The good life.
You don’t have to have a rare, unaffordable or lightning-fast four-wheeler to end up in Blits Bezit. We also appreciate a faithful workhorse with a nice story attached to it. Such as the Audi A6 diesel from Barry Schuuring from Wormerveer.
Barry Schuuring’s German sedan is much more than just a means of transport for him. “It is a shopping cart, holiday friend and hobby car, but above all a tribute to my father,” he says. That requires explanation. “My car hobby started when I was young and I regularly visited car shows with my father. Once in possession of a driver’s license, a car had to be available immediately. That turned out to be a Volkswagen Golf II in Millionaire version, in which I indeed felt like a king! Still, things started to get itchy quite quickly: things could have been done a little faster. That’s why I switched to the Golf GTI. But yes, you get married, have children… When traveling and on holidays, such a car quickly becomes too small.”
A8 too expensive
Together with his father, Barry went looking for a more spacious four-wheeler, which on the one hand had to be safe, but on the other hand also have to offer plenty of fun. His love for Audi brought them to several Audi dealers as well as universal companies. The choice ultimately fell on an A4 Avant. “Taking a children’s bath plus bed on holiday, the sedan was too small, but it soon became apparent that the station wagon was not really my thing. I think a sedan has a more chic look, that’s why. Because an A8 became too expensive, the A6 remained.”
At that time, Barry’s father was already seriously ill. During the search for an A4 he faithfully accompanied us every time, but Barry was forced to search for an A6 on his own. “My father wanted to do something fun for me and my sister while we were still alive. In my case that was the purchase of an Audi. I immediately fell in love with that color, but I thought the execution was a bit bare. Anyway, I went for a test drive, which took me straight to my father. He was a bit critical, saw every scratch and dent. Yet I had already become completely addicted to the blue paint. Long story short: I traded the A4 Avant for this A6. A week later he arrived at the door and soon after that I took a beautiful trip along the North Sea coast with my father. That was just magical! It was great that my father was able to experience that. He died a few months after the purchase.”
Tribute to father
Barry got his hands on the car in August 2016. The only previous owner drove it 141,000 kilometers in five years. Under the hood purrs a three-liter diesel V6, originally good for 204 hp, which is linked to an automatic transmission. “As I said, I thought it was a bit bare when I bought it. That’s why I decorated the A6 to my own liking – as a tribute to my father. To start with, I had black elements, such as mirror covers, spoiler and splitter, made in high-gloss black, because my father also had that on his cars. Besides, I think it looks nicer. I also had it lowered slightly and fitted with sturdier springs and different wheels.”
Barry maintains his car cosmetically – waxing and ceramic coating – himself, but he outsources the technical work. And how! “First a friend did that, then a specialist, all the way in Uden! And by maintenance I also mean preventive conservation. Because although there is now about three tons on the counter, that must be at least double! To achieve this, I had a complete engine overhaul carried out, the exhaust was completely renewed from front to back, the leather was given a makeover and the chassis was also thoroughly overhauled. Finally, the engine has been tuned to almost 260 hp. I was looking for a car that could still be fun, remember?”, chuckles the proud owner.
Own Instagram page
With such a personalized used car, you would almost forget that it is just a family car. Barry: “Yes, I always drive it to work at Schiphol. We use it for shopping, you name it. Our thirteen-year-old son is just as car crazy as I am. Just like I used to do with my father, I now go to all car shows and happenings with him. Our three-year-old daughter also recognizes the Audi. As soon as she sees a car with four rings, it is ‘Dad car’! This A6 even has its own Instagram page! The name? SNAUDI666! “Come up with it during a barbecue: fast Audi! The entire car history from purchase to now can be seen on that Instagram page.”
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl