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I understand the usefullness of AWD (esp. Quattro), but I do not desire the added weight (and associated decrease in performance and fuel economy) and complexity. I believe FWD is sufficient for 99.99% of the situations I've driven in. Just mho, doesn't make me correct for everyone. Looking forward to late next year when I'll be new car shopping again. 2002 A4 will definately be on my list, maybe even a TT! Are Audi interiors the best, or what?
Hope y'all enjoy your rides!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
me! Thanks a lot!
But forget the financial benefits. I really like this car! I was worried it would be a noticeable step down in quality and performance from my 2-year old 328i, but once I started driving it home, I became greatly impressed with this A4! That little engine gave me 34mpg on the highway tonight, and that 170hp engine loves to rev and accelerate. This car is quick and nimble. The manual shifting is extremely smooth, and the ecru/clay interior is VERY classy, especially with the melange exterior. Although real driving enthusiasts probably aren't too happy with the Sports Package 16" 10-spoke rims and the Dunlop 16" SP8000 tires, I think they are quite nice. I've found that the lower profile 17" tires wear out too fast, and they typically provide a little too much road feel and noise for my taste.
Equalizer1: Thanks for the great feedback on the audio system and interior color choices. Your audio feedback helped influence me toward the Bose upgrade.
DRC4: Thanks for the great feedback on your melange A4.
It's funny: when I was at the local Audi dealer last week, I saw a row of A4's in blue, black, silver, and melange. With all of them side-by-side, I didn't give much of any notice to the melange color. When I drove to the other Audi dealer outside of town to purchase my A4 today, and I saw my melange A4 sitting by itself in the showroom, this car really stood out as a very nice looking and classy car. My appreciation for this color choice grew on me when we stopped at a restaurant, and again after we arrived at home. I feel fortunate that the dealer had my exact desired options in this melange/ecru/clay color mixture. I couldn't have ordered a better combination if I tried!
Thanks,
Getz
Have fun!
From my point of view, power seats and wood trim are about the only significant differences between the 2.8 and the 1.8T. The other difference is that you cannot order the 1.8T with the leather option. I believe the power seat feature is the most significant difference, and that Audi wants this to remain a differentiator to help distance the 1.8T from the 2.8.
Since you would much prefer the power seats instead of the manual seats (the 1.8T does have a power lumbar support adjustment, of all things!), you definitely have my empathy. I agree that the current 2.8 doesn't seem to be a very good buy after the hp increase for the 1.8T, but Audi might start offering some very good incentives on the 2.8 soon. (That's just a guess; not based on anything I've heard.)
Do you know if the 2002 1.8T will offer power seats as an option? Or will you automatically go with the 3.0 as soon as it is available, regardless of how the 2002 1.8T is equipped?
Regarding the 2002 models, I was told they should be available by September. Maybe October at the latest. Your dealer is either misinformed; or he is lying in an attempt to sell you a car now; or Audi just had a major schedule setback that only your dealer is aware of!
Need your help with this one...
I have a 1997 Audi A4 1.8t. Haven't driven it in quite some time (was overseas). Got back, and when I tried to start it, i juist heard this continual "chk chk chk chk" sound (not the usual cranking sound, but not completely dead either!). Anyway, the battery indicator was at 8 volts (lowest indicator). So, I thought this was a battery issue, and used my other car to jump it. No luck! It would continue making the same sound. Any idea what I'm dealing with here? Last time I drove it, it was fine...What could have happened?
Any advice at all would be deeply appreciated!
Thanks to one and all!...
-Sri-
I would recommend trying to jump-start your A4 again, but this time double-check that the battery cable clamps are biting into the battery terminals, and that the battery terminals are relatively clean. If that doesn't work, then I would recommend taking the battery into an auto parts store, such as AutoZone or Checker, and let them test it.
-getz
getz1: If I were you, I'd try to take a look at the pictures of the new 2002 model. I'm not too sure I like the styling of the upcoming model more than the existing model. That is why I had no problems buying a 2001 model. (I hope I don't regret it next year!) The rear end of the 2002 A4 seems to have a strong resemblence to the A6. From what I can tell, Audi may have tried to add some class and luxury to the look, at the possible expense of some of the "sporty" look of the existing model. There are a couple pics in the January Automobile issue. I think audiworld.com has a link to some pictures of the 2002 model.
In favor of the 2002 model, there is more interior room, the body is more rigid, and the suspension is improved. According to the magazine, the 2002 A4 should be a better driving automobile.
Thanks for the input but I guess I just didn't make myself too clear in previous posts although I did specifically mention "air" noise in post #541, 3rd paragraph. The "noise" I'm talking about is wind noise coming from the closed sunroof due to a bad seal or bad design... or both. I have no squeaks at all in my car - but too much wind noise with the sunroof closed. This is a well-documented complaint on the A4 Forum. I wish it was just a squeak because I can usually easily fix that kind of stuff.
Cotmc:
Congrats!! I've owned 3 BMWs in the past and I had to laugh when you said you were afraid the A4 would be a noticeable step down in quality and performance. The performance issue may be debatable, but from my experience, Audi is - if anything - a step up in overall quality. I'll be flamed by die-hard BMW owners for that, but who cares...it's just a personal observation. You're going to love the A4 but don't put too much stock in the MPG accuracy of the OBC. Use the good old manual method to figure your MPG on fillups. Sometimes my OBC shows 50 or 60 MPG and jumps all over the place. I always drive with the "miles remaining" display, which seems to be relatively accurate and much more useful.
Enjoy the new ride! I still look back and admire mine in parking lots, where I always park in an end spot as far away as I can get. No dents or dings yet after a year and it's good exercise. Keep us informed on your new love affair.
I don't pay attention to the real-time MPG display in the trip computer, but the averaged MPG display seems to be pretty consistent so far. But I understand your point -- compute MPG the old-fashion way and see how much the computer's averaged MPG calculation deviates from that.
The spell checker gets a big thumbs down from within every topic I've been observing. Our family car is the new Acura MDX SUV, and there were a handful of people in the MDX topic who all agree with you. I don't use this spell checker at all! I just do a quick visual double-check before I post, and I occasionally do one or two edits after the initial post. I also try to avoid any words that are tough to spell! ;-)
We sure LOVE the A4 though - a 98.5 silver 2.8Q with all the options - just past 30,000 miles with no problems, and it looks and rides like new.
Thanks... and I imagine you've been driving the A4 as much as possible!
Equalizer1: If you ever need to reduce the vehicle count from 3 to 2, the MDX offers a great compromise between your 3.2TL and a mid-to-full sized SUV. (Well, it won't have the same offroad capability of your Jeep...) I had a 2000 TL as a loaner car just a couple months ago, and I really liked its low-end torque and good acceleration for its size. However, I was still happy to get back my MDX at the end of the day. :-)
Jbaumgart: A May delivery of your MDX seems to be a fairly extensive wait! I hope the wait isn't too annoying for you. I can't help but think it would be annoying for me. Let me know if you live anywhere out west, if you might like me to check a couple of my local dealers. I've recently (3 weeks ago) had one dealer tell me she had unclaimed MDXs arriving in March. The Audi Allroad sounds like a great vehicle, but I think it is too expensive for my budget. Has the Allroad been in production for a year or more in Europe, or is it entirely new? If it is a brand new vehicle, I would likely trust the first-year reliability of the MDX more so than that of the Allroad. I could be wrong, and of course your mileage may vary, but I think companies like Acura tend to have fewer first-year production bugs.
By the way, the MDX makes for a great complementary vehicle to the A4!
However, I should have no problem emailing you some pictures instead. I just need some time to wash the car and take the pictures. Unfortunately, there is a cold front and some rain blowing through our state today and tomorrow. Give me at least a couple days or longer, and I'll email a couple pics to you.
By the way, the ecru/clay interior goes very well with the melange exterior, but it doesn't provide the dramatic 2-tone interior look of the ecru/onyx interior. Nevertheless, I am still very pleased with the combination, and I would definitely choose these colors again if I was placing an order.
I am considering purchasing a used A4 (need AWD but undecided on 4-cyl. vs. 6-cyl.) in the next month and have even checked some online auction sites to compare prices.
While the 1997-1999 A4 models look similar, I did notice that the newer (1998+) models have a more attractive steering wheel. Most of the 1997 models have a plain, black plastic "VW" grade steering wheel as opposed to the chrome rings logo on newer cars.
Obviously, this is not a deciding factor for me but it made me wonder if the price difference of the 1997 A4 models was due to their having a lower standard level of interior finishes.
Am I nuts or was 1998 a turning point with interiors? Do any '97 models have the fancy steering wheel?
Good luck!
My understanding is that 1998 models were not very different from 1997 models, but I could be very wrong on that guess. I knew the 1996 models very well, and I know the 2000 and 2001 models very well. Everything inbetween is rather blurry. Model year 1998 is in sort of a "black hole" for me. I believe it was the year that the 2.8L engine went to 5 valves/cylinder and 190hp, but I don't know much else regarding the changes for that model year. You might check the Used Cars section of Edmunds.com. Sometimes Edmunds will mention some of the items which were new to the vehicle for that particular model year.
I have 3 additional guesses on why you might see the 1997 models priced much cheaper than 1998 models. First of all, 1997 models are out of warranty. Many 1998 models may still be under warranty. 1998 models may be the oldest models that Audi is willing to certify on Audi dealers' used car lots. Secondly, if you are examining the 1.8T models, 1997 was the first year of the 1.8T engine (at least here in North America). I'm not aware of this, but maybe there were some first-year reliability issues with that model? Finally, I believe that 1998 was the year Audi changed the 2.8L engine (as I mentioned above), giving it 18 more horsepower than the 1996/1997 model.
If I'm not mistaken, the 98 models also saw the introduction of their upgraded interior's which Audi called "atmospheres" and I believe this added both variety and a richer ambiance at least with the 2.8's.
There were also many other smaller improvements made, both inside and out, on the 98's. Then, there were further refinements with the mid-year '98's, also known as 98.5 models. I can't remember what all these were exactly, but I do remember them being posted once in the old A4.org site - now AudiWorld.com - and the list of improvements was surprisingly long. I'm sure that if you post your questions there under the A4 Forum people will be willing to help with the details.
As far as the steering wheel goes, I have the "sport" wheel on my 98.5 model, and for my car this came with the optional "Sport Pkg" which also included a lowered and firmer suspension, different 16 inch wheels with Z-rated Dunlop 8000E tires (great in summer, bad on ice and snow - I use winter tires for 3-4 months a year here in Minnesota).
One other thing about Audi that I've found is that they continually make changes from year to year, and even mid-year, both for reliability and functional reasons. Good luck in finding the right combination of features at the right price - there are literally hundreds of combinations to choose from if you span several years worth of A4's.
On the allroad forum discussion, there is a tremendous enthusiasm that's very evident, as owners are literally gushing with praise. It is extremely high quality on the inside, and it clearly will outperform and outhandle the MDX as a driving machine. The heated rear seats and steering wheel are nice, and the ESP is a major plus. Plus, it has full-time quattro, whereas the MDX is front-drive biased. All in all, it's a lot more fun to drive fast.
The major disadvantages of the allroad include the price - about $6,000-$10,000 higher depending on options - and the higher price buys you a smaller, less flexible space inside (although in our case we only have 3, including our 9 year old). Plus, the outside styling is very "different" - either a station wagon (Avant) or an SUV - a personal decision but I think most would favor the SUV look, which could affect resale. The MDX could hold its value better, but since they're both so new who knows for sure?
We'd be very happy with either vehicle, but if the allroad towing pkg. becomes available before the MDX arrives, I'm going to switch to the allroad. Based on my great experience with the A4, I have a lot of confidence in Audi quality. Their 4-year warranty with all maintenance included and my local dealer (very competent and conveniently located) give me added confidence, even though it's a first-year model.
Sorry for vearing slightly off topic here...
Regarding your next purchase, I have to admit I'm a little biased toward the MDX, but the new Audi Allroad seems to be an awesome vehicle. I can see why you would strongly consider it. I wouldn't worry too much about some negative feedback here and there within MDX discussion groups. I wouldn't compare the number of negative posts for the MDX versus the number of negative posts for the Allroad. The MDX has been on sale since the beginning of October, and they have been selling about 3000 per month. For example, JD Powers says Acura sold 3414 MDX's during January 2001. In comparison, I believe less than 500 Allroads were sold in January. Since people are more likely to write into discussion groups if they have a problem/complaint than if they have no problems, the MDX discussion groups would likely see more complaints than Allroad discussion groups. That's my theory, anyway, assuming all other things being equal. I also suspect there would be fewer negative posts if Acura dealerships were more consistent with their pricing and customer service. Unfortunately, it seems that a few Acura dealers in North America offer no better service than a typical Nissan or Honda dealer.
Thanks,
Getz
I drove the A4 for a 100-mile commute from the out-of-town Audi dealer shortly after I had purchased it, and it drove just fine. It might take a little while to get accustomed to the firmer seats, but they are quite comfortable for the long trips. It is also reasonably quiet when cruising at 75mph. I did not go 80mph on the new engine. I would suspect the 2000 Accord V6 *might* be a little quieter cruiser, but I can't say for sure because it's been awhile since I test drove it.
I agree with you on the Accord. It's a fine car, but it doesn't have the steering or road feel of the A4, and it doesn't brake as well as the A4. The Accord also doesn't feel as nimble, either on the corners or when accelerating. The Accord is good in many respects, but it doesn't bring about many emotions. It's rather "sterile".
Back in 1998 we almost purchased a new '98 Accord EX-V6 coupe for my wife, but after a couple test drives, we both realized we enjoyed driving a '98 BMW 323is much more than the Accord. It was $6K more, but we felt it was worth it mostly due to the better driving experience. In my opinion, the A4 1.8T is very similar to the BMW 323. With the A4, you lose a little bit of steering feel, but you get a little nicer interior and more value for the dollar. (By the way, that 323is also had manual seats!)
-Getz
One observation about Accords. I've driven new Accords and believe me, the '95/'96 Accords were completely different animals than the new ones. My '95 5-speed EX was actually fun to drive, handled excellent, had a great ride, and was reasonably unique in styling although it didn't exactly have a "Camry-quiet" interior. The new ones I drove had excessive cabin noise, squeaks, and had a very rough ride, much like the new Infiniti I-30s. The A4 is a noticeably smoother riding, quieter car (even with the noisy sunroof) and is an obvious leap in quality and refinement, as you've already mentioned.
I'm with you on the new A4 styling. Overall it looks good but like most who have voiced opinons, the A6-ish rear end looks dubious, as does the squared-off front grill. In the pictures I've seen, it also appeared there are chrome accent strips just below the trunk and on the front spoiler that looks just as tacky as it does on the A6. But I'm keeping an open mind and will wait until I actually see one to make any judgements.
What do you mean by this? I have a 2000 I30 and it rides very smooth, has very little cabin noise, and no squeaks. It has 12,000 miles.
That said, I drove an A4 1.8T Quattro on Saturday and liked it very much, but I don't think it is any quieter than our I30. I will probably get the A4 in a month or so, as soon as I sell my 4Runner. I30 was for my wife - all she wanted was a quiet, powerful car with a nice interior. I want a fun-to-drive car (one area that the I30 is lacking - fun).
2001 A4 1.8T
Celebration package (Includes Quattro, moonroof, Homelink)
Xenons
5 speed
Cold Weather Package
Bose
ESP
Casablanca White with Ecru leatherette
What kind of deals are people getting on the 1.8T's right now? I'd like to get the car for around $1,000 over invoice (MSRP $29,600, Invoice $26,400 - I'd like to get it for $27,500 or so). Is that do-able, or do I need to re-adjust my sights?
I'm curious (not mad - don't worry), did you drive an I30t? I think the ride of the I30L is very smooth.
Up here in Denver, I think the 1.8T is as fast as the 2.8 (turbos do very well at high altitudes as you probably know). For a few hundred more, I can have a little pocket rocket.
The 1.8Ts are quicker than one would think, especially chipped. Mine's not chipped and it's not a pocket rocket by any means but still holds its own pretty well for a 4-cyl with tip. Audi produces one of the best turbos in the business. If you want something closer to a pocket rocket, chip it.
I drove both I-30s and admittedly, the "t" was obviously the rougher ride but the "L" just didn't feel very smooth at all. It was fine on the highway but there's a particular section of road near my house that's always a good test and the I-30L reacted very stiffly, while the A4 smoothes it out very well. I can feel a big difference. My roommate went on many of the test drives with me and even she's impressed with the A4's ride quality. It's just a personal thing.
Good luck with your A4!
DRC4: I really don't notice much of any noise from the sunroof of my 2001 model. I'm assuming this is a noise issue with the sunroof closed, correct? Maybe Audi addressed this issue for the 2001 models? Did you ask your dealer about this noise issue when you took your 2000 model in for service? Just curious... I notice no additional noise from the sunroof of my A4 than I had with my '99 BMW 328i. It seems quiet to me, even at highway speeds.
By the way, I didn't know that the power lumbar adjustment was added for the 2001 models. Interesting! I always thought it was unusual how my A4 had a 6-way manual seat adjustment, but that it also had a 2-way power lumbar adjustment. That's not a common practice!
getz1: Regarding that Motor Trend article, I get annoyed when these auto critics don't do their homework. They state the 2002 1.8T will have the same 150hp engine as the existing model. Can't these guys do a little homework and see that it's 170hp?
It's an interesting decision you'll have to make about buying an A4 now or waiting for the new model. The V6 version looks very interesting for 2002. I haven't seen much of any info as to how the 2002 1.8T model will be equipped compared to the 3.0 model. However, there's little doubt that the 2001 model is available at good savings. Audi is already providing a $700 discount off the top by introducing the "Celebration Package" (moonroof, homeline, and auto-dimming mirrors) for only $500 MSRP. Even after that savings, I bet many Audi dealers will now sell A4 models off their lots for $1000 over invoice, or less. If you factory order, expect the price to be closer to $1200 or $1300 over invoice.
I'm glad to hear Audi must have done something about the sunroof wind noise on the '01 models. And yes, it's with the sunroof closed. They must have been monitoring the AudiWorld A4 Forum because this was an ongoing complaint, along with wind noise from the driver side mirror...which I've corrected on mine. I did in fact mention the sunroof problem to my dealer when I took it in a couple weeks ago for the 10K mi service and was informed that it's a common complaint with the 2000 models and the result of a design problem. I was there when they looked at it and we all pretty much decided it's a poor seal design. So there's nothing I can do. You're fortunate to have either an improved design or a fluke that just seals better than mine. I'm tempted to believe the latter since I doubt Audi would go to the expense of improving anything in its last year of production...although they did add the lumbar support. Audi is so weird sometimes. I've never heard of manually-adjusting seats with power lumbar support. Very strange. My Accord had a power driver seat with manual lumbar support, which makes more sense.
My '98 A4 (2.8 model) has the same - power driver seat with manual lumbar support. The one "luxury omission" on the '98's is the lack of a power passenger seat. I understand this is also now standard (?) on the newer 2.8 A4's.
Or it has enough powers that you don't need to chip? Any thoughts?
driver36: I thought very seriously about chipping mine and almost made the 4 hour drive to APR in Auburn to get it done but after much research, deliberation and talking to my dealer, I decided against it. Several factors contributed to my decision and would take up too much space here to cover but if you're interested I'd be happy to e-mail you.
Regarding your question about power, it depends on your personal driving style/habits as to whether or not the stock A4 will suffice. I knew my 1.8T wasn't a pocket rocket when I got it (those days are over!) but it has plenty of power for my driving style. I've owned pocket rockets and still like to drive fast, but I'm more concerned now with handling, refinement and style than breaking the sound barrier. My stock 1.8T does very well and is excellent on the highway with good passing power and handles our hilly terrain with ease...even with 4 people in the car. Chipping sounded like an intriguing idea when I first got the car but I don't regret deciding against it and haven't thought any more about it. Don't forget that the '01 1.8Ts have a bit more horsepower than mine and may be slightly livelier but I don't know since I haven't driven one to compare. If you haven't done so, you need to drive one to see how the stock version feels before considering chipping. It all comes down to what YOU want.
rip