Re: Coupe GT or 4000Q for a teenager?

["kendrik 87.5gt" <kendriq@hotmail.com>]

>From owner-quattro@coimbra.ans.net Wed Jul 15 08:19:19 1998
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>Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 9:47:47 -0500
>From: William Elliott <William.Elliott@mail.mei.com>
>Subject: Coupe GT or 4000Q for a teenager?
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>I have attained the pinnacle of "cool".  According to my 14-yr-old 
stepson, all 
>the teens in our small town have decided my 85 UrQ is the "coolest" 
thing 
>around, far surpassing the cherry GTO Judge and 68 Corvette Roadster 
which 
>previously held the title.  Several times in the last month, I've had 
teenage 
>boys ask if it was a kit car and if the rumors of 500hp were true.  
>
>Anyway, my stepson who had indicated a desire to restore an old 914 or 
924 (or 
>possibly an MG or Corvair convt) to drive when's he's 16, recently saw 
a late 
>model Coupe GT.  When he asked about the differences between that and 
my car, 
>that naturally brought up the subject of 4000Q's.  Since either car 
would be in 
>the same basic price range as the older sports cars he'd been 
"considering", he 
>thought either car might make a reasonable alternative. (In fact, he 
saw the 
>'84 4KQ go on E-bay for $500 or so and was very disappointed I didn't 
buy it!) 
>After I explained the tradeoffs between the cars, he said he simply 
didn't 
>understand why Audi didn't offer the Coupe GT with Quattro in the US.  
(A 
>14-yr-old can see the logic, but AoA couldn't..... but his argument 
that I 
>"deserved" a new Boxster and he'd "settle" for my old UrQ didn't fly. )
>
>Anyway, next he asked a question which I found amusing.  Which car 
would be 
>"better" for a first car? Not wanting to start a war between the Coupe 
and 
>4000Q camps, but thinking the question was thought provoking, I pose 
the it to 
>the list.
>
>My thoughts:  while I'm strongly biased against sedans and love the 
Coupe 
>styling, I would prefer a 4000Q for my own use, the quattro system far 
>outweighing any other personal preferences.  But then I thought about 
"learning 
>to drive".  
>
>For a new driver "performance" driver, I've been a big believer in 
simple.  And 
>low power.  IMHO, a weak car with a simple suspension allows you to 
develop 
>good driving techniques while lots of power and/or roadholding can mask 
bad 
>habits.  Take somebody who learned to race well in a Datsun B210 and 
put them 
>in a great car... and soon they'll be running rings around the driver 
who 
>started in a great car.  
>
>I'm thinking the same may apply to a new driver.  Since there are less 
>"dynamics" in a FWD car over an AWD, I think a new driver might more 
easily 
>learn basic concepts like proper cornering and weight transfer.  (For a 
great 
>lesson in weight transfer, try a Corvair sometime!).  Even as an 
experienced 
>driver, I've had to learn new techniques for the UrQ since the driving 
dynamics 
>are far different than any FWD or RWD car I'd previously driven.  And I 
>surmised the lack of AWD might dissuade a new driver from "getting in 
over his 
>head" in dangerous driving situations.  (If you're 16 and stuck in the 
>driveway, you really didn't need to be out driving anyway!)
>
>I'm interested to hear opinions or BTDT's from the list.
>
>Bill Elliott
>Lake Mills, WI
>May soon be in the market for a "restorable" GT or 4KQ... 
>
>
>
>  I'm just guessing here, but I think that the coupe would be a little 
easier in the maintenance dept.  On the other hand, the 4kq would be a 
more "neutral"  handling car, and if you live where the snow flies, be 
saferfor an inexperianced driver{not that the fwd is bad, mines great 
w/4 Yokohama Guardex snows}.  Which leads me to ponder teenage 
over-confidance which would be more likely displayed in a Quattro.... 
Glad I'm not a parent... Theres also the issue of the larger back seat 
in the 4k... For better or worse.

-------Mark


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