Audi's future

[Kent McLean]

Michael McLaughlin wrote:
> This whole discussion has made me think a fair amount about the eventual 
> replacement of my car. 

I think most of us go through this when something
else breaks on our older, beloved Audis.  I know
I'll upgrade someday (when I find decent employment,
which probably won't happen until I abandon high
tech they way it's abandoned me), but I think I'll
stay in the Audi family.  I like the solid feel and
the surety of quattro in NE winters, and the long
legs on the highway.

I'm not sure Subaru would give me the solid feel
I'm used to (at least, the old ones didn't), and I
don't think I'd smile every time I turned the key.

BMW's are nice, but RWD doesn't really cut it in
the snow.  Volvo, maybe, but in spite of the gains
they've made, I still think 240 and old ladies.

As more manufacturers offer AWD (BMW, Jaguar,
Volvo, Mercedes), the choices increase, and
competition is a good thing. Wait another year
or two, and see what happens when Lexus offers
an AWD sedan.
http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e_article000128943.cfm
*Then* Audi has something to worry about.

Yes, Audi quality isn't what it should be. But
no manufacturer is perfect.  Last time I looked,
the JD Power surveys had the *best* cars with
about 1.5 defects per car. The worst hit 3 or
more. The weak control arms and ignition coils
are easy to fix.  The cheap tinny feel and plastic
inside a Subaru is not.

In the mean time, I dream of a nice pearl/black
'93 4.2L V8, an urS4, an S6 Avant, an A4 quattro
with tiptronic, a 42.L A6, and the list goes on.

Kent