# Audi trans **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149 "2015-09-12T18:08:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/1 "2015-09-12T18:08:12Z")
97 A8. Seller says it is leaking. But it drives fine. Pan has “standpipe” design. U remove fill plug and add fluid thru bottom with U shaped tube. With motor running the trans is circulating about 2 qts. If u shut off motor, the 2 qts will dump out the fill port. Interesting procedure. Top off fluid with motor running. Should I add fluid to determine current level or drop pan and change filter too? Audi says it is lifetime fluid. And pricey. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/2 "2015-09-12T19:14:52Z")
I would drop the pan and change the filter. I like going from the unknown to the known when it comes to mechanical things. Besides…I don’t believe in “lifetime” transmission fluid. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/3 "2015-09-12T19:35:11Z")
An 18 year old Audi is a bad bet. Add a problem transmission on the most complex car they made at the time? I’d pass. Edit- or are you just trying to top it off for somebody else? I’m confused. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/4 "2015-09-12T19:58:53Z")
Since you said “seller”, I assume you might buy this car. Can you determine where the transmission is leaking? I suppose it is possible that when you remove the pan and replace the pan gasket, the leak will be solved. He is the procedure: [http://www.audipages.com/Tech\_Articles/auto\_transmission/autotranservicing.html](http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articles/auto_transmission/autotranservicing.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/5 "2015-09-12T21:43:50Z")
Might buy it. I am doing a trans fluid change on my 01 taurus. I used a fluid transfer pump to draw out 5-6 qts. It says merc 5 on dipstick. I wiped off my hands and they were very sticky? Is merc 5 syn fluid? I assume the Audi stuff might be. Think someone might have put in a trans additive to the taurus fluid? I thought trans fluid was the slipperiest fluid on earth? Dex stuff sure is. Never felt sticky fluid before. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/6 "2015-09-12T22:40:36Z")
OK, so you’re thinking of buying. This car rates only slightly better than the 1990 Jaguar we’ve been discussing. I’d run away. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/7 "2015-09-12T23:39:46Z")
I would bet that the “sticky” fluid is because of an additive or two that was added to the Taurus transmission. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/8 "2015-09-12T23:46:39Z")
+1 on texases comment above. I’d be leery about buying this vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/9 "2015-09-13T02:43:56Z")
Hmm, so the 06 Range Rover with a bad trans is out too? Gotta get something to play with. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 4:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/10 "2015-09-13T04:41:25Z")
Buying this vehicle is akin to marrying someone with a drug and alcohol habit. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 6:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/11 "2015-09-13T06:41:20Z")
A '97 A8 with a leaky tranny? This is a really, really, really bad gamble. Unless you’ve won the lottery since we last talked, keep looking. An ‘06 Rangie with a bum tranny is a really, really, really bad bet too. As a matter of fact, a 2016 Rangie brand new would even be a bad bet. Range Rovers have a really, really, really poor reliability reputation and a really, really, really high cost-of-ownership. A few years ago I saw a Consumer Reports comparison of the various makes’ reliabilities, and Range Rover was literally in a class by itself… too poor to be included with any other makes. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 6:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/12 "2015-09-13T06:51:28Z")
Even with that lousy reputation, Land Rovers have the shortest shelf life on the dealer’s lot of all automobiles. I was amazed when I read that. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/13 "2015-09-13T08:14:25Z")
Land Rovers are status cars, good to lease while under warranty and then return/repeat.This is if you have to be SEEN in a LR. The cars the OP is looking at are just trouble. They are good as a hobby, spend the whole week fixing them and then drive around the block on the weekend while you have AAA on rapid dial. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/14 "2015-09-13T17:20:27Z")
looked at a 01 S8 with bad trans too. Could not find a single used trans nationwide. Don’t even talk about a rebuild cost. That really kills the all in cost to get it running. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/15 "2015-09-13T20:59:11Z")
@Cavell If you want a used luxury car to play around with, how about Acura or Lexus? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/16 "2015-09-13T21:59:58Z")
Good idea, the GS300 or GS350 is pretty nice, a Lexus version of the BMW 530i. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/audi-trans/91149/17 "2015-09-13T22:54:23Z")
I will also add an IS, the older version with a stick.