Will you consider driving your car without insurance? Will you consider going without health insurance, home insurance, business insurance, etc?

European cars are BREATHTAKINGLY expensive to repair -- that does not mean that I think something will need to be repaired or replaced. But I have health insurance IN CASE I have a heart attack or am hurt crossing the street or whatever.

The cost of the extended warranty, may really piss you off if you don't use it -- conversely, most of us cannot afford to self insure a turbo charged, trick suspensioned GERMAN car with the prices of components and parts underscoring that old cliche: "I'll give the car away if I can get the parts, labor and repair franchise!"

Repeat after me: it would be more pragmatic to insure my driving pleasure and predictable costs if I would just lease a 2004 allroad rather than run a 2001 allroad bare with a minimum of $5K in the bank.

If you could get a 2004 allroad lease for a number beginning with a 5 for a term less than 40 months, that would seem to at least be a contender for your auto expense dollar.

So, either get the extended warranty or get a new allroad -- the risk reward ratio may be not that far off.