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Audi A4 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Post #5650 on the general A4 discussion group has a lot of excellent info as well. He relates the problem I described totally to the Tiptronic transmission rather than drive-by-wire.

    Drive-by-wire refers to the system in which the accelerator pedal is not mechanically linked to the engine, but rather it is a computer that determines that pushing on the accelerator means you want to increase rpm's. Therefore the action is determined by wire rather than a mechanical linkage. I think this technology has been on the Audi since 2002, but I'm not positive about that. In the Audi, also, it's "brake by wire." I don't know about steering, but some cars are also "steer by wire." In all cases, the transfer of physicial actions between you and the end point are electronic rather than mechanical. Hope that helps.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Wow - I didn't know that. The last car I worked on was a '73 Ventura. I was aware things were quite a bit different and I haven't been under a rock but I didn't realize this. Here's another question. This car has the equivalent of ski's on the wheels - I'm told the reason I am slipping around like crazy out there is because of the performance tires that came on these 17' rims. I've ordered all-season's. The guy I ordered them from kind of paused like I was ruining the car but acknowledged it would be safer and then said that he wouldn't do it. When I pressed him on the point he said I probably wouldn't notice any difference. I gotta tell you though. while I don't know anything about mechanics and technology - though I can see I'm about to learn, I can assess a ride like anyone. I love speed, cornering, performance, the feel of the car and comfort. So, I need to know really - I mean really now, will it be that big of a deal if I put all-season's on this car? The vast majority of the time and distance logged on this car is going to be city driving - you know, work - home - work -home a little bit of highway and the rare 400 k/m run on vacations etc... Don't tell me to get a second set of tires to switch around. Human nature being what it is - I am not disciplined enough to do it when it should be done. I'll take the path of least resistance like the best of them will. Those snow tires will still be on in July before I get around to changing them!
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Greg, make the change to all season asap. The performance compromise will not be noticeable for your experience and driving patterns, not even on fairly aggressive back road driving. I have 17" all season Pirelli's and they handle everything I can give them beautifully, including snow. (I am assuming you have a quattro if you have the performance package.) For 2004 for the first time, Audi now offers all-season tires as an option with the performance package. Dealers and owners have been asking for that for years (and you have experienced why). Previously, they offered only summer tires like yours. So, Greg, run, don't walk, to your tire dealer and get a good, at least T-rated, all season tire for your Audi. You'll be glad you did. If you want a more rigid sidewall for better handling and don't mind the few extra bucks and faster wear, go V-rated. Happy winter driving!
  • beppebeppe Member Posts: 1
    I have an Audi 4 Avant 2003.
    If anynone has experienced rear heated glass Shattered due to (cold) temperature shock,
    please speak up.
    FYI, there is no replacementet part in the country
    (US) as of now ;-)
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Well, something else to learn. So, after reading llwyse definitive statement on all-season tires with the usual insight on the vehicle and what they are doing now in 2004, I was relieved. But I had to find out what he meant by T or V rated. Pitiful isn't it. So, I trotted off to google and stumbled on to tirerack.com. Great site for me and I am now again more learned because of llwyse and I am again obliged to him. So, out into the cold I went to see what was on the vehicle. Anyway, I have Continental 235/45 R17 93Y tires. The Tire Rack site has this well thought out questionaire about your car, what you need and how you like to drive. Turns out there is an Ultra High Performance All-Season tire made by Continental called the Continental Extreme Contact that meets my criteria - imagine that. I'd like to keep the same make if possible - I'm like that. I can buy a set for $444.00 plus shipping of $63.14 to my door ($665.32 CDN). A comparable tire (Sumitomo HTR+) is also available for $356.00 US plus shipping but I would have been inclined to put this on my Infiniti. Now here's another tire question I couldn't find the answer to. The sales sheet on the site says the tire is "WR" speed rated. The spec sheet link for the tire says 93W. I learned from all I have read that "W" is a speed rating of 270 km/hr (168 mph) but I can't find anything rating "WR". Maybe I'm being a bit picky but I wouldn't mind knowing what "WR" represents? Oh ya, my car is a quattro.
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    The Continental Extreme Contact would be excellent for you. There are ABC codes on each tire related to wear and traction.....and something else which escapes me right now. (I think that info is on the Tirerack site, though) A W rated tire is obviously much more than you will need speed-wise, but it will also have very stiff side walls for great handling, and the price looks excellent. I would guess it might have a pretty short tread life as it likely has a relatively soft compound to make it "stickier." As for the the WR, I'm not sure. I would guess the "R" is for "radial," but that's only a guess. The W is the important number. A T would be adequate, a V would be better and the W all season should be awesome for you......while it has tread. Happy motoring.....all year 'round! I'm glad I could help a bit.
  • nonjth13nonjth13 Member Posts: 91
    replacing the door mirror is pretty easy. You just have to connect the heater connetions, and the auto dim if you have it, and push the mirror back in. The mirror control shoul have the mirror adjutment mechanism all the way to the right for the driver side mirror and you must only push on the outside edges of the mirror. If you press on the middle, the mirror will break. It takes a fair amount of force to get the mirror to lock in.
  • nonjth13nonjth13 Member Posts: 91
    I have an 03 A4 Avant 3.0 with 6700 mi on the odo. In September i began to notice an oil water emulsion on the dip stick. In December I brought the car in and the dealer changed the oil. Some 1500 mi later I not only have "mayonnaise" on the dip stick but on the underside of the fill cap. The dealer is trying to claim that condensation is the cause of the problem. I just am not buying that explanation. However, the coolant level seems to be fine and the car seems to run ok. I live in Albany NY area where it has been plenty cold recently. The car is garaged and driven a mix of local and highway miles. If anyone has any insight to this problem I would appreciate your feedback.
  • sdradioguysdradioguy Member Posts: 101
    I don't believe my mirrors are heated, and I know for sure they don't auto-dim.

    I guess my other question would be how do I get the mirror out to begin with? Also, is the dealer the best/only place to get the part?
  • nonjth13nonjth13 Member Posts: 91
    Go to audiworld .com which is a chat room etc solely related to audi. If you do a search you can find detailed instructions on the mirror. There is a dealer in Mass that sells parts for less than your hometown dealer. I think that clairparts.com will get you there.
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Greg, did you get the all-season tires ordered? Let us know when you get them mounted and how you like them. And, yes, the "R" is for Radial.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Yes I ordered them and I hope I won't be dissapointed. Problem is we hit some real nasty weather here. I saw on the news last night it was coming today and would hit hard so I got on the tele first thing this am. No one had any tires for this car (locally) other than a BMW dealer and they wanted $340.00 CDN each for some pirelli's. I choked. When I called Tire Rack they said they could ship out today but it would take at least 4 or 5 days (I figured 6 or 7 since they said 4 or 5!) So, I called my buddy. He found the car for me. He has lined up some tires for me to be delivered tomorrow morning. He said they are Cooper tires? He said they are every bit as good -I don't know about that but he was so eager to help and he did find them quickly when I couldn't so I'll have to see. I never heard of this name. The price is right. He said if I don't like them I don't have to keep them. Have any opinion?
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Cooper does make good tires.....and at a very good price. I think they are all made in Findlay, Ohio. I have never had Cooper performance tires, but have had them in a "sport" tire for a Honda Accord some years ago. They'll do the job for you in the snow and getting them right away is an advantage (and the satisfaction guarantee is good). Whether they will have the handling you want would be a question. Are these a V or W rated tire? I personally feel Dunlop is making the best performance tires for the money these days.

    I saw your question in the main A4 discussion group about the S vs D mode. If I have consistent town/city driving, I find S mode is less irritating due to the higher rpm upshifts. Then I switch to D on the highway. I would still recommend clearing the fuzzy logic memory as described. But S mode does seem to be less affected by the fuzzy logic's learning.

    I am so relieved to see all this affirmation about the drive-by-wire/Tip lag problem. My dealer kept making me feel like it was only my problem. Between the S mode and the memory clearing, I have now accepted it and find it tolerable, but I do think it is something Audi will have to address sometime.....soon.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Picked up the car at 5:30 p.m. My loaner was a Saturn and it handled the snow well. I was worried about getting the Audi back and finding it might be outdone by the saturn! When I picked up the car I had to back out from a driveway located about 40 yards from the corner of a traffic controlled busy intersection and travel across two lanes of traffic in reverse on an icy snow covered road. As I was backing out a car turned into my lane from the corner and was heading in my direction. The new tires on my new Audi past the first test with flying colours. I never would have been able to attempt this before. They tires also did quite well on the expressway during the drive home. With all the complaints listed on this site I almost forgot how much I like this car! The tires are "Z" rated 94W They look fine. I couldn't make out a name on the tire. I'll check that out later. I really don't know how to approach this drive lag/acceleration problem. I know everybody is in the same boat but I didn't really resolve my concern in the A4 discussion group. I hear what you are saying about the fuzzy logic memory and I intend to give that a go. I also see what you are saying about S in the city and D on the highway but I am still curious to know if it would be problematic to mix it all up without incident. It appears this transmission is designed to permit changes on the fly from D to S and/or to Tip. But is there a limit to the frequency of doing this? If I mix it up from S to D every block or two in order to achieve the drive I feel the vehicle ought to offer, will I be running the risk of damaging the system somehow? Also, this approach might defeat the fuzzy logic approach of clearing the memory and starting new. What do you think?
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Congrats on the tires. They will make a huge difference for you, and glad they passed the test so far.

    You are correct that these discussion groups tend to focus on the negative. That's the nature of people, I guess, (listen to the 11 o'clock news!) and also it's the "negative" things that people seek advice for (such as you did for tires). These are wonderful cars and it is good not to lose sight of that. They are truly driver's cars.

    Greg, you can go in and out of D, S or Tip as often as you want, when and where you want, on-the-fly or stopped. It's just a question of how much you want to be inconvenienced. It won't "mess up" anything in your fuzzy logic. You'll really give the little guy in there a lot to think about! :-)
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Received with thanks. I'd like to try different approaches and see how things work out. I hear you about the inconvenience. If I wanted to do all that shifting about I may as well get a standard.
  • json717json717 Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2000 A4 2.8 Quattro with only 40K miles on it. Recently I started to hear a strange noise coming from the engine when I started the car. Took it to the dealer and was told various parts have to be replaced b/c of wear and tear such as cam adjuster seal, valve cover gasket, oil cooler seals, breather hose, transmission tail shaft seal, waterpump, and headlight washer pump. I always change my oil regularily and have the vehicle maintenanced as recommended per audi. All these problems after only 40K miles from a german engineered car is boloney to me. I have had a 98 Toyota corolla with 90K miles before with absolutely no engine problems whatsoever. And of course, these problem just occur right after my warranty expired on the vehicle. I always thought that german cars were one of the most reliable cars out there. Maybe this was just a bad apple but my experience has left a really sour taste in my mouth and now I'm $2300 poorer. NEVER, EVER buying an another AUDI AGAIN!!! I'm going back to Japanese.
  • persamppersamp Member Posts: 7
    Yes - apparently this is not uncommon. My A4 Avant rear window shattered 3 weeks ago (before it got really cold here in Boston). Dealer and glass companies all reported the same thing - no parts in stock anywhere in the country!

    After 3 weeks of waiting (thankfully, dealer - Bernardi Acura in Natick paid for a rental car - NOT an Audi :( ), we got a call from safelite glass (who got the window from another Audi dealer). Bernardi couldn't give me a date for when they would get one in, so they advised me to go ahead with Safelite.

    Anyone else have this problem?
  • tnisace86tnisace86 Member Posts: 25
    Usually, I've heard many positive things about Audi. I like the RS6...*drool. However, I've been told some bad things about Audi also. Most apparent are the electrical problems they suffer from. This I was told by the dealer too. Exactly what electrical issues are there?
  • dollymamadollymama Member Posts: 1
    Help! It has been extremely cold here in Boston, so I don't know if this problem is at all related to the weather. Earlier this week I was driving on the Mass Pike and I began to smell burning rubber and a whitish smoke was coming out of the front right of the car, close to the tire. None of the warning lights were on. My oil has been recently changed. It has been on a regular manitenance plan through my lease. I got it towed. The dealer has not been able to tell me what is wrong with it yet. They say they are very busy. In the meantime I am stuck renting a car till whenever... (By the way, I also own a BMW and they provide loaner cars!) The person who took the car in, hinted that they have been having a problem on audis because of the cold weather.
    Can anyone shed any light on this mistery? Has any one else had this kind of trouble? Thank you.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    So, I put these tires on - remember I was in the ice and snow with performance tires and couldn't afford to wait to get the tires I wanted. I was able to get some tires from cooper. The tires are labelled "Sport IV rotation" Z rated 94W. While I can't really complain about how they handle the road conditions, I am less than pleased with the ride. Recall, I picked up this car in the bad weather. We've now had three days of dry road and I believe my fillings are about to fall out of my head! Every little bump in the road goes right through me. Could the tires contribute to this less than quality ride or is this just the way the car drives? I love driving the car for how it handles and how it's appointed but I'm running low on tylenol. I have had a headache for three days and I think I now know why. Let me know what you think - ditch the tires or get use to the car?
  • gshamisgshamis Member Posts: 5
    I really don't get it when people need everything summer tires can give you. Personally I've never driven over 120mph on public roads -- and all-seasons served me well.

    changine tires or buying 2nd set of wheels for a car I am turning in in 3 year -- no way.

    All season performance package is what I got.
    And I am thrilled. Btw, one of the (many) reasons didn't get the S4
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    I did not anticipate such pontification. It's not about all season tires in general. They were fantastic on my I30t and everything before it. Two observations can be gleaned from my initial inquiry. 1. This car has a small wheel base - certainly smaller than I am accustomed to, but I expected a better quality ride from a car like this; and 2. I just want to know if spending a little less on the tires could have had a detrimental effect on the quality of the ride. I can return the tires but I don't want to spend more money if it's not going to improve the ride. The performance or handling does not appear to be an issue. The car responds and corners quire well. Its the BANG BANG BANG I feel over every little crack in the road that is getting to be a bit much for me. I'd appreciate your thoughts on this one LaMar
  • cyberpmgcyberpmg Member Posts: 83
    Did you check the tire pressure? There's a sticker on the front passenger door frame that gives you the recommended air pressure for 15" through 17" tires. It's usually lower than the max PSI rating on the tires, but it's a pressure rating Audi has determined that gives the best ride for the A4. My guess is that the air pressure currently in your all-seasons is probably too high.

    Also in winter driving, it's better to lower the air pressure to give you more grip in icy/snowy conditions.
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Greg, this was one of my two concerns with the Z rated tires (the other being more rapid tread wear). I think I forgot to mention the ride specifically, although I am a little suprised it's worse than your summer performance tires. My apologies. The rigid side walls give great handling, but there is a trade-off. That's why I recommended T rated or, ideally, V rated. I think V rated provides the best combination of ride, traction and performance. You may pay less, not more, for T or V rated (compared to Z rated). They are both well above the speed range you will need. Of course, do check air pressure in your current tires, as cyberpmg suggests. If that doesn't solve your ride problem, and if he'll take back the Z rated Coopers, consider a V rated Dunlop Sport. I think it will take care of your ride problem and provide better traction and wear. LaMar
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Thank you cyberpmg and llwyse for your constructive comments. I must confess the ride was more tolerable today. I may have over reacted. Alternatively, I'm either getting use to the ride or the warmer weather is more forgiving. It was darn cold out when I was less than satisfied. I will check the pressure tomorrow and give consideration to the V rated tires over the weekend. I have already put my tire guy on notice of my concern. It appears you are both saying the design of ride for the car is fine. Therefor, it is either me or the tires. Again, I am grateful for your input.
  • tcasboytcasboy Member Posts: 214
    I just replaced the original Dunlop tires on my 2001 A4 at 28K miles. The Dunlops were ok, they handled very well but the ride was noisey and they had worn down just about to the wear bars. I had a nail in the back right that was causing a slow leak so I went to tirerack for the 5th time to buy some new tires. Tirerack is a great place to buy tires. Anyway, I decided to try some Goodyear Eagle GT-HRs and so far I am very happy with the choice. They are not as stiff as the Dunlops and the ride is much quieter and smoother. Of course, they are brand new so you would expect them to be pretty smooth. I hope that they wear a little better than the OEMs and keep the quiet ride, as I am willing to give up a little in the handling department for the better ride. I was comparing the Michelin Harmony, Goodyear Aquatread 3, and Dunlop Sport A2s I think. I would recommend the Goodyears if you aren't hung up on having performance sport tires on your A4.
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    tcasboy, I am sure the H-rated Goodyear Eagles will remain quieter and "cushier" than the Dunlop Sports (and wear better). That would be too much of a compromise in handling for my taste and driving style, and probably for giggs from the background he gave when he was considering the change. T-rated is probably the most I would compromise and V is the right balance for me. Isn't that the wonderful thing about diversity? Something for everyone -- and all on an Audi that will be outstanding no matter what "shoes" it wears.

    Yes, Greg, certainly the cold weather could be another factor, as you indicated. It may well be that reducing the inflation and a little warmer weather will make the ride tolerable. You're right, while the Audi (especially the performace spec car you have) will always have a firm ride, what you described is not a characteristic of the car.

    Second topic -- does anyone have trouble with your driver's side outside mirror not holding its setting? Mine gradually, but consistently, moves "outward" with the constant door shutting. Have to hit the memory button to "rein it in" every few days. Mentioned this to the dealer with the usual, "Well, we've never had any other complaints -- must be something you're doing." How can I argue? That's what they told me about the drive-by-wire/Tiptronic lag, too, and I found out quite differently. So I can't argue (for now), but I can ask......How about the moving mirror problem? Do I have company?
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Checked the tire pressure. It was fine. The ride is better though. I really think the extreme cold had a bit to do with it - the Z rated tires and psychology too. I thought I cheeped out on the tires and was paying the price. Thanks for the input tcasboy but I should be fine. I wish I had the V rated LaMar but I'll tough it out for a while. I love the way the car maneuvers. The size of the car, the way it handles and responds to every move in and out of traffic and on the ramps is enjoyable. As for that mirror - mine is not bewitched. In fact, my entire memory system is somewhat uneventful. Buttons 2 and 4 were programmed by some tall guy and I can't clear or reset them. And yes, I did read the manual. I'm going to see the dealer on this one when I can find half a day to travel out of town. Wish I could help you with the enchanted mirror. Question: Do all the A4's have the headlight washers or was this also an option?
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    I can't speak to models prior to 2002 without research, but headlight washers are standard from 2002 on.
  • tcasboytcasboy Member Posts: 214
    llwyse: I have been very happy with the handling of the Goodyears so far. H tires actually fall directly inbetween T and V, as they are rated at speeds up to 130 MPH, T rated are only up to 118 MPH. V are up to 149 MPH. Not that much of a compromise. I don't know why H got added in to the mix like that, not very intuitive. Anyway, if you are running your car above 130 MPH I guess you would want tires that are rated for it. And of course, your right, you can hardly go wrong with whatever shoes you put on such a fine automobile. Anyway, for those of you looking for new tires with (hopefully) a little longer tread life and a much smoother ride, without too much loss in the handling department, I would recommend the Eagle GTs.
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Tcasboy, you're right, of course, about H coming between T and V. My error. And you're right, it's not intuitive. I knew this before, but had a brain fart, I guess. I don't drive over 130 mph very often (<lol>), but I still like V rated for the more rigid side wall. And we both agree it's hard to go wrong on an A4 -- it's all relative and up to personal taste. Happy motoring!
  • tcasboytcasboy Member Posts: 214
    I just didn't want anybody to think I was trying to turn my A4 (with the sport package, 5 speed and sport seats) into a cream puff-riding 1985 Caddy or something by putting sissy tires on it!
  • bitserelabitserela Member Posts: 1
    I have a 98 A4 and today we just got an estimate for $3,000. We are told that the air bag, breaks and various electrical problems need to be fixed. It has about 100,000 miles on it. Should I fix it or sell it? Has anyone else been spending money on a 100,000 mile A4?
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    I understood the sport package consisted of a sport suspension and 17" wheels. What do you mean by sport seats?
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    I keep reading about genuine wood trim in the interior around the instrument panel, the dash and doors. The audi spec sheet on the web site verifies this and well... I just can't believe this is genuine wood. It looks like plastic in my car. Even when I tap it with my finger I hear that plastic sound. Don't get me wrong, it looks great but I'd be embarrassed to tell someone driving in the car with me that the trim is wood. I think they would feel they should humor me. Was this new for '04 or does my '02 also have genuine wood that looks, sounds and feels like plastic.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    I'm back again. A little while ago I inquired of llwyse and others about drive by wire and driving in D, S or Tip as often I would like. LaMar said go ahead and switch gears as I saw fit. I followed through and you should know that I have been finding my own style and sweet pattern to enjoy this car arising from that sound advise. This car is a hoot, a blast and down right fun to drive. Yes, I know I complained a bit about the firm ride after I bought my all seasons but I have got to tell you - I love this car. I routinely run in S until I get cruising then I go into D. That S gear is awesome. I also have enjoyed the Tip. A buddy of mine has Tip in a chrysler and said it was junk. He drove mine and was quite surprised with this one. Anyway, this is my token contribution to the complaints page indicating to all who voice complaints, and I count myself among the many, that this truly is a great car to drive. If you drive city with interspersed highway/expressway routinely, this car is rewarding and fun!
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    Yes, Greg, it's real wood (veneer). I have walnut (as I'm guessing you do) and agree that it looks, sounds and feels especially fake. It's not! I personally prefer a less high gloss finish, but it still beats plastic!

    Glad you're enjoying the gears. Since our little discussion, I've been even more conscious of changing modes, much as you do. I'm still not a fan of Tip (shifts aren't crisp enough), but use Sport mode until maintaining cruising speed. The little loss in gas mileage is worth the big gain in fun quotient on SE Ohio roads. I am looking forward to the Audi Club Driving School at Mid-Ohio Race Course in June. I want to learn even more about the car and safely drive it closer to its limits.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    I saw your reference to the Audi Club Driving School and tried to find something to read on it. I was brought to a site called Audi World Forum. Saw a picture of cyberpmg's car and read about it on another page. Impressed. He talked about forms being available in January for the Audi Club Driving School. Also, while reading through the various Audi sites, I've seen some reference to a B5 platform and a B6 platform. Nothing with an explanation. can you help me out here on what this driving school is all about and what this B5/B6 platform is all about?
  • boswell2boswell2 Member Posts: 1
    Anyone had their steering wheel inadvertently lock, causing the ignition also to lock into position "1"? I couldn't get it to release and was 400 miles from home. Audi Roadside Assistance offerred ONLY one choice: to have it towed 55 miles to nearest Audi service. (Yikes!)

    Any tips on getting it to unlock yourself? Thanking you all, boswell2
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    boswell2, sorry I can't help you, but I can empathize.

    giggs, the Audi Club of North America is www.audiclubna.org. You can see all events there. For the Mid-Ohio Driving School application, click on the Chapter tab, choose Ohio Valley, then choose Events, then choose the Mid-Ohio Driving School. You can open in MS Word or Adobe. There is an excellent article about the Driving School experience in the current Audi Club journal (quattro quarterly). That was what convinced me to go for it.

    B5 and B6 refer to the factory designation for a particular Audi chassis/platform. The B5 platform was for the A4 from 1998 (I think) through 2001. It is also the platform for the current Passat. The B6 platform is for the A4 from 2002 to current.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Glad to hear about the platform. It will give me more ammo to fight off a buddy who keeps calling my car a Passat.
  • cyberpmgcyberpmg Member Posts: 83
    Ahhh... I see that you found my car! =) Like llyse said, these are events that are held through the Audi Car Club of North America. That very same article in the club's magazine also convinced me to attend. Not only was it a lot of fun taking it out on a track, but I've also learned some very valuable driving skills that can be applied in everyday traffic and not just on the track.

    You might want to sign up to become a member of the club. You might be able to find a local chapter with activities going on close to you. The magazine is a good read.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    I went to the Audi Car Club Site of NA and the Canadian Chapter appears to be based in Alberta with an east coast contingent. Michigan is by far closer to me - Heck just about half of the United States are closer to me. So, I emailed a note to the contact person in Michigan asking if they would accept a non resident but frequent visitor.
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    giggs, I'm not aware of separate chapter dues for ACNA. To my knowledge, any ACNA member can participate in ACNA or chapter sponsored activities.

    There is a driving school at Waterford Hills, MI. Consider driving a bit further for the Mid-Ohio school. It's a great race course. I've done 10 or so parade laps in my E-Type and TR6 during the Vintage Car Races. Speed is pretty well controlled during those laps, though.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    All right I'm getting keen on this. I signed up with the ACNA on line. Pretty soon I'll be understanding some of what all you guys are talking about. The Michigan chapter rep. said I'm welcome to come on down. Waterford Hills is no more than an hour drive for me. I might check that out. They are hosting a driving school August 5th and 6th. I considered the Mid-Ohio school but its more than a three hour drive for me. The Mich. chapter rep. said there is a Tech Session in March, again only an hour drive away. Know anything about the Tech Sessions?
  • llwysellwyse Member Posts: 56
    No, I don't know specifics about ACNA Tech Sessions. Anyone else out there to answer giggs' question?
  • tcasboytcasboy Member Posts: 214
    giggs: The sport seats in 2001.5 were a stand alone option for the front seats. I wanted cloth seats, you couldn't get leather in the 1.8T and I just couldn't stand the thought of vinyl (ok, leatherette) seats in my nice A4. I wasn't particularly looking for the sport seats, but the only 5 speed I could find with cloth seats happened to have the sport seat option. The sport seats have additional side bolstering and an adjustable lumbar support for the driver's side. They are very comfortable seats and the cloth has held up very well. I had to search far and wide just to find a 5 speed without quattro (or with quatrro for that matter) so paying the 500 extra for the sport seat option was worth it.
  • giggsgiggs Member Posts: 41
    Puzzled on what to do. Yes, it should be clear by now - I really am enjoying my car. But, ever the type A personality, I'm always striving to better whatever presents itself to me (my wife has learned to ignore me). My good friend llwyse enlightened me sometime ago on Drive-By-Wire. A new concept to me, it explained why I was faced with this peculiar gear shifting that made no sense. Yes, I have learned to drive in S but eh, there is a D! So, shouldn't D receive the normal utilization of any other D in any other car? I've tried resetting the memory like LaMar suggested and well, lets just say it gave me hope but I'm less than satisfied. I've done this twice now and it just isn't going to cut it. I read an article by Karl Brauer dated 11-29-00 about Drive-By-Wire. He said this replacement of the controlled throttle system by sensor reading pedal positioning was superior to cable operation because of greater accuracy which would serve to improve responsiveness. IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS - I thought, the opposite is true when I am in D. It just doesn't respond well at all -other than in the first two or three gears when it wants to go like hell and then quickly fall off like it's starving for attention. Anyway, we all know that. If I've read about it once I've read about it a dozen times. However, what was interesting to me in the article was Brauer's comments that the Drive-By-Wire system is only as good as the programmers who manufacture and design it. In short, there is something wrong with the design and/or manufacture of this system and isn't it really just a matter of getting Audi to do something about this? Those of you in the know can no doubt point me toward something on this - like a petition or somewhere I could add my name to the list with the hope something will be done? Let me know what I can do to add my voice on this.
  • davkingdavking Member Posts: 51
    Drive by wire, at this point, refers to throttle control. It seems to me the problems you're experiencing are a result of the transmission software/programming, not the throttle.
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