Re: Audi recalls 900,000 cars!! (airbags)

[MSV96@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/14/97 "Sean Ford" <sean@nwh.org> writes:

> The back of my passenger visor recommends that my airbag be replaced in >
August of 2001  (10 years from the date of manufacture). I seem to recall
> that the reason for replacing the airbag after 10 years has to do with the 
> breakdown of the airbag material. Does anyone know if this is true? I'd
like to > think that this airbag recall is going to buy me another 6 years of
avoiding
> what I expect will be a very expensive airbag operation (dealerships say, 
> "cha-ching!").

Ah yes...that "cha-ching" sound AutoWeek and other enthusiast mags warned us
all of back in the '80's which clued me in that I didn't want an airbag
equipped car forced upon me. Let's look at resale values of 10 year old Audis
and compare those numbers to the projected cost of replacing the bags-o-wind
shall we? I can envision many "totaled" cars in the future merely because the
cost of airbag replacement exceeds the value of the car...don't believe me? I
just paid $2950.00 for a 10 year old Audi that cost over 30k new. While that
was less than half of (retail) KBB, were it to need a bunch-o-bags-o-wind
replaced...ummm, well, you get the picture. Not a pretty one either. My .02
(more) worth on a very touchy subject...if you can get the bags replaced
under recall...BE SURE you get an extension in writing from AOA for that 10
year replacement period...it will pay off in the future.

Mike Veglia
87 5kcstq (NO airbags...thankfully)