Mar 3, 2019  •  For Sale  •  9 Comments

Cheap Canyon Carver: 1985 Audi Coupe GT

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Audi is known for having some crisp, well-tailored, and well-designed vehicles. This 1985 Audi Coupe GT is no exception even though it’s over three decades old now so it’s a 1980s version of crisp and tailored. This canyon-carver can be found here on craigslist in Independence, Oregon for $3,900.

$3,900 is short money for a car like this Audi Coupe GT. It isn’t exactly bone-stock – the striping and graphics were added by a former owner – but a two-door, well-handling, comfortable, manually-shifted and fairly-exotic car that will turn heads at every gas station and grocery store is worth $3,900 all day long. The seller says that this Audi “belonged to an elderly German friend of my mother’s and it was his pride and joy.” On why they’re selling it, “I acquired it in 2016 and have enjoyed it, but with 3 other cars it doesn’t get driven much and just sits in the garage.” I know the feeling. Car hoarding is a real thing, just ask my wife.

The Coupe GT was updated for the 1985 model year and 3,586 of them were sold. The redesign made it a little more aerodynamic, a little rounder, a little more “modern”. Saying that a mid-80s car is modern is sort of laughable, but just think what people are going to say about today’s designs in 34 years? The same origami-like, overly-folded, sweeping up-line from the bottom-front through the door handles to the upper-rear seems to show up on every car today. Zzzzzz… where’s my 5-gallon pail of coffee so I can stay awake. Give me a 1980s Audi or almost anything 30+ years old. The owner says that this “front bumper was repaired but could stand to be re-done. Some chips, scratches and light patina.”

This interior looks like about a 9 out of 10 to me. It isn’t leather but the seats look almost like new and the say that there’s more than enough room in the back seats even for tall folks. This car is front-wheel-drive so it’s not exactly a turbo Quattro but I have to believe that it’s a satisfying car to drive. They say that the “Driver’s power window not working. AC not cold but it’s all there.” This isn’t a hatchback despite the hatchback-look, it has an actual trunk and there is a slot for the removable sunroof. I love Audis, I’ve had one for over 15 years now and it’s so well-designed and fun to drive.

The unusual layout of this 2.2L inline-five is just, well, strange and cool at the same time. With the off-set radiator and battery in the back and all sorts of wires and hoses snaking over it. It would have had somewhere between 100 and 110 hp or so. I know, as much as the 17-year old Saturn that you bought your daughter, but I can almost guarantee that this Audi is more fun to drive than most 100-hp cars are. The seller says that the “Cold start injector temporarily wired to a momentary switch as I could not determine which sensor went out (the one that triggers it when cold). Despite these issues, this car is ready to drive and enjoy as-is.” I agree, I would love to have this car. Are there any 1980s Audi fans out there?

Comments

  1. motoring mo
    Mar 3, 2019 at 2:41pm

    Canyon carver? Maybe.

    Carve a hole in your wallet while you try to keep it on the road? Definitely.

    Like 8
  2. Rusty
    Mar 3, 2019 at 3:25pm

    Yes to full sized people in the back seat. I climbed all over one of these in the showroom when they came out, but there was no way at that age I could have convinced the dealer that I was a serious customer and driven it.

    Like 3
  3. local_sheriff
    Mar 3, 2019 at 3:43pm

    Now this is a great Audi! Terrible striping, but apart from that I see a very intact and clean Coupe, with the same lines as the famous Coupe Quattro!

    Don’t think I’ve seen such a clean non-rusty fwd Coupe in decades. That I-5 can be hot’up immensely,especially with the help of forced induction, and will give an extremely distinctive gnarl when revved.With the right suspension it can gain almost go-kart road handling.Love it, I hope it ends up with someone who knows what an 80s Audi can be turned into!

    Like 4
  4. Derek
    Mar 3, 2019 at 4:10pm

    My dad had a black one with yellow-tinted glass* – also a 2.2 – as his first-ever new car. It wasn’t a Quattro, but it sounded the same. I didn’t get to drive it that often.

    *I might be imagining this. It certainly had yellowy-orange dash lighting.

    Like 3
  5. Brain
    Mar 3, 2019 at 7:05pm

    Fitting post for today seeing as the Quarttro was introduced on this day in 1980 in Geneva. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1468932883242105&id=352025278266210

    Like 2
  6. michael
    Mar 4, 2019 at 9:52am

    I can see why I want this car so badly

    Like 2
  7. Gay Car Nut Tacoma
    Mar 4, 2019 at 10:55am

    Lovely looking car. I remember this generation Audi. My favourite was the Quattro. I find this generation way more attractive than what’s being offered today.

    Like 2
  8. emeltzMember
    Mar 4, 2019 at 11:25am

    I had a 1986 with 230k miles on it. Fun car, 5 speed, FWD, and the 5 cylinder was a great engine.

    Like 2
  9. MikeH
    Mar 5, 2019 at 9:14am

    I had one of these, an ’84 though. It was a blast to drive. However, this was the mid 80s and Audi was experimenting with gadgets and emissions. I had constant trouble with relays and, as this owner has done, wired the cold start injector independently. Finally the entire digital dash display went out. I offered to give the car away for parts or restoration. It went to the crusher. It was a nice car, but I was tired of fooling with it.

    Like 1

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