Re: s2 upgrades

[Dave Lawson <dlawson@digitalglobe.com>]

Dave,
>
my s2 is coming up for the end of it's lease and my dealer is keen to upgrade me to an mtm
286hp a4q (new with full factory warranty), or a used rs2 which they've had sitting on the lot
for 6 months and are desperate to move (read $20+K under list!).  both would cost me about
the same. (ie. a large wedge)...

however, the s2 is a good car which would cost me not much to purchase outright, and so i
was thinking that it would also be a good car to throw some at money to upgrade it.
>

I hope at some point in my life I will have to make a similar chioce. One option... expand
the business to another island, say tasmania, and park the RS2 there. That way you 
would have a quattro in every port. :-)

>
questions:

1) would the rs2 turbo/exhaust combo fit?
>
No definate experience, but I would think so, as they are both based on the same basic
body style (from the firewall forward).

>
2) what about the rs2 cams, are they available?
3) how much would rs2 turbo/exhaust/cams cost (usd)?
>
No idea, I wouldn't know where to find used parts like this. Maybe a call to MTM
would be a good start. I hear he has lots of interesting bits in his shops basement.

>3) how would that change the driving characteristics of the car?
320 bhp from 230 is a nice increase. Take the RS2 for a mornings test drive and 
you can report back the differences between your S2 and RS2.

>4) what would be the best way to improve the braking to be commenerserate with the hp?
The nice thing about the RS2 is that the brake problem, if you can call it that, is solved.
Those big red calipers sure look good and perform great

>i guess the other alternative would be a simple chip upgrade to the s2...
You could push the S2 into the 300 range with ECU, exhaust manifold and
turbo changes. A very nice upgrade.

>
rs2:
pros - performance, practicality, brakes, image
cons: - resale?, 'old' technology
>
This is the pinnacle of I5 turbo technology which is available to the public, so I
would assume it will take its correct place in Audi enthusiasts hearts, so I
don't think resale is a con.

>
mtm a4q:
pros - new car, new technology, performance, full factory warranty
cons: not an audisport car, what about the s4?
>
This car (a41.8t) will be/is the tweeking platform for audi followers over the next 
decade. It won't have the presence or rarity of your ur-q/s2 or the rs2. But it is the 
'new' technology. Here in Boulder, CO, these(a4's in general) are already becoming
the 4000q of the 90s. There are quite a few on the road and when the 1.8t manuals
arrive, they will be everywhere. For me, I will probably own one of these cars, but not
as a new one. I can see driving my revitalized ur-q for the next 3 years and then
picking up a lease return 1.8t, and building on that. I will be watching the posts from
the tweeked 1.8t owners and see how they will hold up over the next few years with 
2x factory hp levels. I'm sure I am not the only one with this plan.

>
s2:
pros - cost, known car, performance upgrade potential
cons: brakes, age
>
You know what you have with this car and with some $$, it could be a nice high
hp toy car.

decisions, decisions...
-
dave
83 ur-q, tweeked and getting more tweeks
86 gt, only susp tweeks