4000 Mile Report (long)
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
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4000 Mile Report (long)
This is pretty long, and I've also been thinking of posting a modified version of it on epinions.com with more emphasis on the plusses and less descriptions of the minuses...
I hit my 4000 mile mark on my A6 2.7T very appropriately during a day trip to Yosemite (first time there). Three months and 4000 miles, has it been that long already? It still seems like I just got this car, and I still love it; the novelty hasn't gone away and it probably never will!
I've always loved cars that mixed sport, luxury, and value. My 1988 Cougar XR-7 was like that, like a cross between a Mustang and a Lincoln. This is my 3rd Audi, my first was a nearly antique 1974 Audi 100, and my 2nd was a tornado red 1985 "5x5" coupe (5 cyl, 5 spd). Retired with 375,000 clicks, 14 winters had taken their toll on the electrical systems; though she still looked great and didn't burn a drop of oil.
So now I have the 2.7T and it's surely the perfect balance of the factors I look for. It's the fastest, best handling, and most luxurious car I've ever had, and no one would ever say it is comparatively overpriced.
<b>Performance:</b>
I'm a closet driving enthusiast, so I can really appreciate this car. It goes. It goes fast. The car is impressive whispering down a street at 20, or barreling up the interstate at 100. It takes off like a rocket and is graceful in the curves; and the quattro has forgiven my overzealous driving more than once. In curves and corners and even hairpins, it handles better than most cars on the road, and it's certainly the best handling car I've ever driven. If no one ever told me that the Continental tires are lacking, I would never have considered the handling anything short of amazing - it isn't. I've learned how to manage these tires and appreciate the handling geometry, even without the sport springs. Hearing the Contis howl (yes, all four at once!) as I round some mountain curve reminds me of how much fun I'm having.
And those turbos, oh so sweet. My favorite sensation is the WOT sprint in 3rd from 60 to 90; how you're suddenly just pressed back in the seat as the car springs forward, relentlessly. And for once, you can REALLY hear the engine! I'll never forget the day I got the car, I noticed the amazing sound the turbos make, and suddenly realized turbos were the source of this sound on big-rigs too. Cool. But big-rigs don't do 0-60 in 6 seconds. Neither do I, though; but I'm getting better at launches and have pulled off some 'nearly' perfect ones. I really only do this maybe once or twice a week. Only twice have I botched it and had that unmistakable scent better known as "Fragrant Clutch No. 5" - yuk!
And how was performance at 7500 feet altitude? For the most part, I noticed no drop in performance except for one particular passing event, where it seemed noticeably lacking. But it seemed that even after that, at higher altitudes, the car was always as strong as expected. And with legions of SUV's plodding along the twisting routes, the few available passing zones (I swear there were only 5 in a 50 mile stretch!) required power on demand, and it came on strong, at no loss for breath.
So what lies ahead for the performance of my car? Well my plans first are for better tires, even on the stock wheels. After that, Eibach springs, then a chip (MTM probably) and a short-shifter. Down the road, likely new wheels too. Yeah, I have plans for my baby.
<b>Luxury:</b>
When you've got it, you've got it. I've checked out the interior of a lot of cars, the way they look, feel, and move. Even in a field of cars costing 3x as much, I would dare say the A6 has the best interior of all. In fact, I don't even like the interior of the award-winning A8 as much, despite the extras like the more advanced climate control - I just think the A6 interior is more beautiful in any sense of the word you may choose. It is a treat for four of your five senses (no, I didn't taste my car okay?).
The smell of the onyx leather is something I will always remember clearly, even when I've become a drooling old man with holographic teeth.
Rather than list off a couple chapters of perfectly implemented controls and instruments, it would be more informative to only describe where it deviates from ergonomic perfection. I think the A6 is 99% there except for a list of hard-to-find misses, from most annoying to least annoying:
The Left Stalk. This thing is a mess! First, they have adopted the baffling Japanese design of moving the stalk away from you for high beam, so that suddenly it's no longer exactly where you expect it to be. Does someone have a mod? Please?????? And second, the cruise control - it's just as stupid as it was on my 85 Coupe. The spring on the end button is so stiff, that it's an effort not to engage the blinker when trying to set the speed. And the minuscule resume "slider" is afraid to be touched, as it is cowering in one of the darkest, hardest to reach places on the entire dashboard. The next most annoying thing? I have dead, useless buttons on my steering wheel. The bottom ones are marked for and can only be used with the integrated phone, which I will never buy. How ironic and cruel that I not only yearn for the simple elegance of having the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel like my 88 Mercury had, but also that my A6 steering wheel has UNUSED buttons that I can't do a thing with!!!
Next most annoying thing is the retractable console armrest. I really don't know what is wrong with this thing, but it just feels mildly awkward - it's hard to find that bar to press and even though I only adjust it to only 'up' or 'down' I am always finding myself having to press the bar again to set it where I wanted. It's just problematic; and it even bumps into the handbrake. Finally, the position of the stickshift is simply too far ahead. Many have said this because one's height is not a factor in this issue - as only those with disproportionately short legs and/or long arms will have a good fit. Finally, the warning beep - it's so loud it startles me and any passenger EVERY time. Couldn't we have a nice "plooooooommm" sound?
Other than that, she's perfect!
Reliability/Maintenance:
I am on a first-name basis with my technical advisor, but I wouldn't describe my car as anything short of reliable. As of Sept 1, the car will have had 7.5% of its three-month life in the shop. Seven days. It's not a lot, I feel, but I do know it is far more than the norm for an A6. I feel I must point out that not a single one of the maintenance issues prevented the car from functioning in even the smallest way. At no point since I took delivery has a single component failed to function. If I had not bothered with any of these repairs, my A6 today would be functioning as well any other maintenance-free A6.
At 800 miles, six days to fix a very slow oil leak on the left turbo oil input, accomplished, according to the shop manual, by removing the engine to replace a $5 washer. The tech bought brand new tools and sawed them apart so that he could make the repair in a confined space without taking out the engine. I think I should send him a bottle of 12 year old scotch for not tearing the heart out of my baby. It seems Diablo Audi has a champ in the maintenance bay to complement the champ on the sales team. Though it wasn't without a goof-up : another tech had put in the wrong weight oil - I noticed this on the invoice. I drove it back and they took it in and changed it on the spot, while I waited.
Other repair issues: Replaced the aux cooling fan. It became louder and made a sound like an air-raid siren. During replacement, a piece of rubber was found protruding into the fan, causing the noise. The common "headliner buzz" problem was fixed, though instead of having foam pushed in like all the other dealerships do, the tech determined exactly what caused the buzz, and repaired the fastener to solve the problem - not muffle it. Also the driver window seal was lubricated because it folding down. Finally there are two items I fixed myself - one was some rubber molding at the bottom front of the driver's door which was rubbing and squeaking against the door sill. I loosened a screw and moved the part about 1mm to solve the problem. And finally the day I got it, the mounting bracket in the trunk for the roadside reflector kept falling off; I eventually fixed it by re-installing the mounting bracket with a screwdriver.
<b>Conclusion:</b>
Overall, I'm still thrilled with the car. It looks about as new as the day I got it, since I draw the line on environmental hazards at "drinks yes, meals no". I hope it will look like new forever, and I can't help wonder how in 20 years, this car could still be on the road, with almost half a million miles, still bringing a smile to the face of its closet driving enthusiast, be it a rookie or a veteran.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=5325">
<img src="http://www.cameo.net/stuff/augerspin.gif">
    2.7T 2.XS    
</a>
I hit my 4000 mile mark on my A6 2.7T very appropriately during a day trip to Yosemite (first time there). Three months and 4000 miles, has it been that long already? It still seems like I just got this car, and I still love it; the novelty hasn't gone away and it probably never will!
I've always loved cars that mixed sport, luxury, and value. My 1988 Cougar XR-7 was like that, like a cross between a Mustang and a Lincoln. This is my 3rd Audi, my first was a nearly antique 1974 Audi 100, and my 2nd was a tornado red 1985 "5x5" coupe (5 cyl, 5 spd). Retired with 375,000 clicks, 14 winters had taken their toll on the electrical systems; though she still looked great and didn't burn a drop of oil.
So now I have the 2.7T and it's surely the perfect balance of the factors I look for. It's the fastest, best handling, and most luxurious car I've ever had, and no one would ever say it is comparatively overpriced.
<b>Performance:</b>
I'm a closet driving enthusiast, so I can really appreciate this car. It goes. It goes fast. The car is impressive whispering down a street at 20, or barreling up the interstate at 100. It takes off like a rocket and is graceful in the curves; and the quattro has forgiven my overzealous driving more than once. In curves and corners and even hairpins, it handles better than most cars on the road, and it's certainly the best handling car I've ever driven. If no one ever told me that the Continental tires are lacking, I would never have considered the handling anything short of amazing - it isn't. I've learned how to manage these tires and appreciate the handling geometry, even without the sport springs. Hearing the Contis howl (yes, all four at once!) as I round some mountain curve reminds me of how much fun I'm having.
And those turbos, oh so sweet. My favorite sensation is the WOT sprint in 3rd from 60 to 90; how you're suddenly just pressed back in the seat as the car springs forward, relentlessly. And for once, you can REALLY hear the engine! I'll never forget the day I got the car, I noticed the amazing sound the turbos make, and suddenly realized turbos were the source of this sound on big-rigs too. Cool. But big-rigs don't do 0-60 in 6 seconds. Neither do I, though; but I'm getting better at launches and have pulled off some 'nearly' perfect ones. I really only do this maybe once or twice a week. Only twice have I botched it and had that unmistakable scent better known as "Fragrant Clutch No. 5" - yuk!
And how was performance at 7500 feet altitude? For the most part, I noticed no drop in performance except for one particular passing event, where it seemed noticeably lacking. But it seemed that even after that, at higher altitudes, the car was always as strong as expected. And with legions of SUV's plodding along the twisting routes, the few available passing zones (I swear there were only 5 in a 50 mile stretch!) required power on demand, and it came on strong, at no loss for breath.
So what lies ahead for the performance of my car? Well my plans first are for better tires, even on the stock wheels. After that, Eibach springs, then a chip (MTM probably) and a short-shifter. Down the road, likely new wheels too. Yeah, I have plans for my baby.
<b>Luxury:</b>
When you've got it, you've got it. I've checked out the interior of a lot of cars, the way they look, feel, and move. Even in a field of cars costing 3x as much, I would dare say the A6 has the best interior of all. In fact, I don't even like the interior of the award-winning A8 as much, despite the extras like the more advanced climate control - I just think the A6 interior is more beautiful in any sense of the word you may choose. It is a treat for four of your five senses (no, I didn't taste my car okay?).
The smell of the onyx leather is something I will always remember clearly, even when I've become a drooling old man with holographic teeth.
Rather than list off a couple chapters of perfectly implemented controls and instruments, it would be more informative to only describe where it deviates from ergonomic perfection. I think the A6 is 99% there except for a list of hard-to-find misses, from most annoying to least annoying:
The Left Stalk. This thing is a mess! First, they have adopted the baffling Japanese design of moving the stalk away from you for high beam, so that suddenly it's no longer exactly where you expect it to be. Does someone have a mod? Please?????? And second, the cruise control - it's just as stupid as it was on my 85 Coupe. The spring on the end button is so stiff, that it's an effort not to engage the blinker when trying to set the speed. And the minuscule resume "slider" is afraid to be touched, as it is cowering in one of the darkest, hardest to reach places on the entire dashboard. The next most annoying thing? I have dead, useless buttons on my steering wheel. The bottom ones are marked for and can only be used with the integrated phone, which I will never buy. How ironic and cruel that I not only yearn for the simple elegance of having the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel like my 88 Mercury had, but also that my A6 steering wheel has UNUSED buttons that I can't do a thing with!!!
Next most annoying thing is the retractable console armrest. I really don't know what is wrong with this thing, but it just feels mildly awkward - it's hard to find that bar to press and even though I only adjust it to only 'up' or 'down' I am always finding myself having to press the bar again to set it where I wanted. It's just problematic; and it even bumps into the handbrake. Finally, the position of the stickshift is simply too far ahead. Many have said this because one's height is not a factor in this issue - as only those with disproportionately short legs and/or long arms will have a good fit. Finally, the warning beep - it's so loud it startles me and any passenger EVERY time. Couldn't we have a nice "plooooooommm" sound?
Other than that, she's perfect!
Reliability/Maintenance:
I am on a first-name basis with my technical advisor, but I wouldn't describe my car as anything short of reliable. As of Sept 1, the car will have had 7.5% of its three-month life in the shop. Seven days. It's not a lot, I feel, but I do know it is far more than the norm for an A6. I feel I must point out that not a single one of the maintenance issues prevented the car from functioning in even the smallest way. At no point since I took delivery has a single component failed to function. If I had not bothered with any of these repairs, my A6 today would be functioning as well any other maintenance-free A6.
At 800 miles, six days to fix a very slow oil leak on the left turbo oil input, accomplished, according to the shop manual, by removing the engine to replace a $5 washer. The tech bought brand new tools and sawed them apart so that he could make the repair in a confined space without taking out the engine. I think I should send him a bottle of 12 year old scotch for not tearing the heart out of my baby. It seems Diablo Audi has a champ in the maintenance bay to complement the champ on the sales team. Though it wasn't without a goof-up : another tech had put in the wrong weight oil - I noticed this on the invoice. I drove it back and they took it in and changed it on the spot, while I waited.
Other repair issues: Replaced the aux cooling fan. It became louder and made a sound like an air-raid siren. During replacement, a piece of rubber was found protruding into the fan, causing the noise. The common "headliner buzz" problem was fixed, though instead of having foam pushed in like all the other dealerships do, the tech determined exactly what caused the buzz, and repaired the fastener to solve the problem - not muffle it. Also the driver window seal was lubricated because it folding down. Finally there are two items I fixed myself - one was some rubber molding at the bottom front of the driver's door which was rubbing and squeaking against the door sill. I loosened a screw and moved the part about 1mm to solve the problem. And finally the day I got it, the mounting bracket in the trunk for the roadside reflector kept falling off; I eventually fixed it by re-installing the mounting bracket with a screwdriver.
<b>Conclusion:</b>
Overall, I'm still thrilled with the car. It looks about as new as the day I got it, since I draw the line on environmental hazards at "drinks yes, meals no". I hope it will look like new forever, and I can't help wonder how in 20 years, this car could still be on the road, with almost half a million miles, still bringing a smile to the face of its closet driving enthusiast, be it a rookie or a veteran.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=5325">
<img src="http://www.cameo.net/stuff/augerspin.gif">
    2.7T 2.XS    
</a>
New Member
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Front Door Squeek
Audiablo,
Thanks for the great report. In there, you mention:
---- snip here ----
one was some rubber molding at the bottom front of the driver's door which was rubbing and squeaking against the door sill. I loosened a screw and moved the part about 1mm to solve the problem
---- snip here ----
I am noticing this on our new A6 as well and am wondering if you could provide some more details on your fix.
Thanks!
--Doug
Thanks for the great report. In there, you mention:
---- snip here ----
one was some rubber molding at the bottom front of the driver's door which was rubbing and squeaking against the door sill. I loosened a screw and moved the part about 1mm to solve the problem
---- snip here ----
I am noticing this on our new A6 as well and am wondering if you could provide some more details on your fix.
Thanks!
--Doug
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 52
From: Ollala, Washington State
Steering wheel controls modifiable...
I saw it in this forum months ago but can not find it... Probably in the tech section also... You can have the controls on the steering wheel modified by software code change... Anyone else remember this????
BTW, Great description. I order my Audi tomorrow if all continues to go well...
Doug ;}
BTW, Great description. I order my Audi tomorrow if all continues to go well...
Doug ;}
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 0
Re: Front Door Squeek
It was the screw closest to the corner of the door, holding down the rubber. I just loosened it and forced the rubber upwards as I retightened it.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=5325">
<img src="http://www.cameo.net/stuff/augerspin.gif">
    2.7T 2.XS    
</a>
<img src="http://www.cameo.net/stuff/augerspin.gif">
    2.7T 2.XS    
</a>
New Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
Re: 4000 Mile Report (long)
Great report, with which I agree 100%. Except, I haven't had any of the glitches that you describe; not even the squeaks or rattles. Just a coolant temp sensor replaced three weeks ago (took less than three hours at the dealer).
I totally agree with the cruise control comments. I've had Cruise control on Fords, Hondas, Acuras, Mazdas, and Subarus. This one on the Audi is easily the WORST of the lot. The Honda products and the Ford were the best, being mounted as they are on the wheel. Honda products and Subaru even provide a lighted display on the dash to remind you that the cruise control is on.
In almost 11,000 miles I've probably only used my A6's cruise control twice, and both times I cursed its crummy ergonomics. But, the highways that I drive (mainly I-5 in Western WA) are usually so full of fellow travelers that use of the CC is usually not even advisable. Just as well.
Yeah, we definitely understand your passion.
Enjoy!
I totally agree with the cruise control comments. I've had Cruise control on Fords, Hondas, Acuras, Mazdas, and Subarus. This one on the Audi is easily the WORST of the lot. The Honda products and the Ford were the best, being mounted as they are on the wheel. Honda products and Subaru even provide a lighted display on the dash to remind you that the cruise control is on.
In almost 11,000 miles I've probably only used my A6's cruise control twice, and both times I cursed its crummy ergonomics. But, the highways that I drive (mainly I-5 in Western WA) are usually so full of fellow travelers that use of the CC is usually not even advisable. Just as well.
Yeah, we definitely understand your passion.
Enjoy!
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Re: Cruise Control
Can drivers in other regions use cruise control? You're right - in Western WA it's a useless toy. I haven't even been tempted to try it yet.
I also agree 100% with Audiablo. Great report. I'm at 4 months and 5k miles and only a little headliner buzz and radio gremlins so far.
2000 A6 2.7T 6M
Ebony/Onyx, PSK, Bose, Conv., Cold Weather
I also agree 100% with Audiablo. Great report. I'm at 4 months and 5k miles and only a little headliner buzz and radio gremlins so far.
2000 A6 2.7T 6M
Ebony/Onyx, PSK, Bose, Conv., Cold Weather
Trending Topics
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,000
Likes: 0
Re: Steering wheel controls modifiable...
I spent 30mins searching and found a lot of discussion, but no conclusions, on whether it would be possible to program the lower (phone) buttons on the multifuction steering wheel to work like the older "radio" steering wheel and scan the station presents. Did anyone ever post a solution?
BTW, it used to be that you could search for "steering wheel" near "presets". But the new search is different. It went off searching for "near"!!<p>2000 4.2
Casablanca White / Melange
PSL, ESP, Xenon, Cool
BTW, it used to be that you could search for "steering wheel" near "presets". But the new search is different. It went off searching for "near"!!<p>2000 4.2
Casablanca White / Melange
PSL, ESP, Xenon, Cool
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