well, guess i'm not going Audi.....

[John Larson]

Turbos don't suffer from weak bottom ends like the NA diesels, and the build 
quality was still superb in 83.  Vacuum issues still abound, and the climate 
control system, "I think", may be the later (and better) style.  Enjoy! 
John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike LaRosa" <mrmotoguzzi00 at yahoo.com>
To: "John Larson" <j.d.larson at verizon.net>; <cobram at juno.com>
Cc: <mrmotoguzzi00 at yahoo.com>; <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 4:05 AM
Subject: Re: well, guess i'm not going Audi.....


> quite the debate you guys got going :)
>
>
> John's last comment about the newer mercedes and
> quality issues is what kept the wife out of new
> mercedes for the last 3 years...  I've been wrenching
> my own stuff since 1979, not quite as long as you
> john :)  unless we include my dirt bikes, then it's
> 1973!  :)  LOL..
>
>
> anyway, 80's saabs seem to be built so they can be
> repaired by a good home mechanic,  this mercedes looks
> that way too,  my 90 Audi V8 and 89-91 100/200 was
> borderline home mechanic stuff..  but the cars have
> gotten so damned computer/technology complicated in
> the last lets's say 5-10 years ?  that we ended going
> for the extended warranty on the wife's 04 lexus....
> everything is so tight in the engine compartment and
> everywhere else, i'd just end up spending more time
> throwing tools and cursing than fixing me thinks :)
>
> anyway, picked up the 85 300dt last night, much softer
> car than any Audi I've had, but I like the vintage
> feel and look of the interior and exterior.  I think
> I'm really gonna like this Tank :)
>
>
> Mike,
>
> --- John Larson <j.d.larson at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <cobram at juno.com>
>> To: <j.d.larson at verizon.net>
>> Cc: <mrmotoguzzi00 at yahoo.com>;
>> <quattro at audifans.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 7:56 PM
>> Subject: Re: well, guess i'm not going Audi.....
>>
>>
>> > "John Larson" <j.d.larson at verizon.net> writes:
>> >
>> >> John, calling the big MB boneyard in LA:  "Hi
>> Daniel, this is John
>> >> at West Coast Garage!"
>> >> "What can I do for you, John?"  "I need a price
>> on a 300D non-turbo
>> >> engine."
>> >> "Lemme guess.  A rod through the
>> block...................  I don't
>> >> have any, they're all that way when we get 'em."
>> >>Makes door handles seem a minor irritant, doesn't
>> it?
>> >
>> > WHY is a valid question, I've seen MB diesels
>> throw rods because they
>> > were oil starved or overheated, sometimes both.
>> Also, how many miles on
>> > a CA car by the time it hits the boneyard?  One
>> issue (and Mercedes has
>> > addressed it) is the problem with the diesels
>> equipped with the trap
>> > converters, the '87 300TD had the turbo, converter
>> and a bunch of other
>> > parts changed on Mercedes dime when the trap
>> converter took them
>> > out.....the car had over 160K miles at the
>> time....lets see Audi do
>> > something like that for a known problem....better
>> wait sitting down for
>> > that one.
>> >
>> > I'll also take an MB automatic transmission over
>> any of the Audi
>> > automatics.
>> >
>> >> Another fun thing is the 10 miles of vacuum lines
>> for the doors, the
>> >> climate controls, and the ignition switch
>> cut-off.
>> >
>> > Audi has the same thing, the major difference
>> being the vacuum source and
>> > ignition switch.  I'd rather do dozen MB diesel
>> ignition switches instead
>> > of 1 V8Q ignition switch any day.  Half dozen MB
>> switches for 1 200TQ
>> > switch.  Most of the time the MB's just need a new
>> vacuum connector at
>> > the switch.
>> >
>> >> Count me on the wouldn't really want to own a
>> Mercedes side
>> >
>> > Removing the rust factor and quattro from the
>> equation, I'd be hard
>> > pressed to honestly come up with a reason to own
>> an Audi over a
>> > comparable Mercyless Benz.  Take a spin in an SL55
>> and we'll see if you
>> > can honestly restate the above sentence. ;-)
>> >
>> > BCNU,
>> > http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/
>>
>> Well, to each his own .....  I have yet to see an
>> Audi with the kind of
>> vacuum problems so common in MBs of the same era,
>> and I've been working on
>> them steadily since 1973.  Granted, '70s Jag sedans
>> are worse!  I do agree
>> their trannies are nice, but they still have their
>> problems.  And speaking
>> of ignition switches, 10 % of my customer base is
>> MBs, and most of the 85-95
>> ones have needed ignition tumblers.  The local
>> dealer keeps some in stock.
>> In fact, several of the Volvos and BMWs we service
>> have as well.  My 90 20v
>> is the only Audi I've put one in the last 10 years
>> or so.  As for the SL 55,
>> I came up through the Porsche ranks, so MBs are not
>> where my head is.  I'd
>> take the equivalent 911 derivative, or even a
>> Boxter, any day.  BTW, MBs new
>> cars suffer from QC problems never even dreamed of
>> by Audi, and they're
>> getting worse.  That's not just me talking, read the
>> industry analysts
>> reports.  John
>>
>>
>>
>