xenons - whats going on?

[jcb]

in my A4 brochure which i have had for a while Xenon lights are listed as an option . so why have they gone form the options list ?

[browellm]

Who wants to start.... :D:aargh4:

[Satch]

And Germany have invaded Poland.:D

[RichardCranium]

I have a theory...... With rising steel prices around the world, the only way that car manufacturers can keep the costs down to the public is by chopping stuff out of the spec.

[jcb]

any sensible answers ?? is it worth me waiting until they come back on the spec list before i order ? are there any retro fit options out there ?

[hoju99]

Only on the S-Lines in the UK now! (Standard fit)

[jcb]

so its not a technical issue. if they are technically possible why on earth cant i pay money and have them ??

[hoju99]

They were removed from ordering on the SE on 19/11/07 in the UK for "Model Differentiation" between the SE and S-Line

[onzarob]

They were removed from ordering on the SE on 19/11/07 in the UK for "Model Differentiation" between the SE and S-Line


So what your saying is that the marketing dept are using them to push people to buy S-line models...typical:aargh4:

[hoju99]

So what your saying is that the marketing dept are using them to push people to buy S-line models...typical:aargh4:

I think you get a fair bit on the S-Line over the SE for your £2500 :D


Wheels, tyres and suspension
• 18 x 8J '5 spoke' S line design alloy wheels with 245/40 R18 tyres


• Sport suspension (S line suspension (30mm lower) available in lieu of Sport suspension at no charge)


• Space-saving spare wheel
Interior equipment
• 3-spoke S line multifunction steering wheel (paddle shift for Automatic models)


• Black headlining


• Matt Brushed aluminium inlays


• Perforated leather gear knob


• S line embossed Sport seats in cloth/leather combination


• S line sill plates
Safety and security
• Xenon headlights with LED running lights
Exterior equipment
• Bumper 'blade' in Platinum optic


• Chrome fog light surround


• Chrome rolled exhaust


• S line exterior styling package including:


• S line side skirts


• S line front bumper


• S line rear diffuser


• S line badges on wings
Additional upholstery information
• Option of black or silver stitching to upholstery, steering Wheel, gearshift gaiters and floor mats on Cloth/leather combination and Alcantara/leather.

[jcb]

yes but on crappy british roads and using as a family car then the s-line is totally undriveable. Xenons are a useful safety feature and i have them on my A6. on the A6 you can add them to any model so it seems daft you cant do it on the A4 !!

[RichardCranium]

Yes, lower and harder than an SE, but undrivable? Surely not.

[Samurai1466]

yes but on crappy british roads and using as a family car then the s-line is totally undriveable. Xenons are a useful safety feature and i have them on my A6. on the A6 you can add them to any model so it seems daft you cant do it on the A4 !!

The S-Line drives great on the often poor B roads jcb - no problems here. My B8 has the 20mm sports drop which is fine for the Scottish roads. I suspect that the 30mm drop would have given me a firmer and less comfortable drive on the B roads here.

[Satch]

More info here about the LED DRL's saga.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=25422

[Audi Nick]

Wow, this thread is taking me back.

The whole issue Xenon's has been done to death and I must confess that I was one of the biggest moaners.

I have had my A4 for a month now and the driving lights are great, would be nice to have the Xenon's but hey, you can not have it all.

[donard850]

I wrote to Audi UK to see if it was a mistake in the on-line brochure that the SE variant could not have xenon lights, I received a reply that while they are not available for the SE variant but they are available for the S-line. The reason stated was "this decision was made so that the S-Line variant would have a greater visual impact and be more distinctive."

I have them on my current A4 SE and having experienced them I would not be prepared to buy another A4 without them. Audi please note: they are a safety feature not a cosmetic addition. Not everyone wants an S line!!

Come on Audi if we are prepared to pay for them why not make them available - even Ford and Vauxhall (not to mention BMW) make them available - wake up Audi UK - smell the coffee. Until they are made available I will not be considering odering my third new Audi!

[kodkod.84]

I remember when I ordered my B7 SE I had the option of speccing it up to pretty much to an S-Line as possible (lower suspension/sports seats/sports steering wheel etc.) without the bodykit

I also remember there were about 3 different light options (Halogen/Xenon/Xenon Swivel)

Audi seem to be missing a trick here, as I guess they could charge £1000+ to SE owners who want the LED Xenon option as there seems to be a high demand for them.

[B6Andy101]

There're not missing a trick...they are trying for £2.5 k for the S-Line upgrade instead of the £1k Xenon option.

Granted early orders were for SE spec only....I understand the frustration here that even if you had a hole in your back garden full of used tenners, and you wanted Xenons, you couldn't have them.

As an S-Line spec owner (one day, when will the waiting end...) I am quietly pleased as my car will stand out from the SE's and Standard spec models.

[two_paracetamol]

yes but on crappy british roads and using as a family car then the s-line is totally undriveable. Xenons are a useful safety feature and i have them on my A6. on the A6 you can add them to any model so it seems daft you cant do it on the A4 !!
Rubbish. And if you don't like it there is always the Drive Select option. (search recent posts if unaware)

[jcb]

each to their own !! i like a plush ride if i have spent 25k on a car - not a bone shaker whereby i have to dodge potholes and manhole covers cos they jar too much !!
i am not sure drive select will improve things a great deal - the basic mechanical stiffness of the shocks will always be there. drive select might be able to stiffen things further but i am not convinced they will improve the ride on confort setting. i could be wrong but just a feeling i have. SE model for me without a doubt !
think i must be more of a james may then a clarkson when it comes to ride quality !! although i wont go as far as a 20yr old rolls royce !

[two_paracetamol]

Fair comment. Personally I fancy The Stig's job. Probably speaks volumes!

Back to my earlier post though... those that have tried both seem to think that drive select softens the ride on comfort by changing the damping settings rather than making "Boneshaker" S-Line into a Filling Loosener

But that's for info only. As you say each to their own

[mkc]

Im glad my S Line will come with Xenons, but as pointed out earlier on inthe thread they should be seen as a safety feature not some fancy lipstick that make the S Line stand out more than the other.

From what I can remember from early press releases it was possible to have Xenons on the SE but the S Line came with Xenon Plus which included the LED part of the lights.

It should be possible to have Xenons on SE if you want them at a cost and the S Line should just have the LED part of the light unit if Audi want to distinguish between the two.

But I think its all been covered elsewhere in the forum. £2.5K to get what I class as a safety feature is bizarre, but hey, Audi also charge extra for rear/side curtain airbags....... what price do you put on leaving them off the options list!?

[B6Andy101]

"on crappy british roads and using as a family car then the s-line is totally undriveable"

Are you too used to those agricultural tyres Mr. JCB :naughty:

[jcb]

"on crappy british roads and using as a family car then the s-line is totally undriveable"

Are you too used to those agricultural tyres Mr. JCB :naughty:

now now - just cos i live in lincolnshire doesnt mean i am a sugar beet eating, turnip rolling yokel !!!!:biglaugh:

i just reckon all this big rims + painted on tyres rubbish is "fashion over function". our old A6 has 16" wheels and 55 profile tyres and it is superbly confortable. if you want to drive briskly you can do as the chassis is well balanced for a big car. My track day beast (www.greenbmw.co.uk (http://www.greenbmw.co.uk)) runs on 15" wheels and 50 profiles and sticks to the road like sh*t to a blanket cos the chassis is set up properly.

[B6Andy101]

now Now - Just Cos I Live In Lincolnshire Doesnt Mean I Am A Sugar Beet Eating, Turnip Rolling Yokel !!!!:biglaugh:



Lol :beerchug:

[kodkod.84]

But you do drive a JCB Fastrac Tractor right? Or does your username mean something else. :D

[awtaylor]

Was followed on the way to work this morning by an S-Line and as we went our own different ways I noticed for the first time that when an indicator is activated the LED running lights actually dim in the light cluster where the indicator is located to further maximise the effect - cool!

[cesc]

Was followed on the way to work this morning by an S-Line and as we went our own different ways I noticed for the first time that when an indicator is activated the LED running lights actually dim in the light cluster where the indicator is located to further maximise the effect - cool!

At first I thought it was the battery struggling, like when you put the windows down whilst the light are on and they dim a little bit! Really good feature to have because the LED's are extremely bright.

I've heard from a friend who works at my local Audi dealership that Audi are rethinking their - pretty ludicrous, I admit - xenons on S-lines only policy. Apparently a lot of people in the Gatwick area are big fans of the fairy lights and are annoyed that they have to get an S-line when it would be easier to get an SE and tick the xenon box.

Also, older couples have been the most common B8 A4 buyer according to my mate, which is interesting.

[jcb]

But you do drive a JCB Fastrac Tractor right? Or does your username mean something else. :D

nope !! they are simply my initials ! what were my parents thinking ?? there again there are much worse names / initials out there. (mr and mrs pipe who called their son "Dwane"....think about it !!)

i am off to "diggerland" on saturday as my little boy wants to go there......appropriate given my initials !!!

[Devlish]

So do you have to pay both s-line package and xenon to get it or does it come with the s-line package ??

In Norway and Sweden for instance, you can get xenon both with or without the s-line package, but you will have to pay about £1000 for the xenon anyhow.

[2.7 S-line]

in the uk the s-line package costs £2500 , includes xenons & led's as part of the package

(as well as 1/2 leather sports seats, sports suspension , 18" alloys , body kit , 3 spoke leather steering wheel , sill plates and probably a few other bits i've forgotten.....)

[Red 2]

I have an SE with Xenons...it was ordered last October before Audi changed the options. They are very distinctive and the headlights are excellent but I do find that opinion is very split on the LED v ordinary halogen running lights. Would I get them again? Not sure......