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Audi S4 and S4 Cabriolet
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phill
One thing I have noticed in the past 2 weeks is that the gear box is "notchier" than my former car. Since I can't remember what that car was like new (15+ years ago), I don't have much comparision. I've since read some comments about the S4 manual transmission over on AudiWorld. In the first few days I had more problems shifting from 1st to 2nd gear especially. However, on a positive note, I believe that I can attribute it more to my shifting style and when I was shifting. The more I thought about it while shifting the worse it was. Now I try to shift slowly but deliberately and it has improved considerably. I'm hoping that it will be even better after a few thousand miles are on it.
However my question today regards shifting into reverse. When the engine is cold, I can hardly get it to go into Reverse. I have to try several times to finally push it into R. Today, after I got home from work, I backed the car into the garage (since the engine would be warmed up) and the shift to R was much better. Anyone else have this problem? Is it a combination of a cold engine/cold oil and the fact that R is the least used gear? Or am I just gear-challenged?
Responses are much appreciated.
Jim W
Thanks
Jim W
Jim
Thanks for the tip. I tried it this morning and it seemed to go better. I will try it for the next few days and see if the improvement is real or just my imagination. I have also started keeping the transmission in R when the car is parked (emergency brake engaged as well).
Either I am getting used to the shifter or it is beginning to break in a bit, but it seems to be shifting smoother now than a week ago. I just topped 900 miles. The car had about 190mi when I picked it up so I have no clue if the transmission was abused in test drives. Since the salesman always goes along, I would hope that some discretion was used by the earlier test drivers.
Mine goes into 3rd Ok, but there is just the faintest resistance before it goes in. Like it is sliding up against something. Interesting it usually only occurs on the upshift and not the downshift.
I am appreciating my car more each day. Today a large BP gasoline tanker squeezed in front of me on a small 4 lane residential street. Since I did not want to stay behind him and wait for the rock chips to fly, I moved into the other lane , put my foot a little more on the accelerator and I was around him faster than you can say BP. I really appreciate the power and control that I have with this car.
Anyone have suggestions on winter tires? Should I get alloy or steel wheels? If I get alloy, should I get them from Audi or TireRack..... winter is coming and I want to be prepared.
2001 S4 Brilliant Black/Onyx
It doesn't seem to make much difference as everyone with winter tires seems to think what they have works pretty well. I have a friend that owns a tire store, he is at the SEMA show this week, and he will be looking out for something for my s4. I think I will end up with winter tires on my avus rims and new rims for my Pilot sports. You can also get alot of information at audiworld.com
Hopefully I will get some problems remedied tomorrow - sliding drivers seat, blown subwoofer, creaking B-pillar, grinding brakes. Anybody experiencing similar ailments?
Thanks for the responses,
Bob in South Florida
p.s. Looking at an APR chip, anybody out there with one? your impressions?
First, to cruise at 105mph in 5th gear (at only 4500 rpm!) with only the softly sweet, musical hum of that magnificent engine is remarkable. In fact, as I redlined from 1st gear on up after a toll booth, the engine and turbos simply purred--no screams, no protests, no hint that there were turbos at work...just delicious propulsive thrust. That thrust went right on up to 130mph, a speed I hit a few times before clumps of traffic appeared ahead and I had to slow down. Doggoneit--I wanted to test that electronically limited 143mph top speed!
At 130mph (and at every point getting there), there was no obvious aural indication that I was seriously flyin'. It was just that marvelous Teutonic hum that would make Beethoven proud. The car was rock solid stable, yet still clearly nimble. Some would argue that this car is too quiet, not manly-sounding enough. I say this is the result of world-class engineering in the service of a true GT (as opposed to a pure sports car).
A word about the suspension tuning is in order. I have argued with the (E36) M3 owners in the S4 vs. (old) M3 forum that the S4 is the superior all-around car mainly because of the awd and better balanced comfort+sport suspension tuning. At one point I was going around a long curve at 105mph, except that the road surface became really bumpy with various pockmarks, etc. My brain said I should become really concerned. My S4 said 'Don't worry, be happy!' as I took that bad boy at triple-digit speeds. Therein lay the S4 superiority to the old M3. The M3 can do everything the S4 does EXCEPT: 1) come out of the back end of curves as fast (thanks Quattro system); 2) stay as firmly planted in adverse road/weather conditions; or 3) be as comfortable doing all of the above.
I was having so much fun I drove all the up to Wisconsin, before too much traffic made me turn back. At that point, I just wanted to listen to my CDs and chill out in comfort. With the S4, that was no problem. In the course of my fast run, I smoked a Porsche Boxster, Saab turbo convertible, Mercedes E430 sedan, and a BMW Z3. In the course of my slow run back home, I was more comfortable in my car than all I came across save the E430 and a BMW 740iL--but mine cost one heck of a lot less and is more fun. All in all, I'd say I love my S4.
That said, here are some gripes Audi had better address--or the next car will be a BMW M3 or M5. First of all, the stick is just too balky. The 1-2 and 2-3 are problematic. I can't believe Audi didn't catch this obvious flaw. Come on Audi, Honda has the smoothest sticks I've experienced and BMW is better as well--please steal some of their people and fix this problem.
Secondly, Audi's marketing people need to wake up. Am I the only one who thinks it rather silly to make your 'statement' performance automobiles...station wagons!? Let's see. BMW has the M3 and M5 (and soon the return of the marvelous 6 series--perhaps an M6?). Mercedes has the AMG series (sedans, GT coupes, sports coupes, convertibles). Audi? The S4--a sedan only--which has been leapfrogged by the new M3. The S8--nice, but we're talking full-size luxo/autobahn cruisers here. Their serious, maximum-performance vehicle is...the RS4 station wagon (not even available in the US) and soon the S6 station wagon. Audi, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! How exciting, high-peroformance station wagons! Audi, please note your competition. Give us an aggressive looking S4 COUPE (like that one in the German spy photo) and a M5-worthy, ultra-performance S6 super-SEDAN! I read a quote from an Audi marketing person who said it was not worthwhile to build an S6 sedan because it would be too much like the current 4.2 A6. Well, duh! How about pulling out the stops and making a super S6 sedan?
Audi, you seem to be suffering from an inferiority complex. You can clearly build world-beating cars, but you persist in pulling your punches because you think people won't buy your super-tuned product or that it won't help overall sales. BMW and Mercedes build their super cars so that the brand cachet can bring more buyers for 330i's, 320s, 5281's., etc. You are not doing the sales of A4's and A6's a favor by not building the supercar versions of those platforms. For heaven's sake build 'em. You will get buyers for the supercars if you stop holding back! Once you start getting that supercar auto-lust from people like me, then those who can't afford the supercars will buy more A4's and A6's. There are legions of people like me who salivate over the M3's and M5's of the world, but who will spend their limited dollars on the tamer versions of those objects of lust. Audi, wake up. NO ONE SALIVATES OVER AUDI SUPERCARS...cuz you don't have any! References to your racing accolades don't mean a heck of a lot if you don't bring more of that expertise to your real cars.
That said I love my S4...but as I salivate over what I can do to top it, my mind is firmly on BMW. Now if you came out with that 340hp S4 super-COUPE, with a sport/comfort suspension switch, 18" rubber, a SMOOTH 6spd (or USEFUL paddle-based tiptronic), more aggressive styling, and every luxury amenity (including steering wheel-based controls and a real navigation system), my lust would revert back to Audi. Similarly, if you came out with a serious M5-beating S6 SEDAN, then I would revert back to Audi when I contemplate a married-man or older-man car. Audi, please wake up! End of diatribe....
Regarding the diatribe, I'm not up on all that Audi's doing, but I assumed that the reason that Audi doesn't offer such a complete line as BMW (coupes, M5), is that Audi is a much smaller manufacturer, with only a fraction of the sales of BMW. BMW is continuing to expand, introducing a 1-series and reviving the 6er coupes.
Also I assumed Audi's penchant for wagons/avant/touring is related to their AWD/cargo slant; like Volvo and Subaru.
OTOH, I heard that Audi is considering bringing the new coupe to the US this time round. They've already announced the new cabriolet (convertible).
Instead, VW is putting lipstick on the Passat, and making the D1 and the W12 supercar. VW (again for some reason that is a mystery to me) is polishing the VW brand, instead of investing in the Audi brand. If you meant that VW ought to help Audi make coupes and S6 sedans, then I think we're on the same page. But Audi proper I see bound by whatever investment they get from VW, plus the profits they make themselves. I hope this clarifies things; I'm with you man!
Since a bad snow in my area is about 6" and the roads are mercifully free of major potholes, is it even worth getting 16" wheels. Should I have winter tires mounted on my 17" stock wheels and maybe get some fancier 17" next summer?
Thanks in advance.
At this point, I wonder if I should go with 17" winter tires and get some other rims for my summer tires next spring.
That's what I did with my allroad - 17's in a 225/55 size (stock). I'll keep those mounted on the stock wheels and then plan to buy some 18's mounted with summer wheels in the spring.
Getting my winter tires mounted on both the A4 and allroad this week - good timing as the temperatures are supposed to drop into the teens with a good chance of snow later in the week.
Jim
I too have the Dunlop Winter Sports and can't wait for it snow to go driving...er....skiing!
Stephen
A Cosworth 4.2 V8 with 340 hp? wow! What about price? ...do you think it will break over the 50K mark? Any rumors about when it will be available here in the U.S.? I know we won't get the RS4 here in the U.S. but that's okay, the 4.2 will be good enough for most! ;-)
TIA for any input or references.
--'rocco
Any further questions?
BTW: Heard of RS6? Will come out in spring '02 over here but not in the states I think - like the RS4. This "rocket" will have a biturbo v-8 engine which puts out around 450 hp and will be available as sedan and station-wagon. 0-100 in less than 5 sec. I cannot wait for the comparison with the M5!
Also, are the cars you mentioned anticipated to be sold in volumes at a profit or are they more or less "exhibition" projects like Acura's NSX or even Honda's S2000.
I would really appreciate your thoughts and comments on this. Thanks.
Yeah, I know for sure we won't get the RS6 here in the U.S. ...we never get the good stuff! :-(
Thanks so much for the info. I may have further questions later if you don't mind. :P
Charles and Jeff-- Thanx for your input too.
--'rocco
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD, 2025 Toyota Camry SE AWD
I think Audi is the only one of these 3 brands which does not offer all their 'top-of-the-line-cars" over there. And now why?
Well, I think the biggest problem is, that Audi is STILL returning on the US-market after a really hard time. They are returning step by step.
Remember: First there was the A4, which became a huge succes for Audi in America and helped them to extend their lines in the states. Audi raised attention with that model. Then the A6 became more and more succesful - only one ot two engines were offered at first I think, now there are 4 available (included the S6). Audi wants to polish up their image and then I think they will offer those high-powered-models. If noone knows Audi and it's advantages, noone buys an Audi for around 50K.
And thats another problem of Audi in The USA. They still don't have the image of BMW and MB in oppostion to Western Europe. For many of you over there Audi is still an more expensice VW. Here, MB/BMW AND Audi are the THREE premium marques. In America there are only MB, BMW and Lexus (which plays no role on the German market).But in my opinion Audi will close up to them (and they made big steps the last 5 years) like they did in Europe the last 20 years, but in America they were knocked down by those accidents and that enormous slowed down there development.
habitat, "U.S. market isn't needed..."
In my opinion no carmaker can say "We don't need the US market" It's the biggest in the world and everyone wants to have success there and those top-of-the-line-models polish up image. But for those s-models it seems that the European market is big enough at the moment. Audi produces not very much of them but I think the situation in America will become better and better. And come on, you have the S4, S6, S8. We don't have many more: The S3 and the RS4 (production ended a few weeks ago). And another point is, that the demand is really very high on those performance cars. The S8 for example makes out around 40% of the whole A8-production and S4s and S3s and of course RS4s are very popular!
And to your last question. Yes, they are definitive exhibition models which show, what a carmaker is able to build but they make their profit with those models for sure!
But I don't know if they would be so accepted in the USA, what would you all think?
I'm very interested in Audis success in America.
Thanks