Audit A4 quattro...
10 July 2002, 01:53 PM
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Anybody moved from imprez to an Audi A4 quattro (1.8T, 1.8T Sport or 2.8) ?
Currently have MY95 UK Turbo.
Like the power (dont we all)
Like AWD pshcyological safety factor
Like the look (n.b low spolier 16" wheels - less "in-your-face" than 17" body kitted Highpsoilered sti for example)
Don't get too much oppurtunity to properly exploit the handling
How is an A4 going to compare ?
I like the thought of the car feeling "more solid"
I'm sure it will feel less poerful but prob bugger all in real world terms
I havent test driven any yet as I'm still researching...
Budget is likely to be a 2/3 year old example
Currently have MY95 UK Turbo.
Like the power (dont we all)
Like AWD pshcyological safety factor
Like the look (n.b low spolier 16" wheels - less "in-your-face" than 17" body kitted Highpsoilered sti for example)
Don't get too much oppurtunity to properly exploit the handling
How is an A4 going to compare ?
I like the thought of the car feeling "more solid"
I'm sure it will feel less poerful but prob bugger all in real world terms
I havent test driven any yet as I'm still researching...
Budget is likely to be a 2/3 year old example
10 July 2002, 01:57 PM
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Go for the 2.5TDI and chip it, bloody hell! 
Not a scooby but lots of punch
Good cars the A4, especially the quattro. Gear change is a little slow (esp. 1st-2nd) but they are solid, classy and comfortable (unless your in the back!!!)
Not a scooby but lots of punch Good cars the A4, especially the quattro. Gear change is a little slow (esp. 1st-2nd) but they are solid, classy and comfortable (unless your in the back!!!)
10 July 2002, 02:26 PM
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Moved the other way from a 1999 A4 1.8T Quattro Sport (180 BHP) to a 5 door MY00 Turbo wagon.
My Dad has now bought himself a 1.8T Quattro Sport so I've had the opportunity to drive the Audi both before and after ...
My Audi ..
My Scooby ..
The Audi 'wins' in many ways. Build quality is so superior that it's hard to figure out how Subaru manage to get away with the quality of plastics that they did ! The Audi doesn't rattle or squeak either
. If your looking for subtlety the Audi is the one for you as well. I have nice 17's on mine, wrapped in 225/45/17's.
Probably the best comparison is when driving my Dad's Audi recently. A few comments, the engine is nice, quiet and refined. I have a SS BB on my Scooby so it was not a surprise to find it quiet
Nice seats although they do not hold you as firmly as the Scooby buckets. Give the Audi a bit of stick and initial acceleration is very good. Lots of low down torque. The scooby takes a wee while to get going and I have an MY99 ECU (so no jokes about the MY00 being slow
).
Keep your foot in and this is why I used to get frustrated, the Audi keeps on pulling but at the same rate (flat torque curve) .. when I would expect a bit of a 'whoosh' we're off sensation the car just smoothly builds up speed. No point going above 5.5K just change up a gear and let the torque do the work. A bit dull. No match for the whoosh-bang-redline-change up repeat of the Scooby.
In the real world probably not a huge difference but feels like it.
The gear change in the Audi has a majorly long throw compared to the Scoob, the brakes are good in both (ish ) but you get far more feel through the steering in the Scoob.
I had a longish run on the same road in both cars in the dry/pee-ing rain with Dad and my wife. Audi felt v. stable through standing water .. probably the steering being a bit numb helps here. The Scoob on the other hand felt a bit more 'darty'. One quote from my wife in the Audi though at about 70-75 she said 'you don't feel your going as fast as this when you're in the Scoob'.
You need to drive the Scoob more. I would say this though I always felt (and still do) that the Audi ultimately had more grip in the wet than the scoob. Not better handling just more wet grip.
Would I swap back ... errm no. Although for 90% of the time the Audi was perfect, quiet, great to sit in, I had BOSE stereo which was great, felt classy on the 10% of the time I wanted to rip through the gears and have a blast it just didn't give me the same thrill and ultimately I got bored, lost a heap of money on the Audi but glad I got the Scoob.
If you are happy to take the compromise to a slower more numb car that does most things well for most of the time then the Audi would be fine.
Hope this helps, sorry for the long winded post.
Doofus.
My Dad has now bought himself a 1.8T Quattro Sport so I've had the opportunity to drive the Audi both before and after ...
My Audi ..
My Scooby ..
The Audi 'wins' in many ways. Build quality is so superior that it's hard to figure out how Subaru manage to get away with the quality of plastics that they did ! The Audi doesn't rattle or squeak either
. If your looking for subtlety the Audi is the one for you as well. I have nice 17's on mine, wrapped in 225/45/17's.Probably the best comparison is when driving my Dad's Audi recently. A few comments, the engine is nice, quiet and refined. I have a SS BB on my Scooby so it was not a surprise to find it quiet
Nice seats although they do not hold you as firmly as the Scooby buckets. Give the Audi a bit of stick and initial acceleration is very good. Lots of low down torque. The scooby takes a wee while to get going and I have an MY99 ECU (so no jokes about the MY00 being slow
). Keep your foot in and this is why I used to get frustrated, the Audi keeps on pulling but at the same rate (flat torque curve) .. when I would expect a bit of a 'whoosh' we're off sensation the car just smoothly builds up speed. No point going above 5.5K just change up a gear and let the torque do the work. A bit dull. No match for the whoosh-bang-redline-change up repeat of the Scooby.
In the real world probably not a huge difference but feels like it.
The gear change in the Audi has a majorly long throw compared to the Scoob, the brakes are good in both (ish
) but you get far more feel through the steering in the Scoob.I had a longish run on the same road in both cars in the dry/pee-ing rain with Dad and my wife. Audi felt v. stable through standing water .. probably the steering being a bit numb helps here. The Scoob on the other hand felt a bit more 'darty'. One quote from my wife in the Audi though at about 70-75 she said 'you don't feel your going as fast as this when you're in the Scoob'.
You need to drive the Scoob more. I would say this though I always felt (and still do) that the Audi ultimately had more grip in the wet than the scoob. Not better handling just more wet grip.
Would I swap back ... errm no. Although for 90% of the time the Audi was perfect, quiet, great to sit in, I had BOSE stereo which was great, felt classy on the 10% of the time I wanted to rip through the gears and have a blast it just didn't give me the same thrill and ultimately I got bored, lost a heap of money on the Audi but glad I got the Scoob.
If you are happy to take the compromise to a slower more numb car that does most things well for most of the time then the Audi would be fine.
Hope this helps, sorry for the long winded post.
Doofus.
11 July 2002, 07:58 PM
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I also had an A4 Quattro and have gone back to a Scoob
- 2.5 TDi V6 Quattro
- Chipped to 185bhp and 285 lb/ft torque
- 0-60 7.3, 140mph (true)
As the long post'er above said, fantastic build, cruising, planted on the road, tons of grip, and still superb fuel consumption.
It was actually quite good fun on the track as well.
I also decided I good live with second division refinement (its not that bad) to get the chuckability and sheer pace.
I sold my Audi for a very good price as well - because it was a diesel quattro - not many around
- 2.5 TDi V6 Quattro
- Chipped to 185bhp and 285 lb/ft torque
- 0-60 7.3, 140mph (true)
As the long post'er above said, fantastic build, cruising, planted on the road, tons of grip, and still superb fuel consumption.
It was actually quite good fun on the track as well.
I also decided I good live with second division refinement (its not that bad) to get the chuckability and sheer pace.
I sold my Audi for a very good price as well - because it was a diesel quattro - not many around
11 July 2002, 08:38 PM
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... oh I forgot a couple of things.
The Tdi also has a 6 speed box which I had an S4 shortshifter to - it made all the difference
also
I wouldn't go to an A4 from a Scoob without the quattro drive.
The rear suspension isn't just lowered, it's a totally different independent design from the FWD A4's. The rear silencer/pipe is a different shape would you believe !
p.s I went round a sprint circuit (each lap approx 68 seconds) less than half a second slower than an S4 - shows how the diesel torque and 4wd grip work very well
The Tdi also has a 6 speed box which I had an S4 shortshifter to - it made all the difference
also
I wouldn't go to an A4 from a Scoob without the quattro drive.
The rear suspension isn't just lowered, it's a totally different independent design from the FWD A4's. The rear silencer/pipe is a different shape would you believe !
p.s I went round a sprint circuit (each lap approx 68 seconds) less than half a second slower than an S4 - shows how the diesel torque and 4wd grip work very well
12 July 2002, 10:47 AM
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Ta chaps
hoping to arrange some test drives this weekend
Strange though, as soon as I consider getting rid of the scoob, I start enjoying throwing it around again
Deano
hoping to arrange some test drives this weekend
Strange though, as soon as I consider getting rid of the scoob, I start enjoying throwing it around again
Deano
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07 October 2002, 03:37 PM
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No apologies reqd - exactly the sort of stuff I was after.
Its is the lack of "whoosh bang" for the 5% of the time you want to play the perhaps worries me most. The absence of the squeaks/rattles/wind noise for the remaining 95% is what attracts me...
My trusty MY95 has the pro-drive interior i.e. Nice bucket recaros and I would hate to lose the feeling of being "held" by the car.
I do get a little confused by the various options.
The 1.8T Sport has 180bhp and the 1.8T just 150 ?
Does the sport have diff suspension ?
A mate swapped his STi4 Type R for a (chipped) S4 a year or so back and I went on the test drive. Even the S4 didnt "feel" quicker because of the lack of punch. which is the same as saying it was much smoother
Going to get myself down the audi dealer soon....
Deano
[Edited by dsmith - 7/10/2002 3:40:39 PM]
Its is the lack of "whoosh bang" for the 5% of the time you want to play the perhaps worries me most. The absence of the squeaks/rattles/wind noise for the remaining 95% is what attracts me...
My trusty MY95 has the pro-drive interior i.e. Nice bucket recaros and I would hate to lose the feeling of being "held" by the car.
I do get a little confused by the various options.
The 1.8T Sport has 180bhp and the 1.8T just 150 ?
Does the sport have diff suspension ?
A mate swapped his STi4 Type R for a (chipped) S4 a year or so back and I went on the test drive. Even the S4 didnt "feel" quicker because of the lack of punch. which is the same as saying it was much smoother
Going to get myself down the audi dealer soon....
Deano
[Edited by dsmith - 7/10/2002 3:40:39 PM]
07 October 2002, 03:59 PM
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Ha ha,
There is almost as many options for A4 quattro's as STi's (RA etc).
You get (in the old style) .. 1.8T (150 BHP), 1.8T Sport (150 BHP) and 1.8T Quattro Sport (180 BHP). Only the Quattro Sport has 180 BHP (173 lb/ft torque from 1700-5500?).
First cars had a 5 speed box and later cars got a 6 speed box. 5 is enough (big spread of torque) ... quite close anyway (2nd gear runs to about 55, 3rd to about 80 ish).
There is a suspension difference between quattro and non-quattro. The Quattro had 'ultra low sports suspension'. The scoob actually deals with pot-holes rough surfaces better
My dad used to have a bog standard 1.8SE A4 and there is a major difference in handling between it and the quattro. Compared to the Scoob the normal A4 is very rolly/sloppy. Quattro has good handling however.
Try one out and see. If I'd had an S4 I think I'd have kept it. Different kettle of fish.
Sounds like you'd like a 1.8T Quattro Sport but I think a 1.8T Sport will be too slow and cumbersome unless you do a lot of motorway driving ?
Anything else you're wondering about ???
Doofus.
Edited to say .. I forgot to mention the seats, I had the recaro electric options in my car, half leather. Don't hold you as well as Scooby seats but not bad, about the same as a new Civic Type-R. My dad's new car has the standard sports seats, similar sort of design, half leather and still have bolsters to hold you in .. they are not bad. Standard Audi seats will have you slip/sliding all over the shop. You NEED the sports seats.
[Edited by Doofus - 7/10/2002 4:07:13 PM]
There is almost as many options for A4 quattro's as STi's (RA etc).
You get (in the old style) .. 1.8T (150 BHP), 1.8T Sport (150 BHP) and 1.8T Quattro Sport (180 BHP). Only the Quattro Sport has 180 BHP (173 lb/ft torque from 1700-5500?).
First cars had a 5 speed box and later cars got a 6 speed box. 5 is enough (big spread of torque) ... quite close anyway (2nd gear runs to about 55, 3rd to about 80 ish).
There is a suspension difference between quattro and non-quattro. The Quattro had 'ultra low sports suspension'. The scoob actually deals with pot-holes rough surfaces better
My dad used to have a bog standard 1.8SE A4 and there is a major difference in handling between it and the quattro. Compared to the Scoob the normal A4 is very rolly/sloppy. Quattro has good handling however.
Try one out and see. If I'd had an S4 I think I'd have kept it. Different kettle of fish.
Sounds like you'd like a 1.8T Quattro Sport but I think a 1.8T Sport will be too slow and cumbersome unless you do a lot of motorway driving ?
Anything else you're wondering about ???
Doofus.
Edited to say .. I forgot to mention the seats, I had the recaro electric options in my car, half leather. Don't hold you as well as Scooby seats but not bad, about the same as a new Civic Type-R. My dad's new car has the standard sports seats, similar sort of design, half leather and still have bolsters to hold you in .. they are not bad. Standard Audi seats will have you slip/sliding all over the shop. You NEED the sports seats.
[Edited by Doofus - 7/10/2002 4:07:13 PM]
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