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Audi A4 2004 and earlier
to the second A4 discussion.
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L8_Apex
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Those of you joining us from the original Audi A4
topic can continue your discussion.
If you are new to the Town Hall and/or this topic,
please feel free to contribute your thoughts.
You'll want to follow the above link for prior,
archived discussion about the A4.
Thanks,
L8_Apex
Sedans Host
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Comments
About the tire life, the softer the compound, the more grip it has, but shorter life. You don't have to corner at 80mph to feel the difference, a 30mph corner can make the difference. If you've seen those $50 cheapo tires, they feel like brick, they may last 70k miles, but they'll squeak at every turn. I'm not saying all-seasons will be this bad (Michelin MXV+ that came with my A6 is pretty good), but I'd definitely get performance tires if they are offered.
About the tire life, even the better tires cost about $100 each from Tire Rack, so spending $400 every 2-3 years isn't a big deal to me.
After all, it's the tires that bring the car's power (and Quattro) to the road, why not get the best?
I don't know where you live, but where I live it snows. I didn't want to have to change to snow tires, get regular high performance tires on a semi constant basis, give up a little ride comfort, and have to get new alloys to replace the unappealing (IMHO) ten spoke wheels that come with the sport package. That said, the $400 that the sports package costs on the 2.8, has now cost me a set of snow tires (which I have no room to store in the summer), high performance tires every two years, and between $1-2,000 for nicer wheel covers. What a bargain!, just to gain a slight advantage on cornering.
My husband, who drove race cars in Washington State thinks the standard suspension is great and so do I. I did not see that much of a difference in the sports suspension to warrant those kind of costs, plus the $400 initial investment. Getting the sports steering wheel was fine with me.
To each his own. That's why Audi has so many color combinations, and choices on car configurations.
DRIVE BOTH.
If you feel it's worth the extra $750 (which I think is a steal), buy it. If not, happy trails to you.
BTW, the new ten-spokes are pretty ugly. Glad I have the seven-spokes on my 99.5 QMS
Jeez, am I the only one who LIKES the 10-spoke alloys on the Sports Package? I think they are worlds better than the standard 1.8 alloy, but of course not as attractive as the standard 2.8 alloys which are the best by far.
Well, it is just possible that I could be in an A4 by Monday. Unless I totally freak out!
Also wanted to point out that Audi dealers here in the States just love to make Audi sound like it's some hauty luxury division. But as someone else posted, most Euro A4 sales are of FWD 1.8T. And Audi has the Golf variant A3 and also a dinky little A2. I had a dealer tell me that Audi should really just concentrate on the A6 and A8, that the A4 was really a low-end car for them. Obviously he was oblivious to Euro tastes - for whom the A6 is almost obnoxiously large.
Okay, off my soap-box I go.
Thank you!
Ikan: You would benefit greatly asking about the PES supercharger on www.a4.org. The only thing I know, and why people probably don't discuss it that much is that it is quite expensive. For the price you would pay for the supercharger, you could have practically purchased an S4!
I'm on the lookout for a dealer who has an A4 without sport that I can test drive---no one seems to have it, not even here in Cali. But, I do want to check it out for myself. I'm leaning away from it though--I must say I do prefer a softeride.
Has anyone actually received delivery of a car from CarOrder.com yet? There has been alot of discussion, but I'm curious if they are as good as word says. And how does that work as far as working with a local dealer for service when you have not bought the car from them?
seriously consider the S4 as an alternative.
I picked up a new S4 on Monday and have driven about 200 miles. let me tell you, the reviews are all true and then some!
although I've got no direct experience with a PES blower, I had the Jackson Racing S/C installed on a '98 Acura Integra GSR last year.
when it worked right, it was a blast to drive but there were quite a few problems with the timing.
the belt noise from the S/C was also much harsher than the biturbo on the S4, which sounds great.
the GSR S/C was removed after only 4000 miles and set me back around $4000.
there is a detailed post by me in the Sports Cars topic #8 post #571 and subsequent discussion.
to fully realize the extra power of the PES unit, you would probably have to modify the suspension, go to bigger wheels, etc.
the Audi engineers have already done all that for you with the S4 and if (God forbid!) there still isn't enough power for you, there will no doubt be a wealth of aftermarket stuff like chips, bigger turbos, etc. for the S4 pretty soon.
you also get some extra stuff (like Xenon lights and leather seats) that cost extra on the A4.
the S4 has a close ratio 6-speed manual to get the most out of the power although 3rd gear by itself can handle many curvy roads at two or three times the legal speed limit.
(for any police officers out there, please note that I always drive responsibly and stay well within the posted speed limit.)
Audi's new RS4 (the wicked little station wagon avail. in Europe) starts with the S4 engine and makes 380 bhp. it's one little bugger that can definitely HAUL your groceries!
seriously consider the S4 as an alternative.
I picked up a new S4 on Monday and have driven about 200 miles. let me tell you, the reviews are all true and then some!
although I've got no direct experience with a PES blower, I had the Jackson Racing S/C installed on a '98 Acura Integra GSR last year.
when it worked right, it was a blast to drive but there were quite a few problems with the timing.
the belt noise from the S/C was also much harsher than the biturbo on the S4, which sounds great.
the GSR S/C was removed after only 4000 miles and set me back around $4000.
there is a detailed post by me in the Sports Cars topic #8 post #571 and subsequent discussion.
to fully realize the extra power of the PES unit, you would probably have to modify the suspension, go to bigger wheels, etc.
the Audi engineers have already done all that for you with the S4 and if (God forbid!) there still isn't enough power for you, there will no doubt be a wealth of aftermarket stuff like chips, bigger turbos, etc. for the S4 pretty soon.
you also get some extra stuff (like Xenon lights and leather seats) that cost extra on the A4.
the S4 has a close ratio 6-speed manual to get the most out of the power although 3rd gear by itself can handle many curvy roads at two or three times the legal speed limit.
(for any police officers out there, please note that I always drive responsibly and stay well within the posted speed limit.)
Audi's new RS4 (the wicked little station wagon avail. in Europe) starts with the S4 engine and makes 380 bhp. it's one little bugger that can definitely HAUL your groceries!
Best of luck with your decision this weekend. And let us know if those ventilation holes really work in the leatherette, as you will truly put them to the test in your climate!
Will I burn the skin off my legs when I sit on the seats on the 45th day over 100degrees in Dallas? My car sits outside during the day at work and this is a big fear. Anybody in the Dallas to Phoenix type climate have any wisdom?
Anybody have the Sideguard airbags or heard anything about them. Big part of my decision to go A4 is the fabulous safety reviews by Consumer Reports. Sideguard air bags make me wait but it seems like an excellent option.
Any body had problems with the sunroof? I'm not a big sunroof fan, (my Miata satifies that need) but the wife likes the sunroof. Any problems or concerns with this option?
I haven't taken the car to dealer for Audi Advantage service yet (only 5 weeks since the purchase, the first oil change is at 8000 miles!), but I'm guessing that it is no different than if you moved from another state. The warranty manual clearly states that you can take it to any Audi dealer.
I asked that question on the A4 forum, and the majority of people with Silver exteriors have onyx interiors, and they all say that is doesn't get very hot. Just get a sunshield, and open the windows like beachbumm indicated (Audi has it where you can open all windows at once with your key, I believe it can also be programmed into your remoted as well). People answered me from all over the country, including Texas, Florida and Arizona, and noone had any complaints about the onyx seats in the heat. The climate control system works great, and I really don't think it will be a problem. Also, like Beachbumm said, I would put a towel down if it were to be in the sun all day, no matter what color interior I had. You guys in Texas also tint your windows, which should help alot.
I really don't think there should be any problems. We had a really hot summer in NJ this past year, with temperatures getting into the 100's almost every day, and I had dark gray leather seats on my Pathfinder, and never felt hot, and my climate control system was not anywhere as good as the Audis.
Good luck. I know it's hard waiting for the car, but if you go to www.A4.org, you will live vicariously through the other owners and people waiting for their cars!
1. The color on the car (which has to be the same as mine), looks very metallic on my car. It is gorgeous and has gotten alot of compliments. It is a true light silver. If you put it next to other silver cars, it shines out unbelievably.
2. As far as power is concerned, I have the 2.8 and thought it was sluggish at first, but after the first 1,000 miles, it changed dramatically. I am at about 1,200 miles now, and it is changing every day. That also goes for the tiptronic, which sort of changes to your driving style as time goes on, and becomes more responsive to your shifts. I find that the tiptronic definitely makes the car seem faster. I would certainly use it as much as I can, except for really bad traffic.
3. As far as the wood goes, I think I posted once to go to Joshuatree.com. Alot of A4orgers got their wood there. They have real wood that is made especially for the specific type of car that you have, and is much cheaper than the OEM wood. It will probably cost you about $300 as opposed to about $800 for Audi wood. The gray interior is gorgeous, it just needs the wood. As they say on the A4 board, there are not bad combinations in Audi. They really plan their colors and combinations very carefully, and I have not yet seen a color and/or combination I didn't like.
4. It definitely seems that you need to lower the seat, as my husband is 6'3", and the power seats sit higher than the non power seats and he has plenty of headroom, even with the sunroof. It takes a while to get that sweet spot in the seating position. Even with the power seats, it took me about three weeks to get it just right, now it is so comfortable, it is like a barcalounger.
5. As far as wind noise is concerned, I have excessive wind noise as well. There is a TSB/fix for this, and I plan to bring it up at my first service. That is probably one of the biggest things people have complained about on the A4 forum, and most people have had it fixed by the dealer. I believe it is due to the driver's side mirror, and they put some insulation in there. If that is my only complaint, I will be very happy. Also, you might notice that the driver's side windshield wiper stops about 2-3 inches from the side of the window. The people on the A4 forum said that is the way is comes from the factory, and the dealer can set them basically anyway you want. That is another thing I will bring up at the first service. Otherwise, this car has been flawless so far.
You will notice new little things every day that you will probably say, why didn't I think of that. It is a really good idea to read the manual, as it showed me things I would never know existed on the car. In fact I took it through it's first car wash yesterday, and the owner of the car wash insisted on sitting in it and asking me a million questions. He said it is one of the safest and nicest looking cars on the road, and he is thinking of getting one.
Best of luck to you and your new baby!
The dash used to be all red before the Y2K model, now it is white and red, and looks great!
You should be O.K. with the tiptronic without quattro after the breakin period. Like you said, without the quattro, the pickup should be alot better, probably equal to, or close to the 2.8 with quattro.
Keep up the driving, it's good for you!
better, probably equal to, or close to the 2.8 withquattro"
You did mean a CHIPPED 1.8T, right? 'Cause a non-quattro 1.8T still won't be as fast as a Quattro 2.8 unless you chip it.
Beachbumm has an automatic 1.8 without quattro, so he would still have to chip it to get the power of the 2.8.
I am really loving the way I can toss this car around. It loves to turn. Too bad our roads are so straight! I am SO glad I got the sports package. Really makes a difference with the tires and the handling. I realize that most people think this car is underpowered and it probably is with both Tiptronic and Quattro. But I am not disappointed at all with the pickup. It is a little slow off a stoplight but at 3000 rpm she will do anything. I can see getting the boost pressure up to 11 lbs or so and watch me peel rubber then. Did I tell you that I LOVE to drive this car? She is so sweet. People really look at this car. Of course, the silver is simply gorgeous. Did I tell you that I really really LOVE to drive this car?
Compared to the cost of an accident, or even the insurance deductable plus increased premium, a set of snow tires is a bargain. You can get a set of excellent snow tires (Pirelli 210A, Dunlop M2, Michelin Pilot Arpin) for about $500 in the US (tirerack.com). Many people mount them on separate rims to avoid scratching the wheels during mounting and also to save on the mounting cost. A complete set of 4 tires and 4 alloy wheels is about $1000. For a car that cost $25k-$30k, this could be the best money spent.
Remember that you're not simply throwing away money on snow tires. Your summer tires will not get any wear during winter so their life will be greatly extended. Even if you don't have snow tires, you will be purchasing a new set of tires 2-3 years later when they wear out anyway, so why not purchase a set of snow tires now?
If you're still not convinced, go to a4.org Wheel Forum and read what A4 owners say.
Yes, if I lived in Florida, I would more than likely have gotten the sport package. Without having to change over to snow tires and storing them, it would have been a no brainer.
Glad you're really enjoying it, so am I. I get alot of compliments as well. Just trying to keep it ding free for as long as I can. I informed my husband that his Jeep is the new "mall" driver, especially around this time of year!
I'm glad you got the seat right. It took me a while, but now it's like a barcalounger!
Dunlop M2s (H-rated at 130 mph) were put on my S4 last Friday and worked commendably in our first snow here in upstate NY. they give very good dry weather handling and road noise is no worse than the stock performance tires; definitely worth the incremental cost of mounting each year.
beachbum, your "brute or fashion model" comments made me laugh because I'd just run across a big 4x4 V10 Ram Truck in a big hurry at a stoplight on a wet, slippery road.
he revved that big motor impatiently waiting for the light to turn as I sat there beside him in the innocent little sedan. I figured this was the perfect time to test the Quattro AWD. he gave me a look of utter disbelief as the S4 rocketed past him and will definitely be giving every A4 that he sees a lot of respect from now on!
BTW, my owners manual says activating the heated driver's seat will also heat the steering wheel, which came as a surprise to me. I've read that the A6 has a heated steering wheel, but wasn't aware this also came with the A4/S4.
the auto doesn't penalize the torquey S4 as much but adding .6 seconds is still significant since the manual gets to 60 in under 6 seconds.
an auto also adds weight which is another reason it's a bit slower.
even though you can shift the car yourself with the tiptronic, power is still channeled through the torque converter. millon dollar Formula-1 cars have pushbutton shifters but these buttons actually activate a computer controlled clutch, resulting in lightning quick shifts. it will probably be awhile before production cars use this technology, which is quite expensive.
personally, I think 0-60 times are overrated and what's really important is how easily you can accelerate in everyday driving.
equalizer1, my owners manual has the * so I guess the heated steering wheel isn't there after all.
thanks for the clarification.
Anyway, if you are in a gear for any given length of time, and it is the right gear (you haven't jammed your car up to 5th at 10mph using the Tiptronic), then the torque convertor is locked up and you aren't losing much power except to friction.
Last I checked (a couple years ago), Mercedes-Benz had resisted lockup torque converters since they thought it made the tranny a little harsher.
I would get the A6, but not without an extended warranty, at least until 100,000 miles. Worth every penny, especially for a high end European car. Don't blame Audi, lot's of cars start breaking down with 73,000 miles. Even my Prelude died it's final breath around that mark. You just need to think ahead next time.
As far as the cruise control is concerned, it is a little bit unergonomic. My husband thinks its great, but I think touch and feel on something like that can be a little dangerous, but it actually works very well once you get the hang of it.
I haven't had the chance to use the intermittent wipers with gloves on yet, but I am sure it will be a little clumsy. I guess everything with gloves on everything is a little clumsy.
Took my car to Audi yesterday to have the windshield wipers adjusted so that the driver's side one wipes a little closer to the A pillar, and it is a million times better. Took them 2 seconds to adjust. Also, this past weekend my husband (eagle eyes), noticed that the leather on the driver's seat by the power switches in one spot, was coming out of the plastic bucket it is supposed to be in. Everything else was fine. I showed it to the service manager at Audi, and without hesitation, he is ordering me a new seat cover and I'm going to have it installed. The only thing that bothers me is that they have to take the seat out to recover it. He promised me that nothing else will be touched and everything will work perfectly. I am so anal about anyone touching my car, even an experienced mechanic. My husband is anal about little things, like the leather coming up. He thinks that in a car of this caliber, it should not look that way. I could live with it, rather than them tearing the seat out, but he is very insistent upon everything being perfect. I guess it's easier to be single!
I havent been for a test drive yet because closest dealership is an hour away. Is there a big difference in the ride and handling of the car if you get the Quattro instead of just haveing the front wheel drive? Also the Audi TT is now available as a convertiable.
Yes, there is a big difference between Quattro and front wheel drive. So far I haven't experienced it in the snow, but in the rain, you are glued to the road. I never had so much confidence driving in the rain before, and I have owned all front wheel drive cars. Also, taking corners and off ramps at a good clip will be a breeze with the Quattro. You basically never lose your grip. Also, resale value is much greater with the quattro option.
If you go to A4.org, the majority of Audi owners in general will tell you to get the Quattro no matter where you live. The biggest advantage of not having the Quattro, is not having the extra weight of the Quattro, which would make acceleration faster.
I also have the 2.8, and it is the best car I have owned so far (I have it only six weeks), and I have owned many. I think it is worth an hour's drive to test drive one.
Good luck!