Hey I just got an '03 A4 1.8t Quattro this weekend. I have been looking for one for quite awhile and this one was just right. I got it right as it came off of the truck from an Audi show. It is a lease return with 52k miles. I have a few questions about my car that maybe you guys can help with.

Suspension:
First, I am pretty sure it has the sports package as it was sitting much lower then the rest of the A4s on the lot. About 2 fingers of wheel gap in the rear. If I look at the shocks/springs are there any markings that will label it one way or the other?

Short shifter:
The shifter is very noticeably a shorter throw and shorter height then the others. Is there a factory short shifter or is this something the previous owner threw on it?

Chipped?
The dealer drove it and said it felt quicker then the others and maybe it was chipped. Who knows if he meant it or if he was just tryin to make it sound more appealing. I saw a post about getting to your ECU, will I be able to tell if the chip is factory or aftermarket if I get to it (without removing it)? It feels pretty quick...

Stock times:
I googled and googled and could not find any 0-60 stock times for the 1.8t quattro, does anyone know what the stock 0-60 is for this car? I saw a 8.3 but it was a FWD.

Air intake:
I noticed quite a few aftermarket intakes, but the current factory intake looks like it would do a good job shielding hot air and the stock box pulls from the front grill. Are aftermarket intakes worth it in the $200-300 market?

Thanks for the info and looking forward to being a regular member!

 

If it has sport suspension, it will have red shocks. Standard ones are black.

The chip upgrade for the B6's is a flash upgrade. The tuner plugs their laptop with the chip-tuning software into your OBD-II port and flashes the car's eprom. So you can't physically take the chip out and tell that it has been flashed. If it's pretty quick, it's probably aftermarket. Stock A4 1.8t's are a bit on the slow side. If you drive 2 A4's (one with the chip, one without), you can definitely tell the difference.

There are aftermarket short throw shifters out there. It's quite possible that the last owner could have put in a short shift kit. Again...compare two different A4's & see if you can tell the difference.

 

Thanks for the reply. The shifter is without a doubt shorter then the other ones I drove. Is there any way to tell if it was flashed other then driving 2 cars and feeling the difference?

 

For the intake, just put a k&n panel filter in the stock box, that more than does the job until you put in a bigger turbo. And you're right - the stock airbox does a great job of keeping heat out and fresh cool air in.

Anotherway to tell besides driving two of the same car, is a dyno test. You can take the ecu out and look at it, but depending on what ecu upgrade was done, you still may not be able to tell.

Another way would be to install a boost guage, and if the car is boosting higher than stock levels, you'll know for certain the car is chipped. Heck, anyone with a turbo should have a boost guage, its just plain fun to look at.

 

Be careful with a K&N filter. The oil you spray on them can kill your mass airflow sensor. If you do go that route, apply the oil very sparingly and allow it to dry for a day or so before installing it.

 

as for the 0-60 time.......when i bought my 03 1.8T Quattro, it came with a factory spec sheet, and it claims a 0-60 of 7.9 seconds.....dont know how accurate that is though

 

No, the filters come pre-oiled, so you dont need to do anything.

Be careful when you do need to wash and oil it, that you dont over-oil.

And leaving it out for a day does nothing other than leave you with no car for a day. The oil does not dry out, its not water for gosh sakes. If you did over oil it, you would need to wash and dry it again, and lightly oil it with the correct amount. Letting it sit for a day wont do sh*t.

 

Can you post some pictures???

 

Just passing on what I was told by one of the techs here at work.

 

Really? whats the shop, so I make sure not to go there?

Honestly think about it.......if you wipe some oil on say a piece of metal or plastic, and leave it on your workbench overnight, is it dried up the next day?

Anyway, just trying to get this guy the correct info, no offense meant to you in any way.

I guess letting it sit MAY let it soak into the fibre of the filter better, but if you are careful at all and follow the directions, you wont over oil it.