Re: Coupe GT or 4000Q for a teenager? Bucksnort view

[Scott Fisher <sefisher@cisco.com>]

Interesting topic!  I'm driving an '83 Coupe, my wife is looking for
either a 4000Q or possibly a 5K wagon, as we've got three kids (10, 7
and almost 2).  I had an '80 4000 (2-door, 2wd, 1588cc 4cyl, but a sweet
car) from 1980 to 1983, so I've had experience with the 4000's interior
volume as well.

The rear seat in the Coupe is actually surprisingly roomy -- it's
exactly as wide as a 4000, and my sense (from 15 year old memory) is
that it's as deep, too.  I've had largeish adults in the back of both
cars, and we can fit all three kids in the Coupe (the little guy in his
safety seat in the center position) with tons of room to spare.  The
Coupe has LOTS of leg room, for instance.  

What the Coupe lacks is easy access to the rear seat from the outside,
which is why my wife is looking for a car with back doors; as it is, if
we all go anywhere in the Coupe, the big kids help Charlie into the
safety seat.  Leaning all the way into the rear seat from the front door
with an armful of toddler has introduced my wife and me to the joys of
ibuprofen and ice packs in the past, and we have no wish to repeat the
lesson.  (Maybe THAT would be a worthwhile lesson for a teenager. :-)

The Coupe also lacks a bit of head room compared with a 4000, at least
on entry.  Though this may be personal -- I know that on at least two
occasions in the '80s I went out to buy a Scirocco and came back with a
GTI, because the roofline in the Scirocco is just too "sleek" for
somebody my height.  (And I'm only 5' 11", there must be a lot of it
from the waist up.)  Once seated in the Coupe, it's fine -- it's just
that swept windshield that gets in the way if you're leaning too far
forward.  Something to look into.

I can't add anything to the comparison of vehicle dynamics between the
Coupe and the 4000 Quattro, as I've yet to drive a Q-equipped Audi, so
I'll leave others to hash that out.  I will say that the Coupe's basic
handling is nice, *very* neutral for an FWD car (I too learned about
sports cars with an M.G. Midget, which spoiled me for the steering on
pretty much anything this side of an Emmick racing kart), and "safe" in
that it won't do anything really weird -- the nose tucks in if you lift,
which is sort of basic instinct for most new drivers.  (And it doesn't
even plow too badly if you start feeding it throttle in mid-corner.)

Other differences: the Coupe's trunk is very short, though deep; if your
son likes to take a lot of sports equipment or musical instruments with
him everywhere, that may be an issue.  

A final thought: a cheap rev limiter for these cars is a 4-cylinder fuel
pump relay.  The car will start and run fine, but they cut off fuel just
before 5000 RPM.  You might consider plugging in one of those as an
inexpensive acceleration limiting device, at least till you can get your
son through a couple of track days with a racing instructor.  (My older
kids have ridden in autocrosses with me in my Alfa GT, and they LOVE it
-- I'm waiting till they're a little older before I try them on
karting.)

Of course, the Coupe *looks* a lot cooler, but you knew that.  Or at
least you could have figured I'd say it... :-)

--Scott