Re: S4 vs. A41.8tq -Reply

[Derek Daily <ddaily@SMTPGW.MITSUICOMTEK.COM>]

>>> Andrew Duane USG/PE <duane@zk3.dec.com> - 1/23/98 10:40 AM >>>
Hairy green toads from Mars made William J Murin say:

New S4 is rumored to be coming at a $42-44,000 price.
> A fully loaded A4 1.8tq would get to about $30,000 MSRP.
>  > Assuming that the price differential is $14,000 (maybe a bit
more if one
> assumes the 1.8s will be in greater supply than S4s), how much
money does
> one have to spend to make the 1.8 roughly comparable to the S4.
$  I would have to propose that the biggest COST to this suggestion
would come not on the front end of the purchase, but the tail end
when you were to decide to get rid of it.
$ Figure (A) that some of the _common_ (i.e. non Q-list enthusiasts)
people will actually understand the signifigance of the S4.  Enough
people are buying A4s now that people will recognize the premium. 
Not sure if this was the case with the S4/S6 (100cs/A6).  
$ When Audi decides to reintroduce a coupe version say 8 years from
now, you may want to part with the '99 S4 and go for it.  But my
guess is that you won't get nearly the same dough for a souped up A4
as you would for an S4.  Too iffy for most... No way I'll pay 24k for
a 2.0l A4tq in 2003, but an S4?  Perhaps...

As A. Duane said
If I had the money, I'd get an S4 (does it come in a wagon?).
$ Just like the conversation regarding restorations.  It is extremely
unlikely that you will come even close to recouping your costs. 
Therefore it makes more sense to stick with something that's built
expensive in the first place.

P.S.  This rationale can be used to justify purchases of all sorts,
just ask my wife about the stereo equipment, or the skis, or the
hockey gear (resale value exponentially low, nevertheless).....

Derek Daily
90 CQ (instead of a Golf ;-)
86 VW qsw