[V8] hybernating the V8

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Time to put the V8 to sleep for the winter. 

This is actually part of a larger decision regarding our small fleet of vehicles.  The truth is that we have no need of two vehicles. No rational need, but then these deliberations often involve no reason at all, much the same as gun ownership for many, involves no rational thought process.  

We live in a semi-remote area and depend on A vehicle for our daily living needs.  A normal week for us involves driving perhaps a hundred miles or so, depending on whether there is a need for routine medical services, primarily for my wife. In such cases there is an extra hundred or so miles that wed drive.  It is an exceedingly rare occurrence for us to need to get fuel more than one time per month for ONE vehicle.  That means we have one vehicle sitting most of the time with little to no use.

It is rapidly boiling down to if ONE vehicle, which one and the odd man out is the V8.  My wife is less comfortable in the V8 than in the Avant, yet the V8 is the younger of the two in terms of total miles accumulated.  Of course the V8 is MY personal favorite.  

So about once a year I go through the thought process of which vehicle or which vehicles to keep...and this is the time I am doing it again.  Last fall I began the process of selling the truck because it had accumulated a whopping seventy-six miles in nearly six months.  The lumber yard will deliver for free, so I sold it. Turned out the 3/4 ton older Chevy was worth a LOT more than I had paid for it, so that was a good deal for all.

Now we are thinking that in the new year we might roll the entire fleet in favor or something else.  The only place I trust to service the Audis involves a seventy mile commute one way which frankly, has become a PITA.  So, I am investigating alternatives, including what we might acquire that could be serviced locally.  At the end of the day, we might keep the Avant in service, and next spring have the exterior refurbished.  The mechanical pieces are all done, and the car will likely be dependable and good transportation for another sixty thousand once the timing belt is done next month.  It’s the cheapest alternative.  

The obvious conclusion is to move the V8 into someone else’s hands, assuming someone wants it.  I am not now offering it for sale, but will stop driving it after this month until the spring.  

I don’t need to be told tales of woe about how little the car is worth.  I know my V8 is arguably one of the best remaining perhaps anywhere, and I know exactly what is and is not 100% about the car.  It is the perfect long distance touring car for us, but the truth is, so is the Avant with the added benefit of being able to do all the normal and a lot of the abnormal shopping that we have to do on a day in, day out basis.  I suppose if someone had a serious interest in my V8, I’d be glad to chat with them off list:  no:  I’m not giving it away because it is as good as it is.  But there is a time in life for everything and my time playing with nice and semi-exotic vehicles may be ending. (I find my interest in another Porsche 928 to be getting pretty soft at this point, too!).

The real decision will be about the Avant. I watched two exceptionally nice looking ‘99 A6 Avants go begging on eBay this past week. Both cars were within easy reach of me here in Maine, and neither one could get offers.  One had less than 75,000 miles and one had just over 100,000 miles. For five or six grand, one could have had either one of those cars. But then, for five or six grand I could make the 100 Avant we have like new with a couple of grand left over.  And those A6’s offer little more than the 100 Avant except for 70,000 or more fewer miles.  Hmmmmm....things to worry about.

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble.

Roger