Re: my new A4 quattro

[ti@bazooka.amb.org (Ti Kan)]

Dan Masi writes:
> On Mar 21,  4:02pm, Ti Kan wrote:
> > Subject: my new A4 quattro
> > After a long 3.5 month wait, the A4 quattro that I ordered
> > finally arrived!
> 
> I'm extremely jealous.  I'm still waiting for my A4Q, which
> is supposedly just off the production line in Ingolstadt.
> Another month (unless they can swap for one sooner).  Sigh.

In fact my dealer found one matching the one I ordered (except
with the addition of the Bose stereo) coming in sooner and swapped
it.  The original one I ordered would have taken another month!
The car arrived with a scant 14 miles on the odo, and I have
already put 60 miles on it in 2 days.

First impressions... The steering and clutch feel is too light.
I like a bit more effort and heft.  The shock damping can be
a bit stiffer, I think, without affecting ride quality.
As it stands the car squirms a bit much.  Could be the tires
though.  Those Goodyear RS-As aren't exactly ultra performance
rubber.  Although the seats are leather, the door panels and
the front armrest aren't.  I wish they were.  The glove compartment
is a bit small.

These are minor quibbles.  The car is otherwise so refined and
accomplished.  It rides so quietly and you barely hear the
engine.  And whatever sound you do hear from the engine is
a pleasant one.  You can rev it up to 5K and it still speaks
a soft note.  The gentle ride does not mean it's a floating
monster around curves either.  Despite the new tires and
soft steering I have already tossed it around a few fast curves
and it remains so utterly composed.

Even the Bose stereo and changer works well.  The sound quality
is not up to my high standards, but it is acceptable.  Actually,
I suspect that the stereo head unit is the same one, Bose or not.
It's the additional amplification and speakers that makes the
difference.  They simply wired up something so that the head unit
display says "BOSE" when you turn it on.  There is no other
discernable difference on the "Audi delta" head unit between the
two systems.  The Bose system does sound better, but this is all
in relative terms.  My 4000 has a custom stereo system that
sounds 500% better yet...  No complaints, though.  This is about
as good as a factory sound system gets.

And so many thoughtful touches around the car, in typical Audi
style.  I like the remote locking feature, in conjunction with
the incredibly fancy central locking system and alarm system,
and how it ties into the interior lighting and windows/sunroof.
Very, very intelligently designed.

I am bathing in new Audi euphoria...

-Ti
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
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