Audi A4 2004 and earlier

alow13 · June 2002

I was at a bar last night and I came back to my car to find my lights flashing as if the alarm had gone off. I know that there are motion sensors in the car and sensor that prevents the car from being towed, but are there any other ways to set off the alarm without breaking into the car.

A.L.
Denim Blue 3.0 Quattro/6spd

lauk0dg · June 2002

Did you leave the sunroof open or any of the windows open? Sometimes the alarms on some cars are so sensitive, even the wind movements and set off the motion sensors in the car.

Billy

bgerard · June 2002

I'm wondering if anyone out there has had to have Audi buy back their A4 1.8T Quattro due to engine failure (well, in my case, engine fire). Their offer seems quite stingy (basically it's what the California Lemon Law requires), and I'm just wondering what experience/response others have had in order to help with my negotiations. Thanks in advance!

crashton6 · June 2002

I really don't know, but here's a good place to post your question.
Good luck with your problem. http://www.audiworld.com/forum/index.html

grc54321 · June 2002

I now have a 2000 GTI 1.8T and love it. My wife and I are looking at the 2002 A4 - but not sure we need the 3.0 vs the 1.8T. Because 90% of our driving is inner City stop and go, she prefers auto.

My GTI is great off the line and easily out-accelerates the A4 3.0 0 to 50mph, which is the range we do most of our driving. We are dissappointed with low end torque of the 3.0 A4 - it seems we have to hammer the pedal to get decent inner city acceleration - even in sport mode.

Can anyone on this board help with the following questions:

1. Experiences or thoughts on the 2002 A4 1.8t v 3.0?

2. Know where I can get comparison torque curves?

Thanks.

andys120 · June 2002

markcincinnati · June 2002

First, IMHO, the A4 needs to have the manual transmission to perform as we would like. However, since this is presumably not up for negotiation -- I think you will not find the A4 3.0 with the tiptronic very, um, "satisfying." The "urge" of that 1.8T is amazing. So, here goes:

save your money, do not get the A4 3.0 with auto, get the 1.8T with auto and call Joe Hoppen Motorsports or APR (www.goapr.com) and have a "stage one" chip placed (by your dealer) into the thing. There will be a horsepower and torque increase that will be very noticable and make the car go like the wind. Drive the car with the transmission in the "S" mode (which since most of your driving is below 50 - 55 mph) will keep the rpm's (often) out of turbo lag range.

You will save yourself between $3-5,000 and you will have (unless you must have leather and GPS navigation) a fantastic performer. We chipped my wifes 2000 1.8T Audi TT (180HP) -- and it was like transplanting the engine!

If this doesn't seem like you, then get a 3.0 with a 6spd and sport package, wait for the upcoming S4 or test drive a tiptronic VW Passat W8 (270HP 8 cylinder engine at about an A4 3.0 price).

I'd seriously consider the 1.8T with the chip or waiting for the S4 (if time permits) -- not that the Vw Passat W8 would be a bad thing. . .

Final editorial comment: I find that most people who claim they don't like manual transmissions have never seriously driven a German car with a stick for any length of time -- they are "addicting!"

alow13 · June 2002

I agree with Mark in that the 3.0 with the manual is no problem at all to drive in the city. Plus I really feel that the car is lacking any low end oomph for around town drving because the engines builds revs very quickly and smoothly. This is my first manual car and I love driving it around town, the shifter is very easy to shift and th clutch is very easy to modulate. You should definitely test drive the 3.0 w/ the 6spd before you make a decision. Regardless of which model you choose you'll be getting a great car.

BTW the A4 brochure from the dealer has a diagram of the torque curves for both engines.
A.L.

tim_hooligan · June 2002

The advice to deal directly with the service manager helped this time around. They found the leak coming from the valve cover gaskets and tensioner belt. whatever!
anyways, they still can't fix the rattle coming from the rear door, as I was driving home and it sounded like I was about to get jumped by a nest of rattlesnakes hiding in the back of the car!
4 trips for that one. not to mention they got grease all over the inside of my car.
maybe i'm just really anal about my car, but it's such a nice car and for the price, i was expecting a little better service and quality! guess i drew the short stick.
maybe i'll just grab some duct tape and start taping down the rear door panel until it quits rattling.

for what it's worth, if you're looking for a nice shine, i recommend Liquid Glass polish, and Mother's Cali Gold Wax. nice combo!

marleybarr · June 2002

Mark-
Did you chip your 4.2 or just the wife's TT?

markcincinnati · June 2002

While it is certainly NOT impossible to chip a normally aspirated engine, the gains from doing so are tiny and therefore chipping a normally aspirated engine is very expensive for what it gained.

The beauty of a chip in a turbo engine (that has its aspiration controlled by computer, that is) is the relatively large gains in performance (torque especially) for very little dollars. And, if done right, the penalties of "stage one" chipping are minimal (increased turbo lag in some older chip programming plagued owners).

Long answer.

We only chipped the 180HP TT quattro coupe. +15HP and over 70 lb ft of torque increase!

Short answer.

vivian1026 · June 2002

I'm shopping for a new car and am within days of my decision (end of month, end of 2nd Quarter deals). The 4 finalists are: 1) Audi A4 quattro 1.8T; 2) Saab 9-3 SE (2.0T, 205hp); 3) Jetta GLX (V6, 201hp; 4) Jetta GLS (1.8T, 180hp). Each car has its features. I'm leaning Audi, for quality, luxury, performance, but the Saab 9-3 SE has great pick-up. Any help here, Audi owners? Thanks.

lauk0dg · June 2002

I think the Saab 9-3 is going to have a big styling change pretty soon, right? I guess if you wanna save money, you should be able to get a good deal (like I did on my 2001 A4) cuz it's model end sale. The 2002 A4 is the beginning of a new model so everything is updated. I'd pick the A4 for sure (OK I'm not biased LOL) since it also offers Quattro, a feature that no other European car maker can match (not even BMW's or M-B's LOL).

Good luck shopping!

Billy

nyccarguy · June 2002

I currently own a Saab and the only reason to get it is if you're going to LEASE it. Otherwise, stay away from the Saab. They depreciate like rocks falling off of the Empire State Building. The Jetta and the A4 are both great cars. The A4 is a little bit of a bigger car, plus Quattro & 4 wheel independent suspension will give you better handling than a FWD Jetta with VW's Torsion Beam Semi-Independent Rear Axle. If you can swing the extra bucks for an A4, then I say go for it. The Jetta will give you a lot of bang for your buck though. Its fit and finish are tight. The interior plastics are just as good as the Audi's. You can get leather on a Jetta and only Leatherette on an A4 1.8T (although it is very nice leatherette). The VR6 in the Jetta is a strong motor (My sister has a 174hp VR6 Jetta and it gets out of its own way).

But definitely go for the Audi if you can swing it:)

nowicksl · June 2002

Ok, it is the end of the model year, and end of the month. If I offer $500 over "invoice" will I get the car? I do not need to buy, and we can wait for the 2003 to come out (any changes or colors?--the current color pallette really bites with some very dull shades, and that nasty black on the lowers).

I have not found info on this subject, so any help would immediately be appreciated!!!

lukky · June 2002

I love my new A4 (silver 3.0q, 6-sp, 2002), by far the smoothest and most luxurious car i've ever driven, and the best looking four door sedan on the road, in my opinion. Unlike some who may have BMW-envy, I find myself having Sport-package envy, that is, whenever I see another A4 on the road equipped with those beautiful 17-inchers I feel like I made a mistake in choosing the base 16-inchers. It is especially bad when I see 'lesser' A4s (though they are still wonderful cars!) like the 1.8T on the road that look so much more aggressive and sportier than my car.

I also find myself reaching the limits a bit earlier than expected, even though the car is extremely predictable and breaks into four-wheel drifts, I find that I could use more from the tires. However, I was told by the dealer that the sport package would not have been a good choice because I live in the northeast and that the compound used in the tires would harden in the cold and render the car gripless. Changing tires is not an option because I live in an apartment building and park in the public garage without storage facilities. What wheel/tire combos are out there that would let me have the practicality of my 16-inch all-seasons and give me the style that I long for and some extra grip as an added bonus? The smooth and luxurious ride is important to me and i don't want to lose too much of that. What kind of aftermarket tires have people used on their cars and also, to those who have driven both the sport package and my standard package, do the wheels make a big difference in ride? Has anyone driven the sport package in the cold or in the snow? Thanks.

nyccarguy · June 2002

The Sport Package will give you a noticably rougher ride then the standard setup (which is equal to the previous generation's sport package). The Sport Package will give you a stiffer suspension, lower ride height, and 17" Performance Tires on those gorgeous wheels. The 17" tires also have a smaller sidewall which gives less insulation and transmits more road feel (This is an advantage for me:).

I haven't driven the SP equipped A4 in the snow, but my friend has an '02 3.0Q SP and basically Performance Tires and Winter Weather don't mix.

andys120 · June 2002

thinking Quattro would pull me thru. Bad idea!

I got stuck big time. Now I run Blizzaks in winter. I have a sport pack w 16" wheels ('98).

lukky · June 2002

by the way, I just can't emphasize how happy I have been with my car. I have put 4000 miles on it in 1.5 months and get excited every time I sit behind the wheel. I considered the Acura CL-S, RSX-S, BMW 325 and found the A4 to be more solid-feeling, quieter, with as-good or better steering (better than CL, on a par with RSX and 325) and with equal power (especially once you get going). The CL was quicker off-the-line, but on the highway and in the twisties, the A4 was just as good, as long as you keep the revs up above 4k. The only thing that I think the other cars had an "advantage" in was the transmission - especially the RSX, the Acura and BMW gearboxes were much lighter and crisper with the Audi feeling heavier and more deliberate in its action. However, I think that this is in keeping with the overall personality of the car. My A4 is no lightweight (3800 pounds according to Road and Track) and a shifter like the RSX, though fun, would feel out of place in a weighty, solid car like the A4. Now, how co I get the look of the Sport Pkg without giving up the winter traction and quiet/smooth ride of the standard tires???

andys120 · June 2002

save your sporty tires and wheels for good weather.

parquenord · June 2002

I would go to www.audiworld.com and to the '02 A4 forum. This question has been posed before, so do a search or post a new topic.

1pierce · June 2002

Get a set of Audi SP rims (these will not be cheap), and run a set of good, high performance all season tires year round. These will not be quite as quiet as your current all seasons, but they'll probably handle slightly better, and will be MUCH quieter and smoother riding than SP tires.

With quattro, I can't imagine that you would have any problem with winter traction with HP all season tires. What you want is a tire with all season rubber compound, and an aggressive tread design and stiff sidewalls. Goodyear, Bridgestone, Michelin, and probably many others make tires in this category. I forget where you live, but unless there is a foot of snow on the ground all winter, or you go off roading or skiing regularly, I just don't see the need for dedicated snow tires w/quattro. They are expensive, don't look as good, don't handle as well, and have to be changed out twice a year.

PS: You don't have the sport suspension, so your car will probably ride a little higher than the SP model. Check the specs for the A4 w/SP to be sure. This may or may not be noticeable (if it is the difference will be very subtle).

andys120 · June 2002

All season tires are a compromise not meant to deal w serious snow. That's why they changed the designation to include the "snow on the mountain symbol" for those snows that are meant to deal w, the real thing. It takes no more than 5"-6" of snow, less if it's hilly, to defeat all-season tires.

Anyone who lives north of NYC or thereabouts would be well advised to consider dedicated snow tires unless they have the luxury of sitting out the bad ones. Snows aren't that expensive, Tire Rack fixed me up with Blizzaks on steel rims for just over $500.

Your regular tires will last longer, your alloys will look better (salt is bad!) and as for ugly, those black rims give my Audi a look that says "who needs an SUV to be tough."

1pierce · June 2002

Andys120: I thought I qualified my recommendation by saying that you should use all seasons unless you live in an area with heavy, persistent snowfall, or spend alot of time in deep snow (like on ski trips).

I've never had quattro, but I had an AWD Subaru with all seasons, and I drove through several deep snowfalls without ever losing a beat. It doesn't snow that much where I live these days, but I'll bet there are MANY drivers in New England that get by just fine with all seasons and FWD, not to mention quattro.

I just think that for most foul weather conditions AWD and all seasons are fine, and snows on a quattro are expensive overkill. Now, if you have RWD, that is a totally different story, but there aren't any RWD Audis.

Incidentally, the whole thrust of Lukky's question was how to get the sporty SP look for his car w/out having to go hardcore summer tires with their inherent ride, noise, and winter grip penalty. I'm sure he'd just love the way those cheap steel rims would look on his car for 5 months a year.

scirocco22 · June 2002

Ryan-- I tend to agree with your advice to David. He did say that having a set of dedicated winter tires/rims wasn't an option because of living in an apartment. So yes, I'd have to agree that if it's the "look" he wants without sacrificing too much handling degradation, then an ultra-high performance all-season tire on 17" rims might be a good compromise.

A friend of mine did just that with his '02 1.8t. He went with 17" rims and put a set of Sumitomo HTR+ which he bought from TireRack that he plans to use year around. The Sumitomos are not only priced reasonably ($101 @ TireRack for the 235/45-17 size) but also are rated well in snow and the survey results at TireRack are impressive: click here for the HTR+ information page from tirerack

David, I don't know what the exact cost of the SP 17" rims would be but I'd have to assume that if you were to buy them from Audi --either through a dealer or online at the Audi boutique-- they'd be at least $300 a piece (?).

--'rocco

1pierce · June 2002

but I'll bet those Audi SP rims run over $400 each. I replaced a rim on my old Grand Prix GTP (16" gold lace style) after an accident., and the thing cost $375.

As for Scirocco's tire suggestion, I'm considering doing something similar with my 325i when the stock all seasons wear out. I intend to keep my factory rims, but I might go to a more aggressive all season rubber to sharpen handling, while stopping short of summer compound tires.

That's a good point about storage. Tire changing and storage is simply not an option for some people. Tires seem to get exponentially bigger when you bring them in from the garage.

JBaumgart · June 2002

Here in Minnesota where we get a "real winter" I would say that about 90% of passenger car drivers get by with using all season tires year around. And the vast majority of these people do not have quattro or AWD (although we do have more than our share of AWD vehicles around here, including lots of Audi's). My point is that if it can be done here, where the roads are quite often ice or snow covered for several months, it can be done most anyplace. HOWEVER, in my opinion changing to dedicated winter tires definitely makes sense IN THIS CLIMATE, and in fact this is what I've always done for years (and my last four vehicle purchases have had AWD).

A few years back I managed to drive 130 miles round trip during one of our biggest winter storms ever - 32 inches plus high winds. It was so bad that you could hardly tell if you were on the road or not, and they even called the snowplows off the roads. I saw over 100 cars and SUV's in the ditch, which is where I would have ended up had I not had good winter tires + AWD.

Also, like andys120 said, your wheels will stay looking better (they use way too much salt around here) and your summer tires will last that much longer - we're still using our original 8000E's and the Blizzak's, and the car has 50,000 miles on the odometer. Obviously, I wouldn't go this route if I lived in a warmer climate - I'd go with something like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S's or Dunlop Sport 5000's, either of which would be a very good compromise.

audibon · June 2002

Guys:
I had an incident at a local dealership that I wanted everyone to be aware of for your own protection. After a recent service visit I wanted to play a particular CD on the way home. I reached into my CD notebook and to my surprise it was no longer there. I have written a letter to the dealership in question and am not worried about the cost of replacement just the principle of the whole thing. I was just trying this dealership for service as a comparison to see if I should continue to go to them or not. I have not had anything taken at my original dealership. Maybe the 2nd dealership is mad that I brought them a car to work on that I did not purchase from them??? I am pretty disappointed about it and rather dumbfounded as well because they left my radar detector intact in the armrest storage bin. Go figure. A word to the wise, inventory your items or better yet remove anything that you don't want taken. I will update everyone on the dealerships response to my letter.
Brian

markcincinnati · June 2002

Thankfully I have never had this happen -- indeed my dealership leaves the radio tuned to the original station I had on it last. Even the AC is on the same temp!

The attention to these little details enhances the experience.

So sorry that you were the victim of an apparent theft!

scirocco22 · June 2002

Brian-- Just like Mark has said, my dealer leaves my interior settings as I left them ...even down to trying to re-adjust the mirrors and the seat settings to where they thought I left them. Even though you may have said it tongue-in-cheek, I really don't believe they would steal from you for revenge because of not having bought the car there. I think there are many less obvious ways they could accomplish that if they really wanted to. I believe the dealership still makes a bit of profit from servicing your car even though it's covered under the Advantage program; and they also should be trying to impress you by giving good service so that you'll continue to come back to them for service --maybe even after the Advantage coverage ceases when they'll make even more profit from you-- or maybe even to purchase your next Audi from them. So it seems to me to be self-defeating for them to give you anything but stellar service.

Your hypothesis concerning dealer revenge reminds me of an occurrence I had many years ago concerning a Dodge D50 pick-up I purchased new and wanted a canopy installed. Both Dodge and Plymouth sold the same pick-up which were identical other than the actual exterior badging. They each sold the same matching canopy but the Plymouth dealer's price was slightly lower and they had them in stock where the Dodge dealer had to order one so I decided to purchase it from the Chrysler/Plymouth dealer. They were only a block away from the Dodge dealer. Upon picking up the one week old truck after the installation of the canopy, I noticed a large scratch across the "Dodge" emblem on the tailgate. I knew for sure that the person installing the canopy thought "how dare this guy bring in a truck purchased down the street from the Dodge dealer and bring it to us to have the canopy installed." ...sure, I guess I should have been loyal to the dealer I purchased the vehicle from but it didn't occur to me that this type of behavior could exist ...but I was young and stupid. Obviously, it would have been difficult to impossible to prove that my hunch was right so I just had to chalk it up to experience.

But anyway, I'm sorry that you're having to go through the frustration you are experiencing. Yes, the lesson here is to take everything of value out of the car when leaving it for service. I'm sure the management of the dealership isn't condoning the stealing of their customer's possessions but why leave any temptation for the young under-paid lot jockeys or even the techs themselves ...although I can't believe the tech working on your car would take the chance of stealing your CDs for he would be the first suspect in such an act.

Joel-- The reason I suggested the Sumitomos is that not only are they less expensive than either the Michelins or the Dunlops but scored much higher in the Tirerack surveys in almost every category (compared with the Dunlops) ...especially in the areas of snow traction and quiet ride that David was most concerned about. Even in the areas of dry traction and tread wear, the HTR+s had "superior" ratings. And although the Michelins did outscore the other two in almost all categories, they are more than twice the price of the HTR+s. I realize that most of the AudiWorld guys recommend the Dunlop Sport 5000s but even they are considerably more --well slightly more-- expensive than the HTR+'s ...$101 compared to $127 compared to $212!! for the Michelins. My friend seems to be more than happy with the Sumitomos so I just may consider them when the time comes even though I'm leaning toward the Dunlops at this time. Here are the pages from Tirerack if anybody would like to compare these three tires:

Sumitomo HTR+

Dunlop SP Sport 5000

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S

--'rocco

lauk0dg · June 2002

Audibon.....sorry to hear what had happened to ya.....mind if you email me and let me know which dealership you had that issue with?? The 2 dealerships that I went to didn't steal my CD's....or maybe not yet. At first I took the CD's out from the car but after visiting the dealerships a few times I guess I already knew the guys all too well. I'd say that's an isolated incident.....and it's the management's worst nightmare since I think they would want your business (doesn't matter if your car is within warranty, they still get paid anyways so I don't think it's a way to get back at ya) but there may be some ill-behaving individuals who think they like your CD collection or they can sell them.....radar detectors are harder to sell so that's why they leave it alone I guess. Sorry to hear that though.

Regarding the ultra-high perf all season tires, one note to those survey numbers though 'Rocco.....the SP5000 had over a total of more than 3 million miles driven surveyed while the other two tires only had less than 50,000 miles surveyed. That definitely means the results surveyed on the SP5000 is more accurate than the other two. Now I know the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S are pretty new and that's why drivers haven't put that many miles on it.....I don't know about the Sumitomo HTR+'s though. Scirocco, has your friend driven the HTR+ through the snowy weather yet?

Billy

scirocco22 · June 2002

Billy-- Yes, you're absolutely right about the number of participants responding. The Tirerack surveys have to be taken lightly for they are entirely subjective and do not reflect any empirical testing results. I apologize for putting undue importance on those surveys but still, how else are we supposed to gauge the attributes of a new tire on the market? Yes, the Dunlops are tried-and-true and I suppose there shouldn't be any hesitation in recommending them. But if a new tire comes out that represents a better value, how are we to determine how they perform before we have actual testing results, other than word of mouth? The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S is highly rated both through testing and owner surveys but are they worth paying twice as much over the competition? ...I don't know, maybe.

testing results of HTR+, Pilot Sport A/S and P7000 SuperSport

Some people swear by Michelin as a brand and refuse to buy anything else. I'm one to question their premium prices and am always trying to determine if there's anything else that may compare for a lower price. Yeah, Michelins are definitely good tires but are they actually worth the premium prices? ...again, I don't really know, but maybe. *lol*

As for the HTR+'s performance in snow: my friend did take his new A4 up into the mountains just after he bought the tires (no snow here in the lowlands in April) and he was really impressed. But after all, the tires had brand new tread ...almost any brand new all-season tire will perform relatively well in snow when new. Maybe I can talk to him next spring when he's gone through the winter with them to see what his impressions are then.

--'rocco

lukky · June 2002

THanks for all the intelligent and helpful responses! I'm looking into the high-perf all-season alternative, and some new wheels from tirerack in a 'plus-one' upgrade to 17". Will also look at the AudiWorld posts. By the way, what's with the 5th place ranking in Road and Track?

nyccarguy · July 2002

What CD was it?

What kind of work did you have done on the car?

If somebody stole your CD, then that is really low & I feel bad for you.

markcincinnati · July 2002

I had good experience with Yokohama AVS db all season Ultra High Performance.

Also great experience, so far, with Falken Azenis ST 115 @ 255 x 40 x 17"

The Falkens are NOT all season, but they are Ultra High Performance tires -- good looking and less than $140 per tire on the Internet.

I got my Yokohamas from tire rack they were about $144 each. I thought they were great but seemed to have a relatively short tread life -- but then again, they are UHP tires.

andys120 · July 2002

It appears that awd setups will go through tires
more quickly than 2wd will. UHP tires being soft will wear quickly and I'm afraid that the combination of quattro drive and soft performance tires is a recipe for very rapid tire wear. I went w all seasons 'cuz I couldn't find a UHP with decent treadwear ratings. I need tires to last more than 15-20k.

I find the all-seasons on a sport-pak Audi handle and brake just fine, jury's out on wear.

Comments, anyone?

lauk0dg · July 2002

I don't think the sport package tires on the A4's are all-seasons.....they're either Michelin's, Pirelli's, Continental's or Dunlop's and all of them are UHP tires. In the A4's brochure Audi also put a little asterisk next to the sports package and says they only come with summer-only UHP tires and for winter, you NEED to have all-seasons or snow tires.

Hey Rocco, you don't need to apologize :> I agree the Michelins are expensive, but they worked well in my Accord.....ok well I don't track or corner my Accord like I do sometimes on the A4 but you get the picture. And I agree I'm not going to put down $2xx on A tire. I personally am thinking the Dunlop SP5000's cuz the Chicagoeans said pretty high about them.....and yeah, please update us on what your friend is saying about his HTR+ after this winter.

Billy

audibon · July 2002

Mark, Billy, 'Rocco, and Nyccarguy:
Thanks for the kind words. I agree with you that it was not done because I am bringing them my car and bought it somewhere else. In fact, I took off all associated stickers, license plate frames and other free advertising from the selling dealership. The only way they knew that it came from somewhere else is because I was not in their computer system.
Billy, I will e-mail you the 2 dealerships that I have been to and let you know which one was the offender.
Nyccarguy-The CD in question was Santana's Abraxas. The service that I had done was a 15k oil and filter change done at my expense. (I did bring my own synthetic oil of course.) I do not want to be called prejudicial or a bigot but the dealership uses a car wash next door and I am wondering if they were the ones that took it due to the ethnic background of those that work there? But that is an unkind statement to make because what is some Kraut(me) listening to that kind of music for? Answer, I like it. Turnabout is fair play right? Therefore, if I think this way who is to say others aren't looking at me and thinking that as well? So, the person that took it obviously likes the music or will sell the disc to someone they know that does. That does not eliminate the service advisor, the techs, or the porters either it is just a hunch. As a matter of fact the Advisor was the one who was digging through my glove compartment and actually came up to me with my Insurance Card and asked me if my address was the same as on the card. Why not just have me do that at the service desk or fill out some paperwork? I may be grasping at straws, no swizzle sticks, and it is just bugging me. Everyone had opportunity and there are all sorts of motives. So, I appreciate the thoughts and I will let you know if anything comes of it.
Brian

markcincinnati · July 2002

The tires on my sport A6 were originally Dunlop 9000's -- which are Max Performance tires, my wife's A4 came with Dunlop 8000's which are listed on TireRack as UHP.

Audi's with sport usually come with AT LEAST UHP tires, I have never heard of one coming with all season anything when the sport option is checked.

The standard set up uses all seasons -- at least on the new A6's (3.0) without sport but with quattro and also on the 1.8T with standard suspension and standard tire/wheel offering.

Tire wear and road noise are issues with the tires on the sport optioned Audis -- my dealer service manager says that Audis and Porsches with the UHP and Max Perf tires generally have tire milage of less than 20K and sometimes not much more than 10K. My experience has been that the road roar gets to be unbearable by 15K on these high perf tires -- you get handling, you give up on the other things.

On the other hand, I have not actually noticed the tires "ride" poorly -- but at such low profiles (mine are 40 series) even lower performance tires (if any exist) will be "less forgiving."

What we all want is a quiet, long lived, sticky, all season, "attractive" tire. Like the elusive 100 MPG carburetor, I bet one just doesn't exist. Or if it does, no one can afford it.

mbnut1 · July 2002

I have 34500 miles on my A4 quattro's Dunlap SP8000E's and I close to but not down to the wear bars. They are not "unbearably noisy" though they certainly are significantly more noisey than new. The 34500 miles includes one weekend track session at mid Ohio which did round off the front left outer edges. I'ved managed to sneek through two mild winters with them. Kind of torn as to whether to replace thme with all seasons or not.

markcincinnati · July 2002

My friend with an A4 Q had the Dunlops and kept them until 30,000 although he said they had long lost their rain traction (he lives in Dallas). He said they were very noisy which he mostly noticed when he replaced them with another set of 8000's.

The 40 series tires on my A6 seem to "die young" -- the lowest profile prior to my A6's I ever had before was 45 series and most of my Audi tires have been 50 series. I do not know if this makes a difference, but 40 series tires, while they look cool and probably provide extra performance, are -- here in Cincinnati -- probably overkill. Although I can sometimes zoom up to some triple digit speeds, I rarely get a chance to push my car through the twisties anywhere near what it is certainly capable of doing.

I guess I would like know if there really is a difference in WEAR characteristics when the profile lowers (generally speaking, as I do know that the real answer is probably "it all depends. . .")

andys120 · July 2002

for your input on tire wear. I think the rapid wearing is a function more of soft/sticky rubber
than the short sidewall. Both are characteristic of UHP tires. I doubt you could find a W-rated UHP tire w a 40 sidewall and good wear ratings.

For the record I don't know what kind of tires my Sport-pack Avant came with, I bought it @ 53,000.

I can tell you that the IHP Goodyear F1 steels I put on wore quickly, they were probably on track to be shot at 30k or less when I had to replace the whole set 'cuz I lost one due to a pothole (on I-84!)
and couldn't replace only one.

nyccarguy · July 2002

Has anybody experienced problems with the climate control in their '02 A4? My friend was complaining on Monday (in our lovely NY humid heat) that he had the climate control set on LOW and it wasn't doing the trick (It was blowing cold air, but not That cold). He's brought it to the dealer 3 separate times and they tell him that there's nothing wrong. He brought it to another dealer and was wondering if he was going to get the same answer.

dtwleungnyc · July 2002

I was in that NY humid heat also. Mine worked fine, flawlessly I would say.

markcincinnati · July 2002

Pick a temperature. And realize that A/C is designed to subtract 20 degrees F from the outside temp plus dehumidify.

The manual says to push the recirc button for maximum cooling as it does not have to try to keep cooling the outside air (as much).

All low will do is keep the fan blowing on high.

Audi A/C's blow so cold, generally that I can see my breath -- and if my vent is aimed at a window, the window (exterior) sweats like a cold glass on a muggy day.

Now, of course there could be something wrong with the A/C -- but everything I have ever read says that the A/C is meant to lower the temp by 20 degrees -- for some people, like my wife, that is way too much cold air, for me I aim the vents at my neck and face -- especially here in 90+ degree 98% humidity southern Ohio.

If the vent is blowing cold air and it tests at the right temp coming out -- then this is an indication that the AC is OK. One more check of the AC is certainly not an unreasonable thing to request -- especially if the customer is uncomfortable.

nyccarguy · July 2002

It turns out there is a problem with my frien'd AC. I just don't know what yet. I'll keep everybody updated.

He had it on low because the lowest temperature setting was not cooling the car sufficiently. He also has a problem with the heat getting too hot at too low of a temperature (when he needs heat). He says anything above 70 degrees and he is roasting.

davking · July 2002

Why do they use a temperature setting if all the thing does, at maximum I presume, is lower the outside temp by 20 degrees. We have had a whole bundle of 105 degree days down here in Tucson and I think the interior of the car is below 85. But then, it is a dry heat.

markcinti3 · July 2002

If it is 105 outisde and the ac lowers the temp inside to 85 and dehumidifies, relatively speaking it is cool.

Now, I have been wondering about this 20 thing and I asked my dealer who says that the answer is "it all depends."

The Audi ac senses temp, humidity and sun -- which does make some sense, but then again, when I set the temp @ 67F in broad daylight, the car gets comfortable (in muggy Cincinnati today the temp after some time driving varied between 93 and 99). But after dark, leaving the temp @ 67 and the function on auto and recirc, the exterior of the windows fog up with this setting and my wife claims it is freezing in here.

So, while I guess the "nominal" accomplishment that the ac is designed for is -20F, sometimes it seems like it does much more than that.

I should measure the temp inside the car when the temp readout says 95F and see if it actually gets to or below 75F.

In any case, I find the Audi ac to be able to do the job.

And, like you say -- "it isn't the heat, it's the humidity. . ."

Tested in the Sahara you know. . . .

nyccarguy · July 2002

There was a broken fan that had to be replaced. My friend says that now he sets the temp at 68 and it gets cool enough for him. He brought it to his selling dealer 3 separate times and they claimed there was no problem. He brought it to another dealer who diagnosed the problem right away and fixed it in a day and a half.

dtwleungnyc · July 2002

Which offending dealer was that? Would like to know so to avoid or be extra careful with them. Thanks in advance.

Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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