Possible epic fail tonight.

[Barry Cade]

Looking for replacement wheelz for the wife at the mo, to replace the very much unloved Ashtray wagon which is dying a slow painful death .My X1/9 is back on the road, and is my daily driver, so thought to get 'er a wee Ka or summat. Nothing on the 'bay or gumtree so went up to Kinross auctions, which was heaving with chod.Anything remotely recession bustin was well overpriced,so I looked for some under the radar bargains that the traders would miss. Spotted a very straight Audi A4 estate, in a strange metallic purple, which appealed very much, but I though as it has a fresh ticket and perfect flanks it would go a bit higher than my measly stash.

 

It was getting close to coming through, so I nipped out for a quick smoke to get geared up for a battle of nerves against the Parkers guide wielding mouth breathers.I was chatting to an ex workmate drawing heavily on my cig, when I saw the nose of a purple A4 in front of the rostrum, with some people around it. Pinged the cig and strode in confidently, and on hearing "275" I stuck my hand up in disbelief and bid £300...carrying on walking to assume my usual spot, It struck me that it had a boot... The hammer went down to me provisionally, just as I noticed the fan was running full speed and some door trimz were missing.FECK.

 

Went over and paid my deposit with all sorts running through my head.Do I do a runner? Can I talk my way out of it. Na, I wimped out and paid the £100, and took the long walk round to the office. It seemed like hours before the paperwork came through, and the lassie couldn't get the guy on the phone to see if he would accept my bid..this lasted nearly an hour before I had to get home to prevent spousal earache.

 

So. I may have bought an A4, which I know a little about now after coming home and checking their website. Its a 1997 1.8SE, 69000 miles and is a dealer P/x from the Audi dealer in Aberdeen. It also has a cracking set of AZEV-A wheels. Its gonna be a long night. I don't know if I even want it or not....

 

Bollocks.

[skattrd]

If you do end up getting it, get some cheap wheels off ebay, you can prob punt the Azev's off for most what the car cost.

If you don't want it/missus doesn't like it you can't really lose money on it,

[pogweasel]

You,can't go wrong at three hunnert for an audi though, shirley.

 

If all else fails, send it down here and it'd make decent coin. You sweaties may HAT anything older than five minutes, but southern softies would go mad on it.

[Barry Cade]

Just found out our local scrappies are giving £350 for any Audi driven in to the yard.. May even make on this travesty, unless its a goodun, then it'll be getting the treatment.

[maxustaxus]

You paint such a clear picture of the auction, and the uncertain emotions associated with a live auction. Thanks for the memory.

 

Welcome to the 4 ring circus....at three tun I hope and expect all will go well.

 

If not, after quite reflection and an early night with some warming chicken soup and bread....just put the car back in another auction if you can, and move on to the next bargain.

 

Oh...and the car may not be too young to try the classic Audi site should the occasional electric window mechanism need dealing with. The people there are very friendly and helpful. (http://www.classic-audi.co.uk/forum/sho ... php?t=5669)

[Barry Cade]

 

Oh...and the car may not be too young to try the classic Audi site should the occasional electric window mechanism need dealing with. The people there are very friendly and helpful. (http://www.classic-audi.co.uk/forum/sho ... php?t=5669)

 

That's the worst of it, I'm an old hand at the auctions, buying my first nearly 20 years ago, which was a 1982 Jetta C.I cannot believe what unfolded tonight, I am a F***ng tw*t! I've done the Audi thing before, having owned 3 early 80 sports and a 90CD, but I just believe that anything made after 1988 is the evil spawn of Bill Gates.

[Rocket88]

Look on the bright side, it's not a Laguna, just a Golf in a frock.

[Barry Cade]

I guess, can't get much more epic fail than that- buying a Laguna by accident.

 

This was my last Audi phase..

 

 

 

 

 

Does anyone else do that? Go through a phase of the same make for a while? I've done VW, Audi, Saab,Volvo, Merc, Citroen ,Fiat, Alfa with some Jap stuff in between. Only one thats been constant is the X1/9.

[Rocket88]

Seriously, A4s are ok. Even if the Herman Goering is nadgered, it's a pretty easy one to do. More likely is that the fan switch has failed, and someone's hot wired it. CVS are a pain [seized pinch bolts] , but apart from that. they're pretty good to work on.

[Barry Cade]

Seriously, A4s are ok. Even if the Herman Goering is nadgered, it's a pretty easy one to do. More likely is that the fan switch has failed, and someone's hot wired it. CVS are a pain [seized pinch bolts] , but apart from that. they're pretty good to work on.

 

 

The doing of the work isn't the problem, that's my day job, but cheap cars are only cheap until you have to throw loads of parts at them, and I'm a bit to much of a perfectionist really to run shite- so the parts costs really mount up. Even if its a banger it has to be right, even down to ashtray bulbs in the back and stuff. I'm not happy until everything is as it should be.

[Rocket88]

That white Sport is lovely. I know that VAG stuff gets a bit of a slagging on here, but I've had string of the old VAG rammel, and it's been mostly a good expeience. You obviously know your stuff, and at least it's not French......

[Barry Cade]

That white Sport is lovely. I know that VAG stuff gets a bit of a slagging on here, but I've had string of the old VAG rammel, and it's been mostly a good expeience. You obviously know your stuff, and at least it's not French......

 

Don't even go there with the French.. although personally I've never had any issues with my own French stuff, even an XM- but at work, well French cars are a big part of the reason why I don't do that as a day job any more, kind of. I still work on cars every day, but in a different capacity..

[maxustaxus]

Those are wonderful pictures of Audis past. A new Audi phase may have dawned....and even if this car is anywhere near as bad as you think, I guess in spare parts it is worth twice what you have paid. Well, the wheels, and probably a dozen other parts would get the price back. I guess that is not the main goal, it just seems £300 may not be such a high price for this.

 

Once I turned around at Enfield Auction (C1995) and could not believe the price that a Mini Sprite was being sold for (then a new car). So I put my hand up. The world disappeared. It was just me and the auctioneer, whose face went into close up, and everything else became a blur. The hammer fell.

 

I too walked slowly to the office behind the rostrum. Without question I paid the £500.00 deposit for the £2,700 cars.

 

I say 'cars' because the lot consisted of two cars....welded together at the bulkhead to form the 1994 sprite Mini that was before me.

 

I went to bed early that night. I recall having tomato soup and cruetons before doing so. I slept fitfully.

 

Shortly afterwards I sold the car straight up (i.e., being straight about what it was) to a Mini workshop for just £300 loss.

 

And now, until your vivid account of the auction exerience I had forgotten all about this. As I say, hopefully things may not be quite as bad as you suspect just now.

 

I

[Barry Cade]

LOL, my wife has just reminded me the last time we went to Kinross auctions to get her a small car ( my favorite was Perth, which is gone now) we came home with 2... A Fiat Coupe 20v and a Jeep Grand Cherokee .. Maybe I shouldn't go back..

[Pete-M]

I bought a cheap, 180k mile, '99 A6 2.8 quattro avant auto (C5?) a couple of years ago.

 

It was actually a rather nice thing. I'd have kept it but had a terminal employment moment and something had to give. The Audi went (for a mild profit). It was getting a tad wibbly, the dash display thing went awol - they all do that, one of the cats started to rattle (£100ish), and it was occasionally a bit of a bugger to start if it had been left for a few days.

 

I'd have another, but can't find one as nice for the £1500ish I sold mine for, but I think I'd actually go for the 2.5 TDi again instead. I ran a 200k+ one for a while and it was nearly as quick, twice as economical and half as reliable. That was written off by someone who borrowed it on 260kish.

 

This was the 2.8.

 

[Barry Cade]

I used to look after a 2002 A4 2.5 TDi quattro which had done 412000 miles. I was impressed until I found out it had had 3 engines and 4 gearboxes, I fitted the 4th gearbox, then the serpentine belt tensioner went, which was a major PITA to do. Drove like a 30,000 miler though.

[Barry Cade]

If you have won that 1997 Audi for £300 then collect it and take it to the scrapy's.

Take the wheels off and watch them crush it for £300.

Then flog the wheels.

 

Yours Sincerely,

An Audi Owner.

 

 

Its wasn't yours was it?? Came from Aberdeen

[kinkersaab]

haha, i was there, as usual, and i even noticed that Audi and its fetching wheels, Kinross has been rather successfull for me of late, ill stand and have a fag and a coffee with you next time. Im a tall thin bloke with a flat cap a beard and glasses and a glasses guide. I bought a laguna II and an A3 3.2.

[Barry Cade]

haha, i was there, as usual, and i even noticed that Audi and its fetching wheels, Kinross has been rather successfull for me of late, ill stand and have a fag and a coffee with you next time. Im a tall thin bloke with a flat cap a beard and glasses and a glasses guide. I bought a laguna II and an A3 3.2.

 

 

LOL, its a date! Was it a Charcoal A3 and the light green Laguna for a grand? I'm a tall thin bloke with glasses, but without the beard, cap and Glasses (guide)

 

I did have half an eye on that wee Agila, complete with accident damage and horribly flat paint.. £600 quid ! someone bought it over the phone.. It was a good mix tonight, I got fed up with the constant 09 platers the last few times I was there. its just not the same without flaky Pete standing under the rostrum.. RIP Pete.

 

P>S did the Audi have 4 of those fetching wheels? I only saw one side....

[Barry Cade]

Just been looking at your Photobucket Kinkersaab- we have a very common taste in cars! Where did the 25 come from... I think I know it..

[kinkersaab]

a fish merchant in aberdeen for most of its life, its done 44k and is a 2.0 12v auto...sadly.

[Barry Cade]

a fish merchant in aberdeen for most of its life, its done 44k and is a 2.0 12v auto...sadly.

 

Ah, a good mate of mine had an identical one as a company car which he bought on retirement, it was in the same condition and disappeared after he sold it- just wondered if it was the same one as he wants it back after its replacement, a Jag X type, has swallowed his pension for the last few years.

[kinkersaab]

it was one of the two black a3s, the one from speccy cars not the finace repo, and it was a new model 05 laguna est for £1500.

Were you there a few weeks ago when the lovely W plate 9-3 vert in black was there? i bought it and am now using it as my daily. oh. re audi wheels, i have no idea, i only was at one side too, the passeneger side, it deffo had 2

[Barry Cade]

Its been a while since I was last there.. that's it- I can use that excuse... I was out of practice.

 

ah well. If the Audi only has 2 nice wheels I'll stick it on ebay with the drivers side against a wall... I'm warming to the idea of having an Audi again, even looking forward to it. They better no refuse my offer now. Thats a stupid way of working. A reserve should be a reserve. sale or no sale, none of this "offer" crap.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Look on the bright side, it's not a Laguna, just a Golf in a frock.

 

I don't know of any Golfs with longitudinal engines.

[Rocket88]

Look on the bright side, it's not a Laguna, just a Golf in a frock.

 

I don't know of any Golfs with longitudinal engines.

 

Oh ffs. Same engine, just pointing in a different direction.........

[Rusty Pelican]

Ive had two of these , an Oceanic blue Sport and a red Quattro , both over 200,000 milers when sold on , reliable old rammel , id have another

 

[shite_meister]

Azev-A wheels are quite sought after, most alloys these days are chrome shit but back in the day Azevs were a quality wheel, If you were to stick them there wheels on the bay of e (depending what size they is) you might be suprised just how much you'll get for them, lets say they're 17s in fairly good nic then I reckon you're already talking more than you paid for the car! do some internetz research and get the right market and you'll be most pleased!

[Barry Cade]

Well, it looks like I've came out of this pretty well!

 

Got the call this morning that they accepted my offer, so went along to pick it up. Paid the balance and walked round in the pissing rain to collect it. Cracking colour-but a bit worrying when the driver told me that it had no reverse gear.... He lied- just the usual Audi setup to engage- it goes backwards fine. Drives very well, almost silent, apart from the very beginnings of a clunk from the front over big bumps.Tracking is a bit off too. Everything works,no warning lights, ABS light functions as it should, no body damage apart from the usual missing bottom door trimz. Full set of the AZEV's with caps. Even bigger bonus... Found the handbook pack in the back armrest, all present and correct with some history, genuine 66,793 miles, £2 in the rear ashtray, and best of all, taxed until the end of September!!!

 

 

YAY!

[trigger]

It looks like you done well there, What is the plate?, That alone looks like it's worth a few quid if you wish.