I've got $2000 to put into my car. What do I do?

I am going to be getting a 2000 A4 1.8t at the end of March. My buddy's got the Avant model and I've gotta be faster.  I've been looking around at chips, short shifters, cold air kits, clutches, diverter valves, everything.
 
I'm trying to figure out what to buy for my car with $2000 to get the most performance out of my car.  Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

my suggestion is called the search bar, and also the sticky in the A4 section that say newbie guide.



They will help you tremendously on how to make your car faster

People would probably tell you to get the chip first as it is the most "bang for the buck".

I could do plenty with $2k
 
Diode mod with a nice boost gauge and mbc (diode $0.25, mbc $45-100, boost gauge $40-60)
- $80-160
Test pipe - $160
Catback - $700 ($500 for custom with magnaflow muffler)
ebay ic - $400
upgraded pads F&R ($100-120)
ebay short shifter ($30)
bpi flow stack intake $90
 
That still leaves you about $250 for misc stuff if needed. 

click newbie link in sig

quote:

ORIGINAL: cincyTT

I could do plenty with $2k

Diode mod with a nice boost gauge and mbc (diode $0.25, mbc $45-100, boost gauge $40-60)
- $80-160
Test pipe - $160
Catback - $700 ($500 for custom with magnaflow muffler)
ebay ic - $400
upgraded pads F&R ($100-120)
ebay short shifter ($30)
bpi flow stack intake $90

That still leaves you about $250 for misc stuff if needed. 

I got my IC for $189 shipped and handled. Then again, I had to do a *TON* of fabricating.

If you went my route, you can save yourself like $200 and put that in with the other $250. $450 is good for a high-flow exhaust manifold.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Leifer

If you went my route, you can save yourself like $200 and put that in with the other $250. $450 is good for a high-flow exhaust manifold.

 
High flow on a stock turbo is only good for another 5whp and thats only on the spike.  Not really worth the money spent.

I'd go for

h&r/bilstein- 750
GIAC- 450
FMIC- 300
airbox-mod-free
710n dv- 35
boost guage- 50
clear corner mod- free
rs4 grill - 80
debadge- free
tint- 250
have your resonator removed- 50-70$

that's a little less than 2k....gl!

quote:

ORIGINAL: cincyTT

I could do plenty with $2k

Diode mod with a nice boost gauge and mbc (diode $0.25, mbc $45-100, boost gauge $40-60)
- $80-160
Test pipe - $80 off ebay
Catback - $700 ($350 for custom with magnaflow muffler, what i paid for mine)
ebay ic - $250
upgraded pads F&R ($350ish for a8 rotors + tt carries and hawk pads of purems)
ebay short shifter ($30)
bpi flow stack intake $55 for k&n and swiss box mod
That still leaves you about $750-800 for misc stuff if needed. 

 
there fixed for you

...and take that leftover $750-800 and let it sit in the bank for when something breaks, so you're not without a vehicle.

go ko4

Save up another grand or two and get a BT kit!

http://www.awe-tuning.com/pages/shared/part_detail.cfm?PMaI=1&PMoI=1&PEI=2&PP=a4_18t_drivetrain.cfm&PPT=Drivetrain&IL=AWEK04
+
custom fmic

then...
custom exhaust and snow performance w/m injection.

My opinion, Keep the cash in case something breaks.

i wouldn't get a k04...... for that whole 2 grand, maybe plus a little bit you could go big turbo..... now you would have to save for the other stuff........
 
 
but if you plan to make any serious power, do like cincy said, and i fixed...... those mods would get you started towards a bt setup

If he spent the money on a ko4, he would be wasting the money and seeing less gains than with the ko3 spent like above.  Im all for getting a good amount of power and having $600 or so in reserve to fix anything that needs it or make payments with

quote:

ORIGINAL: turbo kraut

quote:

ORIGINAL: cincyTT

I could do plenty with $2k

Diode mod with a nice boost gauge and mbc (diode $0.25, mbc $45-100, boost gauge $40-60)
- $80-160
Test pipe - $80 off ebay
Catback - $700 ($350 for custom with magnaflow muffler, what i paid for mine)
ebay ic - $250
upgraded pads F&R ($350ish for a8 rotors + tt carries and hawk pads of purems)
ebay short shifter ($30)
bpi flow stack intake $55 for k&n and swiss box mod
That still leaves you about $750-800 for misc stuff if needed. 

this is the only thing i would do...... take that extra for any fixes you come across in the next few months and then save up for a bt or whatever else you may want

 
other than that list...... if you can come across a tuned ecu in the classifieds i would buy it
 
 
for the power you are going to get like i said and cincy said k04 won't do it
 
 
i guarentee you ask alot of the k04 guys..... they wished they would of saved a little more cash and got a bt
 
only way i would ever go k04 is if my k03 shot craps and i could get a k04 w/ programming dirty cheap

you could do what I did to my 2000 (see sig).

^ who would want that crap