[V8] V8 Crazy? - Or just out of our minds? - TCO / Long.

[Etdmail at cs.com]

 Well Gents, 

 Summer time is upon us again .. And too so will the v8's
 reoccurring summer-time V8 ailments .. Hopeful, as well
 all the great joys of long, summer drives and fun events !!

 Luckily, we have this great community to look to, for the 
 better as well as the lesser, in v8 motoring experiences!!

 Seems once again, that the ever present, want to analyze 
 and to try to come to grips, with cost rationalizations of v8 
 (and Audi) ownership's vs. other options is here as well.

 It can be a bad thing, to try mix, financial analysis and the want
 for constraint, when applying them to our complex steeds, while
 also trying to balance it all -- against some lusty needs for speed.

 Reading the thoughts, ideas, histories and rationalizations in this
 thread. Reminded me of some (I think) "sage" advise, I sought out
 from an ex-Audi Dealer UC Buyer /now UC Dealer before, I bought 
 my V8 several years ago. - As it was one of the cars on the top of 
 my personal want list. 

 He told me (and presumable any other in the same position) that 
 I should plan to budget $1000.00 per month for V8Q ownership. It
 was based on the idea of acquisition costs, for a decent example 
 and paying Audi Dealer prices for parts and labor. --  And he also 
 had presumed I would actually be using the v8, as my primary car.

 Based on my foreign car experiences (and with ability to do some of 
 the potential needed work myself) I felt, his estimate was a little high.
 And he agreed, that it was possibly high -- But cautioned too, if I got 
 a bad example -- It could be a "very low estimate" in the short term!

 But, it was summer and I was determined to keep a v8 at the top of my
 want list. And wanted to find a good example before the prime shopping
 weather here in the Northeast, wane'd.

 As luck would have it, I soon came across a nice example, that was a dealers
 own personal car, so it was well documented and maintained, with largely 
hi-way 
 miles between Connecticut and New Hampshire to the owners summer house.

 It turned out to be a great car and one of my favorites. - And nicely better 
than 
 average, problem and condition wise, than I had actually seen or read about 
in 
 some of the other listers' experiences posted here in the past.

 As in financial, its non-financial analysis, seems to defy any real 
conclusion too!
 As if, it's all an enigma of sorts -- Does it get good gas mileage? or not?  
Does it 
 ride well? or is it harsh?  Does it handle well? or at times just an 
unwieldy beast? Is it 
 dependable? or a bear? Does it stop? fade? or pulsate?  Do we reach for the 
Thorazine 
 or just some Aspirin ? -- No worries, I'll save most of the Viagra & 
prune-juice jokes for 
 when, the V8's? get a couple of years older !!  (Yes, yes, are we coming, or 
going? ;-)

 In the final analysis, I would have to say, my "sage" friend was not far off 
the mark.
 If one drives lots of miles per year the timing belt cost alone could be 
cost between 
 the $50.00 - $100.00 per month range (2 cents per mile approx.). Not that 
differs all
 that much from the costs of other tightly packaged, foreign car engine bays. 
Maybe 
 the new Audi v8 'chain drives' will reduce some costs here?

 And yes, if my 'sage' old friend is correct on his initial monthly estimates 
to me. The
 $1000.00 per month for the used V8, could translate into a new $55,000.00 
car (and
 likely a few bank executive's lunches) over a 5 year term, at average 
current new car
 interest rates. If it were a new $55k Audi, the "sage's" cost cycle 
prediction, may rear 
 it self once again - (and not being readjusted for inflation of course) !!

 Is it all crazy?  --  Or, am I just out of my mind ?  ;~)

 BCNU
 Ed
 (Cambridge)
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