If I get my Q5 before road trip, what "prep" should I do? VAGCOM essentials? Nav/MP3?
 

If my Q5 arrives before I leave for my 1500 mile road trip, I won't have much time to tinker with everything before I leave. So what things do you recommend I do before I go to benefit during the following 10 days / 1500 miles?

Ok, I'll update this as I go..

1.) I was thinking some VAGCOM mods like windows and gear selection on DIS. Tinkering with LED intensity can likely wait, for instance. Others I should do up front? I'll have to revisit the list here:
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...php?p=24475265

These seem good to start:
- Enable Automatic Gear selection shown in DIS
- Enable Gauge Test/Needle Sweep
- Enable Import CDs to MMI's HD
- Enable Hidden menu in MMI (for above)
- Enable Lap Timer (to get oil temp)
- Enable Remote Operation windows&sunroof

2.) What about for Nav/MP3? I guess I should put songs from iTunes onto a SD card. Anything else here? This post has some info and link to more:
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...php?p=24444951

3.) In case I get it and tow (may rent uhaul to bring antique phone booth back from CT), I'll buy receiver hitch, ball, and lock(s).

4.) Fill up with diesel so I have a full tank for testing long-distance highway mileage. I won't get too many of these opportunities, so may as well make the most of it when they occur. Not that I'll drive to optimize MPG, but rather just to fill up before and after the Highway-only long distance drive to capture that mileage.

5.) Check tire pressure and fluid levels.

6.) V1 Hardwire

7.) Clearbra install

8.) Wax (depending on clearbra)

9.) Convex mirrors (stick-on)

10.) Create wifi hotspot for wife/daughter to use tablet(s).

Other? Thanks!

Depends on what you want to do with VCDS:

1.Enabling Gauge Test/Needle Sweep
2.Keep LED DRL's on With Turn Signal
3.Fog Light turns on with turn signal (Curb Side Lighting)
4.Adjust LED Brightness
and .......

http://www.audienthusiasts.com/VagCom.html
http://www.audigh.com/vag-com

To German but in Google Chrome with translators is not a problem

http://www.stemei.de/pages/coding/audi-q5-8r.php

Remember with a SD card, the MMI will essentially present you with the SD's directory structure. Depending on your tastes in music, this means either according to genre (many genres) or artist (few genres), which might mean for the latter that you create alphabetical artists' directories (e.g., 'A-D', 'E-H', ...)

HTH :)

My 2013 Hybrid Q5 has always done the startup needle sweep. It was the default setting, I didn't tweak anything. Other new Q5's may do this automatically too.

As far as I know Not, it is reserved only for the RS and S models in Audi

...and Hybrids as mentioned...
 

My 2013 Hybrid does it too, and I haven't touched it yet w/ VAG COM. I think I have also seen the sweep for Hybrids in some on line videos.

Do our cars allow fog lights to be turned on (only) with DRL still on? I tend to always drive with my lights/fogs on. In the Q5, I like the LED DRLs, so I'm wondering if I can drive with the DRL&Fogs on?

Or can I at least turn on Parking&Fog lights without headlights? If so, I see posts about keeping full brightness of LED DRL with parking lights, so that would suffice also if possible?

Never understood why people drive with their fog's on. Is this supposed to look good?

Check the air in the tires and check the fluid levels then enjoy the trip.

Yes, absolutely. Defines the full front of the car to give it some character/dimension. Referring to at night, that is, when you otherwise only have a pair of lights to reference. Particularly in a rear view mirror, it's easier to gauge the car/distance/speed (ie approaching/passing/changing lanes on multi-lane highway). For similar reasons, I'm a big fan of amber rear turn signals. It's so much easier to visually see that it's someone turning and not just a brake light, etc. I had previously installed Euro Amber turnsignal tail lights on my S4 and A3 for that reason.

S4 Euro Amber tail halfway through install for comparison:
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/eu...s/dsc04201.jpg

A3 Euro Amber tail halfway through install for comparison:
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/a3/eu...s/IMG_2546.jpg


You don't think Americans use fog lights for functional use, do you? LOL. I'm still in shock rear fog lights can be allowed in the US - A fraction of the people that own them know how to use them, and the majority of the majority that don't own them have no idea what they're for. Please also see my other comment about how happy I am to see the VCDS option to have "Enable Rear Tail Lights on with DRLs". I can't stand the number of people that will have DRLs and think all of their lights are on, when meanwhile the only lights on are the headlights (no parking, tails, plate, etc). I partially blame the manufacturers for lighting up the instrument cluster all the time which doesn't clue people in that they are going to get rear-ended, etc with no other lights on. /rant

But as to why I drive with my headilghts on during the day is for safety. I'd much rather someone see me coming during that moment when their head looks up from texting while driving. And I do think the LED DRLs look cool, so I'd prefer not to have them always off (since I want lights on). So if LED+Fogs work together, that seems to meet my desires.

On my A4, I modified the OEM relay box to allow fogs to act independently of the rest of the lighting. I could turn them on/off without any headlights, with high beams, or any combination. That was 14 years ago - now it seems with VCDS you can select similar operation. Oh, and I think I recall that Canada had DRLs for the B5 and they were merely the fogs on all the time (post projectors).
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/a4/fogs/

fogs on without headlights:
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/a4/fogs/mvc802f.jpg

Lows, highs, and fogs all on:
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/a4/fogs/mvc803f.jpg

On my S4, I installed RS4/Euro headlights. I wired some relays so that at the first switch position ("parking lights"), the City Lights would come on (without parking lights):
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/euros/dsc01808.jpg

and then at the 2nd position, everything returned to normal operation (headlights and parking lights on, city lights off) so that it's correct/safe for night driving:
http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/euros/dsc01804.jpg

I never did anything different with fogs - well other than some yellow H7s:

http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/ye...s/dsc01939.jpg

I'm a big fan of lighting and want to keep the DRL lighting for it's wonderful appearance and also ensure I have sufficient lighting for safety during daytime driving. Hope that helps understand my motivation.