but they run around 400 bucks dont they? its funny how they mark up the price when there is more hp gain when all it is is software...

 

Its a pretty well spent $400 though. Besides, once you get the mod bug, you'll want to go big turbo, etc. I'd get a 1.8T personally, I drove a 2.8 once and while it still felt good, I like my 1.8 a little more.

2-point-slows are good for one thing: Direct swap into a MkII chassis, with 16v heads, or maybe make a x-flow turbo?

I beat a MkIII GTI VR6 in my stock 1.8T, if that will help you decide. What years are you looking at?

 

$400 for 40 horsepower and 80# of torque is well worth the money, there is no other mod that you can get that much power for $400, the chip for the 2.8/3.0 is the same price for 8-12 horsepower, upsolut chip says 18-20 horsepower but I don't think it is that high. I would go with the 1.8, but if you get a 1.8 with higher miles make sure the timing belt has been changed, either motor you get you will be happy with the overall quality of an AUDI.

 

the 2.8 is a smooth v6 with more then enough gusto for everyday driving. Now as far as modding goes, without spending your childs college fund a CAI and chip are as far as you should go. Yeah you could do exhaust but IMHO they dont sound good with exhaust. A chip and intake would make the 2.8 smoother and feel slightly more torque in what they call the flat spot from 2k-4k rpms. Now when I drove the 2.8s I was looking at I didnt feel this flat spot and they were completly stock. To me a 2.8 makes more sense but they dont get the gas mileage a 1.8t gets, the same balance, and I wasnt lucky enough to have one available when I finally made my purchase. But lets just say Im not dissapointed with what I have, actually Im happier with the 1.8t becuase it seems slightly more nimble and gets better gas mileage. With a chip, dv, k and n and air box moddification; Ill have better throttle response, power delivery and gas mileage then a 2.8. Both are great choices and I wish you luck trying to find the right one (and weed out the anti 2.8 or 1.8 posts). Hell I went through like 8 audis before I got to this one.