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RideLust Daily Fail: DC Officials Tow $70k Audi With No Rims
Imagine your beloved, high-performance Audi S4 is jacked up and the wheels are stolen. Anger, sadness, but it’s not the end of the world. Then, five days later, while waiting for the new rims and tires to arrive, the city Department of Public Works decides to come out and drag your wheel-less beloved onto a flatbed tow truck and take it to an impound lot downtown, causing extensive damage.
That’s the load of bureaucratic BS Chris Thompson and her husband Mike had to deal with during the Thanksgiving holiday. “They dragged the car with a cinder block underneath it,” said Thompson. “It made me sick.”
“They couldn’t of run our tags, they couldn’t of found us?,” said Thompson. “They didn’t try anything.”
On top of all that, an official with DPW gave Mr. and Mrs. Thompson a $250 ticket because the car was deemed ‘too dangerous to be on public space’. “I was practically in tears when I got handed $250 ticket, I had to pay $120 at the impound for a car that was already vandalized,” said Thompson. Watch the video of the newscast here.
I question the $70k price tag though. Judging from the headlights and grille, I’m guessing this is an S4 and would be under $70k. An A model would have a grille with less prominent vertical lines, and an S6 or S8 would have different headlights. What do you guys think? Am I right?
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The length seems to indicate it is an A6; throw in some suspension modifications and maybe the wheels and tires were aftermarket, and it could have been worth about $70,000.
This story reminds one of exactly why so many people have no faith in government, even local government, anymore. The folks whose car the city have almost completely destroyed – their insurance company may have to weigh in on that – might have an attorney get involved; but if they prevail, it will be because it got on television and now some government muckey-mucks will be embarassed.
The late Eugene McCarthy, a longtime senator from Minnesota and several times a presidential candidate, once said that the only thing that saves us from bureaucracy is its inefficiency. Go figure.
Words by Terry Parkhurst on December 6, 2008 at 1:58 am | #
if the car was up & running maybe it worth $70k but without wheels don’t know who would even look at it. Maybe the insurance company will take care of his car after the officials damaged it
Words by Car Tuning on December 6, 2008 at 2:40 pm | #
It’s been my experience that it many big cities the police receive kickbacks from local impound yards, so there is a motivation there. Usually the police will try to not inform a cars owner it has been found stolen until after they have it impounded. Fridays are the big days for “finding” stolen cars since it means 3 days of impound fees instead of just one. If you manage to get to the impound yard at 3pm, they will tell you your paperwork from the police department is lacking a stamp or signature, and then it is another round trip. Finally get back at 4:30pm if you are lucky, and then you are told they need 45 minutes to process it and come back the next day. If at all possible, you should take a photo of your car on the day it is impounded even if you can’t get it back. 9 times out of 10 when you actually get it back it will then have been completely stripped down by the impound lot for used parts profit who then claims that the joyriders did it.
Words by Bill Bennett on December 6, 2008 at 5:33 pm | #
thats an a4 with s4 mirrors, its no s4 or sline (doesnt have the agrresive body kit) and the back lights indicate its a 4 not 6 or 8.
Words by Ahmed Karam on December 6, 2008 at 5:41 pm | #
“couldn’t of … couldn’t of”… really? Try “couldn’t have”.
Words by Grammar Nazi on December 6, 2008 at 5:43 pm | #
Bummer, BTW that is not an S4 it looks to large. Either an A8(MSRP: $74,050-120,100) or S6 perhaps.
Words by Dan on December 6, 2008 at 6:18 pm | #
Ah yes, expensive car getting towed. Oh the horror.
If it was a 1991 huyndai no one would have given a damn.
Public workers treat everyone the same way, wtih great apaphy. The contractors in charge of towing cars treat cars even worse. Since it wasn’t the city but the contractor that caused the damage.
I find it suspicious that the car gets towed, just like that.
Of course the owner had no means to have her car moved to on her propriety.
“No sir, i got my wheels stolen, but i think that parking spot is still safe for my car.”
Words by Phil on December 6, 2008 at 7:07 pm | #
It’s an S-Line A4. At most, $40,000, but most likely less. An S4 sould be about $60K with options.
Words by henry on December 6, 2008 at 8:24 pm | #
What kind of shallow moron would be in tears over a scratched car? Annoyed maybe, but in tears? This person needs to be severly beaten and dropped into Zimbabwe with no food or water until they get some perspective.
Words by Philo on December 6, 2008 at 8:28 pm | #
The car is obviously an A6. The car is probably not worth 70K but the price is not to far of. As far as having a case against the government just doesn’t seem promising. Let me tell you a story of what happened to me, during icy conditions my then GSX hit a patch of black ice, sliding of the interstate and down a step hill, maybe a good 40 yard inclined drop. Someone saw it happen and called it in. I had also called my two friends to help me tow it out. There was one problem, the troppers wouldn’t let me. It was going to cost will over $300 for the towing company to do it and i wasn’t pleased. While filling out a report in the back of the crown vic, one of my friends managed to sneak down and drive the car about half a mile where it could easily be driven back on the road. After filling out the report I just jumped in my friends truck and took of, before the troppers realized what had happened we were gone. The moral of the story, because someone in authority says something, doesn’t mean its right.
Words by Devon Dratski on December 6, 2008 at 8:40 pm | #
It’s a nice Audi, but it’s no S
Words by ansky on December 6, 2008 at 9:03 pm | #
Ahmed is right, definitely an A4 with the S4 mirrors. no doubt about it. not an S4. not an A6. not an A8. not a cadillac. not a convertible. not a pickup truck. not a bicycle nor even a wheelbarrow. its not a $70K car–try mid $30K’s.
I’m sorry but I’m an audi tech. Oh, and I feel sorry for that guy. That’s not gonna be a real cheap fix.
Words by Rob on December 6, 2008 at 9:43 pm | #
<<<<>>>>
.
Yup.
Words by tom on December 7, 2008 at 1:02 am | #
This is an A4, not an S4 or an A6. I am an Audi mechanic. It’s cost ranges from approximately 28 to 45 grand.
Words by mike on December 7, 2008 at 2:28 am | #
Even if it was an S4 it’s not worth $70k. They’re only maybe $54k new and you can’t mod the V8 very much, so after depreciation you might have a car worth maybe $56k.
Words by justin on December 8, 2008 at 1:17 am | #
Saw an A4 parked today, when I was on a walk. You’re right Vito; it is an A4. Of course, several others have no weighed in, most authoritatively, the anonymous Audi mechanic.
It makes a guy wonder where the newscasters got the $70,000 figure. Oh well, television newscasters aren’t the folks who are going to be accurate about things related to cars. Reminds me of the time that the a local television station said that “Formula 1 cars are racing” at a road course in Kent, Washington, when in fact, it was a SCCA Trans-Am race.
Words by Terry Parkhurst on December 8, 2008 at 2:14 am | #
Here’s my two cents… I may not be a mechanic, but I own an B7 S4. First off, The picture of the car seems to be stretched – as you can see when you look at the anchor (he appears wider than usual). It’s probably a snapshot of a 4:3 telecast stretched on a 6:9 screen. The car is definitely a B7 A4 series – as to whether it’s an S4… The only indicator would be that it has, what appears to be proper badging. Smallish badge just left of the rings on the nose and hints of what is the V8 logo below the turn signals just behind the wheel well. The lines of the rear window, lack of silver trim on the door handles, shape of head lamps and angle of rear door blades do not match the lines of the A6/S6 models of that production cycle (roughly 2006 – 2008). A B7 S4 would run you from 54k – 58k depending on options and then of course if you put some silly rims on… well – it might cost you another 4k… not quite 70k but pretty darn close.
Words by Jeff on December 8, 2008 at 2:12 pm | #
jeff…s line audi’s have grill badges as well…but im 99% certain that’s an S4 (http://www.weblogsinc.com/common/images/1376374416216838.JPG?0.7421176556877049)
regardless of what it is or what car, id be pissed if my rims were stolen and then the city towed it and fucked the car up…my lawyer would love to take that case haha
Words by peter on December 12, 2008 at 10:32 pm | #