Hello,

I know that the engine needs to be warmed up before aggressive driving. I usually try to warm it up for 5 minutes or so. I know the car will hold itself in first gear longer when cold, is that a built-in warm up measure? Is there a magic oil temperature I should reach before the car can be considered "warm" and ready for harder driving? Should I warm up in "drive" mode before switching the transmission to sport mode?

I know these questions are basic knowledge but I just want to make sure the car lasts as long as possible

Thanks!

 

There is nothing magic here:

Is the car brand new?
Are you the firs owner?

If the answers are "yes" you could take care as : idling - 1min, driving with boost when the oil gets 60C...

Otherwise - it might be late=> drive and enjoy.

Sport mode delays the shifting points - one does not push to high rpms while the car is cold.

 

I hope you are using Mobil1 0W-40 or equivalent and driving the car gently until the engine oil reaches operating temperature (mine is about 225o) before punching it. Also, give it a couple miles at normal throttle to cool down after hard use.

 

To be honest, not sure of the oil brand. I take it to the dealership for maintenance and I usually have it done 3000km-4000km before the recommended interval. After about 10 minutes of driving my oil temp sits at 194 F (90 C) and will go up to around 240 F (115 C) if I gun it on the highway for a while. So before going above 4000RPM I should wait until the oil temp hits about 194 F?

 

0W-40 is a bit to extreme. (living beyond the arctic circle?)
The factory suggested oil is 5W-30.
But, if you feel well - then follow your heart!

About the working T - listen to your turbos-the sound will suggest your driving.

 

I read somewhere that turbos spin at 20,000 rpm so a good oil flow is critical to their health. I am sure Audi designs in some tolerance for thicker or cold oil, but my personal belief is why take chances with a $3000 repair (or $5-6k if you want K04s). I let mine warm up to normal operating temp before running it hard, whether that is fast acceleration or high speed driving. I've had it out in -8 Fo in Chicago and Ontario and, trust me, it takes a while to warm up and I baby it for 2-3 miles. So far I'm at 173k miles with original turbos (car was chipped at 75k) and planning/expecting to exceed 200k before I may need new turbos. But if I can go longer, I will, even if that means babying it until it warms up. BTW, I've read that it runs without the turbos but it is dog-butt slow, even worse than the 2.8s.

 

I'm very much reluctant to enter an oil related discussion, but if you asked - there are my 2 cents:

What is the difference between Mobil 1 full synthetic and Mobil 1 full synthetic Extended performance?

You might just be lucky with your turbos - not related to the oil you use.
(countless occasions for failed turbos even with 0W-40.)

(My turbos sound DIFERENTLY with different brands of oil. The oil composition I find out to be the most silent - best maybe - is the one you will not want to hear off..)

Go figure...