When you drive your S7, do you manually raise your spoiler or leave it down?

 

The only time I ever put it up manually is when I wash/dry the car, or when I coated underneath it with Gtechniq EXO sealant to keep it cleaner.

I obviously let it raise itself when on the highway, but I think the car looks better with it down. If Audi thinks it's only beneficial over 80 MPH for downforce then that's the only time I think it needs to be up. I wonder if Audi installed the spoiler to avoid the issues they had with the original TT:

From Car & Driver, February 2000:
"There appeared to be a problem for Audi and its hot TT, as evidenced by a troubling number of high-profile, high-speed crashes, most of them in Europe, where speed limits are more theoretical. As we reported last month, a recall was issued. The engineers continue to defend the car's original chassis settings, while quietly acknowledging that they recommended a rear spoiler to reduce lift at the rear axle, the prime source of the handling problems. Stylists resisted the spoiler. "There was a lot of discussion during development, and we all decided not to include a spoiler," admits Dr. Bernd Heissing, Audi's head of chassis development. "Now, we've changed our minds." As mentioned, the TT's flaw is primarily a Germany-only problem, because it's the only country in Europe where it's legal to exceed 80 mph. One TT driver was killed on a notorious high-speed autobahn curve. A second fatality occurred to an unbelted rear-seat passenger. Audi reports its accident investigation group has studied 22 totaled TTs. All TTs get a small rear spoiler mounted to the decklid in a move aimed at reducing lift on the rear axle at high speeds. The TT has 148 pounds of lift at the rear axle at 125 mph without the spoiler, but only a 53-pound lift when the spoiler is fitted."

I don't understand why I see A7s/S7s parked with the spoiler up, and the mirrors folded in...in my mind, leaving the spoiler up when parked is similar to leaving the mirrors unfolded; it makes it easier (or even more tempting) for someone to damage your vehicle while it's parked.

Randy

 

Randy Nailed it. However, my MMI is set to fold in the mirrors automatically upon locking, they are large, and can easily be hit, run into etc.

 

+1

 

Didn't know you could set that! Awesome. I can't wait until mine arrives!

 

I fold my mirrors too. It's also an easy way to be able to glance back at the car as you walk away and visually confirm that you locked it. However, if you unlock it to get something out of it (or put a shopping bag in it) and leave the car again, you need to remember to lock it again - the mirrors don't unfold until you start the car again. (meaning you could walk away from the car with it unlocked, and the mirrors folded)

Another feature that I've discovered is useful in city parking situations (like against the high curbs in Chicago) is using the air suspension "raise" button, to assure your passengers don't scrape the bottom of your doors when exiting onto a sidewalk.

Randy

 

How high does the suspension raise up when you do this?

 

Thanks for that RandyChicago. I had no idea you could raise the suspension.

 

Never have it up, unless it deploys on its own. Mirrors set to tuck in when locked and I always tuck them in manually when I pull into the garage, as its a weee bit tight in there.