Bought a new Q!

[WARATAP@aol.com]

First of all, let me say that these forums and list discussion groups and its 
members are wonderful.  I'd especially like to thank Mike LaRosa, who went 
out of his way to e-mail me FS notices and Classified links from all over the 
country.  

To make a VERY LONG story short, I ended up getting up Saturday morning at 
2:00 a.m. and driving from Detroit to Cleveland to fly to Boston (via 
Detroit).   I'd already bought tickets so I could look at a car ('91 200 tq 
20v), which ended up being sold before I got a chance to see it.  I found out 
later that Glen Powell had already looked at it and decided to pass on it to 
buy a much cleaner one for a little more money.  

I, too looked at a car that wasn't quite what I expected.  My #1 objective:  
I needed something that really didn't need any work.  And it had to be a '91 
200 tq 20v or 5-speed v8.

Luckily, I had responded to an Ad in the Denver Post on Friday for a 5-speed 
v8 and had Ben Howell check it out on Saturday.  I had already offered to buy 
Ben's 200 tq 20v the week before, but he wasn't ready to sell.  Well, he 
bought the v8, which needed a new clutch at the least, possibly more --not 
good for me to drive home in and I had the choice between the two cars.  

I ended up flying to CO Saturday afternoon from Boston with Frontier Airlines 
-good service at a good price, I might add, for those making last minute 
bookings and if they service your area.  Ben picked me up in the v8 and we 
drove to his place for dinner, and it was apparent that the clutch could 
easily be coaxed to slip without much effort.  I test drove the 200 tq 20v in 
the morning ( I had admired it since I first got a ride in it on the way to 
Monteray).  

I bought the 200 tq 20v and drove the 20+ hrs home to Detroit and couldn't be 
happier.  You might say it was a little like "Trains, planes, and 
automobiles", except without the trains.  And hardly any sleep.

Thanks again to everyone for your recommendations and input.  

Ingo Rautenberg
91 200 tq 20v 106k
85 4kq 136k+
90 v8q 217k RIP