[s-cars] Re: Cabriolet

[CyberPoet]

Having lived in Scottsdale for a while, here's what you want to know
for the Phoenix area:

1. There are a zillion chop-top-shops in the area who can take any car
you want and make it a convertible (or hard top removable). This may be
more desirable to you than starting out with the down-sides of a
factory-built Cabriolet, if you are a performance buff. Note that the
removal/replacement process will substantially alter the body stiffness
(the same can be said of the factory version, although they did
reinforce it, it's still not in the same league as the hard tops). That
stock Cabriolet reinforcement may get in the way of changing
transmissions and/or adding quattro capabilities (the reinforcement is
often done around the center of the car) -- check before you get
ambitious. One final word on this thought: a few of the shops can make
you a roll-top instead (this keeps the existing roof, but replaces the
majority of it's surface area with a material, so you have most of the
stiffness of the original hardtop, with most of the benefit of a
convertible.

2. It will rain a few times a year, but only when you happen to be at
the mall anyway.

3. The biggest hassle will be sandstorms. They aren't frequent, and
aren't too bad if you live in town, but if you live out at the edge of
a desert, a single sandstorm will ruin your paint in less than 10
minutes, even on the leeward side of the house. Thank the Gods that
Audi decided to start zinc-coating all their body panels back when. On
the other hand, hanging parts up on a bent-over clothes hanger from a
secure eyebolt set on the windward side is as good a way of getting
them clean as any paint-shop strip booth.

4. You won't drive with the top down during the day very often because
of the ambient temperatures, when your A/C works. Having a rag-top
makes the A/C less efficient and thus you are more likely to curse
between late April and mid September.

Either way, document everything with good pictures and keep us posted :)

Cheers!
=-= Marc



> Wife really likes the older Cabriolet's and we're on the verge of
> buying
> one.
> Downers are
>     -horrid acceleration (for those addicted to turbo)
>     -no Quattro (not a biggie, moving to Phoenix, still have the urS)
>
> Uppers are
>     -classic styling (IMO)
>     -It's an Audi
>
> I don't know much about the V6  (12v???) in the Cabriolets, but I'm
> about to
> learn.
> Anyone who knows anything about these cars, I'd like your opinions.
> Thanks!
> --Scott Munger
> '93 S4