[c_ozanich]

This past Saturday I traded a 1998 Chevy Blazer (94k, 4.3L Vortec) for a 2000 Audi A4 (160k, 1.8t, Quattro)

I was in a predicament that I needed better mileage out of a vehicle (drive 30 miles one way to work) and the blazer was averaging around 9mpg. The blazer was not perfect and definitely needed a tune up and some miscellaneous issues fixed (window trim, exhaust rattled a bit, etc)

Despite the higher mileage, I agreed to meet with this guy. The audi ran fine around town and so I agreed to trade. He informed me that he has never had any issues with engine or drivetrain, he said it several times and noted similar small issues that the blazer had (rear deck lid behind back seats rattles, minor dings/scratches, etc) The speedometer didn't work but he gave me a GPS to monitor speed and assured me that 160k was true mileage.

After the title was notarized, we traded plates (using my tools) and next thing I know, he's gone. Completely took off... no goodbye or any other niceties. My gut starts turning... and then it was confirmed by the creeping fear on the way home--10 minutes on the highway, driving about 68 mph, the car drastically overheats and smoke starts fuming out of the tail pipe. I pull over and call the guy several times, from two different phones-nothing. He won't respond to any type of communication.

Since then, I have found paperwork in the car stating that the mileage was 160k since at least April 2013, so I'm sure its much higher in reality. The dash lit up like a Christmas tree, the engine feels like its caked with sludge--very poor acceleration, it doesn't accelerate fast enough to see if tranny shifts hard under higher loads, and despite there being plenty of oil on the dip stick, the oil pressure light/ding comes on about twice every mile of driving.

I got hardcore screwed on this b5, I feel. I would never be able to trade this to someone else or pass along the carnage, so I have several options here.

(1) Right the wrong and own the car--motor rebuild/swap (depending on cost), vinyl wrap/paint, new full interior and make the car something truly nice

(2) Get it mechanically functional and drive it until it craps out (it is just a winter beater/135i protector)

(3) Bring litigation, provided there's actually a law that covers me. But even if it does protect against him--do I really want the blazer back?....assuming that he beats the blazer to crap, the audi has more upsale if i'm going to dump money into a vehicle and would ultimately be more beneficial due to mpg and the Quattro tranny (blazer was 2wd)

Does anyone know of an Ohio Law that would cover me? I'm thinking option 2 is the most logical way to go about this, but if I go option 2, next spring i'll start option 1 bc the 135i will be 'done' I think haha

Pics:

[SAM135iAM]

I don't have any advice for you. I am sorry about the predicament you're in though. Why did you trade for an Audi with "maybe" 160K miles on it for better MPG...why did you not try trading your blazer for a more reliable, lower millage car like a civic or something?

[c_ozanich]

Originally Posted by SAM135iAM

I don't have any advice for you. I am sorry about the predicament you're in though. Why did you trade for an Audi with "maybe" 160K miles on it for better MPG...why did you not try trading your blazer for a more reliable, lower millage car like a civic or something?

I live in northeastern Ohio; I get lake effect snow that sometimes accumulates very quickly and the roads I travel for work often are plagued with accidents because of a particular stretch that is winding and has many on ramps/off ramps on it. Its the main thorough way around Youngstown.

I needed a vehicle with either AWD or high ground clearance to make up for the lack of AWD. I had a few guys want to trade lower mileage vw golfs and I would have loved one but they were all slammed way too low.

I found him on Craigslist and he said he needed a larger vehicle due to having two car seats for his kids, and he was around 6'3'' so I didn't question his reasons for wanting to trade other than that. He assured me that there were cosmetic flaws but never anything mechanical. I test drove around town and there were small nuances but everything worked as he said.....for about 25 minutes.

I appreciate the sentiment, my gut is telling me I'm stuck and to get ready for some serious wrench time.

I'm going to send oil to Blackstone Labs and try to drain/clean the sludge out and go from there.

There's going to be a major build/reconstruction/DIY thread about my experience splattered across several forums... hopefully it'll be beneficial to someone else that happens to get stuck/in a bad situation similarly

[bga23]

Sorry but Audi "seller" hasn't broken a law, not to mention the cost of an attorney would be more than the car is worth.

Caveat emptor.

[KingOfJericho]

Yeah, no laws broken here. Car was traded without warranty and you got very unlucky or outright ripped off. Either way, no law was broken.

[c_ozanich]

Originally Posted by bga23

Sorry but Audi "seller" hasn't broken a law, not to mention the cost of an attorney would be more than the car is worth.

Caveat emptor.

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Yeah, no laws broken here. Car was traded without warranty and you got very unlucky or outright ripped off. Either way, no law was broken.

yea that's what I figured. being that he won't respond to calls/texts (even from different numbers) I'm thinking its more the later.

[SAM135iAM]

Originally Posted by c_ozanich

I live in northeastern Ohio; I get lake effect snow that sometimes accumulates very quickly and the roads I travel for work often are plagued with accidents because of a particular stretch that is winding and has many on ramps/off ramps on it. Its the main thorough way around Youngstown.

I needed a vehicle with either AWD or high ground clearance to make up for the lack of AWD. I had a few guys want to trade lower mileage vw golfs and I would have loved one but they were all slammed way too low.

I found him on Craigslist and he said he needed a larger vehicle due to having two car seats for his kids, and he was around 6'3'' so I didn't question his reasons for wanting to trade other than that. He assured me that there were cosmetic flaws but never anything mechanical. I test drove around town and there were small nuances but everything worked as he said.....for about 25 minutes.

I appreciate the sentiment, my gut is telling me I'm stuck and to get ready for some serious wrench time.

I'm going to send oil to Blackstone Labs and try to drain/clean the sludge out and go from there.

There's going to be a major build/reconstruction/DIY thread about my experience splattered across several forums... hopefully it'll be beneficial to someone else that happens to get stuck/in a bad situation similarly

Well, hopefully a this unlucky situation will leave you smiling one day!

[nicknaz]

Triage issues if you can and sell as soon as possible. No sense throwing good money after bad.

[gonzo]

Not that I would..

How large of a town/city are you living in?
He has some guts if he will be driving around in the area.
The way he seems to have Houdinied , the thought of a visit would be on my mind.

It would not do anything of value, but it would be in my head.

[Nkc]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience but you're gonna have a bad time trying to fix the b5. If you want to get an awd, high clearance, affordable car you should have gone with any Subaru. Especially with 160k, that thing is gonna be a headache for a long long time. Take your medicine and just let it go.

[F32]

Part the car out and/or book it as a loss.

[c_ozanich]

Originally Posted by SAM135iAM

Well, hopefully a this unlucky situation will leave you smiling one day!

hopefully...

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Triage issues if you can and sell as soon as possible. No sense throwing good money after bad.

yea I hear you, once I tear into it I'll be more equipped to actually make the call on it

Originally Posted by gonzo

Not that I would..

How large of a town/city are you living in?
He has some guts if he will be driving around in the area.
The way he seems to have Houdinied , the thought of a visit would be on my mind.

It would not do anything of value, but it would be in my head.

Not that its in my head too...but title transfers list their address on the back while getting notarized dumb a**hole of guy huh hahaha

Originally Posted by Nkc

Sorry to hear about your bad experience but you're gonna have a bad time trying to fix the b5. If you want to get an awd, high clearance, affordable car you should have gone with any Subaru. Especially with 160k, that thing is gonna be a headache for a long long time. Take your medicine and just let it go.

Subaru's were thought of but the ones I was finding were rusted out, and I rationalized by telling myself that the audi will maintain higher resale in comparison to a Subaru...

[MediaArtist]

Ouch, older B5 with 160,000 miles... that would have been my first sign to stay away.

[IEDEI]

take it to an independent Audi shop...hopefully it's nothing too bad.

repairing an Audi is not a tragedy if you know what you're doing. There were TONS of 1.8T B5 A4s in that time---so finding parts is easy and relatively affordable. Audis are VERY robust cars and the 1.8T is one of THE most bulletproof engines known to german cars.....

My advice is you go to quattroworld (Audi forums) and ask them in the B5 A4 forum for advice. Shit happens....don't take it too harsh. The B5 A4 is a great winter car....so worth getting it sorted out.

[c_ozanich]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

take it to an independent Audi shop...hopefully it's nothing too bad.

repairing an Audi is not a tragedy if you know what you're doing. There were TONS of 1.8T B5 A4s in that time---so finding parts is easy and relatively affordable. Audis are VERY robust cars and the 1.8T is one of THE most bulletproof engines known to german cars.....

My advice is you go to quattroworld (Audi forums) and ask them in the B5 A4 forum for advice. Shit happens....don't take it too harsh. The B5 A4 is a great winter car....so worth getting it sorted out.

I ordered a VAG-COM cable this morning and I'll be sending a few oil samples to Blackstone Labs.

I'm seeing parts are/can be cheap due to everything being shared between the various VW models and the A4

Thanks

[pootytang]

Ugh, you bought an older Audi with "160k" miles based on a broken odometer/speedometer. You're seriously using GPS for speedo?!?!

Oh well, luckily we're not talking about a "relatively" large $$ mistake. Do you have a mechanic you could trust to give it a look over? It's gonna be a ball buster if you're not a DIY type guy. Really good advice a couple posts above, you should go check out the audizine B5 A4 forums also. There is a strong enthusiast/mod community for this platform, and if you ask around/make some friends, you might be able to find someone local who can help you wrench/give good advice about how to fix the car.

Personally, I think it might be fun to tune the car, take it as a learning experience and maybe look into making it really fast on the cheap (JFonz FTW). But if you need it for reliable transportation, I'd probably cut your losses and trade down into a subaru or japanese car that will be reliable and be cheap.

Good luck either way! Never assume any transaction of any kind originating from craigslist is legit, I sold a 1992 prelude with 180k miles so I'm well aware. LOL.

[buildbright]

160k and Germain usually are not good bedfellows. Don't be to upset we all make a bad trade sometime in our life. Just learn from it.

[F1Venom]

Even if you didn't experience any problems with it initially, would you expect a 2000 A4 to last even 200k miles? I would've stayed away and gotten a Subaru or some Civic. I think you should be able to take care of some of the problems this car has, and I'm truly sorry you lucked out.

[F32]

How much gas did the car have in it when you got it? Siphon it out. At least it's worth something.

[Sedoy]

My advice to you get rid of it and buy 01+ Civic. I get great gas mileage - 34MPG at 75-80 MPH in my 02 Civic coupe and it's pretty good in the snow (even better with good snow tires). Also it’s very reliable (at 200K still runs great) even if something breaks parts are super cheap. Good luck!