Should be in the 8.0 range or so. The 1.8T sedan with 5 speed is 7.5-7.8 and the Avant just has a little more weight to it. You won't regret it. It's a fantastic car, and the Avant looks great!
I got a ticket in my gutless 1985 Honda. 0-60 times are neat, but you can go fast in just about anything! On the other hand, the 1.8T that I'm driving right now feels so solid at 80 mph that I'm forever thankful for cruise control. I recently got an average mpg of 38.9 doing highway driving, and hitting all the stoplights just right. The trip was about 65 miles, most of them with the cruise set at about 56 or 57 mph. When I turned off onto the county 2-lane, I'm afraid that I put a bit more foot into it, and lost the fabulous reading. That's ok, though. These are roads in southern Indiana that I drove with my driver's ed. instructor, and ever since that time, and I sure had fun. The car just dips into turns and powers out of them like none other. It's truly an exciting vehicle. What makes it even better is knowing that I can drive a hell of a long way and still not need to tank up.
Louis, got any specific roads to recommend? Indiana Hwy. 250 near Austin might be tempting -- as I remember, it has just enough dips and curves(and little traffic) to be fun in a good-handling car. Great gas mileage, by the way -- I'm jealous!
is 26,500 tmv from edmunds pretty accurate for the current market for 1.8t quattro w/ sunroof and cold weather. What are some lease rates that people are getting with minimal down,and driving 12,000 miles/yr?
I recommend Highway 46 between Bloomington and Nashville Indiana. Drive it a few times during the day, then take a hot run at about 2:30 am, when most of the farm trucks and heavy machinery are gone but the fog hasn't rolled in yet. River Road between Camel and Noblesville used to be pretty good, but it's getting built up and there are more people out power-walking. It'd still be decent in the middle of the night, after you'd learned it in the daytime. Bottom Road from Highway 37 (Just north of Bloomington) through Modesto and up to where it becomes Dittemore Road is nicely twisty, wooded, and dips up and down through ravines and ridges beautifully. It's another double-yellow, though, with poor visibility. I drove it a lot faster when I was eighteen and indestructible. Now, I'm more interested in my kids having a father than my wife having an insurance payout. There's a road in Northern Indiana, the name of which I have no idea, where I did my high-speed run in the Eclipse GSX I had some years ago. At that time, it was straight, freshly paved, with visibility for about ten miles. It's somewhere between Ft. Wayne and Logansport. The road from Highway 31 that leads into Culver Military Academy is straight for a long ways, then you turn right onto this nice little twister that takes you along the shore of Lake Maxinkuckee and right into the middle of the campus. I likes that one right fine, too.
Louis, thanks for the recommendations -- now I've got new incentive to travel!
Rocco, did your parents ever decide on a new car? Mine just put down a deposit on an I30. I'm disappointed that they didn't wait 'til the new A4s were out, but it seems like they wanted something plusher too, not just bigger, and didn't want to shell out the extra $$$ for a 2.8.
My wife has a 2000 I30. It is a great car, just not as sporty as the A4. But it doesn't pretend to be. They're quite reliable as well. 17,000 miles and the only dealer visits have been for scheduled maintenance.
can someone help me with a price. I am looking at an 01 a4 1.8 quattro full loaded with 18000 miles all ready. The dealer list is at 29,500, i think that is insane, but i thought near 25k-26k was fair does that seem reasonable or should i go lower because of mileage? i want to lease it so a payment just under $400 is that reasonable?
The sticker on a fully loaded 2001 A4 1.8T Quattro (automatic) is $31,490. $29.5K might be a fair starting price with no mileage but with 18K miles, they'd need to come down quite a bit! That's a lot of mileage on a car that's 1 yr old or less. I'd want to why it's on the lot so soon: trade in, finance problems, maint issues, etc.
Any word on the AoA Performance thing? I checked all through AoA's website, found nothing. Did a search on AW, but maybe went about it incorrectly. I'd love to know more.
thank you for the response on the 01 a4, i have one other question. I'm not sure if this considered being cheap, but does someone have access to carfax to check the VIN # on this car? Is it all right to ask for a favor or should i just pay the $15. VIN# waudc68d91a053839. thanks
A lot of the time, demos aren't worth it. The dealer will still want close to full value for it, but I see it as a used car. If I couldn't get a significant discount on it (read: at least 3k or so), I would just get a new one. At 18k miles, 36% of the warranty and free maintenance are gone.
schwitzer - I don't know anything about it, either. Billy is our man with the info.
Man? You holdin' out on us? You gotta come across with the goods, eh? I posted the question on AudiWorld, and someone asked if I were referring to the VW upgrade on the 1.8t to 180 hp. I dunno...is that what we're talking about?
Isn't (wasnt't ?) Audi offering lease rates on NEW A4s under $400? Being that the car is 1 year old w/ 18K miles, I would expect to save AT LEAST $4-5K off list. Like mmcbride stated - almost half of the warranty is already gone!
Wow! ...several interesting discussions you guys have going. I've been doing some research (when I have the time, which isn't very often lately) on some of the things you folks are talking about (headlights, brake pads, ECU up-grades, etc.) but don't have anything really new to post right now but will hopefully be posting some opinions later.
Louie-- I think that AoA performance up-grade topic was all speculation and rumor which stemmed from the discussion that Binyan and Billy were having awhile ago. I too, haven't read anything that substantiates that AoA has any intention of offering their own up-grades to ECU or chips or whatever ...I agree, it would be interesting if they are considering doing something like that. Billy said that he'd check at the quattro challenge so I guess we'll just wait until we hear from him as to what they say there.
Karen-- My folks haven't yet decided on a car. I'm still trying to convince them to see if they can pick up an '01 A6 but they don't seem too enthusiastic. They want Japanese reliability and "value" (an individual judgment, I suppose) but are still open-minded enough to consider an A6 but they look at the reliability ratings which Consumer Reports lists and shake their heads ...then they see all the Japanese makes with their red dot circles and say: "jeez, isn't this a no-brainer??" as they point to an Infiniti, Acura or Lexus. But I think that your parents probably made the right choice in that if it's "plush" they want, then the I30 sounds like a very good choice! Plush and reliable, plus Infiniti dealers have a very good reputation of service which is definitely a factor for "older" people (wait a sec... to most of the others on this board, I'm an "older" person *ugh*) to consider. Congratulate your parents for me, Karen, and we'll see how they like it and then maybe I'll reconsider what I try to sell my parents on!
As for the brake pad issue: no, as Billy and others said, I don't think that we'll really be able to dectect the performance characteristics of after-market pads enough to really make that much of a difference. I think I read somewhere (and Ken seems to back that up) that in the '01 models, the wet braking issue (even on stock brakes) has been corrected. I'll do some more research on Mintex, etc. and let you know what I find.
Ken-- yes, let us know what Audi has in mind to help with the brake dust!
Opps, gotta run but here are a few links for anybody that hasn't seen them:
Here is the mini-brochure that I have on my hard drive but haven't figured out how to post from the NY auto show. Someone on Vortex posted a URL which someone evidently transferred to a site; it takes some time to load: http://www.geocities.com/turtlepowwa/
It's been a week since I got my '98 1.8TQM and here are my initial impressions:
Ride/Handling - :-) That's all I am going to say. I can't wait till I get some new tires on this thing (the OEM Goodyears are almost gone). Now I know what I've been missing all those years driving the Legend and the RL...
Sound system - why do manufacturers insist on stuffing Bose systems in their cars and call them premium sound? While not too bad, the Bose Concert system is just so-so (maybe 5/6 on a scale to 10). The lows are too "boomy" at low(er) listening levels, and at higher levels, they seem to disappear. I guess the saying "no replacement for displacement" (in this case woofer size) holds true. As far as mileage goes, I am getting ~28mpg (according to the trip computer). That's 90% highway driving.
MY2002 VW 1.8T based cars will be 180HP engine. Nowhere has VW every announced a free upgrade for 150HP engines. It was a gag posted on VW Vortex forums that was then posted on here by an Audi driver to see what kinda responses people would get.
in San Francisco.....man what a beautiful city.....and BMW 3-series outnumbered all Audi's which in turn outnumbered Camry's. Interesting.
Anyhow, yup I didn't have time to do research or check out AW or VW Vortex or local gatherings (just missed a Krispy Kreme run, darn it). There's another smaller gathering this weekend and I'll see what I can find out about the AoA chip. And yes I definitely will check that out in the Quattro Challenge on Sept 8 and see if they're willing to admit or even hint about the AoA chip.
I started to get tired of the squealing Eagle tires.....you can feel that the car has a lot of potential and you still got decent traction.....but your passengers are either laughing or freaking out cuz the tires squeal like crazy. Ahhhh.....
Yeah, I would tend to believe what Louie says about it being a joke. I find it hard to comprehend that AoA would just issue a blanket proposal to upgrade anyone who has a 150-170hp version of the 1.8t to the 180hp version for no charge. I didn't see the thread over on vortex but when I get the chance, I'll have to take a look. *glances over at binyan* ...was dat u??? *lol* :-b
I know that there is no experience with the 3.0 engine yet, so the best to compare it to would be the 2.8. How do these compare in real world driving? Here is what I have heard:
1.8T: Pros- Better gas mileage, Top 10 engine, because of turbo it give better 'sense of acceleration' in city driving, less expen$ive car Cons- Noisy at highway speeds, prone to more problems and shorter life than a normal aspirated engine
2.8 (3.0) Pros- More HP, faster acceleration at highway speeds Cons- poorer gas mileage, not a top 10 engine, more expen$ive car, 3.0 is new and 'unproven'.
When I first began researching Audi, several folks mentioned that they chose the 1.8T because it was a less expensive car, but if they had to do it over again they would have gotten the 2.8. Most everyone as I recall that had a 2.8 recommended it to those shopping for an A4.
Well I had the 2.8 Avant as a loaner last time. I liked it but I guess I have got used to the "kick" a turbo charged engine can give you. The 2.8 is smooth just like most V6 engines, but to me I like the 4-banger cuz I like the "roar" of the engine if I push it hard. Add that to the turbo spooling up pitch and it's just about right. I guess there are more parts to a turbocharged engine that a normally aspirated engine so it might be logical to think it costs more $$ to fix later.
There is no noise at highway speeds in the 1.8T... compared to a mercedes maybe but that's another issue. I do not consider engine sound, noise. The V6 engine is quieter, of course but 6K difference in price is not worth it. Besides the 1.8T is the tuner's dream engine.
The issues about turbos being prone to more problems is yet another myth about reliability. We are not in the 80's anymore... I've seen a couple of true cases over audiworld, most of the others are because people abused their cars (after chipping them).
I researched this issue for about a year before buying a 1.8T. Before I began looking into the issue, I assumed that the V6 would be the more reliable engine because I assumed that the turbocharged engines would be more prone to problems. However, after reading many, many postings on AudiWorld and here and reading about the engines in various car mags, I came away with the impression that the stock 1.8T engine was at least as reliable as the 2.8. I also had the impression that the people who tended to have problems with their 1.8T engines were people who had chipped them. I can't cite whether specific kinds of chips seemed more prone to problems; I didn't look into it that far. Again, these are just gut impressions, but they greatly influenced my decision on what to buy. Anyway, I agree with philltraffa.
Another impression: It seems like many of the people who got the 1.8T and wished they'd gotten a 2.8 had the 150-hp 1.8T. The 1.8T and 2.8 are quite comparable now in horsepower. The V6 will certainly give you a different feel than the turbocharged engine, though, so then the choice boils down to whether you want more of a "kick" in acceleration -- a sportier ride -- or a smoother ride. Like Billy, I prefer the sporty sound and feel of the turbocharged 4-cylinder.
Anyway, I'm very happy with my 2001.5 1.8T and am confident that it's going to be a reliable car. Just my $.02....
You all know how much I love the 1.8T engine so I won't go on another long-winded diatribe again but yes, I agree with everything that Karen, Ed and Billy said. In "real-life" applications, Consumer Reports rates the 1.8t more reliable than the 2.8 in the Passat. I really don't know where you found that information, D.J., but I'm surprised. Yes, 2.8 owners love their engines but I've seen more passionate arguments from those that have the 1.8T.
And I don't know if you can necessarily consider the 2.8 and the new 3.0 of the same ilk either ...it seems like the 3.0 shares very few components from its 2.8 predecessor. Some of the improvements that I can remember, aside from its increased power and efficiency, are 1) aluminum block, 2) lighter pistons, 3) a balancer shaft, 4) new camshaft adjustments, 5) new two-position variable intake manifold and 6) new Bosch electronic throttle. It sounds like a terrific new engine! ...one I may someday consider as a possible alternative to my favorite 2.7T *drools*
And although I'm not a fan of automatic trannys, can you imagine what a smooth and powerful combination that 3.0 with the multitronic cvt tranmission will be?? wow! ...now if technology allows it to be someday mated with quattro, then I just may consider it!!
I've been driving this puppy for almost 8000 miles, now. I got it at the end of April/Beginning of May. I have never driven one of the 2.8's and so have no basis for comparison. However, my engine has loosened up, winds out nicely, gives very crisp acceleration, and allows me to do just about whatever I want to do on the freeway or in traffic. The only caveat (as with any turbo-charged car) is to watch the rpm's in order to avoid turbo-lag. Keep the rpm's just above 2 grand, and there's never any lag. That whistling whine of the compressor spinning up is something that I truly enjoy. The car is not as noisy at speed as my '95 Eclipse GSX was. It truly is the perfect blend of luxury and sport. I've never enjoyed a car as much as I enjoy this one. I have fun taking it out and driving like a teenager trying to impress buddies, and I have fun taking it out and trying to see how high I can get the average miles per gallon to go. The 1.8T gives me great punch when I want it, and takes small bites when I want that. Should I decide to mod the engine later, I can squeeze the 1.8T for way more ponies than the 2.8 can dream of (without a supercharger, of course).
Louie-- whew! ...when do you guys find all that time to do all that driving? Sheesh, I'm finally coming up on 1,600 and I've had it since March! Man, I gotta stop working so much and start driving more!
Well, when Toyota was going through the blown head gaskets in their V6 trucks and 4Runners, there was no national recall. My mom had a 1990 4Runner and when she took it in for service, they told her they would replace the head gasket for free, even though she had not had any problems.
In-laws live two hours on an interstate to the north, my folks live an hour and fifteen south on a state 4-lane. We went to Nashville, TN, about a six or seven hour trip each way. Add in a 40-mile round trip commute each day, and the desire to sometimes go do other stuff...it adds up quickly. Also, I'm not one that gets a car to worry about how many miles I'm putting on it. I like to drive, and leasing just pisses me off with the mileage restrictions.
1600 miles??? What have you done to the electronics to freeze it there? Hehe, I am at 8400 miles too.....but adding up at a slower rate than Louis since I bought it last day of Feb.
I drove my buddy's 200hp Prelude (5-speed) this past weekend at San Fran and I am so happy with the turbos on our cars. Just like any Honda, you need to keep the rev way up there around 4500 rpm to have fun with it, while we can do it at around 2000 rpm. Plus with the cooler temp at San Fran (avg summer daily temp range is like 50-70F), I'm sure driving turbo cars there will be a sure joy.
To all you 1.8T owners - what RPM does your A4 cruise at? I currently own a 2.3L car and it cruises at around 2200 RPM. If the A4 is anyway similar, I figure you guys never have to wait for the turbo, since it kicks in at 1950. Is this correct, or is there a slight wait?
Well, I suppose I'd need to know at what speed you would like to know the rpms for...I go about three grand at seventy...I think...2500 at fifty-five. When I'm cruising at 110, of course, the rpms are much higher.
Okay, that's another thing I gotta do... I've only hit 85 so far; haven't had the chance to get it over 100 yet. I'll have to get it out on a deserted road somewhere away from the city. But yah, I've noticed that 5th is geared awfully low which I really don't quite care for ...seems like it could be just a tad higher for lower rpms while cruising (or maybe a 6-speed would be more appropriate, yeah, that's it! *lol*). Ian, as far as turbo boost, even at 3,000 rpm, it's still going to have a very slight lag ...just by a turbo's nature, it won't be absolutely instantaneous; there's still spooling time, etc. Considering the 1.8T's flat torque curve with the low pressure turbo, it's not going to give you the exhilarating kind of rush when it finally does kick in as some of the higher pressure/larger turbos might give ...I like and enjoy the characteristics of the 1.8T's turbo, though; much smoother throughout its operating range than the constant up and down of a high pressure unit.
I just got my 1.8T auto a week ago and I noticed that some strange sound (some kind of mechanical sound) when I shift from parking to reverse. I can only hear this sound when the windows are opened. Also when I am close to a complete stop, I heard a single low "tone" sound. I think it's coming from the engine but not sure. Can someone suggest what's happening. I don't feel any vibrations in both cases. Some people are having transmission problem, can you guys tell me what are the symptoms of transmission problem. I only have 400 miles on it.
Judging by the postings here, I guess I have the most mature 1.8T engine, which has a little over 27K miles. No problems whatsoever. I took my car on at least half a dozen roadtrips of over 500 miles in subzero as well as over 110 degrees heat. My Audi never faltered. At this point, I am more than willing to lump the theory that "turbo engines are troublesome" with the rest of them "old wives tales"
However, I do have a problem that I hope somebody can help me with. My Audi has developed a distinct taste for music ,i.e., I hear a lot of static with certain CDs and not with others. All of the CDs play just fine in my discman. Any ideas before I take my car to the dealer?
Dychung, obviously I don't know how loud the metal clung sound is, but if it's just a little clung sound it should be normal. Most automatic trannys do that when you put the car into reverse. My Accord did that and it got no tranny problems in 120k miles. That might be the case since you can only hear it when your windows are down. About that "tone" sound, do you mean that the engine actually sounds louder or jerk a little bit? Again I don't know how bad they are, but could it be just the auto tranny is trying to kick to a lower gear when you come to a stop?
Blacktulip, wow now that's interesting. Mmmm....I haven't got that with 8.5k miles on mine YET. The only glitch I got was that one night when I started the car, the stereo won't come on at all no matter what I do. Next morning I pulled out the fuse thinking all nite that gotta be it, nope the fuse wasn't blown. Anyhow I wiped it clean and plugged it back in the right side up (there's no right side but the Amp number on it was flipped), and wah-la it came back to life. I don't think that will help you but heck, I don't think the service guys can help you either. It's just those little things that bug ya. You need to sit down and ask your Audi quietly which music it hates or likes LOL. By the way, does it really like certain kinds and dislike certain kinds? The only thing I can think of is, maybe the Amp can't produce a certain pitch and just static comes out. Not an expert on this, sorry.
Have you checked the cd's? There's always the chance that someone has taken them to a beach and used them as a seat cushion, then sharpened a knife on the shiny side, and then dipped them into battery acid (just for example). If the cd has turned into a dog-log, then get another one. Do the same cds work in another cd player? I know that there was one cd that I got at our library that had what looked like either old chewing gum or dried KY jelly on it, and it got stuck inside my player (in another car), and I had to use my Leatherman Tool to get it out.
Seriously...check for scratches or nicks on the cd.
I've been running Saab and Audi turbos for years without any problems at all - None, Zilch, Zero - (36,600 miles on my current 2000 A4 1.8T). Turbos had their problems in the '70s & '80s before the manufacturers learned how to properly mount them for minimal mechanical stress and how to properly cool the bearing housings (liquid cooling vs. air). Also, I think the newer, lighter, more rugged materials used in turbo construction is another factor in reliability. Mind you, I'm speaking here for Audi and Saab, and not for others who have now and then incorporated turbos into their engines as sort of an afterthought.
With my 2002 A4 ordered, I worry that the price will be higher than expected and that the trade-in offered will be lower than desired. If it looks too bad, the alternatives will be to maybe purchase a discounted 2001 or possibly just keep my current 2000 A4 1.8T Quatro.
Here are my questions:
(1) Is there an upgrade available designed to turn the 150 hp 1.8T (like on the 2000) into a 170 hp 1.8T (like on the 2001/2002)? I'm not looking to turn it into a hotrod, just wanting to bring it's performance up to today's standards.
(2) Are there factory or 2nd source extended warranties available for Audis approaching the end of normal factory warranty?
Thanks in advance folks. Hope to hear from you soon.
Hi again, Ken-- Oh no! don't say that! We are counting on you to give us one of the first impressions of the '02 N.A. model so I hope the figures won't be too discouraging when it actually comes time to buy. Can you sell your car now? Even sell it to the dealer now? Did they already give you a value for your current car? Did you agree on a "price-over-invoice" at the time they took your order? I realize that the "first-on-the-block" syndrome limits the negotiating power that one normally has when buying a new car but I sure hope that figures are within your reasonable range when the car arrives.
As far as the updating of the ECU goes, I guess we will have to wait and see if Mike (mmcbride1) is right when he hopes that the "silent recall" will apply to all of us that have either 150 or 170 hp engines to have the option of upgrading the ECU to the newly mapped 180 hp version.
My online travels through different boards about cars has pointed me to a variety of after-market extended warranty providers. I've also heard that there is an actual Audi extended warranty called Audi Assured Extended Warranty but haven't been able to find any information about it online ...I'm guessing the only way to find out more about it is to contact a dealership. Of all the after-market warranties, the following three have (in order of favorable reports that I've read) appear to have the best reputations:
There are several others but I've read some real horror stories about them. I've even seen the above three mentioned on AudiWorld with better comments than the others that I'm purposely not mentioning.
But I'm counting on you, Ken, to be one of the first to be posting impressions on the new '02 so let's not prematurely talk about your current car just yet! ;-b
Well, the easiest (and the cheapest) way to upgrade your car is to "chip" it.
There are several ECU upgrades available, ranging from 0.8 bar chips from i.e. Neuspeed (giving ~180 HP), to 1 bar "chips" from companies like GIAC, APR, Wettenauer (sp?) which give ~200 HP. Those cost from ~$200 (for Neuspeed) to about $400-$500 (for the 1 bar upgrades). If you want more, there is a Stage 3 upgrade from APR running $4K, which results in ~280HP (and massive torque on top of that ).
I’m less than a week away from finally having the time to go in and pick out a 2001 1.8T. Before I do I have a couple of questions that I’m sure can be answered here.
First, are the Xenon Lights a factory or dealer installed option…haven’t seen any in the lots w/ Xenon Lights.
Second, I’m a big fan of the Santorin Blue, but the dealer closest to me only has a manual w/ the Sports Pkg (which I wasn’t planning on getting since I live in New England). Are snow/all purpose tires necessary? If so what’s a good estimate of the cost of tires and rims for the winter and will a dealer do an exchange or is that completely unheard of?
Thanks for the feedback! This is a great site that has already been able to answer a lot of my initial Audi questions.
If you get the sports package, you'll definitely need snows or at least all-seasons for the winter. Figure $500 or so for a set of 4 snow tires with steel rims and hubcaps. More if you want alloys for the snows, too.
I have no idea if the dealers will swap tires, but I kind of doubt it.
Yup I agree with what mmcbride said. Wanted to add that the sports pkg also offers lower ride height. Even after you put on snow tires with sports pkg (hence sports suspension) your ride height will be 2 cm lower than stock non-sports pkg. Could make a difference if your back alley is filled with snow in the winter. You don't want to win the "Snow Plough of the Alley" award.
Also I don't think dealers will swap your summer and winter tires for free. The best solution (I think) is to buy them from local tire shops like National Tire and Battery. The price already includes lifetime rotation and balancing of the tires. I bet you can go in before winter and tell them to balance your winter tires and tell them to mount for free. I used them for my previous car and they never charged me anything on any service (even includes patching a flat tire) since I bought the rims and tires from them.
Comments
On the other hand, the 1.8T that I'm driving right now feels so solid at 80 mph that I'm forever thankful for cruise control.
I recently got an average mpg of 38.9 doing highway driving, and hitting all the stoplights just right. The trip was about 65 miles, most of them with the cruise set at about 56 or 57 mph. When I turned off onto the county 2-lane, I'm afraid that I put a bit more foot into it, and lost the fabulous reading. That's ok, though. These are roads in southern Indiana that I drove with my driver's ed. instructor, and ever since that time, and I sure had fun. The car just dips into turns and powers out of them like none other. It's truly an exciting vehicle. What makes it even better is knowing that I can drive a hell of a long way and still not need to tank up.
River Road between Camel and Noblesville used to be pretty good, but it's getting built up and there are more people out power-walking. It'd still be decent in the middle of the night, after you'd learned it in the daytime.
Bottom Road from Highway 37 (Just north of Bloomington) through Modesto and up to where it becomes Dittemore Road is nicely twisty, wooded, and dips up and down through ravines and ridges beautifully. It's another double-yellow, though, with poor visibility. I drove it a lot faster when I was eighteen and indestructible. Now, I'm more interested in my kids having a father than my wife having an insurance payout.
There's a road in Northern Indiana, the name of which I have no idea, where I did my high-speed run in the Eclipse GSX I had some years ago. At that time, it was straight, freshly paved, with visibility for about ten miles. It's somewhere between Ft. Wayne and Logansport.
The road from Highway 31 that leads into Culver Military Academy is straight for a long ways, then you turn right onto this nice little twister that takes you along the shore of Lake Maxinkuckee and right into the middle of the campus. I likes that one right fine, too.
Rocco, did your parents ever decide on a new car? Mine just put down a deposit on an I30. I'm disappointed that they didn't wait 'til the new A4s were out, but it seems like they wanted something plusher too, not just bigger, and didn't want to shell out the extra $$$ for a 2.8.
schwitzer - I don't know anything about it, either. Billy is our man with the info.
Being that the car is 1 year old w/ 18K miles, I would expect to save AT LEAST $4-5K off list.
Like mmcbride stated - almost half of the warranty is already gone!
Louie-- I think that AoA performance up-grade topic was all speculation and rumor which stemmed from the discussion that Binyan and Billy were having awhile ago. I too, haven't read anything that substantiates that AoA has any intention of offering their own up-grades to ECU or chips or whatever ...I agree, it would be interesting if they are considering doing something like that. Billy said that he'd check at the quattro challenge so I guess we'll just wait until we hear from him as to what they say there.
Karen-- My folks haven't yet decided on a car. I'm still trying to convince them to see if they can pick up an '01 A6 but they don't seem too enthusiastic. They want Japanese reliability and "value" (an individual judgment, I suppose) but are still open-minded enough to consider an A6 but they look at the reliability ratings which Consumer Reports lists and shake their heads ...then they see all the Japanese makes with their red dot circles and say: "jeez, isn't this a no-brainer??" as they point to an Infiniti, Acura or Lexus. But I think that your parents probably made the right choice in that if it's "plush" they want, then the I30 sounds like a very good choice! Plush and reliable, plus Infiniti dealers have a very good reputation of service which is definitely a factor for "older" people (wait a sec... to most of the others on this board, I'm an "older" person *ugh*) to consider. Congratulate your parents for me, Karen, and we'll see how they like it and then maybe I'll reconsider what I try to sell my parents on!
As for the brake pad issue: no, as Billy and others said, I don't think that we'll really be able to dectect the performance characteristics of after-market pads enough to really make that much of a difference. I think I read somewhere (and Ken seems to back that up) that in the '01 models, the wet braking issue (even on stock brakes) has been corrected. I'll do some more research on Mintex, etc. and let you know what I find.
Ken-- yes, let us know what Audi has in mind to help with the brake dust!
Opps, gotta run but here are a few links for anybody that hasn't seen them:
Funny! Acura A4????? http://www.carsfast.net/Audi/A4.html
Anybody who hasn't gone to the AoA website lately: http://www.audiusa.com/a4-preview/index_nonflash
Here is the mini-brochure that I have on my hard drive but haven't figured out how to post from the NY auto show. Someone on Vortex posted a URL which someone evidently transferred to a site; it takes some time to load: http://www.geocities.com/turtlepowwa/
--'rocco
Ride/Handling - :-) That's all I am going to say.
I can't wait till I get some new tires on this thing (the OEM Goodyears are almost gone). Now I know what I've been missing all those years driving the Legend and the RL...
Sound system - why do manufacturers insist on stuffing Bose systems in their cars and call them premium sound?
While not too bad, the Bose Concert system is just so-so (maybe 5/6 on a scale to 10). The lows are too "boomy" at low(er) listening levels, and at higher levels, they seem to disappear. I guess the saying "no replacement for displacement" (in this case woofer size) holds true.
As far as mileage goes, I am getting ~28mpg (according to the trip computer).
That's 90% highway driving.
After tires, APR 1.0 bar here I come!!!
What else can I say - LIFE IS GOOD!
Anyhow, yup I didn't have time to do research or check out AW or VW Vortex or local gatherings (just missed a Krispy Kreme run, darn it). There's another smaller gathering this weekend and I'll see what I can find out about the AoA chip. And yes I definitely will check that out in the Quattro Challenge on Sept 8 and see if they're willing to admit or even hint about the AoA chip.
I started to get tired of the squealing Eagle tires.....you can feel that the car has a lot of potential and you still got decent traction.....but your passengers are either laughing or freaking out cuz the tires squeal like crazy. Ahhhh.....
Billy
--'rocco
I know it's a long shot, but why not ask?
1.8T: Pros- Better gas mileage, Top 10 engine, because of turbo it give better 'sense of acceleration' in city driving, less expen$ive car
Cons- Noisy at highway speeds, prone to more problems and shorter life than a normal aspirated engine
2.8 (3.0) Pros- More HP, faster acceleration at highway speeds
Cons- poorer gas mileage, not a top 10 engine, more expen$ive car, 3.0 is new and 'unproven'.
When I first began researching Audi, several folks mentioned that they chose the 1.8T because it was a less expensive car, but if they had to do it over again they would have gotten the 2.8. Most everyone as I recall that had a 2.8 recommended it to those shopping for an A4.
Your opinions are welcome.
Thanks.
The issues about turbos being prone to more problems is yet another myth about reliability. We are not in the 80's anymore...
I've seen a couple of true cases over audiworld, most of the others are because people abused their cars (after chipping them).
phill
Another impression: It seems like many of the people who got the 1.8T and wished they'd gotten a 2.8 had the 150-hp 1.8T. The 1.8T and 2.8 are quite comparable now in horsepower. The V6 will certainly give you a different feel than the turbocharged engine, though, so then the choice boils down to whether you want more of a "kick" in acceleration -- a sportier ride -- or a smoother ride. Like Billy, I prefer the sporty sound and feel of the turbocharged 4-cylinder.
Anyway, I'm very happy with my 2001.5 1.8T and am confident that it's going to be a reliable car. Just my $.02....
And I don't know if you can necessarily consider the 2.8 and the new 3.0 of the same ilk either ...it seems like the 3.0 shares very few components from its 2.8 predecessor. Some of the improvements that I can remember, aside from its increased power and efficiency, are 1) aluminum block, 2) lighter pistons, 3) a balancer shaft, 4) new camshaft adjustments, 5) new two-position variable intake manifold and 6) new Bosch electronic throttle. It sounds like a terrific new engine! ...one I may someday consider as a possible alternative to my favorite 2.7T *drools*
And although I'm not a fan of automatic trannys, can you imagine what a smooth and powerful combination that 3.0 with the multitronic cvt tranmission will be?? wow! ...now if technology allows it to be someday mated with quattro, then I just may consider it!!
--'rocco
--'rocco
--'rocco
I drove my buddy's 200hp Prelude (5-speed) this past weekend at San Fran and I am so happy with the turbos on our cars. Just like any Honda, you need to keep the rev way up there around 4500 rpm to have fun with it, while we can do it at around 2000 rpm. Plus with the cooler temp at San Fran (avg summer daily temp range is like 50-70F), I'm sure driving turbo cars there will be a sure joy.
Billy
--'rocco
phill
Some people are having transmission problem, can you guys tell me what are the symptoms of transmission problem. I only have 400 miles on it.
My 5-speed doesn't make any noises like that, but I've never sat in one with the tip.
My Audi never faltered. At this point, I am more than willing to lump the theory that "turbo engines are troublesome" with the rest of them "old wives tales"
However, I do have a problem that I hope somebody can help me with. My Audi has developed a distinct taste for music
Blacktulip, wow now that's interesting. Mmmm....I haven't got that with 8.5k miles on mine YET. The only glitch I got was that one night when I started the car, the stereo won't come on at all no matter what I do. Next morning I pulled out the fuse thinking all nite that gotta be it, nope the fuse wasn't blown. Anyhow I wiped it clean and plugged it back in the right side up (there's no right side but the Amp number on it was flipped), and wah-la it came back to life. I don't think that will help you but heck, I don't think the service guys can help you either. It's just those little things that bug ya. You need to sit down and ask your Audi quietly which music it hates or likes LOL. By the way, does it really like certain kinds and dislike certain kinds? The only thing I can think of is, maybe the Amp can't produce a certain pitch and just static comes out. Not an expert on this, sorry.
Billy
I know that there was one cd that I got at our library that had what looked like either old chewing gum or dried KY jelly on it, and it got stuck inside my player (in another car), and I had to use my Leatherman Tool to get it out.
Seriously...check for scratches or nicks on the cd.
Here are my questions:
(1) Is there an upgrade available designed to turn the 150 hp 1.8T (like on the 2000) into a 170 hp 1.8T (like on the 2001/2002)? I'm not looking to turn it into a hotrod, just wanting to bring it's performance up to today's standards.
(2) Are there factory or 2nd source extended warranties available for Audis approaching the end of normal factory warranty?
Thanks in advance folks. Hope to hear from you soon.
As far as the updating of the ECU goes, I guess we will have to wait and see if Mike (mmcbride1) is right when he hopes that the "silent recall" will apply to all of us that have either 150 or 170 hp engines to have the option of upgrading the ECU to the newly mapped 180 hp version.
My online travels through different boards about cars has pointed me to a variety of after-market extended warranty providers. I've also heard that there is an actual Audi extended warranty called Audi Assured Extended Warranty but haven't been able to find any information about it online ...I'm guessing the only way to find out more about it is to contact a dealership. Of all the after-market warranties, the following three have (in order of favorable reports that I've read) appear to have the best reputations:
1) http://www.geautowarranty.com
2) http://www.warrantygold.com
3) http://warrantybynet.com/
There are several others but I've read some real horror stories about them. I've even seen the above three mentioned on AudiWorld with better comments than the others that I'm purposely not mentioning.
But I'm counting on you, Ken, to be one of the first to be posting impressions on the new '02 so let's not prematurely talk about your current car just yet! ;-b
--'rocco
There are several ECU upgrades available, ranging from 0.8 bar chips from i.e. Neuspeed (giving ~180 HP), to 1 bar "chips" from companies like GIAC, APR, Wettenauer (sp?) which give ~200 HP. Those cost from ~$200 (for Neuspeed) to about $400-$500 (for the 1 bar upgrades). If you want more, there is a Stage 3 upgrade from APR running $4K, which results in ~280HP (and massive torque on top of that
For more information, check this out:
http://audiport.com/survey/survey-main.htm
Good luck!
First, are the Xenon Lights a factory or dealer installed option…haven’t seen any in the lots w/ Xenon Lights.
Second, I’m a big fan of the Santorin Blue, but the dealer closest to me only has a manual w/ the Sports Pkg (which I wasn’t planning on getting since I live in New England). Are snow/all purpose tires necessary? If so what’s a good estimate of the cost of tires and rims for the winter and will a dealer do an exchange or is that completely unheard of?
Thanks for the feedback! This is a great site that has already been able to answer a lot of my initial Audi questions.
If you get the sports package, you'll definitely need snows or at least all-seasons for the winter. Figure $500 or so for a set of 4 snow tires with steel rims and hubcaps. More if you want alloys for the snows, too.
I have no idea if the dealers will swap tires, but I kind of doubt it.
Also I don't think dealers will swap your summer and winter tires for free. The best solution (I think) is to buy them from local tire shops like National Tire and Battery. The price already includes lifetime rotation and balancing of the tires. I bet you can go in before winter and tell them to balance your winter tires and tell them to mount for free. I used them for my previous car and they never charged me anything on any service (even includes patching a flat tire) since I bought the rims and tires from them.
Billy