RE: The Postman

["PAT MARTIN" <MARDKINS@classic.msn.com>]

I apologize in advance for the length of this post and I promise this will be 
my last post on this subject to the list.  Scott I hope someday when we meet 
we can agree that we disagree on this subject and can move past it.

Ah, yes, waiting for that one.  Reality check.  Hey Pat, I own ONLY 3 audis,
no scoobydues or bummers. 

The question is why do you own 3 of them if you feel them to be overweight, 
poorly balanced, and with that useless quattro? 

Bottom line, my objective is to advocate to this list and Audi AG,
that maybe we need to push audi into the performance market.  At a level
higher than the to date commitment.  Comparing Apples to Apples, audis have
been put in the back seat more than a few times.  YOU and others here have the
ability to pass that advocation on to the boys at Ingolstat.  Whack the
messenger?

Do you really think that Audi of America could give a crap what you or I think 
right now?  They have one thing in mind right now and that is market share.  
They have smarter guys than you or I deciding what to bring and not to right 
now and 2000 enthusiasts have very little say in the big picture.  Do I agree 
with it?  Hell no.  BMW has the ability to bring in whatever they want because 
they have more market share.  Ingolstat either has very little to do with the 
USA situation or they think that Audi USA is doing a fine job.  If you look at 
the sales #s could you blame them?   

I am also somewhat surprised at the subjectivity of some of the posts here.  I
understand completely this is the q-list.  You can go back 4+ years here and
find NO ONE that has put out longer technical posts regarding the audis, from
understanding and explaining torsens, to turbos, to doing clutches.  It
appears I'm also somewhat more objective on the subject of autos.  I look at
post regarding snow prowess of quattro, and say 'hunh'?  Most of those that
say it, have never been to a steamboat event, where reality rules, or bites.
I look at awd in the dry, and say, hey, btdt to quattro club, bmw club, viper
club, and Lotus club.  My stopwatch must be off.  

I for one appreciate your technical posts but you lose me when you keep on, 
when someone disagrees with you.  You seem not to have the ability to let 
someone disagree with you without you claiming "the numbers don't lie" or "we 
are waving the flag".  Can you not accept that others will disagree and they 
may have a point.  For instance you claim awd has no advantage over a well 
balanced rear drive.  I completely disagree with that and that's fine.  I will 
never convince you and you will never convince me so I say drop it.  Rehashing 
the same old stuff will not change my beliefs just as I am sure it would not 
change yours.  Several very experienced drivers on this list will also 
disagree with you, does that make anyone wrong?  I think not.  I think that 
everyone has their favorite tool that makes them a better driver.  With most 
of us on the quattro list, quattro helps to make us better drivers.  My 
personal experience says my car laps faster than a comparable BMW (before 
conversion). You would prefer a well balanced rear driver and I an all wheel 
driver and that's why the earth goes round.

I have the pleasure of driving a very windy road home everyday from work.  I 
have had opportunities to drive many a car on this road.  I have driven 
everything from the 4kqt featured in European car to a Mazda 626 and found 
compromises everywhere I look.  The EC 4kqt is too stiff to take this road 
comfortably.  On the track it is a great car but get it on this road and it 
skips like a rock on a lake.  The 4kqt I own is quicker and a lot more 
confident on this road.  I suspect a seasoned M3 driver would never take the 
road at the speed I can safely.  Would it whip me on the track? Maybe, but we 
shall see :-).  The point is that when this never ending thread started it was 
about large luxury cars.  Would the BMW 7 driver be able to keep up with the 
Audi on this road?  I doubt it.

I also make a habit of driving every car possible, to evaluate not only where
the competition is, but where it stands in relation to "our" marque.  That
isn't without some bones to audis.  I worked thru the Big Red conversion kit
for the 44 chassis cars, cuz I drove a stock M3 with brakes.  I have reference
material, and race car background that makes me question some of the chassis
dynamics that audi seemed to compromise on.  

I too drive as many cars as possible and have had many cars in the past.  You 
assume a lot about which you know nothing.  You would assume that since I 
disagree I must be either ignorant or blinded by the Audi light.  If you think 
there are too many compromises how do you propose Audi change it?  Quattro 
demands that the engine be moved forward to meet the front wheels.  Are you 
proposing Audi scrap quattro.  I am sure that would do wonders for sales.

So pardon me for being somewhat more worldly in my view.  Few find me at a
quattro club event bashing quattros, more teaching the hows and why's from
driving to understanding.  So Pat, cut me some slack.  Happy to talk quattros
or any other machines, objectively and subjectively.  Flag waving isn't part
of that mix.  Sorry.

Worldly.  This is just the pretentiousness I am talking about.  You again 
assume a lot about your knowledge compared to others.  Example is the torsen 
thread.  You assume that Phil and Dave are ignorant since they don't agree 
with you.  It does not even occur to you that you could be wrong.  Walter Rohl 
is also wrong because he accepts awd as superior. 

Pat Martin (ignorant, not worldly, and obviously blinded by my flag)
864000csq turbo, 2 1/2 cat back, H&R-Boge, MC and loving it.  Drilled rotors 
stopping it. Koenig Cobra 16x7 with AVS Intermediates turning it,  K&N and 
uh....
95 subaru legacy 
Bothell, Wa