Audi A4 2004 and earlier

black_tulip

Recently I sent an email to Audi of America
inquiring about extended warranties offered by
Audi. The answer was that they do not offer
any at this time. Am I missing something?

dc_75

black_tulip: Thats what I like to know...:-) Let us know what you find out.

schwitzer1

Just talked with my salesguy. My car is (supposedly) on a boat right now, on it's way across the pond and eventually to Indianapolis!

and here I'd been ready to wait until July!

dc_75

schwitzer1: congrats...what did you get? Did the salesman give you any indication when theyre taking the last order for the last batch of 2001.5 A4s? When are they taking orders for the 2002 A4s? What do you think of the new design?

schwitzer1

Lessee...1.8T with Sport, Cold Weather, Celebration, Bose, Brilliant Yellow with Onyx Leatherette, 5-speed.

No idea on the last orders, or the new orders for the 2002's. I haven't payed that much attention to them, since the car that I want isn't one of them.

dc_75

schwitzer: sweet...did you order or dealer's stock? How much did you pay? Been researching cars from subarus to MBs. Prefer awd and is looking at 325xi too 34-36k out the door with good option, but semi-long wait. Don't particularly like 2.8s A4s but 1.8 I like, that is why it is on my short list. :-) Not too many other choices for awd sedans in sub30s to mid 30s price range, legacy GTs, A4s and 325xi are the few...

Are you worried about heavier depreciation since 2001.5 A4 are outgoing. Was snooping on the 2002, but I understand that only frontrak available this yr with quattro mid-next yr (?) Oh well.

schwitzer1

I special ordered. I knew what I wanted, and I also know (from past experience) that nothing sucks as much as having a car that ALMOST has the stuff on it that I wanted. So, I decided that I'd be willing to wait.

Depreciation really doesn't bother me. I plan on driving the wheels of this car. I don't race stoplight to stoplight, and I don't go excessively fast (although I might have to see if it'll get up to the brochure's printed "top speed"). I'm purchasing, rather than leasing, and getting FWD rather than Quattro because I had a Mistubishi Eclipse GSX with the AWD, and wasn't all that thrilled with it.

I'm happily ignoring anything about the 2002's. I simply am too excited over the new car that I'm about to get. It doesn't matter what year car it is. It matters that it's going to have about twelve miles on it when I take delivery.

drew37

A local "no haggle" Audi dealer in town wants 34600 for a A4 2.8 quattro that has a MSRP of 36800. Do you think this is a fair and competitive price to pay for this car? What do you all think?

lauk0dg

Well, for about $5,000 more, you can get an S4. Think about 60 more hp, leather alcantra seats and tons of goodies. To me, Audi fetches reasonable $$ for 1.8T's and S4's, but not the 2.8's.

BL
01' 1.8TQMBC/35% tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

drew37

But what I was asking was if $2000-$2200 off of MSRP for a 2.8 would be representative of the kind of deal you would end up with with a dealer that was willing to haggle. Is this no haggle dealers assessment of a fair price consistent with what you would end up paying other places ?

nitpicker

I just special-ordered an A4 1.8T and thought this information might be helpful to others who are considering buying an A4. A month ago I was leaning toward buying a reliable, utilitarian vehicle like a Subaru Forester but decided to test-drive a VW Passat and Audi A4 too after reading lots of positive reviews about all three vehicles. (And yes, I realize that a Forester is a very different kind of vehicle than the A4 or Passat.) Gut impressions: The Forester was capable and handled fine, but the rear seats were maybe the most uncomfortable I'd ever sat on, and the Forester didn't ignite any "fire" in me; it seemed like a good choice for carrying lots of cargo in a easy-to-maneuver vehicle, but it certainly didn't evoke any passion. The Passat was a disappointment in that the steering felt light, and the car seemed a bit too "cushy" -- which a lot of people who like luxury American cars might like. I expected the A4 to be very similar since it's often compared to the Passat. WRONG. The A4 was a total blast to drive -- very precise handling (with quattro), great road "feel," great acceleration -- and it was plenty comfortable. The automatic-transmission demo was actually more fun to drive than my stickshift Integra. I'm usually dispassionate about cars, but I had trouble sleeping that night because I just kept thinking about how awesome the A4 was. Although I'd been leaning toward a "practical" vehicle, this decision boiled down to a question of head vs. heart -- and heart won. I ordered an A4 yesterday. The salesperson said A4s can be special-ordered until sometime in June; delivery takes about 120 days. I didn't get a great deal -- paid 7.5% over invoice -- but after doing lots of research, I concluded that that deal was about as good as I could expect on a special order in a one-dealer town. One break is that Audi is offering a reduced price (roughly half-price) on its Celebration package, which is the same as the Premium package (sunroof, garage-door opener, special mirriors). For less than $30,000 (including sales tax), I got a 1.8T automatic with quattro, Celebration package, and sport seats with cloth upholstery. And the dealer says I can change my mind about the color within 30 days. Although this car won't be as practical as the Forester, I'm glad I went with my gut feelings. I think I'm going to love this car.

caruttop

Hey username24 (msg 776) --- Here in NorCal the Audi dealer told me that fwd A4s are rare - he happened to have one on his lot (a fluke according to him) and I took it for a test - 15" whls and that car threatened to pull me into the bushes even while accelerating in gear....vs. from standstill. Also, my sales guy said the resale value is much less for fwd vs. awd - which makes sense - you buy an AUDI for its awd..

I am considering A4q5M w/ sport pkg (w/ 17" whls), Celebration pkg., bose, xenon cloth interior and I am looking for a price in the $26.5-27k range. Anyone in NorCal (SF Bay) know of a "great" dealer here in the SF region... I don't mind driving a bit to get the right deal.

lauk0dg

Well I bought my car about 2 months ago (a 1.8T, not 2.8 you mentioned) and I paid about 3% over invoice (MSRP $29,040, I paid $26,700, invoice ($26,100), so I got a $2,340 discount over MSRP.

Dealer's will to lower the deal depends on cost of living, so I can't say if $2,000 to $2,200 is a good thing, but definitely not too shabby.

BUT.....I still feel that you should go for an S4 for a couple of grand more......a MSRP of $36,800 is still a lot for just an A4 2.8. Really you might want to peek at the S4 and check the MSRP.

BL
01' A4 1.8TQMBC/35% tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

markcincinnati

The Platinum Protection I referred to several posts ago was a NON Audi 100,000 mile warranty. Unlike the Audi Advantage it did not cover maintenance, but it did cover many expensive parts and labor charges from 50,000 to 100,000 miles -- which is EXACTLY when I traded the car in.

The extra Audi Warranty I have been talking about MAY or MAY NOT be available at this time. Generally I have found that if you keep asking, eventually you wil find someone who has heard of it (I did buy it for an Audi Coupe, years ago).

If all else fails, ask the dealer what they recommend -- talk with the service managers, because they are the ones who have to "fill out the paperwork, possibly use NON-Audi parts to get a claim through or possibly use refirbished, but still Genuine Audi, parts" based on the terms and conditions of the warranty.

In my case, I needed a master cylinder and something to do with the ABS system -- it was big bucks and the aftermarket warranty paid for it, saving me a four figure number. Other items needed replacement, too -- power window motor as I recall -- and that too was covered as was the heater core and other items each costing a couple hundred here, a couple hundred there.

jbwcfp

I may be getting an a4 soon and would like some input on what kind of deals are available from the Metro Detroit Audi dealers. Any recommendations?
Jim W

crud_meridian

bought at suburban chicago audi dealership

1.8TQ silver with opal grey interior
auto
celeb
cold weather
sport with 17" tires

paid $28246 - $809 over the invoice price as calculated off of edmunds. i wanted grey opal interior, which they didn't have on the lot, but will by monday, so i left a deposit, but didn't sign anything. i have a purchase order with all the pricing and options info signed by dealer. good deal? would love to hear some comments as this was my first new purchase and am still in minor shock from the whole experience (this was a very very big thing for me). Thanks for any input.

lauk0dg

I bought mine at Schaumburg Audi on Feb 28 and here's my deal:

2001.5 1.8TQ
Manual
Convenience
Bose
Silver/opal gray too!!
Cold Weather

MSRP $29,040
Invoice $26,050
I paid $26,700

So it's more like $650 over invoice. You got $809 over invoice, and they are willing to trade it with other dealers for the car you want, so I'd say you got a pretty good deal.

By the way, which dealer are you buying from??

BL
01' A4 1.8TQMBC/35% tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

crud_meridian

things have changed since my last post, but i am still on track for monday delivery - don't want to jinx anything, so i will wait to post all the specifics until after i take actual delivery!

a_beno

Hello all,

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents about my new Audi, which I got at the beginning of April. It's a silver/onyx 2001 A4 1.8T with quattro celebration, cold weather, auto trans., and Bose stereo. I was kind of a stickler about the options that I did and didn't want (like the HID lamps), but the dealer (Huntingdon Valley Audi, near Phila. PA) went the extra mile to track it down for me and ended up getting it in from somewhere near Pittsburgh, about 350 miles away. The MSRP was 30,165, but I was able to get it for $28,200 which works out to be 1,035 above invoice...which I think is not so bad.

So far, I think it's a great car. It's a lot of fun to drive, and it's really very maneuverable which I certainly appreciate. The one thing about it that bugs me (albeit only a little) is that my wheels are constantly getting absolutely filthy with brake dust (and I don't have a heavy foot on the brakes, either). It's easy enough to clean them off, but it's kind of a nuisance. Other than that though, I've been extremely happy with it.

scirocco22

Andrew-- yeah! tell me about it! I know we are all in the same boat. Over at the Audiworld site, I've read where it helps to wax the wheels. I haven't tried it yet but they say that the brake dust comes off much easier after waxing. They also claim that after-market pads do much better--I've heard the brand "Mintex" mentioned over there quite a bit. I would hate to change them now but when it comes time to replace the pads, I'm definitely going to replace them with non-stock parts. I know that both A4's and Jettas have the worst brake dust problems of the VW family but I have no idea why. I'll have to inquire why other VW models don't have the same brake pads.

I guess you're with both Billy (Lauk0dg) and me with a silver 2001.5 without the sport pkg (but Billy and I have 5-speed manuals). Sounds like you're satisfied with not getting the sport pkg. I'm sort of regretting not getting the sport pkg and I think Billy is too (right, Billy?? lol). Yes, I agree that the car handles well with the standard non-sport suspension and tires but I'm finding that the body roll is a little more than I expected and the tires could have just a little more grip. I still really enjoy driving it, though. You were probably right about opting out of the xenons. I'm having trouble adjusting to them. I would much rather have multi-reflector halogens but all the newer A4's have projectors and I wasn't that impressed with the light pattern of the standard projectors so I thought the xenons would make up for it but like I say, I'm having a lot of trouble adjusting to them on dark winding roads because of the accentuated abruptness of the end of the light pattern.

But all-in-all, I'm with you, I'm really happy with my A4!

drew37

Does anyone know when the 2002 A4's will be arriving at the dealers ?

lauk0dg

Yes I agree with y'all that the brake dust problem is a hassle. When I was over in the window tinting place last week, they gave me a free hand car wash before and after they started....and you might find this comment interesting...."See i like how Audi designed the wheels....you can stick your finger into the design and wipe off the brake dust easily." Darn....does Audi know this problem so they design the wheels that way so your fingers can fit in the cracks easily?

Yup I agree with Scirocco....hate to change out the current pads now but definitely will switch to Mintex when they're bald. AWE sells Mintex pads too.

The sports pkg....well the thing is, if they put all-season high performance tires on the wheels, I would definitely get the sports pkg. They only put summer high performance tires (like P6000's or Pilots) on the sport pkg wheels and I am still hesitant to buy a second set of winter tires. I have read reviews of those all-season high performance tires, like Dunlop P5000's, do just OK on snow, which is predicted. P6000's or Pilots just screw things up and I would say braking will equal sliding everywhere.

Hey scirocco, you got to be the first guy that says Xenon is bad....before I got mine and was working on the options I want to get, I would want Xenons instead of the Bose I got on my car. But thinking the dealer would not cut me a deal as good as I am getting if I insist he finds me one with Xenon and no Bose, I could sacrifice that with the savings I got. Well, I'm happy with the Bose certainly....(I can tell ya that after my car was in the shop for minor body work and I got a Pontiac Grand Am SE rental....the stereo is just a piece of crap)....still crave the xenons....hey scirocco, maybe we can swap the lights!!!

One thing I noted....I test drove the Subaru WRX couple of weeks ago and I noticed its short throw shifting....I didn't pay attention if the car has the optional short throw shifting, but it feels great....thinking of putting in an UUC Short Shift....what d'ya think scirocco?

Billy
2001.5 1.8TQMBC/35% Lluma tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

a_beno

About the sport vs non-sport package: For me, the non-sport package is perfect. After more than 10 years of driving around in a car with a serious lack of ammenities and such a tight suspension that every little bump felt like Mt. Everest (1987 Nissan Sentra SE 5-speed) I was definitely ready for a more comfortable car. I still think that my A4 gives me far better road feel than either the Passat or the Acura 3.2 CL-S that I test drove, but it does it without feeling jarring and tense.

Also, I chose the Tip-trans for much the same reason. I know that it adds weight, not to mention $1K to the cost, but I was just ready for something a little more comfortable.

One thing that I've noticed that I think is interesting; there is absolutely no play at all in the steering wheel. This is great at low speeds, but on the highways it feels like every little twitch on the wheel sends the car off in a new direction. It kind of caught me by surprise the first time I had it out on the interstates.

lauk0dg

That's true, the aftermarket springs or the OEM sports suspension make the ride harsher. Depending on where you live, Chicago's roads can be quite punishing. I guess the firmer suspension is all about cornering, and lowered ones cut down the gap between the wheel well and the tire to portrait a more styler look.

Another reason I like the sports pkg....those 16" or 17" rims look a lot better than the stock tiny 15"....dang, even the top Camry's come with 16"....wheel covers, LOL.

Billy
2001.5 A4 1.8TQMBC/35% Lluma tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

bast2

You want to talk loose steering, take a little drive in my '92 Jeep Cherokee (which we'll be getting rid of for an A4 shortly). We were noticing it on a ride home last evening. You can literally make an 1/8 of a turn before you even notice movement in the vehicle. And as for jarring rides....well, don't even get me started.

I test drove the A4 a few weeks back. It was a very smooth ride. Drove without the sport package and did definitely notice some body roll, more so than the Passat, yet not enough to sway my opinion. Looks like we'll be opting for the A4 over the Passat at this stage. VW warranty still concerns me and a few less options than the A4 for the same money. However, I'll just have to live with less room in the back seat.

Speaking of back seats, in one of these forums someone was critical of the A4 for lack of legroom in the back (which is obvious) and also mentioned that you couldn't fit a child's safety seat in the back. I highly doubt the truth of this statement, perhaps they were being sarcastic, but does anyone own an A4 with kids, and if so, has child seats or general room been a major issue? Not looking for a soccer-parent super-cruiser, but if it's a struggle in and out everytime I may have to rethink a few things.

JB

schwitzer1

Go check out post 667. A guy there talks about exactly that, and tells what car seat and everything. It was a concern for me, too, since we're thinking about maybe having a third kid.

crud_meridian

finally got the car, in my garage!
2001.5 1.8TQ tip
silver/opal grey
17" sport
celeb
cold weather
$28100 -- $663 over invoice
purchased at Schaumburg Audi -- negotiated entirely over phone and fax after getting burned at two other dealers who I visited. I think I'm going to get offline and go look at it some more now.

lauk0dg

Hey good job!!! I also bought mine at Schaumburg Audi, who did you deal with? I dealed with Mike Burden, who is a pretty cool guy. I got mine there at $650 over invoice, and I must say they offered the best deal too. Just that their dealership doesn't look as good as the other ones, which explains why the other ones charge more.

Now you can bring your car to the Lakes Region Quattro Club gathering at Continental Audi in Naperville on May 6th!! Check out the site at www.lrqc.org

Hope to see you there!!

Billy
2001.5 A4 1.8TQMBC/35% Lluma tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

bast2

Schwitzer1, thanks for the reference. It was exactly what I wanted to know (..or didn't want to know). Sounds like as long as I can suck it up for the first few months and put the rear-facing seat in the middle everything would work out fine. We're not expecting for quite a while, but wanted to plan ahead.

One other note, I'm still confused on the sport package for the 1.8TQ. Comes with 16" in wheels or 17" wheels? And are they all-season or sport tires? I know, lots of discussion on this in the past, but it's all a blur. I'm in Wisconsin, drive bumpy country roads every day, not to mention the bad winters. I really don't want to mess with winter tires. I'm not the racing type, though the larger wheels definitely look sharp. Thoughts?

JB

mmcbride1

Just got a 2001 A4 1.8T Quattro, manual, Celebration, Bose, Cold Weather, Xenons. The color is Melange, which wasn't my first choice (that was Casablanca White), but it still looks sharp, and everything else was exactly like I wanted it, and I like the tan interior better than the grey. Got it for about $750 over invoice. My new lease is $440/mo. inc. tax ($425 w/o tax) for 39 mos./12k per year. The best part was I only had to give them the first months payment at signing. That's it. No inception fee, no security deposit.

I can't wait to go drive it more!

lauk0dg

The 2001.0 (earlier 2001 production cars) has the 16" wheel pkg in their Sports pkg, and the 2001.5 (later 2001 production cars) got the 17" wheel pkg. The 16" wheel pkg costs $750, while the 17" wheel pkg costs $950. You can thus figure out if your car is a 2001.0 or 2001.5 with the kind of sports pkg you got. You cannot specify the 17" wheel pkg on a 2001.0 and vice versa on the 2001.5.

FOr the tires, the sports pkg tires are all V or Z rated high-performance ones and not all-seasons (mostly Dunlop SP6000 or Pilots). I agree the 17" looks sharp.....and some might even confused it as an S4 when the wheel is turning. BUT....there is a high chance that you will bend the wheels if the roads are filled with potholes. Also you definitely need winter snow tires if you get the sports pkg. That's why i was reluctant to get the sports pkg when I got mine. To me, good driving skills with Quattro and all-season tires works well for 6 months here in Chicago. I might, however, lower the car later and try to fit bigger wheels with all-season performance tires. I might lose some traction in the winter, but just can't pass on a lowered car with bigger than stock non-sport 15" wheels.....

Billy
2001.5 1.8TQMBC/35% Lluma tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

bast2

Billy, thanks for clearing that up. Looks like the 15" all-seasons and no sport package for me. Hate to be a prude, sport set up would be fun and look sharp, but I'd have the wheels bent in a week given the roads around home. Especially in March and April when the frost starts coming out of the ground, OUCH!

Ok, next inquiry (...and don't think it'll be my last). After the 4yr/50K warranty is up and god-forbid I need work on the car, how bad are costs on the A4? i.e. are the oil filters 4x as expensive as a Honda or Toyota? Exhaust systems? The sort of stuff that you can expect to wear out or replace over time. I love the A4, but the practical side of me is worried I may be in over my head down the road. I've had good luck with cars to date and, knock on wood, I'd like that to continue. I just don't want to jump into something that needs "fine-tuning" every month.

JB

scirocco22

*applause* to crud and Mike (man, it's about time, Mike!--seems like you've been looking forever! lol... I've enjoyed your passionate defense of the A4 in the many forums here at Edmunds! ...hope you'll keep it up! and btw, melange is a gorgeous color--that was my second choice; hibiscus red was my first then melange and then silver which I eventually had to settle for). I'm glad to hear that I'm not going to be the only one without the sport pkg... over at the Audiworld site, it seems like you're a moron if you don't have the sport pkg. I still think that the ideal set-up for me would have been the 2001.0 sport pkg with 16's but there's nothing I can do about it now so someday I'm going to consider going to 16's and maybe make a few minor changes to the suspension. Billy, I still have a few questions on that tire calculator but I'll save them for later after I have a chance to fool around with it a little more. I guess I have the bragging rights to who paid the most over invoice *waaaah* --all of you got such great deals on your cars!! ...I'm so envious! but, oh well, I guess I can't be depressed about that and should focus more on enjoying the car for what it is! (but I guess I still have to say that it sux to be in Seattle--lol, no, not really :-P)

Jeff-- I'm not trying to think about repair cost later on down the line but IMO, I think that an A4 will obviously not have the low repair costs and reliability of a Japanese car but on-the-other hand, it isn't going to be like a Lamborghini either. Remember, we have a proven award winning engine that's used across the VW family so that parts and accessibility to repairs shouldn't be that much of a problem in the future

markcincinnati

The only "moron" for not having the sport package AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT, and offering a separate really aggressive "sport package" is Audi.

The Sport Package -- as it is presented on Audis (other than perhaps the S cars) here in North America is so mild in its effect on the ride that it plain should be "standard" equipment.

The front weight bias, although mitigated somewhat in the quattro A4's, is the primary reason for "my opinion" that this should be the case.

The 2002 A4's "mostly" take care of this situation and do have significantly stiffer frame/chassis set ups which allows simultaneously a better ride with improved handling.

The "sport packaged" A4's through 2001 especially in the 1.8t's take corners much flatter (i.e., with less body roll) than the standard suspension versions.

I have had both with and without -- you will NOT be unhappy with the A4 without the sport package, and you are not a moron. No defensiveness needed. I suppose it would be possible to think you were somehow inadequate if you don't chip your turbo Audi, based on some of the postings -- which I also do not believe.

I chipped the 1.8t engine (MTM) and although I loved the power increase found the following:

turbo lag increased and the engine would "quit" for no reason whatsoever. It took many many trips to the dealer (who originally installed the MTM chip for me) to get the dealer and MTM to agree it was the MTM chip's fault. MTM fixed it for "no charge" except for the days and days and days of diagnosis.

I lean toward keeping the beast stock as a result -- once bitten kind of thing.

Anyway -- you have chosen wisely.

lauk0dg

Wow I wonder which dealer in Chicago would do that....or was that a while ago? I'm thinking about chipping and am looking for some reliability info from chipped A4 1.8T owners. Can you tell us more about that? Certainly appreciate that.

I test drove both the non-sport and sport 16" packages and took a few corners....I dunno, maybe I didn't do those hard enough (with dealer and girlfriend on board, it can scare the s*&t out of them) or what, but I didn't notice too big of a difference....yes some difference, but not that big. Maybe I am a moron that I didn't notice, LOL. However I agree that Audi should make the Sports pkg standard and offer some more aggressive sports pkg.

Hey scirocco, what questions you got about that tire calculator??

Billy
2001.5 A4 1.8TQMBC/35% Lluma tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

mmcbride1

OK, so call me cheap. I didn't get the Sport Pkg. because I would have had to buy snow tires instead of just keeping the all-seasons on. Not to mention that after driving a 4Runner for the last 3 years, the regular A4 feels like it corners great. Maybe in 3 years when my lease is up, I'll go for the sports package in a car. Until then, I'm happy with what I got. I probably won't chip, either. The car is fast enough for me as is (right now, at least). If that makes me a poser, so be it.

JBaumgart

I opted for the sport pkg. on my 98.5 which back then gave you 16 inch wheels and Dunlop 8000E's. I too thought the standard suspension was a little soft for my tastes, with the slight but noticably firmer sport suspension being just right. I then bought the cheapest 15 inch alloy wheels I could find along with some Blizzak winter tires from Tire Rack - total cost was just over $600 - and have been using them each winter since. Best of both worlds as far as traction goes, and I just have the dealer put them on/take them off when I go in for oil changes each fall and spring - not inconvenient at all. Great car - no problems of any kind so far.

'98.5 A4 2.8Q - all options except Trip Computer
'01 allroad w/Tip/Conv/Prem/Bose/SR

mmcbride1

It's not the convenience that bothers me, it's the $600. I can think of a lot of other things I'd do with $600 instead of buying snow tires.

markcincinnati

I always get myself into a wordy jam, but here goes.

I bought my wife a 2000 Audi TT (180 hp w/1.8t engine in it) quattro. Basically the same as an A4 1.8t engine, i.e.

She wanted a bit more "grunt."

I called Joe Hoppen Motorsports -- talked with the man and his son (the Hoppen's). They told me about a stage one MTM chip. Took the HP to 195 and increased the torque by over 50%! at about 1,000 RPM higher. $495. Required the removal and overnighting of the ECU or ECM (the dealer removed this, Fed Ex'd it to Hoppen and the next day the newly Chipped ECU (engine control unit, I think it stands for) came via fed ex.) The DEALER then installed the chipped ECU and "tuned up" the engine or something, (using their External Audi Computer).

The car ran GREAT -- HAD a bit of lag and then "leap frogged" to RED LINE. All we could say was WOW.

Then, for no apparent reason, the car would just plain quit, it could be immediately restarted with "no problem." But it was unpredictable and my wife didn't like it.

We took it back to the dealer, who worked with the Hoppens (who were very helpful) to determine that we had the 1 in a million "bad MTM chip" -- they sent the replacement and the problems were eradicated.

The dealer was "in on this" and very helpful -- every step of the way.

I was told that there is a Boston area dealer that installs the chips on the TT's before delivery (calls it a dealer option, like a CD changer or Phone) -- and charges $X for it. Apparently sources MTM chips from Hoppen.

Hoppen will make it right, that is my strongest endorsement. And, because I had the dealer help me, my main cost was time, not additional money.

I have heard some dealers will help, some won't -- my dealer here in Cincinnati has helped me with spoilers, wheels, springs, sway bars, air filters, chips, phones, and flame decals (just kidding about that one).

Full report.

lauk0dg

wow I hope there is a dealer here in Chicagoland that'd do all those things that you mentioned. Apparently Audi put out a service bulletin reminding dealers not to honor the warranty if the chips cause damages to the engine and your problem is related to it.

Yeah I talked to a local MTM dealer here in Chicago and he's checking with the Hoppens and see how much is the chip for 2001.5 is and how much hp and torque gain I can get. So MarkCincinnatti, no problems with your wife's TT's engine so far ??

Billy
2001.5 A4 1.8TQMBC/35% Lluma tint
-thinking about chipping and so much more :>

crud_meridian

how do you get your snow tires to the dealer? i am nervous about driving my 17" tires in the winter, but am highly unlikely to purchase snow tires, because of cost and inconvenience. maybe all weather tires are the fix i need, but all the posts i read here and at audiworld.com characterize that as a bad solution. if i were to sell my sport tires and replace with all-weather, how soon would i need to do this to get a fair amount?

lauk0dg

so you need winter tires. I doubt if you have many choices to put on all-seasons on 17" rims....most of the 17" tires are either summer-only high performance tires or all-season performance tires which provide only marginal winter traction.

JBaumgart

I put two in the trunk and two in the back seat - each wrapped in a lawn-type plastic bag to prevent the seats from getting dirty. The dealer is kind enough to wash them off before putting them in the bags. When I get home I usually take the opportunity when they are off the car to do a more thorough cleaning, and put a coat of wax on them before placing them back in the bags and stacking them in a corner of my garage.



The added safety margin that good winter tires give me and my family is well worth the $600. In fact, just the reduction in the stress level alone that you get from the added control makes it worth it, IMO. The fact that I live in Minnesota (we get real winters here) makes a difference too.

In the summer, admittedly, the benefit is just the added fun factor - sharper handling around curves, cloverleafs, etc. When it's time to take the winter tires off and the Z-rated rubber goes on, it's almost like you just got yourself a new car!

I prefer this winter/summer changeover approach to the compromises you inevitably must accept with all-season tires. I realize that it's not for everybody, but this has worked well for me for quite a few years now with a variety of different cars.

scirocco22

You can't really call the stock 15" Goodyear LS' "snow tires" so essentially I'd be throwing them away. --putting snow tires on the stock 15" rims and then getting a new set of 16" or 17" rims with summer performance tires. man, my head is hurting from all this complication!

scirocco22

A4 coming in close second to the BMW 3-series--a real close second. And it states that the A4 is a better value to boot. "When you consider that the A4 1.8T is thousands less than a similarly-equipped BMW 3 Series (for example, the 184-horsepower, 2.5-liter, six-cylinder BMW 325xi is more than $36,000) the Audi looks more and more like a bargain."

"Sometimes second best is best of all"

--"The 3 Series is quite possibly the best sedan on the planet, but the A4 isn't far behind."

It's from an Edmunds review that I think came out yesterday. Click on link below to read the article if you have't already read it.

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/spin/46014/article.html

mmcbride1

Oh, I know that snow tires are better in winter, but in Denver, they're not as necessary as in Minnesota. When it snows here, it is usually melted off the streets in a few days. I also didn't want 17" rims for our lovely pot-holed streets, either. 16's would be perfect for me, but I think I'll stick with the 15's.

mmcbride1

That's a very good article. I feel the same way they do. I like the Bimmer a little more, but not that much more. For the price, you can't beat the A4.

willimjo

I don't disagree with the assessment of the A4, but the price comparison to the 325 seems to be misleading. The article didn't outline all the options on their test 1.8Tq, other than to state it had the quattro, automatic, xenons, and side airbags.

List price (including destination) of a 2001.5 BMW 325 with auto, AWD, xenons, side airbags and metallic paint is $32,020, not the "over $36,000" as stated. There is a price difference, in Audi's favor, it's just not as wide as the article indicates.

It seems to me, if the author was going to make price a central point of the article, a sidebar outlining complete options, would be warranted. This would allow an accurate price comparison.

scirocco22

James-- I respectfully disagree. The 325xi equipped similarly to the A4 I purchased (awd, sunroof, side airbags, metallic paint, heated seats, upgraded stereo, trip computer, xenon lights plus other items that come standard on the A4--and I'm going to add an automatic tranny for the purpose of this discussion) comes in with an MSRP of $36,180. My car, if I were to have had an auto tranny would have a MSRP of $31,215. That's a difference of $4,965 for similarly equipped vehicles.

don't know if this link will transfer or not:

http://jbox03.edmunds.com/products/tmv/newtmv/epl/step03.jsp?tmv=988829578024

markcincinnati

I don't know all the options avail on the BMW, but I tried adding even a factory phone to the Audi and the the MINIMUM price difference I could come up with was still over $4,000!

I know there is a difference, but $4,000 difference? Especially with a lease of 24 to 36 months, the Audi has to be considered a bargain. I will be very interested in this comparison when the new 2002 A4 1.8t comes to town. I have driven a 2002 A4 quattro with sport, ESP+, 2.5TD (which at 180 hp -- yes the torque does come on quickly, but so does the 1.8t [just a bit less] -- is a close approximation of the "feel" I am certain) and it is much more than an evolution of the A4 concept. Hopefully the new A4 when compared to the the BMW 325 w/AWD will show an even greater advantage toward the Audi.

On the other hand if it does not, competition will surely improve the breed!