View Full Version : Engineer review of S4
moose_head
02-19-2015, 07:05 PM
Found this review from an engineer interesting. A bit more focus on the mechanical parts and then moving into a more standard review of the driving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylWiZwlVefM
It's an interesting channel too.
dave96gt
02-19-2015, 07:24 PM
Very thorough and informative, although it does exemplify why most people find it torture to listen to an engineer's explanation of anything.
drob23
02-19-2015, 07:32 PM
Love this guys other vids explaining various parts of cars/engines. Helped me learn a lot.
TRZ06
02-19-2015, 10:17 PM
I disagree on two points in the video.
1.) I think the brake feel is rather soft and spongy for a sports sedan. I like my brakes to be right there and with a firm pedal.
2.) The car does not stay flat in the corners. It has A LOT of body roll. It could user stiffer say bars stock
drob23
02-20-2015, 04:19 AM
I disagree on two points in the video.
1.) I think the brake feel is rather soft and spongy for a sports sedan. I like my brakes to be right there and with a firm pedal.
2.) The car does not stay flat in the corners. It has A LOT of body roll. It could user stiffer say bars stock
In fairness, he said he was coming from a corolla lol
vtbert3
02-20-2015, 05:07 AM
I disagree on two points in the video.
1.) I think the brake feel is rather soft and spongy for a sports sedan. I like my brakes to be right there and with a firm pedal.
2.) The car does not stay flat in the corners. It has A LOT of body roll. It could user stiffer say bars stock
Might want to get your brakes checked.
Sundowner
02-20-2015, 05:18 AM
I disagree on two points in the video.
1.) I think the brake feel is rather soft and spongy for a sports sedan. I like my brakes to be right there and with a firm pedal.
2.) The car does not stay flat in the corners. It has A LOT of body roll. It could user stiffer say bars stock
I would disagree with the first statement - and yes, get your brakes checked. you might have a diet coke in your brake fluid or something
I would temper the second statement; this is a FOUR THOUSAND POUND SEDAN - A roll bar diameter that would get you as flat through the corners as an Ariel Atom is also used as pipe piles to support your local overpass bridge abutment.
blackfunk
02-20-2015, 05:25 AM
Funny he should mention torque steer on an AWD drive car with a rear bias torque application. First couple times I've experienced it I thought I was going crazy.
Stock brakes suck. Pedal is soft and mushy, and needs more top end bite. Infiniti and BMW do brakes better. Throttle pedal is perfect - couldn't ask for more.
Way to much body roll.
And Audi think about this - he doesn't know the next sound selector is on the left of the steering wheel. Maybe, just maybe its not intuitive to use????
breyton490
02-20-2015, 05:36 AM
Love this guys other vids explaining various parts of cars/engines. Helped me learn a lot.
+1.. he has a great video explaining how DSG works...
MrFunk
02-20-2015, 05:39 AM
Sounds like he's describing the notchy electric steering issue at 12:30 ish... is that still not fully resolved?
drob23
02-20-2015, 05:51 AM
Sounds like he's describing the notchy electric steering issue at 12:30 ish... is that still not fully resolved?
He is describing driver steering recommendation (DSR), a feature that many EPS suppliers put on their steering systems. Even our GTI has this feature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_Steering_Recommendation
http://www.trw.com/sites/default/files/TRW_ge_dsr_en.pdf
Electric steering won't make the evolutionary jump until engineers re-think the implementation and suspension design. The B8 was designed a specific way and the B8.5 just threw an electric rack in the same place. But the steering on my B8.5 with DSR turned off and no update is fine. No worse than the GTI.
He does a great job of reviewing cars, I've learned quite a bit about cars watching his videos. I think he missed a few things about the S4 interior; though those are pretty minor. For example, I think he had the cruise control stalk in the "off" position and thought that's how you use it.
Another good one is his explanation of how the Torsen diff (found in all B8's, but not B8.5's which have the crown gear diff):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiq1Rk5wqds
ojmcneill
02-20-2015, 06:55 AM
where's this dude filming? Looks like his own personal body dumping ground. lol
MrFunk
02-20-2015, 06:55 AM
He is describing driver steering recommendation (DSR), a feature that many EPS suppliers put on their steering systems. Even our GTI has this feature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_Steering_Recommendation
http://www.trw.com/sites/default/files/TRW_ge_dsr_en.pdf
Electric steering won't make the evolutionary jump until engineers re-think the implementation and suspension design. The B8 was designed a specific way and the B8.5 just threw an electric rack in the same place. But the steering on my B8.5 with DSR turned off and no update is fine. No worse than the GTI.
Huh... never heard of that actually...
Seems it's a "nudge" in the event of a skid... he's describing fighting the steering wheel while just driving along the highway... which seems not like what DSR is doing.
drob23
02-20-2015, 07:03 AM
Huh... never heard of that actually...
Seems it's a "nudge" in the event of a skid... he's describing fighting the steering wheel while just driving along the highway... which seems not like what DSR is doing.
From the TRW doc: "Driver steer recommendation can offer additional features such as side wind compensation..."
Ford's marketing material (they call it pull-drift compensation, but most german suppliers like ZF and conti call this DSR):
http://media.carcomplaints.com/minisites/img/ford/eps-with-pull-drift-compensation.jpg
Okan509
02-20-2015, 07:07 AM
I've never experienced what he is talking about at highway speeds, regarding the steering feel.
While I have experienced it on other vehicles..
What button under the pedal is he talking about?
blackfunk
02-20-2015, 08:34 AM
The Kickdown switch. I've experenced 'torque steer' as well. Floor the gas and as the nose goes light you can feel the wheel moving about and I'm not talking about camber and ruts etc.
Mp0wer
02-20-2015, 01:19 PM
I agree with this review, the brakes are way too touchy when parking, the MMI knob I'm still not used to, why they made it counter clockwise is beyond me, the steering is horrible no feel at all and wanders on the highway, not much steering controls, no engine sound or fake sound, the rear view video quality is horrible, also every morning my windows are frozen and won't roll down, very frustrating when going to dunkin donuts drive thru and I have to open my door to order and pay, kinda embarrassing.
I do love the car, I just need to get used to it.
Casius
02-20-2015, 05:14 PM
Oh god, engineer review of anything... I'm an engineer and I can't stand most engineers. Some please find reviews by an arts student (assuming they could afford it zing!), a doctor, and an architect. :)
Thank god for Youtube speed control
Casius
02-20-2015, 05:24 PM
Who is the German bastard who thought up the Torsen
ptper
02-20-2015, 05:29 PM
In what it took me 6 months to learn about my car, he breaks down in one day, lol. Didn't know I was using the kickdown when I was gettin on it, kinda embarrassed, ha. I agree that his other videos were very helpful to noobs like me. Must have made those videos like 20 years ago, cause it looks like he's aged quite a bit.
Midnight_Rider
02-20-2015, 06:02 PM
I agree. I like brakes that doesn't have too much bite, but progressively get harder breaking. It might that ceramic brake pads are the answer for daily driver.
This is a very good review, but really boring. Better than majority of what's out there though. It's very comprehensive.
moose_head
02-20-2015, 06:08 PM
Who is the German bastard who thought up the Torsen
It's an American invention. Gleason Corp of Rochester NY (since sold, but still based there)
purelife
02-20-2015, 09:29 PM
What button under the pedal is he talking about?
When you floor it pedal to the metal you will feel this button. BMWs have this as well.
moose_head
02-20-2015, 09:42 PM
Testing the kick down is actually part of the scheduled maintenance. I imagine the techs enjoy this step on various cars.
Chandler
02-20-2015, 11:59 PM
I liked the video. I watched it in full. The only thing he pointed out for me was the positive terminal cover which I did not know about because I haven't needed to look for it.
I agree - the brakes are sqooshie.
Johnnycash
02-21-2015, 07:29 AM
i like the face he makes every time he floors the car, i imagine i might make a similar face when doing forced downshifts as well.
zcd2.7t
02-21-2015, 10:53 AM
I react the same way he does when I floor my car - I can't believe how quick and responsive this car is - makes me laugh every time, even after 4 years of ownership.
paulo6
02-27-2015, 11:05 PM
What button under the pedal is he talking about?
I see Some answered you already ... But I'll admit too I owned the car for 10mos now and it took this review to bring the kickdown button feature to my attention !!! I had a E60 535 before and I don't think it had it. Anyways I guess I wasn't flooring it enough over past 10mos, but I sure did tonight driving home at 1am in the hwy....had me grin a few times dropping to 4th and sometimes to 3rd!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
blackfunk
02-28-2015, 05:01 AM
I see Some answered you already ... But I'll admit too I owned the car for 10mos now and it took this review to bring the kickdown button feature to my attention !!! I had a E60 535 before and I don't think it had it. Anyways I guess I wasn't flooring it enough over past 10mos, but I sure did tonight driving home at 1am in the hwy....had me grin a few times dropping to 4th and sometimes to 3rd!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wait till you discover how to control the transmission using the gas pedal - meaning if you give a quick (and I mean quick) dip on the throttle and release, it'll drop one gear, if you do it again it'll drop one more gear - so on and so forth. Works best in sport mode and is a great way to control gear selection using just your foot. After awhile it becomes so instinctive that the paddles seem redundant while highway cruising.
jygesq
02-28-2015, 05:42 AM
I could not find an actual button under the gas pedal, I will try kick down feature when roads get cleared of winter garbage
paulo6
02-28-2015, 06:07 AM
I could not find an actual button under the gas pedal, I will try kick down feature when roads get cleared of winter garbage
It must be higher up and it could also not be literally a button. Not sure the mechanics behind it, but the pedal feedback is like you pressed a button ...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
blackfunk
02-28-2015, 07:48 AM
On my C5 there was a physical button but on the B8 I think its more of a two stage effect - like the window switchs on the car.
I should say I think it was a button on the C5
Johnnycash
02-28-2015, 04:10 PM
im hard pressed to believe with drivebywire [telemetry] that there is an actual button down there, im gonna go out on a limb and assume its all electronic or computer controlled.
blackfunk
02-28-2015, 05:24 PM
You can actually feel the detent as you push through. So it maybe an actual switch of some sort.
Johnnycash
02-28-2015, 07:32 PM
no way its mechanical linkage, its audi it has to be overengineered somehow.