Greetings allroad fans
I am considering a 'previously-owned' allroad to replace my current Subie - should be quite an upgrade!
Question is: Does the tiptronic command a price premium over the 6-speed ? Is so, how much was the tip option over the 6-speed?

THANKS - looking forward to chatting with everyone on the board -

i always regretted letting the dealer talk me into a tip on my A6 - he said i would get much less when I traded - as it turns out the difference would have been negligible

But I've heard that, as 6-speeds go, the audi isn't the nicest. Confrim/Deny!

personally, I'd rather have an ok automatic than a crappy manual that I have to move around a lot every time I drive it.

I love the spacing...the selection. Its geared to keep you in peak of the power curve. 6th should be taller for a bit more efficiency.. but then it would loose som of its omph at lower speeds.
No regrets with the stick at all...

..if you are on the road for business and you travel allot around NYC or other metropolitan areas then I would consider a Tip, stop-and-go traffic can be very annoying and exhausting. Pushing the clutch every 10 feet on I95 at 5:00PM is IMHO a pain in the butt.

But for long distance driving and for the fun of it I'd prefer Stick shift. Maybe it is not the nicest one the planet but with a few modifications it can become a very pleasant drive. Dual friction clutch kit, short shifter etc. are just a beginning.

After driving the Tip for more then 4 years now there is not really a desire to change to a 6-speed (yet).

So it could be a matter of practicality, luxury (laziness ;-) or simply adding more fun to the drive.

In either case - enjoy the ride!

I was right where you are now. I've had autmatics for too many years to mention. I almost bought the tip but when I asked myself the hard questions, the answers were the same, I'd become lazy. I fought through this and bought the manual. In the back of my mind I wondered if I'd regret the decision. Nope. I admit, it took a couple of months to really get adjusted to the stick but now I wouldn't go back. I'm very happy with it and with a few good mods it's really great. I just got my AWE DTS setup. I hope to install this weekend.

Surely you'll be test-driving the contenders, so you'll answer this question for yourself - but when driving the automatic version, do pay attention to lag-and-squirt issues. The turbo motor can have a little bit of lag, which won't be that much of an issue with the 6-speed because you can spool things up before you come off the clutch. The automatic provides its own little bit of slushbox lag. Put 'em together, and the result might or might not get on your nerves. That's why folk who have their minds set on the automatic are often drawn to the normally-aspirated 4.2L V8 (as I was).

I wouldn't trade it for a tip.

and to be honest, this is my very first Tip/AT car, but only because the (ex) wife couldn't handle a 6 speed. And if there wasn't a chip for the tip then this ar would have be gone a long time ago.

Are you planning any further upgrades on the clutch setup? AWE got some nice things for the 6 speed, looking at the level 3 clutch makes me want one.

But going back to laziness...the car is 95% of the time in tip mode, actually quite nice to drive because left foot braking is taking into a new dimension.
Good luck with your install over the weekend, pics are always appreciated.

To tell you the truth, I haven't really thought about it? What can be expected from the change/upgrade? What was/is bothering me is the tranny movement that I believe I feel. I'm hoping the DTS will help that. Unless there is a big gain from a clutch upgrade that I'm unaware of, I will probably focus on the exhaust and other family members first, if at all. I'm really happy with the performance of the car now with my GIAC DiPP upgrade (I will post a follow up soon!).

will be 95% gone with the DTS. Not only will the movement be goine, but the energy lost due to the movement goes right to the wheels.

For I come to accept that the clutch on the allroad was designed more for the lazy non enthusiastic driver. I've been driving stick since I was 16.. (learned in a cemetary)From a Chevy Vega, to Spitfires, to an Opel Kadett and my beloved Celica...even our Isuzu Trooper...the original.. the Audi clutch is the weakest of the lot. As a previously related story I posted has said.. they do tend to slip alot under hard starts.

My mod king son..upgraded his GTI to a SPEC clutch set up. The grab.. and tightness of the grab is so different..so sure now. It has convinced me to do a clutch upgrade... but when the OEM wears out.

HOLY COW! I didn't expect such a response!
My plan is to go for the 6-speed -

THANKS to everyone for the thoughful and useful responses.

-roadstrom

...my '01 was a 6 speed and the 2004 I have now is an auto. When I had the 6, I wanted the auto, now I have the Auto, only sometimes I want the 6. If this is your primary car and you drive in a lot of traffic, I recommend the Auto. As far as 6 sps. go, its a heavy clutch, and in stop and go traffic, it gets heavier. If you live in the burbs, I totally recommend the 6, and man the pull you feel in first gear is ssssssiiiiiiiiiiiicccccccccckkkkk! If you never drive fast, go with the AUTO, but get someone to turn-off the DSP.

if you think you will sell this or trade it in after a while, the 6 speed is a HUGE liability. It might make it really hard to sell or trade in...trust me.

am i wrong?

. . . indeed, with 2 Audi dealers in our "little city," the cry "FOR manuals" is quite high.

My dealer says folks are always asking for manuals and don't have the patience to wait for them to be ordered so they "settle" for the tips.

Salesrep tells me now that the Megalomart owns the Audi dealerships (they used to be owned by "Bob" and "Gene") the buyers, who are used to selling American cars, just "assume" that customers want automatics. They even order Porches and S4's almost exclusively with automatics. The cycle starts this way.

I know, literally, no one who does not like the stick shifts once they get a chance to drive them.

Of course, the problem is they are difficult to find. Since they are, apparently in high demand, they usually command a premium as a used car -- here at least.

rawr!

(ahem) Tip Chip

...my 2001 took MONTHS for the dealer to sell here in Marin County, CA (Bay Area)...and it was a low-mileage car...they blamed it on the 6 speed...all the buyers wanted auto...