Re: ur-Q reliability

[rdh@sli.com (Robert D. Houk)]

   if i wanted to make generalizations about the ur-Q's reliability, i
   would not extend it beyond the same model year..

Generally I would agree with you. However, a few "engineering" choices
make me *seriously* question Audi's competence. Prime on the list is the
electrics. I mean, my UrQ makes my old Lotus Europa look like an abso-
lute paragon of reliability and dependability (and I would say the same
thing about the mechanics, but that is a different story). And that was
an *English* Sports Car, fer Christ's sake!

The electrics are not merely a "mistake", or a "bad decision". They are
criminal incompetence. If a high school shop student made wiring de-
cisions like Audi did, they would be flunked. I mean, tapping a 16ga
wire off the ignition to feed a 12ga circuit that powers stuff like the
fuel pump and ... wiring that runs UNCOMFORTABLY hot to the touch ...
fuseholders (not to mention the fuses being held) that literally melt
... 4 (yes, count'em, F O U R) volts drop from battery/alternator to
the headlights ...

Yes, the UrQs were virtually "handbuilt". So were the Loti.

The Audi bottom end may well be bullet-proof. All I can say is that it
seems like the  block and crank are about the only thing that hasn't
failed on my particular UrQ. (And it is (was) pure stock, *NO* HP modi-
fications, measly factory 160hp, no Stage 9 47psi turbos, NOS-injection,
300-degree cams, 10,000rpm revlimiters, or the like).

Just be aware of the "maintenance" costs. They are not trivial. Again,
strictly from *my* personal experience (which, by the by is *NOT* gain-
said by my mechanics experience, although he does say mine has mani-
fested more than its fair share of the breed's failings), for the MAIN-
TENANCE of an UrQ I could have bought a Pathfinder (or Subaru or any
other paragon of reliability to get me to the auto parts store to keep
my other toys running) and kept the Lotus and the Yamaha and registered
and insured (and, for the Lotus at least, kept autocrossing) the lot of
them.

When it runs right, gawd what a cruiser. But . . .

>From hindsight, if *I* had it all to do over again, I would have run
screaming from my chance to buy the UrQ and stuck my head in a blender.
It would have cost -- and hurt -- a lot less overall.

Ho Hum.

					-RDH