Which Audi? (Performance, Upgrades, etc..)

[Brett Dikeman]

At 11:16 AM -0700 9/26/02, Dinh Bowman wrote:

>I have a couple problems.. I want to really upgrade the car...  I want a
>platform that I can really build on.. Turbos, etc..   I want quattro.  I
>want a nice interior ( I want to do some internal functional upgrades
>also.. I.e. my own computer system etc..)  I also don't have ALOT to
>spend.. I think I can barely afford something in the $15k range to start
>off with...

Most of Audi's EFI ecu's are intelligent enough that there is little
point in replacing them.  The turbo EFI units are all
Motronic(adaptive) and do a fine job.


>So I need some advice...  I currently have an '87 BMW 325iS which is fun
>to drive (except in the rain..) but isn't cosmetically a show stopper..
>(dings, rust, etc.)  So I'm having problems justifying putting more
>money and time into it in upgrading. I am sort of wanting a Nice car to
>begin with and then make it supurb.

A 200q20v would give you quattro, a high performance platform(20vt,
217hp stock, 277hp with a $500 chip, 330 for somewhere between $2k
and $3k) at a bargain price(well under $10k for most.)  An original
S4 or S6 will give you more refined looks and slightly more advanced
version of the 20vt engine, but a heavier car and an (IMHO)
unjustified almost-2x increase in price in many cases.  Each to his
own.

The 200q20v is, despite its size, almost exactly the same weight as
an S4 twin turbo- slightly lighter, actually, I think.  With a chip,
HP and torque numbers are in substantial favor of the 200q20v, and
you've got enough cargo room to haul 12 sets of corner station flags,
12 fire extinguishers, 4 corner workers+driver, with room to spare in
the trunk, as I discovered this weekend :-)  It was close in the back
seat with 3 big adults, but we managed.  Try any of the above with an
A4/S4.

   At a spring drive this year, an A8 owner, really big/tall guy,
stopped by...popped his head in the window...looked around...and said
"Whoa.  There's a lot of room in here!"

>The newer S4's are pretty amazing but I think those are out of my price
>range right now.

Unless you want to spend at or over $25k, yep.

>  So I'm looking at A4's...  My questions are:
>
>* What are some major differences between the A4's & S4's.. and between
>A4's and A6's->A8's.

A4 versus S4...S4= 250hp biturbo V6. A4= I4 1.8t or V6 2.8.  Six
speed only in the S4, 5 speed in the 1.8 or V6, Tip in all models.
1.8 doesn't have leather available as an option...only "leatherette",
which is sort of like leather, only smaller(just kidding.)

The A6 is bigger, for all purposes didn't come with a manual tranny
with the NA V6(Andrew Duane has one of well under 500 in the US), and
is generally viewed as the sorriest excuse of an Audi ever, with
horrible performance from the 2.8.  After years of bitching from the
automotive press, Audi finally offered the 2.7tt engine and the 4.2l
V8.  And there was much rejoicing("Yaaaay"); all engines were
available with TipTronic; 6-speed with the 2.7tt only, 5 speed with
the NA V6 only.  V8 was tip only, no manual tranny offered(the
complete-BS excuse was 'too much torque'.)

The A8 comes in three flavors- A8, A8L, S8.  First models were anemic
with a 3.6L V8.  All currently use the 4.2L, the W12 is an option on
the A8 and A8L.  The S8 uses a "more refined" 4.2L engine that puts
out a few extra ponies and is probably the most pointless Audi ever
made.  The A8L is a stretched version designed to compete against the
biggest offerings from BMW and Mercedes.  The platform as a whole is
marketed as a lighter(hence nimbler/faster/yadda yadda), cheaper, and
better all-weather-capability car compared to the BMW/Merc offerings.


>* Is there a website that gives a timeline for manufacturer
>modifications per/year

Not that I'm aware of.


>* What is a better performance platform to work on for A4's? The 1.8 or
>2.8? (Since I think the 3.0's are out of my league).

1.8 by far.  Given that 3.0= 2002, yep, way out of your league.


>* How much headache is there in setting up a biturbo in either the 1.8
>or 2.8?

Probably a ton.  You haven't seen the engine compartment, have you?
:)  Audi did a lot to biturbo the V6.  You'd have to too.

>* I haven't seen much talk about turbos on 2.8s for A4's? Am I just
>missing something or is this just NOT done..

Correct.  The only option is a PES supercharger, and only for the
30v.  There is a company that is working on a 12v supercharger kit,
but I haven't heard anything further.  I guess Nitrous is also an
option, but...


>* What's the consensus on HID lights? When did they first appear? It
>sounds like they're a $1500-2000 upgrade to existing non-HID cars...?

I hated them the second I drove an S4 with them.  Too much contrast
between lit+unlit areas leaves you completely 'in the dark' for areas
above the cutoffs, which means 99.5% of road and street signs.  I
found them next to useless on typical new england roads.  Your
mileage may vary.   Some people love them.  I didn't, and I
especially don't like being on the receiving end of 'em.

One last note- UrS4/S6 refers to the 92-94 S4 or 95-95.5 S6(US) or 97
S6(Canada.)  Euro cars are for all purposes not available to people
in the US, despite some interesting choices...

Brett
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