[BiturboS4] New to list, a little long

[Al Adler]

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As a Tip owner who considers himself a driving ethusiast I'll say I used
to feel the same way you did before I moved to northern VA. Why did I
buy a Tip then? Two reasons:
    #1, while you still can't beat a manual for 0-60, weight, and
overall torque capacity the 5 speed Tip tranmission is vastly unit over
the typical American 4 sp of the early 90's.  It  actually is rated for
the same MPG as the manual in the S4 so its an efficient unit. It
usually is in the gear I want; I seldom even have to use the Tip
function in everyday driving.
    #2, due the the miserable unceasing traffic in the DC area most of
the time I'm driving shifting gets to be an chore. Add in a cell phone,
stereo, beverages, and other distractions having the hand free is useful
to staying on the road. When you're stuck in stop and go traffic I don't
think anyone finds shifting fun; some of you are fortunate enough that
where you live isn't a traffic nightmare - yet.
    Overall, I miss the manual on the open road or during spirited
driving. I wish that was more than a few percent of my driving time. For
the other 90% of my driving time when the car is really just
transporting me while I'm stuck behind some idiot who's slowing me down
to the speed limit or less I appreciate that the Tip is doing the work
for me and I can still enjoy the luxuries of the S4. Maybe I'm just
getting lazy.
    The other thing I'll miss is building some sort of sick Stage 4 type
setup but I'll probably get a lot more life out of the engine this way
and spend a lot less. I still have a manual in my old Callaway Scirocco
if ever get the itch to shift. And with the way transmission tech is
going I'll bet soon this arguement will be moot; with the clutchless
manuals and multitronic technologies coming along you'll soon have the
best of both worlds - full manual or full automatic in the same
efficient lightweight box  in a car that doesn't cost as much as a house.

Al

Russell Romano wrote:

>I'd say most... no offense to anyone here, but the vast majority of these =
cars are sold as automatics!!!  What does that say about the "driving enthu=
siast" level of the buyers?  I think most people buy german cars to express=
 their financial status, not because they understand the difference inheren=
t in the car itself.
>
>In certain BIG cars that you are never going to drive hard I can understan=
d it, other than that, an automatic transmission belongs in a mini-van.  On=
ce you give up the manual trans YOU are no longer "driving" the car, you ar=
e simply steering it.
>
>-Russ
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: John Koenig [mailto:johnkoenig at greennet.net]
>>Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 8:40 PM
>>To: biturbos4 at audifans.com
>>Subject: Re: [BiturboS4] New to list, a little long
>>
>>
>>There are many people in BMWs and Mercs that don't seem
>>especially held up
>>by that "requirement," not to mention Audis and Volkswagens!
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: California Fields <cfields72 at hotmail.com>
>>
>>
>>
>>>Owning a german car requires that one know how to drive.
>>>
>>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>BiturboS4 mailing list
>>BiturboS4 at audifans.com
>>http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/biturbos4
>>
>>
>>
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>

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