TDI: First Month Observation
02-17-2014, 06:48 AM
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TDI: First Month Observation
Today is the first month of my A6 TDI ownership experience. Here's my take after 1,900 miles:
We all know that Audis are super smooth, but the TDI is also super quiet on the highway. I borrowed a decibel meter from a friend and the A6 registers 63db at 60mph. I don't have the sport package. I will be doing more readings at different speeds.
Torquey diesels are not new for me, since I also have a 2008 Mercedes E-class BlueTec with 400lbft of torque. What is new for me is the power delivery to all four wheels. The A6 feels about 1,000 lbs lighter than the Benz (even though they weight about the same). The A6 also reaches 43mpg on road trips with minimal effort. The best I ever got was 36mpg for the Benz. The hard part about the A6 is learning to drive with restraint. Getting 43mpg is easy if I use ACC set to the speed limit. Also, it's hard to resist pulling away from the lights at a brisk pace. If I try for it, I am confident I can reach 47-50mpg in the A6 this summer. I have unlocked 60mpg in a Jetta TDI (mkv 6mt) and I can see potential in the A6 for some phenomenal results.
Power delivery is effortless. The automatic is flawless. So when it snowed, I was excited. When freezing rain fell after the snow, I was ecstatic. So I took the car to a massive parking lot and played around. A new Audi A6 TDI in the snow is fun. Even the cops enjoyed watching. I posted three quick videos on youtube about the difference of the handling and performance between comfort, dynamic, and traction control reduced. I had MASSIVE fun with dynamic mode and traction control reduced. I felt like I had more control with traction control on and the car in comfort mode. The light steering made it easy to correct and counter steer with quick results. I discovered that even with 428lbft of torque, the A6 was still hard to upset in the slush. The car just asserts itself and that power is a dominant force which I think helped it stay on track while TRYING to go sideways.
The Audi doesn't feel like it out accelerates/pulls any better from 80-100mph than the Benz. But I do find myself reaching 80mph a lot more often in the A6.
I'm still getting used to dynamic mode and the sport mode of the transmission. I don't think dynamic mode works well on road trips if you have the lane keeping assist on. The lane corrections are jerky in dynamic and more subtle in comfort mode.
I like ACC in dynamic mode on the highway, but it scares the crap out of me in stop-and-go city traffic. So I find myself keeping the car in comfort mode in the city and on the highway. I only ever go into dynamic mode when I'm feeling like carving up a mountain road. Even then, I turn off lane keeping assist. At one point, the braking guard warning came on when I was entering a hairpin turn while facing a rocky cliff. The car didn't brake, but it was predicting a crash which I was nowhere near having.
GRIPES:
These cup holders are useless. They are too tight and cannot fit a small coffee cup or water bottle. It's too much of a big deal to try and squeeze a cup in without worrying about the lid popping off. As for a water bottle, forget about putting a water bottle in there with the cap off.
The parking sensors... I'm getting used to the whole camera setup with the overhead view and multiple camera angles. The Benz has sensors but no camera. The Benz also has LED lights in the center of the dash and the center of the roof in the rear and as you approach an object, the led lights start to light up... the closer you get, the more LEDs you get. When you get too close, red LED lights appear and the beeping is constant. I've never had a problem with that. In the A6, however, I have to focus on the screen rather than have lights in my peripheral whether I'm looking forward or looking in my mirror. What really catches me out in the A6, however, is the placement of the speakers for the proximity sensors. Audi really should put a speaker in each corner and the sound should come from the RIGHT FRONT if I'm too close to something on the RIGHT FRONT. As it stands now, I'll get a beep from the LEFT FRONT and the camera will show an object too close on the RIGHT FRONT. This is confusing because I see one obstacle but hear something different. The same goes for the REAR. It would be much better to have the sound emanate from the corner that has the obstacle. I think this is something I actually HATE on the A6. I might try it with the beeping set to off, but then I'd never get an audible warning if someone was to walk behind the car. Audi - FIX THIS.
We all know that Audis are super smooth, but the TDI is also super quiet on the highway. I borrowed a decibel meter from a friend and the A6 registers 63db at 60mph. I don't have the sport package. I will be doing more readings at different speeds.
Torquey diesels are not new for me, since I also have a 2008 Mercedes E-class BlueTec with 400lbft of torque. What is new for me is the power delivery to all four wheels. The A6 feels about 1,000 lbs lighter than the Benz (even though they weight about the same). The A6 also reaches 43mpg on road trips with minimal effort. The best I ever got was 36mpg for the Benz. The hard part about the A6 is learning to drive with restraint. Getting 43mpg is easy if I use ACC set to the speed limit. Also, it's hard to resist pulling away from the lights at a brisk pace. If I try for it, I am confident I can reach 47-50mpg in the A6 this summer. I have unlocked 60mpg in a Jetta TDI (mkv 6mt) and I can see potential in the A6 for some phenomenal results.
Power delivery is effortless. The automatic is flawless. So when it snowed, I was excited. When freezing rain fell after the snow, I was ecstatic. So I took the car to a massive parking lot and played around. A new Audi A6 TDI in the snow is fun. Even the cops enjoyed watching. I posted three quick videos on youtube about the difference of the handling and performance between comfort, dynamic, and traction control reduced. I had MASSIVE fun with dynamic mode and traction control reduced. I felt like I had more control with traction control on and the car in comfort mode. The light steering made it easy to correct and counter steer with quick results. I discovered that even with 428lbft of torque, the A6 was still hard to upset in the slush. The car just asserts itself and that power is a dominant force which I think helped it stay on track while TRYING to go sideways.
The Audi doesn't feel like it out accelerates/pulls any better from 80-100mph than the Benz. But I do find myself reaching 80mph a lot more often in the A6.
I'm still getting used to dynamic mode and the sport mode of the transmission. I don't think dynamic mode works well on road trips if you have the lane keeping assist on. The lane corrections are jerky in dynamic and more subtle in comfort mode.
I like ACC in dynamic mode on the highway, but it scares the crap out of me in stop-and-go city traffic. So I find myself keeping the car in comfort mode in the city and on the highway. I only ever go into dynamic mode when I'm feeling like carving up a mountain road. Even then, I turn off lane keeping assist. At one point, the braking guard warning came on when I was entering a hairpin turn while facing a rocky cliff. The car didn't brake, but it was predicting a crash which I was nowhere near having.
GRIPES:
These cup holders are useless. They are too tight and cannot fit a small coffee cup or water bottle. It's too much of a big deal to try and squeeze a cup in without worrying about the lid popping off. As for a water bottle, forget about putting a water bottle in there with the cap off.
The parking sensors... I'm getting used to the whole camera setup with the overhead view and multiple camera angles. The Benz has sensors but no camera. The Benz also has LED lights in the center of the dash and the center of the roof in the rear and as you approach an object, the led lights start to light up... the closer you get, the more LEDs you get. When you get too close, red LED lights appear and the beeping is constant. I've never had a problem with that. In the A6, however, I have to focus on the screen rather than have lights in my peripheral whether I'm looking forward or looking in my mirror. What really catches me out in the A6, however, is the placement of the speakers for the proximity sensors. Audi really should put a speaker in each corner and the sound should come from the RIGHT FRONT if I'm too close to something on the RIGHT FRONT. As it stands now, I'll get a beep from the LEFT FRONT and the camera will show an object too close on the RIGHT FRONT. This is confusing because I see one obstacle but hear something different. The same goes for the REAR. It would be much better to have the sound emanate from the corner that has the obstacle. I think this is something I actually HATE on the A6. I might try it with the beeping set to off, but then I'd never get an audible warning if someone was to walk behind the car. Audi - FIX THIS.
02-17-2014, 07:14 AM
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What's your youtube channel or the links to the vids?
Also on the gripes, just go get yourself a taller Audi coffee mug (aluminum Audi Sport one) and those fit great in both the left and right cup holders. For a water bottle, just pick up a Klean Kanteen bottle and you will be good to go.
http://audicollectionusa.com/Motorsp...travel-tumbler
http://www.kleankanteen.com/products...oz-classic.php
Also on the gripes, just go get yourself a taller Audi coffee mug (aluminum Audi Sport one) and those fit great in both the left and right cup holders. For a water bottle, just pick up a Klean Kanteen bottle and you will be good to go.
http://audicollectionusa.com/Motorsp...travel-tumbler
http://www.kleankanteen.com/products...oz-classic.php
Today is the first month of my A6 TDI ownership experience. Here's my take after 1,900 miles:
We all know that Audis are super smooth, but the TDI is also super quiet on the highway. I borrowed a decibel meter from a friend and the A6 registers 63db at 60mph. I don't have the sport package. I will be doing more readings at different speeds.
Torquey diesels are not new for me, since I also have a 2008 Mercedes E-class BlueTec with 400lbft of torque. What is new for me is the power delivery to all four wheels. The A6 feels about 1,000 lbs lighter than the Benz (even though they weight about the same). The A6 also reaches 43mpg on road trips with minimal effort. The best I ever got was 36mpg for the Benz. The hard part about the A6 is learning to drive with restraint. Getting 43mpg is easy if I use ACC set to the speed limit. Also, it's hard to resist pulling away from the lights at a brisk pace. If I try for it, I am confident I can reach 47-50mpg in the A6 this summer. I have unlocked 60mpg in a Jetta TDI (mkv 6mt) and I can see potential in the A6 for some phenomenal results.
Power delivery is effortless. The automatic is flawless. So when it snowed, I was excited. When freezing rain fell after the snow, I was ecstatic. So I took the car to a massive parking lot and played around. A new Audi A6 TDI in the snow is fun. Even the cops enjoyed watching. I posted three quick videos on youtube about the difference of the handling and performance between comfort, dynamic, and traction control reduced. I had MASSIVE fun with dynamic mode and traction control reduced. I felt like I had more control with traction control on and the car in comfort mode. The light steering made it easy to correct and counter steer with quick results. I discovered that even with 428lbft of torque, the A6 was still hard to upset in the slush. The car just asserts itself and that power is a dominant force which I think helped it stay on track while TRYING to go sideways.
The Audi doesn't feel like it out accelerates/pulls any better from 80-100mph than the Benz. But I do find myself reaching 80mph a lot more often in the A6.
I'm still getting used to dynamic mode and the sport mode of the transmission. I don't think dynamic mode works well on road trips if you have the lane keeping assist on. The lane corrections are jerky in dynamic and more subtle in comfort mode.
I like ACC in dynamic mode on the highway, but it scares the crap out of me in stop-and-go city traffic. So I find myself keeping the car in comfort mode in the city and on the highway. I only ever go into dynamic mode when I'm feeling like carving up a mountain road. Even then, I turn off lane keeping assist. At one point, the braking guard warning came on when I was entering a hairpin turn while facing a rocky cliff. The car didn't brake, but it was predicting a crash which I was nowhere near having.
GRIPES:
These cup holders are useless. They are too tight and cannot fit a small coffee cup or water bottle. It's too much of a big deal to try and squeeze a cup in without worrying about the lid popping off. As for a water bottle, forget about putting a water bottle in there with the cap off.
The parking sensors... I'm getting used to the whole camera setup with the overhead view and multiple camera angles. The Benz has sensors but no camera. The Benz also has LED lights in the center of the dash and the center of the roof in the rear and as you approach an object, the led lights start to light up... the closer you get, the more LEDs you get. When you get too close, red LED lights appear and the beeping is constant. I've never had a problem with that. In the A6, however, I have to focus on the screen rather than have lights in my peripheral whether I'm looking forward or looking in my mirror. What really catches me out in the A6, however, is the placement of the speakers for the proximity sensors. Audi really should put a speaker in each corner and the sound should come from the RIGHT FRONT if I'm too close to something on the RIGHT FRONT. As it stands now, I'll get a beep from the LEFT FRONT and the camera will show an object too close on the RIGHT FRONT. This is confusing because I see one obstacle but hear something different. The same goes for the REAR. It would be much better to have the sound emanate from the corner that has the obstacle. I think this is something I actually HATE on the A6. I might try it with the beeping set to off, but then I'd never get an audible warning if someone was to walk behind the car. Audi - FIX THIS.
We all know that Audis are super smooth, but the TDI is also super quiet on the highway. I borrowed a decibel meter from a friend and the A6 registers 63db at 60mph. I don't have the sport package. I will be doing more readings at different speeds.
Torquey diesels are not new for me, since I also have a 2008 Mercedes E-class BlueTec with 400lbft of torque. What is new for me is the power delivery to all four wheels. The A6 feels about 1,000 lbs lighter than the Benz (even though they weight about the same). The A6 also reaches 43mpg on road trips with minimal effort. The best I ever got was 36mpg for the Benz. The hard part about the A6 is learning to drive with restraint. Getting 43mpg is easy if I use ACC set to the speed limit. Also, it's hard to resist pulling away from the lights at a brisk pace. If I try for it, I am confident I can reach 47-50mpg in the A6 this summer. I have unlocked 60mpg in a Jetta TDI (mkv 6mt) and I can see potential in the A6 for some phenomenal results.
Power delivery is effortless. The automatic is flawless. So when it snowed, I was excited. When freezing rain fell after the snow, I was ecstatic. So I took the car to a massive parking lot and played around. A new Audi A6 TDI in the snow is fun. Even the cops enjoyed watching. I posted three quick videos on youtube about the difference of the handling and performance between comfort, dynamic, and traction control reduced. I had MASSIVE fun with dynamic mode and traction control reduced. I felt like I had more control with traction control on and the car in comfort mode. The light steering made it easy to correct and counter steer with quick results. I discovered that even with 428lbft of torque, the A6 was still hard to upset in the slush. The car just asserts itself and that power is a dominant force which I think helped it stay on track while TRYING to go sideways.
The Audi doesn't feel like it out accelerates/pulls any better from 80-100mph than the Benz. But I do find myself reaching 80mph a lot more often in the A6.
I'm still getting used to dynamic mode and the sport mode of the transmission. I don't think dynamic mode works well on road trips if you have the lane keeping assist on. The lane corrections are jerky in dynamic and more subtle in comfort mode.
I like ACC in dynamic mode on the highway, but it scares the crap out of me in stop-and-go city traffic. So I find myself keeping the car in comfort mode in the city and on the highway. I only ever go into dynamic mode when I'm feeling like carving up a mountain road. Even then, I turn off lane keeping assist. At one point, the braking guard warning came on when I was entering a hairpin turn while facing a rocky cliff. The car didn't brake, but it was predicting a crash which I was nowhere near having.
GRIPES:
These cup holders are useless. They are too tight and cannot fit a small coffee cup or water bottle. It's too much of a big deal to try and squeeze a cup in without worrying about the lid popping off. As for a water bottle, forget about putting a water bottle in there with the cap off.
The parking sensors... I'm getting used to the whole camera setup with the overhead view and multiple camera angles. The Benz has sensors but no camera. The Benz also has LED lights in the center of the dash and the center of the roof in the rear and as you approach an object, the led lights start to light up... the closer you get, the more LEDs you get. When you get too close, red LED lights appear and the beeping is constant. I've never had a problem with that. In the A6, however, I have to focus on the screen rather than have lights in my peripheral whether I'm looking forward or looking in my mirror. What really catches me out in the A6, however, is the placement of the speakers for the proximity sensors. Audi really should put a speaker in each corner and the sound should come from the RIGHT FRONT if I'm too close to something on the RIGHT FRONT. As it stands now, I'll get a beep from the LEFT FRONT and the camera will show an object too close on the RIGHT FRONT. This is confusing because I see one obstacle but hear something different. The same goes for the REAR. It would be much better to have the sound emanate from the corner that has the obstacle. I think this is something I actually HATE on the A6. I might try it with the beeping set to off, but then I'd never get an audible warning if someone was to walk behind the car. Audi - FIX THIS.
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