[s-cars] How failtastic is the B7 S4 automatic? Anyone have a line on a manual avant?

[Cody Forbes]

Quick note... You can get VADIS that requires no subscription and  
works the same as far as I know. Horribly designed bit of software,  
but functional.

-Cody
Sent from my iPod

On May 12, 2009, at 3:09 PM, Brett Dikeman <brett.dikeman at gmail.com>  
wrote:

> On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 9:37 AM, brian hoeft <qweblog at gmail.com>  
> wrote:
>> Took me a few minutes and suggestions from the owner to properly
>> time/prep the tranny for more responsive driving, example; put the  
>> gas pedal
>> to the floor for about two seconds in sport mode and everything  
>> gets ready
>> for ?action..
>
> What do you mean?  I would hope in any car putting the pedal on the
> floor for two seconds would result in something :)
>
> It seems all relative- the autobox in my folk's 960 is the best
> automatic I have ever driven.  Downshifts in "sport" mode are just
> about perfect- not overly hyper like Audi's (the C6 A6 is ridiculous
> in sport mode), but the transmission seems almost psychic about
> downshifting decisions.  First gear acceleration is practically
> stump-pulling, and it's not exactly a light car (or a powerful one;
> ~180hp inline 6.)  Throttle control is excellent- lots of travel in
> the pedal, very progressive.
>
> Contrast to a BMW 328 I rented through Zipcar- I could count "one one
> thousand two" between when I mashed the pedal and when the
> transmission finished downshifting.  Ultimate Driving Machine, my ass.
> However, it was nothing compared to the horror of a Subaru Outback
> (another Zipcar selection.)  BREATHE on the gas pedal in "drive" and
> the car jumps off the line (with very little to follow it up.)  I've
> read that the Legacy GT Spec B doesn't deliver full boost unless you
> put it in "Sport Sharp" mode which probably means that if you start
> your foot moving towards the gas pedal, the car snorts and seeks the
> nearest china shop.  I also found it extremely difficult to believe
> that a Legacy GT 2.5 Spec B can get 0-60 in under 5.5 seconds like
> Subie claim.  Anyone driven one?  Specs and price-wise, it's right up
> my alley, but I find Subes to be badly built and equipped.  The
> Outback I rented didn't have an automatic dome light.  WTF?
>
>> My gripe if I owned one regarding sport driving would be the traction
>> control kicking in even when its switched "off"
>
> Are you referring to the automatic B7, or all B7's?  I remember
> hearing B5 owners gripe about stability control coming on at the track
> even when it had been switched off.  The B7 has different a different
> torsen (rear bias) and different stability control from the B6.
>
> One of the things that is tipping me in favor of a V70R, despite its
> true-to-halo-car-status reliability record (transmission has a splined
> collar that strips, the exhaust rubs against the rear driveshafts
> after going through a puddle, they go through rear parking brake SHOES
> and wheel bearings like candy, reportedly) is that the
> traction/stability control has a few different levels and it seems
> possible to switch almost all of it off save the Haldex controller-
> and it won't come back on unless told to.  I think it's pretty cool
> that you can run the traction control in "getting groceries" mode,
> "we're at Watkins Glen" mode, or "we're 16 years old and in an empty
> snowy parking lot" mode.  Same for the adjustable suspension- 3 modes,
> though I wish they hadn't tied it to accelerator pedal mappings.  Gah.
> Looks like it MIGHT be possible to get that "fixed" through IPD.
>
> The Volvo is also a much sharper looking car, it's actually a USEABLE
> wagon (there's a lot of storage, and it is is box shaped), and Volvo
> tends to put fantastic stereos in their cars (the 960's stereo is
> probably the best OEM system I've ever heard in a car.  I haven't
> 'test driven' a V70R stereo.)  Really comfy seats, too.  The
> navigation unit is brilliant in terms of ergonomics (controls are on
> the backside of the steering wheel, and the screen pops out of the
> center of the dash.) I don't think I've ever seen a vehicle that had
> so many OEM accessories.  Roof racks, cup/change/trashbag/sunglass
> holders, and about fifty different ways to keep Fido in the back.
> Almost every option that you could order on the car can be acquired
> from Volvo via parts channels, with install instructions online in
> PDF/HTML format.  Nice.
>
> On the flip side, any Volvo made in the last few years requires VIDA,
> which is like VAG-COM, a Bentley manual, and whatever Audi calls their
> dealer technical network all rolled into one, only with a huge
> subscription fee that puts it virtually out of reach of all but the
> biggest and busiest indie Volvo wrenches.  Get a load of this BS- Audi
> may not ship modules "coded", but Volvo doesn't ship them loaded with
> firmware.  You have to use VIDA to encode the module after you install
> it in the car- and that requires live internet access, because the
> firmware is ENCRYPTED for THAT specific car/module by Volvo!
>
> /rant
>
> Brett
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