Audi A4 2004 and earlier

schwitzer1 · March 2002

It's my understanding that the engine needs time to break in properly, and that during this time a lot of particulate matter will be created. This is suspended in the oil, and when the oil is changed, it goes away. Engine break-in is considered complete after 5000 miles, which is when they'd like you to change the oil. Then you'll go at 10,000, and then not until 20,000. Personally, I chose to change mine at around 15,000, but that simply satisfied my need to feel like I'm taking good care of my car.

nyccarguy · March 2002

+Its good to hear you're enjoying you car so much. I too can't wait to see the A4 Coupe. My guess is it might come out later this year maybe as an '03 model. I will also be checking out the 325Ci.

You mentioned in your post that you will either be looking at a 325Ci or a 330Ci (depending on how much money you get for your car). Then you should look at the 325Ci and not get your hopes up. Don't get me wrong, I wish you luck. The used car market is terrrible now. Trying to sell the car yourself makes it even worse that the dealers/Audi are in the Certified Pre Owned (read USED) market. Sure your car may be in good shape, but someone can buy the car Audi Assured with less miles and an extended powertrain warranty. Plus you seem to be really passionate about your car (most of us in Town Hall are). That hurts you when you walk into the dealership because you think that your particular car is the best example of all the used 1997 Used A4 1.8Ts out there. I'm not trying to flame you by any means. Just passing along some of the knowledge I've learned by lurking in the "Any Questions FOr a Car Dealer" & "Inconsiderate Buyer" Threads.

yoonny · March 2002

Thanx for your thought. I am hoping I can find a private buyer who likes the look of my car and pay some premium. If I am lucky I will find that person. I hope A4 coupe comes out soon b/c I prefer owning Audi than BMW. If I buy BMW in the future I will definitely use the Euro Delivery and save a few thousand dollar plus have a vacation in Europe. I wish Audi offers this too. I can't believe 325Ci's ED invoice starts under $25,000. I figure with options and about $1,200 for dealer will put me in the same price range with 1.8T. It will be a tough decision but I have a few month to make it.

scirocco22 · March 2002

nathaniel-- I had a similar question as you have but I have an '01.5 and the according to the owner's manual, the first oil change is scheduled for 5,000 miles or 6 months, whichever occurs first. At 6 months, I had only about 1,700 miles on my car and I thought it ridiculous to change oil with that little mileage. So I called AoA to check. The AoA rep informed me that I MUST have that service (and each subsequent scheduled maintenance service) performed exactly as prescribed in the maintenance manual by an authorized Audi dealer or run the risk of voiding my warranty. My dealer agreed so they changed the oil at 1,700 miles when the car was six months old. I'm now approaching my one year anniversary and only have 2,300 miles on it and the same thing will occur ...I'll have to have the oil changed again with only 600 miles since it was last changed six months ago. From now on, the rest of the scheduled maintenance services will be every 10,000 miles or one year (12 months) whichever occurs first.

So insist that your dealer do the first scheduled maintenance service at 6 months, regardless of how many miles you have, because according to AoA, this has to be done in order to keep from voiding your warranty. I thought it was ridiculous but I didn't want to take the chance.

--'rocco

schwitzer1 · March 2002

Although, I'd imagine that you'd be able to argue that one. Maybe I just don't know enough about the chemistry and mechanics of it.

nyccarguy · March 2002

Its free maintenance! You don't pay for it so as long as they're gonna pay, get the oil changed when they say so;)

eaweg · March 2002

I heard from some good friends of mine (car afficionado's) that it is a good idea to change the oil within 6 months after you buy the car new no matter how many miles you may have. Reason being that because of all of the components are new in the engine, the oil in the vehicle (when you buy it new) may contain some of the metal shavings or filaments from the engine. Sounds weird but it also makes sense.

schwitzer1 · March 2002

rb15 · March 2002

i just traded my 99 mercedes 230 k for the above car and after 1000 miles have these observations.
the a4 is a quantum leap better than the merc.
the ride and handling are much better, it'quieter
and the quality of build seems about equal.
it's not as quick off the line as the merc--but from what i've been reading ,it will do better when it loosens up.
i'm no dragster but i would'nt consider the 1.8t with tip--too sluggish.
the console is hard against your right leg--other owners must know what i mean. i've stuck dr scholls pads there but that doesnt look too cool.also, the cup holders dont work very well.
any other suggestions? the optional bose system was definitely worth the money when hearing cd's.
i didnt like the looks of the stock 16" wheels so i replaced them with mock spoke ones from tire rack.
let me know if anyone wants to make me an offer for the stock ones.
all in all--i am very pleased with my purchase--no buyers remorse so far.
hope the rest of you like yours as well

wco81 · March 2002

What is this coupe that people are talking about? If it's coming later this year, wouldn't it already be out in Europe?

What would the advantage be over the 4-door?

jdbtensai · March 2002

the advantage would be it's a coupe.
if that's an advantage. it will be a different car. smaller and ligher (presumably). people buy the honda accord coupe over the honda accord sedan, some do i mean. same deal here. some prefer coupes.
sorry if mentioning the accord offended anyone.

tmck · March 2002

I have an 02 1.8 quatro and my owner's manual says I need to change oil at 10K when the other service stuff is done. I need to drive 90 miles to get to the dealer. I am assuming that when they say 10K, then really mean 10K. If the dealer were local I probably would have paid to have it done around 3K and then waited. Most of my 6,000 miles are road miles.

jjacinto · March 2002

One night I was parked idling for a long period of time. There was a second when my car felt like it was going to stall. The Check Engine light went on for about a split second and then the car resumed its normal idling. I thought that was odd.

TODAY, I'm driving to work, internal temp set to 68, Stereo on, lights on, and I'm cruising at about 20MPH. Since my music was loud, I didnt hear my car stall. I noticed that pushing on the gas wasnt making me go anywhere. I looked at my front display and the battery light was on. My gears were flashing. I tried to start it up but it didn't work. I waited a second or two and got the car up and running again.
Does anyone know why this would happen? I read in the audiworld archives about Idle Control Valves needing to be replaced. Someone also mentioned plugging in a VAG tool to get the "timings" straightened out. Anyone here, have a second opinion on these probable causes?

schwitzer1 · March 2002

That may have caused some problem...

I'm just throwing out a guess. If not, I'd take it somewhere that can give you more than a speculative answer. Either a dealer, or a mechanic that specializes in European imports and has the Audi logo on his business cards.

markcincinnati · March 2002

That was my question too -- I had a problem, that seemed like yours sounds, that was fixed with a new chip to replace the chip that replaced the factory original -- yes, I said that corretly.

zuba · March 2002

New to the Audi board. Why are so many people buying the 1.8 vs. the 3.0? I will be test driving the 3.0 Quattro tomorrow and hope it goes well. If it drives as nice as a 530 BMW, and the back seat is relatively close in size - I may buy it! My concern is reliability with the Quattro - someone told me Audi dealers will not warranty the Quattro past 50K miles - is that true? What do new owners of the 3.0 Quattro think? Stick vs. Steptronic?

jagboyxkr · March 2002

First off, I think that the 1.8T is selling faster then the 3.0 because it costs much less. You can fully equip the car and the price only goes up to around $32,000. A fully equipped 3.0 is around $40,000, and overall, the only differences I can think of between a loaded 1.8T and a loaded 3.0 are that the 3.0 is a V6 and you get power memory seats, reverse park control, wood, navigational system, and leather, etc. Most people can live without those features, and the leatherette in the 1.8T is almost identical to real leather in all the ways that count, and it is probably easier to care for than real leather, especially since it should not stain or scratch easily. So, like most models of cars, the base model with many options outsells the top-of-the-line version. No big deal, the margins are very close.

I test drove a 1.8T Quattro Tiptronic, and the car seemed sporty, confident, luxurious, and smooth. It was also very quiet, and the small turning circle was awesome - check it out. The salesman I was with wanted to demonstrate the car's freeway passing abilities, etc., and the car cornered very well, and had no problems accelerating smoothly and quickly, too. If you are used to driving Ferarris and just have to drag race away from stop lights, then you may want the larger engine, but if you are a normal driver, then the 1.8T is in no way slow, as some people have said. I've driven the car, so I know.

I also drove the 528i a long time ago (2000), and it was very nice, but for me, I preferred the Audi. The A4 competes with the 3-Series BMW, so it costs less than the 5-Series does. I felt that you get more for the money with the A4, and that it was not any less of a nice car when compared with the 5, but if your dream car is the 5 and you can get it, you might as well. I again, preferred the A4 though.

Quattro is great - it's a really good feature to have and a confidence builder. I don't know of any reliability problems with the Quattro cars, and I have not heard of warranties not covering the Quattros as long as the Frontrack cars. Tiptronic is a really good transmission, that's why Porsche uses it. I actually like automatics, if manuals are your thing, get the manual. Tip is fun though.

Well, between both the 5-Series that you want and the A4 you are considering, I think that you would be happy with either one. You'll get more features for less money with the Audi (like front and rear heated seats) if you order them, but since the 5 is your dream car, you won't be truly satisfied unless the A4 can replace it in that role. Have fun, and report back to us!

schwitzer1 · March 2002

The V6 can be retrofited with a supercharger, which boosts power, but costs a lot of money.

A performance chip for the 1.8T costs about $500 in most cases, and boosts power by about 40 hp without sacrificing gas mileage in highway cruising.

A performance chip in the 1.8T with an aftermarket exhaust system boosts power even more, and gives BETTER gas mileage on the highway.

So...spend a little more money in aftermarket, and have a car with comparable horsepower that is lighter.

There are people who are most comfortable with the perceived prestige of having a V6, and I understand the the Audi V6 is wonderfully smooth. I've found, though, that my 1.8T is smooth and gave good power before the chip, and fabulous power after.

entombed · March 2002

When you remove a factory installed ECU chip, at same time, you remove a factory warranty of your car.

jjacinto · March 2002

I bought a Wetterauer chip almost 3 years ago and I have been running with it without problems until recently. I brought my car to the dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. No fault codes..zippo. He suggested that if the problem occurs more frequently (which it has NOT) then I should bring it in.

I'm thinking of buying a new chip for my car. But I'm also thinking of buying the 2002 A4. Plus my car is leased so I want to put it up for sale. I've already found out the buyout for my car so I can guesstimate what I would sell it for; over the residual cost of course.

khlmdphd · March 2002

Hi, I am new to the board and am planning to take delivery on my new A4 1.8T in about 2 weeks. I was wondering if any of you have recommendations on do's and don'ts during the break in period for Audi's. Company guidelines as well as personal tips are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

nyccarguy · March 2002

from what my friend who has an '02 A4 3.0q 6 speed. When he took delivery of his car, the dealer told him "If you want to you can take this car up to Lime Rock (Race Track) and wring it out right now." I don't know how much stock I'd put in that though.

lauk0dg · March 2002

Wow are those your titles, KHL??

Anyhow, if I were you, I would take it easy on the engine (around 3k rpm) but have periodic engine speeds up to say, 5k to give the engine a more polished break-in. I did that to my 01 A4 1.8T and quite honestly, I wanted to keep it at around 3k rpm but couldn't resist the urge to lay the foot on the pedal.

Oh one more thing, I don't know where you live, but here in Chicago I would not rev the engine fast or high until the oil for the turbo is warm. I know the 02 A4 doesn't have that indicator but as a general guideline, I wouldn't rev the engine too quickly in the first 10 min. On the same token, don't rev it fast and take it easy in the last 10 min of your journey to allow the turbo to cool down. Some people put a turbo timer on it and let it sit with the fan running to cool the engine down, but with wind blowing at 30-40mph while you are driving it cools the turbo down much faster than just the fan doing all the work.

Congrats and NEVER FOLLOW (the new Audi slogan).

Billy

audibon · March 2002

Not to belabor a point, if you chip your Audi it does not void your warranty. The issue should only come up if the chip or other alteration has caused you to make a warranty claim and Audi can PROVE the chip or other alteration was at fault. E.G. If you make a claim for bad wiper blades or a rear sway bar bushing is bad etc I would find it hard for them to prove that you chipping the car was a direct cause of that. However, if the turbo goes out or you blow a head gasket then chipping will probably be an issue and then you'll be stuck with the bill. I think it also depends on the dealer as well, some are more performance sympathetic and others are not. If you want the whole scoop on chipping check out earlier postings here and also at Audiworld. Any other thoughts fellow drivers? Happy motoring!
Brian

finklejag · March 2002

My 2002 A4 1.8T arrives in may.I was looking into getting a upgraded ecu.I was wondering too if it voids the warranty.Audibon answered some of my questions.I been looking at APR's and neuspeeds.Does anybody know what company is better.How much of a increase would i see.I think one of them said 207hp.Is that at the flywheel or the tires.I will tell you,audi makes it easy to chip the car.The ecu is located in a black box on the driver side in the engine compartment.My friend has a 2000 golf.His was located below the windshield wiper assembly.He had the hardest time getting to it.Thanks herr finkle

scirocco22 · March 2002

I wholeheartedly agree with Brian pertaining to his comments about chipping.

I kinda disagree with Billy about break-in

...this is a subject that has been debated many times on many boards by many people. IMHO, modern engines do not need the break-in that engines did decades ago. Years ago, manufacturers had extensive break-in rules and it was usually considered imperative that those rules be followed in order to have engine longevity. Today's tolerances are much closer and many believe that most new engines no longer need the long list of break-in requirements. Audi/VW no longer has an rpm restriction during the first 1,000 miles as some manufacturers still recommend. Subaru, for instance, still recommends that the rpm be kept below 4,000 during the first 1,000 miles except in an emergency situation. You'll notice that in the Audi owner's manual, no rpm restiction is stated. IMO, trying to keep the rpm below 3,000 during the first 1,000 miles is ridiculous and unnecessary. Bradd's reference was similar to what both my dealer's sales and service department told me ...not to be afraid to rev it right up to the red-line during the break-in period. I was hesitant in doing that but did take it slightly above 5,000 rpm on a regular basis during the first 1,000 miles. So, Kenneth, have fun with your new A4 and just follow the common sense rules during the first 1,000 miles: no full throttle acceleration, no jack rabbit starts and stops, and no prolonged periods of constant road or engine speed (i.e. no cruise control on the highway).

I do agree with Billy when he says not to "stress" the engine before the engine oil is at the normal operating temperature. This is not only for turbo engines but for all engines. That's why I really enjoy having our oil temperature gauge. I've cried many times at the realization that Audi has done away with that gauge in the new A4. :-(

--'rocco

schwitzer1 · March 2002

It's hard to say. Each has a loyal following. It seems that the most popular are the similarly priced APR and GIAC. MTM is more expensive, but those who have it like it very well. Neuspeed has been in business for a long time, and people seem to like their chip. Wetteraur (sp?) I know little about, other than the guy I met the other day who had it in his S4 said he liked it.

I went with APR for just about all my modifications. The car looks stock all the way around, and makes about 217hp with the larger diameter exhaust. The exhaust tips are bigger than stock, but only a car enthusiast would notice; they're not obnoxious.

Which chip is best? That's the Ginger vs. MaryAnne question. Chocolate vs. Vanilla. Betty vs. Veronica.

lauk0dg · March 2002

Finklejag, it's hard to say which aftermarket chip manufacturer is "better" than the other ones. The guys over at AudiWorld usually prefers APR, but if you ask them which is better, you will see flames right away. Yup the APR Stage 1 chip actually gives you an extra of 47hp, and I believe that's at the flywheel like the 170hp stock figure. Yeah the location of the ECU box is easy to get to, except the last screw at the back is HARD to get to.

About break-in, well Rocco, I can't really say who's right or wrong about break-in. To me, I'll take it easy on any new things, and that's how I like to keep the rpm under 3k and rev it up there maybe once a week or something. To be honest, I didn't put a big arrow at the 3k mark and restrict myself not to go over it.....it's more like a mental thing.

Speaking of which, I just spent a week in a rental Mitsubishi Diamante. Not bad for a big car like it. Enough power (not a LOT, but decent) and PLENTY of room. It's interesting when I jumped back into the A4 i realize the A4 is so agile and nimble. :>

Billy

khlmdphd · March 2002

Thanks for the advice. Collectively, you guys are exactly in line with the recommendations of the 2 Audi service managers I talked to in my area.

The first one said that I can let it redline out of the parking lot when I take delivery and keep on going. The second one said that while Audi actually breaks the engine in prior to placing into a new car during production and thus claims that there are no resrictions on how the car is driven from day 1, he recommended that I take it easy and not rev it too high duing the first 500 miles.

While I have no reason not to believe the service guys in my area, It wanted the opinions of guys in my shoes who actually own the vehicle. So thanks again.

Ken

brick22 · March 2002

I too have placed an order on a 2002 A4 1.8T 5-speed, and now the wait begins. Have you stayed in close contact with your dealer during the wait? What kinds of updates have you received along the way? Anything in particular to relate about the ordering or waiting experience? Were there any pricing hitches? Has anyone's 2002 ordered in the new year actually arrived?

I'm satisfied with the price I was able to get--about 5.5% over invoice. But what do you think, will the price drop by the time it arrives in May or June? Also on other message boards (Toyota, Infinity) I keep reading about dealers ordering the wrong options or colors or the car never arrives after 3 months. I'm trying to keep the faith with Audi--but it's my first one!

khlmdphd · March 2002

I ordered my 2002 A4 mid January. My dealer has not been giving me regular updates, but I did talk to him over the phone last week and he was able to tell me that my car was produced the week prior, he had the VIN number, and he had record of the date that it left the factory in Ingolstadt. This week, when I talked to him, he had confimation that my car was on a boat somewhere in the North Atlantic and the day that is is due in the port in Houston TX, where all Audis enter the U.S., and he was able to give me a rough estimate (give or take a few days) as to when my car would be at the dealership.

Overall they have been pretty helpful and open with the status of my vehicle. I have yet to see and take delivery of my new Audi so I can't comment yet on the accuracy of their updates, but I have no reason not to trust them to this point.

Good luck and congrats! You must be as excited as I am.

entombed · March 2002

In my case, after we(for my wife) ordered, we had to wait 4 months.
First month, no calling from a dealer.
Second month, I called the dealer, he gave me informations which 'When my car will be made in factory.' not exact day, just which week. For example, 'second week of March'. Also, he gave me what did I order(order number, options, color, etc..)
Third month, the dealer called me.
"Your car is making this week."
About two weeks before I got a car, called me again. "Your car in in US now"
And I got final call.
The dealer told me that they have some kind of computer access only for dealer, so they can find those informations(which I said before).
So, if you want make sure for your order, just call them and ask(date and options).
Waiting was soooooo hard.
Just check, and make sure that your order is correct. And then, forget it until you got a car.

lucas7 · March 2002

I just ordered a A4 3.0 CVT with FWD and was also told that the car should arrive in 4 month. Did everyone else who has ordered an A4 recently really wait 4 month?

I was able to get 6% over invoice (which they call fleet price). I wonder if prices will go down this summer which would want me to to renegotiate. I did hear from a friend of mine who works at the Audi plant that the 2003 model will begin production on July 1st with delivery times of 6 weeks (in Germany).

Has anyone else been able to get a lower price?

Lucas

brick22 · March 2002

Thanks for your replies, everyone--I hope you'll let us know when yours arrives, KHL. You didn't say when you ordered, ent.--My dealer originally said 120 days--4 months. Then he said he expected production to begin in April for a May delivery. It's beginning to sound to me as though the production happens in waves rather than one order at a time as they come in. So if you make a certain cut off point, yours is part of that group. Does anyone know?

And Lucas--how do you expect to be able to renegotiate? Didn't you sign a purchase order for a given price?

I also want to add that I wouldn't have moved forward as certainly with my negotiations, let alone something as intangible and uncertain as an order if it hadn't been for the input I received during the month of February from people who had already purchased--thanks especially to scirocco and bluetrane and A4Vince and 10K_.

finklejag · March 2002

I ordered mine on feb 2nd.The computer said may/jun delivery.I called the dealership and he said it was being built.That was three weeks ago.I stopped by last monday and he checked again.It was still being built.I might see it in mid may i hope.He told me that they come in at willmington delaware.Then they are put on a train for the west coast.There are letters in the computer that translate to what the car is doing at that time.My car is in D status.That means the car is being built.If your car is in C status,they received the order.If any one can answer this.You can't negotiate the price when the car arrives?

entombed · March 2002

If anybody live in NJ, please let me know that tint is legal or not in NJ.
I will move to NJ, and I already got tint on my cars, and somebody told me window tinting is illegal, so I cannot pass inspection.
Is it true?

lucas7 · March 2002

Brikk22

When I made my deposit for my order I was told that it would be 100% refundable if I decided, up to the day of delivery, not to take the car. My salesman also told me that if prices are lower at the time nobody could make me pay more than any guy coming in from the street. I have bought 3 cars from this dealership over the last 10 years, and so far they have always held up their promises. Lets hope this time will be the same.

I assume every dealer works the same, at least on the deposit and it being refundable?!

lauk0dg · March 2002

Check out this link:

http://www.sun-gard.com/pdf/state_laws.pdf

It's accurate, at least it shows the right info for IL and WI.

Billy

thequill · March 2002

Why doesn't Consumer Reports recommend the Audi A4? In its 2002 Cars issue, the magazine writes glowingly of the A4's attributes on page 32. On page 77 of the Reliability History section, Consumer Reports gives the 2001 A4 its red check mark, indicating better than average overall reliability. In fact, the 2001 model received 13 perfect reliability scores out of 14. Any thoughts?

audis4me · March 2002

I'm the owner of a new 2001 S4. Bought it in late October. Last week, while waiting at an interstate off ramp, another car rear ends mine. It was a low speed impact. The damage to my S4 is minor, but the fact that it is still new (<5K), makes it seem major to me. The bumper is scratched and a there is a gouge or two. It almost seems to me that the bumper extends further into the rear wheelwell than it did before. It may have moved some from the impact.
Because it was late in the week, I have not heard back from the other driver's insurance company yet. The bumper is a plastic (fiberglass) type material. In cases like this, where it is not cracked, is the bumper just repaired or totally replaced. My preference would be a new OEM bumper and that is what I plan to demand, but knowing that insurance companies are in for the money I am expecting a fight. Anyone have any tips for me? My local dealer recommended a nearby dealership that does body work.... claims that they refer all their business to them and that they do a good job.... think it is wise to trust the dealer?
Thanks

rhmass · March 2002

The fact that your car is less than six months old and the fault is with the rearender, I think your insurance co will not give you a hard time for OEM replacement bumper. As a rule your co will pay for your damage and collect from the other co that covers the at fault driver. There is no reason for your co to skimp on your repair and risk bad feelings.

I also think you can trust your dealer for the recommendation as they probably use this repair shop for work on new cars that come in with some needed work.

taddison · March 2002

Consumers Reports gave the 2001 A4 a "Recommended" check mark in last year's auto issue, but the 2002 doesn't get one.

This doesn't mean they don't like the new A4, it only means that they don't have any reliability data and haven't tested it yet.

I don't think C.R. ever gives a newly rededesigned car a check mark - in fact I recall them specifically recommending against buying a car in its first model year.

thequill · March 2002

Dear taaddison:

Except that, for example, the Nissan Altima is recommended even though it's been redesigned. Consumer Reports says on page 60 of its 2002 Cars issue: "A 2002 redesign transformed the Altima into a more competitiive player in the family-sedan class." CR even rates the Altima's reliability as half of a red circle! How can they do this if the car has been redesigned and there is no history of reliability? According to Consumer Reports, the Audi A4 has not had reliability problems. From 1997 to 2001,says CR, the Audi A4 has been rated average overall in reliability.

finklejag · March 2002

My car is in "S" stauts right now.It is sitting on the dock in bremen waiting to get on a ship.I ordered it on feb 2nd.My dealer says it takes about seven days to cross the atlantic.I can't wait!

cr8n · March 2002

CR has given a positive rating to Altima and Camry based on the proven ability of their manufacturer to produce a reliable car at their first try.

Audi had a bad experience with the A6 and the TT when they came out, and the original 1996 A4 had problems too. I think they want to wait for a year or so on the new A4.

You can follow the reliability stories of the A4 at www.audiworld.com. So far, it seems to be limited to minor things like gas guages and windshield washers, and at least one failed CVT (transmission). They are prone to squeeks and rattles as well as less than satisfactory shifting when cold.

cyberpmg · March 2002

I seem to recall that CR had electrical problems with their 2002 A4. Those problems have not been reported in any of the various A4 discussion boards. I believe that their experience with the problems is why they don't recommend it. Next year when they have the statistical information, they might change their mind.

lauk0dg · March 2002

I got a stupid Camry driver almost T-boned me the 3rd day I bought the A4. Thanks to Quattro and God (really), I swerved around and she still managed to put some nice black bumper marks, scrape marks, a little dent, and scratches on my right rear bumper and right rear wheel. I wanted a new bumper but both ins companies (mine and hers) said no way I'm going to get it. I called up my dealership and they referred me to a body shop that they send their clients to. I also told them about the situation and they also said ins company is not going to give you a new bumper unless it's cracked. Mine wasn't cracked so nope. Then I went to the body shop and they looked at it and even they said it's totally fixable and assured me it'll look like new. Since it's only 3 days old, and it's not me who's paying, I told them to spend whatever it takes to make it look like new. They said no problem and when I got it back, I was pretty amazed to see they made it look like new WITHOUT repainting the whole bumper. I was trying to look for a "transition" from the old paint to the new paint and can't really find it.

So my suggestion is, get a quote from BOTH your and the other party's insurance companies (trust me, they'll quote different things), and go to the body shop your dealership suggests and get THEIR quote. Instead of waiting for my insurance company to go after the other party's insurance company (plus they'll only pay whatever it is after your deductible, until they get the total amount back from the other guy's ins company, then you get your deductible), I went after the other guy's insurance company myself. That way I can get one check (amount with deductible) to the body shop, although later on the body shop said they need more to fix the damages.....but they call the other guy's ins company themselves and get the cost difference.

Good luck!

Billy

brick22 · March 2002

Thanks for the update, Finklejag. I'm thinking of you! KHl and Lucas7--thanks too for giving me something to compare my wait to--I'd also be interested to know where in the country you are and if you know where the various ports of entry are. I'm in the Northwest--wherever mine is lifted off the boat it will be another long ride (on rails?)to here. I haven't thought about importation details lately--do they still use the Panama Canal to bring freight by ship to the west coast????

The dealer told me he placed my order on the day I agreed to a price by email. That was February 25. I did the whole transaction via email, thanks to someone's advice who hasn't been around lately --Scirocco-- It has been a very pleasant experience so far. Anyone who is beginning to think about pricing and dealing--I can't recommend enough the importance of doing your research. Also--go back a year to a comparable month or quarter and see what people had to say about their experiences at that time. There was quite a frenzy on this site this time last year--all the way through the summer.

Quill--I noticed the same positive red check in the reliability chart at the back of Consumer Reports for Audi A4 with a 1.8T engine. I've been assuming that the redesign for 2002 has mainly to do with the 3.0 model or the CVT transmission. I didn't think about a redesigned body causing squeaks. I'm trying to keep my nervousness at bay.

Also I dug up my brochure for the 2001 A4 because I was also looking to buy last summer but was unable to locate a 1.8T Avant with a manual transmission anywhere on the west coast, so decided to wait. Can those of you with 2001s, explain what you like so much more about your interior--the missing oil temp. gauge, I understand--what else seems "chintzy" about the 2002 interior? Thanks!

ralph665 · March 2002

I just purchased a 2002 A4 3.0 Quattro. I'm unhappy with the dual-zone Climatronic climate controls, because they don't seem to really pay attention to the actual temperature in the cabin. For instance, I set the controls on 64 degrees, because I like it cool. Well, I've carried a thermometer in the cabin with me, and the temperature never gets anywhere near 64. Maybe it might get down to 68 if you drive for 45 minutes. I'm contrasting this with my C70 Volvo I recently lost, whose climate controls worked awesome -- when you set it to 64, it cranked like crazy for a few minutes to drop the temperature fast, then backed off as it appoached the target temperature. In the A4, it never cranks the A/C, and I mean NEVER, unless I override the climate controls completely, which makes them pretty much useless. I've taken to just leaving the thing on "LO" and manually adjusting the fan.

The question is, has anyone else experienced this problem with the 2002 A4 3.0? Was it fixable? Should I take it back to the dealer, and if I do, can they calibrate it or something? Any suggestions?

My other complaint involves the trip computer. It's very nice in that it has two separate trip computers -- one for the most recent trip that resets to zeroes automatically after two hours, and one cumulative that has to be reset manually. Great. Problem is, it's missing the "trip odometer" feature. It's got the usual avg.mpg, avg.speed, time.traveled, miles.to.zero, etc., but no "miles.traveled". Instead, to get miles traveled, one has to use the separate, hokey, old-fashioned "trip odometer" that's next to the main odometer. Just one trip odometer -- it's not tied into the trip computer(s) in any way.

This seems to me to be exceptionally stupid, since number of miles traveled should be one of the main functions of a trip computer! And it's easily calculatable using the time.traveled and average.mph values, but what, they expect me to whip out my calculator?!?!?

My question is, is this "fixable"? If I had designed the A4, I would have made the trip computer either upgradable or "fixable" -- either by dropping in a new chip, or a software update done by the dealer. Anybody know if this can be "fixed" to include miles.traveled in both trip computers?

Thanks,

Ralph

khlmdphd · March 2002

I live the the midwest. My dealer told me that all audis hit port at Houston. I guess he ment "all audis destined for midwest dealers" because finklejag reports that his will port in Wilmington DE. However, he/she also states that the car will get on a train from there to get to the west coast. That does not make sense to me from a cost standpoint if some cars get as far as Texas by ship.

Anyways, me dealer told me that it takes two weeks from leaving the factory in Germany to get to Houston. After that, the car gets on a truck after about a day or two in Houston and gets to my dealer after another day or two.

Hope that this helps.

Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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