Two days. 1650 miles. And my new '01 S4
11-10-2003, 07:42 PM
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Two days. 1650 miles. And my new '01 S4
Just did a coast to coast run from Florida to Maine in my new S4. After looking around for a long time, I found a Nogaro/Silver leather with 16,400 miles that looks and drives new. The fellow I bought it from had a love for his car that only people on this board could fully appreciate. He had it detailed every week. Noone had ever sat in the back seat and definitely NO FOOD. It smells new. He tinted it heavily with "limo" density. The Milltech gives it a great growl, and the DTS adds stiffness. Has M3 style mirrors which look good but are just too small. Soon to be replaced. But, it was love at first sight. I have 134k on a 99.5 A4 that has served me very well, but is getting a bit long in the tooth. It will now be my winter ride.
I thought about having the S4 trucked to Maine, but figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to drive the length of the eastern seaboard, which I had never done. So me and my lifting buddy abandoned our wives and kids and flew down to Tampa last Thursday. When I left Maine, it was 30 degrees, just about 50 degrees colder than when we landed. Read some Moby Dick on the plane. An epic story about a great voyage, which is what I was planning for as well. This all could have gone miserably bad. But it went perfectly. The car was magnificent - nearly flawless. And for $26,500, I did well. Did the paper work and drank some Guinesses in Tampa to celebrate. Next morning, out the door and on the road at 7:00AM, running across Florida on Rt 4, to Rt 95 in Jacksonville, then due north. Traffic and road work slowed us down during the first few hours, but once we hit 95, it was smooth sailing. The weather was perfect and the car ran like a dream. Averaged an effortless 75-85mph, running in 6th. My A4 would be panting. Beautiful flat smooth roads all the way through Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and virtually no cops. I thought we'd be stopped, just on principle. A Yankee (Mainer) driving a "STOP ME ME ME " colored car with a temporary transit plate, and windows so dark, they are virtually one-way. Not to mention the tunes (BB King, Doors, Clapton, etc) blasting out of the Bose. But no hassles at all. Had some great runs with some other four ringers and BMW's. Motoring high point was blowing by an AC Cobra (license plate read "fifty grand" - who advertises he's driving a replica?)Granted, he made some strategic missteps and got jammed up. The trailer trucks rule the road, and those truckers were as pissed as we were to find people driving sub-speed limit in the left lane. I have driven the autobahn. And that sort of offense is just not tolerated. Was planning on stopping in mid NC the first night but was having so much fun that we hoofed it to the outskirts of DC. Made it there by about 10:00. Appx sixteen hours on the road and 900 miles +/-. The second day began at 7:00. Beat the traffic into DC, but got slowed down by law enforcement. They were all over the place from DC to NJ and they were bagging people all over the place. Roads were decidedly busier and rougher. No 80mph cruise control there. Parked on the NJ Turnpike for about 45 minutes, and then passed the site of several accidents. Not hard to understand why. You see people driving 60-70mph ten feet from you, while yacking on their cells phones. Whenever I take the deposition of someone in an auto accident, I always ask the cell phone question. It can have the same effect on a case as a bottle of Jack in the co-pilots seat.
Stark contrast in scenery. We traded the beaches of Florida, the beautiful savannahs of Georgia and tall pines of the Carolinas for the cargo cranes, refineries, industrial megoliths and urban sprawl of the DC/NY corridor. Traffic was quite light and fast once we got into NY, though the route around the city and over the George Washinton Bridge struck me as grossly inefficient. Obviously, this was all laid out and built at a time when the traffic was a blend of buggies and Model T's. While waiting to give the attendant my $6 for the priviledge of crossing the George Washinton Bridge, we got oogled by a honey in her boyfriend's Sti. She was definitely thinking of moving up. Bought the most expensive gas of my life in Greenwich, CT - $1.99 for premium (vs $1.55 outside of DC, and $1.57 in Maine). But the crapper in this gas station actually had potted plants - which made it all worth while. Continued our run up 95 in late afternoon, and then over to 91 (?) to Worcester, and into New Hampshire. Temps were down to where I like them - mid 30's. Crosssed the Piscatequa River from New Hampshire into Maine at about 6:00pm and stopped for some grub later in Portland. I was feeling pretty road worn by that point, but not so much that I could not marvel at the total eclipse of the moon. Feeling pretty S4-powerful as well. Turned to the young female admiring the eclipse next to me and said, "See what I did there?" She was appropriately impressed and moved away quickly. But not as quickly as the S4 got us up to Bangor, where we arrived at 10:00. Total miles 1650, in approximately 28 hours. What a spledid car. Everything my A4 aspires to be. But most of all - safe and capable. It has the wherewithall to get you away from other peoples errors, whether by speed or brake. My wife loves this car too. Took her for a ride yesterday, and activated the seat heaters. She was telling me about Car Talk, when she blurted out, "What the hell is with these seats." "Hey, baby, this car makes you hot too?" That alone was worth the price of admission. I am really going to enjoy this car, and wanted to share this journey with you.
I thought about having the S4 trucked to Maine, but figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to drive the length of the eastern seaboard, which I had never done. So me and my lifting buddy abandoned our wives and kids and flew down to Tampa last Thursday. When I left Maine, it was 30 degrees, just about 50 degrees colder than when we landed. Read some Moby Dick on the plane. An epic story about a great voyage, which is what I was planning for as well. This all could have gone miserably bad. But it went perfectly. The car was magnificent - nearly flawless. And for $26,500, I did well. Did the paper work and drank some Guinesses in Tampa to celebrate. Next morning, out the door and on the road at 7:00AM, running across Florida on Rt 4, to Rt 95 in Jacksonville, then due north. Traffic and road work slowed us down during the first few hours, but once we hit 95, it was smooth sailing. The weather was perfect and the car ran like a dream. Averaged an effortless 75-85mph, running in 6th. My A4 would be panting. Beautiful flat smooth roads all the way through Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and virtually no cops. I thought we'd be stopped, just on principle. A Yankee (Mainer) driving a "STOP ME ME ME " colored car with a temporary transit plate, and windows so dark, they are virtually one-way. Not to mention the tunes (BB King, Doors, Clapton, etc) blasting out of the Bose. But no hassles at all. Had some great runs with some other four ringers and BMW's. Motoring high point was blowing by an AC Cobra (license plate read "fifty grand" - who advertises he's driving a replica?)Granted, he made some strategic missteps and got jammed up. The trailer trucks rule the road, and those truckers were as pissed as we were to find people driving sub-speed limit in the left lane. I have driven the autobahn. And that sort of offense is just not tolerated. Was planning on stopping in mid NC the first night but was having so much fun that we hoofed it to the outskirts of DC. Made it there by about 10:00. Appx sixteen hours on the road and 900 miles +/-. The second day began at 7:00. Beat the traffic into DC, but got slowed down by law enforcement. They were all over the place from DC to NJ and they were bagging people all over the place. Roads were decidedly busier and rougher. No 80mph cruise control there. Parked on the NJ Turnpike for about 45 minutes, and then passed the site of several accidents. Not hard to understand why. You see people driving 60-70mph ten feet from you, while yacking on their cells phones. Whenever I take the deposition of someone in an auto accident, I always ask the cell phone question. It can have the same effect on a case as a bottle of Jack in the co-pilots seat.
Stark contrast in scenery. We traded the beaches of Florida, the beautiful savannahs of Georgia and tall pines of the Carolinas for the cargo cranes, refineries, industrial megoliths and urban sprawl of the DC/NY corridor. Traffic was quite light and fast once we got into NY, though the route around the city and over the George Washinton Bridge struck me as grossly inefficient. Obviously, this was all laid out and built at a time when the traffic was a blend of buggies and Model T's. While waiting to give the attendant my $6 for the priviledge of crossing the George Washinton Bridge, we got oogled by a honey in her boyfriend's Sti. She was definitely thinking of moving up. Bought the most expensive gas of my life in Greenwich, CT - $1.99 for premium (vs $1.55 outside of DC, and $1.57 in Maine). But the crapper in this gas station actually had potted plants - which made it all worth while. Continued our run up 95 in late afternoon, and then over to 91 (?) to Worcester, and into New Hampshire. Temps were down to where I like them - mid 30's. Crosssed the Piscatequa River from New Hampshire into Maine at about 6:00pm and stopped for some grub later in Portland. I was feeling pretty road worn by that point, but not so much that I could not marvel at the total eclipse of the moon. Feeling pretty S4-powerful as well. Turned to the young female admiring the eclipse next to me and said, "See what I did there?" She was appropriately impressed and moved away quickly. But not as quickly as the S4 got us up to Bangor, where we arrived at 10:00. Total miles 1650, in approximately 28 hours. What a spledid car. Everything my A4 aspires to be. But most of all - safe and capable. It has the wherewithall to get you away from other peoples errors, whether by speed or brake. My wife loves this car too. Took her for a ride yesterday, and activated the seat heaters. She was telling me about Car Talk, when she blurted out, "What the hell is with these seats." "Hey, baby, this car makes you hot too?" That alone was worth the price of admission. I am really going to enjoy this car, and wanted to share this journey with you.
11-10-2003, 08:03 PM
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Re: Two days. 1650 miles. And my new '01 S4
One slight but meaningful omission. You should have reported the red ********* dangling from the trailer hitch of the Dodge pickup. Otherwise solid journalism.
11-10-2003, 08:17 PM
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Awesome road trip !!! Please call if there is anything we can do to make
<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/7834/dsc01157.jpg"></center><p>your new car more comfortable for you...
The pic shows what we do with Nogaro
<ul><li><a href="http://www.avalonmotorsports.com">http://www.avalonmotorsports.com</a</li></ul>
The pic shows what we do with Nogaro
<ul><li><a href="http://www.avalonmotorsports.com">http://www.avalonmotorsports.com</a</li></ul>
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11-11-2003, 04:56 AM
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Native of Biddeford, now residing in Mass
Great story. I know it's a ways away but maybe we should have a summer GTG in Southern Maine. We could get some great pics of our rides and the coastline. Plus enjoy some good eats and of course lots of microbrews...