I've got an all original equipment '03 2.7T, Premium, Cold, Luxury, Sport; no mods yet. I was thinking of starting slow and simple with the sway bars instead of the chip. Any thoughts on choosing between the two? I figured the sway bars would be cheaper by $400 or so vs a chip + the necessary associated stuff (dv's and such)..

How easy is the sway bar installation? Is this the best or only place to buy: http://www.hotchkis.net/products.php...b7b08020558b79

Those are IMO the best two mods for the $. But the chip will be cheaper thn the sways unless you do the install yourself.
Spend 500-600 on the chip! It is way worth it!

I got mine from Pure Motorsports http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=726
The same item for $379.95 versus $448.95 directly from Hotchkiss (WTF?). Easy math!
Here's a link (shamelessly pirated from SouthboroAudiGuy's registry page!) on how to install them http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel48.shtml

Don't forget to upgrade your DV's and your TBB if you chip it!

OOOO

with a 4.2, would chipping be a useful mod?

i'm guessing that sway bars would be useful no matter what the engine is. would you need a different size? i'm not sure if the engine bay is wider due to the bigger engine.

my understanding as that the only chip mod useful (potentially useful) to the 4.2 is to keep the tip in first gear.
Otherwise, sways and exhausts mods could still be great. I would love to hear of other ideas as this is on my list of considerations as well.

There is no engine chip to increase power in the A6 4.2. There is a "tip chip" that is supposed to improve the speed of shifts, not to be confused with a simple VAG COM code that can be done to hold 1st gear longer in tip mode (search for the "00032" tip recode).

For those with the 2002 A6 4.2 with the tip buttons, the 00032 tip code not only allows you to hold 1st longer (to redline if you really punch it), it also allows the tranny to be shifted using the tip buttons on the steering wheel, even if the shifter is in Drive or Sport. After 10 seconds of no active shifting using the buttons, the car reverts back to Drive or Sport. I call it tiptronic "on-demand."

good stuff

What about the one here, has anyone seen/heard about it?

http://www.speedtuningusa.com/
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/speedt...ducts/audi.htm(direct)

Standard HP/ Torque Nm
300 / 400

Optimized HP/ Torque Nm
332 / 436

Dyno Graph:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/speedt...o/kfaa6-42.htm

My shop has a chip upgrade for the 4.2, but gains are nowheer close to what yuo see no the 2.7T

www.gmpperformance.com
talk to Stephen.

brice