View Single Post
  #7  
Old 01-14-2012, 12:07 PM
Stirling's Avatar
Stirling Stirling is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Bay
Posts: 533
Thanks: 16
Thanked 11 Times in 11 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by quattro20v View Post
The S6 I have is very reliable and is probably the most reliable car I've owned given how much I drive it. Its one of the last "old school" Audis that is easy to work on that is not complicated. I have >300,000 km on it and the only major work I've done is a recent head gasket failure and I re-did the suspension a few years ago. The HG is probably to do with the 25 PSI boost I'm running, so I'm not surprised. There are the typical little things that fail, but that's common to most cars. Of course, I've done all kinds of upgrades (brakes, turbo, etc.), but it really hasn't let me down.

Its perfect for the DIYer, the I-5 20V turbo motor is bullet proof and lots of room to work in the engine bay. I'm running about 350 HP and 400 ft-lbs of torque out of a 2.2 litre, on stock internals. Not bad, except for the previously mentioned head gasket.

I worked on both the BMW and the Audi and I have to say the Audi is better built and more robust, dare I say over-engineered. It may not be fair to compare a 1997 to a 1991, but even my 1990 Audi 90 (with 300,000 km) is very robust and reliable compared to the BMW. Its in the little details that makes the difference, from the fasteners to the plastic fittings to the wiring.

I can't comment on the newer Audis vs BMW, so I guess that's another discussion.
That is reassuring, and surprising to me. Thanks for challenging my assumptions. I'll have to put a Coupe Quattro back on my winter wish list.