Jazzanini

I have purchased in Canada the 2015 A4 Komfort with sports suspension, 6-speed, monsoon grey, limited s-line options: bucket seats, 3-spoke sports wheel, s-line trim, 18-inch wheels.

......not sure about platform (B9 or B8)?

I am really happy with the car, its truly awesome ! But I do now regret not adding the convenience package with the audi drive select (with adaptive damper control system) and advanced key with start button. The sports suspension is awesome and absolutely essential but i do wish i had the comfort/custom option of the drive select for those 7 hour-plus highway trips. I dont care much about the key upgrade.

The cost at the time was marginal. Unfortunately i didnt do my research and didnt think much of leaving out the option at the time of purchase. Not much explanation from the dealer either.

Is it possible to get this option added on by the dealer or any other way and what would be required? I assume if dealer doesnt do this but its possible, It'd be best to do post-warranty?

Looking forward to some expert advice!

Thanx!

roger_1

I have good news and bad news.

In Canada and the USA, the A4's drive select option does NOT include adaptive suspension. So, if that's the reason you regret not buying an A4 with Drive Select, you can stop beating yourself up.

On the other hand, short of replacing the springs, shock absorbers and perhaps anti-away bars, you WILL have to live with the rougher ride of the sports suspension on our less-than-smooth Canadian roads.

Incidentally, I really like the Audi Advance Key, especially in winter, as I no longer have to dig my keys out of my pocket while wearing gloves. For example, after exiting the grocery store, I walk up to the car, open the door with a simple tug on the door handle, load up my groceries, get in, push the start button and drive away. Didn't have to touch, or even think about, my key, from the time I walked out of the house.

2014 Allroad P+, Glacier White/Titanium, full paint, sport package, Nav, Keyless, B&O, Side Assist.

Jazzanini

Thanks, Roger_1 for your speedy input! But this adds a bit to my confusion......Audi.ca does list adaptive suspension as a component under the drive select option of the convenience package. Could this be a typo?

In any case, is it possible to have the dealer do this upgrade? I already have a sport suspension and this was additional option beyond the sport suspension on the 2015 A4. So why the need to change springs, shock absorbers...etc ?

Now that you mention it, the key thing does seem convenient.

roger_1

To be clear upfront, I'm not an expert, and what I say isn't gospel.

Having said that, when I was in the market a few months ago, I really wanted adaptive suspension - I have it on my Porsche and love it. So I looked into it in some detail.

I, too, saw reference to it on the Cdn website, and asked not one, but two, very knowledgeable dealers about it- both advised that the adaptive suspension is NOT available on the N.A A4's. The Cdn website was/is misleading/wrong.

Check out the A4 brochure on the USA website to see what ADS offers - steering, throttle and transmission changes, not suspension. http://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/a...4-brochure.pdf

Of course, it won't hurt to ask your local dealer, but make sure he knows what he's talking about, and not simply making stuff up, or to put it more kindly, 'winging it'.

To my knowledge, dealers in N.A are not much interested in, nor readily equipped to attempt, an adaptive suspension switch-over. I suppose ANYTHING can be done, and I believe Euro A4's can be equipped with adaptive suspension. And, some guys have put air suspensions in their A4's; where there's a will, there's a way. But those tend to be died-in-the-wool enthusiasts who aren't paying much attention to costs. I don't think you'll find it feasible to do it here, ex post facto.

My comment about swapping springs and shock absorbers related to changing from sport suspension to regular suspension, for a smoother ride. But since you like your sport suspension overall, I doubt you'd want to do that.

My understanding is the adaptive suspension entails, amongst others things, electro-mechanical shocks. Others here will know more about it. Google can probably elaborate. Your sports shocks don't bring you any closer to adaptive suspension than do regular shocks. In simple terms yours are stiffer than regular, but do not have adaptive technology, nor is your car electronically equipped to integrate with adaptive shocks.

I should add that a free and easy way to improve your car's ride is to reduce the tire pressure a bit, but keep it within the range specified by Audi. Your fuel mileage might drop a bit, and handling at the limit might diminish slightly, but there will be a less harsh ride.

Hope this helps.

Turbo Freak

I have the drive select with adaptive suspension on my 2009 A4 and I love it. The roads in Quebec are so bad that it is almost a must ! My next car will have it for sure. I would be very surprised that it could be retrofitted...

I did not know that it was still available on the A4, for a few years, it was only available on the S4... Since the B8 A4 is on its way out, it could be possible that Audi made it available since they tend to offer more option on cars that they are about to renew...

roger_1

Well, I took a look at the Audi Canada 2015 A4 website, and indeed, it shows adaptive damping as an option, for the A4 sedan (but not for the Allroad).

So maybe, indeed, Audi is now offering adaptive suspension on the A4 sedan. I was shopping (and bought) an Allroad which didn't (and still doesn't) have adaptive suspension available. (Indeed, ADS itself no longer appears to be available at all for the 2015 Canadian Allroad.)

So, Jazzanini, maybe a call to the dealer will be productive, to ascertain whether the adaptive suspension is available as a retrofit. If it is, I'd think it would be expensive, but no harm in inquiring.

olikoli

I have 2012 S-line with ADS. ADS does indeed adjust your suspension, but it is not "adjustable" by hight like some A6/A8 would have. I.E. air suspension. To my understanding A4 ADS offers suspension that is electronically adjustable (i've read somewhere that it is using magnets). I can confirm that it does make the difference on bad roads and it does soak up the inperfections much better. Adjustable steering and throttle response is a big plus.
As for the dealer install, i am not sure how easy this would be to add. I have read somewhere that using VAG software and cable it is possible to adjust steering and throttle, but never heard anything about suspension.

Perhaps someone else has little more insight.

ny tdi

Well,

for what it's worth, in the USA, adaptive suspension is available on 2015 S4 cars. Since the S4 and the A4 share the same brochures, it's easy to get confused. Again, that's just here in America. But that doesn't mean that's it's not available in Canada. Heck, you guys get ski passthroughs in your 2015 A4's rear seats (Rear Armrest opens up to reveal access to the trunk). We don't get pass-throughs here in the states. So maybe you guys get adaptive suspensions, and we don't!

http://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/a...-media-kit.pdf

Racer DMC

I thought that they eliminated the suspension adjustment options in ADS in the B8.5s. Could be wrong, but I was looking recently at a thread on the VAG-COM mods to enable ADS in non-ADS cars, and believe there was something there about the B8.5 adjustments being limited to throttle response and steering.

audi8k

Available options is (as usual) different between the market regions. In my european A4 (MY-14) I have ADS with Adaptive Suspension, Dynamic Steering and Sport Differential. (Sport Diff requires V6 engine.)

The tweaks you can do with VCDS (VAG-com) is of course limited to the HW that is in place.