quit job!

[Mike Arman]

>From: Konstantin Bogach <konstantin.bogach at morganstanley.com>
>To: iain.atkinson at tesco.net, quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: Re: JC Whitney Opinions
>
>Iain,
>I just was notified that I am an idiot and you are in UK. Sorry.  Shall I
quit job
>if it interferes with reading mail from quattro list?  ;-)
>
>Konstantin Bogach.


Come on Konstantin! Get with the program. ;-)

I quit my job *long* ago because it interfered with reading the quattro
list - what are you waiting for? But that really is no problem, because now
that I'm on the list, I can fix my type 44 myself for pennies and I no
longer NEED a job to support the dealer and his astronomical parts and
labor prices . . .


Seriously, if it were not for five things, I probably would not HAVE an
Audi, and would be extremely unhappy about working my life away just to own
a shiny new, rapidly deteriorating brand X car. The theory is that shiny
new cars are supposed to be more reliable than grotty old cars - this is
somewhat true, but you can do a LOT of repairs for $500 a month, which is
the payment on a shiny new car - for 60 months! And when you get to month
60, it is little more than junk, and you have to start all over again.
(Heck, if I spent $30,000 on my Audi, it would leap tall buildings at a
single bound!)

The five things that allow me to own a 1986 type 44 (not exactly a paragon
of reliability, but look at its contemporaries! - If you can catch a peek
at them on the way to the crusher . . . ) are:

1) This list and the invaluable advice found on it

2) Some measure of mechanical ability on my part

3) A really good pick-and-pull junkyard about 10 miles away

4) The body is galvanized and does NOT rust - which is the only thing I
cannot fix

And # 5, I am willing to rent something for a day or two if I have to drive
long distances (ugh).


I would not drive my car to California, but instead of buying a $30,000 car
to do that, I'll fly for $400 round trip. I find that 99.5% of my driving
is well inside the AAA-Plus hundred mile radius "circle of security", and
that beyond that distance, I'm probably taking a plane anyway. Further, the
weather is Florida is relatively benign, and the terrain is almost entirely
flat, so I don't NEED a super-capable, take anything you can throw at it
turbo Humvee to get where I'm going.


And seeing the expression of banker's faces when they ask you "car
payment?" and you answer "None." - Priceless!

Best Regards,

Mike Arman