The car began its life sometime in January of 1984 when it rolled out of the factory at Ingolstadt. On 5/1/84 the car was sold from Bill Cook Porsche+Audi of Farmington Hills, MI for $14,475. The car was bought by a Detroit man who worked for a regional power company. He later moved to Saginaw and as he worked his way up the company he decided, because he was more and more in the public's eye, to buy an American car that would be more politcally correct for an executive in an American company.

This is where I start to be involved, remotely. It's late 1992 and Peter, one of my older brothers, sees the car in a car swapper. He checks the car out and finds a happy owner who used to take care of the car but more recently has decided he should just drive it till it breaks, since he needs to buy a new American car. The odometer is at 145,000 at this point.

Peter buys the car for $1500, and takes it home to sit next to his red, 88 90Q, his second Audi. His first Audi was a black 4000Q the car which got him hooked onto Audis and Quattro. (Quattro: the reason to get hooked on Audis) As soon as Pete purchased the Coupe he replaced the alternator, the exhaust from the catalytic converter on back, and the exaust manifold studs. Later he decided to put window tinting on the top four inches of the front windows and windshield (in accordance with Michigan state law) and completely tint the rear two side windows, leaving the back window intentionally clear. He drives the coupe for 3 years before deciding to sell it to his nephew Joe (no relation to the Joe with the 98 Golf).

Joe brings the Coupe to a different style. Hoping to turn his already moderately 'cool' looking car into a really 'ghetto' car. (these are all my quotes and mostly speculation) he, in the end, was the one responsible for most of the modifications from stock. To him the car owes:

• Lowering springs
• New front struts
• Blaupunkt 6" separates
• Blaupunkt crossovers
• Tinting on back window

Peter did the installation on many of the above items, except for back window. Joe bought them. Joe has said that he drove the car a lot during the first few months of his ownership, but the odometer broke during this time and the car also died. There is evidence of the car being off-roaded by Joe-- there are large dents in the oil pan. The car becomes older and sits around because it doesn't start and Joe can't get it to work. Probably problems with fuel supply, Joe did a little with the fuel system (replaced the fuel filter, pump, some lines) but it still wouldn't run. The car still sits till Joe eventually does a complete tuneup at a local shop (Rallye Automotive). He askes for an estimate and they essentially tell him it's junk and not worth fixing. They replace 1 fuse which gets the car running for $150. Peter comes back and, eventually, regains ownership of the car as payment for one of Joe's debts to Peter. ($50 of lumber and the $150 Peter paid Rallye, on Joe's behalf for putting in a fuse) It's now August of 96, the car has ? miles, the odo died on Peter.

Peter begins doing his commute in the Coupe again but first he replaces:

• Tires with BFG Comp T/A HR4s
• Battery
• Joe's crappy replacement of fuel line with high-pressure line

Later, the exhaust starts going again so he puts in a glasspack as a short term solution. Somewhere in here the car is driven with the hood bare metal for all of a Michigan winter... the hood does not begin to rust for months (Audi does good rust-proofing). In July of '97 Peter buys a Jetta because he knows I want the Coupe.

In September of 1997 I assume ownership of the car. The cars are painted during the first week of September. Within the first few months of ownership Peter and I replace:

• Bumpers
• Exhaust manifold
• Front disks and rear drums
• Head gasket
• 100% of exhaust (including catalytic converter)
• Subframe bushings
• CVs
• Radiator

The car has been running happily since then. Later, in August '98 I fixed the odometer and guessed that the car should have 250,000 miles (probably a low estimate). As of 7-15-99 the car has 261,117 miles. During Christmas of '98 I put in a Blaupunkt CD player. My guess is that installation doubled the 'value' of the car. Regardless, the car startes every day and has never worried me on any long distance trips (knock on electrons).

I drive the car every day. It starts, it runs well, it has moderate power, and most of the parts still work well. Many of the repairs for minor problems have been fixed poorly but, to quote Red Green "It's only temporary unless it works." Good car for being 15 and being driven by a bunch of loonies.

The car runs forever as the Inline 5 keeps going while the rest of the car gradually falls apart around it. I'll probably give it to one of Eric's kids in a few years, that way it will stay in the family. :-)

VIN - WAUBDO858EA072012 means, made in Germany by Audi, 2-Door Sedan Coupe, 2.1L Active restrain system, Coupe GT, 84 model year, built in Ingolstadt, production number 72,012.