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View Full Version : First 4 months in my new Audi - couple of niggles



virtuosity
04-09-2011, 11:18 PM
Hi

I have had my A4 since April now, done 8K in it - very happy with it in the main, it drives beautifully but I am disappointed with a couple of aspects of the car that annoy me virtually every journey - just wondered what other user's thoughts were...

1) I have the Dynamic Steering/Suspension option which is really cool concept - however, 90% of the time, I am in "Comfort" mode - Why therefore doesn't it remember what my settings were when I switched off the engine - every single time I start up, I have to remember to switch it from the default ("Auto") to my preference. Only minor, but you would think these tech engineers never drive the cars they design sometimes

2) The stored destinations in my Sat Nav randomly disappear half the time - At time of writing, I don't have any in memory (even tho I have stored, and recalled at times, around 2 dozen locations), therefore the option to recall my saved destinations is greyed out - really annoying. I am hoping this is a bug, and when it goes in for a service in a month or so that they will upgrade the s/w / fix it

3) Final thing on SatNav - and this is my biggest gripe of all - there is an option to change the route dynamically - which I assume (from previous Sat Navs in different vehicle makes) that the system will suggest and auto-direct you to a better, quicker route should one be available if there are delays on your current route - I have this option switched on, but it NEVER offers alternatives!!! It just sits there stating "26 miles of standing traffic ahead" or whatever. I was between Swindon and Oxford and had to get back home to Cheshire on Bank Holiday weekend, Fri afternoon at 3pm (I know, I know...) and the M5 had massive tailbacks for the entire journey, took me 9 hours to get home - I got home, and checked online - why the **** didn't it take me on the M40 and up the toll road which was mainly clear all day? I didn't get time to check before I left, but I should be able to depend on the bloody thing to get me home the quickest route - and why does it offer the option to dynamically change route, if it doesn't do it? Has anyone else suffered from this? Am I doing something wrong?

Appreciate anyone's views...

Thanks!

Hippogriff
05-09-2011, 11:21 AM
On your number 3, I can confirm that my car has changed my route on several occasions - she's pretty blatant about it too... offering some typically Germanic commentary like "Attention - your route has been changed to avoid traffic conjestion" or suchlike... very "Achtung, baby!" - no opportunity to approve or reject her 'suggestion'. I think sometimes she says "Caution" too. I think even once or twice she has said something akin to "I realise there's traffic problems ahead, but I can't find you an alternative route so I'm sticking with the one I'm on now" but obviously not so polite.

The fact that she usually does this when I'm already deep in the traffic issue doesn't really help - her saying "Caution - three miles of slow traffic ahead" when I'm in the slow traffic doesn't help, but it causes me to smile. I would suspect, obviously, that the timeliness and, therefore, success of the route changes is all dependent upon your TMC reception. So, I can't tell you if you're doing something wrong, but I can confirm that the car does try its best to do dynamic routing due to traffic conditions.

I notice you said "up the toll road"... for that specific instance I believe there is a setting to "avoid toll roads" and if that was turned on then, maybe, that was a reason for that specific instance, but - of course - you say you've never had it happen, so I'm just guessing.

SunnyBard
05-09-2011, 06:16 PM
I have had my A4 since April now, done 8K in it - very happy with it in the main
Had mine since March and 10K, so similar. My niggles are as follows ...

1) Annoying reflections of the silver air vents trims in the side windows, which always seem to align with looking at the wing mirrors; also the handle of the tonneau cover reflects into the rear windscreen; if the tonneau cover is open the chrome strip in the boot opening reflects there instead.

2) The tonneau cover itself, I always forget to retract it after I've lifted it up, then drive off and realise I've only got half a view out the back.

3) Occasional tinny-springy noise from somewhere within the sunroof when travelling over a rough road surface.

4) Power boot can't be closed from the keyfob.

5) water drips from the wing mirrors onto the front doors, there are always dirty marks there before the rest of the car wants washing.

I suppose that doesn't amount to much to complain about really :)

theskyfox
05-09-2011, 06:32 PM
You don't suppose they put "HAL" in as the computer calculating the route? i.e. "Im sorry Dave..I can't do that. I can't change the route and risk you jeopardising this drive"....

-Andrew

Ardy
05-09-2011, 07:26 PM
Had mine since March and 10K, so similar. My niggles are as follows ...

1) Annoying reflections of the silver air vents trims in the side windows, which always seem to align with looking at the wing mirrors; also the handle of the tonneau cover reflects into the rear windscreen; if the tonneau cover is open the chrome strip in the boot opening reflects there instead.

2) The tonneau cover itself, I always forget to retract it after I've lifted it up, then drive off and realise I've only got half a view out the back.

3) Occasional tinny-springy noise from somewhere within the sunroof when travelling over a rough road surface.

4) Power boot can't be closed from the keyfob.

5) water drips from the wing mirrors onto the front doors, there are always dirty marks there before the rest of the car wants washing.

I suppose that doesn't amount to much to complain about really :)


So agree with no2 and no4 although i guess no4 is for safety!!, also no5 but i think thats fairly standard on alot of cars. - does my head right in! - but yeah a pretty minor niggle and if my memory functioned it wouldn't be a problem:approve: