After recovering from the first shock getting my A4 last week I started to look for signs of any mechanical changes that the Europian A4s have. Well, I found one and it would be pretty hard to convince me this is the only one. In the published pictures with the 99.5 mechanical changes<br>there is a bar connecting two front subframes mounts (see arrow in the pic). This bar in another<br>picture (see 2nd pic) is labeled as: "Local reinforcement of body, tunnel, front" . My car a 2.8 Q with the sport package has this bar! I went to the local Audi dealer and checked some of the<br>A4's in the lot. All 99.5's with the sport package had this bar (easy to see it if you know where to look). However all the 99.5 without the sport package did not have it. I also checked an older A4 (either a 99 or 98 not sure) that appeared to have the sport package (sport wheels and sport steering wheel). It did not have that bar.To me this is a proof that the 99.5s with the sport package have mechanical changes. <br>I did notice a different feel of the brakes (not that sensitive) and a tighter steering when I picked up my car (as compared to the 99 I test drove 3 months ago) but I thought it was just my imagination. Now I am pretty much convinced that my car has all the mechanical changes that r the Euro models have.<p>Kostas <br>99.5 2.8 QMS <br>

I'm thinking of the hydraulic transmission mount, and the local reinforcement in the tunnel.<br>Somehow it does seem a little odd that 99.5's with the sport suspension would have the change, while those without the sport suspension would not.<br>I appreciate your efforts as I'm STILL not convinced that North America didn't get any of the mechanical changes.<br>Regarding your sense of how your car feels compared to a drive in one 3 months ago, I think you'd get a more accurate comparison by doing them back to back on the same day.

When i picked up my '99.5 i immediately noticed that the brakes did not feel as grabby as the ones in the (2) '99's that i test drove. I immediately thought that they had made the mechanical changes as posted before. I was Happy! Then after reading everything on the org, i figured it was just my imagination.<p>However, the '99's on the lot already had some miles on them whereas my car was fresh off the truck (literally!). Would fresh rotors/pads not grab as quickly? I would imagine so. In any case after 2500 miles i cant tell now anyway.<p>In any case, my brother drove my car yesterday....He loved it....everything EXCEPT the grabby brakes.....<p>Go Figure....<p><br>trifona<br>'99.5 1.8tqms

"New brake pads do not have optimum friction properties and must be "broken in" during the initial 100 to 150 miles of normal city driving. You can compensate for this by applying more pressure on the brake pedal. This also applies later when new pads are installed"

and the suspension pictures of the European models. Anything that I could check looks identical to the pictures (front and rear suspensions). The front local reinforcement of the tunnel as I already pointed out is there. The middle one if it's there it's hidden by the exhaust pipes and the drive shaft. The rear one shown in that picture I believe it's for the front wheel drive car only. Regarding the hydraulic transmission mount it is not clear from the picture where/what exactly is.<br>I wish I could test drive a 99 and my car back to back on the same day! I still think however that the brakes are not as sensitive (after driving the car for 800 km) as in the car I test drove back in January.<p>

99 and older A4's don't have the cover over the battery, brake fluid tank and ECU.

the brakes were so grabby I had to force myself not to press hard on the pedal every time I braked. I never had this problem when I picked up my car.

I sometimes feel like i have to use TOO much brake pressure in oder to slow down prior to downshifting at an intersection.<p>As it is now, they feel a little bit numb. They actually have a dead spot before engaging tighter.<p>Kinda weird. The brakes on my old mitsu felt much more linear feeling than these.<p><p>trifona<br>'99.5 1.8tqms

I noticed this as soon as I went to put my old Wett chip in my new '99.5 1.8T. Damn... now I gotta take the tools to my car to remove that cover. Just a temporary setback, to be sure... gotta get that Wett chip in there!<p>Steve Olsen<br>Volcano/Onyx '99.5 1.8TQMS w/the works<br>