Re: Heresy? FWD vs. q

[Eric Maxon <emaxon@megsinet.net>]

William,

	I'm assuming you'd like a 1.8t quattro for about $1500 more than the
$26,000 car you saw, but your local dealer just doesn't happen to have
one burning a hole in the showroom floor (no incentive to DEAL).  Didn't
someone (European car article about the Haldex center differential???)
recently spit out a figure that 80% of Audis sold here are now quattro
equipped??  I think it's worth driving out of your area to a better
stocked dealership to find what you really want.  

	I don't buy that line that you get better service from the dealership
where you bought your car.  On the contrary-- if you show up to ANY
dealership with a new or almost new car, ESPECIALLY if they are close to
you, they will go out of their way to serve you well on your first (or
first few if you're lucky) visit to get you to bring your new baby to
THEM, instead of the dealer that sold you the car.  After your first few
visits, any dealership could care less.

	Better yet, avoid the $#!@$ dealership network altogether and buy a
used 1997 or 1998 A4q from a private party-- there seem to ALWAYS be at
least a dozen A4's for sale around Chicago-- You're in Wisconsin?  Pick
up a Tribune at your local Borders or somewhere, and set up some weekend
showings in the North Shore suburbs-- definately Audi country.

Eric.

William Murin wrote:
> 
> Colleagues:
> 
> I'd appreciate your advice, guidance and counsel.
> 
> Of my 4 Audis over the past 25 years, two have been front-drivers and two
> have been q's.  For the last 12 years it has been q only.
> 
> My local Audi dealer has a 1.8 with 5 speed, sport package and sunroof.
> That's it.  No q, no $1200 Bose stereo, no convenience package, etc.
> MSRP is just over $26,000.  Sitting right next to it is a 2.8 q with just
> about everything in the world on it with an MSRP of $36,000.
> 
> If I get the front driver, put a Wetterauer chip in it, new exhaust, K&N
> filter, etc. when do I regret my decision not have gotten the quattro.
> Since, like most of you, I keep my cars until they have no real re-sale
> value, I'm not all that worried about re-sale value.  Even though I'm in
> Wisconsin, the traction advantages of the q in the winter are not that
> important to me.  Like some of you, I probably use the quattro handling
> advantages to do things I really should not do when the road conditions
> are poor.
> 
> After 12 years of quattro, can I find happiness with a front-driver?
> 
> Appreciate your insights.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Bill Murin
> 89 100q

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