Audi A4 2004 and earlier

mbaudibest1 · June 2001

anyone have info on the debut of the new car? also do any good pics of the car exist other than the audi corporate sites. (not the US site which still features the old car) i've found that the UK site is pretty good and i dont have to learn a new language to use it! but i'd like to know of other sites.

lauk0dg · June 2001

Quattro Club USA got some pretty good info on new A4's

http://www.quattroclubusa.org/news/2001/newa4/

and new A6's (slightly different from the current A6 bodystyle).

http://www.quattroclubusa.org/news/2001/newa6/

Billy

crud_meridian · June 2001

I have now managed to scratch both driver's side wheels on my 2001.5 17" A4 1.8TQ sport (about 1 1/2 month old). I've bee driving consistently for the last ten years and this is first time I've ever scratched a rim. Has anybody else had problems with these? I'm guessing that they aren't as recessed as some other rims, affording no margin of error for curb bumpage when parking. This was a very expensive lesson in precision driving. Anyway, I could use some help. I decided that I'm not going to try to refinish either at this time, and instead buy new ones, hold onto the old ones, and maybe refinish them in the future to sell.

I can't figure out how to link to this because the web address stays the same for every sub-page, but it's at www.clairparts.com

go to accessories, then audi, then a4 1.8, sedan, 2001, then finally wheels. is the 9 spoke wheel listed as AUDI OEM RS4 STYLE WHEEL the exact same rim as ony my 2001.5 17" sport tire? If so, it's close to $200 cheaper than what Audi parts charges for it. If this is the same tire, why would anybody purchase it from an Audi dealer?

scirocco22 · June 2001

Clair IS an Audi dealer. They are located in Boston and also have dealerships for Honda, Acura, Toyota, MB, Jeep and Buick in addition to Porche/Audi. They just happen to have an extensive nationwide internet parts business (Clair Parts Express) so they are usually able to offer parts for less than most local dealerships that don't have the volume that their internet network gives them.

I've seen those RS4 rims that they've got listed on their web-site and I believe that they are the same rims that come with the '01.5 sport pkg but to make sure, I'd call them. If that isn't the exact same wheel, they'll probably be able to get it for you for a lot less than your local dealership. They have a toll free number (1-800-354-5100), just make sure you call that number during business hours so that you'll be talking to an internet parts person. If you get the right person, they can be really helpful. The times I've called, they answered all my questions curteously and professionally.

If I were in your shoes, I'd buy a non-Audi wheel for your summer wheels and use the scratched ones for winter because during the winter you're more apt to get even more scratches. Go to the AudiWorld wheel and tire forum and describe your problem and see if there are other wheels that are more resistant to curb bumpage or that have more recessed edges. Or call Eddie at Tirerack (1-800-428-8355 ext.369) and ask him what he recommends.

I think I already gave you the web-site for Wheel Collision Center, did't I? ...let me see if I can find it again. Okay, here it is http://www.wheelcollision.com/index.html

crud_meridian · June 2001

Scirocco, thanks for the info on Clair - guess I didn't look deep enough at their website before. Very impressive. Makes me wish I lived in Boston.

I thought about your last suggestion, but just don't have the money to buy 4 new rims. I'll probably buy one for now, and keep a scratched spare in the trunk for awhile. Both scratched rims will eventually make their way to the wheel collision center or some place like it, but I want to play it safe, and put new rims on my car rather than refinished ones which may possibly never look perfect again.

I see another potential problem with your suggestion - winter tire selection for 17" rims probably isn't great, from the limited research i've done. If i'm going to throw down well over $1K for another set of tires and rims, i want good snow performance. As it is, I'm still under the (perhaps delusional) belief that I can brave next winter with my sport tires. If I do purchase a whole new set, it'll be smaller rims and the best reasonably priced snow tires I can find. What do you think?

As far as wheel scratches, I guess I will just have to be that much more careful with my car, and treat it with more respect. Has anybody else on this board had problems with sport rims?

scirocco22 · June 2001

silly me!~ yeah, I wasn't even thinking straight on that one. You're right, winter tires are not offered in 17" low profile sizes! *bonks self in the head* ...what was I thinking, anyway?? lol.

I guess my question would be, if it's that easy to scratch the rims you have, wouldn't it be sort of frustrating to keep buying new rims everytime they get new curb rash? ...jeez, I don't know what I'd do if I were you. Man, I guess I should be glad that I have the 15" high profile "big" tires that the non-sport pkg have--I've bumped the curb once in the back and put a nice "graze" in the sidewall of the tire that is hardly noticeable after rubbing on it a litte but I'm sure if I had your rims, I'd have had damaged the wheel.

I don't know, crud, I'm sure you have't been treating your car "disrespectfully" --I mean, you can drive as carefully as you can and still, in a moment of inattentiveness, bump a curb now and then. It happens to even the most skillful drivers, believe me. I don't know what to say but I guess it's the price you pay for having those nice looking wheels.

crud_meridian · June 2001

I'm debating whether it's worth it myself. I searched over at Audiworld, and while scratched rims do seem to be a recurring problem, it's not like every owner is scratching their rims. After some thought, I decided that I am going to be an optimist and try to be even more careful while parking, going thru drive-thru's and while driving in general. If it happens again, then all bets are off, and I'll get 16" rims and all-weathers for permanent use.

lauk0dg · June 2001

Yeah those rims are easy to get damages.....and if you drive over deep potholes you can get them warped.

Emm.....I wouldn't recommend you to drive in the snow with sports tires.....you got to get snow tires for the winter. By the way, what brand and what model are the ones that come with your 17" rims? Pirelli P6000's?

I have seen quite a bit of people both on AudiWorld and here in Chicago that have Dunlop SP5000's.....they're ultra high performance tires yet they also qualify as all-seasons that provide relatively OK winter traction. Of course no way can one tire deliver both excellent dry and snow performances, but that SP5000 is a good compromise. Might want to check them out, I think they are available in 17" sizes but it's 235 on the width.

About the RS4 rims, sorry I don't have enough time now to check the Clair website but the geniune RS4 wheels are NOT the same as the sports 2001.5 A4 wheels. The RS4 wheels have receded centers but the 2001.5 A4 sport wheels don't. The RS4 wheels are also 18". BUT I will definitely, like Scirocco said, call them up and see if those are the same (maybe they're the same, maybe it's just the way they call them) or they can find the real A4 2001.5 sport wheels for ya.

Good luck and sorry to hear that!

4,630 miles without any glitches.....and maybe it's about time to schedule my 5k service since it takes most people 2 weeks to schedule an appointment :<

Billy

scirocco22 · June 2001

...got this from the Clair site. Does this look like the '01.5 sport rim? Difficult to tell from the pic but it's awfully close.

scirocco22 · June 2001

...here's a better pic of the RS4 rim. IMO, it sure looks like the '01.5 sport rim. And it's size is in fact 7.5" x 17" but in this pic there does seem to be a slight indention in the middle as Billy mentioned so I don't know...

scirocco22 · June 2001

after doing some more research, I'm even more confused. You're right, Billy, the RS4 rims are 18" but the above rims are called "Type RS4 9-spoke wheel 7.5" x 17"." I think they are a replication of the original RS4 wheel, here's what the description says on the AoA boutique section:

"These 17"-inch, nine-spoke alloy wheels are an exclusive offering designed by Audi AG's performance and tuning division, quattro GmbH. Features a durable silver finish and uses factory-fit wheel bolts. No adapters or additional wheel bolts are required."

So my conclusion is that I agree with Billy that these are not the same rims that come with the '01.5 sport pkg. Your wheels are almost completely flat, right crud? These RS4 replicas, as Billy mentioned, have slightly recessed centers.

Interesting article that I ran across while researching this:

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/newsdetail.asp?id=89&page=h

...so maybe you don't want the RS4 rims or even their replicas, crud! lol

oh, hang on a sec... on that same thread over on AW yesterday, someone asked and had that same question answered. Here's the start of complete theread if you guys haven't already read it:
http://forums.audiworld.com/a4/msgs/602373.phtml

...so after all this, the answer is NO, the RS4 wheel (or its replica in a 17" size) isn't the same wheel on the '01.5 sport package! whew! lol

crud_meridian · June 2001

Why can't this be easier!

I'll have to go take a close look at my tire to see if the centers are flat or recessed. I'm thinking a call to Clair Parts with my VIN number might be my safests bet though. I'll let you guys know happens later this week.

lauk0dg · June 2001

cuz if those RS4 rims are offered with the A4 sports package, I WILL get that no matter what. I'm not saying the A4 sports pkg rims look bad, they are alright, but I like the receded center on those RS4 rims.....I agree, you can get the most accurate info by calling Clair. VIN should be helpful, but just tell them it's the 2001.5 17" 9-spoke wheels and they should know what the heck you mean.

And talking about THAT RS4 coming to US.....mmmm wouldn't that be something. Why do we US drivers always get cheated by auto mfgs for fast cars like the RS4 or Nissan Skyline or the Japan spec Mitsubishi Evo VII or Japan spec Subaru STi.....I guess only BMW noticed that we want to have the same original cars so they brought it an almost similar E46 M3.....OK emission laws ate up a few ponnies but still a mighty fast 333hp beast.

Billy

mmcbride1 · June 2001

28 mpg (going 90-100 mph most of the way). I wonder what my mileage would have been at legal speeds?

I love that car.

lauk0dg · June 2001

I guess you REALLY had kept the speed way up there for a while, not like going 70 and up to 100 and come back down and go back up.....

I was doing 70mph on a stretch from Chicago to Michigan City, IN for about an hour. Hey don't look at me like that.....cop car was doing 70 and there's no way in hell I will pass that cruiser (and nobody did). I got something like 33mpg.

Oh yeah, we can show those SUV drivers what an AWD CAR can do, AWD and excellent mileage.

Billy

mmcbride1 · June 2001

If you've ever driven I-70 from the mountains into Denver, you'd know why I could do that. There is nowhere for a cop to hide. YOu only have to be careful going through Vail. I had the cruise set at 90 mph for most of it, with occasional jaunts up to 100, and some slowing for traffic. That car is so smooth at 100, it's scary. I forgot to mention, the trip was through the mountains, so I'm sure it would have been better on the flats. Going uphill in 5th at 80 or so, I switched to my constant MPG display and saw it sitting right at 9.0 mpg. Pretty bad. But it went to 80-90 mpg on the downhills.

lauk0dg · June 2001

not bad at all.....considering high speed runs (car at 80mph uses a lot more gas than it's at 65mph) and constantly changing grades.....not bad.

Yeah the one thing I like about German cars is that they have excellent high speed handling. Bet a lot of research was spent on wind tunnels. American car companies didn't do that I guess and once I was driving a rental Mustang and man it's not fun playing with the steering at 90mph. At some point there was enough crosswind I thought I was going to be lifted up and blown to the side of the highway.

Billy

fdxboy · June 2001

I was comming back from the city on I-90 in Chicago(Laukdog..stretch btwn 53-Roselle rd.) anywho...I was TRYING to keep pace with an S4 that had to be doing over 100mph(it was 3AM no flames please) anyway...as soon as I hit 100 I backed off to a more respectable 70mph(I love the S4). The thing is...the car still drived like it was on glass(Smooth!)..no rattles or wind noise at high speeds. Now today it is like 130 degrees and with the A/C on, my car is a DOG!!! Mpg drops..turbos dont perform like they should and get strange idling at stops? I guess I have to choose btwn performance and sweating like a pig.

black_tulip · June 2001

I get about 30 mpg while cruising at 70-80 mph.

Yep, I feel like I am driving two different cars when I go to work(8AM ~70F) and when I head home(6PM ~97F).
Just for this, I am planning to return the car when the lease ends around Dec ,2001. I want to get the 3.0 engine next, but am not really brave enough to test out a brand new engine!

mingdeng · June 2001

I bought an Audi A4 model 2001.5 last month. The car is dead last Thursday night. I could not jump start the car and had it towed to the Audi dealership. The service manager told me that it was due to a vacuum leak and that some "hose" needs to be replaced. Has anyone encountered this kind of problem before? Please share your experience with me. Many thanks.

lauk0dg · June 2001

Oh yeah I know which portion you talkin about fdxboy.....speed limit is like 55 but nobody does below 70.....about that strange idling at stops, it might just be the A/C sucking power from the engine. Fans need to work extra hard when you stop cuz the A/C system likes cooler air when your car is on the move, although it ain't that much cooler anyhow.

Black_tulip, yeah I wouldn't try that engine out especially there are rumors over at AudiWorld they're delaying the debut of the 3.0 engine because of production problems, etc.

Mingdeng, sorry to hear about that vacuum loss. Heard that reported before at AudiWorld (www.audiworld.com) and it's surely frustrated that the car won't start or people loses turbo cuz of no boost coming from the turbo. I guess get it fixed, and keep an eye out, and if you got problems again within a year, you might be able to use the lemon law and claim it's a lemon. By the way how many miles you got in the month-old car? Mine is about 3.5 months old and 4650 miles, and touch wood it's still running like a champ. Good luck!!!

Billy

crud_meridian · June 2001

I'm pretty sure that is my wheel, as my wheels do have a recessed center cap. Laukdg, how do you know that the stock sport wheel doesn't have a recessed center? If that is in fact the truth, what does that mean about the wheels that came with my car? Possibly of significance: when I agreed to purchase this car, on a saturday afternoon, the salesman at the dealer said they had to get it from another dealer and would have it there by the following Monday afternoon. At the time I was mildly suspicious that they weren't getting the car from another dealership, but were in fact putting new tires from another A4 (or from the parts department) onto an older 2001 A4 with the options I wanted, or worse, putting them on an Audi without the sports package. Now I'm pretty confident that I haven't been snookered, based on a lot of evidence that they'd have to fake, plus the fact that it'd be incredibly stupid trick to try, but there have been zanier conspiracy theories...I'm being silly, right?

lauk0dg · June 2001

Hey Crud, relax.....one good way to find out is to measure the gap between the wheel and the wheel well. One with a sports suspension will have a smaller gap than one without. The dealer can't reduce the gap by only changing the wheels. Of course you can argue the dealer can change the suspension too, but nah that'll be too much work.

The center cap for the 2001.5 sport 17" rims are receded, but I'm saying the area around the center cap (like around 2-3 inches out) should not. The recession about 2-3 inches from the cap on the 18" RS4 rims is VERY pronounced. I guess the best way to find out is, drive to any Audi dealership and check out the 17" rims on the existing sports rims. IF they're the same as yours, you are fine. I highly doubt they have the 17" version of the European RS4 wheels on yours. Another way to do it is, take a picture and post it here. We can then definitely tell ya if that's the normal 17" rims.

Just relax.....I think you are fine.

Billy

scirocco22 · June 2001

...yeah, I don't think you have to worry that you were snookered. I think it's a federal law when purchasing a new vehicle that they have to provide you with the Moroney (sp?) sticker upon taking delivery of the car. Did you receive that?; it used to be called the window sticker. It lists all standard equipment and options included on the car plus their prices. Also included is the VIN number plus some other things that the feds require such as fuel economy guide (gas mileage figures, actual mileage, comparative mileage, and estimated annual fuel costs), parts content, final assembly point and country of origin for the engine and transmission, etc. That document would be difficult to alter and even if they tried to do that, as you have said, would be quite stupid on their part.

My hunch is that those RS4 replica wheels in the 17" size are your rims but again, I guess you'd just have to consult with Clair or some other dealer to find out for sure.

crud_meridian · June 2001

yeah, i got the sticker, and for that reason felt comfortable about it. it's just that the dealer was able to get a car within two days that no other chicago dealer could get. a little odd, right? the manager there must have some juice. i never seriously thought i was being cheated, but you know how it is with your first ever car purchase - you obsess over every detail needlessly and get a little sick in the head.

also, i called clair parts. to verify my rim they need a part number that i can only get from beneath the center cap. i'm hoping that it comes off easy, but will find out tonight. you know, i love how my wheels look, but if i could do it all over again, i would have skipped the sport package. it's not worth the hassle or the added expense (scary thing is, i knew all of this beforehand and went into it with my eyes wide open). oh well, at least my car looks really cool.

panamaltd2 · June 2001

Is the 2001.5 the next gen. A4? Are they in dealerships already?

mmcbride1 · June 2001

2001.5 is just the updated 2001 that gets a few goodies (like the Celebration package), and different rims for the sport package. Anything else I'm forgetting, guys?

lauk0dg · June 2001

Yup those are the differences. 2002 is the next generation A4 (with the 2001.5 Passat front end and A6 rear end). You can start to order a 2002 in July, but don't think you can do that for a 2001.5 unless you are changing an existing order (hopefully).

However the 2002 S4 is the SAME as a 2001 S4, just to note.

Billy

iatacs19 · June 2001

How much should i expect to pay for a 2001/2001.5 A4 1.8T only with sport package nothing else? no metallic paint or other things. i just want sport 4speed of 5 speed doesn't matter. i do know that 4 speed is like $1000 more.
i am in charlotte, nc area.

thank you

lauk0dg · June 2001

Well check edmunds for the invoice and MSRP for whatever you want to get on a 2001.5 A4 1.8T. Nominal you should pay is around 3-4% over invoice. But you better act fast, because you cannot order a 2001.5 A4 fresh from scratch. Dealer might still be able to change an existing dealer order, but kinda tough if you only want sports and nothing else, as most of these cars will come with the $500 Celebration package which includes Sunroof, auto-dimming mirrors in and out, and Homelink (a steal for this package) and Quattro. (that's the case here in Chicago)

Actually if you refer "4 speed" as the automatic tranny, the automatic tranny is actually a 5-speed automatic with Tiptronic finger shifting on the steering wheel. It's around $1200 ( I think ). Definitely get the 5-speed manual tranny. More fun, faster and cheaper too.

Good luck hunting!!

Billy

iatacs19 · June 2001

would waiting for the 2002 A4 be a smarter move?
what does the price difference look like?

lauk0dg · June 2001

Nobody knows for sure yet. You can read threads over at www.AudiWorld.com. SOme people have put a deposit for an 2002 but they don't know how much they will pay exactly. I guess either they really like the 2002 design, want to be the first guy in the block to own it, or got too much money not to care how much it will exactly cost.

Engine wise, the 1.8T engine will be the same as in 2001.5 and 2002. The V6 engine will get a bump from 2.8L and 190hp to 3.0L and 222hp. Other changes are like rear heated seats will be available as an option, missing oil temp indicator, more VW-like styling *gulp*.

Conflicting opinion as of whether or not picking up the last 2001.5 from the lot will save you $$. Traditionally it would since it's an outgoing styling, but actually more people like the 2001.5 styling than the 2002 (I do). So my opinion will be, between the 2002 actually shows up in dealers and when the 2001.5 stops production, dealer's stock might run low and they might actually raise the price they want to sell, i.e. you have less bargaining power. Just my $0.02.

Billy

fdxboy · June 2001

Don't forget that 3rd visor(what the hell is that?) and the 2001.5 also has the Audi logo on the door sills.

mmcbride1 · June 2001

The body shop did a great job, but I had to drive a rental Escort for 4 days. Can you say driving hell?

Oh, well. It's sunny and my A4 is back in my possession.

lauk0dg · June 2001

the door sill is there starting from the 2000 model.....or maybe it has the aluminum sill but without the Audi word?

What happened Mike?? Got a minor accident? Last time it happened to me I got a rental GrandAm.....very crappy stereo.....which made me realize the Bose is sooooo much better :>

Billy

scirocco22 · June 2001

...that 1" x 7" piece of plastic??? hehehehe, what a joke! --has anyone used that??

lauk0dg · June 2001

and the sun still shined through the crack between the 3rd visor and the 1st visor (LOL). Now they need a 4th visor between those two visors.....

Billy

mmcbride1 · June 2001

This is from my parking lot accident about a month ago. My insurance company is still trying to get the $ back from Progressive. We'll see what happens.

scirocco22 · June 2001

lauk0dg · June 2001

Oh.....what happened in the parking lot?

Well for my little accident, my insurance company was Progressive and the other party's insurance company is State Farm. My deductible then was $500 and the total cost of the accident was $860. Progressive said they can cut me a check for the difference and told me they'd go after State Farm for the deductible. After asking around, I decided to go after State Farm myself and declined the $360 check. I basically called State Farm every 10 hours and asked them what's teh status, until 2.5 days later their agents got so tired of me they finally got a hold of their own client on a Sunday. After that it's all smooth, so I guess if you want the $$ fast enough, you better go after them yourself.

Oh by the way, I switched to State Farm after that, cuz they offer cheaper rates.

Billy

varig · June 2001

The local Audi dealership told me that they will begin taking orders for MY2002 mid-July with anticipated delivery late Oct, early Nov. Told me that although they did not have prices yet, that it is anticipated to be about the same as 2001.5 models.

mmcbride1 · June 2001

Progressive is saying I am 50% at fault, even though I wasn't moving when he hit me, and he admits (to Progressive) backing out of his spot without looking (he also admitted to them that he heard me honk at him). That's why I have to wait for State Farm to go after him.

Progressive is terrible.

peterpan2 · June 2001

A "face lift" for the 2002 A4 is just an expression. So, no, I can't give you the name of a surgeon.

lauk0dg · June 2001

Stiffer suspension, more options (like the availability of rear seat heaters), different V6 engine, different instrument cluster, different interior, different exterior. If you call all these a "face lift", then all the new cars are just a "face lift" from the old ones.

mmcbride, sorry to hear that Progressive is slow in the claims department.....with a little push the State Farm agent for the party-at-fault was pretty quick in settling the claims, so I guess, you can try what I did by calling your agent like every 10 hours.

Billy

peterpan2 · June 2001

Please,

1. Take a big, deep, cleansing breath

2. Read the post

3. Realize it is an attempt at humor

4. Stop obsessing about these cars

5. Lighten up

no's 4 and 5 can be reversed if you like.

lauk0dg · June 2001

Nope that didn't work. Still obsessing about these cars and can't lighten up.

lauk0dg · June 2001

Audi Motorsports has again captured the top finishing positions for Le Mans 24 hour endurance race. This time Audi R8's got the 1st and 2nd positions, versus the top 1-2-3 spots in 2000. Still good, considering the Audi's were ahead of all other cars at least by 13 laps.

Can you believe the pit crew only spent 5.5 minutes to swap out the entire R8's rear end and the clutchbox, refuel and other stuff?? Wish the dealer's service shops are that quick.

Billy

markcincinnati · June 2001

Two of my co-workers have 2001 A4 quattos with sport package and virtually all available options (w/5 spds). I have driven 2001 1.8's 2.8's and S4's I have also ridden in and driven two 2002 A4's with the 2.5TD engine and sport package and most of the other American features and options (I drove them in Austria in Jan 2001). The new cars are more than subtly different in just about every way you can imagine.

I (and you for the time being) can only imagine what the 3.0V6 would have been like -- but I think the 2.5TD and the 3.0 V6 (from the perspective of torque) should be close, so I feel reasonably safe to comment.

The 2002's in V6 form (in the US) will have significantly more grunt than the 2001's (of both flavors). I assume the 1.8t for 2002 will be similar in engine feel to the 2001.

The car rides better, subjectively handles better, has higher content and is slightly bigger in all dimensions.

An even greater sense of solidness is apparent when driving the 2002 when compared to the 2001's.

Styling, as always is subjective -- I like the evolution of the concept -- you may not.

As noted this is a new Audi -- totally new, no, much more than a facelift, however.

smoothride1 · June 2001

Does anyone out there own a 1996 A4 2.8 (no quattro). I'm having numerous problems. Debating if this is the end of it or if I should sell. HELP!!!

mbaudibest1 · June 2001

are interior color combinations for the 2002 anywhere on the web? i'd like to see pics of the interior, other than the all gray interior edmunds and most every other car site shows.

Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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