What factors made you decide to buy a A4 over a 1999 BMW 323i? I'm currently deciding between the two. They're both great cars, but what put you over the edge for the Audi?

Go up to the Gallery section under wrecked Audis and click on the picture of "yes the driver survived" and I think that says it all. FWD/Quattro or whatever.

Ouch...that's a tough one. When I bought the 30v fwd A4, the 323i wasn't available. To be honest, I haven't driven the 323i yet - so I can't really say which one I'd end up with.<p>The one thing that I could see pushing the A4 over the edge for me would be the fact that even though there are a lot of A4's in the Boston area, there are 100 times as many 3-series. I think that owning an M3 is a prerequisite to gaining admission into Boston University...or at least you'd think so from the sheer number of them lining Comm Ave!

What made you decide to get FWD instead of quattro?<p>And did you regret that at all when your car was in stock form? (I know you have much more power now)<p>Finally, what are your impressions of the 2.8 engine in stock form. Does it feel as powerful as it's 0-60 times (7.1) indicate? Any truth to the dead spot in the torque range? <p>Thanks Mike

When I saw an M3 getting stuck on the hill in the snow in Boston, the driver was a foreign BU kid.<p>Nozomi

First, I should tell you that I originally placed an order for the 1.8T Quattro. I waited for 2 months (average wait at the time was about 4 months) and started getting impatient with the nice weather arriving.<p>I initially ordered the 1.8 vs. 2.8 because I thought the 2.8's were going to be out of my price range with Quattro. I hadn't really thought of the fwd as an option. After waiting, I happed upon a fwd 30v on the lot. I drove it...and loved it. The fwd system is amazing in that you simply don't feel any torque steer. Having been a previous owner of an SHO, I KNOW the meaning of torque steer! <p>One thing led to another (as my powers of rationalization started working overtime), and suddenly my decision came down to a 1.8T Quattro versus a 30v fwd. <p>My previous car was a 535i with a great I-6. The 1.8T is very smooth for a 4, but is no match for the 6 in terms of smoothness on long trips (which I had plenty of back then). I felt that the 1.8T was a little buzzy at 75 mph or over, especially after owning the 535i.<p>So, I made my decision and choose the 30v fwd over the 1.8T Quattro. I have no regrets at all in getting the fwd. It is a fantastic car with excellent handling characteristics. <p>Tony Ricci, the owner of PES drove my fwd with 280 hp and was very impressed at how well the car behaved with that much power. So believe me, the fwd is MORE than capable of handling the 190 hp the 30v puts out stock.<p>As far as the 30v engine itself, I think it is a great engine. It is almost as smooth as the 12v, puts out more power...and doesn't chew up any more fuel. Although it feels strong overall (with 5-speed manual), I do believe that the 30v engine has a little bit of a flat spot in the torque curve. However, it is very subtle, and not something you'd constantly be irritated about. <p>I would say that the stock power is certainly adequate, and provides strong acceleration with the manual tranny. The reason why it may not feel like a 7.1 sec. 0-60 is because it goes about it so smoothly. Ever run an old muscle car 0-60? Well, they make a 9-second 0-60 feels more 6 due to all the noise and commotion they make. The opposite is true with the Audi.<p>If you take (or have taken) the 30v for a spin, be aware that the engine really loosens up around 4500 miles. Try to test drive one that has at least that many miles. It *will* feel stronger.<p>Mike<p>P.S. If I end up getting the supercharger soon...I know where you can get a great deal on the 30v Wett chip! ;-)

#1: Don't underestimate the "loosening up" of your<br>motor (more noticible w/multi-valve non-turbos);<br>I have driven many A4s w/70 miles on them, and many w/7000 miles on them and there is a MARKED difference in their "livliness."<br>#2: The complete absense of torque-steer with a 190h.p. FWD car is unique to the A4, and is no accident. What is often mistaken for "overboosted steering" is actually a superb front suspension design that maintains Audi's BEST directional stability, feel, and adhesion but eliminates hunt/torque steer/self-centering that drivers of any Saab, SHO%), Alfa 164, Maxima%) or other high-output FWD cars are plagued with.

<br>Do you know how to read. I said no text (nt)!!!

I actually bought a late 98 2.8QMS, but was also considering the Passat and the BMW323. These were the cars in my price range, which was originally 30K but crept up a bit(g).<p>I wanted a car that was sporty yet luxurious. I wanted a stick and a six cylinder for refinement more than for power.<p>The Passat was impossible to find in a 6cyl manual, so that ruled out an otherwise nice car.<p>The BMW's pros: new model, roomier in the back, apparently reasonable price, snob appeal/impressions you would make on your friends.<p>I drove a loaded 323 with an automatic, as the first manuals had not yet arrived. I thought the interior was OK but not great, the steering did not send me (felt too stiff), the engine was OK, the power nothing to write home about. I didn't feel the handling was all that special. The price looks good, but compare it to the Audi - the following items need to be added to get to the luxury level I was looking for: cruise control (optional), wood trim (optional), armrest (optional), folding rear seats (optional), electric seats (optional). Sports package was something like a $2K option, vs. $400 on the Audi.<p>The Audi had a clearly superior interior, much better level of standard equipment, better warranty, bigger trunk, really nice 3 spoke sports wheel (I know it is a small thing, but I like that steering wheel all out of proportion to its actual value!). The Audi drives *silky*. It is full of really intelligent electronics: the alarm, the sunroof, the speed sensitive volume. Although I ended up with Quattro, that was not a major consideration in my case (I live in southern CA). After options, the BMW was still more expensive.<p>I haven't regretted the decision.<p>Tim

Your comments on the 2.8 were excellent Michael.<p>I was wondering if you have found that the Wett chip helps to 'liven; up the engine? I have heard many people say that it is the biggest waste of money out there....<p>What are your thoughts? Do you regret buying it? <p>Stu Koch<br>99 2.8qts

Stu,<p>It is easy to see how people say that it's a waste of money. With all the attention the 1.8 chip gets, 30v owners aren't ever fully prepared for just how subtle an improvement the Wett chip provides. I think that people expect to see quite noticable improvements right off the bat. It took me a couple of weeks to fully appreciate the improvements it made. Recently, I drove the car with the stock chip put back in. The engine felt like it lost its sense of urgency, and a slight power loss was immediately evident.<p>If you look very closely at what the chip provides for the price, I'd consider it a worthwhile addition to the overall performance package. Consider that the chip provides a power increase that is on par, or better than most exhaust upgrades, while costing less. <p>The chip definitely makes the engine feel more "lively", and hence more sporty. This aspect, while not providing a large benefit on a stopwatch, does add to the overall driving experience.<p>In summary, the 30v chip is a worthwhile addition. Those who say it is worthless are probably measuring it against the 1.8 chip, which is not a fair comparison. Compare it to other performance upgrades in the normally-aspirated world, and it starts to look fairly attractive.<p>Mike