RE: Audi vs. Jeep

[Mark Nelson <mnelson@brls.com>]

I'm sorry but call me when the Outback gets 10" of ground clearance, let
alone the suspension travel!

>>Subaru does a lot of off-rad racing in Africa and Outback does a lot better
there than does Jeep.

Do you really know what off-road racing is??  Have you ever seen the
Baja 1000, Baja 500, or any other SCORE race??  Off-road racing is
racing across EXTREMELY treacherous terrain (large rocks (i.e. 12 or 13"
in diameter), huge ruts (that would swallow a Subaru).  I think you are
thinking of Rallying, which is completely different than off-road racing
is.  Rallying is down dirt roads, Off-Road racing is down essentially a
made-up coarse (non-road).  Off-Road racing cars and trucks run tires
that are 33 - 37" in diameter, and have approximately 3 - 4' of
suspension travel on some of the Trophy trucks.  I don't know if you
have heard of Curt LeDuc who races a Jeep Grand Cherokee in the SCORE
off-road series, but that truck which has the same stock suspension
design, and has won the Baja 1000 and several other major races.  These
vehicles easily will do 160 MPH over this terrain.  What the hell
off-road racing do they have in Africa?  They have rallies, which are no
where near as tough or varied terrain as off-road racing.  Get a clue
(i.e. do some research) about what you are talking about before making a
statement such as that.

>>So I can tell you that Outback will be able to handle any terrain that Jeep
>>will! It will also be able to >outaccelerate and outcorner Jeep on that
terrain!

WHAT TERRAIN??  Dirt roads, well it's a car, and lower to the ground,
what do you expect????

>>I would really like to see how you get 22 MPG out of 4.0L truck. When you
>>get 300K miles out of >that Jeep - tell me about it. Why do you need a 4-lo
>>gear for the outback. It's all automatic there - >the traction is there when
you need it. 

Do you have any concept of fuel injections, or do you understand
anything about internal combustion engines??  It's really become obvious
to me that you are speaking out of personal opinion, not experience.  I
will be happy to tell you all about my Jeep when it reaches 300K miles,
just tell me where I can reach you.

Do you even know what 4-Lo is???  It effectively lowers the final drive
ratio by ~2:1 or greater, allowing the vehicle to climb steeper and
tougher terrain.  It has nothing to do with traction - that has to do
with Lockers, limited slips, etc.

>>If you go by magazines, why don't you have a Dodge Cirrus??? Hey, it was
named car of the year >by many magazines!

If you go by TV ads alone then why don't you move to Australia, and
drive your outback to Paul Hogan's house?

>And I'm sorry, but you have a jeep, not a GT-40!

Never said I had a GT-40.  Just making a point that if the same engineer
designed and made the GT-40, then he must have known what the hell he
was doing when he made the Cherokee.

I really don't care to argue with someone who is just speaking from
opinion, and has no idea about what they are talking about.  Let's stop
spamming the list, and leave it at that.  If you want to buy an Outback,
go ahead, I really don't give a s*&t, but please don't tell myself, and
others that like their vehicles, that we are 'idiots.'  We bought a
vehicles because they serve a purpose, and if you don't like it, that's
your problem not mine.

Best Regards,

Mark Nelson

'87 5KTQ 
'91 CQ (building into SCCA pro-rally car)
>'91 Jeep Cherokee Laredo (proud owner)