Hello Everyone,
I recently purchased a ´00 A4T and i love it. There is just one thing that is kinda bothering me and would like to share my question (or ignorance)with anyone who is willing to help. I live in a sort of valley and my daily commute consists of going up a hill then down the same, curvy road and breaks are a must at every corner. As always, i try no to use too much of the breaks, but lately, i´ve notice a lot of break dust on the front wheels. Now, is this normal? The reason i ask this it´s because my last car (a Honda Accord), which is also front wheel drive, did not leave as much as the A4. Other than that, i LOVE my Audi! It handles beautifully and the breaks are real claws (they are just "dusty"). Well, the whole car is great as we all know. Beats the hell out of owning a jap.!
Thank you and hope you guys can help my ignorance on the subject of breaks!

 

In fact a quick search of the archives will reveal this as one of the top complaints among A4 owners. Personally it doesn't bother me much, the A4's wheels are a lot easier to clean than the BBS wheels which came on my previous Jetta (which was just as bad brake dust wise)...a weekly cleaning keeps it in hand. Invest in some good wheel cleaner, I use P21S, someone mentioned that Maguiars #36 (or something) works well and is recomended by BBS and is cheaper than P21S. Stay away from Armorall, that stuff is caustic and although it works well it will chew up the clearcoat on the wheels. Also try waxing your wheels, it'll make them easier to clean (I haven't tried this yet, but others here report good results). I also recall someone mentioning wiping them with a drier sheet being an easier substitute for waxing). Finally, there are some options for replacement brake pads which generate less dust. Mintex and Raybestos padsare used by lots of folks here. Also, there have been reports that dealers have refused to replace worn rotors for people with aftermarket pads.<p>Regards,
Rodney

'99 A4 1.8tqms

 

Most German cars have softer pads. The BMW people complain as much about dust as we
do. The solution is aftermarket pads. MIntex are pretty roundly endorsed. Porterfields are
excellent but squeel, I'm going to give the IBC "greenstuff's" a try myself soon. Waxing
your wheels along with the car will keep dust from sticking as much, and makes them
MUCH easier to clean off. HTH

P.S. At least you were consistant with the wrong word! :-)<p><a href="http://www.meniscusdesign.com/a4/"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0 target="_top"></a>

 

Do they still sell the brake pad covers, they sit between the braks and the wheels the dust goes in

 

<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=161"</a><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/a4registrydl.jpg" BORDER=0></a>

 

<p>Brad Bilut, A4 98.5 2.8 30V PES
<a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=874 "><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/bilut_a4.jpg" BORDER=0></a>

 

<p>Brad Bilut, A4 98.5 2.8 30V PES
<a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=874 "><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/bilut_a4.jpg" BORDER=0></a>

 

even if mine were just typos from keyboarding too fast!<p><a href="http://www.meniscusdesign.com/a4/"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0 target="_top"></a>

 

I am looking to buy a (Y2K) 1.8T Avant this week. Could not find any with standard transmission, but found a beautiful Hibiscus Red one with Clay cloth int., sunroof, Bose, CD chgr, Tip 99.5. Problem is I drove it and the performance was painfully slow unless I kicked it. Possibly it's so smooth, but amazingly different to TQMS sedan.

Here's the problem, need to decide in the next 24hrs or deal is off and I am not convinced that chipping will make it that much better. Sedan appears to drop from ~8.5 seconds to ~7sec 0-60. The Avant/Quattro/Tip/Trip is listed as TEN.1 secs. 0-60. Given a drop of 1 to 1.5 sec that would still be in the pitiful high 8 second range. If that was great, no-one would chip the TQMS - right?

I'm a family man I don't want to race, or even go that fast but I'm amazed that on a $30,000 car that I need to mod the car to get close to it's BMW/Volvo/Subaru peers (sorry I used the B** word). Love the interior, standard features, fit & finish, etc. but don't really want to spend all that cash and then have my foot planted to keep up with all those Altima's and Accord's. Besides the fuel consumption looked terrible too, trip computer registered an ave. of 9.9mpg on my test drive and official stats are 19mpg city vs 22 for stick. Possibly erroneous reading, granted.

My wife loves the Hibiscus Red. I do too, but I also like the Pelican Blue and the Silver, even Jaspis Green. I don't think I want to wait 4 months for another car. If anyone knows of an Avant anywhere on the West Coast, speak up - esp Hib. Red or Silver TQMS. Don't like black interiors.

Any comments or advice greatly appreciated. One of the things that attracts me to the Audi are the wonderful sites (audiworld and vwvortex) and intelligent comments. You guys are sharp.

'Avant'less Scott in So. Cal.
(Be gentle, I'm a newbie ... pls. no flames)<p>SC