All Q-List Please Read Response to Brett Re: The friendly Quattro List (LONG)

[Michael Zamarocy <mhdavion@earthlink.net>]

>>One theory I have for this is that just about everyone on the A4.org
forum is
>>an X-BMW or X-Acura owner, and therefore have no interest in helping each
>>other out.  Everyone at A4.org is a first time Audi owner, and this seems to
>>be part of the reason they could care less about an Audi brotherhood.

Ok, how do I start, . . . . Ok, I am a first time Audi owner, actually, a
first time German car owner. Starting back in 1974 I got involved in SCCA
and car racing, which included:
(3) Triumph Spitfires (MKIII, MKIV,1500)
73 Triumph GT6
69 Lotus Europa S2 Jimmy Clark Special (1 FTD overall, 6 FTD in class, the
rest 1st places!!!)
68 Ford Cortina GT
72 Lotus Europa S2 W/Gordhini Hemi Race engine
79 Mazda RX7 (street prepared car, 4 year class champ in Tri-State series
in Midwest)
85 Mitsu Mirage Turbo (W/HKS Prototype Intercooler & chip - up to 25lbs
boost!)
86 Honda CRX Si (street prepared)

So at least I don't come from a BMW/Acura background! <G>		 

Now WHY I never owned a German car, . . . when I was into English cars, I
worked for European Parts Ind (ARENCO - if anyone remembers them????), and
I looked forward to any customer who came in with an English car so I could
talk shop. But all we got were VW owners and those older boxy Audis, and I
developed a chip on my shoulder towards any German car. (of course I later
worked for Toyota for 14 years, and after the way I was treated, I will
NEVER buy a Toyota!).

As I owned Triumphs and Lotus cars, I joined the local Marque Clubs for
those, and there was a tremendous amount of camaraderie, and I really miss
the times we had! There was always a monthly meeting, stories exchanged (as
well as parts! <G>), a "BOOMER award for the biggest goof-up of the month
(an old bent TR4 wire wheel), and whenever needed, always a large amount of
helping hands when needed to fix your car - and that was the best part, as
owning an English car in those days, you needed to pull together cause they
were unreliable, but then that was also what gave them personality too! And
of course the many stories too!


Another thing I miss today, was back then, these cars were rare, and only
the brave at heart owned them. And when you saw another English sports car
on the road, you blinked your lights at each other. Or you always stopped
to chat with one another to exchange stories or tips even with strangers
when you saw they too had a Brit car. That is sadly missing today! Even
when I see another A4 owner (or any Audi owner for that fact), they don't
even wave or smile, they just go their own way - I for one want to see that
changed! At least today an Audi 100 driver waved back to me after I waved
to him!

Now as I am new to the A4, and cars are no longer for the backyard
mechanic, I am not able to help others on this or the A4org list as much,
but as I DO learn new things, I will always try to help them as I have
helped others in computer problems. But as for racing/driving techniques,
or some suspension tips I remember from the old days, I try to help when I
can. So I am NOT like those foul mouthed kids. I am 43 anyway <G>.

Oh, almost forgot to mention, while at Alfa Ricambi in Burbank last week, I
met Paul Rivera (GREAT GUY!!!!!!), and after Paul, Brad, and I talked about
the old cars, and the old times, some of the old feelings of fitting in
came back! Thanks Paul for making me feel WELCOME!!!! You're a COOL GUY!!!!!!!

>  The A4 was a very attractive car; Audi made a huge jump with it; many
>more people could suddenly afford an Audi.  Funny, I don't really think of
>the a4 as I do the 4k though they share the same position.


Now I hate to say, but I do take a slight offense to this. But then I
always had to put up with that in the Triumph Club when the TR6 owners
thought the Spit/GT6 were not good enough. But then I was able to prove
them wrong on the track, and it was still in good fun. But to slightly snub
the A4, well, . . . . as I stated above, I had a bad feeling towards German
cars, and the A4 changed all that for me!!!! For quite some time I owned
boring transportation, nothing extreme (except an Isuzu I-Mark RS Lotus,
the modern day Lotus Cortina), and my last car was a Ford Contour SE (well,
fairly sporty, and like the Euro Mondeo), but it was an automatic. It was
starting to have problems, and I was bored of it, so it was time for a
change. But to find the right car that clicked was going to be hard. I was
thinking of the Subaru Legacy GT, as when I saw one in black, it kinda
looked like that Lotus designed Euro Sedan by Opel (forgot the name).
Problem was, the Contour was actually a solid feeling car, and the Subaru
(as well as most Japanese cars) felt like a tin can. Along cam the new VW
Passat, and hey, it looked kind a nice, so I drove one. It was the 1.8T and
was decent, but in the brochure the 2.8 seemed to be what I would have
liked, so I waited. Then I noticed that the A4 was like the Passat, but boy
did it look GREAT! But then I also looked at a Volvo S70, but as an
Australian bud told me, though it wins races Down Under, it is still looked
upon as an old folks car. Then weeks later I saw both a Yellow A4 and a
Dark Blue A4 both with body kits, ZAP! I was hooked, and so I bought
one.And, as I quit racing in 1987, it brought that good ol' feeling back to
me! Specially as lately my life was in a rut! Now I am back to being car
crazy! And as my job has me putting a lot of time in my car, I LOVE every
minute in the A4!!!!!!!


>  Anyways, the side effect seems to be that it attracted droves of immature
>yuppie scum with gobs of disposable like the new Saab 900 has.  These are
>the type of people who are big into computers(or at least the web) so it
>all figures out.  

Now though I live in Orange County, I am NOT a yuppie! (don't have penny
loafers at least <G>) And I had a Saab 9000T, not a 900 (and liked it
too!). And I am into computers, its also my job. And I am 43, not immature
(though cause I look young and still love my toys, I can be thought of as
young <G>).

I've noticed A4 owners are kinda indifferent(I used to
>get regular looks from male Audi drivers driving 5k and 100/200's.)  One
>good note; a very friendly Silver-A6W driver once let me onto Rt 2 out of
>Alewife station based entirely on the 4 rings on the back(a look of
>recogniton, a hello-there-wave, and a pause to let me in with a "scoot in"
>wave.)  

Again, as I stated above, I too miss the days of waving or light blinking.
But as cars are now more dependable, there is no longer that link of one
pioneer to another. The day of the enthusiast is pretty well dried up.


>(note, the post above is heavily  "me opinionated" and may have no basis in
>reality, durhhh...excepting the "local" observations :)
>
>Brett

Brett, I know these are your opinions, but these are mine too. I do hope
that you, and the others will change your mind and not put ALL A4 owners
into those categories that you created above. Give me, and the "GOOD"
others a chance, ok? And I hope you folks do not snub us, as I am serious
about cars, I LOVE them, and want to learn as much as I can, so that I TOO
can go and use it to help others. But on this list, I see mainly posts for
everything but A4 info And as for me, I want to get as much performance
tips as I can, cause the old me is BACK big time! Racing, oh yeah!

And one last closing comment, . . . . I will say, that though I was
anti-German cars years ago, when the Quattro Coupe first came out, my bud
at Mathews Imports (Chicago Heights, ILL) let me take his demo out for a
ride, . . . of my LIFE! That was one of the most AWESOME cars I ever drove,
but it was also WAY out of my price though! And for years I always did look
at those cars, and sheer when they won rallys! And awhile ago, still not
being able to afford the Quatro Coupe, I almost bought  a regular Coupe, as
I thought it still looked good. And even today, if I could afford it, I'd
want to get one, but, . . . . when I was going to:

A) I could never find a Coupe that was not beat to hell

B) was warned by everyone to stay away from them due to expensive
electrical problems (switches going cad, wiring, etc)

C) the Quattro Coupe had gotten rare, and still was too expensive.

So I will say, that even though I LOVE my new A4, I STILL envy you folks
with those beautiful Quattro Coupes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Sorry if this was long, but I had a lot to say (get off my chest after this
ant-A4/A4org series of posts), and wanted to fill in a lot of background.
If you did read this, thank you for your time.

NOW! Does anyone have the game TOCA and want to try it over the Internet?
There isn't a real race till July 18-19, and so I need a fix badly! <G>!!!!!



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Thanks
Mike Z