B5 S4 analogy time; get your cookies and milk boys and girls ...

[Rob O]

Okay, so for much of this year I've struggled with the decision to: (1) Just maintain my car and enjoy it, taking on repairs in the event they occur at all (failure is *not* as inevitable as we make it seem around here); (2) Pony up for Stage III and preemptively squelch fears of turbo failure while simultaneously increasing the fun factor, or (3) Sell the car while its still marketable, and I don't have a ton of cash tied up in it, then buy something which offers an arguably more care free ownership experience ... but at the cost of not being all the Avant is (to me).

As I've grappled with this, and find myself constantly defending any notion of selling my car, the following analogy occured to me.

I see owning the MADWAGN as being a lot like having a long-term relationship with a great woman. She's a natural beauty: not a supermodel, but not a pig in makeup either. She's intelligent, athletic, and has a sense of humor (how could we not think that when personifying *any* Audi?). And she fvcks like a porn star ... without coming across as a slut.

But she has a propensity for getting into trouble too, and you just never know when she might go off the deep end ... costing you your love *and* money. This uncertainty looms, growing with each passing year. She might mature like a fine wine, getting better with age, or she could become a complete train wreck.

So now I'm at a cross-road of sorts, the point at which I either step up and make a long-term committment, realizing things will be just fine if I simply "pop the question" (stg 3), or accept that we've had a good run, cut my losses and move on.

It's not that this woman (B5 S4) couldn't be everything you'd want in a long-term partner. It's just that lately, as your concern grows about long-term viability, you find yourself noticing other, younger women more and more.

Moreover, awareness of the few flaws your lovely partner has is heightened as you've perhaps begun taking for granted what a good thing you've got.

Worse yet, you find yourself thinking about "wandering' more often; going beyond just looking at other women (new cars) to actually flirting (test drives) and even considering offers to stray (bargaining with sellers). All of this even though you know instictively the one you're with is really right for you and would likely treat you right for the remainder of your relationship, especially if you made that big step and committed to staying together indefinitely.

That said, the lure of something younger (newer) and different (not an Audi) is hard to resist. You treat your partner extremely well, but also likes teh ladies (cars). Hell, you wouldn't have a problem dating several chicks at the same time if you could get away with it (afford it).

You also worry that a major committment means this is the only person you'll be with for a very long time. Buying that ring (stg 3) is a defining moment, a finite action from which turning back would be difficult (costly).

So in the end, you could keep things going the way they are, tackling relationship issues as they come but never really committing to solidify things for fear she'll freak out. Or you could make the investment in your future with this great woman and hope it results in a happily-ever-after. Or ... you could take the chance that there's ultimately something better out there; maybe not be the girl-next-door-who-fvcks-like-a-porn-star like you have now, but someone who'll make a better mom when it comes time to have a family. ;-)

Had to get that off my chest.

[S4Poor@Curbside]

[SAC-CA-GTI]

by buying your car! HAHA...great analogy. Definately one of my favorite posts ever.

[PSmalls::DoggieStyle]

[RKA]

On a serious note...for most of us, cars will come and go, there is no such thing as "settling down". For you in particular, it sounds like you've always been in the habit of looking for fresh blood every few years. If you've been pondering this question for so long...and you've taken the time to write this post, you're not ready for committment. So don't force the issue.

But for gods sake, don't trade this beauty for an A3 thinking it'll be a great mommy for your children. Remind yourself..."I want a pr0n star!".

[SAC-CA-GTI]

I see owning "an S4" as being a lot like having a long-term relationship with a great woman. She's a natural beauty: not a supermodel, but not a pig in makeup either. She's intelligent, athletic, and has a sense of humor (how could we not think that when personifying *any* Audi?). And she fvcks like a porn star ... without coming across as a slut.

[Rob O]

:-P

Feel free to use it (and to make it a link to this thread so others can share in my bleeding heart).

[Bauer]

I have, what I consider 3 great cars... but the B5 S4 really has become on of my favorites and rarely lets me down. It did recently with a whining turbo, but really, that is more of my fault for not getting my boost gauge in the car. The leak would have been found and there would have been no problem.

[BiturboBoy_V2.0_S3--]

F- like pron stars but are ugly skanks...
STI and EVO come to mind...

the tamer ones are too high maintenance ($$$ other lux makes) or don't F like p4on stars but they do well in that dept too(legacy GT, MS6) or have a little of each of the above traits (is350 comes to mind)

btw i was jus tthinking this same analgoy over the weekend...

[Rob O]

Sad thing is, almost any other car on the market -- regardless of price -- would fall short of the *major* attributes which make the B5 S4 such a great car. Plenty of other good cars out there, many tht excel over the B5 in many ways (power, balance, chassis dynamics, technology, etc) ... but none that are as complete a package, without trade-offs (price, style, etc).

The A3 was quickly stricken from my short list simply due to price; it's outrageous. In fact, with Audi's current pricing strategy I just can't see buying another at this point. $55k for a soulless B7 S4? Bah.

In all honesty, I'm thinking of buying something that I can enjoy over the next 24 mos without care -- like a G35 Coupe 6MT with mild mods. They're cheap enough that I don't feel guilty not getting everything I want in a car, but should be good enough to get me by until 2008 models start shipping ... and hopefully something from that lot will stir me again.

Or I could go Stage III and end this silliness. :-P