So I'm narrowing down my car purchase, and I need help. First, a question for those of you with chipped 1.8Ts: can I *generally* assume that a chipped 1.8T feels similar to a 2.8 engine? I searched the archives and the FAQ and unfortunately need some custom input.<p>Note I said "generally".<p>I drove 4 cars today, all 99s: 328i, 323i, 1.8T, and 2.8. I had a couple of thoughts. Please, no flames. <p>I was basically driving them to get a feel for power, braking, and cornering. On the power basis, I was surprised at how strong the 2.8 was. Although I've read alot about how this engine is no match for the 328, they were more similar than different. The 328 seemed to have the edge in the braking area. It was hard to compare them on cornering in part because of the difference in test areas that I had. The Audi dealer came with me and was pretty lame when I started getting the least bit aggressive. So anyway, price no object, they were surprisingly close cars. Since price is always an object, the Audi is a better value.<p>The stock 1.8T disappointed me a bit, and thus the question above about how I should evaluate the 1.8T chipped. It wasn't quite as free revving and exciting as I had hoped. I've heard so much about it, I think maybe I had it over-hyped in my fractured brain. The 323i in the power department had it on the unchipped 1.8T both in the around town 0-50 rabbit starts and in the 50-70 passing action.<p>Now, I *really* like the 1.8T, so I'm not trying to knock it in the slightest. It is a huge value, and if I can get close to the 2.8 performance with a chip upgrade and such, sign me up.<p>Can anyone help?<p>Sean<br>Currently a dilemma but hopefully an Audi owner<br>

The 1.8 seems to smooth out and loosen up with miles, so you may want to take this into consideration.

Looked at the same cars you did when shopping for my A4.<br>Three things lead me to my discision.<br>1. The 2.8 A4 was an overall equill to the 328 in <br>performance. yes the BMW was better in some aspects <br>but the Audi was better in others. Also I thought the <br>interior egronomics and appointments in the Audi Far superior.<p>2. The Audi was significantly less exspensive when similarly equipped.<br>Thus offering a better value.<p>3. The biggest factor was the quattro. If you live anywhere that recieves <br>any amount of snow, you have to weigh in this factor. BMW's just aren't meant<br>for it. A colleuge of mine totalled her 328 last winter. Now drives an A6.<p>Why chip to try to achieve the performance ofthe 2.8? The cost doesn't seem to <br>be a factor if you are considering a 328. The chipped engine will prove less reliable in the long haul.<p>i would save some cash and get the 2.8.<p>Mark<br>98 2.8 quattro MSCon

I was ready to plunk down my money and trade my '89, 90Q for one, when I finally got a chance to drive it. Seemed spirited enough around townh, but the freeway was a different story. I wanted to get in front of some traffic to exit, and when I put the throttle down in 5th gear, it just sat there and virtually nothing happened. Then I downshifted to 4th and punched it, and it S-L-O-W-L-Y accelerated so that I could get in front of these cars. I was thinking the one I drove may have had a broken wastegate rod or something, but if that were the case, it seems like it would have been slow around town. My 90Q is way slower off the line, but on the freeway, I can keep it in top gear all the time. Loaded, A/C on, up a mountain pass, or whatever. It just holds onto 5th, and will easily gather speed. Oddly enough, the 2.8 Q-Tip is sluggish in top gear too (constantly shifts between 4th and 5th on freeway), and my friend's Passat VR6 is also slow in top gear on the freeway (my friend also thinks so, while noting that 2nd gear goes by very fast). Needless to say, I still have the 90Q, and am waiting for a used S4 or S6. I guess I'm just spoiled, but can anyone explain the top gear sluggishness of these cars? I'm sure a chipped 1.8 would gather speed much more quickly, and the A4 is a wonderful car.<p>Charles<br>

I have a '99 1.8TQMS and I haven't had any problems with the passing. On Michigan highways I usually cruise around 70mph. I guess in truth passing is more like aroud 80mph which the car seems to arrive at very quickly. Downshifting into 4th in the 50-70 range seems to work just fine. I would suspect the fifth gear is a taller range to allow the car to drive on the autobahn, although I don't know if the gear ratios are set-up the same as in Europe. I would suspect that they are the same.<p>

I went thru the same thinking as yourself. The 1.8T with the stage 1 chip (which by the way is<br>available as a factory option in Europe - the Hoppen chip), I do not think will affect reliability. Several things about the engines. The 1.8 is a 4 cylinder engine, and uses the turbo to make up for the lack of torque of the 6 cylinder. The turbo really does not kick in until about 2500-2700 rpm, so.... if you are running 50-60 mph in 5th gear you are at low revs, and if you gas it in 5th,<br>response is slow, till the rpms catch up. The 1.8 with the stage one chip will make basically the same HP and torque as the 2.8, but not in the same rpm ranges. The 2.8 is a nice engine, and if you are used to 6 cylinder engines might be the way to go. If you are used to 4 cylinder engines, you will love the 1.8T, as it is far superior to any other 4 cylinder engine out today. In my view - the 1.8T is a car that needs to be "driven", the 2.8 more "forgiving", due to more low end torque. My .02 worth - I bought the 1.8 and chip.