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Comments
Wow a 1997 with only 28k miles? Good deal. Enjoy it!!
Billy
Thanks fdxboy for that advice....when you meant the tailpipe "breaks", is that where the stock exhaust "tip" meets the pipe sticking out from the muffler? They'll do that for $15-$20 only?? So did you have any rattling before the spot weld?
To lauk0dg's employer: lauk0dg needs a HUGE raise$$$$ :>
Billy
Yeah, us newbies over at AW kinda have to watch our steps. I've been ignored by the regulars over there on more than one thread. I have to think carefully before I post for fear of looking like an idiot. Obviously I have plenty of practice appearing idiotic here at Edmunds! --and I'm essentially ignored here too so I don't know why I should hesitate posting over there! lol :P
PS: beaten??? I'd never beat you! I'm a non-violent person! peace :P
Darn it I didn't dream about ANY cars last night.....not even an Aztek LOL. Oh well.
Hehe about whether or not the tip will become loose or not, maybe the screws will rust or the threads will be plugged up by dirt and stuff, the screws might not get loosened up. I guess I'll keep my ears open and if there's ANY rattling, I'm going straight to Midas like fdxboy suggested.
mmmm time to get dirty.....talk to y'all after my installation.
Billy
I have made decision to buy a 5 speed manual Silver colored Audi A4 1.8T (Quattro) with Quattro Sports package, Cold weather package, celebration package. The dealer is quoting a price of $ 27665 for this combination. This was the first quote from the dealer and I firmly believe that there is room for negotiation even if the TMV indicated is $ 27935 on Edmunds.
Can anyone share his/her experience about the pricing? This would be helpful in negotiating the prices.
-Shri
I'm jealous that you're getting the sport pkg! You won't regret that. And hopefully you'll join a bunch of us here with silver A4's! Good luck and keep us informed!
But don't get Shri discouraged in negotiating to try to get the price down a little. I just noticed that last week Edmunds recalculated the TMV on the A4 down more than $400! Jeez, maybe I should have waited 3 months before I bought mine. Even though I'm in Seattle, I still might have saved a little money! If you remember (we were both posting over on the "1.8t Pricing" board; what happened to that board, anyway??), I bought mine about 2 weeks after you did at 5.2% over which wasn't too bad for around here. Only problems is that now, here in the Seattle area, there aren't that many 5-speeds around anymore.
About the sports pkg, Shrikant, just in case you haven't got our drift in our past posts, if you get the pkg that means you will have performance tires on them and if you got snow/ice in the winter, you need to get winter tires and new alloy wheels to go with them. Something to keep in mind.
I got the exhaust tips in this morning and they look mighty good :> One thing though, I can't really stick the allen wrench to tighten one of the screws and if the screws start getting loose on me I really need to go spot weld them like fdxboy said. Other than that, I stuck them out about 1.25 inch out from the stock ones and I like 'em sticking out a little more so people can see 'em shiny ones :>
OK and mmmm what should be my next project.....??
Just reached 3,900 miles in 3 months right after I parked my car.....and I was trying hard to keep it under 1,000 miles per month.....arrrgghh somebody STOP me :>
Billy
Thanks for the tips. I actually revisited Edmunds and found just what Scirocco mentioned. The new findings are (Invoice-$ 26365, TMV-$ 27546). so my deal autmatically becomes expensive. I feel that if we go by the percentages you mentioned, I should be looking for anywhere between $ 27k-$ 27.4K).
I am in NJ at zip 08817.
BTW, laukodg- Did you buy the exhaust tips as accessories afterwards?
-Shri
*mud guards: some say that they detract from the smooth looks of this car and don't do too much to contain mud from splashing on the sides of the car. Others swear by them, especially with the sport pkg because of the slightly larger tires. I agree with the former; I'm not adding them to my car but I do notice a lot of spray on the rear bumper after driving on wet roads. But also like we've discussed before, the silver color VERY impressively masks light spray and dirt on the car unless you really get close and inspect anally (that didn't sound quite right! lol --ok, inspect *carefully*).
Billy-- I was gonna say clear corners but Whew! I just caught the end of one of your posts and yeah, glad you don't wanna do the clear corners bit. That sounds like a real pain to do yourself. After reading about it over at AW, it almost makes me want to go out and buy a dremel. Do you have one? How about the e-code tail light assembly? I'm still researching that one. And the other thing that I want to do is the front fog light mod. I definitely want to do that since our US models don't have DRL's (and to save my Xenons, yuk yuk). And yes, I know that both that mod and the clear corner mod are illegal but I'm not that concerned with the fog light mod, I'm sure cops have much more important things to do than to pull people over for running with only the fog lights lit--lol. Congrats on the exhaust tips! I'm going to put that one on my list.
hmmmm, I'm averaging about 330 miles/month. Dang, I gotta drive this thing more often! What's wrong with me???
Michael-- do you have me on "ignore" ??? nah, just kidding, I'm used to being ignored! lol
Now that's what I don't quite understand --the legal issues with modifying OEM equippment. Is it a state to state issue or federal? I'm assuming that it's federal; something to do with either DOT or SAE. My understanding is that our cars are required to be equipped with amber reflectors on the front side and red reflectors on the rear sides. This isn't the case for cars in other countries; ie: European countries, Australia, etc. So that's why Audis in Germany automatically have clear front corners. --And also why the e-code tail lights don't have the required red reflectors built in that are required here in the US. So the e-code tails that I want to install that have the amber turn signal indicators (required in Europe) are actually illegal here in the US because they have no side reflectors or side marker lights (I believe that's another regulation here in the US; red side marker lights in rear and amber side markers in front). I'm willing to take the chance on those too. There's also some regulation here in the US that all auxilliary lighting (fogs or driving lights) must be used only with headlamps on low beam and must be turned off when high beams are used. Therefore it is illegal, here in this country, to use just fog lights without the headlamps being on. This is my understanding anyway; do you have any additional input on this??
BTW, dealer says my 1.8T is ahead of their original production projections. Now looking at mid-July delivery -- yahoo!
Fdxboy, yeah unless you cut the Allen wrench shorter and use another allen to pull it or push it to tighten the screw, it's damn hard to tighten that inside screw. Oh well, I'll see how good/bad it holds.
Hey Scirocco, stop saying that.....we're all paying attention and find your advice useful. It's just sometimes the postings come so fast and so much detail it's hard to respond to all questions/suggestions/concerns. Yeah definitely get those exhaust tips. Hey what about a Jetta wagon??? I dunno, ok it doesn't have 4Motion available, but it's a handsome one in the commercial. Looks pretty big too, as I found that the wagon part is actually visually longer than the rear passenger's compartment.
About clear/reflector corners, I put some of those in my Accord and I heard it's illegal in IL.....not sure if it's a fed or state issue though. I dunno, but the corner looks kinda awesome now and personally I don't wanna change that. I'm however, interested to change the signal light at the back to yellow.....I just hate the red signal lights.....you know, those tiny ones on the back of big pickups.....often confuse whether or not they have a burnt out bulb and trying to brake or simply try to signal.....don't start laughing yet cuz I almost got into an accident cuz this dumb guy wouldn't fix one of his signaling bulb and he's actually trying to brake instead of signaling. Yuck.
Billy
And double Yahoo!! That's great news! Let us know when you get it and be sure to tell us all about it! You know we'll be here to answer any questions you have :P
Station wagon.....have you thought of the new Mazda wagon? That looks pretty sharp too, and it should be easier on your wallet.
AND yes you should drive yours more often.....300 miles a month? Geez. I'm doing like 1300 a month. Maybe I should get a beater and only use the A4 on the weekends.
Billy
Billy
Billy-- Mazda wagon?? Do they have a new wagon out?? I'll check it out. Is it a Protoge wagon? I'll also check out the Jetta too when I have the chance. Is the wagon also made in Mexico like the sedans are? I'd probably like to get it with the 1.8t so that I could maybe interchange parts and such ...having two cars in the garage with the same engine would seem to make sense.
Speaking of Audi being screwed, did you guys read this guy's post over on AW Friday? I really did ROTFLMAO!!!! http://forums.audiworld.com/a4/msgs/581433.phtml
And Billy, I know you keep harping on that inadequate VW warranty but one thing I didn't know about it that makes it even worse is this *disclaimer*:
"Wear and tear items and adjustments excluded after initial 12 months/12,000 miles (whichever occurs first)"
That's so ridiculous!! I didn't realize they had that limitation! That means that after one year, you gotta pay for ANY adjustments that have to be made on the brand new car you just purchased!! That means you have to hope that all things are working correctly and do not need any attention paid to (excluding defective parts) within the first year that you own the car or you're "screwed!" Do our Audis have that limitation written in fine print anywhere?? I hope not!
Wow that's a bad disclaimer in the VW site....I didn't notice it.....well i heard people in AW saying Audi might split the cost to replace an item even after the warranty so it might be a different case in Audi??
Yeah the Jetta wagon comes in either the 2.0L 115hp engine or the VR6 engine pumping 174hp.....no 1.8T engine.....oh well even though if you can get the same engine in 2 cars you own, you are not going to really swap parts, d'ya?? I mean you don't have a fully functional shop at your home so you can pull things out from one and put it into another??
Yeah I think the new wagon is the Protege wagon.....or at least the size of it is the Protege wagon. I tried to go to www.mazdausa.com and their website is DOWN??? What the..... anyhow yeah and it looks pretty sharp. You can also see Mazda putting out those commercials on TV.....zoom zoom.
Billy
http://www.mazdausa.com/protege5/default.asp?vehicle=protege5&zip=&did=&state=
lol, no, I don't have a fully functional shop in my garage but I'm thinking if I sometime need a part or something that I could just go over and take it off one car and use it on the other temporarily. But that's pretty far fetched so you made your point, I guess it doesn't really matter that much!
Ok, now back to talking about A4's. Do you notice a wind noise at speeds above about 45 mph coming from between the left mirror and left edge of the windshield? It's not a leaking wind noise but rather an "outside" wind noise that seems to indicate faulty aerodynamics. It increases in intensity as speed increases. I think I've read something about that on AW but can't quite recall the details and also about the 2002's having much less wind noise and quieter overall cabin acoustics. I haven't really noticed it that much until recently because I usually have the stereo turned up and the h.v.a.c. fan turned up. But now it's starting to bug me a little for you can really detect it with everything turned off. Anybody else bothered by this?
Oh, and about Audi splitting the cost of a repair after the warranty has expired, I think they'd only be willing to do that if you could prove that the problem existed before the expiration of the warranty or if it has been an on-going problem during the warranty period that extended beyond the expiration of the warranty. I can't imagine them covering half the cost of ANY repair after the warranty period is over. It would be nice though :>
In other words, if you wanna get an 2002 S4, better get it soon. It's going to cease production shortly after the 2001.5 A4 ends, which is around July I think. Someone over at AudiWorld (www.audiworld.com for Drew37) said that their 2001 S4 on order had been converted to a 2002 order, so that means if you order an S4 now, it WILL be a 2002 model. You can also order the 2002 A4 now, but so far nobody over there can give accurate numbers on how much they will pay, even the dealers don't have an accurate number. I just wonder, if I were those A4 buyers, I won't put in an order without even knowing how much I will pay.....oh well, maybe they got cash to spare and want to have the first new A4 around the block, which I still think it's too VWish.
Broke the 4,000 mark this past weekend.....oh no. Gas costs come down in Chicago tho, $2.19/gal for Juice 93.
About the wind noise Scirocco, yeah I noticed at the right angle and the right wind speed, at cruising speeds like 70+ mph, yeah there're some but less noticeable than my Accord.....I like the A4 especially at higher speeds cuz it's so stable and so easy to maneuver. Gotta drive yours and hear for myself.....buy me a ticket over to Seattle and we'll have a deal :>
Billy
Of course this may make the chip crowd a little upset as the non-turbo Audi engines don't respond as easily, readily or cheaply to the "magic" of the chip.
I for one had kind of hoped for a 2.9T bi-turbo engine with a 6 speed tip or 6 speed manual and perhaps 295 (or more) factory horsepower -- we'll see.
Rumor mill seems to support the notion of a V8 S4, BTW.
I just read a line over at AW that some guy just ordered his 2002 S4 this past week and his dealer and AoA confirmed the last production date of 2002 S4 (current one) will be July 28, 01. In other words, you cannot order an 2002 S4 anymore.....only remaining ways are you can pick one out from the dealer's lot, or you make your dealer to change an existing dealer order hopefully to carry the options you want.
I would realllllly hope Audi would produce, like Mark said, a V8 S4 in 03 or 04.....and with more reliable turbos on the S4's.....dunno if the failed turbos as reported in AW are related to chipping or not.
Billy
AND, happy as hell I didn't opt for cloth seats in the heat of the moment. The leatherette really gives it a classy look.
All things considered, so far soooooooo good.
JB
Yeah it surprises me and my coworkers to see it can get 26mpg combined 70% local and 30% highway (approx) on an AWD vehicle. I guess you must be racking up those 250 miles on a highway to get that kind of mileage you got. Now you can choose to *waste* (no no no) your time on AudiWorld lookin for more things to do to your car!
So what are the stats? Prices if you don't mind? You close to Milwaukee??
Billy
I'm averaging 23-24 with some 'spirited' driving as well. Right about 320-340 miles per tank.
Although I think Melange is the fastest...
fdx - the last half of the tank does go much faster, esp. the last 1/4. I just go by mileage, anyway.
Billy-- I can't even imagine needing 350 hp but don't let me get into that philosophy which I stated in an earlier post, lol --I might get lynched by you guys that gotta have that *enormous* hp rating! :P
And you're averaging 26 mph? --wow, that IS impressive! I'm looking for that kind of mileage after I'm *broken-in.* Are you going to continue to use "premium" even after the gas prices shoot up this summer? I've been thinking of going mid-grade every other tank or maybe alternate at half a tank.
Michael-- Yeah, I noticed the same thing --it really goes down fast after the half way mark! Have you used your DTE display to relate it to gallons left yet? I've been meaning to do that but I'm only on my second tank of gas! lol (I know, I know, I should be driving it more).
btw, how accurate is everyone's DTE (distance to empty) reading, anyway? I haven't checked mine yet for it's accuracy. Hope that it's as accurate as my ambient temperature reading--that seems right on the nose (and the snowflake even comes on at 41(?) degrees too!)
(actually, originally, melange was my first choice, lol)
Scirocco, I think I'm going with Premium unless it goes up to $3/gal..... (touch wood). You know, figure in about a $1.60 difference MAX in gas savings between premium and intermediate (assuming 16gal in the whole tank and 10 cents difference per gal). I'd rather pay that difference than to sacrifice performance or have the engine to get used to 89 from time to time. Plus I'm paying like $30 to fill up, and it doesn't hurt me as bad to put in $31.60 to fill up anyways.
About the gas mileage, I think it is still too early for us to compare the mpg figures until after the first service at 5k. Especially during break-in period the engine works extra hard to break itself in and the oil will have so much junk in there it's not even funny. Wait till we got the new oil in the engine....mmmm time to do mileage calculations.....by the way, what engine oil are you guys going to put into the engine? Mobil Synthetic 0W40?? or 5W40? or 0W30? or 5W30?
There is a reserved 1.6 gal (or something like that) in the tank (included in the total 16 gal tank) that'll be left after the reading says 0 miles. So technically you can go for another 30 or 40 miles before it drained out completely, but of course that's not recommended.
Billy
Djrunner.....yup 3% is a good minimum target for bargaining. Watch out now, as dealer's stock runs dry and the 2002's are yet to come, they might raise the price a little bit so if you want one, go get one now.
Hehe fdxboy, I remembered that Melange coming in......and I think Continental Audi is showing off their generosity by giving the guy an A6 2.8 to drive as a loaner.....I wish I will get that treatment although I didn't buy from them.....if they do that to me, I guess I will go there for all my service :> Btw, where did you buy it? And where do/did you bring it to service?
Billy
As for details: 1.8T Quattro, Tip, Celebration, Cold Weather. Silver/Onyx leatherette. Opted out of the ESP and Bose. Feel a little guilty about not getting the ESP, but I'll have to live with it.
As for price, (*choke*) paid about 4% over invoice. It wasn't the 3% I was hoping for, but in all honesty, I don't think it was going to happen here in WI...maybe if I'd have gone to IL for the car. As it was, they had to ship this one up from Missouri! They found 2 others in IL but dealers wouldn't release them.
Right now, I'm at the stage where the car continually amazes me. Fits like a glove, handles beautifully, and has more than enough pep to keep a smile on my face. My wife cracked me up last night, she kept thinking it was going to stall when she came to a stop because she can barely hear the engine running....it's just that quiet. Yet, when you juice'r up, the 1.8T has that little growl I love.
Damn, just realized yesterday was my first full day without driving it!!
JB
JB
Bast...don't be hard on yourself...I got 4% over invoice myself but the thing that sealed the deal was that they offered me $900 more on my trade than anybody else would. I share your enthustiastic feelings on your A4..but give it time...you will wish that you got the sport package like the rest of us "non-sport" package guys. Don't worry about the ESP...unless you do some really enthustiastic driving...it won't matter to you too much as long as you have the Quattro.
Signed,
A happy non-sport A4 owner.
Yeah I live in Lisle and I'm struggling to see if I will bring mine over to Continental with a short drive, but risking not to get a loaner, or drive all the way up to Schaumburg where I bought mine.....heck they got to give me a loaner there at Schaumburg, right? The sales manager at Continental gave me a card and told me to give him a call and see what he can do about a loaner car.....hope it'd work.
Yeah JB, relax.....or otherwise you will join us in the "Audi A4 Addiction Club" :> So you are not the daily driver of the A4 huh? So what car are you "stuck" at? :>
About the sports suspension, I guess I like it the way it is on a straight run (expansion cracks not too pronounced).....around curves, I'd like the sports suspension and stickier tires.....so I guess you just can't have both worlds. And yeah, you need to shelf out extra $$ for alloys and winter tires for sure if you got snow/ice in the winter. So yeah, we can use the 15" non-sports alloys for winter tires while going for the wheels and tires we definitely like for the summer, IF that's the route to go.
Hehe State Farm just mailed me a letter telling me to fill out info cuz my 25th b-day is coming up :> Lower rates by like 35%......sweeeeeeet. Now that extra cash pops up.....mmmm.....maybe it's time for some nice suspension or wheels :>
Billy