[A4] Sale of A4/Purchase of A3

[Paul W. Henne]

I took one of the new GTIs with DSG and 17" wheels for a short spin the 
other day.  I was impressed.  Very responsive yet compliant over bumps 
(I have a bad L5-S1 disc).  The 2.0T pulls strongly down low but ran out 
of steam in the upper revs quicker than my chipped 1.8T, which pulls 
fairly strongly up to over 5800 RPM.  I had hoped the DSG would shift a 
little quicker than it did, but overall I liked the way it drove.  The 
GTI doesn't have the same interior as an Audi, but I actually prefer the 
cloth seats, and it does have all the creature comforts (lots more than 
my '98 A4), and more room than my A4 sedan (I need more cargo space).  
It even looks like it has a cruise control stalk that will work longer 
than a year.  :)  If you stay away from the packages, you can get a 
pretty nice one for around $23K. 

It's very tempting, as my A4 is needing seals and a radiator and cruise 
control stalk, ABS controller, Tip shift mechanism...  Hmm talk about 
upside down it would cost me more to fix it up to sell than I could ever 
sell it for..  :(  Which is really too bad, because other than the 
problems listed it's in great shape.  Engine runs great idles so smooth 
you can hardly tell it's running, uses hardly any oil at all, with 148K 
on the clock.  I did recently have the valve cover and cam tensioner 
seals replaced, and the timing belt has been done twice (at 60K and 120K).

As far as the A3, I just can't stomach paying more for an A3 than I paid 
for my A4.  Considerably more if I want quattro and a few options.  
Living on a hill, I am not too keen to give up quattro.  We'll see.  
Maybe they will someday make an R36 version of the new GTI with AWD. 

Paul

-- 
1998.5 A4 1.8T QTS in Pearl White (148K miles)
Mods, etc:
- APR EMCS engine chip (1 BAR)
- Borla exhaust
- HyperBoost DV
- Samco silicone vacuum hose to DV
- AWE A-pillar boost gauge
- Toyo Proxes 4 (225/50WR16)
- Valentine One RADAR/laser detector (windshield mounted)
- Sylvania SilverStars
- S4 wheel well liner (intercooler side)
- Syntec 5W-40 VW/Audi Blend

Be smooth.  Look ahead.