Re: Why *I* drive an Audi...

[Gerard <gerard@poboxes.com>]

> Well, if me, a lowly 16 year old is any indication, there could be
> some kids that would like a A4. I was very "helpful" in my parents
> recent acquisition of a 97 1.8TQ and I hope to some day get one. I
> agree that the older cars are more impressive and I don't expect to
> have anything very new for a long time, but the A4 is still fun to
> drive. It certainly is more refined than my 1984 Coupe Gt with over
> 250000. Although, there is the fact that the coupe rides harder than a
> bucking bronco because of _very_ stiff performance lowering springs. I
> am a weirdo kid because I grew up in an all audi family, but I still
> like the A4s, but not as much as the UrQ. Who needs new cars anyway?

Huh? The older cars are more impressive? On the contrary I think the
newer ones are way more impressive than what came before! I mean,
here I am running a 2.2 litre turbocharged (K26) machine and along
comes a 1.8 turbo car and outdoes the power and torque output of my
machine! Eek. :) In fact, 1.8 litre NA motors can outdo the 200t I
have at the moment (with, admittedly, now needs a lot of attention to be
competitive on the street again). I was shocked that when my overboost
started happening that a 1.8 litre Hyundai Elantra could accellerate
so incredibly (but probably with foot flat to the floor and me trying
to avoid getting 3/4 or the way into the throttle travel to avoid
overboosting and cutting out). The 1.8T seems really impressive, it is
some 20km faster than my 200t, about 2 seconds quicker too.

Anyway, perhaps I should add why I own an Audi. It's the 3rd Audi in
the family. We first had a 1979/1980 Audi 100 5D (diesel) manual. My
dad lost his leg due to diabetes in the mid/late 80's and  after a few
years needed to get back into driving. He then bought a 4000/5000
auto from 1984 vintage (it is the one with the angle-cut lights up
front). Later he bought a newer 1987 4000. That was a "shunt machine"!
That thing accellerated faster at times than my 200t. It handled
very well, looked good with the multi-spoked wheels as well. It was
quiet, sometimes a friend would continually ask me if the thing was
running. It was the perfect metallic blue as well. My dad then passed
away. We also have a Merc 300D from '79. I used the Audi as often as
I can as I enjoyed driving it compared to the Merc, even though the
Merc was a much better ride. Then in '94 I totalled it completely,
still got pictures if anyone's interested. :) I made a promise to myself
to replace the car when I came into some money. Then last year I went
looking for a 93-95 VW Golf GS/GSX. While shopping I spotted the
Audi Turbo (200) with about 95,000km on it. It was the lowest mileage.
I didn't realise then how much work would be needed to get it running
to spec again. It was some $1,000 less than a Golf as well. Yet it
was still overpriced. I borrowed money for the deposit and the bank
is nailing me 29% interest on the thing, total cost is $11,000! I will
not get rid of it as I think I have maintained my promise. :) Sweet,
huh? It rides nicely (fuzzy CV joints/bearings and what have you!!),
used to accellerate like a beast (when the WG diaphragm was still
in tact), used to run smoothly (until the engine and tranny mounts
started to destroy themselves more over the last year), gave
little maintainance worries (until the fan started missing 2nd speed
and causes overheating; the aircon developed a leak; the electrical
system went mad w.r.t to the braking lights; the knock sensor packed
up and WGFV seemed to act up; the brakes have eaten up all of the
rear rotors (4-5mm below minimum!) and the calipers seem to provide
braking force instead of the pads at times; the IC-TB hose blew up
and saw me facing some 3 months of repair work until I found a suitable
method of fixing it!; the turbo bearings sound like the want to pack in;
the gearbox through a hydraulic fit; yadda yadda yadda...I can duplicate
anybodies Audi problem upon request). Yet it is mine, I will not sell
it (I've had 2 folks ask for it already). I am hunting for work right
now, a very slow process and I am looking for decent pay in order to
maintain the "Millennium Falcon" (it does light speed some times, but
the rest of the time it needs to be fixed! Really feels more like the
Falcon when it does the overboost cutout 4 times in 2 seconds!!!). I am
broke, am using credit to live from and yet won't sell the 200 for I
like it too much.

It is merely Audi-obsession that has me keeping the beast/falcon. Many
other cars out there that are better that I could go and get, but I
reckon it was all because we had Audis in the family before. :)

G.
-- 
"a thousand miles from here, there is another person smiling"
1990 Turbo (200t, MAC13A ECU, 1.4-1.6 bar (1.8 bar with faulty WGFV!),
FWD auto)
name   : gerard van vught
tel    : +27-21-696 0331 (h) / 082 923 9609 (cell)
url    : http://www.poboxes.com/gerard/
e-mail : gerard@poboxes.com  / han.solo@galaxycorp.com