S2 problems and repair bills

[kev]

Shortly i will be looking for my firts s2 coupe
What are the common problems to look for and what are the not so common problems that can catch u out?

Also im trying to get an idea on what it would cost to maintain the car and what to expect when things go bad.

what could i expect to pay for the following issues-(not including labour)
and are any of these fixes a real head ache

new brakes (pads and discs)
cambelt chnage
blown head gasket
cracked sump
knacked manifold
new radiator
if u can think of any nasties on anything then please say.

would like as much info as poss please.
cheers
kev

[s2driveruk]

budget for a good £2k in the first year of ownership unless the seller can demonstrate that the key niggles have already (recently) been addressed...

Be under no illusions, these are not cheap to maintain and requires a good bit of legwork to source many of the parts too. Unless you find a decent parts man at a local dealership, many will usually tell you Audi never even made an s2!!!

My view on the following for what it's worth and parts only, don't know if you are handy with a spanner but finding someone to trust with your s2 is difficult and expensive, though there are some excellent people who are well renowned on here so you can avoid costly mistakes...

new brakes (pads and discs) - standard will be about £150-200, replacing with a favourite 996/boxster s brembo calipers, carriers and pads £5-600)
cambelt chnage - unlikely to see much change from £350-£450, would also be looking to ensure roller, water pump and any tensioners are done and all 3 belts are changed, check condition of woodruff key etc
blown head gasket - depends if any remedial work is required. If you are lucky and just an early failure then might be as little as just the gasket, fluids, bolts etc approx £100-500+ depends what you want to do while the lid is off
cracked sump - no previous experience with this but gasket will be £20ish min plus i'd renew the capheads and there are a few, plus oil so unlikely to be change from £100
knacked manifold - OEM Audi one new ££££, 2nd hand easy to find on here, check for sale threads for prices or exotic ones for £350 onwards
new radiator - Main one needs to be a Beru or OEM (Not Nissens) and expect £140ish

Expect £4-600 for full set of tyres depending on size and spec
Exhaust £350+ for a cat back
ECU remap £250+
Injector service £60 (ASNU cleaning)
Multifunction temp sensor (£40-60)
Lambda sensor (£50+)
Throttle bypass valve (£35ish)
WGFV/N75 (£40ish)
Hoses unless recently refreshed (intake - £200, water £180+)
rear brakes tend to be under-used as heavy front bias so reckon on £80 for new pads and discs
Rear diff and gearbox oil changes unless shown that they have been done £50ish

Hope that helps
David

[dest]

One of the most common problems which plagues pretty much everyone at some point is boost leaks!
Thankfully they are usually an easy fix, especially if you buy a leak test kit.
A full set of silicon hoses and vacuum pipes with all new good quality clips will sort it all out.
Search for the "Mark H" mod too, its included in all silicon hose kits though, but if you only upgrade one hose, this is the one to get!
Saying that, if you buy a car thats been owned by someone on here at some point, it will probably of already been done

[S2central.net]

Good advice already posted here... To add I would say to check THOROUGHLY for any water leaks - my Coupe has only recently developed a leak - but has taken an inordinate amount of time to locate the source and a decent remedy. It is now 'almost' watertight - but it makes for a pretty bad ownership experience when you have to drive around with no carpet for 3months.

I don't know how anyone could stomach owning an S2/RS2 unless they were able to do at least some maintenance themselves - they are not easy cars to work on though - and paying someone else with proven knowledge and skills is never going to be cheap. I couldn't run mine if I had to be £70 an hour for labour - forget that.

[lind4hl]

offtopic, but whats wrong with Nissens one? i had it in mine when i bought it, no problems with it?

[Ross]

offtopic, but whats wrong with Nissens one? i had it in mine when i bought it, no problems with it?

Many instances of failures, something to do with the bottom cracking and spilling coolant all over the road... just search the forum! Far too many documented cases of these only lasting 2-3 years to risk buying one IMO, but if it's already there and fitted I'd just leave it well alone!

[lind4hl]

okey, didnt know about that, thanks for sharing!

[Rusty]

All depends how serious you want to get. My ABY coupe is basically a warmed over standard car but has received well over £10k in parts alone over the 5 years I've owned it. The results speak for themselves tho as it drives superbly and gives strong power for a stock car. I think it's fair to say that you either understand the S2 or you don't, if you don't then all the handling traits of an old skool quattro will be a bit annoying and you'll sell it, if you do undersatnd it, learn how to use it and what you can and can't do then you'll sell your Gran to get it just the way you want.

As for rads, you're stuck either way. The Nissens ones suffer metal fatigue on the base as they're cheap and nasty, thin metal, is worse if your car has AC, the OE ones go brittle and crack at the hose clip points or during maintenance.

Most S2 parts are quite reasonable really, it's finding a good mechanic who can do the bigger jobs without a nervous breakdown, there are a few dotted about. A lot of jobs can be DIY, just requires some big balls to get started if you're more used to working on Golfs like I was, a quattro engine bay, drivetrain and chassis are scary places compared to a nice & simple VW. All the same when you get down to it tho.

[Ross]

And on-topic... I bought my S2 with no mechanical abilities what so ever.. using guides on here I'd done my own rad changes, fitted front brakes, and with lots of help done a complete engine swap!

In terms of cost of ownership, it is quite high, but then so would any car at 15yrs of age. Actually in terms of essentials, in my first year with 150,000 mile '91 Coupe, i spent very little. The biggest problem is the temptation to spend thousands replacing everything with performance items.. for instance, my shocks were getting tired so i spent a grand on new ARBs, drop-links, H&R springs and Bilstein shocks. I could have just done the RARB and shocks for a few hundred.

If cost is an issue, I'd recommend replacing any worn hoses, replace ALL boost hoses if they are original, fit the "Mark-H" intercooler mod (about £15) and any dud sensors etc. Try to get one in good working order from the onset, or it will end up as a bit of a project (which is fine if that is what you want!).

You shouldn't have to worry about split manifolds and cracked sumps unless the car has been abused. In the worst-case and you had to replace something, for example, i recently sold a 100k miler exhaust manifold and turbo for £100. No signs of cracks or wear on any. As has been stated, it's the labour and finding someone who knows these cars that is the difficult bit! And all those damn sensors and little problems that cost £50 here, £70 there that all add up...