Hi everyone,

I bought a certified pre-owned 2008 A4 (quattro, manual, black, 38 K miles) and am excited to own an Audi. I live in San Francisco, CA. Growing up in India, I had heard of quattro about 25-30 years ago and used to read "Auto Motor und Sport", a German magazine and was fascinated by the word quattro, and was intrigued to see how the all-wheel drive works. I finally get to experience what the hubub is all about. So far, I am happy with what I am seeing. I hope to have more meaningful exchanges with other enthusiasts. My previous car was a 2004 Mazda RX8, which I loved, but gave up because of poor gas mileage (~ 18 mpg).

Positives:
- Great ride -- comfortable and fairly quiet.
- Good on the gas mileage (I am getting roughly 28 mpg in mixed cycle).
- Decent cargo space with folding rear seats.
- Excellent profile (outside) and pretty decent ergonomics.

Negatives:
- Lower torque (I live in San Francisco and driving up the hills, I have to use the first gear. With my previous RX8, I had no problems doing stop-and-go in the second gear)
- Poor radio (I have noticed the FM radio reception being rather uneven and not always crystal clear)
- Low quality tires (new ones provided by the dealer are cheap ones)

Next steps:
- Install an iPod/iPhone adapter. Any suggestions?
- Drive long distance to LA and see if I actually get 450-480 miles on a full tank.

Suggestions needed on:
- Said iPod/iPhone adapter. When I called the dealer, they quoted a kit price of $200, but installation charges of $420.
- Gasoline -- go with 89 as I do now or use 87 or 91?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Andy