Do we know Allroads?

Not even MacGyver can keep one running:

I know KYallroad. He's a putz. 

In reply to Spoolpigeon :

Well, you got me in the "You laugh, you lose" category.

914Driver said:

Well the thick plottens.  Explaining the engine history and stuff to the lady, she sheepishly asked if I knew if anyone would give $1500 for it.  Well yeah.

Paperwork will be complete tonight.

Well that went from the "do I want to help?" to "no brainer". You're gonna have a very nice car for 1/2 price.

As a fan of fast wagons, I'd vote for going with an S4 motor. Once you get tired of it, it should be worth a lot!

A fresh rebuild should stand up to a Superchip nicely.

914Driver said:

Well the thick plottens.  Explaining the engine history and stuff to the lady, she sheepishly asked if I knew if anyone would give $1500 for it.  Well yeah.

Paperwork will be complete tonight.

At that price you should absolutely S4 swap it... There's LOTS of B8 S4's with boomed DSG's going for dirt cheap.

As neat as the drivetrain swap is the work is just a hair more... 

You have a link for that rebuild kit? It's crazy how it has pistons, rods, valves, head bolts for that price... I'd be willing to gamble that money on fixing my TSI instead of just feeding it more oil.

I believe this is the one Paul.  It goes to my friend's shop in January, I will send you info on the kit they end up buying.  Like I said, the one they did a while ago had unexpected good quality stuff.

In reply to Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) :

no kidding, pistons and connecting rods and valves and timing set and etc etc for under $400 is crazy talk.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) :

no kidding, pistons and connecting rods and valves and timing set and etc etc for under $400 is crazy talk.

right? I just paid $500 for rods alone on my H22. 

There's no way that stuff can be even mediocre, right? Right??

very interested in the results

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) :

no kidding, pistons and connecting rods and valves and timing set and etc etc for under $400 is crazy talk.

Kinda in line with VW, though. I remember when my (new to me at the time) Rabbit blew a head gasket due to corrosion in the head, I got a "rebuilt" (100% new parts, including the casting from what I could tell) head at the dealer, with a gasket set and bolts, for about $400. That approach was a carryover from when they had 1.5l head problems (their first watercooled head, IIRC) and they did not want the problem to spoil the customer base, so they made those specific parts they felt they screwed up, cheap.

It would be nice if all the OEM parts were cheap, but whatever. I guess it is a solution that is partway to a recall without the full cost (money and reputation) of broadening the recall.

Spoolpigeon said:

I know KYallroad. He's a putz. 

Dude, you made me laughsnort!

But honestly I know nothing about the new Audi stuff.  I drove an Allroad from '08-'11.   I've been in a Passat since '12 but "KyPassat" doesn't seem to have the same ring to it.

914Driver said:

I believe this is the one Paul.  It goes to my friend's shop in January, I will send you info on the kit they end up buying.  Like I said, the one they did a while ago had unexpected good quality stuff.

Good to know, looks like the 1.8 stuff is more $ for the same stuff. Not sure on why but looking forward to kit feedback once you're done the job.

There are no con rods shown in the kit that was linked.

My Allroad is not particularly using oil (1 qt between changes at around 7500 miles) but I am concerned that so many of these are failing under 100K - we have 74K on ours.

I could certainly rebuild the motor if it comes to that but one of the reasons we spent so much money on a car like this was to NOT have to do expensive or expansive repairs.

I am at about 1q per week 

In reply to MiniDave :

I get where you're coming from but just because you've spent "xyz" on a car doesn't mean its not going to have expensive repairs, sadly.  In fact, many times the more you spend on the car, the more likely it is that you're going to have expensive repairs on it as it accumulates miles and gets older.  Btdt, have many t shirts....

Now with pictures.

It goes into my buddy's shop in January.  I asked him to poke around like his daughter was driving it, you know, pry bar the tie rod ends, leaks, wiggle things etc.   

Engine rebuild-$5k.

New sneakers - $750.

Whatever he finds - $ ?????

Car - $1500.

Car isn't the highest model but the second one down, got more junk than I understand.  But a huge sunroof!  I think it will be a fine little car in a few months.  =~ )

Front plate assembly removed for Euro plate.

I think these are attractive cars but the reliability scares me.  So, in the end, you'll have $9k into a car that is 8 years old and 125k miles. Furthermore, there are reliability concerns and you're rebuilding it with the cheapest parts you can find.    Someone else suggested that the car will sell $10k-ish when done.  

I would offload the car quickly but there may be no real profit there.  Since it's a model with a "reputation" you may have to keep it.  That's a little bit of a deal...if you were looking for a car like this and looking to spend $10k on a used car.  

If you don't want to keep it, I still stand behind this advice:

John Welsh said:

Will it drive on and off a trailer under its own power, even if weak power?

If yes, that's enough for IAA auction to label it as "runs and drives". I choose IAA because no one will actually be allowed to drive it, only start it. But, most bidders will just bid off the pictures. 

The IAA audience is rebuilders and dismantlers. You can set a reserve price and I'd shoot for $4k reserve. 

It costs $100 to have IAA run it through their auction and that $100 gets you into 2 weekly auctions if it doesn't meet reserve the first week. 

Not everything IAA sells is salvage title. Many cars are clean title like yours would be. 

IAA has a location in Albany, NY 

Interesting.  Gray headliner and pillar trim but sport seats. It also has the tech package but no B&O stereo (no silver rings around the speakers). 

Good luck!

Would it be cheaper to just install a junkyard motor?  Is there one from a later year that doesn't have the same problems that will fit? 

In reply to John Welsh :

"IAA has a location in Albany, NY " 

IAA Albany is part of the Manheim group (I worked  there briefly); better off running it down to Carlisle which has a bigger audience.  If buying, definitely Carlisle.

Engine (from a junkyard) with the same issues is a high probability, though I hear an S4 engine will go in.

In a world of SUVs, I prefer a wagon.  For $8k I'm good and believe the biggest reliability issue is conquered.