BiTDI

[jbanfie]

Hi David,

You don't need to fit VCDS, it's computer software that you run on a PC, but a specialist cable is required to plug the car to a laptop. This 'kit' costs 269 quid or there abouts see ilexa home page

To get the laptimer, you just need to connect and set one bit in the instrumentation electronics module - it takes less than a minute.

Therefore if you are not bothered about on going investigation of the cars electronics, you just need a friend with VCDS to lend you some time and expertise - I suspect a beer is the right kind of price to pay!

[AudiInNZ]

Thanks all, I can't wait to get my new car! January sounds a long way away. With luck it should be being built now.

At least now I have to stop worrying about what options I got or didn't get....

[DBLincoln]

Thank you for this..........................

David

[casto]

Hi all. I'm new to this forum. Coming from an A6 (C6) 3,0 T to my present BiTdi. I have noticed the same lag described by Jon an my guess is that it is caused by the mapping. My old car had a much quicker throttle response and felt quicker. Still the BiTdi is a beast but I am seriously thinking about taking my car to ABT or MTM for tuning. I hope this will solve the issue.

[a8toa6convert]

I'm sure jbanfie is right, that the hesitation on kickdown - the sense of pausing to gather breath and then surging forwards - is down to Audi's programming of gear change parameters on the 8 speed box rather than the engine. While I owned a 3.0tdi A6 with S-tronic, I tried an A8 with the 4.2tdi engine and the 8 speed conventional auto as fitted to the A6 bitdi, and I found that that A8 had the same issue: needless multiple downchanges on a medium to heavy prod of the throttle in D, with a sense of hesitation caused by the engine management trying to make it all as smooth as possible.

[KAM]

Hi

I've no axe to grind here and I may be speaking out of turn (apologies if so) but isn't the hesitance (for some =smoothness) much of what an Audi is about? I'm not a car enthusiast, alloy wheels do nothing for me, I've never pushed any car hard, I'm just not that kind of person. But I'm puzzled about trying to change the essential nature of a luxury 'executive' car in to something the maker didn't design in themselves. If rapid throttle response and immediate reactions are so vital why hasn't everyone here bought a Caterham or similar? I'm not arguing with anyone, just seeking enlightenment.

[I have also scratched my head for many years when I see a Range Rover Sport, usually with big wheels, low-pro tyres etc, on the motorway. This just seems so wrong. If the owner actually wanted a 'sports' car, why on Earth would anyone use a Range Rover, of all things, as the starting point? It always struck me a bit like a Transit GTi. Madness, madness ... ]

[EssexGonzo]

Hi

I've no axe to grind here and I may be speaking out of turn (apologies if so) but isn't the hesitance (for some =smoothness) much of what an Audi is about? I'm not a car enthusiast, alloy wheels do nothing for me, I've never pushed any car hard, I'm just not that kind of person. But I'm puzzled about trying to change the essential nature of a luxury 'executive' car in to something the maker didn't design in themselves. If rapid throttle response and immediate reactions are so vital why hasn't everyone here bought a Caterham or similar? I'm not arguing with anyone, just seeking enlightenment.

[I have also scratched my head for many years when I see a Range Rover Sport, usually with big wheels, low-pro tyres etc, on the motorway. This just seems so wrong. If the owner actually wanted a 'sports' car, why on Earth would anyone use a Range Rover, of all things, as the starting point? It always struck me a bit like a Transit GTi. Madness, madness ... ]

A good point.

Is the A6 a luxury car trying to look sporty or a sports car trying to be luxurious?

An A6 diesel with 20" wheels is, in my humble and minority view, slightly silly. Trying to appear to be something it's not and ruining the sort of ride a luxury car should have in the process. The only exception in my head would be an RS6.

And yes....I know mine has 18s which I think should be an inch smaller for the ride quality.

[robbyg]

LOL, amused by the way this is going.....
dare'nt comment much, but, i personall like a big comfy limo, i also like a sports car. I dont like owning two cars. I am trying to get the best of both here.
The lag is frustrating, but really doesnt actually matter. I loved my porsche, it had zero lag. I miss it almost daily. However, i love the quiet comfort of my A6, the fact i can get load sin the boot, the fact i can get 50mpg ...

[casto]

Hi

I've no axe to grind here and I may be speaking out of turn (apologies if so) but isn't the hesitance (for some =smoothness) much of what an Audi is about? I'm not a car enthusiast, alloy wheels do nothing for me, I've never pushed any car hard, I'm just not that kind of person. But I'm puzzled about trying to change the essential nature of a luxury 'executive' car in to something the maker didn't design in themselves. If rapid throttle response and immediate reactions are so vital why hasn't everyone here bought a Caterham or similar? I'm not arguing with anyone, just seeking enlightenment.

[I have also scratched my head for many years when I see a Range Rover Sport, usually with big wheels, low-pro tyres etc, on the motorway. This just seems so wrong. If the owner actually wanted a 'sports' car, why on Earth would anyone use a Range Rover, of all things, as the starting point? It always struck me a bit like a Transit GTi. Madness, madness ... ]

Good point but to me it is obvious that a buyer who paid the extra money for 313 hp and 650 Nm is looking for performance as much as comfort. If only looking for comfort you could just as well have choosen a Tdi with less power for less money. I like to have powerful cars. My week end car is a Corvette C6 Z06 wit 512 hp from the factory. Still I tuned it so now it has 550 hp. Stupid perhaps but it is what I prefer. So lag and throttle hesitation just isn't my thing.

[KAM]

paid the extra money for 313 hp and 650 Nm is looking for performance as much as comfort

But I'm getting the feeling that paying for 313/650 as numbers in themselves is pointless since they are clearly no guarantee of performance, however you define it? What if the Audi had 512bhp? You still wouldn't have been satisfied and would have wanted 550 etc. I feel it's a bit like buying a pair of loudspeakers based on the size of the drivers or the supposed power handling. Unless you listen to them first you won't know that paying extra for a manufacturer with a 6" woofer may not produce a better sound than another using a 4" woofer. And trying to retune the 6" speakers later by adding/removing accessories isn't really addressing the fundamental problem.

Did you actually drive the car in question before making the decision in its favour? And was the lag and hesitation apparent then?