As the title states, I'm looking to get an A4, but not sure which model to get - the 1.8L Turbo or the NA 2.8L.

Is there a big performance difference? Initially I was leaning towards the 6cyl, but the thought of the 4cyl Turbo is starting to interest me - partly b/c I am finding more of them that are in the color combo I want (Black/black w/5MT) - and partly because it seems I could upgrade the turbo at some point for more power.

I've driven the S4 before, so I am somewhat familiar w/these cars, but I don't really want the headache of maintenance associated with one. My previous 2 cars were a 1.8L Integra and a 2.8L BMW so I'm assuming the performance of the A4 would be similar.

(tried to search for this topic first, but as you know, 1.8 & 2.8 won't yield any results)

 

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/audi-a4-8/newbie-guide-version-2-a-80968/

 

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

 

Sure thing.

 

1.8t is the desired engine on all vw's and audi's unless were talking about a 4.2l v8 in the vw or audi but if you can get etheir in a manual you will be happy 1.8t is a modded engine 2.8 stays stock and is reliable but everyone prefers the 1.8t which so do i

 

Any common problems that these cars are known for that I should be looking out for? What types of issues should I expect to find on cars with ~70k to 100k miles on them?

 

Make sure timing belt has been done. And not just them saying so, paper work is a must for that.

The 1.8 can be temperamental but overall is a good car. I would say things to look for are suspension parts wear fast (control arms TRE and wheel bearings) even faster on a lowered car. Make sure the previous owner always did oil changes, the 1.8 had a MAJOR sludge build up issue and if oil changes were neglected that's a no go. Note there are differences in the years of the cars. Most like the "facelift" which is 1999.5 and newer. Also on the 01 they were 170chp rather than the older ones which was 150chp but with modding that wont matter as a simple chip brings them both to the same. More on differences HERE

 

Thanks for that link.

I definitely like the wheels on the 2.8L (5 spoke) better than 7 & 10 spoke sport wheels, but I'd imagine finding a set of them would be fairly easy if I end up getting one without them.

How rare are black/black cars w/5MT (in both 1.8 or 2.8). Most of the black/black cars I've seen so far for sale are AT. And the Black cars w/5MT that I do find have tan, or 2-tone interiors.

I seem to see a TON of silver/black 5MTs, especially with the 2.8L.

 

So are the AWD more or less desirable than the FWD models? From the info I've seen, the AWD cars are a bit slower (0-60 times) and have poorer fuel efficiency (which I would expect).

What kind highway MPGs should I expect? I'm seeing 22, but that seems low, considering my 528 could get 30. (but averaged about 19 or so with mostly city driving)

 

Quattro or bust. I never even considered FWD an option.

The 16" 5 spoke OEM wheels do look great and aren't hard to come by used. I picked up a set with tires for $240.

This was the day I got my A4, pretty unattractive 15" wheels.



Current status below. The mods you can see are the 5 spoke wheels, clear side markers, and RS4 grill.