Faults:

Water pump leaked at 80,000 miles.

Front struts replaced at 50,000 miles.

After 30,000 miles started using oil at 1 quart/1000 miles.

Replaced brake master cylinder at ~ 100,000 miles.

General Comments:

I had a 1976 Silver Fox - very good looking car, and contrary to other postings, this was a great car, and I got 168,000 miles of strong use. It got 35 mpg on the road and it was a lot of fun to drive.

Yeah, it had its share of little things go wrong, but if you were handy with a wrench, most were easy fixes.

The biggest gripe was that at about 30,000 miles, it started using oil at the rate of a quart per 1,000 miles. This was a common problem where the valve seals disintegrated and oil would get sucked past the valve guides. Audi ignored this problem. Basically the same engine was in the Volkswagen Rabbit (I had a 1977 bought used) and it had the same oil use problem, but VW did a recall to replace the valve guide seals, and that car ran great for 200,000 miles!

Faults:

Fuel pump.

Radiator temp sensor (replaced with switch on dash).

Needed an exhaust valve (fun father and son project).

Tire slipped a belt and got lumpy.

Fuel injector (one injector stopped injecting).

General Comments:

I loved this car. If I could find one in whole condition, I'd go again.

The exterior of the car was a luscious brown. Interior was a Yellow color not found in nature (always shampooed nice).

The speed from a standing stop to 55mph was shockingly slow (55 seconds). This was not a bad thing for a young and inattentive driver like myself.

Faults:

I've had the car for 19 years, so a lot has been replaced due to age and mileage. Here are the items that I initially had to repair or replace within the first couple of years:

Outer CV Joint replaced at purchase.

Fuel Accumulator replaced to cure hot start vapor lock.

Extra starter relay added to resolve poor starting.

Ignition switch replaced.

Battery ground replaced.

Fusebox replaced (newer version is MUCH better, older version used pins and solder, solder joints cracked leading to mysterious electrical problems)

One fuel injector replaced.

Cold start valve replaced.

Transmission rebuilt.

General Comments:

Out of this world handling.

Plenty of power.

Extremely fun to drive.

Comfortable cross-country driver.

Excellent seating, controls, and ergonomics.

Very comfortable back seat with good legroom.

Excellent a/c and heating.

Excellent build quality.

Windshield wipers slow in heavy rain at highway speeds.

I have driven up to 20 at a time in this car, stopping only for fuel and rr breaks without any real fatigue. The vehicle is a blast to drive and retains its timeless good looks.

Parts are readily available at low cost.

Fuel mileage is very good, about 30/34 mpg city/highway.

This car will last a lifetime with proper maintenance.

My other vehicles are a '95 Jaguar XJS convertible, an '02 VW Passat wagon, and on '04 Infinity FX35 AWD; I much prefer to drive my little Audi whenever possible.

If you are lucky enough to find one of these today there are a few things that should be done.

1) Replace the fusebox and ignition switch.

2) Add an additional relay for each of the following; the fuel pump, the headlight switch, the starter.

3) Replace the in-tank fuel filter.

4) Add additional grounding wires for the headlights, turn signals, and tail lamps.

5) Check thoroughly for rust, especially behind rear wheel wells, and inboard of the rocker panels.

Faults:

Burned exhaust valve.

Fuel Pump worn out.

General Comments:

The 1976 Fox was a great car for my purposes.

Really easy to work on.

It was slow enough to keep me safe when I was a stupid Kid driver.

Really great visibility.

One of the few cars I truly miss.