Re: 4000tq

[Glen Powell <gpowell@acacianet.com>]

At 09:40 AM 2/6/96 +0000, Barry Lampke wrote:
>1)  Thinking of purchasing a Quattro and people tell me the 5000 is much 
>more expensive to maintain than the 4000.  Is this true?  Is the 
>5000's refinement worth the extra trouble/cash?
>

Depends on your priorities. The 4000Q is the consummate sports sedan.
The 5000TQ is a luxury high-performance highway cruiser. The 5000TQ
really only costs more to maintain due to all the bells, whistles and
toys that you don't really need for the car to be reliable, with the
possible exception of the steering rack/pump and brake pressure accumulator.
Both are EXCELLENT automobiles and do what they are designed to do far
better than the competition's. (BMW, merc, etc.)

>2)  Also, are turbos any problem in cold weather?  I live in VT.  Should 
>a block heater be installed?  Should I just get a non-turbo?
>

The turbo will not cause any real problem due to the cold.
Get the turbo if you possibly can.

>3)  I live on 7 miles of dirt road which can become quite washboarded.  
>A friend sold his Quattro because he didn't want to beat it to death 
>on dirt roads.  Anyone have experience like this?
>

Quattros are *designed* for bad dirt roads! They didn't win countless
Pro-Rallies, Pike's Peak Hillclimbs, etc, for no reason......

>4)  At the risk of being flamed, are there any other 4wd sedan 
>alternatives that are reasonably priced (no Subarus!)?  I am looking 
>in the $3,500 - $5,000 range.
>

That price range is very realistic for a 84-87 4000Q and not totally unrealistic
for a 86-88 5000TQ

-glen