Page 66 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

That’s the way it went for the Audi. Acclaim in the motoring press doesn’t always lead to popularity. The Camaro came in dead last in Car and Driver’s ratings, but Chevy sold 78,315 of them in that year.
Driving an Audi Coupe today
The challenge with collecting an Audi Coupe is finding one that hasn’t been trashed. These cars have been overlooked at pittance prices for so long, most have been left out in the weather and driven to death without maintenance. Savvy buyers should plan on a nationwide search, and be prepared to pay for shipping. Audi Coupes are typically found on Craigslist, eBay, and occasionally on Bring a Trailer.
The good news is that if you do find a car worthy of consideration, it’ll be cheap. Recorded prices for low mileage, well-kept Coupes center on about $10,000, and most of those are later GT models. Some decent contenders can be had as cheaply as $5,000.
Once purchased, any Audi Coupe of this vintage should not pose any challenges with parts availability, at least with those parts that are common to the rest of the VW/Audi family. A low mileage example that is kept indoors as a pleasure car should last indefinitely at this point.
Further, any Audi coupe at this point is certain to be a welcome addition to any Youngtimer, RADwood, or Cars & Coffee gathering. Investment potential, however, will be limited. If you
want future upside, it’s better to spend five times more money and locate a Quattro. Those are less common, offer higher performance, and they are dramatically more likely to have been properly cared for through their entire life.
Very lean, very mean: The homologation version of the Sport Quattro was a barely tamed competition car.
The Knowledge
dAudi improved the Coupe over time, both in performance and in build quality. As the 1980s progressed, the Coupe benefitted from development in the Quattro and in Audi’s designs generally. This is reflected in the greater availability and higher current number of 1985-1987 models for sale in the modern era, even though fewer were made in those years. You’ll mainly enjoy the greater engine power of the later models, but the bodywork refresh in 1985 looks better on top of the improved performance.
dBecause the Coupe shared its engine and driveline with the Audi 5000, which was produced in far greater numbers, finding engine parts and the expertise necessary to repair the car should not be a challenge. Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection is not complicated and is also common to many other makes and models. Finally, this generation of VW/ Audi engines is known for reliability and longevity.
dVolkswagen Group transmissions in this era were particularly good. Expect the shifter to be reasonably crisp and confident for the age of the vehicle, and all synchronizers and gears should still function as designed. Try a few third-to-second decelerating downshifts to
be sure. If you find a GT with an automatic, that’s a less collectible model than a five-speed. To be honest, we’ve never seen one with a slushbox. Similarly, the quattro system in the Ur-Quattro was common to the 5000 and later the 4000, so there are plenty of examples in the world.
dNote that the final 1987 upgraded Coupe received
rear disc brakes, while all prior years had drums in the back. In its day, the Audi Coupe earned high praise for its predictable and well-balanced handling. That should still be the case, but all of the cars of that era benefit from a fresh set of performance dampers, fresh tie rod ends and suspension ball joints, and potentially an uprated sway bar. This is especially true in the rear, where a stiffer sway bar can yield a livelier handling experience, if you’re ready for that.
dWhile the Audi is not known for particular susceptibility to rust, the North American climate can be harsh. In particular, check all suspension mount points for corrosion, as well as typical locations such as floor pans, strut towers, wheel wells, and around all window glass.
dThe interior of the Audi Coupe is sparse, bordering on Spartan, and that’s a good thing. There’s less to go wrong as the car ages. Audi did not join the general 1980s rush to digitize the dashboard in the Coupe, so the gauges are likely to be in working condition. Still, a well-preserved interior is a major selling point because you won’t find new upholstery kits and headliners readily available.
Be prepared to use seat covers until you find a better interior or invest in having your seats restored. Junkyard examples and parts cars rarely have good interiors, so patience is key.
64Wayne CariniAffordable Classics