(sigh) stoopid suspension: car thoughts (longish)
09-13-2007, 01:53 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,063
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
(sigh) stoopid suspension: car thoughts (longish)
When I drove the allroad for the first time, i was actually in the market for an 01 A6 4.2 (white, tip, winter pkg, etc).
I trotted down to my local stealership to try out the one the had on their lt and came away .. well, slightly cold. The V8 was a little harsh (!), the interior was worn pretty hard and the car felt nose heavy. An impromptu inspection in a nearby parking lot told me the story that the car simply hadn't been well cared for. Yes, it was washed, but that's about where the care ended. I drove back to the dealership and was chalking the 4.2's harshenss up to not being in proper tune, when i caught site of the allroad.
Okay - 2.7T - but handsomely equipped (and slightly upmarket from the a6). Now, I did have a fondness for wagons (the old 5000 wagon always cut a handshome shape). An inquiry to my salesman, and I was soon behind the wheel of this adjustable devil. Oh, what fun.
Using my trusty butt dynometer, the car felt almost as fast as the 4.2, but was a lot smoother. And the added bonus of a lighter feeling front end yielding a better balanced ride (albeit, unfortunately partially due to having a heavier back end). But that was something I put aside when I started playing with the adjustable suspension.
UP! (wait, wait wait) look!
DOWN! (wait wait wait) FUN!
Man, that was some gimmic. I must have gotten in, adjusted the susp, and then gotten out just to watch the car go up and down a couple of times. Neato (and I am high on the neato factor).
So... I needed the room, the car seemed to fit the bill, certainly more luxe (albeit a lot slower) than my current ride.
Biggest downsides, to me, were (1) stressed turbocharged engine (clearly, this was going to be something that gave me longevity issues), and (2) the overall complexity of the entire car as a unit - including the trick suspension. With all those buzzers and bells and whistles, something was invariably going to go wrong.
But the alarming fact was that the biggest problems (turbo and complexity) were also partially responsible for the charm of the car as well...
Hmmn - delimma, delimma.
Did I need such a car? Clearly not.
Did I want such a car? But of course!
Was there anything else out there that would fit the bill the way the allroad did? Well, really, only the A6 avant - as I wasn't in the mood to reach up to an SUV (and couldn't financially swing an S6 avant, though i was a bit put off by the 4.2 at that point).
But all teh amenities... And that trick suspension.
Ah, okay - sealed the deal.
Well, it's been a fun few years, and I LOVE this car (yes, even through the invaiable little niggling issues)... but...
G0DDAMM!T FVCKING SUSPENSION!
So, my left front has developed a fondness for settling. If I park and leave the car in lvl 1, it will invariably sag all the way down and will need to reinflate itself to get back up to driveable levels. At times, I notice the car changing height on it's own (downward, not speed related), and soon hitting me with an ominous blinking suspension warning light ... as the stalwart little compressor kicks in to help the car struggle back up to its knees.
I'm thinking I've either developed a tear in my left front bag, or a vale isn't wanting to open and close all the way (is this possible)? My stealer is reluctant to do much about it, (and I suspect they have limited experience with artificial knee replacements).
Let me know your suspension woes, my friends... I'm still in love with the car and - untill I can buy an RS6 avant stateside - will continue to pamper, cajole and prod this old girl along, as she serves my needs so well.
I trotted down to my local stealership to try out the one the had on their lt and came away .. well, slightly cold. The V8 was a little harsh (!), the interior was worn pretty hard and the car felt nose heavy. An impromptu inspection in a nearby parking lot told me the story that the car simply hadn't been well cared for. Yes, it was washed, but that's about where the care ended. I drove back to the dealership and was chalking the 4.2's harshenss up to not being in proper tune, when i caught site of the allroad.
Okay - 2.7T - but handsomely equipped (and slightly upmarket from the a6). Now, I did have a fondness for wagons (the old 5000 wagon always cut a handshome shape). An inquiry to my salesman, and I was soon behind the wheel of this adjustable devil. Oh, what fun.
Using my trusty butt dynometer, the car felt almost as fast as the 4.2, but was a lot smoother. And the added bonus of a lighter feeling front end yielding a better balanced ride (albeit, unfortunately partially due to having a heavier back end). But that was something I put aside when I started playing with the adjustable suspension.
UP! (wait, wait wait) look!
DOWN! (wait wait wait) FUN!
Man, that was some gimmic. I must have gotten in, adjusted the susp, and then gotten out just to watch the car go up and down a couple of times. Neato (and I am high on the neato factor).
So... I needed the room, the car seemed to fit the bill, certainly more luxe (albeit a lot slower) than my current ride.
Biggest downsides, to me, were (1) stressed turbocharged engine (clearly, this was going to be something that gave me longevity issues), and (2) the overall complexity of the entire car as a unit - including the trick suspension. With all those buzzers and bells and whistles, something was invariably going to go wrong.
But the alarming fact was that the biggest problems (turbo and complexity) were also partially responsible for the charm of the car as well...
Hmmn - delimma, delimma.
Did I need such a car? Clearly not.
Did I want such a car? But of course!
Was there anything else out there that would fit the bill the way the allroad did? Well, really, only the A6 avant - as I wasn't in the mood to reach up to an SUV (and couldn't financially swing an S6 avant, though i was a bit put off by the 4.2 at that point).
But all teh amenities... And that trick suspension.
Ah, okay - sealed the deal.
Well, it's been a fun few years, and I LOVE this car (yes, even through the invaiable little niggling issues)... but...
G0DDAMM!T FVCKING SUSPENSION!
So, my left front has developed a fondness for settling. If I park and leave the car in lvl 1, it will invariably sag all the way down and will need to reinflate itself to get back up to driveable levels. At times, I notice the car changing height on it's own (downward, not speed related), and soon hitting me with an ominous blinking suspension warning light ... as the stalwart little compressor kicks in to help the car struggle back up to its knees.
I'm thinking I've either developed a tear in my left front bag, or a vale isn't wanting to open and close all the way (is this possible)? My stealer is reluctant to do much about it, (and I suspect they have limited experience with artificial knee replacements).
Let me know your suspension woes, my friends... I'm still in love with the car and - untill I can buy an RS6 avant stateside - will continue to pamper, cajole and prod this old girl along, as she serves my needs so well.
09-13-2007, 02:01 PM
#2
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,704
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
yes left front air spring needs replacement, "random" height chages are normal
Vag it, check the code, fix the left front airspring, and report back. The car is constantly self leveling, so the random height adjustments (I get them at stops sometimes) are completely normal. ie If in Level 2 and come to a stop, car is still in level 2, but adjusting -- totally normal.
The suspension light maybe related to the left front leak.
The suspension light maybe related to the left front leak.
09-13-2007, 05:53 PM
#4
Audiworld Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nearly 200,000 miles and I've replaced suspension air bags six times
Big Audi fan here but I will definitely NOT buy a car with this type of suspension again. Good thing I had a 150,000-mile extended warranty.
Trending Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
EasyRider
S6 (C7 Platform) Discussion
14
08-16-2015 11:57 AM
valium
A6 / S6 (C5 Platform) Discussion
23
07-10-2000 10:31 AM