DRIVING
48 May 2019 _ PopularMechanics.comPHOTOGRAPHBY^COREY^HENDRICKSON↓ THE NEW VINTAGE
FUN FACT
In the early ’80s, Audi
planned to make only
400 all-wheel-drive
Quattros, to meet
requirements to race.
Public demand
led to full production.I LEFT BOSNIA in 1993, and the first car I
bought in America was an Audi 4000S. I
loved it, but I wanted a Quattro, which was
more rare. Three years later, I found this- It was a great daily driver. It has a galva-
nized body, with a factory rubberized coating
underneath. With a good set of winter tires,
it’s a tank on the snow. I would wash it two or
three times a month, even in the summer,
just to keep it clean. After a while, I pretty
much stopped bringing it to a mechanic. I
was trying to save money, but I also enjoyed
the hobby. One of my best friends, Adnan, is
a jack-of-all-trades, so I learned a lot work-
ing next to him. If I needed more, I’d look
in manuals and online forums. I redid the
brakes, lines, hoses, ABS pump—that was
a big project. I replaced the fuel tank. Last
year, my motor mounts went. The whole weight
of the eng ine rested on the manifold st uds, and
broke them. The car sounded like a tractor. We
pulled the head off the engine, found another
manifold, and replaced all the parts. It’s been
running great since.
In 2014, I started driving an ’06 Audi A4
Quattro. I save the 200 for nice days and when
there isn’t any salt on the roads. I want to
make it last. I love older cars, because you feel
more connected. And everything seems bet-
ter made, even just the normal wear-and-tear
parts. I replaced a wheel bearing for the first
time last year, after 237,000 miles. If I live long
enough to be too old to drive, I’ll give it to my
daughter. I’d only consider selling it if someone
shelled out a lot of money, and that’s probably
not going to happen.The All-Wheel-
Drive Originator
PURCHASE
PRICE
$10,000MAKE/MODEL
1989 Audi 200 QuattroOWNER
Darko SarićLOCATION
South Burlington,
VermontFOUND AT
Imported Car
Center Auto SportYEARS
OWNED
23