Re: Audi Turbo....going, going,gone

[PAUL SOUZA 202-260-6061 <SOUZA.PAUL@epamail.epa.gov>]

          OBDC or OBD III.  Great.
          
          Hey, everyone.  It's your friendly neighborhood EPA contractor 
          here, working here onsite at EPA.  I posted several months ago 
          about this system that EPA is working on.  It's not 
          mandated......yet.  The big problem with compliance with 
          manufacturers on this issue is that EPA wants them to warranty 
          the diagnostic system for 100,000 miles.  So far, their response 
          is:  "Yeah, right.  ONLY if we have sole access to the engine 
          compartment, making sure that we are the only ones messing with 
          the vehicle."  Sure brings up more issues then emissions.  As 
          I've said before, this systems is (supposedly) so sensitive it 
          will register differences in tire/wheel sizes, sparkplug changes, 
          etc.  Therefore, NO MODIFICATIONS AT ALL.  Never mind that most 
          of the modifications we discuss here pass most emissions tests.  
          
          The people who whore (woops, I mean "work") on such systems have 
          no concept of what it will do to the automotive aftermarket.  
          They're the ones taking their cars to the dealer for all 
          maintanence anyway.  Nevermind that people who "modify" these 
          cars generally take better care of these cars and keep them in 
          tune.  How many of you spend a weekend with a wrench?  How many 
          of you have wives saying "you spend more time......"?  I thought 
          so.  BTW, I'm not talking "fake spoiler, tiny wide wheel, neon 
          light" mods here.
          
          I try and keep up with this issue since I'm here, but whats been 
          reported is a situation that hasn't changed for several months.  
          As far a what the dealer mentioned, I think Audi is responding 
          more to market issues than to EPA.  How many S6s do dealers sell?
          That, and the american market seems to prefer more cylinders and 
          liters to high revving, small displacement, turbo equipped 
          motors.  In europe, cars over 2 liters are taxed pretty heavily, 
          so as a result multivalves and turbos are popular.  Why did adnoH 
          put a V6 that doesn't perform much better then the 4cyl in the 
          droccA?  The Market.
          
          I'll keep everyone posted if I learn anything.
          
          Paul "Give me a IA TQ and screw EPA" Souza
          souza.paul@epamail.epa.gov