charles

Need some advice from some fellow A4 owners. I currently have a 1997 1.8T with 75,000 miles on it and a Wett .8 bar chip and I seem to be having problems with it. I have been to the service dept several times with blown waste gates, minor other problems, and the car just running poorly. I get some flack from the service department for the chip causing the problems but I drive my car hard and fast and leaving it stock just dosent work. Here's my question, I need a car that dosent have these problems, that runs without putting money into it each month. I was thinking of getting a new 2000 2.8 or if I could swing it a S4. I feel that the little extra money for the payment would be okay as it wouldn't be seeing the service department as much, what do you guys think? Keep my baby and work with it or get a new one?

ECM

I have seen quite a few messages about this sort of thing in the past, people bitching about the problems they have with their 1.8T that's been modified and such. I have a 2.8 and it has seen the service department a total of zero times other than regular maintence and it's turning along just fine with 90,000 miles. Tough call but here's my .02.

Billy Bob

Push anything harder and it's going to break faster, that's all their is to it. By stressing your 1.8T to meet the levels of the 2.8 your adding additional stress to it that the 2.8 dosent have to acheive the same levels of performance.

Bob

Go for the 2.8 or S4. I am thinking about doing the same, keeping an Audi stock seems to have its advantages.

I own a 98 1.8T with the .8 bar APR chip and I've had similar problems ever since I "chipped it". Plus, I get nothing but hassles from my dealer when I bring it in for service. Problem is, they are the only dealer for quite a few miles and it would be a total hassle to drive about 200 miles to the next dealer for service.

Now after owning a modified A4, in my opinion, chips just aren't worth it. They shorten the life of the engine and they cause headaches at the dealer.

Andy Hedin

<i>blown waste gates</i>

This is somewhat of a common occurrence on the '97 1.8T engine (and early '98) and is not due to your chip as there have been several reports of the wastegate rod breaking on totally stock 1.8T's. BTW, my wastegate rod on my '97 broke at 22,000 miles while I was chipped and the turbo was replaced under warranty (chip had been removed for service...didn't want to take any chances)

<A HREF="Mailto:andy_hedin@hotmail.com">Andy Hedin</A>
'97 A4 1.8Tqms, Garrett 1.0 Bar, ABT Filter, APR/Borla Exhaust, Euro Headlights, more...

nicky

Well, your car is not that old. 75K miles for Audi is not a big deal either, however there is a point a which I buy a new car. With age value of the car is dropping and maintenance going up so you have to figure out if it makes sense to keep putting money into it or go and get a new one. On the other hand if you can swing money for a new S4, in my case at least, the temptation would probably take over. I am not sure if this helps, but hope fully its something to think about.

nick 99.5 1.8TQ

Jim

I noticed that the 2.8 tends to not have any of these "common occurrences" like the 1.8T does.

Is the 2.8 that much more reliable? Or is it the fact that the 1.8T engine is really a VW engine in disguise and the 2.8 is truly an Audi design?

I did have an interest in a new 1.8T Avant to replace my 96 2.8, but from all the "common occurrences" the 1.8T seems to get, I think I'll stick with the true Audi engine, the 2.8.

A. Udi

What would it cost to replace the wastegate rod at the dealer?

Patrik

...the original chip in, if you think that the APR is the root cause for all your problems?

Patrik

Wes

Similar problems with 95 Saab SE Turbo. Getting 2000 S4 (Silver/Onyx)