My new A4 TDIe is here :)

[Gary_W]

Hello all,

I finally got the car this morning. I haven't been far yet, as I drove it straight home to meet the detailing chap to do the outside for me. As recommended here, I skipped the Lifeshine / Diamondbrite and just asked him to wash, clay, polish and wax it. The day is as grey as they come, but even in this light it looks pretty amazing :) I have the Aruba Blue. Whatever Aruba is. Thanks to those here that recommended going down this route. I'll get a couple of grit guard buckets for cleaning purposes and just top the wax up occasionally. Then get it done again by a pro in 6 months or sooner if it needs it :)

First impressions vs my B6 A4 that I've lived in for nearly 140,000 miles are mostly good and are:-

This one is more comfortable for my body shape. I'm 6 feet tall, and I seem to be able to stretch my left leg out and put it on the footrest here whilst still being able to reach the wheel. I could never get this quite right on the B6, so that's a positive start. I have the sports seats in the old car and this one, but getting comfy in the new one seems easier for me.

The ride is firmer and (IMO) rather nicer. It seemed a lot happier on roundabouts than my B6. Not sure how much of this is new design and how much of this is that the suspenssion is dropped on this one to help out with the 'e' badging.

The B+O system is a bit of a stunner. I put on a few of my favourite tracks and started grinning. It is possible to cause it to distort if you try hard enough (one of the Radiohead tracks has bass on it down to 20Hz and that upsets just about anything), but barring that it seems to cope well with the different styles I've thrown at it so far. Seems to make a funny crackly noise for a second or two when you turn it on.... I'll keep an eye (ear?) on that one.

I can't work out why the MMI knob seems to work back to front - why does turning left move down the menu and turning right move up it? Any other menu knob would use a clockwise turn to move you down a menu....

I wish I'd gone for the Xenons. But I'm sure I'll live. I seem to have mist in these headlights which I'm hopeful will go???

The gear shift indicator seems a bit optimistic. I drive like a granny, but apparantly I'm not driving economically. It seems that as soon as you get to 2000 revs it suggests you change up.... There I was doing 40mph in 3rd with the rev counter at about 3000 rpm and it reconed that, at 40mph, I should actually be in 5th! If my Sunday driving upsets it then I'd imagine that most drivers would be constantly whinged at!!! One wonders if the quoted 74 mpg relies on you fastidiously upchaging at 2000 rpm all the time?

I really like the start / stop thing. I can see that saving a fair old bit of juice.

Back window seems smaller with an awful lot of headrests in the way. Visibility back there is fine but less than the B6 IMO.

The parking sensors seem nervous. They were nagging me like a bad 'un when I reversed onto the drive and I still had 3 feet behind me. I'll experiment a bit more to get used to them.

Trying to reverse by engaging 6th gear doesn't work :o It'll take some getting used to the fact that it's moved! In fact, it'll take some getting used to having a 6th gear at all.

I turned the ESP off accidently on the way home with the heel of my hand when I changed gear. Not sure I like that button being there!

I may take some pictures if the light improves, but don't hold your breath - it's been dark all day here...

Gary

[kodkod.84]

I have the Aruba Blue. Whatever Aruba is.

Aruba is an island in the Carribean Sea- their flag is blue.

[Eddo1968]

Congrats, although I'm a bit puzzled. Wasn't the car all shiny, polished and new when you picked it up?

I picked up my nearly new one a few weeks ago and it went straight into snow and mud. It will finally get a jet wash this weekend!

I found the MMI knob very logical and intuitive. Maybe it makes more sense on a LHD (like mine)?

[ScottyUK]

I thought the MMI controller moved the cursor the wrong way until I realised that if you picture the MMI controller in the middle of the screen then it all makes sense.....and then you realise this is how they designed the screen layout with all the "soft" buttons around it.

As soon as I realised the above it's all made perfect sense since.

Another Aruba. You'll like ;)

:beerchug:

[Gary_W]

KodKod - thanks for the geography lesson :)

Eddo - Re the shiny thing, I agree that it should come in pristine condition from the dealers and maybe it would have... I was advised on this forum (and by several other people) that dealers plus paintwork are often not a marriage made in heaven and for this reason it is better to either do the car yourself or to get a pro to do it. I was in two minds as to whether this was being over-zealous or not, but my mind was made up for me by the two following facts...

My old B6 came from this dealer, and I remember at the time it was delivered with loads of paint swirls on it where they'd had a mechanical polisher in the hands of someone less than qualified, but I though that things must have improved in the six years since then... I finally took the decision to go the pro route and told the dealer to not prep the car when I had a close look at the display models they had inside the dealership. All were scratched, some quite badly. Yes, it's cost me a little bit of money for something that really the dealer should do but I'm glad to have done it this way. It looks great.

Scotty - I'll go and get in again and have another play. I do find it fairly intuitive, it's just the direction that playlists scroll in that is weirding my head out at the mo.

I've only really been around town so far, but I do hope it does more than 365 miles on the full tank, as that's what it recons it's going to do!!! I always got 450 - 500 or so out of a tank in my 2.0 Petrol, so I'm hoping for half as much again out of this one what with it being a super duper economy model. We shall see ;)

Gary

[24valve]

Come on Mister - Hurry up with the pics....I KNOW you dont do much these days, so get on with it!:D

[pitch3110]

All sounds good and ENJOY.........

Pitch

[Gary_W]

Not much of a picture.... a very grey day and I got the one shot in before it started raining. And I've then had to resize it down to 19k to fit on here. And the dog ate my homework ;)

[A1287210]

Looks great, congratulations, it will be intgeresting to see how the fuel economy improves compared with the 143 or the 120. I can get 550 - 600 miles on a long journey if I stick to 65 ish.

Also interesting comments about you being able to push the ESP button with the heel of your hand when changing gear - WOW;)

The comment about the gear indicator light coming on at 2000 revs is the same on my model, so this is not specific to the 'e'.

Damo

[troc]

The comment about the gear indicator light coming on at 2000 revs is the same on my model, so this is not specific to the 'e'.


Yep, the S4 does it as well - and has me in 6th at 30-40 Mph! To be fair though, the car idles at 600 rpm or something and appears to have infinite torque so it doesn't seem to care what gear it's in unless I'm in a hurry :)

[Gary_W]

Looks great, congratulations, it will be intgeresting to see how the fuel economy improves compared with the 143 or the 120. I can get 550 - 600 miles on a long journey if I stick to 65 ish.

Also interesting comments about you being able to push the ESP button with the heel of your hand when changing gear - WOW;)

The comment about the gear indicator light coming on at 2000 revs is the same on my model, so this is not specific to the 'e'.

Damo

You're now convinced that I have hands like shovels :)

I think the ESP button thing happens because I don't have the satnav in there so my AMI wheel is on the dashboard itself. There is just a flat bit next to the gearstick where your AMI knob is and, on that flat bit, there is the ESP button. As I don't have a raised knob (oooer missus) to keep my hand away, lazyness has meant that it rests there and the pad of my hand has pressed the button.

I'll get used to sticking my hand elsewhere after a day or two :)

Glad to hear everyone elses gear shifts are recommended in the same place. As you say, it'll do it without complaint. I think I've been used to the petrol one which certainly liked a few more revs behind it before you changed up.

I'm glad that the DIS is so good on here and that speed is easily shown, as I'm finding it a bit odd that my speedo goes up to 180 or so despite the fact that my spec says it'll do 134mph and the reality being that I'll rarely exceed 70mph as I quite like my driving licence! It's a touch annoying that the speeds you need most in the UK (70, 50 through the speed average roadworks and 30) only get a little tiny dash and the next tiny dash which up (which gets you points on the licence) is about 5mm away!!! I know it looks nice for the pose factor to have a speedo that 'goes up to 11' but the old fart in me would rather have a usable one than one that looks good :)

Other than these little minor niggles, I'm really pleased with this car. It drives like a dream, I'm comfortable, it looks the nuts and the stereo is making me grin. I'm very happy with it.

Gary

[A1287210]

A bit of a tip, I got from the forum. There is a reset button beneath the windscreen wiper stalk, push this once or twice and the DIS will change to an electronic speedo. Very useful when first getting used to the optimistic analogue speedo.

Def saved me a few points as 30 mph is quite misleading.

Damo :D

[markp306]

Hello all,


The ride is firmer and (IMO) rather nicer. It seemed a lot happier on roundabouts than my B6. Not sure how much of this is new design and how much of this is that the suspenssion is dropped on this one to help out with the 'e' badging.


The gear shift indicator seems a bit optimistic. I drive like a granny, but apparantly I'm not driving economically. It seems that as soon as you get to 2000 revs it suggests you change up.... There I was doing 40mph in 3rd with the rev counter at about 3000 rpm and it reconed that, at 40mph, I should actually be in 5th! If my Sunday driving upsets it then I'd imagine that most drivers would be constantly whinged at!!! One wonders if the quoted 74 mpg relies on you fastidiously upchaging at 2000 rpm all the time?



Yes, nice car, nice colour. The handling may be in part to your lowered suspension but also because the B8 platform is a huge leap forward on the older platforms. In short, it may be a combination of both, although I think the same of teh SE too.

3000rpm is very high if you are just trundling along - you are driving it like a petrol! If you don't have to load the engine (hills/hard acceleration) you might well find yourself in 5th down towards 30mph too (Remember where the torque is).

[Gary_W]

A bit of a tip, I got from the forum. There is a reset button beneath the windscreen wiper stalk, push this once or twice and the DIS will change to an electronic speedo. Very useful when first getting used to the optimistic analogue speedo.

Def saved me a few points as 30 mph is quite misleading.

Damo :D

Thanks for this. I had a really good play with the DIS today and it is lovely - a vast, vast improvement upon the B6 one. I now have it with the speed showing in huge numbers and cycle between fuel left and MPG lower down in the display. I also love the fact that it shows cruise speed momentarily when you set it. It's fab.


Yes, nice car, nice colour. The handling may be in part to your lowered suspension but also because the B8 platform is a huge leap forward on the older platforms. In short, it may be a combination of both, although I think the same of teh SE too.

3000rpm is very high if you are just trundling along - you are driving it like a petrol! If you don't have to load the engine (hills/hard acceleration) you might well find yourself in 5th down towards 30mph too (Remember where the torque is).

I think you've hit the nail on the head here. This is my first diesel car ever and I'm just not used to them. The low revs is weirding me out a little but I'm rapidly getting used to it.

[Gary_W]

Come on Mister - Hurry up with the pics....I KNOW you dont do much these days, so get on with it!:D

Here I am getting disparaged by a chap that's spent the last 2 weeks driving a Vauxhaul Ashtray (when not busy stalking me on Audi forums!)

[Tony2]

Yes, nice car, nice colour. The handling may be in part to your lowered suspension but also because the B8 platform is a huge leap forward on the older platforms. In short, it may be a combination of both, although I think the same of teh SE too.

3000rpm is very high if you are just trundling along - you are driving it like a petrol! If you don't have to load the engine (hills/hard acceleration) you might well find yourself in 5th down towards 30mph too (Remember where the torque is).


I agree with this....most of the time im in 4th at 30mph and 5th at 40mph iv found the gear changer quiet good.............

[MFGF]

This is my first diesel car ever and I'm just not used to them. The low revs is weirding me out a little but I'm rapidly getting used to it.

I found when I first swapped from petrol to diesel that I was constantly driving a gear lower than I should have been to get the best out of the engine (ie I was trying to accelerate in third when I should have been in fourth). It took a little mental adjustment at first, but now it's just second nature. Swapping back to a boggo petrol car is weird, though - all that revving just to get anywhere! :D (except for the A6 3.0T [supercharged] courtesy car I had a couple of months ago - that was just phenomenal!!!).

Cheers!

MF.

[eonbkuk]

i have just got a se technik 163 first audi and so far well impressed it is in silver and so far only passed the 1000 mile marker i am getting about 575 to the tank and 55 to the gallon it is a tdie still trying to find what i can and cannot do with the mmi and have just found the reset button and had a scroll through it, can you change what you see on it by the *** on the end of the wiper stalk

i think my dealer said something about a star system so if you drive economically you get green stars come up but cannot find that anywhere any suggestions

will post pictures when i get around to taking some

thanks

[Antowens]

I found when I first swapped from petrol to diesel that I was constantly driving a gear lower than I should have been to get the best out of the engine (ie I was trying to accelerate in third when I should have been in fourth).

this is the trouble i am having i went from a 1.8 petrol to a 2.0 ltr diesel and i am sitting in 3rd were all the acceleration was on my last car (the petrol) also the stop start i just cant get use to i always think i have stalled and some times it will stop the start again then other times it will just stay running its mad

[Boy]

Welcome Gary,
I also have been ablke to compare the B6 and the B8 as I retain a B6 1.9tdi(130) 6 avant
as well as a B8 2.0 tdi S line 143 saloon.
I find that the green gear indicator is more often telling me I am in too high a gear as the car
trickles along so nicely in 6th. 700 miles on a tank is not outof the way and your e should do better.
I am surprised that having come from a B6, you did not opt for the xenon headlights. Those
were the reason for going for an S line and are such an improvement on the B6 headlamps.
I look forward to reading of your impressions as you drive your lovely new car more.

[c.grex]

Im sure Gary will have a fair impression of the car now as he's had it over 3 years! :D

[Guest 2]

:rolleyes:

[Boy]

Doh!! :D Perhaps Gary will be along to let us have a three year assessment.