Re: Honda Audi and Saab.....

[taso@munnari.OZ.AU (Taso Hatzi)]

>I wonder what's the Honda's equivalent before there was a Honda...I would
>say VW/Audi :)....
>
I owned three Hondas (2 x Accords, 1 x Prelude) - all purchased new - before
my first and current car an Audi-80 '94. The Audi has been a pleasant
revelation: it has substance, engineering integrity, and is also extremely
good value compared to Japanese makes which have been severely hit by the
soaring Yen.

IMO, Honda is not in the same league as the German or Swedish makers. I
agree they are beautifully made vehicles, but every one of my Hondas
developed a sloppy suspension by the time it hit 25,000KM (that's
kilometeres not miles), and the last one ran out of very expensive CV joints
at 70,000KM. I think their cars are engineered for the super-smooth Japanese
roads and for a market where 'safety and environmental' legislation makes it
financially prohibitive to keep cars on the road for more than a few years.
The Audi, like its European rivals exudes substance, and longevity. It's
only done 23,000Km but it effortlessly lopes over our often rough roads with
none of the boom, crash of my last Honda - and it feels like it will keep on
doing it comfortably.

Audi has never achieved the popularity or status of Benz or BMW in Australia
- their cars have always been too eccentric for our market - eg. 4WD, small
capacity motors, 5 cylinders, turbochargers, odd-ball safety systems. The
current importer is doing an excellent job of fostering the market with good
value cars and reasonable spare parts prices. It is not expensive to have a
dealer service your Audi in Australia.


taso@munnari.OZ.AU