DRL Non-wink, what would it take...
 

So I have read from the B9 A4 thread about OBDeleven mods and understand that for the US you cannot keep DRL on while the turn signal is flashing because it it wired that way and that the headlight hardware is different. This kind of sucks because I really don't like how that looks. What would it take to make them stay on? Is it as simple as buying European headlight clusters and replacing them? Or is there something much deeper such as wiring harness or module differences?

Even if it were that "simple", I'm not sure you want to pay thousands of dollars for a new headlight assembly (well, two of them) just to get winking.

The headlights are designed to wink (turn off the LED DRL) so that the turn signals would be very visible (as in, obvious) to other drivers. It is not a matter of not wanting how it looks or works. It is for your own safety and others, as well. At least, think about other motorists once in a while. It will make the world a much better place.

Not to mention you can't see it while in the cockpit of your ride anyway.

How can you possibly see it?

Wow, ok. No need to be so condescending. Same could be said about orange side indicators, yet there seems to be a lot of people who would like a more European look. I just think it looks weird from the outside, but apparently I'll live with them.

I don't think that was intended to be condescending. Your point about the side indicators is somewhat valid, but there's a really big difference in that I can see that ugly orange side marker nearly every time I go to get in my car, but I have never once seen the DRL wink (or the rear turn indicator for that matter, either). Just sayin'.

I fully except the point about not being able to see it so who cares and even the marginal safety reduction of such a modification. Totally fair. I just found it a bit rich to be told to consider others 'once in a while' to make the world a better place which actually sounded fairly inconsiderate to me.

Enough said. I will accept the DRL winking as I am not really prepared to spend significant amounts of money to change this. Really, I am starting to get impatient waiting for my car to come in and am looking at all the small things that I 'might' do when it gets here. I've already planned tinting, color correction with ceramic sealant, and UHP A/S tires as the bigger stuff. Now I'm looking at VAGCOM mods as well as other small stuff That said, on European models, is this feature implemented and because of the matrix headlights one is able to do a simple coding change to eliminate the wink? Or do they not even have DRL wink in Europe? I will be traveling to Switzerland in the fall so I guess I have to remember to see if I notice that.

Fair enough.

VAGCOM mods.... "Single Gear Display" will be my first change.

Has not much to do with safety. If the DRL dimming is sufficiently safe around the rest of the world, and on Teslas domestically, I think it's fine. I also agree that it looks retarded, as if a bulb went out, but fine someone in the US marketing department decided that it's the way it should be, just like the stupid red rear turn signals (speaking of diminished safety...)

It's prohibitively expensive regardless.