advice requested, re: long trip in an Audi

[Geordie]

> My issue is the potential reliability of the Audi for this trip,
> compared to my Saturn.  I have no reservations about the reliability
> of the Saturn for this trip, but the Audi will be more of a pleasure to
> drive.
>

I took an '84 5ks across Canada once. It wasn't a babied car either, I have
a feeling the maintenance was nearly non-existent before my friend bought
it. But it was a solid car for almost the entire trip. Only problem it had
was stranding me in downtown Toronto with a broken transmission cooler, so I
had water in the tranny and ATF in the cooling system. When water sprays out
of the Slushbox dipstick, you know you're not going anywhere for awhile. The
scary thing is that it was loosing water for a very long time....like from
Montreal, so "Im surprised the slushbox didn't explode on highway 401. Glad
my friend had CAA. And of course on the way home the car was totalled by a
drunk driver, but that wasn't the fault of the Audi.

If your car is in good shape mechanically and you have been maintaining it,
I would say that you shouldn't have any major problems. My friend and I
drove the heck out of his 5ks and it was a dream for most of the
trip...although I was wishing it were a turbo model...130hp is almost not
enough.

ciao,

Geordie
'82 Coupe
Victoria, BC