1990 Audi 90 2.3E

This Audi 90 E, first registered on 6th August 1990, is a rare but ordinary-looking example of the later 2.3-litre engine with a 5-speed manual transmission and it comes with a superb one-owner history.

It is being sold by the son of the owner of the car who has not only had it from brand new but who has also kept pretty much every parts invoice, test report and garage bill from its 30 year life. For the first few years it was a daily commuter and also ferried the odd teenager around but for the remainder it has been a bit of a “pride and joy” car for the owner and his wife to use.

According to the owner’s son, it became a bit of a family joke that if the weather was bad, or there was the prospect of getting it dirty, dad’s Audi would stay in the garage and they would go out in mum’s car.

As is typical, most of the mileage was put on this car during its first decade or two with very little being added over the third and almost none at all in the last two since the owner stopped driving due to ill health.

By and large, the exterior Tornado Red paintwork is in great condition with perhaps only a few blemishes and scratches here and there (for example on the near side door mirror casing) that you’d expect from a 30 year old car - albeit one that’s been well looked after all that time by the same owner. A minor dent in the bonnet about half-way up the nearside edge, from something falling onto the car from a garage shelf, was dealt with a few months back by getting it professionally pulled rather than filling and repainting. It is now all but undetectable.

The vulnerable front and rear valances below the bumpers are undercoated in a fine-grade stone chip paint for additional protection but overpainted in body colour. Exterior trims of black and chromed plastic are all present and intact and again not perfect but very good for the age.

The standard 14” steel wheels with trims in good condition are shod with Uniroyal Rallye 540 tyres all round - good quality matching tyres are, as you may know, one of our favourite things to see as it often indicates a car that’s been properly cared for. From what we can see, they were fitted in 2001 but appear in good order with plenty of tread. If this is true, then they’ve covered around 30,000 miles since and would be worth getting checked.

The story of a well cared for car continues inside, the chenille velour upholstery in a mid grey with subtle coloured stripes presents very well with no evident rips or tears. There is the occasional scuff mark around the interior as you’d expect, such as shoe scuffs on the lower door pocket, but nothing that should cause worry. The carpets and Audi floor mats all appear clean and tidy, again with no discernible damage. The vendor reports that all electrical equipment in the car, such as mirrors and windows are functioning correctly.

The car was dealer-fitted with an alarm system back in 1991 and you can see how well the interior ultra-sonic sensors and warning LED were integrated into the dashboard rather than simply pinned to the A-pillars as so many retro-fit alarm components were back in the day.

In the back, the condition is also very strong with none of the typical scrapes and scuffs on the rear shells of the front seats and no sign of the ‘domestic abuse’ that is often seen across the back seat of four-door saloons. The headlining too is in good, clean order.

On the rear parcel shelf, you can make out the Audi Design Duo Sound unit, which allows the kids in the back of the car to switch to listen to the car’s radio or cassette player through their headphones rather than speakers. A twist of the Panasonic stereo’s fader dial to push all output to the rear then renders mum and dad in the front blissfully undistracted by whatever those in the back think is decent music! Hmm, I wonder if they still make them?

Under the bonnet, the engine bay is clean and tidy with the only signs of corrosion being surface rust on the belt-shield at the very front. This is what you get from diligent annual servicing since new by reputable garages.

Unsurprisingly, the undersides of the car also appear in good order - I’m sure you’re getting the picture here of an owner who fixed things when they needed doing - or even before. There is good underseal across the floor pans and other structural and mechanical parts look sound with just road dirt or light surface rust on show. Pay attention to the photos of the underside and floor of the boot which show that there are no lingering issues from the minor shunts that occurred earlier in its life (see History Highlights below).

Inside the boot, all is in good order with carpets and linings clean and intact. The full-size spare wheel is secured behind a cover to the left and the jack, wheel brace and small toolset are also present. That the spare wheel is stored upright inside the boot gives you an idea of the capacity.

If, after looking through the gallery and reading these words, you’re still not convinced of the solid condition of this car, why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ option to message the vendor and arrange more photographs or even a video call to be able to zoom into specific areas.

The car comes with an extensive history file and the folio of original owner’s manuals and service book stamped each and every year from 1990 right up to 2017 when, presumably, the car fell out of regular use. At that time it had done 76,989 miles which is only about 240 fewer than it is showing now. The current MOT runs out in July this year.

All major documents and invoices for MOTs, parts, servicing, repairs and other works have been retained with the car dating back thirty years - including the original purchase of the car brand new. Most of the routine maintenance was carried out early on by the supplying dealer Munn & Chapman Audi of Little Chalfont or in later years by the Rickmansworth Service Station, a highly-rated and long-established family business.

At three times in the past; 1990, 1995 and 2001 it has had to visit the body shop for repair and respray to the rear of the car following a minor shunt but the invoices we can see suggest that nothing of any significance has been required since. Clearly a very reliable car. Check out the gallery of invoices and other documents and you’ll see the diligence with which this car has been maintained over the years.

Although the car has largely been garage-bound for the last couple of years, only taken “around the block” occasionally to keep the battery topped up, it is reported to be mechanically sound and to start and drive well. The Audi 90 2.3E is a very capable sports saloon but few people know about them. With only around 20 now left on the road in the UK, this level of anonymity is unlikely to change.

We know only too well, however, that rarity doesn’t always equal desirability or big money, but you are very unlikely to find another one-owner Audi 90 of this era in such an honest and original condition.

We think this car, offered with NO RESERVE, will fetch between £2,000 and £5,000, which seems such a bargain price for an interesting, reliable and enjoyable piece of German engineering.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire; please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Also, localised paint repairs are common with collectable and classic cars and if they have been professionally carried out then they may be impossible to detect, even if we see the car in person. So, unless we state otherwise, please assume that this vehicle may have had remedial bodywork at some point in its life.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.