I was told that the A4 1.8QTM was somewhat slow off the line, I was alos told that the Type Rs are very quick. Can anyone verify this or give me some advice.
Thanks
-R

i owned a 88 CRX turbo, 93 Integra GS (turbo nitrous) then i bought my 98 R.. it was pretty damn quick, but since im a power freak, i decided to turbo it. it ran like a champ on only 5psi (272hp to the front wheels) on the street.. but since the R motor was set up as a NA motor from the factory, and with it having such high compression, i noticed few problems.. anyways, this is not where i want to go with my post..
The R handled great.. the power was there, but i wanted something i can toss around in the wet as well as snow and dry pavement (real world conditions).
if my life goes as planned, i should be getting married within a couple years, so i would need a larger car, and one that wasnt slammed 3" with a bone jarring ride. (ok, i'll admit it, im getting old)

anyways, i decided to sell my R for a 1.8TQM in april of this year.. at first i was very dissapointed with the power and speed of my a4, but after a couple mods, im pleased with my car.

i needed something with a little more room, a little more class, etc.. everyone out there can make a honda go fast.. audis on the other hand take a lot more massaging to get it there with style..

it all depends on what you need. i really couldnt see myself paying $350/ month for a car that i was not going to be happy with.. BUT, i could see myself paying $450/month in a car that i was going to be happy with 5 years down the road..

four doors, four wheel drive, turbo.. who could ask for anything more??

I haven't driven a Type R, not sure if they even made them in '99. But I did test drive a GSR. The Integra is not exactly spectacular off the line, but once that VTEC gets spun up it's quick (it's as if it's a totally different engine above 5000 or 6000 rpm). It also has a really sweet shifter. It's a fun little car and quite tossable. However, it's noisy, can't imagine one on a long trip. The interior and exterior don't compare to the A4, the A4 offers a better ride, and more amenities. They are very different cars, test drive them, that's the only way you can determine which is right for you. In fact seat time is the most important consideration for someone who cares about a car's performance.

Regards,
Rodney

'99 A4 1.8tqms

as of 1999 - at least from what I've read. So, performancewise, the gap narrows. But depends on what driving style you are looking for. A car to drag, or a car to drive? The A4 is at least 400 to 500 lbs heavier than an Integra but that all translates into a better noise deadening, solid body, chassis torsional rigidity - Yes, you can jack up one side of the A4 and the doors will shut just fine. Also, Quattro is still unrivalved by a 2 wheel drive in any weather driving. Plus with the hundreds of options to increase the 1.8T's performance, engine power is easily increased - whereas for an Integra, you'd have to bolt on fuel pumps, superchargers or turbos, high ignition systems, etc. But don't get me wrong. If I were looking to gut a car down for AutoX or some road racing, I would start with a lighter car with good horsepower such as the Integra. But for everyday driving, I'd prefer a heavier car with horsies to spare - more stability through wind. Well, as you can see, since I am an A4er, I prefer the A4. So, go drive them both and decide for yourself

It's silly to even compare the two. One's a coupe, the other a sedan. One's an out-of-the-box limited edition racer. The other's a entry-level luxury car.

The R's harsh, loud, revvy, barebones, kinda ugly (this from a former GS-R owner) and doesn't even come with AC. In short, this ain't your daily commuter. The Audi's a car you can live with on a day-to-day basis.

What do YOU want?

I forgot which mag. I read it from.... probably one of those Turbo one thing or another, subcompact, bolt on a turbo, 10sec. 1/4, Honda monthly magazine. Possibly just a rumor. Anyway, they said it will come in 2 colours (std. white and yellow - sure, now everyone wants a yellow :P ).
Of course, there is no subsitution for displacement and torque. My friend w/ a Jetta III 2.0 (115hp) drag raced his friend's new Civic Si (160hp).... beat him every time.

Cris

They are two different kind of cars. With the right set-up in Type-R, it is very hard to beat. Well both cars are around the same price so, you have to make your own decision.

Ever rev an engine up to 8000 rpm? Probably not, otherwise you'd already own one of these pups (or an NSX, but then I'd ask why you're not driving that!).

The first thing you have to ask is "What do I want?" The Type-R is a pure racing car. Read the reviews out there. Lots of bumps, lots of noise, but FUN to drive.

The A4 is a different environment. Quiet, all-wheel drive, etc.

Apples and oranges if you ask me. Test drive both and you'll see why. Good luck with your choice. Either way, you'll have a blast!

Rear wheel drive, 120hp/liter. CLose to 50/50 weight. Should be a really good car for the track

Ummmm,

I think that race may have had something to do with driver ability >8^D. I don't think a Jetta III (my gf has one) can run in the 15's for the 1/4 while the Si def can. The Si is def gutless below 5K rpm though, even more so than my GSR, so if you don't let it rev or if you're caught off guard.... Anyway, TQ and displacement are cool, but you CAN get around it with a couple of things. One would be Forced Induction, or in the stock Honda's case, gearing and light weght. I like my Honda, but my next/second car will def have more TQ. TQ makes a car FEEL faster, not necessarilly get from point a to point b faster. However I still want more, hehe.

As everyone has stated, the A4 and the Type R are very diff animals. I would like to purchase a 1.8T Q next year as a daily driver and keep my GSR for Autoxing and Drag Racing without worrying about getting to work on Monday >8^D.

Take care,

FB<ul><li><a href="http://home.ici.net/customers/berkel/DFH.html">DFH~Decal Free Hondas Website</a></li></ul>

When I was considering my purchase, I narrowed it down to the same choice...did I want the all out handling/performance but also the noise(majority of sound insulation removed), lack of sophistication, and relative ananymity(despite that garish rear spoiler and decal) of an older design type R
or did I want the refinement, fit and finish, better/timeless styling while sacraficing some of the raw visceral performance appeal of the R with the A4?
I chose the a4 because of:
although it comes with less hp and less initial handling ability

-better torque curve(how often can one really spend floating at 8500rpm in daily driving?)
-turbo upgradeability...for small bucks get around 200hp for 1600 get 230 or so...the list goes up from there(use you imagination)
-quattro...better all year car(you will have a hard time driving the R on it's stock tires in the cold)
-minimal investment in springs/shocks/sway bars and the car handles to a limit far higher than it can be driven sanely on public roads
-the styling is classier....let's face it...everyone has an integra with a big as* wing and R decal on it...the integra needs a redesign to be competative both interior and exterior...
-i know two people who owned(past tense) type r's in the boston area...both were stolen...
-you have to pay extra for air conditioning in the type R...RU joking?

Anyway it comes down to...are you buying a car or an auto-xer? Either way, are you willing to put up with all the downsides of the type r for out of the box performance. I crave raw performance just as the next guy(when i do I just 'borrow' a close family members 911 for awhile) but the overall quality and upgradability of the a4 won me over in the end...
alex
99.51.8tqm
neuspeed/bilstein
p-chip
soon to be 'charactereized'

When you get your A4 I will.
Then I'll show you the taillights of my Z :)
You can go ahead and take those great lines thru turns. I'll just beat you to them! hehe

Obviously, by asking this question here, u'll get nothing but biased opinions...just as im sure if u got to a honda board to ask this same question, you will receive replies telling you to get the R. Test drive the two, side by side....they are cars on the opposite sides of the spectrum.

Outta the box, the 1.8t will eat the Type-R's dust (no flames please, im sure u all have to agree....though not necessarily admit). But with an ECU upgrade....u're almost head to head...on the straights that is. On the twisties...well, uh.....let's say the Type-R was designed exactly for those kinda roads/tracks.

If u're talkin major mods...then its really hard to tell. Both cars have countless aftermarket products that will completely alter the characteristics of the car, thus, if u're plannin on modifying, comparing the stock models' performance is pretty irrelevant.

Hope this helps...rather than confuses.

and they haul ass! I just don't think I would like to drive a car that high stung and stiff every day. It is basically a race car/go cart with a license plate......and I would definetly hate to drive it in a snowstorm.

Mike O.

I love Hondas, I got one for my wife. I think they're great cars. I would love to have a Type R for play or AutoX--it's a wonderfully single minded car. BUT, *I* just bought an A4, after three months of research. Nuff said.