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Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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Comments

  • scirocco22scirocco22 Member Posts: 721
    Paul-- Kelly's right. We did discuss this several months ago and concluded that waxing the wheels does help with brake dust accumulation ...plus it makes it easier to wash off the accumulation that does settle. But to reduce the actual production of dust, you have to at least get rid of the OEM pads. A co-worker of mine swears by Mintex Red Box. Over on AudiWorld, I've seen threads that discuss the disadvantages of using Mintex but my friend tells me that he's used them for years on VWs and Audis with no ill effects in performance or problems with noise at all. Dust shields are not particularly recommended because of the reduced airflow causing possible brake overheating. I've gathered that the ideal solution is to change both the pads and the rotors but who wants to spend that kind of money especially if both show little wear? I'm probably going to wait until 30k or so before considering changing anything ...in the meantime, I suppose I'm going to be doing a lot of waxing and scrubbing. :) *sighs*

    Vic-- Congratulations! ...I'm envious. But drive it first ...I'll bet you'll be surprised at how well it handles with the 16's even with the non-sport suspension. 17's will be more prone to accumulate curb rash, etc. Remember, they're pretty low profile and don't have much of a sidewall. The 16's will come with all-seasons so you won't even have to worry about seasonal change-overs.

    --'rocco
  • lauk0dglauk0dg Member Posts: 563
    Actually now that my buddy driving a BMW brought up, most German cars have tons of brake dust on their rims.....of course excluding the ones that are just washed and brand spanking clean. Brake dust was a hassle during the first few thousand miles, but now with 12,000 miles it's still bad but not as bad as before. A good cleaning solution is the Alloy Wheel Cleaner from Audi. Not trying to pull a plug for them, but it's pretty amazing. Just spray it on, and hose it off with a strong water jet after 30 seconds. Plus you don't need to worry about whether or not it's good for the rims. It's Audi genuine parts and I guess that can't be wrong.

    Billy
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Brake-dust is the bane of my existence. I'm used to cleaning my rims every two-three days.
  • gymshoegymshoe Member Posts: 80
    I supposedly pick up my car today around lunch.
    we'll see how things go.
    I'll get excited once I have the car in my hands! =)

    in terms of wheels and tires...
    do you really think we need winter/all-season tires in Seattle. It rarely snows here (sure sure..it snowed a little today)...but do you think the tires that come with the 17" would be fine right?

    If not....anyone got a good recommendation on winter tires?
  • scirocco22scirocco22 Member Posts: 721
    James-- Congrats! If I didn't have an appointment, I'd come over there and cheer as they handed you the keys. :P ...or at least hide over at the Burger King and watch. *lol*

    Well, um... maybe it's global warming or something but I was born and raised in the Seattle area and I agree that in the last ten years we haven't really had a big snow storm of any magnitude but man, I can remember some whoppers (:O ...must have Burger King on the brain today) back in the 50's and 60's when I was a kid. Even in the 70's and 80's we've had some pretty big snow and ice storms; one that promted me to go out and buy dedicated snow tires for even my 4Runner. Since I'm a Central alum' and used to be an avid skier, I've had sets of snow tires for most of my cars in the past for going back and forth over the pass. One snow and ice storm we had back in the 80's (can't remember exactly what year it was) made me swear that I'd always own at least one vehicle with either 4WD or AWD. Now that I have two vehicles with AWD, I'm still debating whether to equip one of them with a set of snow tires ...even though I no longer ski as often or regularly go up to or over the Cascades. So with all that said, just remember to leave the Audi in the garage if or when we do get another big snow someday! ...those 17" sport tires will be awful, believe me. But maybe global warming is in fact a reality and we won't see any snow in Seattle for the rest of our lives! ...or the next 100 years, whichever comes first.

    I haven't done much research on snow tires recently but my neighbor uses Michelin Artic Alpins on his Outback to go skiing and he loves 'em.

    --'rocco
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    I just ordered Dunlop Wintersports for my WRX wagon through Tirerack. I'm going to have them mounted on the stock 16"rims and go for a different 17"rim in the spring. Another good performance winter tire is the Bridgestone Blizzak LM22. I go skiing once or twice in the Cascades and once a year to Whister.

    BTW, did you get any snow today? I just had some wet flakes but no accumulation over in the Greenwood/Phinney area.

    Stephen
  • nobeenobee Member Posts: 194
    Wow, it just seems like yesterday that I picked up my diploma from Central. Remember all the snow we had back in Ellensburg? Snowflakes were as big as the rainbows I fished for on the Yakima. Anyways, my advice on snow tires would be to forget about them and perhaps buy a set of 15" all-wx tires and save a few bucks, no? From my experience in the snow, an AWD vehicle should have zero problems. Unless it gets real icy, then snow tires wouldn't really help...or just forget about it and buy some cheap cables/chains from Bi-Mart like I did! =)
  • scirocco22scirocco22 Member Posts: 721
    Stephen-- nope, I'm in Redmond and didn't get a thing but a co-worker in Edmonds said he had 6" on the ground this morning. *sheesh* ...but let me know how those Wintersports perform in the snow. I've heard that both the Dunlops and the Bizzaks wear quite rapidly compared with the Alpins. Have you heard that?

    Brian-- Yeah! You too, eh? ...man, you're bringing back some good memories. I did a lot of "stuff" on the Yakima too in addition to fishing ...shooting the rapids, partying, etc. :P But yeah, I remember one winter when there was snow on the streets (not just on the ground) all winter long. I had an old ChevyII Nova that I had snows on the rear and made it around Ellensburg okay (not many hills of course and the snow was the dry stuff unlike the stuff we get in the Puget Sound area) but I did spin out near Easton on I-90 during a blizzard one afternoon trying to get to Seattle. That was during my invicible youth... trying to drive on compact ice at 60 MPH *lol*
    I have heard though that the modern snow tires now have special compounds and siping (?) that help quite a bit in ice ...no? And do cable chains fit on an old A4? ...seems like the strut tower clearance is pretty slim.

    --'rocco
  • gymshoegymshoe Member Posts: 80
    All that is really is they slice and dice up the rubber tread of the tires. Supposedly it's supposed to improve the grip of the tires on snow.

    Just got back from the dealer.
    If you ever see a dolphin gray A4 zipping around the East side or near Sandpoint....prolly my wife or me in there! :)

    *sigh*.....my 2000 maxima looks like crap now.
    however, ....my maxima can beat any stock A4 , 1.8 or 3.0......in a straight line. Nobody argue with me on this point. It's the only thing my car has that's better than the A4. You take that away, and I'll be left with a car that's inferior in any and every way. So shhhhh! My maxima is faster in a straight line. End of discussion! :)
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    The current issue of Car & Driver features a 3.0 frontrack with the Multitronic transmission, and they recorded times of 7.0 seconds from 0-60 and 15.5 @91mph in the quarter. Quite frankly I'd be surprised if your Maxima could beat these numbers.
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    don't rain on the poor man's Maxima's performance. My god, he even begged you not to. Have you no heart man! :-)

    Stephen, not even going there w/my WRX wagon. :-)
  • kk13kk13 Member Posts: 30
    These are the 2 sets of tires that come on the 17" sport wheels. Which ones do you have? I looked them both up on Tire Rack and the continentals are listed as Ultra High Performance and the Dunlaps are Ultra High Performance All Season which means there is a got of compromise for occasional snow.

    I know many people that do not have snow tires and don't have a problem in Seattle, although they don't take their cars to the snow and stay home on the days when there is a lot of snow.

    I am not planning to get snow tires and will either brave the snow when it comes or just stay at home. Not justified for me for the 1-2 days where they would come in handy.
  • gymshoegymshoe Member Posts: 80
    There's 3 sets of tires that can come with your 17" wheels.
    Dunlop SP 9090
    Continental Sport Contact 2
    Michelin Pilot Primacy

    Mine came with the Michelins.
    Which one did you get?
  • gymshoegymshoe Member Posts: 80
    the dunlop is listed on tirerack as max performance.

    the contintental as ultra high performance

    and the michelin as grand touring.

    hmm..
  • lauk0dglauk0dg Member Posts: 563
    mainly because they are Ultra High Perf yet still qualify as all-season tires. I talked to a chicago S4 owner who ran SP5000's and he reported no problems in the winter. Personally I'm just going to run the stock 15" all-seasons till the winter's over, and then maybe shop for some 17" rims and put on SP5000's as my new tires. They will go thru the next winter and if they hold up alright, I can just sell my 15" rims.

    Billy
  • aaron300zaaron300z Member Posts: 19
    WarpDrive could you please give me a break down of your invoice for the arm control repair?

    I never go to the dealer to fix my cars. With my old cars I always went to an independent mechanic and they did a good job for a lower price too

    I'm a 2k 323Coupe BMW owner and I find that to do a break job in my car cost me the same as a my old Honda Civic. The original break pad for a BMW cost the same as for the civic ($49) and installation labor is the same too. Synthetic oil change for my civic was $45 and now for the BMW is $45 too.

    The reason I'm reading this board is because I'm planning to get a new A4 with sport package for my girlfriend I would love to get her a 325 sedan but the new A4 is a very nice car too and the price is lower. I don't think the A4 would be much expensive to keep after the first 50k miles.

    I don't think [non-permissible content removed] cars are more reliable than German cars any more.

    Aaron
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Am holding off till January (till I pay off my xmas bills). It's a common repair judging by posts on Audiworld.com and many people report paying $600-$1000 USD on the repair after warranty. So my $1100 Cdn (about $700 USD) is in line with the fair cost. The labour is actually a very small part of it, it's the dealer price of the control arms that hurt. So getting the arms repaired somewhere else ain't going to be much cheaper since I still need the OEM parts. Control arm repair is a common complaint among earlier A4's. But fortunately for most people, it fell under the warranty repair period. I have low mileage on my car so I'm outta luck. It's just inherent in the design of the control arm (they've actually refined the bushing design five times from what I've heard). I wonder if they have addressed this in the redesign (they better have!)

    As to whether Japanese cars are more reliable, I think they still are more reliable, at least for the under 8 year average ownership that I keep my cars. The difference is not that great but my personal experience with my previous VW and Audi has been different than Honda, Mazda, and Nissan. From my casual nonscientific observation, BMW's tend to be a bit more reliable than Audis also. Consumer Reports always seem to rate Audi high for the first few years, but their reliability rating plummets after three years as more data comes in.

    I personally wouldn't buy another Audi, but I don't necessarily dissaude other people unless they ask me directly. It's still better than buying a boring Toyota or something like that.
  • kk13kk13 Member Posts: 30
    They are great on the dry and wet. No problem with the tiny amount of snow we got a few days ago. We'll see how they do with a little more. I plan to get the Dunlops SP5000 when I replace them since I have heard so many good things about them on the AudiWorld forum.
  • scirocco22scirocco22 Member Posts: 721
  • bobcatbobbobcatbob Member Posts: 187
    Ok folks, I have beem monitoring this board and the VW Jetta BOard and there has been sporadic talk of "allowing the turbo to cool down after use."

    In just a few short paragraphs can someone, anyone tell me what this means in pratical applications and what the negative implications of not allowing it to cool down are on a day-to day basis?

    By the way, I did test drive the 2002 1.8 and my guess is that Audi is fibbing a bit on the HP number. When I asked the sales guy if tiwas 180 HP he fumbled for an answer and basically said "Uh, hmm, well, I've heard that too but can't really say much."

    Anyhow, so, please someone tell me about the turbo cool down issue!

    Thanks,

    Bob
  • kk13kk13 Member Posts: 30
    Turbo run at ridiculously high speed so they use a hydraulic bearing so the turbo floats on a layer of oil. The turbo gets very hot (there are pictures of glowing red turbos) after aggressive driving. If you shut down the engine when the turbo is extremely hot the oil that remain in the turbo after shut down gets cooked and cokes up. This can cause turbo failures. You should drive conservatively for a few minutes before shut down and then let the engine idle for 15-30 sec before shutting down. Under normal driving you can just let it idle for 15 sec before shutting down. Alternately you can let it idle for 1 minutes or so before shutting down or get a turbo timer that keeps the car running fir a predetermined amount of time after the key is removed so you don't have to wait in the car.
  • btr1btr1 Member Posts: 20
    you mean to say a 30 minute commute to/from work highway & back roads - conservative speeds - still requires you to sit in the car to cool off turbo? jeez. that stinks! couldn't they get a fan like they use on radiators that keeps running?
    Turbo Timer seems extreme...
  • aaron300zaaron300z Member Posts: 19
    If you drive a car with a turbo you should then use synthetic oil so you don't have to worry about the oil getting cook in the turbo.

    For highway traffic I don't see how a turbo can cook a synthetic oil and damage the turbo part itself.

    I had a 1990 Twin Turbo Nissan300zx and always used Mobil 1 Synthetic oil in that car. I ran the car very hard all the time that I could and never had a problem with the turbos. The guy that bought the car from me is still very happy with that car and turbos are still running fine.
  • aaron300zaaron300z Member Posts: 19
    WarpDrive I think you don't like the Audi any more just because you have to spend $700.00 bucks to fix it. In my case I would not stop liking a car just because you have to pay for a repair. My Parents have a Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla and they both had to pay $650.00 to fix the A/C.

    I had to fix both control arm in my old Nissan300zx but I got after market parts from Still that cost 500 bucks and I was still happy with my car.

    Remember that Audi sells a lot of A4 and when a few people have a problem you hear from them more than the happy owners. If we have 100 A4 owners and 3 have problem, those 3 owners post 300 messages about their problem but the rest 97 happy owner might never write a message because they are happy driving their car.

    I think that for $25k for the basic 1.8T A4 plus $1k for the sport package there is not better choice of car right now in USA.

    So WarpDrive what car would you buy next?
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    The interesting thing about some folks -- and I am not just referring to those participating on this board -- and their strong opinions about cars can be discovered by asking them questions that have to do with their long term experiences with a brand. I tend to reduce the importance of someones rants or raves [about a car] if they have had not much depth of experience.

    My wife and I have had dozens (more than 24) Audis between us since 1977 -- in that time we have had one BMW and two VW's and once American Motors (remember them) Eagle Concorde. I feel "qualified" to discuss Audi and somewhat VW experiences and render strong opinions. I feel far less qualified to discuss BMW's (even tho I test drive them at least once a year) -- the BMW I had was a 1988 325iX (we like All Wheel Drive in our family, BTW).

    Using WarpDrive's comments only as an example -- it would appear that he bores easily with cars -- and as I have said previously, that is no sin. And, his opinions regarding Audis are not wrong from his perspective. However, I believe his experience with Audis -- as it is limited to one car -- perhaps should be weighted differently than say the opionions of someone who has owned more than one Audi branded car.

    We (my wife and I) get bored, after a fashion, too, with our cars -- but my wife and I keep replacing them with newer Audis, because they just keep getting better, not becuase we don't like them.

    We are just coming at our boredom and our conclusions from different "experience" perspectives.
  • eawegeaweg Member Posts: 50
    Hello knowledgeable ones!!

    I am currently in the market for a new vehicle (currently being within 6 months.) Anyhow, I have driven the new A4 3.0 Quattro Tip. and must say it was fun (although I love the S4 tip.) My primary concern i sthe cost...I can't see myself paying $37K for that vehicle. So I am wondering if I should go with the 1.8T quattro w/Tip. I am also cross shopping with an Acura TL-S and BMW 325ci (always wanted the coupe) Below are my personal pros and cons. I'm wondering if you can help me out a little.

    Audi 1.8T:
    - Had a 1.8 Passat...not looking forward to driving the same engine again. Is the HP really around 180 instead of 150 in my old 99 Passat?
    - all in all a beautiful car.
    - quattro

    Acura TL-S:
    -best bang for the buck. Great engine.
    -I have been reading about poor paint job quality and some other minor problems.
    - no quattro

    BMW 325Ci
    - where my heart is
    - great 6 cylinder
    - pricey...my not be where my wallet is
    - I have to wait for one...who knows how long

    Please feel free to add any comments...Thanks!
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    Automatic or manual trans?
    All wheel drive a must?
    If your heart is set on the Bimmer,by all means get it if you can. All of the common options I find extraneous;they aren't at all necessary to have a fantastic car. By avoiding metallic paint,leather seats,and sunroof(headroom a premium in such a low-roofed coupe,anyway)you could really bring the price down.
    Why do you want to avoid the Passat engine? Did you like your VW? I bought a 2001 Passat last spring-I really love it. If you NEED(and most don't)the all wheel drive,I'd get the Passat over an A4 anyday-I think you get a lot more for your money.
    The Accura strikes me as not much more than a plush Accord-that's OK,but it is too appliance-like-headroom terrible,too.
    The coupe is nice,but when I bought my VW,I also considered a standard 525i. Its smallish back seat bothered me,though.
    Finally,I enjoy a larger car,rather than a loaded one. How about a standard A6?
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I know back in the day turbos had to be "cooled down" after spirited driving for an extended period of time (We had a 1985 740 Turbo Volvo which this had to be done). I currently drive a 2000 Saab 9-3 (base model, slushbox) which the lease is up 1 year from Saturday. Since the car is leased and I have NO intention of buying the car back when the lease is up, I do "beat" on my car regularly. The Turbo has given me no problems in 25,000 miles. The dealer (who was very knowledgeable) told me cooling down was not necessary any more. When my sister was looking at Jettas last year, the VW dealer said cooling down was not necessary anymore either (She ended up getting the VR6).

    I'm hoping to find some '02 S4s laying around next year when the lease is up on my Saab. I've driven the S4 and it is incredible. Even when they come out with the new S4 (on the '02 chassis and body) with probably gobs more hp, I'd still go for the '02 as a leftover (As long as it is a 6 speed with a black interior I'd take it).

    Later today I'm going with my best friend to pick up his '02 3.0 Q 6-speed A4 (Red/Gray). I can't wait! He originally drove the 1.8T and said it felt sluggish compared to his '00 Maxima (5-Speed), but the way the car handled more than made up the hp gap between the 2 cars. He didn't want to go for the 3.0 because of the price difference. He drove a 325Ci and said it was too cramped for him (He's about 230lbs). He drove a 525i and fell in love with it as well as the lease price (Only $60 more a month than the 1.8T). He wasn't crazy about the 525 styling (exterior) and the fact they are going to redo it in a year or 2. He went back to thwe Audi dealer and told the dealer he wanted to test drive a 3.0 with a 6 speed. The dealer told him it would be a big mistake because after driving the 3.0, he wouldn't want the 1.8T anymore. The dealer was right. He decided to get the 3.0! I can't wait to drive it and give my thoughts.

    My friend who's getting the 3.0 today is trading in his 2000 Maxima (5-Speed, 40K miles). I believe the dealer is only giving him around 13.5 for the car. The dealer said even that was a stretch. He wanted more money for his car to get the deal done, but eventually the dealer took more money off the 3.0 to get him in it.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    It's not the control arms but a number of issues that turned me off about my particular A4. The first one is that my transmission has been clunky since day one. Add to that, my heated mirrors burned out, numerous rattles, multiple trips to fix a steering fluid leak and other minor niggles. And now the control arm fiasco. I can live with these things but my overall assessment is that my A4 has been less reliable than other cars I've owned or know of. Based on this, and the fact that the repairs have been rather expensive, and reliability ratings are still average, I'd rather not opt to buy another Audi. Audi as a company has made fantastic gains and an incredible comeback. This is due to some well designed and good value products. As to which car I'm buying next, it's the WRX. I'm getting back to my root desires with the WRX. Fantasticly fun-to-drive and better handling/performance for less bucks than my A4 (or even an S4 for that matter) at the expense of any luxury, of course. I also own a Miata which is a car that taught me that you don't need to spend a lot to have fun and the WRX is similar to the Miata in its dedication to providing fun per dollar spent: it offers just the "necessary" amenities, a high quality driving experience, and a huge dose of fun. Looks and luxury are far secondary to the driving experience, so no loss in going to the WRX for me, it's all gain. Meanwhile, the A4 will be going to my wife as her primary transport.

    I'm not trying to take anything away from the "love of the A4" in this thread, just telling it like it is. The A4 is a fantastic car (personal experiences aside) and anybody who buys one is alright in my book. It's just not for me anymore. Like markincin says, I might be bored easily with my cars, but that's because the A4 was probably wrong for me to begin with. After 3 years with my Miata, I'm still in love with it. No problems, just fun motoring. I can understand why people stick with Audis, but I'm not one of those people. I do not believe in brand loyalty because car makers leapfrog themselves all the time. The 1999 BMW 323 Sport Package is a better car than the 1999 1.8T, but with the 2002 A4, the tables might reverse again. I believe in shopping for the best car from any number of manufacturers. Down the road, if Audi continues to improve and they have some new interesting products, I might consider it again. I'll never say never.
  • eawegeaweg Member Posts: 50
    I know I should have probably been a little more specific.

    I would like a manual but traffic is killing me. If I went with the Bimmer it would be a manual though...I know I know...sounds like a contradiction in terms...but there is just something about the 5 spd in a BMW. As for the Audi, I heard their shifters are quite notchy. I already have that problem in my '96 Saab Turbo.
    As for the VW question, I actually enjoyed my Passat...I got rid of it because of of financial reasons...and just my luck, two months later things switched around for me. Anyhow, it seems a little odd to me to buy and Audi with the same engine I had in the Passat. Regarding the quattro, my fiancee and I will probably move to New England in a couple of years so I would like to have it. You're right about the Acura...my dad has a '00 TL...it feels just like an accord. But the engine in the Type S is great.
  • lauk0dglauk0dg Member Posts: 563
    Turbo cooldown is NOT necessary if it's just a normal drive, highway, city, whatever. ONLY if you do a really aggresive drive, you should slow down in the last 15 minutes before shutting the car down and drive at a normal pace. And I mean AGGRESIVE, like revving it to 5k rpm all the time. There is no point of idling the car for even a second to let the turbo down with normal driving. With rushing air at a speed you are driving coming in and cooling down the oil which in turn cooling down the turbos, it's a lot more efficient than stale air cooling down hot oil in a hot turbo when the car is stopped.

    It's the opposite that requires attention. What I mean is, when you start the car, do NOT rev the engine very fast, i.e. do not floor the gas till the oil is warm. I don't move the gas pedal fast (i.e. rev the turbo hard) till the oil temp is at least 200. When the oil is not heated up the viscosity is not there yet and the damage done to the turbo is far worse. Another thing is, these cars, or I should say modern cars, don't need to be warmed up. Just start the car, make sure your mirrors are set, no ice/moisture on the windows, and go. You will create a lot of engine damage, extra wear and tear and pollution if you just sit there and running the engine cold.

    Billy
  • aegus1aegus1 Member Posts: 29
    WRX vs A4? flip the coin you'll be happy with either. The experience will be different, but no less fulfilling.

    If you think your 2000 Maxima is going to pale in comparison to your A4, just imagine my '94.

    I got my 17" wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport sneakers from the dealer. Best part of the contract I made them sign.

    I wish AoA would have gotten that new Avant here just a little sooner.

    And yes VW has been robbing Audi engineering for the past few years and I'm sure those guys are pissed. I don't blame them either. VDubb markets 'Turbonium' like they invented it.

    Have a great weekend all. I'm going to go out and lay some rubber.

    -Barry
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Audi A4 made it again.

    The other cars were:

    Acura RSX, BMW 3 and 5 series, Chevy Corvette, Ford Focus, Honda S2000 and Accord, Subaru WRX, and Porsche Boxster.
  • cllk55magcllk55mag Member Posts: 2
    i just placed an order for the A4 3.0 Quattro (manual). among the contenders were acura cl-s, benz c-class and a 3-series bmw. i would say most value would go to the acura cl-s, or tl-s, if that's your preference. you can't go wrong with either of those two. generally, any of these four vehicles is in excess of just getting from point A to point B. so my decision was based on what image i honestly wanted to project. that's more realistic, right? there's really nothing practical about us who choose to buy cars in this price range, truthfully. i chose the A4 because it is understated but not lacking. the other two euro cars are definitely excellent cars. but because of its exclusivity, everybody wants to have it. it attracts to much attention. the engineering differences of these three will only dramatically impact your decision if you take them on the race track. so if your willing to spend more than 35k, i would go with the car that revs up your emotions not logic. if not, you could never go wrong with the TL type s. there's nothing worse than the guys i know that drive bimmers but too broke to fill it up with gas. they're staying at point A.
  • lauk0dglauk0dg Member Posts: 563
    Geez.....or it made the Top 10 List of the number of recalls?? OMG.
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    This is the second year the Focus won top ten status in C&D. It's one sweet package for the price. If only every other small car was as fun to drive, feels as tight, and has as much character as the Focus. Don't forget, the Focus won CAR of the YEAR award in Europe. That's high praise with lots of spicey cars running around in Europe. Sure, there were a few glitches, but every new model has them (my A4 is proof, three recalls as of now).
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    I am helping a friend of mine purchase a 2002 A4 1.8T Q and was wondering what the going rate is. I am in the Boston area. We paid $1,200 over invoice for our '01 A4 1.8T at the end of last year. Any recent deals?
  • sb55sb55 Member Posts: 616
    Regarding the turbo cool down, I did Driver ed and club raced a 944T for 8 years and never had a turbo (or any engine problem), but I did always use Mobil 1 oil. That car was run at redline for up to an hour at a time and the only cool down was to idle it for a couple of minutes. Some days I was able to do 300 miles of track time with different run sessions. I would have no problem at all with buying a turbo again.

    BTW, I test drove a 3.0 with 6 speed and it was a nice car, but I picked up with an '02 BMW 530i with a 5 speed today. It is only a couple of thousand more, but seems like a lot more car. I know that I give up the quattro, but I had an A-4 and think that I can live without AWD since the BMW has traction control and DSP.

    2021 Toyota Venza Limited Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT

  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    The 5-series is a direct competitor with the A6 - why are you comparing it to the A4?!? And for someone who just doled out 45 grand on a 530, you should at least get the terminology right - it's DSC, not DSP. We would not expect anything less from someone who did "driver ed and club raced a 944T for 8 years"...
  • dtwleungnycdtwleungnyc Member Posts: 188
    You will need to drive both car to decide for yourself. If you want something that's probably more reliable based on past results/experience, the accord. If you want something that's more fun to drive/own, I would go with the Audi.

    As to why one is better than the other? You will have to decide for yourself. But, I have a feeling that once you have a chance to sit inside an Audi, then sit yourself inside an Accord. You will probably pick the Audi if money is not the deciding factor. Same with the driving sensation, the Audi just plain feel more alive. BUT, everybody has a different interpretation on what a good driving experience is. For example, one of my co-worker insist that his Chrysler is the best car in the world, better than BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus etc. To each his own I guess.

    In other word, go drive them both and decide for yourself, afterall, its your money. 8)
  • lauk0dglauk0dg Member Posts: 563
    Yeah sure my Accord got a recall too.....but it's not as serious as the most recent recall on the Focus.....something about the rear axle falling off? Geez. That's not a tight package put together, my 2 cents.
  • eawegeaweg Member Posts: 50
    Anybody know if you can chip the new A4 1.8Tw/tip? It's the same engine as the last model as well as the Passat and Jetta... If also heard about chipping the tip transmission is this true?
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    Car magazines like C&D picks cars purely on their appeal/performance/value. Reliability is never factored into their picks. They drive them, vote and then make a decision. In that regard, the Focus deserves to be on the top ten list as much as a Boxster. Seriously, the Focus is one sweet package for the price. For what it is worth, my friend's Focus has been more reliable than the Civic he also owns.
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    ...there's lot of them running around.
  • kk13kk13 Member Posts: 30
    I drove a Focus and thought it was a great package for the price. Very solid, good performance. Obviously not in the same league of the A4, but hard to beat for under $20k. I bet the SVT is a blast.
  • scirocco22scirocco22 Member Posts: 721
    Edward-- Yes, you can also chip a tiptronic tranny. I know MTM and GIAC both have software available for tranmission modification. APR among others, also may have.

    --'rocco
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    Try MTM -- Joe Hoppen Motorsports -- on the web. They are great, IMHO.
  • lauk0dglauk0dg Member Posts: 563
    when I am at the Hertz rental counter. I mean I respect choices made by C&D.....just that sometimes you can't help but thinking why some cars would and some cars wouldn't make the Top 10.
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    They get all the cars in, spend a good several days driving them on tracks and all sorts of roads. And then vote on their favorites. That also explains why comparison winners don't necessarily make the top ten..because it's a larger/more varied group of people evaluating them. A manual shift Focus ZX3 or ZTS (not the base engine) is quite fun to drive so I can understand all the awards it has gotten.
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    I also want to chime in with Focus praises-it's a great little car. I have faith in the objectivity of the auto press. I was really surprised when I drove a Focus-it really is that good.
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