Re: v8s

[cobram@Channel1.Com (COBRAM)]

 -=> Lawrence C Katzenstein illuminates us with <=-

 LCK> Look, the service writer and her dealership stand to GAIN by your
 LCK> getting a V8. They will make a bundle off of you. She's just being
 LCK> decent. The value just isn't there. The 200TQ and the S4/S6 are
 LCK> faster and  handle better. The V8 styling is nice, but Phil Hartman's
 LCK> wife was pretty too.
 LCK> A local dealer is willing to trade me the a Porsche 928 for the V8.
 LCK> He said

 Read AS:

 Gee, I bought a car that wasn't maintained correctly at best,
 timing belt on it did bad things because some mechanic
 who probably had no manual or the tools required to change
 the belt in the first place, didn't follow procedure and
 the cam gear came loose.  Bent a bunch of valves in the
 process, sooo, all V8 Quattros are poorly made nightmare
 expensive engineering pieces o crap. 

 LCK> the maintenance cost is about the same!
 LCK> This car is a money pit and other Audis perform better. That's why
 LCK> the resale value is low and dealers are steering people away from them.

      As for the value not being there, this clearly shows you
      know nothing about the V8, or cars of it's class in general.
      To get a car that is even comprable to the ride, handling,
      space, feel and luxury of a V8Q you'd have to spend three
      or four times as much for something comprable.  As for the
      cost, if you want to drive like a sport you should be
      ready to pay like a sport.  That applies to any high
      end car and especially a car that the is practically
      a hand made cost no object car.  

      As for costing the same to maintain as a 928, I don't
      think so. I do all the maintenance and repairs on my
      V8Q and I assist my less fortunate friends who bought
      928s and V12 Beamers, and the V8Q comes out cheaper
      on all counts. Besides, comparing a 928 to a V8Q
      doesn't make any sense, comparing a two door
      hatchback to a 4 door cruiser.  Dealer price for
      a 1989 928 radiator (part #106 043 01) is $1612.00,
      bumper $1219, ABS control unit (87-88) $2737.
      V8: radiator $510, bumper $698, ABS unit $695.
      These parts can actually be bought for much less,
      but lets compare oranges to oranges, list to list.

      Parts can be had relatively cheap if you do a little
      research and look around. Working on the V8Q is
      not a 4 headed monster, and if you have any confidence
      in your mechanical abilities and knowledge, a few
      tools, like minded friends, there isn't anything that
      can't be done by the owner.  

      In the three + years I've owned my 1990 V8Q the only
      non-maintenance items I've changed were a low pressure
      Pento$in hose, torn CV boot, oxygen sensor, inspection
      pan gasket, and the coolant reservoir tank.  I bought
      the motor mounts and accumlator many moons ago but
      haven't gotten around to installing them yet.

      The parts that are dealer-only are overpriced, BUT,
      the prices are not out of line with other German
      makes. It's the nature of high end Teutonic beasts.
      Nobody, or very few people, get into a high end
      German cars unaware that it's going to cost more
      to maintain and repair than a KIA or a GEO. The
      value of older high end cars also place owners
      between a rock and a hard place when something
      major goes wrong. It only they were like other
      cars where they could just be discarded when
      something major goes wrong.

      I can sympathise with your dilema and what you've
      been through with your V8. But it's not fair to
      blame the car when the circumsatances of your
      ordeal would have been identical had the car
      been another high end older luxury car. Besides,
      it's an Audi, it seems to be the price of admission
      across the board for our beloved brand.
      Keep badmouthing the V8Q, please, they're still in
      the 10K range, I'll be buying one for the wife as
      soon as they get just a tad cheaper.

      BCNU,



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