KS

I think having four wheel drive sucks the brains right out of your head. Well, my head anyway. I have been observing idiot SUV drivers for years behave invincible on the road, and now I feel the same in my A4. I'm Superman.

So obviously, with all the slush and ice on the roads, I drive like it's summer. Serves me right to plow into the back of a Mazda last Friday. My bumper dug underneath the bumper of the Mazda so that even my headlight took part of the impact. Scratched the front driver-side bumper and headlight, and sheared the washer cap clean off.

Gotta admit, I'm impressed how sturdy the bumper, and even the headlight, are. The impact was pretty hard, but there is no structural damage, nothing shifted or anything. Luckily, I had the front protected with Scotchcal tape and everything I heard about it is true -- it scratched, but did not tear. In fact, the actual surface of the bumper or the headlight did not get touched, it was fully protected by the tape. Another strong argument for it.

The headlsigh washer cap is a $10 part, but it needs painting and installing. Pain in the a$$.

As a sidenote, when I was at the Audi body shop I saw three completely totalled S4's. I guess I shouldn't feel so stupid -- my quattro only makes me half a dumb as the S4 does its drivers.