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"So is it really worth paying the extra for an Audi, BMW or Mercedes?" It's a common question for which I've a common answer; "yes - but you won't realise why on a test drive round the block." It's over a longer period of ownership that the real benefits begin to become apparent. And of course on the second-hand market. Which is why, even today, a second-hand Audi 80 still makes firsthand sense.
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What you get
Many feel that Audi 80s are better built that equivalent BMW 3 series models - and they're probably right. Need we say more?
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What to look for
It will be worth paying the extra to buy through an Audi dealer but there will be few models around that are young enough and in good enough condition to warrant a place on a franchised forecourt. You may be lucky enough to find a part exchanged model but otherwise it's the used car lots and the small ads.
Buy with confidence though, the 80 is a reliable car. Just make sure you take the usual precautions when inspecting a vehicle of this age. Don't be unduly put off by big mileages either, the 80 should go well into six figures with ease.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on a 1990 2.0-litre) As you might expect, parts aren't cheap - though they're not as pricey as some might expect. However, they do last. A clutch assembly will be around £117, whilst a full exhaust system will be around £220. An alternator should be close to £120 and a radiator around £100.
A starter motor is about £145 and a replacement headlamp close to £100.
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On the road
If all you want is equipment and power, there is a stack of cheaper alternatives. Before you consider them though, take a moment to look beyond the spec list and consider how you're going to feel about your car in ten weeks or ten months time.
I've often thought that the next time I go to buy a car, I'd choose a filthy wet winter's evening to sample it. Poor driving conditions tend to bring out the best - and the worst - in any vehicle. Smart-suited saloons that feel fine in the dry suddenly find flimsier qualities when the squalls set in, the sun goes down and it's Friday night on the motorway trek home.
Perhaps it's only when you reach journey's end that your choice of car is called into question. That window pillar which occasionally obscured your rear three-quarter vision; the garish instrument lighting that made your eyes ache. The way that you had to continually take your eyes off the road to operate the minor switchgear.
These are the differences between a quality car and a mass-produced one. Yet perceived safety is about more than just minor irritations. It's down to active ingredients like handling, acceleration and braking - the elements which make it possible to avoid an accident in the first place. In all these things, an Audi 80 excels.
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Overall
An excellent private buyer's second-hand choice. If you find a good one at the right price, then don't hesitate.
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