Re: '95 Quattro Wagon Info please

[John Greenstreet <jgreenst@motown.ge.com>]

> From quattro-owner@swiss.ans.net Thu Nov  3 09:36:43 1994
> From: Andrew Duane USG/PE <duane@zk3.dec.com>
> Subject: Re: '95 Quattro Wagon Info please
> Date: Thu, 3 Nov 1994 08:45:58 -0500 (EST)
> Reply-To: quattro@swiss.ans.net
> 
> > Hi,
> > 	I just joined this mailing list today, and I was wondering if 
> > some people on this list could help me oout.  Now, I don't own an Audi.  
> > As a 19 year old who is really to sell almost anything to get cash, I 
> > don't have money for a go-cart, let alone an Audi.  :)  My question is 
> > the following:
> > 	
> > 	Soon, (end of December) my parents are going to have to give back 
> > the car they have leased for the last 2 years; a Ford Taurus wagon.  They 
> > are seriously considering the 1995 Audi Quattro wagon - the one with 
> > AWD.  (They might all come with AWD, I don't know - but the main thing 
> > they like about the Audi is the AWD.)  Anyway, I was wondering if any of 
> > you on the list who own one of these or have driven one of these (doesn't 
> > have to be a 1995) can tell me their overall opinion of it.  How does it 
> > handle?  How is the power?  How is the ride/comfort?  Overall opinion.
> 
> Well, I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions, facts, and opinions
> masquerading as facts. Let me start the ball rolling with some
> easy answers about terminology.
> 
> Most/all Audis come in a Quattro version. The Quattro is the AWD.
> You need to know the model number, also. Is this a 100 or 200 wagon
> (oops, in '95 is it the A4/A6?) The 200 is the turbo-charged version
> of the 100. Both come in a FWD and AWD (Quattro). I drive a 100Q,
> not a wagon, but I've driven the wagons before.

It could only be the A6 (formerly 100) wagon, available with or without
quattro, which is a $1500 option.

<snip>
 
> As for comparing to the Mercedes, I've never driven one. Since the
> 300E is a RWD car (and not a wagon), I expect that handling will be
> quite different. Mercedes tends to make cars that are much quieter
> and more "solid" than Audi. But, somewhat less fun....

When I was shopping for cars in August, I drove a 1994 E420.  It was
significantly noiser than my 92 100CS and the handling was just about
the same.  Remember that the E-class is a much older design than the
current Audi competition.  Only a handful of cars are quieter than
the A6 in either form, and all are much more expensive.

> 
> 
> > 	One minor "bad" point about the Audi that kind of shocked me was 
> > that the 0-60 time was not that great; 11.x seconds.  I thought that was 
> > pretty slow, but then I realized that the AWD equipment adds some 
> > weight.  BTW...what is the true weight of this car?  My Dad told me 
> > 4500lbs, but that seemed pretty heavy to me.
> 
> That would be about right; my 100Q sedan is 3800-3900. The Quattro
> drivetrain adds some weight, but it also adds more resistance in
> the driveshafts. I read here a while ago that, measured on a dyno,
> the FWD absorbs 26 HP, while the quattro absorbs 50. This, coupled
> with the weight, and the small engine output, adds up to non-impressive
> 0-60 times. Of course, the stability of the AWD platform, and the
> extraordinary handling characteristics make up for that ;-)

This is a puzzling claim, since the latest 100Q and 100S are supposed
to have identical 0-60 times, because of the quattro's higher final-drive
ratio.

<snip> 

> 
> > 	Keep in mind if you are going to respond to me that since 1979, 
> > my parents have owened American engineered cars: 2 Oldsmobiles, and most 
> > recently from 1988-1992 a Ford Taurus Wagon, and from 1993 until the 
> > present, a Ford Taurus Wagon.  
> 
> The Audi will be a 1000% change, and, honestly, they may not like it.
> At least for a while, until they "get used" to it. My family drove
> nothing but German cars for 30 years, so I assumed everyone liked the
> spartan interiors, fairly noisy ride, and seemingly "harsh", but
> really very accurate handling they had. Most of my friends who grew
> up in GMobiles didn't.....

A good friend of mine with a long history of Oldsmobile ownership (new
car every 4 years) liked the Audi 100 on her first drive, test-drove
one a few more times, bought one, and has repeatedly stated that it was
the one of the best decisions she ever made.  Interestingly, she came
along to the Benz dealer and after riding in the E400 said that she
couldn't believe it costed more that the Audi, since it seemed, well, a
bit chintzy by comparison! (I concurred).

Another friend who has a Taurus was pretty hard to pry from behind the
wheel on the 100, and even a three-year old Audi is much more solid
than a new Taurus.  And the interiors of current Audis are certainly
some of the nicest available on the market today in terms of appearance
and quality of materials.  Drive a new Audi for a week, and all but
a very few cars will seem shoddily put together.

> 
> German cars (European in general) are quite different from American
> cars in design philosophy, interior and exterior styling, handling,
> safety features, and most of all:
> 
> 	MAINTENANCE!!!!!
> 
> Audis must be maintained, or they will cost $$$ on a regular basis to
> fix. Don't let the oil/filter changes slide. Do every scheduled maintenance
> on time. Poke through the engine and under the car once in a while.
> They will run almost forever, if they are taken care of. Mine is
> about to flip 100K miles, and it's just getting broken in. I know
> of a 200K+ car on this list, as well as a 300K+ one.

With improving technology, this should be less and less of a factor.
Consider that the new Audis don't require coolant changes or chassis
lubrication, and oil change intervals have been extended. There are no
tune-up adjustments required or necessary; there's no distributor,
cap, rotor, or airflow potentiometer to replace, and no valves to
adjust!  And the first 3 years/50K of maintenance are included, even
brakes and wiper blades!  That's pretty hard to beat with any car.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
John Greenstreet, Senior Engineer           (jgreenst@motown.ge.com)
Martin Marietta Government Electronic Systems    Moorestown NJ 08057
WPI Class of '75, Temple Class of '94

My new car history:
  1975    1978    1982       1986        1989      1992      1995
   VW ->  Audi -> Audi  -> Mercedes -> Mercedes -> Audi -> Mercedes
Scirocco Fox GTI  4000S    190E 2.3    190E 2.6    100CS     S320

POSSLQ's* new car history:
         1978       1981       1985      1988        1990     1993
       Triumph ->  Toyota ->  Toyota  ->  VW    ->   Audi  -> Audi
       Spitfire    Tercel     Corolla   Jetta GL      80      90S

*POSSLQ = Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters
Note: All Audis and Mercedes above were sold to friends or family.
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