B8 S4 Ownership

[Adrian E]

DTB77 said:

Also on one occasion, I put it in to manual, dropped it down a couple of gears and accelerate briskly and all of a sudden (probably around 6000 rpm) it slipped itself back in to S mode and changed up a gear! Is that normal?

But as I said, I'm still learning and unfortunately my crappy commute doesn't give me too many opportunities to open her up...

I suspect it depends on spec - if you have ADS or just S mode on the gear selector.

It also depends how you are manually overriding the gearbox? In order to force the car to give full manual box control the gear selector needs to be knocked from D across to the manual gate, even if you intend to use the paddles.

I suspect if you're in S and then using the paddles it's behaving like my S8 does and dropping back into auto assuming you've only asked for an override for a specific reason and after a set time period it will revert to S or D

[DTB77]

Adrian E said:

I suspect it depends on spec - if you have ADS or just S mode on the gear selector.

It also depends how you are manually overriding the gearbox? In order to force the car to give full manual box control the gear selector needs to be knocked from D across to the manual gate, even if you intend to use the paddles.

I suspect if you're in S and then using the paddles it's behaving like my S8 does and dropping back into auto assuming you've only asked for an override for a specific reason and after a set time period it will revert to S or D

Ah, that'll be it then. Yes I have ADS (with engine / gearbox set to dynamic) but have only been using the paddles override, not putting it in the manual gate. Another thing learnt! Thanks

[DTB77]

Does anyone know whether the luggage net was supplied as standard with the B8.5 S4 Avant or came as an option? I have the hooks for a net but no net provided (this is the one that goes on the floor of the boot to hold things down).

[theboyfold]

DTB77 said:

Does anyone know whether the luggage net was supplied as standard with the B8.5 S4 Avant or came as an option? I have the hooks for a net but no net provided (this is the one that goes on the floor of the boot to hold things down).

I was just about to ask the same sort of question. Mine was supplied new without a net, so I assume you have to buy one.

[silentbrown]

theboyfold said:

Mine was supplied new without a net, so I assume you have to buy one.

The same for me. I think saloons get one with the "storage pack"?

[bungle]

Not standard, you have to buy them separately. About £25 on ebay.

[alxce]

Or you tell your friendly supplying dealer that you expected one but can't find it in the boot and he supplies one as a goodwill gesture.

[F40GT346]

Spartikus said:

Regarding tramlining, I've experienced it in many cars to varying degrees and pretty much concluded that a good set of tyres, at the right pressure and a decent alignment will sort it out. My B8 S4 has Pirelli Rossos on 18s and has no tramlining whatsoever.

It would be a shame to let it spoil an otherwise good car - it is avoidable.

Edited by Spartikus on Tuesday 26th January 21:42

I have had the same experience using Sport Contacts. When they get near the wear bars the car wants to chuck me off the road, feels like the tracking is massively out, put new tyres on and its perfect again. Just fitted 4 new Sport Contacts to mine and it feels fantastic again.

[theboyfold]

So I had somebody hit me yesterday. They only hit the wing mirror, but the glass was left hanging down from the wires that control the motor. However, I've managed to put it back and the folding in function and the indicators in the housing still work.

Does anybody know if this is a replacement body from Audi or I can get just the glass?

[silentbrown]

theboyfold said:

So I had somebody hit me yesterday. They only hit the wing mirror, but the glass was left hanging down from the wires that control the motor. However, I've managed to put it back and the folding in function and the indicators in the housing still work.

Does anybody know if this is a replacement body from Audi or I can get just the glass?

The glass should be available separately and just clips into the mirror. The wires to the back of the mirror glass are for the heating element.

But, if you've put it back in, what's actually broken?

[theboyfold]

silentbrown said:

The glass should be available separately and just clips into the mirror. The wires to the back of the mirror glass are for the heating element.

But, if you've put it back in, what's actually broken?

The impact caused the glass to shatter.

[silentbrown]

theboyfold said:

The impact caused the glass to shatter.

That would do it. Replacement glass from Audi or eBay, I'd guess. Pop out, disconnect/reconnect, push in.

for the terminally lazy there are self-adhesive ones to glue straight over the cracked original. But don't expect the heater function to work so well...

[Adrian E]

Be careful removing and installing the glass - use the electric motor to move the glass to the extreme of its left or right movement, use a plastic lever to pop it off and ideally have an assistant hold on to it or do the motor waggling bit. The glass can do a fair bit of damage if it drops on the door

When installing new glass make sure you centre the motor and apply even pressure in the middle of the mount so none of the clips are over-stretched. Otherwise one may eventually fail and drop the glass off the car when it's moving. This can get expensive....

[s4tronic]

You are lucky this isnt one with photochromic function that is dimmable as these are something like £120 for the glaas on its own....

[jimmyjimjim]

Duly noted. It's a nice function though, I was delighted when I realized mine were auto-dimming.

[Dr G]

Adrian E said:

Be careful removing and installing the glass - use the electric motor to move the glass to the extreme of its left or right movement, use a plastic lever to pop it off and ideally have an assistant hold on to it or do the motor waggling bit. The glass can do a fair bit of damage if it drops on the door

When installing new glass make sure you centre the motor and apply even pressure in the middle of the mount so none of the clips are over-stretched. Otherwise one may eventually fail and drop the glass off the car when it's moving. This can get expensive....

I like to point the mirror at the ground and wiggle fingers in behind as close to the centre as possible to apply even pressure. I suppose though that it doesn't matter nearly as much if the glass is already smashed!

[Adrian E]

It's more about making sure you don't damage the base mount on the body of the mechanism tbh. It doesn't matter if you do up/down or left/right so long as you can get a suitable tool (finger/plastic trim tool etc) in there behind the glass.

The fitting bit is key - if you push it on one side first, you'll over-stretch the clips on the mirror on the other side as it's pushed on. I have the scratches on the S8 as evidence of what happens when a mirror drops off due to broken clips and starts bashing the crap out of the side of the door as you slow down.

[s4tronic]

Can anyone advise me what should be the rev limiter/shift points when accelerating in Manual/Dynamic mode on pre facelift S4 S-Tronic?

I thought gearbox is supposed to shift at 6200 by itself even in manual mode or is this only applicable to face lift cars? Just want to check if mine shifts at the right point as it seems to shift at 6800-900 which is higher than I would expect for a stock car?

[s4tronic]

Okay I may sort of answer my own question. It seems rev limiter was lowered from 6800 to 6200 between b8 and b8.5....

[silentbrown]

s4tronic said:

Okay I may sort of answer my own question. It seems rev limiter was lowered from 6800 to 6200 between b8 and b8.5....

They did. But they conveniently forgot to tell anyone or mention this in the brochure.



I feel a class action lawsuit coming on - I want those extra 600 RPM!