You don't want the Altima. Wait for the Infiniti G35. RWD, manual tranny, 260 hp. It's based on the Skyline (not the super high performance Skyline, though, that's supposedly coming later). I can't wait to see that one.
Billy, thanks for the AWD info. Hope there's not a quiz!
BTW, Scirocco is the Subie/Audie owner. I came close to getting a Forester, but fell under the spell of the four rings at the last minute. Our other car is a '95 Infiniti G20 manual -- solid, reliable, inexpensive to maintain, but underpowered. With 77k miles, it's had only one big problem: odometer had to be replaced at 30k miles. Its replacement -- whenever that happens -- will be ??an A4? S4? ???
Oh yeah Mike, and wait till Nissan decides to ship the 2-dr AWD Skyline GT-R here......gotta save up soon.
Hey Karen, I'd say your replacement might be the Infiniti G35 Mike was talking about. Isn't it a coincidence to have 260hp on that car, the same as the Acura 3.2TL Type S??? Heck, or get the VW W8 Passat. No more feeling underpowered. Not enough? How about the 2002 Audi RS6???? 340hp, based on the S8's 360hp V8. There you go, you got power, utility (no sedan but only as an Avant) and the 4-ring emblem.
While I love my A4, I'm really excited about all of the new sports sedans coming out. From the Jag X-Type to the G35, there's some good stuff out there. Not to mention the new A4...
Yup yup and while my Car&Driver mag subscription expired 2 months ago, I think I need to renew it to keep myself up-to-date on these new 2002 cars.
Oh, is it just me, or are most of us here already forgot the domestic cars? Is it just me.....the domestic cars are just so bland and stupid looking. Especially their interiors.....my job brings me to a lot of business trips and I'm now sick of all Ford vehicles. Bad interiors, just something that's not right.
Karen-- whew! ...if you listen to Billy, your parents will be able to street-drag in addition to being comfy in those plush seats! I bet the G35 is going to be way higher than the 30k limit that your folks want to spend, though.
Oh wait, I interpreted that wrong. He's talking about YOU!!! aaaah!!! No, I vote for the A4 Cabriolet! ...I can just see you in that car!! ...wind blowing through your hair and the big smile on your face. In fact, I think I hear it calling your name right now! *listens a little closer*
Billy-- whew! yeah, that was an interesting article on awd systems but the only thing is that it's 10 years old. Haven't both Audi and Subaru done several upgrades since then? I wonder if we can find an update somewhere from that same author?
Rocco, I literally laughed out loud at your comments about the Cabrio! Yes!!!
Billy, yeah, I can't think of a single domestic car I'd seriously consider -- and I wish that weren't the case. I drove a Taurus about a year ago; it had ZERO road feel. I thought: How could anybody be satisfied with this? And a Camry struck me the same way: way too insulated from the road, way too bland. Then recently I was looking for a rental car, checking all the agencies to see what they had in a compact or subcompact. Almost all the cars (maybe all; can't remember for sure) were domestic and were bad in crash tests. I think domestic automakers have come a long way in the past 10 years or so, but they still haven't come far enough to hold my interest. Seems to me that a lot of them put way too much effort into frills -- stupid exterior flourishes -- and too little effort into engines, handling, safety, and reliability.
If your parents want great bang-for-the-buck, comfort, speed, sport, reliability, European feel, but can live without the all-wheel drive, suggest they try out the Saab 9-5. It consistently gets great reviews (even from consumer reports who has traditionally hated Saabs). If I hadn't moved up here to dirt road hilly snowy country, I would still be driving that car. My older friends frequently tell me that they miss the comfort (especially in the back seat). It's a heavier car but has good power and torque (also a turbo). I averaged around 25 MPG with it. Saabs are good all-weather cars, but for up here, I just wanted to be sure.
Billy, you actually quoted technology from a 10 year old article? That's Neanderthal stuff in this day in age. I, though, for one, appreciate the research you're doing for us all.
Oh, one other point, as I see it, Audi's Quatro design philosophy centers around an emphasis on superb all weather handling from a sports perspective. I think Subaru's philosophy is more focused on effective driving where road conditions are poor. I might be tempted to compare Audi's AWD with BMW's or Jaguar's, where Subaru's would better be compared with the RAV-4 or vehicles of that ilk.
Ken-- I agree with all that you said about the 9-5. I really liked its lines and features, plus everything you mentioned. Only problem was, once configured with desirable options, the price was hovering around the 40k range ...my limit as the time was 30k. I looked at the 9-3 (they were offering big discounts at the time) but I didn't like the dated composition of that car and its write-ups were far worse than the 9-5's. When I test drove the 9-3, it had noticeable torque steer and huge turbo lag... I wasn't that impressed with the car overall although I really like the fact that they continue to retain that ignition switch location between the seats.
I agree with your assessment of the philosophical differences between the Audi and Subaru awd systems. Although, many Subaru enthusiasts contend that Subaru really emphasizes their "sport prowess" now when marketing the WRX.
Billy-- I thank you too. Where did you find that piece? I'd be interested if that author has updated the information.
Would someone please define 'domestic car'. Is that a car that's manufactured in the USA? (Fords, Chevys, some Subarus, Toyotas, Mercedes, etc). Is it a car that's manufactured by a company that's owned by one of the Big 3? (Jaguar, Saab, Ford, Chevy, Saturn, etc.). Is it a car that's been designed here in the USA? (can't remember which they were, but I've read that several "foreign" cars have been designed in California). I wonder if ultimately the words 'foreign' and 'domestic' will disappear from the dictionary.
'rocco.....been looking at the 9-5 recently, MSRP of 38K but with rebates/discount can get a 2001 for $29K! Rides nice, similar to my Volvo but Saabs depreciate unlike any other car I've ever seen! (thanks to Saabs' normal incentives, etc). That's my dilemma....to spend an extra $3-4K for the 9-5 or stick with the A4 1.8.....
Rocco, I paid an even $34K for my 99 Saab 9-5 SE complete with leather, automatic, etc. It had the turbo 4 and not the V6 but I can't think of anything else it didn't have (SE Saabs have very short options lists). The base 9-5 at that time cost a little less than $30K. Were you possibly looking at the Aero (hot car but out of my price range).
On your second point, it seems like every reviewer in the world wants to knock the floor mounted ignition switch. The only reason that is ever given is that it's 'quirky'. So, what's the difference from a functionality standpoint: . Saab locks the transmission where other cars lock the steering wheel. . Saab keys don't hang down and dangle against your knees as you drive. . Saab keys don't penatrate your knee or leg if you're involved in a serious accident. . The Saab key placement area is housed with sheetmetal and not easily accessable for would-be thieves (Saabs are the second least stolen car in the country - Ignition key placement is part of the reason). Now the placement does take some getting used to. It kind of reminds me of when light switches and windshield wiper controls were moved to the steering wheel stalks. Oh, I forgot, I did discover a downside to this design. It was on a VERY cold day in Gloucester, MA. I spilled some coffee on the way to work; couldn't figure out why my key wouldn't go in come quitting time. You can guess the rest. I finally figured it out and heated my key to solve the problem.
As far as the 9-3 is concerned, their reliability has been lower than that of the 9-5, but I think what you said about the torque steer is it's biggest liability. Stomp on the accelerator from a standing start and the car wants to pull you into oncoming traffic (at least this was the case with my '94 900SE turbo). No, my sole recommendation is for the 9-5, a really fine machine (also great for older folks who still want sportiness but need a design that doesn't cramp their bodies so much).
Ken-- *lol* Your point is well taken! I suppose the common assumption is that any vehicle manufactured by the Big 3 that is assembled in the U.S. would be considered a domestic car. Foreign based manufacturers that assemble cars here in the U.S. will transfer their methods, techniques, tolerances, manufacturing equipment, sometimes even their personnel and ways of daily operations. Those plants are ultimately still managed by the "home" corporate offices. So yes, one can't really consider them an American car but obviously not foreign either especially if the majority of parts are made here. Isn't it some sort of a Federal requlation that if the content of a vehicle contained a certain percentage of domestic parts is considered a dometic car? Is the Mexican assembled Jetta considered a German car? Is the UAW assembled Mazda 626, with the vast majority of parts which are domesic, considered an American car? Oh gee, yes, it is a muddled situation now and that's not even taking into account what you said about where a vehicle is designed or engineered. I give up! This doesn't have anything to do with the above discussion but there's a local repair shop that has on their sign in front "X's Auto Repair -- specializing in foreign and domestic makes" ...huh??? --I have to chuckle.
My experiences shopping for the 9-5: When I was looking at Saabs, little incentives were being given probably because they were trying to move the 9-3s. The 9-3s were being sold for something like 6k UNDER invoice!? The didn't seem to want to deal on the 9-5's for they were fairly scarce. The sticker prices on the 9-5's were pretty much all around the 40k area. They were even reluctant to let me test drive one for they kept pushing the 9-3.
No, it wasn't even an Aero. Man, now I'm sort of regretting not pushing the issue a little more. Yes, I've read many testemonials on the Saab ingition switch and I really do like its placement.
Don-- Yeah, if I could have negotiated a price like you did on a 9-5 I might be driving that now instead of an A4. wow! that's interesting.
Camry was a bad example, so let me backtrack and focus just on U.S.-designed and -manufactured cars. I could cite better examples (like my mother-in-law's Acclaim with less than 20,000 miles on it that's literally falling apart), but I think my point is clear. You can walk through any auto show, check and fit and finish of various vehicles, read the reviews, drive the vehicles, and come away with the impression that all in all foreign manufacturers still have the edge. Yes, there are some substandard foreign cars, and there are some pretty good domestic cars. But for what it's worth, none of the latter made my short list.
Rocco, you've GOT to get a picture of that sign and send it into Car and Driver or AutoWeek. That's a true jewell. Was it put up as a joke or was it a real, honest-to-goodness business sign?
It was originally written in 1992, but the latest revision was in 1999 (top of the article), and there's a little link that makes sure you are reading the latest version. It's the latest version because it says Audi's Quattro system can still go with one wheel that has traction, and that's the latest Quattro, Quattro IV. I wouldn't post if it's not up-to-date :> Just read the whole article and you will know it's pretty up-to-date.
Speaking of domestic vs foreign, my classification is that it's a foreign car if it is a foreign design and built with foreign company supervision. An Accord built in Ohio? It's still a foreign car. A Z3 built in US? It's still a German car. I know rental cars are beaten to death by most renters, but none of the rental cars excite me, vs the excitement the 1.8T brought me after 10 seconds of driving it.
Speaking of which, the AUDI MAGAZINE showed up in my mailbox yesterday. OH YEAH, I don't know why I got it, but it just showed up. You could have guessed it, it spent a lot of time covering the new A4. Here's the dimension increase in the car:
-Exterior length of vehicle increased by 2.7 inches -Interior length of vehicle increased by 1.25 inches -Leg room at the back increased by 1.7 inches -Head room in the front seat increased by 0.59 inches -Head room in the back seat increased by 0.55 inches -Trunk space increased to 15.7 cubit ft
It also talks about weight savings due to more uses of aluminum parts on the suspension and the new V6 engine. Of course it missed out the fact that to make the whole chassis stiffer, they added on about 200 pounds to both models.
The new car looks better than I thought, but still I like mine better. The interior.....well maybe I need to actually sit in one, but the inside door handle is very similar to the Taurus (uh oh). The pictures shown are actually European ones (the mag was printed in Germany). Hopefully I can drive one in AoA's Quattro Challenge event in Chicago on Sep 8. I will definitely write an unofficial road test report after that :>
Billy-- I could have sworn that the first time I brought that article up that it was the original text that was written in 1992! ...in fact I know it was! Jeez, I don't know how that happened but when I clicked on that link again just now, it definitely does state that it has been revised. I'm so sorry for accusing you of posting a 10 year old article!!! *looks really embarrassed* ...yeah, I know you wouldn't do that and thought it strange at the time. Please accept my apologies!! I'm now going back to re-read it. I'll be back.
Billy-- That's definitely a web-page worth bookmarking for future reference! ...an excellent and comprehensive synopsis of AWD systems! --all you wanted to know but were afraid to ask!! And geez, you get all kinds of stuff! "Audi Magazine??" I'd like to subscribe to that! Yeah, I'm sure the 2002 will drive much better than ours but *sheesh* I don't know if I can do without the voltmeter and oil temperature gauges! *lol*
Ken-- Yup, it was an actual business sign! I just think the owner wasn't really thinking when he gave the sign painters the orders. In fact, he still might not get it for if he did, you'd think that he'd want to change it by now! *lol* I might just take a picture of it; good idea!
Karen-- Fit and finish: now that takes us back to the discussion whether a Japanese car that's assembled here in the U.S. has identical fit and finish compared to one assembled in Japan. What do you think? My father, when purchasing his last Accord, made it a point to make sure that it was one of the units that was assembled in Japan. When Subaru first starting making the Legacy/Outback in Indiana, I heard there were quite a few quality issues. Presently, however, I wonder if you could really notice any difference in the fit and finish of an American assembled Legacy as opposed to one over in Japan? I heard a similar situation existed with the Mexican assembled Jettas but the quality of those cars, I believe, still doesn't measure up to those made in Germany. Was it Ford that started making the Taurus in Japan for the Japanese market? I wonder if they were any different than those made here? Whew! ...why am I even worrying about all this, anyway?? *lol*
Rocco -- Good question about whether you'd notice a difference in the fit and finish of the "same" vehicle assembled in different countries. I've heard the same grumblings about the Subarus made in Indiana and the Jettas from Mexico, but the only "evidence" I have is anecdotal.
BTW, although I'm really happy overall with my new A4, my biggest disappointment with it so far is probably the stock headlights. Yeah, Rocco, your offer to swap my sport seats for your Xenons is sounding better and better! I decided not to get Xenons because of the extra cost and because I live in a hilly area and had heard that Xenons weren't very effective in that kind of terrain. Several people had said that they illuminate a very limited area, which made driving with them in uneven topography frustrating. Well, I'm encountering the same thing with the stock headlights. They don't illuminate very far ahead -- even in flat terrain. In fact, the lighting looks abruptly "cut off" on the road ahead. So now I'm wondering what it would cost to replace the stock headlights with Xenons, installed. Any ideas? I realize that you can't simply swap the stock lamps for Xenons, that you need new housings too. Anybody know what that would cost? TIA.
One of the Edmunds forums I've been following over the past few months is the one for the new Jeep Liberty. Now there's an all American built vehicle. Most of the negative comments that have come out have related to gas milage, late availability of sunroof, and late availability of ABS. Virtually ALL comments on fit-and-finish, quality of materials, and build quality have been positive ... Can't remember reading any negative issues on this topic (very unusual for an SUV).
I'm beginning to suspect that modern manufacturing techniques tied to serious quality assurance/quality control programs has much more to do with final quality than place of manufacture.
Karen, I've been looking around to get my stock halogens replaced with Xenons, so I can give you a few answers. Go to www.xenonshop.com and they sell xenon bulbs, ballasts and all the wirings as a package. It costs about $500 a pair so it's the same price as the stock Xenons. Actually you don't need new housings for the Philips Xenons. You can use the existing projectors. However I have heard comments in AudiWorld that with the European housings the light beams are spreaded a little bit better so that might be useful for your hilly terrain driving.
Hehe today after workout at my company's building I took the curvy road that leads to the main road pretty fast and OH YEAH, Quattro is awesome. There was a patch of sand across the curvy road and I intentionally moved closer to the center of the road just in case Quattro doesn't act as well as I thought. Whem!!! It lost partial traction for 1 millisecond and in the next millisecond Quattro pulled the car right back to the curve of travel. It's pretty darn amazing. I noticed, however, the tires are not slick at all. The car was still holding on to the ground pretty well, but the tires started to screech quite a bit. Time for some 17" wheels and slicks :>
Well I guess Daimler-Chrysler realized they're facing tough competition in the Jeep Libery....Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav4, Ford Escape, Nissan Xterra, etc., vehicles that are pretty affordable to the young crowd. The Jeep Cherokee model is a very old design and it shows its age with both the exterior and interior designs.
Last month I rented a Ford Escape when I was on a business trip and that vehicle might be one of those domestic vehicles that amazed me. I guess there got to have something to do with the fact that it's actually a Mazda Tribute. It has a lot of Japanese influence and a lot of nice touches. Of course it still carries a lot of stupid things like there is no keyhole on the tailgate (you need to open it from inside). Overall it's a very decent vehicle. Jeep Liberty won't survive if D-C doesn't do a good job in that one. They had a huge sales slide last quarter in the Dodge and Chrysler camps.
Hey we got to talk about Audi's here....mmm. How come Audi doesn't have an SUV?? OK maybe the Allroad is an SUV wannabe, but with a $50k price tag it's a little bit too much. I know it's not right for BMW's, Mercedes Benz or even Porsche to get an SUV, but if Audi wants to compete, they got to have one. I heard VW is getting one (it's a joint venture between VW and Porsche, which honestly is one big company, VW owns Audi, Audi owns Porsche). The one that Porsche is getting is ugly as hell, and the name, if i remember correctly, it's Cayenne. Porsche Cayenne. Yuck.
So what should Audi name theirs if they have one? The Audi A1?? Hehe aka Audi SteakSauce.
Karen-- Yeah, just be sure, as Billy said, to do the converstion correctly. You definitely need ballasts for true HID lighting. I wouldn't suggest that you do the fake Xenon thing by just replacing the lamps with the blue looking bulbs. If I can find it, I read a good article on lighting and pros and cons of the different color spectrums, etc., that I'll post later. Also there are quite a few Federal (DOT) regulations, on lighting. Although I don't know all these regulations, the things I do know is that 1) when operating with HIDs, they need to be self-leveling. I don't know if you have to change the housings to comply with this or not (I'd assume so) but Billy should know. ...and 2) E-code or Euro-spec lighting is actually illegal here but who's going to pull you over for that? ...although I have read some posts on AudiWorld and VWVortex where people have been cited after being pulled over for something else. If the cost of the conversion is only $500 then IMO, I doubt that all regulations are being officially complied with for I've heard that to do a true conversion correctly, the cost would be somewhere around 1k.
Now for my $0.02 (and maybe somewhat a contradiction): As we've discussed before (and as you have discovered), we can conclude that those descriptions you mentioned which are negative characteristics of Xenons are not actually exclusive characteristics of Xenons but rather specific characteristics of the projector style headlights. I have the hunch that you'll be disappointed by spending the $500 (or even $1,000 for that matter) on a conversion for you'll still get those annoying characteristics that are inherent with projectors. I didn't fully realize or understand this when I first posted my impressions and disappointment at the Xenons originally. So with that said, I think that maybe just replacing the halogens with one of the "super-white" bulbs that several manufacturers offer might be the way to go as far as bang-for-the-buck for their cost should be under $100. But before you guys do anything, let's research and discuss this further... I'll do some more checking around and I'm sure that you'll get some more responses here also. Have you been reading any of the posts over on AudiWorld or Vortex lately or checked their archives? I haven't really been over to either site for some time and when there, haven't been paying that much attention to what's been talked about as far as headlighting goes. Okay, Karen, sit tight for while as we do some more research.
Rocco, thanks for the heads-up. I'll sit tight and not do anything about the lights 'til I've had a chance to do some research. Might be a while; my work schedule is really crammed. (In fact, I'm working today and shouldn't even be on this board.) But I'll report back when I've had a chance to look into it. In the meantime, Rocco and Billy, thanks again!
Oh no problem Karen. I'm also looking into doing something about those Xenons too.
Scirocco, so those lights need to be self levelling in order to be legal.....mmm. That I'm pretty sure that $500 package (actually it might be closer to $600) doesn't include any self levelling device. As you mentioned if you do the whole 9 yards it gotta be at least $1k. The euro housings do not perform any autolevelling.....from the naked eyes it just includes a little bulb for dusk driving, so you don't need to turn on your low beams but cars in the opposite direction can see you. About the abrupt cutoff on the light pattern edges, I think 'Rocco is correct.....it might be caused by the projectors. My little theory is that, the light beam ends on the edge of the curvature on the projectors, while on the multi-reflector headlights, the light keeps on bouncing off different surfaces so it's spreaded all the way around the housing. In other words the light pattern is wider on the multi-reflector housings. And oh yeah, DO NOT switch the non-xenon bulb to some aftermarket fake xenon bulbs, or even the super white bulbs. I had both in my Accord, and the "super white" bulbs aren't really THAT bright, and the fake xenon bulbs only give out a cool blue tint which in fact it doesn't illuminate the road well enough, I needed to turn on the PIAA fog lights.
Yeah more research needs to be done before we decide the solution is to trade in your vehicle and get the stock xenons on, or see if the dealer will switch the whole light system for a xenon set. That said, the $500 stock Xenon option is a steal. Scirocco, I'm flying to Seattle and steal yours shortly. LOL just kidding :>
I'm a new owner of a 2001 A4T with Tip, Quattro Celebration, ESP and Cold Weather package. I've been reading posts both here and at the AudiWorld forums. It seems that at the AudiWorld board, nearly everyone had modified there car to varying degrees. The only mod I'm interested in is chipping. Can anyone enlighten me more on the pros and cons of this modification? Has someone here done this themselves? Happy or not?
I have to buy a new car early next year, and I want a midsize sedan. I'm considering the A4 1.8T or the A4 1.8T Quattro. My budget max is around $25K. On paper, it looks like you get more bang for your buck, HP and torque-wise, from the Altima, Maxima, Accord, and Camry, though I realize that numbers often don't tell the whole tale. My question for you guys is this: if my budget could only handle the 1.8T (without Quattro), would it even be worth it to get an A4? Or do you have to have the $$$ to afford Quattro and/or 2.8? Any advice would be appreciated.
The A4 is smaller, but much more fun to drive, faster and it has AWD. The 9-5 has a great interior and seats more people. It just depends on what your priorities are.
Billy -- Thanks for the link. After skimming that and some other postings on AW, I think I need to do some more research on the whole subject of headlight conversions when life slows down a little. Also, it's something I'll ask about when I take the car in for its 5,000-mi. check in a few months.
Ian -- IMHO Quattro is one big factor that makes Audi stand out from other manufacturers. Even in everyday driving it really enhances the driving experience, and I get the impression that that's important to you. If the $25k limit would put an A4 with Quattro out of reach, what about a used one? Also, assuming that you haven't already driven all of the vehicles you're considering, I suspect that you'd be disappointed with the Camry. Although it gets good reviews, I found it to be really lacking in road feel and handling.
I too am looking to buy an A4, ASAP/PDQ, but I'm not really interested in the quattro. I'm more jazzed about the multitronic and the larger space of the '02 A4. A used car won't do, because the styling of the current A4 is severely dated IMO, plus it will lack the very things that have attracted me to the '02 A4 in the first place.
We bought our A4 1.8T Q at the end of February. We live in Boston and got one very big snow storm in March - the kind of snow storm that shuts down everything for a day. The following day, we brushed the snow off the A4 (we park on the street) and my wife was easily able to take the A4 out of its parking spot through at least 5-10 inches of snow with minimum digging around it. Digging and getting it out took maybe a minute. Then I tried to do the same with my '97 Jetta VR6, which is great in snow once moving. The exact same exercise took me well over half-hour of digging and rocking the car back and forth. It was a lot of fun watching the Q's wheels transfer torque from wheel to wheel.
You can floor the gas in the Q on ice or any other surface and it will not slip. Absolutely fool-proof off-the-start acceleration.
We took it skiing a couple of times in March and one night I went out for a rally-style drive in the snow. It is some of the best fun I've had in a car - you can toss the A4 on snow and ice in turns and it feels very composed and surprisingly well-balanced for its imperfect weight distribution. It feels very predictable and you can just gas it halfway through the corner on your way out and it will hold up the line pretty well.
Audi vs. Subaru - it sound like Subaru has a great AWD system as well but to me, Subaru is family, Audi is sport.
Xenons: do get them if you can. I totally agree that they are a bargain for $500. HID is a much better technology than regular lights and it will likely be standard on most cars in 5 years - just like airbags.
Mirth, read my post #1717 about the dimensional increase on the 2002 A4. You can see the pictures on AudiWorld.com, just click on A4 and lots of guys posted them there.
Sixpines, about chipping, I guess I don't need to tell you how much happier you will be if I tell ya for $500 you get 37 more hp and more importantly, 80 more lbft of torque. I don't have a chip, but all owners that have a chip have big grins on their faces and told me to do it asap. However, the cons of AoA denying your warranty if they somehow link engine failures to you chipping your car, well you are doomed and will be responbile for thousands of dollars need to fix the engine. They will void all warranty that's linked to you being chipped. Yes you can chip your engine by yourself, it's not difficult to do. Just pull the stripping out right behind your engine bay, loosen up 5 screws, pull the ECU cover out, take the computer board out, and get your chip solder in (either you send it back to the chip vendors and they'll send it back within a day, or just buy a new board with the soldered chip), put the cover back on, tighten the 5 screws (one of them is hard to tighten), and put the plastic strip back in. I've seen an experienced guy did it in 10 minutes, so for amateurs it might take 30 minutes, tops. Then you do an engine adaptation....meaning the computer will "relearn" the throttle position corresponding to how much boost it should put out, etc.. I think it takes 3 minutes and that's it. You get lots of power instantaneously. Some people take the chip out right before they head to dealerships to perform service, some use the new EMCS hidden codes that they can switch back and forth between stock and chipped mode (by using the cruise control stalk) without taking the chip out. Some people chip their cars after they get past 5k (to let the engine settle down), some chip after their warranty expires. Your choice. I had always wanted to chip after 5k, but for fear of voiding the warranty if anything happens. Not a good time to spend tons of money now for me.
Anyhow I'm on the road travelling again and guys, guess what I got this time.....a 2001 Volvo V70 wagon, with the normally aspirated engine making 168hp I think. Very nice inside, I like the leather interior and more gadgets than the Audi like a button on the remote to light the car up together with lights underneath the exterior rear wheel mirrors, radio controls on the steering wheel, dual zone MANUAL climate control, etc.. However the ride is totally unacceptable. OK maybe I've driven a German sedan for a while, but this V70 is clearly tuned for a luxurious ride rather than a sporty ride. Road noise is minimal, which is good, but it's also bad since the interior starts to rattle and it's pretty pronounced. Tons of torque steer and it can oversteer pretty easily. That explains why it got traction control I guess. The 5-cylinder engine is smoother than a 4-cyliner one but it idles noisier and rougher than my 1.8T, which is surprising. On paper the horsepower numbers are similar, but torque isn't available as fast and easy as the A4 1.8T. Oh yeah, when we went to grab dinner I parked next to a Laser Red '01 A4 1.8T (just to make this sound Audi-ish). Hehe.
I always appreciate those that share their real life experience regarding the performance of their car. One of the reasons I want an AWD car is for increased confidence in snow/ice/rain, so I was pleased to read your about your winter experience. What sort of tires did you have on the Audi? All season or dedicated snow tires? Regarding the Subaru AWD, I've read many positive postings about its performance in inclement weather. Two things that still have me leaning towards Audi are 1. ESP on Audi and 2. More safety features. I know that Subaru now has a VDC sedan, but the price is more than an A4 Quattro 1.8 and it doesn't look as good.
The A4 Q comes with all-seasons. Snows would definitely be overkill with the Q - it's simply too much. To put it all in perspective, one of my friends has an A4 Q with SP8000 ultra-high performance summer tires. He drove from Boston to New York a couple of years ago in one of the biggest snow storms and he and his passenger claim they were going 90+ mph all the way. I would not recommend doing that but it just goes to show how solid the Q feels on snow/ice even with summer tires. It's funny, though - to me, Audi is a lot more luxurious, classy, and better-looking than any Subaru. In the end, the AWD system should be a variable in your buying decision but not really the leading reason for choosing one over the other. A lot of what goes into a buying decision is how you feel about the car and that's best felt in a test-drive. A bulletin board can only help so much...
binyan & mirth ... First, let me mention that the 2002 A4 has changed quite a lot. Outside of the obvious (looks: it's beautiful .. size: it's larger), Some things that I especially appreciate are the following: . ESP is now standard equipment . The stereo system apparently sounds even better than before. . The standard suspension has about the same stiffness as earlier sport suspensions. . The chassis is 45% stiffer. . The interior is 3db quieter (thicker glass). . In-dash 6 disk CD changer is standard. . Dual zone air conditioning is standard. . The trunk is significantly larger. . And I like the looks of the dual pipes. I'm going to get one of these cars. I've already put my deposit down on a silver 1.8T quatro (wanted pearlescent white again but it's a $1200 upgrade).
By the way, as I understand it, the lighter, front drive A4 that comes standard with the new Constant Velocity Transmission is one VERY perky car.
bmms8 ... Isn't the Jag X type priced about the same as the Audi A4Q with the 3 Liter engine? If so, is the Jag really the more powerful car?
brave1heart ... I'm not sure I would drive even my soon to be purchased ESP laden Quatro on sheer ice without being very, very careful. For all this fancy stuff to work as advertised, don't you still have to be able to get some kind of grip on at least one wheel?
Now, I need to sell my present pearlesecent white 2000 1.8T Quatro that has 32,000 miles on it (hey, I love to drive). It's in perfect condition, hasn't driven on salted roads, it looks new, and it's had regular dealer service every 5K miles. I'm even replacing the Z rated sports tires with new ones (so I can meet the Kelley Blue Book definition of 'excellent condition'). It has the Bose upgrade sound system, heated front seats, Sports package, homelink system (auto dim rearview mirrors, built in garage door openers, etc), and a sunroof.
Now, being somewhat new to the internet, here's my question: What's the best way to sell a car these days? (my dealer has a reputation for low-balling on trade-ins - I'm tired of letting dealers do this to me). Also, are Kelley Blue Book sell-it-yourself values realistic?
Hi Folks, FYI (just in case you should run into the same situation). When ordering new tires for my car, the Dunlop 8000E direct replacement tire wasn't locally available (wasn't even in the data base of our largest tire distributor). One tire dealer said, "it shouldn't make a difference and thought the 'E' had to do with where it was manufactured". The following is what Dunlop had to say about it:
"The Dunlop SP Sport 8000E is produced with a silica based tread compound which improves wet traction (dry traction should be comparable). The SP Sport 8000 can be used as a replacement tire when done in complete sets of 4. The two different model tires should not be mixed on the same vehicle."
Well, my three 8000Es should arrive in a few days (I'll use my spare as my 4th tire).
By the way, for you folks thinking about buying an A4, one thing that's easy to appreciate is the full size spare mounted on a matching wheel.
I went a few weeks without washing my baby (the shame of admission makes my hands tremble). I took her through a premium wash this morning, and I about cracked my face grinning at the brightness of the wheels! They're sparkly!
Ordered a new 2001 1.8T in mid-May. Sales rep said that I need to wait about 12 weeks because they need to order it from Germany and will call me when the car arrives the dealer lot. So I wait, wait and wait unit last week. I called the dealership and they said the car arrived the port a day ago and should be ready to pick up in the next few day once it arrives the dealer lot. Can anyone tell me what paper work they need to do and how long it takes. I just can't wait any more!
Brave1heart, I wouldn't even ever consider driving ANY vehicle at 90mph in any snow/ice conditions, not even the roads are ploughed. One thing, black ice on roads will make ANY vehicle sliding everywhere. It doesn't matter if there's ESP or AWD or whatever, it's the GRIP, the friction, between the tire(s) and the road that counts. And it's suicide if you are driving in snow/ice with summer performance tires. Either your friend was bluffing or he/she wasn't using his/her brains claiming driving at 90mph on summer tires. One question I would ask him/her: traffic will be slow in a snow storm. How can he/she do 90mph??
Keninplacitas, CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission, not Constant Velocity Trans. You don't want a constant velocity trans LOL. My $0.02 is, I would wait until maybe the 2nd model year before buying an Audi CVT car since Audi is not known or famous for CVT. When Honda put out its CVT Civic they had problems with the first year models. On the other hand, it's true that a non quattro car is lighter, but like many people out there that say, why buy an Audi if it's not Quattro equipped? OK maybe you like the features and styling, but Quattro is like 50/50 weight split in a BMW. It's like if a particular new BMW is not 50/50, why buy a BMW?
How much longer you'll have to wait depends on where in the country you are. If I remember right, the port is in Baltimore, so the closer to Baltimore you are, the shorter your wait should be. I'm in the Louisville area; I ordered my A4 in mid-April and took delivery in mid-July. The paperwork apparently involves all kinds of releases from port to shipper, shipper to dealer, etc., plus the paperwork that the dealership prepares to make sure you've got the car you ordered and to sign the car over to you. Don't worry -- it will be worth the wait! And congratulations, by the way; it sounds like you just beat the deadline for special orders!
Comments
BTW, Scirocco is the Subie/Audie owner. I came close to getting a Forester, but fell under the spell of the four rings at the last minute. Our other car is a '95 Infiniti G20 manual -- solid, reliable, inexpensive to maintain, but underpowered. With 77k miles, it's had only one big problem: odometer had to be replaced at 30k miles. Its replacement -- whenever that happens -- will be ??an A4? S4? ???
Hey Karen, I'd say your replacement might be the Infiniti G35 Mike was talking about. Isn't it a coincidence to have 260hp on that car, the same as the Acura 3.2TL Type S??? Heck, or get the VW W8 Passat. No more feeling underpowered. Not enough? How about the 2002 Audi RS6???? 340hp, based on the S8's 360hp V8. There you go, you got power, utility (no sedan but only as an Avant) and the 4-ring emblem.
Billy
Oh, is it just me, or are most of us here already forgot the domestic cars? Is it just me.....the domestic cars are just so bland and stupid looking. Especially their interiors.....my job brings me to a lot of business trips and I'm now sick of all Ford vehicles. Bad interiors, just something that's not right.
Billy
Oh wait, I interpreted that wrong. He's talking about YOU!!! aaaah!!! No, I vote for the A4 Cabriolet! ...I can just see you in that car!! ...wind blowing through your hair and the big smile on your face. In fact, I think I hear it calling your name right now! *listens a little closer*
Billy-- whew! yeah, that was an interesting article on awd systems but the only thing is that it's 10 years old. Haven't both Audi and Subaru done several upgrades since then? I wonder if we can find an update somewhere from that same author?
--'rocco
Billy, yeah, I can't think of a single domestic car I'd seriously consider -- and I wish that weren't the case. I drove a Taurus about a year ago; it had ZERO road feel. I thought: How could anybody be satisfied with this? And a Camry struck me the same way: way too insulated from the road, way too bland. Then recently I was looking for a rental car, checking all the agencies to see what they had in a compact or subcompact. Almost all the cars (maybe all; can't remember for sure) were domestic and were bad in crash tests. I think domestic automakers have come a long way in the past 10 years or so, but they still haven't come far enough to hold my interest. Seems to me that a lot of them put way too much effort into frills -- stupid exterior flourishes -- and too little effort into engines, handling, safety, and reliability.
Billy, you actually quoted technology from a 10 year old article? That's Neanderthal stuff in this day in age. I, though, for one, appreciate the research you're doing for us all.
Oh, one other point, as I see it, Audi's Quatro design philosophy centers around an emphasis on superb all weather handling from a sports perspective. I think Subaru's philosophy is more focused on effective driving where road conditions are poor. I might be tempted to compare Audi's AWD with BMW's or Jaguar's, where Subaru's would better be compared with the RAV-4 or vehicles of that ilk.
I agree with your assessment of the philosophical differences between the Audi and Subaru awd systems. Although, many Subaru enthusiasts contend that Subaru really emphasizes their "sport prowess" now when marketing the WRX.
Billy-- I thank you too. Where did you find that piece? I'd be interested if that author has updated the information.
--'rocco
the dictionary.
On your second point, it seems like every reviewer in the world wants to knock the floor mounted ignition switch. The only reason that is ever given is that it's 'quirky'. So, what's the difference from a functionality standpoint:
. Saab locks the transmission where other cars lock the steering wheel.
. Saab keys don't hang down and dangle against your knees as you drive.
. Saab keys don't penatrate your knee or leg if you're involved in a serious accident.
. The Saab key placement area is housed with sheetmetal and not easily accessable for would-be thieves (Saabs are the second least stolen car in the country - Ignition key placement is part of the reason). Now the placement does take some getting used to. It kind of reminds me of when light switches and windshield wiper controls were moved to the steering wheel stalks. Oh, I forgot, I did discover a downside to this design. It was on a VERY cold day in Gloucester, MA. I spilled some coffee on the way to work; couldn't figure out why my key wouldn't go in come quitting time. You can guess the rest. I finally figured it out and heated my key to solve the problem.
As far as the 9-3 is concerned, their reliability has been lower than that of the 9-5, but I think what you said about the torque steer is it's biggest liability. Stomp on the accelerator from a standing start and the car wants to pull you into oncoming traffic (at least this was the case with my '94 900SE turbo). No, my sole recommendation is for the 9-5, a really fine machine (also great for older folks who still want sportiness but need a design that doesn't cramp their bodies so much).
My experiences shopping for the 9-5: When I was looking at Saabs, little incentives were being given probably because they were trying to move the 9-3s. The 9-3s were being sold for something like 6k UNDER invoice!? The didn't seem to want to deal on the 9-5's for they were fairly scarce. The sticker prices on the 9-5's were pretty much all around the 40k area. They were even reluctant to let me test drive one for they kept pushing the 9-3.
No, it wasn't even an Aero. Man, now I'm sort of regretting not pushing the issue a little more. Yes, I've read many testemonials on the Saab ingition switch and I really do like its placement.
Don-- Yeah, if I could have negotiated a price like you did on a 9-5 I might be driving that now instead of an A4. wow! that's interesting.
Louie-- That's funny!! :-p
--'rocco
Speaking of domestic vs foreign, my classification is that it's a foreign car if it is a foreign design and built with foreign company supervision. An Accord built in Ohio? It's still a foreign car. A Z3 built in US? It's still a German car. I know rental cars are beaten to death by most renters, but none of the rental cars excite me, vs the excitement the 1.8T brought me after 10 seconds of driving it.
Speaking of which, the AUDI MAGAZINE showed up in my mailbox yesterday. OH YEAH, I don't know why I got it, but it just showed up. You could have guessed it, it spent a lot of time covering the new A4. Here's the dimension increase in the car:
-Exterior length of vehicle increased by 2.7 inches
-Interior length of vehicle increased by 1.25 inches
-Leg room at the back increased by 1.7 inches
-Head room in the front seat increased by 0.59 inches
-Head room in the back seat increased by 0.55 inches
-Trunk space increased to 15.7 cubit ft
It also talks about weight savings due to more uses of aluminum parts on the suspension and the new V6 engine. Of course it missed out the fact that to make the whole chassis stiffer, they added on about 200 pounds to both models.
The new car looks better than I thought, but still I like mine better. The interior.....well maybe I need to actually sit in one, but the inside door handle is very similar to the Taurus (uh oh). The pictures shown are actually European ones (the mag was printed in Germany). Hopefully I can drive one in AoA's Quattro Challenge event in Chicago on Sep 8. I will definitely write an unofficial road test report after that :>
Billy
--'rocco
Ken-- Yup, it was an actual business sign! I just think the owner wasn't really thinking when he gave the sign painters the orders. In fact, he still might not get it for if he did, you'd think that he'd want to change it by now! *lol* I might just take a picture of it; good idea!
Karen-- Fit and finish: now that takes us back to the discussion whether a Japanese car that's assembled here in the U.S. has identical fit and finish compared to one assembled in Japan. What do you think? My father, when purchasing his last Accord, made it a point to make sure that it was one of the units that was assembled in Japan. When Subaru first starting making the Legacy/Outback in Indiana, I heard there were quite a few quality issues. Presently, however, I wonder if you could really notice any difference in the fit and finish of an American assembled Legacy as opposed to one over in Japan? I heard a similar situation existed with the Mexican assembled Jettas but the quality of those cars, I believe, still doesn't measure up to those made in Germany. Was it Ford that started making the Taurus in Japan for the Japanese market? I wonder if they were any different than those made here? Whew! ...why am I even worrying about all this, anyway?? *lol*
--'rocco
BTW, although I'm really happy overall with my new A4, my biggest disappointment with it so far is probably the stock headlights. Yeah, Rocco, your offer to swap my sport seats for your Xenons is sounding better and better!
I'm beginning to suspect that modern manufacturing techniques tied to serious quality assurance/quality control programs has much more to do with final quality than place of manufacture.
Hehe today after workout at my company's building I took the curvy road that leads to the main road pretty fast and OH YEAH, Quattro is awesome. There was a patch of sand across the curvy road and I intentionally moved closer to the center of the road just in case Quattro doesn't act as well as I thought. Whem!!! It lost partial traction for 1 millisecond and in the next millisecond Quattro pulled the car right back to the curve of travel. It's pretty darn amazing. I noticed, however, the tires are not slick at all. The car was still holding on to the ground pretty well, but the tires started to screech quite a bit. Time for some 17" wheels and slicks :>
Billy
Last month I rented a Ford Escape when I was on a business trip and that vehicle might be one of those domestic vehicles that amazed me. I guess there got to have something to do with the fact that it's actually a Mazda Tribute. It has a lot of Japanese influence and a lot of nice touches. Of course it still carries a lot of stupid things like there is no keyhole on the tailgate (you need to open it from inside). Overall it's a very decent vehicle. Jeep Liberty won't survive if D-C doesn't do a good job in that one. They had a huge sales slide last quarter in the Dodge and Chrysler camps.
Hey we got to talk about Audi's here....mmm. How come Audi doesn't have an SUV?? OK maybe the Allroad is an SUV wannabe, but with a $50k price tag it's a little bit too much. I know it's not right for BMW's, Mercedes Benz or even Porsche to get an SUV, but if Audi wants to compete, they got to have one. I heard VW is getting one (it's a joint venture between VW and Porsche, which honestly is one big company, VW owns Audi, Audi owns Porsche). The one that Porsche is getting is ugly as hell, and the name, if i remember correctly, it's Cayenne. Porsche Cayenne. Yuck.
So what should Audi name theirs if they have one? The Audi A1?? Hehe aka Audi SteakSauce.
Billy
P.S. Porsche Cayenne sounds like Portia Cayenne, which sounds like a hooker's name. *lol*
Now for my $0.02 (and maybe somewhat a contradiction): As we've discussed before (and as you have discovered), we can conclude that those descriptions you mentioned which are negative characteristics of Xenons are not actually exclusive characteristics of Xenons but rather specific characteristics of the projector style headlights. I have the hunch that you'll be disappointed by spending the $500 (or even $1,000 for that matter) on a conversion for you'll still get those annoying characteristics that are inherent with projectors. I didn't fully realize or understand this when I first posted my impressions and disappointment at the Xenons originally. So with that said, I think that maybe just replacing the halogens with one of the "super-white" bulbs that several manufacturers offer might be the way to go as far as bang-for-the-buck for their cost should be under $100. But before you guys do anything, let's research and discuss this further... I'll do some more checking around and I'm sure that you'll get some more responses here also. Have you been reading any of the posts over on AudiWorld or Vortex lately or checked their archives? I haven't really been over to either site for some time and when there, haven't been paying that much attention to what's been talked about as far as headlighting goes. Okay, Karen, sit tight for while as we do some more research.
--'rocco
Scirocco, so those lights need to be self levelling in order to be legal.....mmm. That I'm pretty sure that $500 package (actually it might be closer to $600) doesn't include any self levelling device. As you mentioned if you do the whole 9 yards it gotta be at least $1k. The euro housings do not perform any autolevelling.....from the naked eyes it just includes a little bulb for dusk driving, so you don't need to turn on your low beams but cars in the opposite direction can see you. About the abrupt cutoff on the light pattern edges, I think 'Rocco is correct.....it might be caused by the projectors. My little theory is that, the light beam ends on the edge of the curvature on the projectors, while on the multi-reflector headlights, the light keeps on bouncing off different surfaces so it's spreaded all the way around the housing. In other words the light pattern is wider on the multi-reflector housings. And oh yeah, DO NOT switch the non-xenon bulb to some aftermarket fake xenon bulbs, or even the super white bulbs. I had both in my Accord, and the "super white" bulbs aren't really THAT bright, and the fake xenon bulbs only give out a cool blue tint which in fact it doesn't illuminate the road well enough, I needed to turn on the PIAA fog lights.
Yeah more research needs to be done before we decide the solution is to trade in your vehicle and get the stock xenons on, or see if the dealer will switch the whole light system for a xenon set. That said, the $500 stock Xenon option is a steal. Scirocco, I'm flying to Seattle and steal yours shortly. LOL just kidding :>
Billy
(And it's today's post, not 10 years old, LOL J/K)
It talks about how good the euro housings are, where to get them, etc..
Billy
Thanks, Tom.
Ian -- IMHO Quattro is one big factor that makes Audi stand out from other manufacturers. Even in everyday driving it really enhances the driving experience, and I get the impression that that's important to you. If the $25k limit would put an A4 with Quattro out of reach, what about a used one? Also, assuming that you haven't already driven all of the vehicles you're considering, I suspect that you'd be disappointed with the Camry. Although it gets good reviews, I found it to be really lacking in road feel and handling.
You can floor the gas in the Q on ice or any other surface and it will not slip. Absolutely fool-proof off-the-start acceleration.
We took it skiing a couple of times in March and one night I went out for a rally-style drive in the snow. It is some of the best fun I've had in a car - you can toss the A4 on snow and ice in turns and it feels very composed and surprisingly well-balanced for its imperfect weight distribution. It feels very predictable and you can just gas it halfway through the corner on your way out and it will hold up the line pretty well.
Audi vs. Subaru - it sound like Subaru has a great AWD system as well but to me, Subaru is family, Audi is sport.
Xenons: do get them if you can. I totally agree that they are a bargain for $500. HID is a much better technology than regular lights and it will likely be standard on most cars in 5 years - just like airbags.
Good discussions on this board - keep it up!!
Sixpines, about chipping, I guess I don't need to tell you how much happier you will be if I tell ya for $500 you get 37 more hp and more importantly, 80 more lbft of torque. I don't have a chip, but all owners that have a chip have big grins on their faces and told me to do it asap. However, the cons of AoA denying your warranty if they somehow link engine failures to you chipping your car, well you are doomed and will be responbile for thousands of dollars need to fix the engine. They will void all warranty that's linked to you being chipped. Yes you can chip your engine by yourself, it's not difficult to do. Just pull the stripping out right behind your engine bay, loosen up 5 screws, pull the ECU cover out, take the computer board out, and get your chip solder in (either you send it back to the chip vendors and they'll send it back within a day, or just buy a new board with the soldered chip), put the cover back on, tighten the 5 screws (one of them is hard to tighten), and put the plastic strip back in. I've seen an experienced guy did it in 10 minutes, so for amateurs it might take 30 minutes, tops. Then you do an engine adaptation....meaning the computer will "relearn" the throttle position corresponding to how much boost it should put out, etc.. I think it takes 3 minutes and that's it. You get lots of power instantaneously. Some people take the chip out right before they head to dealerships to perform service, some use the new EMCS hidden codes that they can switch back and forth between stock and chipped mode (by using the cruise control stalk) without taking the chip out. Some people chip their cars after they get past 5k (to let the engine settle down), some chip after their warranty expires. Your choice. I had always wanted to chip after 5k, but for fear of voiding the warranty if anything happens. Not a good time to spend tons of money now for me.
Anyhow I'm on the road travelling again and guys, guess what I got this time.....a 2001 Volvo V70 wagon, with the normally aspirated engine making 168hp I think. Very nice inside, I like the leather interior and more gadgets than the Audi like a button on the remote to light the car up together with lights underneath the exterior rear wheel mirrors, radio controls on the steering wheel, dual zone MANUAL climate control, etc.. However the ride is totally unacceptable. OK maybe I've driven a German sedan for a while, but this V70 is clearly tuned for a luxurious ride rather than a sporty ride. Road noise is minimal, which is good, but it's also bad since the interior starts to rattle and it's pretty pronounced. Tons of torque steer and it can oversteer pretty easily. That explains why it got traction control I guess. The 5-cylinder engine is smoother than a 4-cyliner one but it idles noisier and rougher than my 1.8T, which is surprising. On paper the horsepower numbers are similar, but torque isn't available as fast and easy as the A4 1.8T. Oh yeah, when we went to grab dinner I parked next to a Laser Red '01 A4 1.8T (just to make this sound Audi-ish). Hehe.
Billy
Regarding the Subaru AWD, I've read many positive postings about its performance in inclement weather. Two things that still have me leaning towards Audi are 1. ESP on Audi and 2. More safety features. I know that Subaru now has a VDC sedan, but the price is more than an A4 Quattro 1.8 and it doesn't look as good.
. ESP is now standard equipment
. The stereo system apparently sounds even better than before.
. The standard suspension has about the same stiffness as earlier sport suspensions.
. The chassis is 45% stiffer.
. The interior is 3db quieter (thicker glass).
. In-dash 6 disk CD changer is standard.
. Dual zone air conditioning is standard.
. The trunk is significantly larger.
. And I like the looks of the dual pipes.
I'm going to get one of these cars. I've already put my deposit down on a silver 1.8T quatro (wanted pearlescent white again but it's a $1200 upgrade).
By the way, as I understand it, the lighter, front drive A4 that comes standard with the new Constant Velocity Transmission is one VERY perky car.
bmms8 ... Isn't the Jag X type priced about the same as the Audi A4Q with the 3 Liter engine? If so, is the Jag really the more powerful car?
brave1heart ... I'm not sure I would drive even my soon to be purchased ESP laden Quatro on sheer ice without being very, very careful. For all this fancy stuff to work as advertised, don't you still have to be able to get some kind of grip on at least one wheel?
Now, I need to sell my present pearlesecent white 2000 1.8T Quatro that has 32,000 miles on it (hey, I love to drive). It's in perfect condition, hasn't driven on salted roads, it looks new, and it's had regular dealer service every 5K miles. I'm even replacing the Z rated sports tires with new ones (so I can meet the Kelley Blue Book definition of 'excellent condition'). It has the Bose upgrade sound system, heated front seats, Sports package, homelink system (auto dim rearview mirrors, built in garage door openers, etc), and a sunroof.
Now, being somewhat new to the internet, here's my question: What's the best way to sell a car these days? (my dealer has a reputation for low-balling on trade-ins - I'm tired of letting dealers do this to me). Also, are Kelley Blue Book sell-it-yourself values realistic?
"The Dunlop SP Sport 8000E is produced with a silica based tread compound which improves wet traction (dry traction should be comparable). The SP Sport 8000 can be used as a replacement tire when done in complete sets of 4. The two different model tires should not be mixed on the same vehicle."
Well, my three 8000Es should arrive in a few days (I'll use my spare as my 4th tire).
By the way, for you folks thinking about buying an A4, one thing that's easy to appreciate is the full size spare mounted on a matching wheel.
sorry I'm late getting in my one-liner, but it's been a busy week and it's only Tuesday.
Keninplacitas, CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission, not Constant Velocity Trans. You don't want a constant velocity trans LOL. My $0.02 is, I would wait until maybe the 2nd model year before buying an Audi CVT car since Audi is not known or famous for CVT. When Honda put out its CVT Civic they had problems with the first year models. On the other hand, it's true that a non quattro car is lighter, but like many people out there that say, why buy an Audi if it's not Quattro equipped? OK maybe you like the features and styling, but Quattro is like 50/50 weight split in a BMW. It's like if a particular new BMW is not 50/50, why buy a BMW?
Billy
How much longer you'll have to wait depends on where in the country you are. If I remember right, the port is in Baltimore, so the closer to Baltimore you are, the shorter your wait should be. I'm in the Louisville area; I ordered my A4 in mid-April and took delivery in mid-July. The paperwork apparently involves all kinds of releases from port to shipper, shipper to dealer, etc., plus the paperwork that the dealership prepares to make sure you've got the car you ordered and to sign the car over to you. Don't worry -- it will be worth the wait! And congratulations, by the way; it sounds like you just beat the deadline for special orders!