Re: 1990 100q questions -- potential purchase

[DeWitt Harrison <de@aztek-eng.com>]

On Thu, 7 Jan 1999 11:18:51 EST, JG wrote:

>I've been looking for an inexpensive car for my girlfriend and after
>considering her requirements and our budget, had pretty much decided on an '85
>or '86 Dodge Omni GLH turbo ... they're cheap, readily available locally and
>reasonably easy to work on (my requirements) and have four doors and a turbo
>(Paula's requirements).  We ruled out the 4kq because Paula found it too slow
>(at least the one we test drove) and finding clean ones locally is practically
>impossible; we've also ruled out the 80q and 90q since the 20v is way too
>pricey and the 10v ones are too sluggish ... the styling really isn't much to
>our liking, either.[ ... ]  So, I've started thinking
>about the '90 100q that's being advertised locally ... I know it doesn't have
>a turbo -- Paula thinks my father's '91 100 and my mother's '87 5kw are slugs
>- -- but I know the Type 44 chassis pretty well, they're reasonably easy to
work
>on and I'm sure the $3,900 price can be negotiated lower seeing as it started
>out at $4,500 several weeks ago.   
>
>So, the question is, does the lack of a turbo make this car a slug as well?  I
>know it's got slightly shorter gears than my 200q, which should help offset
>some of the power difference, and I believe it's slightly lighter as well,
>which helps, too. [ ... ]

I hate to burst this bubble of hope and optimism, and I apologize in advance to
those Audi owners who will surely take umbrage, but the non-turbo 44 type is
a slug's slug. This type of car will also fail to meet, IMHO, your requirements
of inexpensive operation and maintenance. (As a 200 owner, you must know
that.) Quattro is a wonderful thing, but get a grip, man.  She'll hate it.

DeWitt Harrison
Boulder, CO
88 5kcstq