RE: MAJOR DECISION

[MSV96@aol.com]

In a note dated 11/20/96 Michael Eck asks the question:

>At what point would you give up your Quattro?

Well, I suppose at the point where I replaced it with another. I went
quattro-less for about 4 months after my ex and I seperated back in 93 and
she ended up with the best car I have ever owned which was an 87 5kcsqw.
While I did have a nice shiney almost new dorF supercab pickemup-that didn't
cut it and the payment was too much for a now single-parent. I sold the dorF
and bought my current q from the first owner in immaculate condition with
124k on it. Having owned an 86 Coupe GT with almost 190 on it when I sold it
and many (4) q's, I had little fear of the so called high miles.

Now then lets do the math...this car cost me $4700.00. I have since put in
about well...ah maybe all of $1200 - $1300 into it since for various things
doing most of the work myself (yes, it helps to be able to do your own
maintenance). Now, I feel that the lowest cost new replacement car for my 4kq
would be an A4q 1.8t which costs about $28,000.00. For my investment of
roughly $6000.00 I have gotten nearly 3 years and over 30k miles use from my
85 4ksq. After buying 2 new quattros and one almost new I am painfuly aware
of the depreceation of these fine cars (and it ain't just Audis...wmb 850csi
which cost over 100k now go for around 30-35k in this area). Based on this, I
am certain that driving the old used q is far less expensive than just the
depreceation of driving the new A4q for the same period of time.

To sum it up? When would I give up my quattro??? Only to get another
one...most likely a used one. If price were no object because of newfound
wealth there would be more than one quattro in my garage, along with a new
911tt (cousin of quattro in a way-they are both awd and in the family so to
speak), and lots of various other toys. Right now I can't afford more than a
couple cars...since the demands of my girlfriend for a mommywagon is a 7
seater I have an old ovloV DL with a third back seat (I despise
mommyvans-nomex on) as it is cheap and reliable...I don't like it much but it
does its job well and I don't have to drive it often. I don't see myself ever
not owning a quattro as long as I am driving.

Mike Veglia
85 4ksq (the most reliable car I have ever owned out of over 30 over 17 years
BTW)