DUTCH VanAtlanta

To answer your original question, the AAS was an option. It was not standard.

McRockFish

Damn! That is one nice, complicated, but very expensive system to maintain.

I'm sure AAS is nice but I intentionally sought out an s-line to buy without it when I Iearned that one air bag shock is $1900 (just the part) and often when one of these starts leaking the pump burns out and that can cost $1500 (just the part). I was told that AAS has life expectancy of around 10 years before stuff starts to go, and when one goes the others are most likely close behind? If that is true, wouldn't a full rehab of the air suspension cost an incredible amount of $. Enough to effectively total the car when the system starts to fail?

SamPer

Well, I guess I don't have it. Considering the expense of the repairs, I'm glad i don't have it. Just spent almost 10k on the car to fix the brakes, rotors, TPMS and MMI
Now the check engine lights come on Damn, Audi is expensive to maintain

timshuwy

In USA, the Adaptive Air suspension is not an option that you can purchase separately (anymore)...
1. You can only get it with the Prestige
2. It is part of what is called the "Adaptive Chassis" which also includes 4 wheel steering, which gives the car a tighter turning radius than the Q5.
I really like the "Adaptive" part.. you can control firmness of ride, and even how high you ride if going over rough road. it also adjusts for towing.
Really smooth ride

cuatrokoop

I haven't come across ANY 3.6L cars with the adaptive suspension. My 3.6 Premium has "steel" suspension. My 4.2 Premium has air, and it's amazing (especially when towing). Also, not cheap to repair. The 4.2 is in right now getting the rear air spring/shock units replaced and front upper & lower control arms. I bought aftermarket parts, and parts alone were still well over $1k. Labor will be easily $1k due to the dumb design of the front lower control arm bolts (they are eccentric, and trap water, which rusts the bolt and it fuses to the inner sleeve of the control arm bushing). Sawzalls and air chisels were involved in extricating those bolts. They are GREAT for adjustability, terrible for maintenance.

timshuwy

The adaptive suspension is only available now (as of 2017 or 2018?) in the Prestige line... then you can add-on the "Adaptive Chassis" (air AND steering).
Since they redesigned the 2017/18 and the chassis is different, hopefully they also fixed the "dumb design" you refer to.

cuatrokoop

I wrote a check to the indie shop for $1500, which included an alignment (which will likely need redone, as he was having trouble with the level control calibration) and flushing/filling coolant. Upper and lower front control arms, front sway bar links, rear air spring/shock units and ALL associated nuts/bolts for the job (those were factory, $$$). So, this repair was around $3k. Next round will be serp belt/water pump. I'd love for this thing to not leak so much engine oil, but that will likely require dropping the powertrain out the bottom on a lift table. When you do that, you might as well do chains/slides.