[V8] the verdict is in

d saad dsaad at icehouse.net
Mon Apr 2 18:14:44 EDT 2007



I was out last week on Vacation (if anyone finds my wallet in SW Utah,
please send it back :-(
and while I was gone, a real mechanic did a
leak down test on my motor. His conclusion is that the valves are toast,
but the bottom end (rings) looked good.
So - I am going to go ahead
with the valve job, and after being encouraged a little by Pasha, I think
I am also going to replace the rings, but re-use the rod bearings. I
figure this will cost me somewhere in the $3500 range by the time it is
all done.
Far less than a new car, but a little disappointing for a
top shelf Audi with "only" 150K miles on it. Oh well.
I
guess I also had the option of "giving" my rare and wonderful
5-speed to one of you vultures :-)
but the amount I would get for it
would not make even one payment on a replacement car.
So - prepare
yourselves for my summer long saga. One day, the V8 will ride again!
(or I will be living in the shed with the dog)

And now for
the heresy: I did do a little car shopping. Mostly to appease my wife, who
really does not "get" the whole V8 thing. She is a girl after
all.
Two cars caught my eye, but neither is available yet.
One
is the V6 diesel powered Q7, and the other is a Jeep Wagoneer (I think)
with the Mercedes I5 Blue Tec diesel motor. Both will be in the 30 MPG
range.
I expect gas to be at $3.00+ a gallon within a year even if
bush does NOT attack Iran, and it is not likely to drop below that point
ever again. I hate to think what will happen if he does attack.
Frankly, the Jeep fits my life a whole lot better now, and it is far
more likely to be available than the Q7. The diesel Q7 got some nice
reviews in Australia but who knows if or when Audi will sell it here.
I figure the V8 will last me 5 more years and then I can give it to my
then 16 year old son and pick up a nice used Jeep or Q7 specimen .

Dave


More information about the V8 mailing list