Driving Impressions: Passat 1.8T vs. A4

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <34AA3139.D78@philly.infi.net> "Shaun D. Mullen" writes:

> Going head-on with BMW and
> Mercedes has helped push Audi to greater heights, and a healthy dose of
> competition from VW as it moves upmarket should make things even more
> interesting.

I went down to my local tyre/exhaust dealer to get a quote for some custom work 
on the Passat's exhaust.  I didn't need the car, so I took the ur-quattro.

There was a BMW 5 'sporty' type thing in one of the tyre bays, having its 
_second_ set of new tyres fitted.  From the registration ('P') it's less than 
16 months old and is now on its third set of tyres.  Its owner was wandering 
around grumbling - apparently this model wears its tyres viciously on the inner 
edge. I commented that it must be set up incorrectly, and the camber angles 
needed adjusting.

The mechanic overheard me, and launched into a diatribe about the major 
achievement of a certain German car company being their discovery of how to get 
a gloss finish on sh*t.  The owner asked what he could do to alleviate his tyre 
wear problems, and was told to sell the car 'and buy something decent'.

Then the workshop manager said something like: "Perhaps this chap will swap 
with you".  The resultant: "HA!" echoed round the workshop.
 
He was more than a little taken aback at the suggestion that someone with an 
'F' registered 150k Audi (1988) wouldn't leap at the chance to jump into a year-
old BMW 5-series.  Of course, taking it and selling it at a profit to buy 
another MB would be an option - but could I be sure of finding one?

Oh - and a note to some reviewers we all know.  I pulled up at the Bowling 
Green Road traffic lights in Kettering two days ago, and a BMW 5-series came up 
alongside.  I registered some very envious glances - and not from me!

-- 
 Phil Payne
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club