Re: 86 Coupe GT C.E. gaudy NOT!!! (long)

[Allan Jones <ampj@tiac.net>]

> >> I looked at an 86 C.E. that was Alpine white with red leather once.
> >> Can you say gaudy?  :-)    Ed Kellock

> > I don't think I could have lived with it every day for the last 10
> > years, one reason why I didn't buy the CE edition of the GT in 86. But
> > it is distictive, right Steve?    Dave Lawson

> Our first Audi was a graphite '86 4000CS UnQ.  What was unique was it
> had a transplanted red leather interior, apparently from a CE..... 
>.....This car (the Audi) was gorgeous, and not
> at all gaudy.    Dave Weiss

	THANK YOU VERY MUCH DAVID! There are very few of us out here to stick
up for it so I was working on a rebuttal myself and here it is:
	I own and drive daily an '86 Commemorative Edition Coupe GT with the
Alpine White "white-out" package and the Red leather upholstery with
corresponding Graphite trim/carpeting/paneling, as defined by Audi. Back
in 1990 when I first saw the Comm. Ed. CGT(eventually to be mine) for
sale for $7000 at P&W Porsche/Audi in Burlington, MA., I was at first
thrown completely off by the Red...I actually remember it looking like a
shade of orange. It wasn't, of course, it just was sooo bright. But as
almost a year went by and the CGT with red leather sat there, I grew
fond of it(no, I did not feel sorry for it) and purchased it for $5900
in '91 after taking it for an all-day test drive. My salesman, after
confering with the manager, of course, had simply said, "Sure, as long
as you have it back here by 5 p.m." It was during that beautiful late
spring day that I fell in love with the interior. Upon receiving the key
I was immediately helped to remove the sunroof and operate the
controls(where are those confounded window switches?!!) and then just as
swiftly, left alone. My senses began to absorb everything and tingle,
and upon witnessing the sun on the red leather, I felt as if the Grand
Touring Audi spit out its luxury ingredient and was suddenly a racer
looking for a checkered flag to match with its white exterior and black
trim....
	And that's what the Comm. Ed. coloring scheme does for me - it reminds
me of everything that races, has raced, or has to do with racing. Think
about these two things that I associate with racing more than anything
else: the checkered flag and Ferrari, and what three colors come to
mind? I used to think that red leather was bogus too (still do on most
other cars, especially Corvettes), but my Coupe GT changed that in all
of one minute. It stirs the imagination by opening your eyes to three
very basic yet very emotionally different colors. It is much more than a
typical Audi, and I love my red leather. Gaudy it is not!
	FYI, P&W is short for my dealer called "Pass and Weisz," where our
fellow lister Jeff just drove off last night(!) with his new A4: "My
dealings with Pass & Weisz in Burlington, MA were extemely pleasant and
I'd recommend them without hesitation." -Jeff. I concur wholeheartedly.
Especally regarding the parts department where it is common for those
guys to literally *give* me bulbs, unauthorized discounts, and great
help/diagnosis for free. Too bad the sales department couldn't do the
same(i.e. "give me ____ for free or with unauthorized discounts"). ;)
 
> BTW, this is fairly easy to fix w/ contact cement, short
> staples, and a hair dryer.

	Oh yeah....fairly easy, ey! Maybe you can explain. I have just 
recently(I am amazed at the timing of the list sometimes!) started to
worry about such problem on my doors, and it seems like a worrisome
problem indeed. My interior is in need of more than just a spring-time
cleaning!
						TIA! Allan