RE: '89 vs '91 200TQ

[Peter Henriksen <peterhe@microsoft.com>]

John is generally right, but there are upsides to the 20v as well:

1) It's a newer car, so more bugs will have been ironed out in the
shared parts.
2) You get a better chassis.

Modifications cost about the same - there are ECUs and such available
for the 20v turbo as well. Exhaust manifolds are further down (up?) the
list for when you get really serious.

Used parts *are* hard (almost impossible) to find and new parts are
horribly expensive ("oh, it's the 3B engine - well, then it's $90 and
not $35.").

I'm happy with my car - I like the looks a lot better and it was
important to my wife (and somewhat to me) that we got a car that is as
new as possible (as John says, there were no wagons again until 95 and
then at $45,000+).
- peter, peterhe@microsoft.com, issaquah, wa, usa
  91 200qw
  94 acura legend gs
  80 mazda 626


>-----Original Message-----
From:	John Karasaki 
Sent:	Tuesday, September 03, 1996 8:22 PM
To:	William Murin
Cc:	quattro@coimbra.ans.net
Subject:	Re: '89 vs '91 200TQ

At 09:49 AM 9/3/96 -0500, you wrote:
>
>A Milwaukee Saturn dealer has an 89 200TQ in pearl white with 63,000 
>miles on it.  Asking is $12,500.
>
>Other then the '91 have the 20 valve engine what ohter improtant 
>differences exist between the 89 and 91?  Does one have sport seats and 
>the other barcaloungers?
>
>Thanks
>
>Bill Murin
>87 4kcsq @ 157,000 miles
>
Bill,

I gave this much thought before I bought my 5kcstqw.  I REALLY wanted a
20v
wagon.  I drolled over them each time I was at a club event or at the
dealer.  But, after long discussions with my wife, Scott Mockery, Max
McDonald, and other deep Audi thinkers, I came to the conclusion that I
really wanted a modified 10v turbo 5k or 200.  Here are the big reasons:

1) I could buy two or three 10v 5kq's or 200q's for the price of one 20v
quattro.
2) They only had the 20v 200s for two years 1991 and 1995 (not including
the
S4's).  Imagine how hard it would be to find used parts, and how
expensive
new parts would be for a car with such a limited production.
3) 10v parts are cheap (relative to a 20v) and plentiful new or used.
4) Mechanics have been working on the 10v turbo cars for 15 years now
vs. 5
for the 20v.
5) Modifications for a 20v start with a new exhaust manifold $$$.
6) The 10v cars are much lighter.
7) Higher insurance rate.
8) $25 each for 20v spark plugs!

The barcaloungers can be found in either car (ditto sport seats).

Good luck with your purchase.

Regards,

John Karasaki

The Karasaki's, proud owners of AUDI automobiles

1981 Coupe - Not many parts left.
1982 TQC
1984 5000S Wagon - For Sale -- Cheap!
1987 5000CS TQW
1990 V8