Sold my Pathfinder in one day, and because my coworker knows the owner of Princeton Audi, I got a somewhat good deal on a car that just arrived on their lot last Thursday. Found out about the pricing on Friday, and told them I would pick it up today. After many fights with my husband as to manual/automatic, sports package/no sports package, Silver exterior with either black/opal gray interior, here's what it finally ended up to be. I guess there has to be some compromises in life when you're married:

Silver exterior/onyx leather interior, quattro, tiptronic, cold weather, convenience, Bose, sport steering wheel, Xenons. We wanted to possibly get the Navigation system, but the sales manager couldn't locate any coming in until February. If you ordered one with it a few month's ago, you will get it, but most of the dealers did not order it in the summer, as they didn't know what the prices would be, and felt that it might price the A4 out of the market.

My dealer said that he believes that the Y2K models are all hooked up for it (like the phone option), and said that he would find out if it could be easily installed at the dealer. I think it would be a great feature to have, although maps have served me fine all these years, I guess for the next 3-5 years, they will continue to serve my needs.

Anyway, since onyx was my choice (since I felt that the opal gray clashed slightly with the Silver, and I didn't really care for the lighter wood this year coupled with the opal gray; they should have kept the lighter wood on the darker interiors), I hope that the black is not too hot in the summer. I know a good portion of you have black interiors and live in hot climates year round, but I have never owned a car with a dark interior. Although I live in NJ, and the amount of days that it gets really hot are usually few and far between, can you tell me your thoughts on the heat and dark interiors. I was always under the impression that dark exteriors will make any interior hot, and lighter exteriors will keep the interior slightly cooler. The car I just sold was silver with two tone gray interior. I think Audi should have done the same thing. The dash, steering wheel and door panels were very dark gray, and the seats were lighter gray. It really looked nice with the gray exterior. If Audi had offset the opal gray interior with a really dark dashboard and steering wheel, I would have gone for that color.

Anyway, by 5:00 pm EST, I should be one of the A4 crowd. I will post my impressions as soon as I get a chance.

Thanks for all your help and knowledge. This forum really helped make up my mind about an A4. It's nice to know you have on-going support, and hopefully, maybe at some point, I can help "newbies" with their questions from first hand experience.

BTW, I think NJ is sprouting Audis. My husband and I swear that there are more A4's and A6's on the roads than Accords!!!!!!!

I had always believed as you had. In '94 I purchased a new Jetta GLX with black leather interior. The leather didn't heat up much at all, got warm but was never painful even on bare skin. On extremely hot sunny days the interior would heat up but, but leaving the moonroof cracked would generally keep it from getting unreasonably overheated. I have found the same to be true of the onyx leatherette on my A4. I lived in Massachusetts when I owned my Jetta, I am now stationed in North Carolina and the A4 was fine this summer.

Enjoy your new car.

Regards,
Rodney

'99 A4 1.8tqms

I've had several cars with black interiors, including my first: A '69 Camaro R/S with black vinyl interior. I've also had medium blue, dark blue, grey and dark red interiors. I've perceived no material difference among them in hot weather in the Northeast. In my A4 I have the combination you got: silver + onyx (I agree completely with your view of silver + opal grey; it just doesn't work, IMO). On a very hot day the ambient interior temperature of a closed car is gonna get hot no matter what color it is. Crack the moonroof to alleviate it while parked in the sun, but don't forget about that other nice Audi feature: all windows down at once by holding the key in the open-locks position. Really helps vent the car fast. Closing the moonroof's sunshade (all but a bit if you're keeping the window itself open, of course) also will help a little if parked in the sun for prolonged periods. But look, it's late October, the colors are peaking and the air is crisp. What a great time to be buying a car like an A4. Don't be distracted by a non-issue like the interior heating up next summer. Enjoy!

Rick

I don't appreciate your message. If you don't like my questions, don't read and/or answer them. The world would be a better place without people like you!

You can always have the windows tinted with metallic film for better heat reflector. There is this brand "V-Kool" that is supposedly so good (not dark at all) that it will cost around $500 installed in TX. I have an onyx too and have been looking into tinting as well.

99.5 1.8T
3400 miles (engine light comes on twice already, dealer is fixing the 2nd problem right now)

... and except for having a 99 1.8T and non-Xenons, you just described my car. I had no problems with the onyx interior during the last heat wave. I live near Princeton so if you see me (R-28's, A4.Org tag holder) on the road, give me a wave!

nt

I thought I saw you heading that way one night.

-AlexD

I think there was an accident on Route 1 (southbound). A police car had sirens on
in the center lane because a car was stuck there. I do own a 99.5 1.8T A4 but
I was holding off driving until I get it in for the scheduled 5k service.

Your car is beautiful, especially with the wheels! Plus I couldn't miss the A4org
frame.

-Alex D.