For 944s at least, that LCD clock is in the “they all stop working” category. The screen just craps out.

Yeah, one clear red flag is when the car is a used Audi. Run away!

True, although I’ve done this job once and vowed that I would leave it to real professionals next time. You can only really DIY it legally if you convert to R34, which involves replacing every goddamn fiddly little O-ring in every part of the system. And then painstakingly troubleshooting it when it doesn’t go back…

Yeah, it feels more like an $8k car than a $10k car, but a *lot* of the things that you’d do to re-furbish a 951 have already been done. I like that head gaskets and fuel lines have been replaced.

But now I’m questioning everything Jalopnik has ever made me believe. Maybe modern Alfas are actually very reliable? Maybe Millenials really can drive manual transmissions?

Yeah, everybody I know who had one was in love with it. It’s one of those cars that seemed to have inspired a lot of loyalty.

Yeah, I was kind of seeing Ms. King’s point until she got to the Chef Boyardee part. At that point it was like, “oh, hello, unreliable narrator!”

Usually when I hear this from auto engineers, they’re talking about the minimum time between failures for the assembly, as specified to the parts suppliers and verified by testing.

^^^^ COTD

Oh, hell’s yeah. That, please.

I wish they’d gone a little further with the P-51 touches. Needs more toggle switches and chunky dials.

I’ve had sticks fail, too. I’ve come to think as every hood as a potential Hood of Damocles, ready to wallop me in the back of the head.

Goddamn it now I’m hungry.

Yeah, but in the case of the Passat, the prior platform was brought down from the Audi A6, and it’s quite nice. It handles very well and NVH is good. Its differentiated in the class by having the back-seat room of a Mercedes S-Class.

Yeah, it looks like it got shorter front-to-back, narrower, and more tall. Once again, longer / lower / wider is the better look.

TEABAGGN

The State of CA did let me have KEYPARTY for my very-swinger-era ‘75 Eldorado. There’s good stuff out there if you look for it.

You’re completely right.

The Chinese authorities understand this and are playing to it. They, of all cultures, know that “saving face” is the key driver of Trump’s actions.

Yes, it would make sense.