I drove an 86 Coupe GT throughout most of the 90s that was the most satisfying car ownership experience I've had. Fun to drive, tight, refined, my wife liked it, and still the easiest oil change I've ever done. Totaled on a sad day in 1997.

These days my family lives up in the hills where there's a bit more snow and ice in the winter than in town. Recently the time came to hand off my much liked Subaru wagon to my daughter, and I wanted to replace it with another AWD wagon. A couple of weeks into looking, the B5 A4 Avant's great looks (love the subtle, understated style) and my fond memories of my Coupe GT convinced me to zero in on an Audi.

So last week I bought a 2001 A4 1.8TQ Avant with 124k on the odometer, in very good condition, with not too many mechanical issues to address. I don't plan to mod it or consistently drive it hard, rather I just want to enjoy the refinement and feel of an Audi again, and occasionally indulge myself on a curvy country road.

And here I am. Cheers!