Alarm won't arm.....although the locks still go down, the red LEL lights won't blink and it won't honk. Just called my dealership and told me to check whether or not all doors and trunk are fully closed. Duhhhh.....trunk wasn't fully latched. My fault. Kudos to Audi.
Next topic, motion sensors. I could not set the alarm on after I lowered all the windows and even throw myself in after 2 minutes. I was asking the dealership about that, and they said, the motion sensors won't set off the alarm if the windows are more than halfway down. In other words, one or more windows need to be more than halfway up in order to set off the motion sensors and the alarm. That explains everything, and also explains why last nite I was at an Audi gathering and I was complaining I couldn't set off the alarm but I DID set it off.....now I remember I did have 2 of the back windows up more than halfway.
What other little things will I find on the car?? Makes life more interesting, doesn't it?
Now accessible from the Additional Resources box on the left sidebar is Edmunds.com's First Look at the 2002 A4 - check it out and let us know what you think.
I have been considering both the VW Passat and the A-4, the VW seems to have some serious problems with the 1.8 T engine and the automatic transmission. It seems that a possible combination of turbo lag and shifting computer cause a serious lag in shifting that could be dangerous if your trying to get out of someone's way. Has anyone noticed a similar problem with the A-4???? I took an A-4 (manual) out for a test drive and did notice a slight turbo lag just before I was surprised by the mass of power unleashed by the turbo on this small engine. I would imagine it would make driving on snow and ice a little tricky even with the quattro. Would appreciate comments on this topic also.
Does the 2002 A-4 look similar to the VW Passat or what??
I've driven a manual A4 1.8T Quattro on snow and it did very well. As long as you dont' floor it, the boost is very manageable. The A4 was easily as good in the white stuff as my 1998 4Runner was, it just has less clearance for the really deep stuff.
Yeah it snowed once right after I bought my car in late Feb/ early March and the 1.8T with manual was very manageable. I actually had some fun driving in a empty lot trying out how it handles in snow. Absolutely fabulous.
The lag you were talking about must be happening under 1850rpm. That's normal, as the turbo hasn't started to spool hard under that rpm. All the way from 1850 to 4000rpm you get 100% of the 166lbft torque. Doesn't sound a lot, but if it's all unleashed at once it's amazing.
I have a 2001 A4 1.8TQ (automatic)that only has 5,700 miles on it. We have not been very happy with this car at all....with only 3,000 miles, it was determined that that turbo charger did not function and that was causing the car to have absolutely NO power. I continue to complain to the service department about poor MPG which was a result of the turbo charger not working correctly but even then I only got 16.5 MPG on the last tank. Is anyone out there experiencing any of these problems? They tell me it is because I only have a 5 mile commute and the car is not running long enough to get better gas mileage? Could this be true?
My 2001.5 1.8TQ gives me about 23 mpg around town as well and my commute is also around 10 miles one way, 20 miles a day. But then I drive like 100 miles every weekend to average the mpg to 26.
I got 5200 miles and no problems with the engine whatsoever. Kmsmith, if problem persists, call Audi of America (1-800-for-audi) and claim it's a lemon car. You are qualified if the same problem comes up over and over and you lose certain number of days on the car. Check with them and see if they can buy back your car.
Missy-- NO! ...that kind of MPG is not acceptable at all! I also have a very short commute (less than 5 miles) and seem to be getting around 21-22 mpg and and have still not passed the break-in period yet (780 miles ...damn, I gotta start driving this car more! lol) You say that it was determined that the turbo was not functioning. Who determined that? --the dealer? ...and did they fix it so that the engine now has its full power but still gets only 16.5 mpg?? It may be acceptable if it was in the dead of winter with freezing temperatures and icy streets but not with the weather the way it is now; no matter how short your commute is. Why don't you take the car on a short trip with mixed highway and city driving and give the engine time to warm up (the engine oil temperature gauge should be reading around 210 degrees) and then measure your MPG to test what the dealer said. If it's still not getting above 20 mpg then I'd insist that the dealer give it a full diagnostic check. I wouldn't necessarily consider it a lemon yet but if you have to keep going back to the dealer numerous times and they still can't get it right then maybe you can then take further action. I'd first ask to speak with the service manager and let him/her know that you are definitely not satisfied with the car only getting 16.5 mpg and instist that it be given a full diagnostic check to see where the problem is. I'll repeat it again: 16.5 mpg is NOT acceptable!!! Good luck, Missy, and please let us know how it goes! (btw, you are using premium grade fuel, aren't you?)
Billy-- I've been hanging around the Subaru boards here at Edmunds lately and they have a Subaru of America representative that actually posts on these message boards who answers questions, gives advice and helps to resolve problems. And I think she even steps in and helps to reslove problems between the owner's club members and their respective dealers. I wonder if we can get someone from AoA to do the same here for us? umm, can you check on that for us please? lol :P
which is bad considering they use the info to refuse people's warranty claims who have chipped their cars, regardless if the chip affects the part in question or not. I have never seen AoA rep even showed up or answered questions either here or AW.....I wish they would do that though. That's why you aren't with us anymore huh Scirocco? ONLY 780 miles?? How many cars you got in your garage? 10? My 5k service is coming up this coming Wednesday and I should be offered a loaner.....an Audi loaner.....see what I will get :> I'll post details after the service.
Do you guys know anything about this new automatic transmission that is putting in the 2002 A4. It states in the article by Edmunds that the auto tranny is suppose to be as quick as the manual....
quinn-- I'm not the one to really answer any question on the technical features of this transmission but it is one of those cvt's (continuously variable) that you can hardly detect it shifting. It's not available with Quattro and comes as an option on the fwd (FrontTrak). Someone else can explain exactly how it works from a technical standpoint. I'd be interested in the explanation.
there's a good write up of how a CVT works on the Auto.com site concerning the Honda Civic HX but i'm not sure if the audi CVT operates in the same manner. i remember reading that they were a little different but i dont remember how.
I ordered a new 2001.5 A4Q 1.8T w/5 spd, back on May 5th. The dealer initially told me 3-3.5 months, but that it probably wouldn't take that long. I called the dealer, who told me the car went into production on May 17th. She initially said overseas shipping would take about a week, now she says 5-6 weeks UGH!!! I want my car...Will I really have to wait until mid-August for my car?
2001.5 A4 1.8T Quattro Laser Red - Onyx Leatherette 5 spd manual Celebration Pkg. Cold Weather Pkg. ESP Quattro Sport Pkg. w/17" wheels Xenon
I heard from some of my A4/S4 buddies who ordered the car that it took them from 3-4 months to get it from the order date, so sounds like your salesperson might be trying to convince you to order it back in May. One thing though, overseas shipping can't be taking only a week. Maybe the most extreme fast case, but I doubt it. Where do you live, ebnk? If you are on the west coast, forget it.
That's why I didn't order mine.....cuz I know I can't stand the 3-4 month pain all the way from my 1st drive to my own ride......although you can be sure that's the exact thing you want.....not like me who's bagging for people with Xenons to trade my Bose......
Met with my friendly Audi dealer to discuss a 2001.5 A4. The car has celebration package, xenon, cold weather, and quattro sport package. the car is beautiful and drives even better. Anyway, the sticker was $31.5K, and he quoted me $28.6K. Is this a good deal?
I ordered my car in mid-September of last year and was able to get delivery the first week of November. I believe the port of entry is Baltimore and it took about another week to finally arrive around the Cleveland area.
What's that price they quoted you relative to the invoice? Typically we got about 3-5% over invoice. I guess try to avoid to go from sticker down to the price you will actually pay, and instead go from the invoice and up.
I got my 2001.5 Silver manual 1.8T with Convenience, Quattro, Cold Weather, Bose for $26.7k.....sticker was $29.1k and invoice was $26k.....so I got about 2.7% over invoice.
5300 happy miles and going in for the 5k service this Wednesday.....hehe wondering what Audi loaner they'll give me..... :>
Mike-- That's an excellent deal in anybody's book!!! You're getting less than 1% over invoice!! 0.8427% over invoice by my calculations. The invoice on a $31,515* A4 would be $28,361 so that would be $239 over invoice if they are selling you that particular car for $28,600. Grab it and run! Damn, I should have waited until now to buy my car. *waaaah* The only problem is that 5-speed manuals are pretty scarce in this area now so I might not have been able to get my car this late in the year anyway.
*This is the closest I could configure a 1.8t to the 31.5k figure you gave. An A4 with a MSRP of $31,515 would be configured as follows: Quattro Celebration, Tiptronic, sport pkg, cold weather pkg, Xenon, ESP, leatherette and metallic paint.
So you either left out some options or the "sticker" price isn't the actual MSRP. Did the car have a "second sticker" that you were stating as the sticker price?
Are they giving you the loaner for the full day? Do you get to keep it overnight? Maybe you'll get a TT. Is the dealer an exclusive Porche/Audi dealer or do they also sell another brand? The dealer I bought my car from also sells VW's and Jeeps and their loaner fleet are Jeep Grand Cherokees --could be worse, I guess, lol.
You are right, I did omit a few options. The 2001.5 in question, has quattro celebration, quattro sport, cold, xenon and triptronic. It doesn't have metallic paint or asp. I did some research on edmunds and the price quoted by the dealer is fair. But I did notice a $500 bank fee. Is this legitimate or should I not pay it. My dealer said that it goes to the bank, but I thought that I better check. Any ideas?
I just leased through Audi Financial at the end of April. My payments are $425/mo. before tax and I only had to pay the first month's payment at inception ($440). This was a 39 month/12k per year lease. I did not get any pervious owner loyalty as this is my first Audi. I do know that inception fees can be legit, but not always. Of the three leases I've done, I've only paid an inception fee once, and that was also the only time I did not use the Mfg's captive finance company.
If I were you, I would go over to the Finance, Warranty and Insurance forum and go into the Lease Questions - Ask Here topic. Car Man should be able to tell you if Audi changed their lease program to include a security deposit or inception fee.
My dealer sells Audi exclusively and when I made my appointment for the 5k service I specifically let them know I will need a loaner. THey said the 5k service only takes an hour but they will give me a loaner if I want one.....but my appointment is 2.5 weeks away from the date I made it just because they can't get me on the loaner list sooner.
Since they only deal Audi's, the loaner fleet is an all-Audi fleet (YES!!!) Well I checked with them to be sure and they said their loaners are all Audi's. I figured my A4 1.8T is at the very bottom of the model lineup so anything they give me is going to be at least the same if not better :> A TT.....nah first of all you can't specify what you want to get from the loaner pool, and second I don't think they'll loan out TT's.....it'll be great though. I can keep the loaner as long as they keep mine at their shop, so I will bring mine in first thing in the morning, and return the loaner after I get off work. Of course if it's a TT or an S4 I will just call my office and take a day off......
I am assuming you are going to Schaumburg to get your loaner..let me know how if their service dept. is better than their sales. I am also curious on why people would order their A4? I had no problem getting any combo. that I would want. Then again living in Chitown there is probably 5 dealers in a 30 mile radius of me. Then again I guess if you want an A4 1.8t in Melange with only: Man, and Xeon I guess you could do that but most people who order an A4 are getting combos that are pretty commmon. As far as waiting for your A4? Why do I get the sneaky suspicion that they will keep saying that the car is on the way and before you know it, they are trying to give you "a great deal" on a 2002 that will be pushed HARD!
I'm really enjoying mine. Acceleration is good, ride is firm, cornering is very nice. The car is wonderfully comfortable for long-distance driving. Climate control is my new best friend. Bose sound system is incredible...now that I've gotten it balanced the way I like.
I wish there was more pull in third gear when I'm trying to really nail it, but for normal driving, pick up is there with plenty to spare.
I live up in the Northwest where Quattro's are very popular yet the Audi dealers up here hardly advertise anything beyond the national sales items. Has anybody else noticed this? I'm in the market for an A4 and kind find too much on Audi finance rates. I just want to know some ballpark numbers so I can figure out monthly payments.
Somewhere on this site there is a listing on the recent APR that Audi is offering. I got something like 7.9(60 months) and my credit is flawless. I think it is now around 6.9%.
Hi all- Tomorrow I'll be the proud owner of a new A4! Someone's comment about 5 speeds being scarce in the Northeast is right on - I got the last 5 speed A4 on Hoffman Audi's lot (Hartford, CT). I'm finally giving up my yellow '88 Prelude - a great handling car - for an A4 1.8T quattro in Santorin Blue/onyx, celebration, cold package - a better handling car! It was a tough choice between the blue and silver, but the blue was smiling right there in front of me (silver would've been a swap), and I couldn't say no. Audi finance: 6.9% x 48mo - less than any bank or CU in the area. A question or 2: - anyone with experience with this dealer's service dept? Salesguy was great (Warren), but you can't tell service by that. - my 9 year old _must_ have a cupholder in the back seat - any suggestions on a good one? Where to buy? - even though I drove the car 3 times, I didn't get a really good listen to the standard CD player (non-Bose). Are most folks satisfied with the sound quality? Where do you store your CD's? - I chose the A4 over the Maxima (for obvious reasons , but am a little concerned about the significantly lower Consumer Reports reliability ratings for the A4, and my mechanic's comments about them being expensive to do out-of-warrantee repairs. How have your experiences been?
Thanks in advance - looking forward to posting my (hopefully good) experiences here!
Let me first say that I had a 1985 5 spd. Prelude, which I traded for a Pathfinder, and although the Pathfinder was very nice, it just didn't cut it as far as the fun factor was concerned. I borrowed my boss' A4 one weekend, and that was it. The Pathfinder went up for sale, and I got an A4. I haven't regretted it one bit. Although I truly believe the Prelude had a slight edge in the fun factor, the A4 is better in every other way. It is more refined, I think more reliable, and a great all around car.
I had nothing but problems with my Prelude from day 1, including having to change the air conditioning, to the point that it actually went up on fire in the end. I am pro Honda, as we have an Acura 3.2 TL as well, but except for a faulty sensor, I have not had a problem with the A4 in the almost 2 years I have owned it. I will probably get an extended warranty next year, but I would do that for any car I owned. The A4 has proved to be the most reliable car in the slightly less than 2 years I have owned it than any other car I've owned, (and I've owned many). This does not reflect what the long-term reliability might be, but according to many on Audiworld, they claim to have had very little if no problems. BTW, mine is the 2.8, which might have fewer problems than the turbo in the long run, but as I mentioned above, an extended warranty should take the anxiety out of any major problems that MIGHT arise.
As far as Hoffman Audi, there are many people on Audiworld who have purchased their cars there. You are probably best to go to that site and ask the enthusiasts.
I have the Bose, so I can't comment on the stock radio, but most people on Audiworld, have the stock radio, and claim there is very little if no difference in the sound quality. Again, you might want to go to that site and do a search of the archives for that info. As far as where I keep my CD's, my husband bought me a thin CD holder that I keep in the pocket on the driver's side door. I also have the 6 CD changer in the trunk.
I don't have a suggestion on a cupholder for the backseat, but I would imagine any car store like Pep Boys would have some alternative. You might want to look at Clair Audi's website. They are very big on selling aftermarket accessories for the A4. Most Audiworld enthusiasts buy alot of stuff there.
Good luck with your A4. I am still loving it, and look forward to getting into it every day!
Yesterday, my buddy's father's 1999 A4 caught fire under the dashboard while he was driving. He heard a loud thud, followed by smoke under the dashboard, which eventually turned into flames. He is unaware of having hit anything. As the car was flaming, he heard another loud bang. It was clearly an electrical fire. The car was towed to a garage and the insurance adjuster has not seen it yet. Has anyone heard of anything like this occuring on an A4? I told him that this forum would be the best place to investigate. Please respond. Thanks.
I bought my 2001 1.8T FWD model almost 5 months ago, and this is the first car I've owned in which I NEVER had a single problem/complaint/adjustment required during the first few months of ownership! Usually I can find something in a new car that needs to be fixed or adjusted, but not with this one. No rattles, either.
I have the 5-speed stick, sports package, Bose, and the convenience/celebration package. I definitely have no regrets about spending the extra money for the Bose or for the sports package -- I enjoy them both! I think the Bose system definitely adds clarity to the music, and the sports package adds additional handling capability as well as nicer looking wheels. (The Quattro model with the upgraded Sports Package might be the ULTIMATE handling sport sedan!) However, I think the current A4 1.8T FWD model would still be a great car without either one of those options. One thing that definitely stands out is how easy it is to build up speed quickly to pass someone. Keep the rpms above 2000, and you should see some outstanding responsiveness from that little engine.
I would think you can get some great discounts now. When I bought mine in early Feb, I paid just a few hundred above invoice. However, it had the more expensive Conv Package instead of the Celebration Package, and I wouldn't have received as close to invoice pricing if the car was a newer arrival equipped with the Celebration Package. For all the options listed above, as well as the melange metallic paint, my price was about $25.4K before TTL and doc fee. Prices seem to vary quite a bit depending on geography, as I remember seeing posts from nearby states (such as California) indicating their dealers would not match this kind of pricing. You could always cross your fingers that Audi might eventually introduce some factory incentives on remaining 2001 A4's, but don't count on it. Even if they do offer incentives, these might apply to only the 2.8 models; or the incentives might apply only to leases, not to purchases (as was the case in the past for the A6 models).
Marty-- Maybe an A4 won't be as trouble free as a Maxima but you'll surely have much more fun, IMO, driving the A4 than the Max! Congratulations on getting what's probably one of the last 5-speeds that was available in your area. In my area, they are pretty much gone from what I am hearing (in the 1.8t, obviously). And santorin is a beautiful color! It always catches my eye when I see one that's clean and shiny. But I bet you'll be washing yours 3 times for every one time for those of us that have silver, lol. My favorite was hibiscus red but those dark colors really look bad when they're dirty, IMO.
Tom-- Yikes! I don't know what to say. I've never heard of a problem like that (and I hope I never will again, lol) A better forum would be http://www.audiworld.com/forum/index.html. I'm not really a regular over there but I read the posts when I have the chance and I don't think I remember reading about any dashboard electrical fires but you might ask over there and see whether anyone has experienced a problem like that. They have many more A4 owners reading and posting on their boards than here at Edmunds. Good luck to your buddy's father.
Rob-- I've had my 1.8t Quattro since March and it is approaching the 1,000 mile mark and same here, I haven't detected any problems with it that necessitates taking it back to the dealer to have fixed. This is the second new vehicle I've owned that hasn't had a list of problems that needed attention right after taking delivery. The other was a 1986 Toyota 4Runner that I just sold last week-end. It was perfect upon taking delivery and NEVER went back to the dealer. I hope I can say the same thing about the A4 years from now. Well, I can't really because of the free maintenance that Audi provides so it will eventually have to go back to an Audi dealer for, hopefully, nothing more than routine maintenance. I've had four vehicles that I purchased new that probably went back and forth from the dealer 20 times within the first few months of taking delivery to have things fixed or adjusted and then going back because those things weren't fixed right, etc. So at any rate, I'm glad you're happy with your A4 and will keep my fingers crossed for the both of us that no problems will develop for many years to come.
I would have preferred a front track (fwd) but I would have had to special order one and pay close to MSRP according to the dealers that I talked to because in my area, they don't ship non-Quattros at all for dealer stock. Because of this, resale value is pretty poor for a fwd model if one were even able to find one in this area.
Billy-- I was expecting you to post tonight about your experience at your 5k mile service and about the loaner you got. Hurry up! I'm waiting in eager anticipation to hear about it, lol! Don't keep us in suspense for too long.
How should I put it.....they did everything perfect and missed one "check box"......I brought my Mobil 1 0W-30 synthetic with me, and guess what, they forgot to put it in. I specifically told the service advisor to put that note on the service order, and it says "DONE", and I found my 5 qt of synthetic untouched in the trunk. I asked what they put in, and it's Castrol 5W-30, non synthetic of course. Pissed off at them this morning (picked up my car after the service manager was gone yesterday), and this morning they're apologetic and told me to go in anytime I want and they will finish the task of changing all the oil and the filter in 20 minutes. The drive from my work/home to the dealer is a roundtrip 40 mile drive.....darn it.
Other than that, they gave me a loaner as they promised (haha a silver 1998 2.8 AVANT Tip leather non-quattro.....the newer 30V engine so I am happy), they washed the car (and I think they did a pretty good job cuz I just washed it on last Saturday and I had some water marks on the windows and the marks were gone when I picked it up), they drove the loaner up front for me, they drove mine up front for pickup, and they called me when the car is ready. I mean some of these things my Honda dealer also did, but the service was at least the same or better than the Honda guys, not mentioning no loaners in the Honda dealership (haha of course).
Oh by the way at first I thought I need to fill up the gas tank when i return the loaner.....guess what, the answer is no. So I was happily motoring yesterday, trying out what the V6 30v engine can do :>
So yeah, except the fact that I need to go there again lunchtime today for them to change the oil, everything's great. Of course the 5k service is easy and it's not like they need to fix something.
OK just came back from my 2nd trip to have them put in the Mobil 1 Synthetic. They were also supposed to change the oil filter. They promised 20 min wait and will have a mechanic to work on mine right away. They did do that and I also requested they vacuum my car. By the way, the dealers are required (apparently by AoA) to clean the clients' cars. However, they are not required to vacuum them. So for those of you who want a vaccum job, you should request that before the service. I was out of there in a total of 30 min from the moment I walked in to the moment I walked out, so that's quite alright with me.
Engine is now running about 15F lower than it used to be. Ambient temp is about 88F so I am happy with the results. By the way the manual says the oil capacity is 4.3 quart and the actual oil they poured in is around 3.6 quart, of course these numbers are for the 1.8T engines.
And fdxboy, yup that's Schaumburg Audi and they have posted those customer survey results (supposedly AoA will call me later) that they got the highest score among the 7 Audi dealerships in Chicagoland in 2000. I mean seriously, apart from the "mistake" that they forgot to put in my oil or checking things off that they haven't done, they did a good job. It's a shame. They almost scored a perfect score in my sheet.
Oh by the way the car wash was done by hand => (They have an older building so there's no automatic carwash, however they're building a new one so I dunno if they're going to do that by a machine later)
The 2.8 engine takes 6.3 quarts - quite a bit more than the 1.8T. I would expect it to be more but maybe not that much more. They seem to use it too as when I bring my oil I need to bring 6 1/2 quarts as was told early on a couple of times that 6 quarts wasn't enough and they'd have to charge me (about $10 a quart for Mobil 1) for an extra quart. So I now bring in the 6 1/2 quarts which even at $5 a quart is $12-$15 extra for each oil change compared to the 1.8T. I suppose on the plus side the extra oil capacity helps disippate the heat better and without the turbo the 2.8 engine runs cooler too. As an aside I do notice that the 2.7T engine in my allroad runs noticably hotter than the 2.8 A4 and it seems to get dirtier a lot faster too.
JB, I'm surprised it actually takes more than the published capacity to fill up a 2.8 engine. It should take less engine oil to fill up your car than the published figures because there's already oil in the engine that can't be completely drained.
Certainly a bigger engine needs more engine oil, but I thought the published number on the manual is 6 quarts. Maybe my memory is wrong. I brought 5 quarts of oil and they used 3.6 quarts, while the published number is 4.3 quarts. I guess it might be a good idea to check my oil level after work today.
...there is a TSB on the 3.7 qt (I belive that what it was) that I have in a folder on my computer at home or I'd post it now. And I think there's another TSB on advising the importance of not over-filling the crankcase oil capacity ...overfilling will cause some severe problems, evidently.
Billy-- so what else was done on the 5k service other than the oil change? Any other adjustments or fixes that you requested them to do? Is a tire rotation required at 5k? ...I can't remember. Oh, and did you get charged for the oil filter? I thought I read on AW that the filter was not included on the 5k service. Also, how are you determining that the engine is running 15 degress cooler? ...by the stock oil temperature gauge? ...the hash marks aren't detailed enough to tell what 15 degrees is, are they?
5k service: oil change, oil filter change (nope I didn't get charge for that), tire rotation (included for 1st time only??), top the fluids, emmm.....that's about it.
What is a TSB?? So you read something bout the 3.6/3.7 quart figure huh? Whew that makes me feel so much better :> But I will still check and make sure the oil is right at the crosshetch.
yeah, TSB = Technical Service Bulletin... It's put out by the manufacturer for the dealer's service techs to keep track of on any changes to the factory recommended specifications, etc. I'll post the one on the oil capacity when I get home.
Did you get my question on the oil temperature that I tacked on the end of my last post?
How much do you think that the oil filter costs? I am not going to do Mobil 1 until my 10K service(which will be next March!!) I am sure that Schaumburgs service dept. is good, I mean they have to be considering that their sales sucks! I am also glad that they are now putting the correct amount of oil into the cars now. Geez if they read AW they could have known this long ago! (btw how was the meet last Saturday? I got to get out there one of these days)
Scirocco, the temp I was visualizing is just an eyeball judgment from the stock temp gauge.....now I think it's running actually just a tad lower than the dino oil.....not the 15F degree difference I noticed. Well yeah I checked the dip stick after pulling over at a gas station (on level ground and running for about 4 miles) and the oil level is just right.
Fdxboy, haha yeah the service ain't bad at all. The thing is, it's about time they build a brand new building with new showroom and service dept and waiting areas.....the current one is a dump!! It looks even worse than the Accord dealership. I'm sure the new one will be state-of-the-art. Saturday.....oh yeah we met for watching the FAst and the Furious.....about 8 Audi's (3 S4 sedans, 1 S4 Avant, 1 A6 Avant, 1 A4 2.8 sedan and 2 A4 1.8T sedans) cruised together to have dinner at Gameworks in Schaumburg and then cruised to see the movie in Barrington. It's funny though, on the way there, one kid standing on the road was counting "One Audi, 2 Audi's, 3 Audi's.....8 Audi's"..... LOL. The movie was alright with lots of heavily modified Japanese cars and 1 VW Jetta. After the movie we found 2 cop cars parking about 50 ft away from us 8 cars in the backrow of the parking lot. Guess they must be keeping an eye on us in case we decide to race after the movie :> Nah we didn't do that.....not until we got back to the interstate......hehehe we did at least 90 and some of us got above 110.....alright stop flaming me.....it's late at nite and there're not that many cars on the highway. All said, it's fun and you should come out and join us, fdxboy. Next event might be the Hot Import Nights this weekend.....dunno if we are going or not.
I'm considering buying this car; however, I wanted input from anyone concerning two options: (1) Bose System and (2) Sport Package. I can't tell the difference between either systems (then again, I'm not really into stereo systems). What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Bose? If there isn't much difference in the sound then I think I'll save the money.
Now the Sports Package...is it really worth it? I like the 16 inch wheels but I can live with the 15 inch wheels. How about the suspension? Is there a tremendous difference in handling? If there isn't, then again, I'll save the money. I plan on test driving one with a sports package sometime next week to see for myself (if they'll let me) but I would like anyone's input.
You'll get a lot of opinions on your question, I'm sure, lol. I have the Bose and it sounds nice but I've heard better systems in cars. The only difference, according to Audi, is that the Bose has a 150 watt amplifier and the standard system has 80 watts. Now I've heard differing opinions over at Audiworld.com that the Bose system has better quality speakers and I've also heard that the standard system actually has six speakers instead of eight (contrary to Audi's own specifications; Audi says both systems have 8 speakers) but I can't confirm either rumor. To my understanding, other than the speakers and the amplifier, the control units are the same and contain the same features. IMO, the Bose option is not worth the money they are charging. For about half of the ~$600 that Audi charges, you can add a supplementary amplifier and maybe upgrade some of the speakers afterward and have just as good if not a better sounding system. I'd skip it if I had to do it over again. Now the sport package is another story. I don't have it and now I wish I did. For the money that Audi is charging for the sport package, it is probably one of the better values that you can get, aside from maybe the Xenon headlights. But I notice that you are looking at the FronTrack (fwd) model and not Quattro. I know in my Quattro, if I had to do it over again, I'd surely get the sport package. I feel that the standard suspension has just a little too much body roll than I'd like. The sport package in both models will include a solid sway bar instead of a hollow one and stiffer springs and shocks along with the larger rims and the slightly lower profile tires. I'll have to let the guys that have fwd (maybe Louie --schwitzer1 will respond ...I know he has fwd and also has Bose and likes it very much) to back up my opinion on the merits or value of the sports package on fwd but I have a hunch they'll agree that it's a worthwhile and valuable option for the money even on the FronTrack model. If you tried to add the items that the sport package contains afterward, you'd end up paying at least twice as much.
Let us know what you decide and good luck with your purchase. You won't regret it!
I just got word that my 2001.5 A4 1.8T Quattro has been shipped from Germany and should be here about 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule My question is, (my car will be equipped with the 17" alloy wheels) what is the going price for a "used" set of 15" or 16" alloy wheels from a salvage yard versus a new set of 16" steel wheels? Will there be clearance issues using 15" alloy wheels and "all season" radials with the lowered suspension of the Quattro Sport Pkg? I know the performance of the 15" wheels with the taller profile tires will degrade handling performance, but if there is significant cost savings for the 15" versus 16" alloy wheels, I could live with that for the benefit of winter weather (only) traction. Plus, 15" tires are cheaper than 16" tires. Are salvage yards gouging Sport Pkg buyers who can't get winter tires for their 17" weels? Has anybody tried the "used" wheel route as a cost comparison? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Eb.
P.S. My car's description: 2001.5 A4 1.8T Quattro w/5 spd manual Laser Red with Onyx Leatherette Quattro Sport Pkg. w/17" alloy wheels Celebration Pkg - Sun Roof Cold Weather Pkg ESP Xenon
The car tracks into turns with minimal body roll, and snaps back into line as I accelerate out of the last bit of the turn. I've never driven an A4 without the sport suspension, but I can't imagine being without it.
My last sporty-type car was a Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, which cornered like it was on rails. The Audi can't do what that car could, but it's designed with passenger comfort in mind. The sport suspension gives me a little extra handling ability when I want to have some fun, but still allows a comfortable ride over long highway distances.
I'm leaving in a few hours to drive from Indianapolis to Nashville, TN. It's my first LONG road trip. I'm excited! Gotta go get the car washed and gassed....take care!
Comments
You might also find lots of information on www.audiworld.com.
Next topic, motion sensors. I could not set the alarm on after I lowered all the windows and even throw myself in after 2 minutes. I was asking the dealership about that, and they said, the motion sensors won't set off the alarm if the windows are more than halfway down. In other words, one or more windows need to be more than halfway up in order to set off the motion sensors and the alarm. That explains everything, and also explains why last nite I was at an Audi gathering and I was complaining I couldn't set off the alarm but I DID set it off.....now I remember I did have 2 of the back windows up more than halfway.
What other little things will I find on the car?? Makes life more interesting, doesn't it?
Billy
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I took an A-4 (manual) out for a test drive and did notice a slight turbo lag just before I was surprised by the mass of power unleashed by the turbo on this small engine. I would imagine it would make driving on snow and ice a little tricky even with the quattro. Would appreciate comments on this topic also.
Does the 2002 A-4 look similar to the VW Passat
or what??
The lag you were talking about must be happening under 1850rpm. That's normal, as the turbo hasn't started to spool hard under that rpm. All the way from 1850 to 4000rpm you get 100% of the 166lbft torque. Doesn't sound a lot, but if it's all unleashed at once it's amazing.
Billy
I got 5200 miles and no problems with the engine whatsoever. Kmsmith, if problem persists, call Audi of America (1-800-for-audi) and claim it's a lemon car. You are qualified if the same problem comes up over and over and you lose certain number of days on the car. Check with them and see if they can buy back your car.
Billy
Billy-- I've been hanging around the Subaru boards here at Edmunds lately and they have a Subaru of America representative that actually posts on these message boards who answers questions, gives advice and helps to resolve problems. And I think she even steps in and helps to reslove problems between the owner's club members and their respective dealers. I wonder if we can get someone from AoA to do the same here for us? umm, can you check on that for us please? lol :P
Billy
2001.5 A4 1.8T Quattro
Laser Red - Onyx Leatherette
5 spd manual
Celebration Pkg.
Cold Weather Pkg.
ESP
Quattro Sport Pkg. w/17" wheels
Xenon
That's why I didn't order mine.....cuz I know I can't stand the 3-4 month pain all the way from my 1st drive to my own ride......although you can be sure that's the exact thing you want.....not like me who's bagging for people with Xenons to trade my Bose......
Good luck!
Billy
I got my 2001.5 Silver manual 1.8T with Convenience, Quattro, Cold Weather, Bose for $26.7k.....sticker was $29.1k and invoice was $26k.....so I got about 2.7% over invoice.
5300 happy miles and going in for the 5k service this Wednesday.....hehe wondering what Audi loaner they'll give me..... :>
Billy
*This is the closest I could configure a 1.8t to the 31.5k figure you gave. An A4 with a MSRP of $31,515 would be configured as follows: Quattro Celebration, Tiptronic, sport pkg, cold weather pkg, Xenon, ESP, leatherette and metallic paint.
So you either left out some options or the "sticker" price isn't the actual MSRP. Did the car have a "second sticker" that you were stating as the sticker price?
You are right, I did omit a few options. The 2001.5 in question, has quattro celebration, quattro sport, cold, xenon and triptronic. It doesn't have metallic paint or asp. I did some research on edmunds and the price quoted by the dealer is fair. But I did notice a $500 bank fee. Is this legitimate or should I not pay it. My dealer said that it goes to the bank, but I thought that I better check. Any ideas?
If I were you, I would go over to the Finance, Warranty and Insurance forum and go into the Lease Questions - Ask Here topic. Car Man should be able to tell you if Audi changed their lease program to include a security deposit or inception fee.
Since they only deal Audi's, the loaner fleet is an all-Audi fleet (YES!!!) Well I checked with them to be sure and they said their loaners are all Audi's. I figured my A4 1.8T is at the very bottom of the model lineup so anything they give me is going to be at least the same if not better :> A TT.....nah first of all you can't specify what you want to get from the loaner pool, and second I don't think they'll loan out TT's.....it'll be great though. I can keep the loaner as long as they keep mine at their shop, so I will bring mine in first thing in the morning, and return the loaner after I get off work. Of course if it's a TT or an S4 I will just call my office and take a day off......
Billy
With the '02 models rolling into our shores in a few months, has anyone seen some good discounts on the 1.8T models?
I wish there was more pull in third gear when I'm trying to really nail it, but for normal driving, pick up is there with plenty to spare.
Tomorrow I'll be the proud owner of a new A4! Someone's comment about 5 speeds being scarce in the Northeast is right on - I got the last 5 speed A4 on Hoffman Audi's lot (Hartford, CT). I'm finally giving up my yellow '88 Prelude - a great handling car - for an A4 1.8T quattro in Santorin Blue/onyx, celebration, cold package - a better handling car! It was a tough choice between the blue and silver, but the blue was smiling right there in front of me (silver would've been a swap), and I couldn't say no. Audi finance: 6.9% x 48mo - less than any bank or CU in the area.
A question or 2:
- anyone with experience with this dealer's service dept? Salesguy was great (Warren), but you can't tell service by that.
- my 9 year old _must_ have a cupholder in the back seat - any suggestions on a good one? Where to buy?
- even though I drove the car 3 times, I didn't get a really good listen to the standard CD player (non-Bose). Are most folks satisfied with the sound quality? Where do you store your CD's?
- I chose the A4 over the Maxima (for obvious reasons
Thanks in advance - looking forward to posting my (hopefully good) experiences here!
Let me first say that I had a 1985 5 spd. Prelude, which I traded for a Pathfinder, and although the Pathfinder was very nice, it just didn't cut it as far as the fun factor was concerned. I borrowed my boss' A4 one weekend, and that was it. The Pathfinder went up for sale, and I got an A4. I haven't regretted it one bit. Although I truly believe the Prelude had a slight edge in the fun factor, the A4 is better in every other way. It is more refined, I think more reliable, and a great all around car.
I had nothing but problems with my Prelude from day 1, including having to change the air conditioning, to the point that it actually went up on fire in the end. I am pro Honda, as we have an Acura 3.2 TL as well, but except for a faulty sensor, I have not had a problem with the A4 in the almost 2 years I have owned it. I will probably get an extended warranty next year, but I would do that for any car I owned. The A4 has proved to be the most reliable car in the slightly less than 2 years I have owned it than any other car I've owned, (and I've owned many). This does not reflect what the long-term reliability might be, but according to many on Audiworld, they claim to have had very little if no problems. BTW, mine is the 2.8, which might have fewer problems than the turbo in the long run, but as I mentioned above, an extended warranty should take the anxiety out of any major problems that MIGHT arise.
As far as Hoffman Audi, there are many people on Audiworld who have purchased their cars there. You are probably best to go to that site and ask the enthusiasts.
I have the Bose, so I can't comment on the stock radio, but most people on Audiworld, have the stock radio, and claim there is very little if no difference in the sound quality. Again, you might want to go to that site and do a search of the archives for that info. As far as where I keep my CD's, my husband bought me a thin CD holder that I keep in the pocket on the driver's side door. I also have the 6 CD changer in the trunk.
I don't have a suggestion on a cupholder for the backseat, but I would imagine any car store like Pep Boys would have some alternative. You might want to look at Clair Audi's website. They are very big on selling aftermarket accessories for the A4. Most Audiworld enthusiasts buy alot of stuff there.
Good luck with your A4. I am still loving it, and look forward to getting into it every day!
I bought my 2001 1.8T FWD model almost 5 months ago, and this is the first car I've owned in which I NEVER had a single problem/complaint/adjustment required during the first few months of ownership! Usually I can find something in a new car that needs to be fixed or adjusted, but not with this one. No rattles, either.
I have the 5-speed stick, sports package, Bose, and the convenience/celebration package. I definitely have no regrets about spending the extra money for the Bose or for the sports package -- I enjoy them both! I think the Bose system definitely adds clarity to the music, and the sports package adds additional handling capability as well as nicer looking wheels. (The Quattro model with the upgraded Sports Package might be the ULTIMATE handling sport sedan!) However, I think the current A4 1.8T FWD model would still be a great car without either one of those options. One thing that definitely stands out is how easy it is to build up speed quickly to pass someone. Keep the rpms above 2000, and you should see some outstanding responsiveness from that little engine.
I would think you can get some great discounts now. When I bought mine in early Feb, I paid just a few hundred above invoice. However, it had the more expensive Conv Package instead of the Celebration Package, and I wouldn't have received as close to invoice pricing if the car was a newer arrival equipped with the Celebration Package. For all the options listed above, as well as the melange metallic paint, my price was about $25.4K before TTL and doc fee. Prices seem to vary quite a bit depending on geography, as I remember seeing posts from nearby states (such as California) indicating their dealers would not match this kind of pricing. You could always cross your fingers that Audi might eventually introduce some factory incentives on remaining 2001 A4's, but don't count on it. Even if they do offer incentives, these might apply to only the 2.8 models; or the incentives might apply only to leases, not to purchases (as was the case in the past for the A6 models).
Tom-- Yikes! I don't know what to say. I've never heard of a problem like that (and I hope I never will again, lol) A better forum would be http://www.audiworld.com/forum/index.html. I'm not really a regular over there but I read the posts when I have the chance and I don't think I remember reading about any dashboard electrical fires but you might ask over there and see whether anyone has experienced a problem like that. They have many more A4 owners reading and posting on their boards than here at Edmunds. Good luck to your buddy's father.
Rob-- I've had my 1.8t Quattro since March and it is approaching the 1,000 mile mark and same here, I haven't detected any problems with it that necessitates taking it back to the dealer to have fixed. This is the second new vehicle I've owned that hasn't had a list of problems that needed attention right after taking delivery. The other was a 1986 Toyota 4Runner that I just sold last week-end. It was perfect upon taking delivery and NEVER went back to the dealer. I hope I can say the same thing about the A4 years from now. Well, I can't really because of the free maintenance that Audi provides so it will eventually have to go back to an Audi dealer for, hopefully, nothing more than routine maintenance. I've had four vehicles that I purchased new that probably went back and forth from the dealer 20 times within the first few months of taking delivery to have things fixed or adjusted and then going back because those things weren't fixed right, etc. So at any rate, I'm glad you're happy with your A4 and will keep my fingers crossed for the both of us that no problems will develop for many years to come.
I would have preferred a front track (fwd) but I would have had to special order one and pay close to MSRP according to the dealers that I talked to because in my area, they don't ship non-Quattros at all for dealer stock. Because of this, resale value is pretty poor for a fwd model if one were even able to find one in this area.
Billy-- I was expecting you to post tonight about your experience at your 5k mile service and about the loaner you got. Hurry up! I'm waiting in eager anticipation to hear about it, lol! Don't keep us in suspense for too long.
Other than that, they gave me a loaner as they promised (haha a silver 1998 2.8 AVANT Tip leather non-quattro.....the newer 30V engine so I am happy), they washed the car (and I think they did a pretty good job cuz I just washed it on last Saturday and I had some water marks on the windows and the marks were gone when I picked it up), they drove the loaner up front for me, they drove mine up front for pickup, and they called me when the car is ready. I mean some of these things my Honda dealer also did, but the service was at least the same or better than the Honda guys, not mentioning no loaners in the Honda dealership (haha of course).
Oh by the way at first I thought I need to fill up the gas tank when i return the loaner.....guess what, the answer is no. So I was happily motoring yesterday, trying out what the V6 30v engine can do :>
So yeah, except the fact that I need to go there again lunchtime today for them to change the oil, everything's great. Of course the 5k service is easy and it's not like they need to fix something.
Billy
Engine is now running about 15F lower than it used to be. Ambient temp is about 88F so I am happy with the results. By the way the manual says the oil capacity is 4.3 quart and the actual oil they poured in is around 3.6 quart, of course these numbers are for the 1.8T engines.
And fdxboy, yup that's Schaumburg Audi and they have posted those customer survey results (supposedly AoA will call me later) that they got the highest score among the 7 Audi dealerships in Chicagoland in 2000. I mean seriously, apart from the "mistake" that they forgot to put in my oil or checking things off that they haven't done, they did a good job. It's a shame. They almost scored a perfect score in my sheet.
Oh by the way the car wash was done by hand => (They have an older building so there's no automatic carwash, however they're building a new one so I dunno if they're going to do that by a machine later)
Billy
Certainly a bigger engine needs more engine oil, but I thought the published number on the manual is 6 quarts. Maybe my memory is wrong. I brought 5 quarts of oil and they used 3.6 quarts, while the published number is 4.3 quarts. I guess it might be a good idea to check my oil level after work today.
Billy
Billy-- so what else was done on the 5k service other than the oil change? Any other adjustments or fixes that you requested them to do? Is a tire rotation required at 5k? ...I can't remember. Oh, and did you get charged for the oil filter? I thought I read on AW that the filter was not included on the 5k service. Also, how are you determining that the engine is running 15 degress cooler? ...by the stock oil temperature gauge? ...the hash marks aren't detailed enough to tell what 15 degrees is, are they?
What is a TSB?? So you read something bout the 3.6/3.7 quart figure huh? Whew that makes me feel so much better :> But I will still check and make sure the oil is right at the crosshetch.
Billy
Did you get my question on the oil temperature that I tacked on the end of my last post?
Fdxboy, haha yeah the service ain't bad at all. The thing is, it's about time they build a brand new building with new showroom and service dept and waiting areas.....the current one is a dump!! It looks even worse than the Accord dealership. I'm sure the new one will be state-of-the-art. Saturday.....oh yeah we met for watching the FAst and the Furious.....about 8 Audi's (3 S4 sedans, 1 S4 Avant, 1 A6 Avant, 1 A4 2.8 sedan and 2 A4 1.8T sedans) cruised together to have dinner at Gameworks in Schaumburg and then cruised to see the movie in Barrington. It's funny though, on the way there, one kid standing on the road was counting "One Audi, 2 Audi's, 3 Audi's.....8 Audi's"..... LOL. The movie was alright with lots of heavily modified Japanese cars and 1 VW Jetta. After the movie we found 2 cop cars parking about 50 ft away from us 8 cars in the backrow of the parking lot. Guess they must be keeping an eye on us in case we decide to race after the movie :> Nah we didn't do that.....not until we got back to the interstate......hehehe we did at least 90 and some of us got above 110.....alright stop flaming me.....it's late at nite and there're not that many cars on the highway. All said, it's fun and you should come out and join us, fdxboy. Next event might be the Hot Import Nights this weekend.....dunno if we are going or not.
Billy
(1) Bose System and (2) Sport Package. I can't tell the difference between either systems (then again, I'm not really into stereo systems). What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Bose? If there isn't much difference in the sound then I think I'll save the money.
Now the Sports Package...is it really worth it? I like the 16 inch wheels but I can live with the 15 inch wheels. How about the suspension? Is there a tremendous difference in handling? If there isn't, then again, I'll save the money. I plan on test driving one with a sports package sometime next week to see for myself (if they'll
let me) but I would like anyone's input.
Thanks,
Scott
You'll get a lot of opinions on your question, I'm sure, lol. I have the Bose and it sounds nice but I've heard better systems in cars. The only difference, according to Audi, is that the Bose has a 150 watt amplifier and the standard system has 80 watts. Now I've heard differing opinions over at Audiworld.com that the Bose system has better quality speakers and I've also heard that the standard system actually has six speakers instead of eight (contrary to Audi's own specifications; Audi says both systems have 8 speakers) but I can't confirm either rumor. To my understanding, other than the speakers and the amplifier, the control units are the same and contain the same features. IMO, the Bose option is not worth the money they are charging. For about half of the ~$600 that Audi charges, you can add a supplementary amplifier and maybe upgrade some of the speakers afterward and have just as good if not a better sounding system. I'd skip it if I had to do it over again. Now the sport package is another story. I don't have it and now I wish I did. For the money that Audi is charging for the sport package, it is probably one of the better values that you can get, aside from maybe the Xenon headlights. But I notice that you are looking at the FronTrack (fwd) model and not Quattro. I know in my Quattro, if I had to do it over again, I'd surely get the sport package. I feel that the standard suspension has just a little too much body roll than I'd like. The sport package in both models will include a solid sway bar instead of a hollow one and stiffer springs and shocks along with the larger rims and the slightly lower profile tires. I'll have to let the guys that have fwd (maybe Louie --schwitzer1 will respond ...I know he has fwd and also has Bose and likes it very much) to back up my opinion on the merits or value of the sports package on fwd but I have a hunch they'll agree that it's a worthwhile and valuable option for the money even on the FronTrack model. If you tried to add the items that the sport package contains afterward, you'd end up paying at least twice as much.
Let us know what you decide and good luck with your purchase. You won't regret it!
Thanks,
Eb.
P.S. My car's description:
2001.5 A4 1.8T Quattro w/5 spd manual
Laser Red with Onyx Leatherette
Quattro Sport Pkg. w/17" alloy wheels
Celebration Pkg - Sun Roof
Cold Weather Pkg
ESP
Xenon
My last sporty-type car was a Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, which cornered like it was on rails. The Audi can't do what that car could, but it's designed with passenger comfort in mind. The sport suspension gives me a little extra handling ability when I want to have some fun, but still allows a comfortable ride over long highway distances.
I'm leaving in a few hours to drive from Indianapolis to Nashville, TN. It's my first LONG road trip. I'm excited! Gotta go get the car washed and gassed....take care!