Audi A4 2004 and earlier

soon2ba4d · November 2000

Florida roads can be ok depending on where you're at, just stay away from the I4 destruction zone by Tampa. Decent twisties in some areas, working on getting my wife a 2001 A4 sport, although she wants to look at the Passat before her mind is made up. Big change for me though (selling my 300+HP 95 mustang so she can get the A4). Probably going to chip the car plus wheels and basic mods after the first year.

equalizer1 · November 2000

The A4 is great in the snow, especially from a starting position. I have the all season tires, but I bet with dedictated snow tires this car would be unstoppable in the snow.

Last year was the first winter I had my A4 and the only thing I had to be aware of was stopping. No AWD can prevent mistakes if you stop too close or too fast on slippery surfaces, otherwise it was great. Better than my Pathfinder.

jctrac · November 2000

For anyone who doubted the advantage of quattro, consider the following two experiences that I had.

On a cold and raining night in Boston two years ago, I was driving my A4 1.8T Q around 2:00 in the morning. There was black ice everywhere. You couldn't drive more than 15-20mph without getting into trouble. As I was approaching one intersection I began to apply the brakes and the ABS brakes immediately kicked in, but clearly were not going to stop me in time to avoid entering the intersection. What I did instead, was throw the car into first gear and let the clutch out all the way, while continuing to apply the breaks. The engine slowed the car down significantly as the RPM's came down, bringing the car to a speed which the ABS brakes could then be more effective and completely stop the car. I propose that it was QUATTRO which saved my [non-permissible content removed] on this occasion for this reason: ABS brakes applies equally to all wheels, the quattro can apply power, or in this case deceleration, to whichever wheels were gripping the ground. So, when I was down to only 1 or 2 wheels of traction, I was still able to use the full breaking ability of the engine to slow the car down.

Moments later, sitting at the same traffic light, I saw flashing red and white lights in my rearview mirror. I figured it was a cop and I was in trouble, but on closer inspection, I realized that it was a spinning pickup truck, doing consecutive 360's. I was seeing headlights, tail lights, headlights, tail lights. It was coming straight at me with no signs of slowing down on the ice. So, I looked to make sure the intersection was clear and floored it through the intersection to get out of the way of the truck. There was some initial slippage and thus a slow start, but once power was transfered to the other wheels, the car took off just fine. The pickup truck missed me be about 10 feet and also cleared the intersection before finally stopping some 50 feet after the traffic lights.

For anyone who doubts the value of quattro in the cold northeast winters, take it for a test drive on the snow and ice.

esborg · November 2000

Help! I have been reading posts on the Audi threads now for over 2 years, and have finally decided to buy a 1.8T, 2001 model. I am super excited, but my dilemma is that I keep going back and forth between the sedan and the avant. My wife and I will start a family next Spring, but other than that, probably have no need for the extra space.

What are the thoughts out there by you avant owners? Are you glad you have the extra space? Any sedan owners out there with babies/toddlers who make do in the sedan? I prefer the styling of the sedan, but am also practical.

Also: am still debating on a few options - namely, ESP and xenon headlights. Automobile mag (I think) just did a report on xenons, and the review was mixed.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

equalizer1 · November 2000

You might benefit by going to www.audiworld.com. There are plenty of people there who have a family and can advise you of the merits and detriments of both cars for a family. Both are really appealing, so it really doesn't matter which one you go for. According to the people who own Avants, they say it is exactly the same as driving an A4.

Defintely go for the Xenons. I have them and could not imagine a car without them. As far as the ESP, if it were an option in 2000, I would have gotten that as well. I am sure alot of people will say with quattro, why get ESP. My feeling is you can never have enough safety apparatus's.

Good luck!

r34 · November 2000

It seems that 2001 1.8t quattro price is around 6%+ over invoice right now. Can I get around 5.5% ? Is the price usually more expensive near winter/snow time ? From now to May, which month(s) is a good time to get a good deal ?

equalizer1:

IMO, Xenon lights are just brighter lights. They help you to see things at night more clear and make you car looks nicer but I don't think it is worth $550. I would rather spend $500-$600 on heated seats or Bose speakers. What do you think ?

Thanks.

equalizer1 · November 2000

I think heated seats are the best thing since sliced bread if you live in a cold climate. I have them and again, wouldn't get a car with leather without them. Total necessity in the cold weather. I have the Bose and think it's great, but then again, I'm no audiophile. Many people on Audiworld don't like the Bose and have opted for aftermarket systems.

Personally, I think the Xenons are definitely worth it. If you drive a car with them you will see the difference. I also think that most cars in the very near future will have them standard and/or as options, so for resale value it would probably be a good option to get, but if I had the choice of the three, I would get the heated seats.

Good luck!

seattlesheila · November 2000

Ditto on the heated seats. I just tried mine out for the first time last Saturday in my IS300...of all the creature comforts, that's the best!

ivan_99 · November 2000

I think the A6 is great. I got the 2.8Q. From the stand still it feels "ok" when accelerating. Once rolling the car accelerates very well.

I originally was looking at the darker interior(forget the name), but ended up getting the melange interior(much better). I get combined mpg of about 20. Dealer was (and is) great.

I would buy another one, but I really like the re-designed A4 and may go for cars in that class (not like there is really much diff anyway). A4 has many more competitors now too.

jctrac · November 2000

I am coming up on the end of my lease for my 1998 A4 1.8T and I'm thinking of buying the car and chipping it up to 200 bhp and about 250 lb-ft torque. I've heard of this chipping concept to boost horsepower and torque from folks on this board and looked into it. I understand there are about 4-5 different chip vendors out there that will do this. Can anyone tell me of their personal experiences with any of these chips? Also, what are the long term effects of doing this? Will I also have to make other modifications to accomodate the chips? Which is the best chip to get?

Thanks for all the help.

Jon

equalizer1 · November 2000

Go to www.audiworld.com. There is tons of information in the archives about chipping your car and the various vendors. You can also ask the question on the A4 forum there. They are very enthusiastic about chipping.

lobroll · November 2000

I am going nuts. I have a '00 A4 2.8 and prefer to use the manual override on the climate control. However, even with the automatic system off, the fan SPEED will still change by itself. I understand how this works with the automatic setting, but I believe on manual override the fan speed should stay where I set it!! The dealer already replaced the HVAC system at about 10k for a different problem, and I don't remember if I had this problem before that. Has anyone else experienced this?

jctrac · November 2000

I asked the guys over in the A4 forum about chipping and they trashed me for not doing my own homework first. They've apparently had enough of the chipping topic and would rather discuss all of their new wheels and exhaust pipes. Searching the archives was indeed helpful, but no one seems to know the answer to the questions abuot long term affects on the engine.

bollinger · November 2000

Those selling the chips will tell you it doesn't hurt it. But they have a vested interest in convincing you of that, so you can't trust them.

If you aren't too hard on your engine, I expect you'll experience satisfactory reliability after chipping. There is of course no way that it can be more reliable with a chip than without. Same reliability is the best you can hope for.

Flogging the engine a lot is damaging, whether you have a chip or not.

loujo · November 2000

I just bought an 00' A4 2.8Q. Before this car I had a Mazda 626. I wanted to wait for the '01 BMW 325, but my wife wants the safety of Quattro. Can't argue with that. So far we really enjoyed the car. Just want to throw in my two cents about the car:
1) Get Xenon lights. It is literally night and day compare to my 626. It's worth the money (although in Canada, Xenon is standard on '01 A4s)

2) The standard Symphony stereo is quite disappointing. My 626 sounds much better. One reason is that 626 uses larger speakers (5x7) than A4 (4" in front, 6 1/2" in the back). Not sure how much better Bose upgrade is

3) There is already a rattle developed from the glove compartment after 1500 miles. Need to get it fixed. My understanding is that VW has had better reliability records with Audis. Is it true?

4) Does anyone know what ESP option does that cannot be handled by Quattro? Also my wife wants a set of winter tires put on. Is it necessary? We have 4-season tires on now. I live in Toronto, so we get fare amount of snow, but not too much, and nothing like Buffalo (35 inches yesterday, wow!!)

rjsen · November 2000

The ESP is an electronic system that selectively applies the brakes to wheels when it detects wheelspin. Quattro distributes power to the wheels that have traction. They're totally different, fully independent systems. Quattro is really a performance/handling feature -- it gives you just as much of an advantage on a track as it does on ice, and it only works if you're on the gas. ESP is purely a safety feature, and kicks in whenever it needs to. For a demo, try taking your car to an empty parking lot, get a little speed (not too much), and snap the wheel around. Then try it again with the ESP off. Also try it with your foot on and off the gas pedal. You should see a noticeable difference in wheel noise and performance.

As for the stereo, I though the Symphony was just fine. Can you give any details on what you don't like about it?

and931917 · November 2000

I am deciding between getting the Audi 2001 or waiting for the 2002 to come out. As I understand it the Audi A4 1.8 will be getting a face lift in 2002. Does anyone have any idea when the 2002 will be coming out and whether it would be worth waiting for?

equalizer1 · November 2000

I believe the 2002 should be out sometime this coming summer. If you want to read more on this and see pictures of the upcoming model, please go to www.audiworld.com. They have a whole story on it on the front page.

ivan_99 · November 2000

I've read in a recent article (think autoweek, or EuroCar..can't find it now) about a comparison between Garette and APR chips.

They found substantial increase in temperatures for both chips. The Garette was the worst. At the track they had the anti-knock sensors kick in for both chips as well.

They found the APR chip had lower temperatures than the Garrette, and the power delivery was smoother; but I think the Garette may have had a higher hp gain.

badshah · November 2000

Hi All,

I am considering getting an Audi 2.8Q A4. I saw one at Holberts Motor cars in Warrington PA. Iwas wondering if anyone out there has dealt with this dealership and what they were like. Specifically, are they open to negotiation on the cars? and what is their service like? Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

ferarri11 · November 2000

what's a good price for a 2000 A4 1.8t w/ quattro and sports package? car invoices at about 23500 for these options. MSRP is 26000 about.

also, why do A4s used list for close to the same price as A6 w/same engine. i looked up the audi used car locator and several A4s listed for 30,995 and several A6s listed for 31995. do A6s just depreciate faster or what?

bollinger · November 2000

As the A4 caught on years ago, and the A6 is just catching on now. Watch for the gap to widen in 3 years or so.

Until this year, the A6 was lambasted for being slow. Now that there are 3 faster models out, it is improving the image of even the "slow" one.

evilpancakewom · November 2000

I would wait till this coming summer. In my opinion the new A4 looks a lot better and has a lot more engine choices, and has more room in the whole car.

michael804 · November 2000

in southwest florida, 3.0, sunr, leather, 6 cd, fully loaded 38k plus change/ asked how much off..reply was 1000-1200/ said I would pay that much over inv..she laughed at/with me..beautiful car/

velocidad · November 2000

I am looking at A4's. Can anyone whose owned either give me an owner's opinion on power, handling, maintenance and general feeling of an A4? Thanks

rjsen · November 2000

Well, I had an A4 2.8 (no more), and I just got an S4. Are you more interested in the 1.8T or the 2.8? Both are nice cars, albeit with slightly different strengths. The 1.8T is an incredible value. You can get a decently equipped one for around $27k (that's with the sport package and Quattro), and you'll have a finely engineered German sports sedan. If you want a more luxurious and faster car, the 2.8 is great. It's just a matter of what you want to spend.

I haven't driven a 1.8T, but the consensus (over on www.audiworld.com) is that it's fine with a stick, but you should go with the 2.8 if you want an automatic. Obviously, the 2.8 with a stick would be even faster. You should also keep in mind that you can chip the 1.8T to boost the HP and torque, albeit at your own risk (though tons of people have done it with no problems).

I've didn't have/haven't had either car long enough to comment on maintenance. Remember that all scheduled maintenance is covered for 4 years/50,000 miles. For a lot of owner's opinions on maintenance, check out www.audiworld.com.

As far as "general feeling" goes, I love it. However, that's a very personal thing, so you should really check the car(s) out for yourself. I think most of your questions will be answered with a test drive. Good luck.

mbnut1 · December 2000

With exception of a shortage of back seat room and 4 cylinder buzziness, I think that the A4 1.8T quattro with the sport package is one of the finest all around cars in the world. The handling / ride compromise is exceptional, the car feels very solid from closing the doors to going over bumps. It is as quick (mine is a 5 speed) as anyone realistically needs. I had mine sold so that I could buy a new C class and decided that the new C wasn't worth the difference in cost. My sense is that the A4's are much more reliable than Audi's of old although they aren't Honda reliable.

equalizer1 · December 2000

I have a 2000 2.8 and think it's the best car I've ever owned, and I've owned alot. I have never had a problem, except for a squeak (which was promptly located and fixed). I love this car. A year after owning it, I still look forward to driving it every day. I think it has the perfect balance of safety, performance, luxury and refinement. I would definitely purchase another A4 when the new ones come out next year.

hillier · December 2000

I have decided to buy an A4 but would prefer the new model that has been released in Germany. It is absolutely stunning and I am wondering if anyone knows when it is due to be released here in the states?

equalizer1 · December 2000

I've been hearing this coming summer. How accurate that is remains to be seen. I agree, I love the new styling and think it will look even better in person.

bollinger · December 2000

hillier, that new A4 is a MY2002 in Europe. So we are at least 8 months from seeing it on the road anywhere in production.

New 2002 will likely come up in the year 2002, not mid 2001 in the US. Probably a 2002.5.

marsha7 · December 2000

yew STILL da man, yew STILL da man!!!

and931917 · December 2000

Where or how did all these people make the assumptions that the 2002 A4 will be coming out in the summer of 2001? Cause i have heard that it will be coming out from anywhere from march to september.

bollinger · December 2000

Mid year 2001 is pretty much definite for Europe. I'm going by Audi/VWs previous releases to say it can't really show before 2002 in the US.

It's not impossible, but they would have to have changed the way they do more than a few things.

Generally, they like to stagger the rollouts a little anyway. That way you can reuse all the materials used in the rollout (like stage sets or such). Plus, to ensure the early cars are good quality, they generally have to rework them after them come off the line. This keeps the production low for a while. So no need to get the demand up immediately, since the production will be low for a couple months.

Also remember it takes Audi 2 months just to ship a car here.

hillier · December 2000

Thanks for the input on this. I got my info from this link: http://www.audiworld.com/news/00/newa4/ Based on an October 10 announcement date, and seeing the car as a production model, I had hoped to see the car released early summer. Most manufacturers don't show their new model along with all the specs a full year before it goes on sale. Hopefully, the US will get this model and not have to wait till 2003.

drc4 · December 2000

Just returned from a month at home in Ft. Lauderdale and the A4 did great on the trip with no problems...about 2,000 mi round trip including mileage in Lauderdale. Sure is a smooth cruiser on the highway for a "smaller" car and held its own very well with the big boys. The water pump leak hasn't returned and no oil consumption after switching to synthetic. The cruise control even worked fine and didn't go out on me. Averaged around 28mpg on the highway at 80+ mph.

So the the rest of you know what I'm talking about, I have a 2000 Audi A4 1.8T quattro (not chipped) with tiptronic.

equalizer1 · December 2000

Glad to see the car seems good drc4. No problems here on this homefront. Still love the car.

As far as everyone's statement as to when the new A4 will arrive in the US, my dealer said the sedan should arrive this summer, as well as www.audiworld.com, who also got that information. What Audi ends up doing is anyone's guess.

black_tulip · December 2000

Mine is a 1.8T, and of late, I am getting this
feeling that when the ambient temperature
goes above 80F, my car becomes noticeably
lethargic. These days, when the temp is 40-50F
max, I have no problem whatsoever. Is this
normal , or there is something wrong with
my engine?

bollinger · December 2000

Your intercoolers don't work well in the hot, so the cylinder charge contains less oxygen and so you lose volumetric efficiency and thus lose power.

Normally aspirated engines suffer from this also, but to a much lesser extend.

badshah · December 2000

Hi All,

Has anyone shopped at Holbert Motor cars in Warrington, PA. I am considering purchasing an 2.8Q from them and wondering how they were in terms of price and service.

Thanks

oski91 · December 2000

My current plan is to get an Audi 1.8T quattro with the sports package.

Can anyone comment on the leatherette vs. cloth? It seems like my local dealer only stocks A4 1.8Ts with leatherette. I live in Austin, where it is very hot in August and it would seem that cloth would be a nice option. Any comments?

Also, what about ESP? Is that a worthwhile option?

oski91 · December 2000

Ok one more question. The one car I keep going back to besides the A4 is the BMW 325i. Any comments about the two cars?

M

equalizer1 · December 2000

You would probably benefit greatly by going to www.audiworld.com and then to the A4 forum and asking whatever questions you have.

As far as the A4 1.8 vs. the 325, the real difference is when you option out a 325 comparably to the 1.8 there is a significant difference in price. I also think the A4's interior is much nicer. Also, living in Austin, you might not want the quattro option, which makes it even less money in this comparison. They both have the same HP, Audi has free maintenance for 4 yrs/50,000 miles as opposed to BMW's 3 yrs/50,000 miles free maintenance.

When I came up with this comparison, I test drove both extensively, liked the A4 better (especially living in the NE for the quattro), and felt I could get the 2.8 A4 for the same price as an optioned out 325. It was a no-brainer in my case.

Good luck!

drc4 · December 2000

I have a 2000 1.8T quattro with sport package and leatherette ecru seats. Like you, I was also concerned about the leatherette when I first got the car but I live in both South Florida and N. Alabama, and in the relentless Florida sun or in the incredibly hot summer we just had here in nothern Alabama, the leatherette has been absolutely no problem as far as retaining heat. I just spent the month of November in Ft. Lauderdale with my car sitting outside in record heat (the first 3 weeks were miserably hot) and the leatherette got warm but no big deal.

Here's something I found that helps immensely when parked in direct sun on hot days. I got a 2nd window shade and use one in the rear window and one in the front, which blocks a lot of sun and heat.

Personally, I think cloth "cheapens" the overall look and image of the A4, but it's just my opinion.

soopacat9 · December 2000

I am currently in college and the A4 is a verry apealing sedan but the s4 would be ideal. Due to the cost factor i have to consider the 1.8T Q. But in a few years I will have no problems with the S4 or whatever Audi has to replace it. So for now I'm looking to lease an A4 for a few years untill i can reach the goal of the S4. As far as the warrenty goes since it is a lease is "chipping" completely out of the question even if i convert back to stock before the lease end or any maintenence. And if there is a problem is it safe to swap back to stock every month when taken in for routine maintenence?

cucharon · December 2000

I am thinking about purchasing a 2000 A4 1.8T Quattro. 9,000 miles
with the following options...
xenon headlights
rear spoiler
sport package
bose system
sunroof
sport seats
5spd
basically everything but the cold weather package
no leatherette...

is this a good price.

$24,165

please let me know

drc4 · December 2000

You'd probably get a better response posting your question on the AudiWorld A4 Forum.

http://www.audiworld.com/forum/a4.html

daryl7 · December 2000

Does anyone know when the new model A4 will arrive in the US? I am thinking of buying a 2000 A4 1.8 Quattro but don't want to miss the new model by a month or two.

equalizer1 · December 2000

I believe it will be here late this summer. That's the word on Audiworld.

audi4ever · December 2000

Has anyone experienced some problems with an A4 1.8 manual, where it won't start and says to depress the clutch to start and the clutch is fully depressed? I am currently running into this problem. I am taking it to the dealer tomorrow, just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. Thanks

Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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