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I heard that A4 1.8T can be chipped to get up to 300hp!!! Is this true? I hope I don't sound too stupid! I am quite skeptical at this as with such and increase of hp won't the drivetrain be experience extreme loads of stress? Can this be acheived by a chip alone? Please explain.
of course, you can upgrade to the KKK04, but people who have done so haven't always been pleased. there have been unusual and all-to-frequent cases of premature KKK04 failures which have yet to be explained. you can gain a few HP with a low-restriction exhaust too...but one basic problem remains.
a FWD car can only handle so much torque before you chirp the tires. beyond a certain point, it gets academic. if you spin the tires every time you launch, what good are your mods? quattro would certainly help with this.
most chippers choose either a conservative .8bar chip or a 1bar chip. 1.5 bar chips exist and they generate around 15psi of boost...3psi over the KKK03's operational limit. choose your level of commitment wisely because VW/AUDI can deny warranty work if the parts in question could possibly have been effected by your chip.
using a .8 bar chip gets you about 40-50hp. a 1.0 bar chip can boost HP to around 200 and torque to the 195-205 lb/ft. range.
there are basically only a few ways to chip...you solder it into an existing ECU box, you reprogram the existing chip, you make a socket to swap between stock and boosted chips, or you replace the entire ECU module.
chips usually run in the $185-$500 range. an entire ECU runs around $800. software updates generally run around $20. most tuning companies will need your ECU to perform the modification, so you won't be able to drive for a day or two. also keep in mind that if your chip is detected while at the dealer for service, it can and will void parts of your warranty.
most 1.8T modifications are sold in "stages" depending upon how much performance you're looking for. most stage 1 packages include a chip and a high-flow air filter (K&N or RAMAair). Stage 2&3 kits get into bigger turbos, larger intercoolers, low-restriction exhausts, sturdies clutches and the like. these kits run thousands of dollars.
so....in partial answer to your question, yes 250HP is possible but NO, not from a stage 1 kit. you need more bucks and more hardware to get there. if you're interested in chipping, my best advice is to visit a few tuner sites and keep a close eye on the forums at www.audiworld.com. each tuner has a different philosophy which becomes apparent in their design. some value moderation while others are willing to sacrifice reliability for performance. here are some sites to get you started:
www.chip-tuning.com
www.greedspeed.com
www.autothority.com
I don't know if it's a glitch in their database or not, but it's worth checking into!
2000 Audi A4 2.8 Sedan in Light Silver Metallic
Convenience Package
Tiptronic Automatic Transmission
Sports Steering Wheel
All for a delivered price of $29,697 and when I say delivered, I mean DELIVERED on a flatbed truck to our home!
There are no additional fees for advertising, adjusted market value, dealer prep, installation, etc...
We'll never have to deal directly with any dealers, only with our carOrder sales rep.
Maybe because we're getting a non-Quattro model is the reason why we're paying slightly above $400 over invoice with all options at invoice price.
I hope that this whole thing works out. I'll keep everyone posted.
That sounds like my car, except I got leather, xenons and Bose. The light silver is great (self cleaning).
Be prepared to "fall in love"!
thanks
the BMW is certainly a fine automobile and i don't think anyone would dispute that. unfortunately, what makes the BMW wonderful on dry pavement is the same thing which can hurt you in other seasons...namely rear wheel drive. even with traction control, it's still no nearly as preferable as the quattro AWD setup one can find on an audi.
personally while i like BMW's, i can't quite see myself driving one. i was impressed with the A4's construction and manners. it was classy without being snobbish and the price is very attractive as well. if you're a pure performance driver, BMW is probably a better choice. if you need a balance between sedan and sportscar in a place with multiple seasons, the audi may be for you. as for 0-60 times...remember that after the warranty expires, you can do incredible things with the ECU to turn your sedan into a barnburner
I also agree about the snob factor assocated with the Bimmer. If you go to www.bimmer.org, the people on that board are very unfriendly. If you go to www.a4.org, there is an entirely different atmosphere. It's hard to explain. You just need to visit both boards to see the difference.
As far as your other questions about the Audi, I did have reliability concerns, but I also had them with the BMW. After coming from Japanese cars, I guess this would be the average response. BMW and Audi both have three years free maintenance, but I believe BMW'S is for 3 years/36,000 miles, while Audi's is for 3 years/50,000 miles. Granted the BMW's basic warranty is a year longer (with no maintenance in the last year), but I would get an extended warranty no matter what car I purchased (even the most reliable Lexus), for peace of mind. I think the only thing that the Audi might be more expensive with is the fact that it has quattro, which is very sophisticated. Although I have not heard on any of the Audi boards of anything going wrong with quattro, even on older Audi models, if something did go wrong, it would probably be a more expensive proposition to fix than a BMW, but that is what extended warranties are for. BTW, the extended warranty from any company on the Audi is more expensive if you have quattro. It is more expensive on any 4WD vehicle because of the nature of the sophistication of the system, so you would be paying more for an extended warranty on an Audi than on a Bimmer.
As far as real world acceleration numbers are concerned, I really can't answer that. I have the 2.8, which is very comparable to the BMW 328 in HP and torque, but the BMW is lighter, as it does not have the quattro. The 2.8 is plenty fine for me. You might want to check out the S4, as it would be comparably priced to a 328 fully loaded, and be more in line performance wise to the M3.
So far this is the best car I have owned, hands down. I am glad I made this decision. There is no buyer's remorse at all. My husband who used to race cars in Washington State, test drove both extensively, and as far as he was concerned there was no contest. He loved the way the Audi looked inside and out, thought it was a more solid machine, and felt the quattro going through the corners at 80 mph. without worry was a major clincher!
Good luck in your decision. Both cars are really on equal ground. It really depends on personal preference, and what your needs are. If you live North of the Mason Dixon line, I feel it is a no brainer.
Good luck!
I also wanted something with the darker wood. It looks great. I love the car. I hate to be at work because I can't drive it. If you feel even 1/2 the way I do, you'll be very happy with your choice. BTW, I think the Bose is great. I had the Bose in my Pathfinder and it was really good, but I think the Bose in the Audi is less bassy.
If you really want to ask questions, and find out other people's experiences with Heishman's, I urge you to check out www.a4.org. Go to the forum topics, and then to A4. The people there really helped with my decision, and educated me greatly on the car. Most of them are enthusiasts, and are happy when they can help another Audi fan.
Again, good luck!
Thats a weird ending but.........
Have a Great Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!
)))
Good luck!
I'm in the market for a new car. I've got it narrowed to the '97 A4 1.8 Quattro or the Subaru Impreza L (new). I've done tons of research, and I get the impression that it ALWAYS comes down to a choice between these two cars! Obviously this is an A4 crowd, but has anybody out there actually OWNED both cars?
I'm completely torn! I REALLY liked both. But the used Audi is about the same price as the new Subaru. (The warranty on the particular Audi I'm looking at expires 1/00.) I'm worried that the Audi's going to get expensive on me...
I need guidance!!! (BTW, I really liked the old Subaru commercial where their slogan was, It's what to drive. If that was still their slogan, I'd probably have bought it already!)
Thx!
Jamie
I'm in the market for a new car. I've got it narrowed to the '97 A4 1.8 Quattro or the Subaru Impreza L (new). I've done tons of research, and I get the impression that it ALWAYS comes down to a choice between these two cars! Obviously this is an A4 crowd, but has anybody out there actually OWNED both cars?
I'm completely torn! I REALLY liked both. But the used Audi is about the same price as the new Subaru. (The warranty on the particular Audi I'm looking at expires 1/00.) I'm worried that the Audi's going to get expensive on me...
I need guidance!!! (BTW, I really liked the old Subaru commercial where their slogan was, It's what to drive. If that was still their slogan, I'd probably have bought it already!)
Thx!
Jamie
I am assuming you would be buying the Audi from a private owner, or else you would get the Audi Warranty for 2 years from an Audi Authorized used car dealer.
My take on extended warranties is GET ONE! Especially if you are buying a high end European car. I own a '00 A4, and when the warranty is about out, I will definitely purchase an extended warranty. I think the money is worth it for peace of mind and resale value (most people will buy a car with an extended warranty over one without one). You are playing Russian Roulette if you don't get one on any car.
Good luck!
Somebody refered to the A4 and the Impreza both as 'cult cars'. Man ya'll are hard-core! From what I've read I'm worried that either car will grow to consume my life and I may end up living in a compound with other cult-car owners. Hopefully there won't be any koolaid involved...
And yes, I'll definitely opt for the extended warranty!
jamie
I'm sorry but I don't know of any Subaru forums that you could look at, but you might want to put in "Subaru" on one of the search engines. That might bring you to something.
Let's put it this way, it's obvious that you want an AWD car. Audi is the high end of AWD cars compared to Subaru. It is a great driving, great performing and luxurious car. It is going to be more expensive to fix down the road, but like you agreed, an extended warranty would solve that. Subaru, according to the Audi gurus, has a good AWD system, but not as sophisticated as Audi's. You really have to drive both back to back to see which one fits your lifestyle.
choosey1
I am going to give you the same url for the Audi forums that I have given to many on this forum. All you need to do is put out a question about the dealership you are considering, and I am sure you will get answers back as to pricing, etc. BTW, you will not get anywhere as good pricing from a dealer as from Carorder.com. A dealer is going to charge you anywhere from 4-1/2%-6-1/2% over invoice, maybe more. Carorder had it about a month ago for $700 over invoice. That is the best deal you will get on a Y2K A4 anywhere. Many people on the Audi forums purchased their cars through Carorder.com and had no problems. The url for Audiworld is www.Audiworld.com.
Good luck!
for approximately 23,000 i got the gt limited with sunroof,and leather interior.the car performs like a sports car,the awd system is very evident on wet roads, i'm getting 26mpg,the boxer 4 with 165 hp has terrific passing power, and the sports suspension is terrific. you can't go wrong with either of these cars.the audi a4 is a classy vehicle, very upscale and if price was not a problem for me i'd have opted for it. however, the gt limited legacy is an excellent car also,my first foreign car and awd vehicle.if the a4 is too pricey for your wallet,try the subaru.either way you'll be getting a great car, as both have a sterling record for reliability and performance.you might also like to check out vw, as they have been hinting at an awd passat.good luck.
If all goes well, I should be in the market for an A4 or (hehehehe) A6 2.7t pretty soon. My only worry is the long-term reliability and build quality of Audi. How DO they manage to pack so many features for so much less than BMW, Lexus et al???? I plan to drive my next car for several years at least and will be BUYING outright.
Anyway, to prevent my financially-responsible side from having continual heart failure, I'll definitely be getting the extended warranty on either car. Does anyone know approximately how much Audi's own extended warranty program (assuming there is one) costs? I'd rather get a manufacturer extended warranty than something from Warranty Gold. Also, does anyone have ballpark figures for Warranty-Gold style extended warranties?
Thanks!
Vartis.
If all goes well, I should be in the market for an A4 or (hehehehe) A6 2.7t pretty soon. My only worry is the long-term reliability and build quality of Audi. How DO they manage to pack so many features for so much less than BMW, Lexus et al???? I plan to drive my next car for several years at least and will be BUYING outright.
Anyway, to prevent my financially-responsible side from having continual heart failure, I'll definitely be getting the extended warranty on either car. Does anyone know approximately how much Audi's own extended warranty program (assuming there is one) costs? I'd rather get a manufacturer extended warranty than something from Warranty Gold. Also, does anyone have ballpark figures for Warranty-Gold style extended warranties?
Thanks!
Vartis.
I own an A4 and am personally going to go for the Warranty Gold. I have found in other cars, that if little things go wrong, it usually leads to bigger things, so I would like to be covered for everything to have peace of mind.
Thanks for the info. $2,000 for a powertrain/drivetrain warranty does seem a bit steep. I agree with you that the small things add up - powertrains/drivetrains are generally amongst the last to go in a car. A friend's A6 and 3-series were great (practical quattro A6 and all-out fun 328i; wish I had her money or, failing that, her heart and joint bank account) but every so often a fuel gauge, power accessory, instrument or some such doodad fails. If it wasn't for her warranty, she'd have paid a fortune by now.
Anyway, that info should pretty much seal it for me. Now to bide 4 weeks until I can place my carorder.com order! ))
Vartis, in twin-turbo AWD dreamland...
Good luck!
For me. the fundamental use for a car is to get from Point A to Point B reliably, safely, and comfortably. The Hartford, CT area where I live is not noted for its public transportation options. I am not willing to compromise this principle very much, but I also would like a car that also has some pizzazz (whatever that means in a given situation).
To approach the same idea from a different angle, if I am to spend $25,000 on a car, I want to maximize the likelihood of driving my car instead of a dealer loaner.
I have found the Audi (5 speed) interesting, but I get the feeling from the various messages that it is a car primarily for aficionados who really want to barrel down the highway or tweak the noses of BMW drivers at stop signs. Neither of these interests me. I want performance in order to do the things that I want and need to do, but performance is not an end in itself.
For those of you who care to comment, what do you think of an A4 as a practical everyday car? One Infiniti G20 owner described his or her car as fun for solitary commuting and errand running. While not complete, this describes me well. I will also use the care for occasional long distance travel and to transport a bicycle and cross country skis as necessary.
I have two other question. I have read several comments about Subarus indicating that all wheel drive really chews up tires. True? The Subaru comments also indicate that all tires have to be of almost equal circumference to avoid damaging the all wheel drive mechanisms. Assuming this to be true, does this apply to the A4?
Finally, how much time have your cars spent in the shop other than for normal maintenance and wear and tear? The NHSTA site tells me that there have been 11 recalls for Audis in the last 5 years or so.
Thanks to all for reading this.
To this date, I have had no problems whatsoever with the A4. The only thing I have been back to the dealer for was to adjust my windshield wipers different settings than from the factory. This car has so far proven more reliable than all of my previous Japanese cars. I have always had to bring in my other cars within the first six months for numerous things until the dealer "got it right".
As far as my commuting situation goes, I drive my car from work and back and to do errands, but I find myself not wanting to just stop there. There are many times that I take the car around the area because I just don't want to stop driving.
I understand that if I keep this car past the warranty period, it would more than likely make sense to get an extended warranty, not only for financial reasons, but for peace of mind. I would get one for any car past the warranty.
I think your best bet is visiting www.audiworld.com and going to the A4 site. There is plenty of information there to keep you busy, and to inform you of the pros and cons of this car.
It is a great car, and living in CT, the quattro will be a blessing.
Good luck!
By the way, there are pros and cons to every car, no car is perfect, and every carmaker makes lemons. If you are realistic about that, you are halfway there. Also, Consumer Reports rates the A4 "Recommended", and "better than average" as far as reliability is concerned.
and thanks "equalizer" for giving your point of
view.
I am pretty much set on an A4 when I
trade in my Accord in the near future.
The Accord has been bullet-proof, but I
think I would like something different this
time, even if that means occasional unscheduled trips to the dealer. The overall package offered by A4 for the money simply can not be beat,
in my opinion, of course.
The only thing that still keeps me outside
the fence is that in case something goes wrong, I may have to wait(as I've read and been told) as much as six weeks for the right parts to become available.
The difference in rates was almost entirely in the comprehensive and collision.
I would say that the 2.8 is the more reliable engine.