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Audi A4 2004 and earlier

6042 messages,  Last post on Sep 20, 2011 at 4:33 PM

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What is this discussion about? Audi A4, Sedan

Messages Page 79 of 605

#777 of 6042 "hot" climate performance by skobola

Apr 11, 2001 (5:22 pm)

I am thinking about getting back with Audi because I believe that I can get it for less than my BMW 323i, as well as the new A4's body looks pretty cool. I have already had a A4 1.8T, but I certainly was not happy with the performance - that's because turbo did NOT do much in a hot Miami climate. I guess that intercoler or something like that may have improved the turbo, but that was not present in 1998 model that I had. Has Audi done anything to improve the turbo performance in hot climate? Or could anything else be done to improve that... however, unobtrusively, because I would lease the car. Thanks.

#778 of 6042 I don't want snow tires cuz I by lauk0dg

Apr 11, 2001 (8:40 pm)

1. Have Quattro and that's the reason why I don't need snow tires. I won't drive fast when snow/ice is on the ground anyway. So Quattro will help me get away from a start without spinning.
2. Don't want to pay extra for snow tires
3. Don't want to pay extra for storage (I rent)
4. Don't want to pay extra for new snow tires (cuz they run out of tread pretty easily)
 
We got snow in Chicago but I'd say less than 1% of the people got snow tires. You are out of the game when there's ice on the ground anyways.

#779 of 6042 2002 Pricing by pjonkheer

Apr 11, 2001 (9:04 pm)

Does anyone have any idea what pricing is going to be like for the 2002 A4?? I am seriously considering a 2002 3.0 without quattro.
 
Thank You.

#780 of 6042 lauk0dg by scirocco22

Apr 11, 2001 (9:26 pm)

but just think how great the car will handle with summer performance tires
 
and less than 1%?? you're kidding! with Chicago's brutal winters, I'd suspect that it would be more than that!

#781 of 6042 laukodg--snow tires by kdabbey

Apr 12, 2001 (2:17 am)

You just bought a phat new ride, how much are snow tires in comparison? $120 each at most? Don't be cheap--it will be worth it if they save your butt from an accident in the snow.

#782 of 6042 Looking for A4 2.8 without quattro by username24

Apr 12, 2001 (2:47 am)

Hi,
Can anyone help me find a dealership out west that sells A4's with out quattro. It's frusterating I like the A4 but have had a horrible time with the salesmen in Oregon. They don't carry the front wheel drive version of the A4 and have even told me its a bad idea to buy the fwd A4 because it doesnt hold its resale value. Can anyone confirm or deny this claim? If anyone knows of a dealership within a few states of Oregon that sells fwd A4 I would really appreciate. Thanks

#783 of 6042 username24 by scirocco22

Apr 12, 2001 (4:19 am)

Adam-- I'm in the Seattle area and just recently bought a 1.8t Quattro. The dealers I contacted before buying my car all told me the same thing and cited the same reason you gave about resale value. They told me that only Quattros are shipped to the northwest and to get a fwd A4, in either the 1.8t or 2.8, you have to factory order it. But after doing a lot of research, talking to people in the know and reading the message boards at http://www.audiworld.com, I was sold on Quattro. Quattro greatly improves handling characteristics not to mention the added traction on roads that are wet or covered in snow or ice. I also did some research on the depreciation rates here in the northwest of fwd vs. Quattro and found that it is apparently true that fwd A4's depreciated more rapidly than Quattro (although I had a very hard time finding a used A4 without Quattro in the Seattle area). IMO, the extra $1,750 (I believe that what it is for the 1.8t; I think it's even less for the 2.8--I want to say $650 but I'll have to look it up) is more than worth it considering the enhanced resale value; let alone the better traction in the winter and the fun factor as it relates to handling. As I've heard and read several times: "What's the use of buying an Audi if it doesn't have Quattro?!" For more information, you can go to the Audiworld web site and peruse the current and archived message boards on the subject. If you still aren't sold on Quattro, I'm sure that if you go back to your local dealer and insist you want to order a fwd, they'd be glad to accommodate your request but I'd guess that you wouldn't get much of a price break. And why would you consider going out of state to buy a car?--Oregon doesn't have a sales tax, right?? As lauk0dg and I have discussed on previous posts, we should all come to Oregon to buy a car!! lol You'll be buying the same car for more than $2,500 less than what I paid in Washington! ...and that's just considering the tax savings (even more on a 2.8!!). You also have lower A4 prices in Oregon than we do here in Washington. Good luck and let us know what you do.

#785 of 6042 Snow Tires by JBaumgart

Apr 12, 2001 (10:52 pm)

I disagree with lauk0dg's contention about snow tires not being much help on ice and with braking on slippery surfaces. This and cornering on ice/snow is in fact where they help the most. I've been running dedicated winter tires on my A4 quattro sport for the past three winters here in Minnesota, and they make the car MUCH SAFER! I've tried running the stock performance tires (Dunlop 8000E's) and they are downright dangerous on ice. An all-season tread would be better but the handling in the summer would suffer big-time compared to any quality high performance tire. It would make the car a lot less fun to drive (for me at least) when the roads are dry.
 
P.S. Car & Driver did extensive tests on this a while back and found that using dedicated winter tires make more of an improvement than four or all wheel drive by themselves. This is my experience too as I used to run Pirelli snow tires on a front drive car (Tauras SHO) with very good results - much better traction than the A4 quattro with the summer Dunlops. Of course the combination of snow tires and all wheel drive is the best and safest.

#786 of 6042 Winter tires by SAR21102

Apr 13, 2001 (6:17 pm)

I'll definitely be running winter tires on my 2001 1.8TQST. Quattro + winter tires IS the safest combination.
 
I think that it's very important to think of a good winter tire as a WINTER tire - not just a snow tire. The compounds used are formulated not just for snow, but for use on ice, to better withstand road chemicals, and most significantly, to perform better in cold temperatures.

Messages Page 79 of 605

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