Took my mom to see her sister one day; we took back country roads. She said open it up see what it can do; running 110 on back roads it felt like it was going 60.

I would still have that car if it was not totaled in being hit on the passenger side. The other car was doing 40-45 mph. My mom was driving the car and walked with a headache from hitting her head on the window and just sore from the hit. The other guys car - he went to the hospital in an ambulance with 2 broken legs. The cop said the car saved her.

Since then I have purchased 20 more Audi's of different models and loved all of them.