Audi Future

[TWFAUST at aol.com]

I have received several notes off list that seem to misunderstand my comments 
about high mileage Buicks and Pontiacs. My point is that the general level of 
automobile quality is improving, even where you would least expect. 
       I am not knocking Audis, I have one. But, I also have a recently 
acquired '90 Mercury XR-7. It is a better car than one might assume. Weight of the 
Quattro and the Merc are within a 100 lbs. of each other. Gas mileage is about 
equal, but the supercharger on the Merc does put the torque down lower. The 
Merc handles extremely well, but the AWD of the Audi has an edge.
       Another interesting point in the J.D. Power survey of initial defects. 
M-B came in about 14th, in terms of "as delivered" defects. There is no 
logical reason to extrapolate this out to long term reliability.

Tom Faust