R32s and Long Distance Shipping

[Unka Bart]

Hola Alles,

If you don't have an interest in either thread, please delete now.  Yer 
kindly ol' Unka Bart gets windy sometimes...

As some of you may recall, I recently sold the Gentleman's Express ('93 
V8Q with Kieth Tackett Conversion to 5-speed manual, slotted euro A8 
rotors with Porsche Big Reds, 17' Flik Lexx Wheels. Bilstein Sport 
snubbers and H&R springs.   I sold it to a fellow lister from NW ID 
(2,610 miles) from my location here in Pensacola, Baja Alabama.  I 
replaced it with handsome Pearl Black '04 VW R32, bringing me full 
circle to my arrival on the Quattro list some 10 years ago with my '87 
VW Quantum Syncro (Great car, if a slug acceler... well, increasing 
velocity) a 4KQ with a comparatively light VW-badged wagon (that would 
make a fantastic ride if the entire drivetrain were upgraded to modern/ 
sporting components like the GE was. But I digress big time...).

My experience with Quattro drive systems is based on 9 years in the QS 
and 7 years spread over 3 V8Qs, a '90, a '915m, and the last two with 
the GE.  I love V8Qs, so I was amazed that the GE and the R32 were so 
close in performance, with to my further surprise, actually edged in 
the direction of the R32.  To me, the operation of the Haldex 
controller is so quick that it's imperceptible. However, the 
aftermarket offers folks who will reprogram the Haldex controller in 
way you want.  As Taka said, the default mode is FWD, but when slippage 
is detected, the rear wheels come on line.  Even moderately tight 
radius Interstate ramps invoke the Haldex to invoke AWD.  Big grin 
city.

I was going to spring for the reprogramming the Haldex to make the 
default mode AWD, but I'm so pleased with the default mode that I don't 
think it would be worth it for the present.

In my entirely subjective judgement, an R32 is esentially Audi's TT 
3.2Q in a body that is more spacious.  The R32 has seriously bolstered, 
high quality leather clad, entirely manually adjusted sport seats.  I 
love 'em.  I digress... Very high quality user interface (controls, 
interior materials, etc)

The TT doubtless has very high quality materials throughout.  Higher 
than the R32, I'm equally sure.  But in my own personal view of the 
world, the quality of the materials used in the areas where the humans 
interface/interact with the car (cabin, trunk, engine compartment) is 
very high in the R32, even though it's higher in the Audi.  Business 
Class vs First Class, both way better than the average (Coach class).

If the R32 had Audi's DSG transmission, it would be close enough to 
perfect for me...

I also had a 3.2l Porsche 911 cab for 9 years.  The R32 road feel 
reminds me more of the 911 than any other car I can recall.  Steering 
is light, quick reacting, and very communicative about the road 
conditions as it encounters them.  Intensely grin-inducing pleasant to 
drive!

Serious brakes!  Bigger than those on the GE, and with close to 1500 of 
Mr Avoirdupois' finest pounds to haul-down from those grin-inducing 
velocities...  Even my wife, whose ideal ride is a full-sized 4 door 
Pick'em up truck (Go figure...), loves the R32.  She was not so 
favorably impressed by the GE, I regret to say.

Well, as I mentioned, the buyer is waaaaay up in Northwest ID.  I've 
had his money for a month, but he's had problems getting a shipper to 
pick-up the GE and haul it to ID, so we are examining the option of me 
driving up and flying back to P'cola at his expense.  He's made a 
substantial deposit with a hauler, but still will have to pay another 
$1K when they pick it up.  It might be cheaper for him to write-off the 
non-refundable deposit and have me drive up/fly home.

Per Google map, it's 2,610 miles.  Their route takes me through 
Memphis, St Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Souix Falls, and then (long 
drive w/o major cities) destination.  At 65 mph avg, that's about 40 
hrs driving time.  At 10 hrs/day, that's 4 motel nights.  I don't mind 
Motel 6, but there's no guarantee one will be available where/when 
needed, so (assuming you can put me up the final nite) figure $50/nite 
or $200+/-.

Fuel/oil:  Assume 20 mpg, fuel at $3.25/gal; [2610/20*3.25=424.15], say 
$500

Meals:  I always eat a good breakfast when traveling, say $10; Lunch 
say $5.00, Dinner say $15, say $30/day; say $150 total.

So If I drive and if he can get a plane ticket for me for $300, he's 
$150 ahead walking off from his deposit.  If I drive 12 hrs per day, 
the motel cost goes down by one nite.  Staying with listers/(other) 
friends (hello friends) for the nite has the same effect.  At my age 
(I'm not older than dirt, although dirt had not been widely accepted by 
the time I was born)  (Only Bob Myers is older than dirt, but I 
digress...) my enthusiasm for driving more than 6-8 hours has dampened 
somewhat since my youth, but I CAN do long days now and then.  I just 
am not wildly enthusiastic at the prospect.  But that's now; once on 
the road, I might well (probably would) just get into the thing and 
drive 14 hr days.

By the way, consider that days over 8 hrs long have always made it a 
hassle to get a motel room when your day's destination is not set in 
stone at the start..  Maybe the Garmin NuVi 350 I should have by 
Tuesday will be able to recommend a motel in whatever target area I 
decide to make my daily destination so that I could reserve a room 
early enough using my cell phone.  If I drive it up, that is...  
Hmmmm...

Time to look at the Atlas and pick potential RON locations...

Yer kindly ol' Unka Bart