2.8 or 1.8t? Which is better

[SoonerE39]

I'm thinking about getting a 96-'98 A4 for my son (not quite 16) and I've heard that the 1.8t is the better way to go. Please discuss your opinions on which you prefer.

[voodooA4]

1.8T is a better way to go if he wants to mod the car for power...

otherwise, just go with a 2.8, and leave it at that. really no difference beyond that.

unless he's really trying to save on gas money then, go with a 1.8T (if he'll be driving it to college one day, like me). my drive to school is about 1050 miles, so a little savings in MPG adds up over a distance like that.

btw...ROLL TIDE!! too bad we're not playing again this year, last year's game was a good one...

[DDQ]

Here's a related thread: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...light=2.8+1.8T

[SEXICÄN]

this question gets asked alot, pretty much ifyour son is going to mod the car(hp wise) the the 1.8T is the way to go, ifyou don't want him to mod it for power, 2.8 is the way to do. Don't get me wrong the 2.8 has juice(not speaking about NOS), but thre are a lot more mods for the 1.8T. And like Voodooa4 said, the 1.8T gets higher MPG

[SoonerE39]

I'll let him mod it for a little more power, within reason and reliability. As for college, he'll be just across town so even mileage isn't a big deal. Does the Jetta and Golf have the same two engines? IE: Is this 2.8 the same as the Golf VR6 engine or different?

And Voodoo, the tide almost knocked us off course early in the game. You've got a better team than the record shows. Hope you have a good season this year.

[Boba Fett]

I knew I wasn't going to mod my car all that much so I went w/ the 30v. I'm quite happy I did so. The 30v V6 is a smooth running engine & w/ a few minimal mods, the HP is enough to have some fun with.

[JMG]

Make him the luckiest kid in town and get him an 2.7T . j/k

[A4 in SC]

Originally posted by SoonerE39
Does the Jetta and Golf have the same two engines? IE: Is this 2.8 the same as the Golf VR6 engine or different?

The V6s in the Mk4 VWs (and Mk3s for that matter) are VR6s and the V6s in the A4 and Passat are 'traditional' V6s. i.e. not a 15 degree angle V6 as the VR6.

The 1.8Ts are relatively the same ngines though. Granted, the A4 and Passats' engines are mounted longitudinally, where the Mk4 VWs are mounted transversely. Since this is the case, the turbos are different, as their mounting points are different.

Hope this helps clear things up for ya'!

Mike

[SoonerE39]

Originally posted by JMG
Make him the luckiest kid in town and get him an 2.7T . j/k

Uhhh...not till I get one first.

[Laktutatta]

I've driven both the 2.8 and 1.8t, I currently have the 2.8 and love the rich feel it has with it, and like the others have said, unless he's going to go all out with mods and want gas milage than 1.8t is the way to go, but as for me I will never go back to the 1.8 after the 2.8.

I also had a jetta VR6, they engines are closely related but the big difference is in the ride and craftmanship of the cars, remember Audi never follows...

[Laktutatta]

Oh ya, my buddy has a 2.8 FWD that has about all the mods a 2.8 can get and he gets over 30mpg, unless you want to drive a civic that's pretty dang good!

[Jon_Rhea]

even in the 2.8 field there is a difference in the modability. If you decide to get a 2.8 capable of some moding, don't get a 96 (like mine) as it has the 12v enginge where as the 98 is a 30v. there are alot more parts for the 30v engine.....including a supercharger!!!

[CowboysRock]

hoenstly sir, a '96-'98 A4 isn't the best idea for a car for somebody that young. It does require lots of mainteance, especially in the early years, and their will be some reliability problems. But its awesome that your doing it for your son.....i just bought mine at 17 (i paid 10, dad put in 7K) for my '01. I drove a POS truck for my first year....and i'm glad i did. Just buy him a civic for the firs tyear, then consider buyhing him a nice car. Most accidents/scratches will happen in the first year. Hey, while you at it, make him pony up some decent money for it.....he'll appreciate the car a lot better in the long run. i've worked my butt off since i was 14 for this car, and i love it to death.

[MR VTEC]

well said

[maxh2o]

I think it depends on the person. The first car I drove was my Dad's brown POS oldsmobile (which he bought instead of the sweet black Audi 4000q for the same price). Driving the Olds made me respect all the positive qualities of a well made, well handling car. Not getting a dream car early made me crave it all the more!

My neighbor got his 16 y/o son a Porsche 928 (we talk cars all the time). The son has much respect for fine automobiles and is learning the hard way the incredible cost of maintaining a high performance vehicle. He's a good smart kid with a good head on his shoulders, he doesn't go tearing through the neighborhood at outrageous speeds.

You probably know your son best and what his level of resposibility is. The quattro A4 is a very competent car with confidence inspiring handling. If I were a dad who knew my son was mature enough to appreciate that level of power and performance (and mature enough to maintain it well), an A4 would be a great car for a deserving child.

[Hassmeister]

Originally posted by Boba Fett
I knew I wasn't going to mod my car all that much so I went w/ the 30v. I'm quite happy I did so. The 30v V6 is a smooth running engine & w/ a few minimal mods, the HP is enough to have some fun with.

Where you been? Have chatted in awhile. Hope all is well with you and yours. I'll talk w/you soon.

[excursion]

It's kind funny, because in the US the 1.8T is the one to go for, but here the 2.8 is the top of the normal A4 range and has much more prestige.

The 2.8 is a great motor, and if you are happy with 200ish BHP then go for it, the 1.8 can never match the V6 for smoothness/NVH.

If you are moding then go with the 1800T

[Brrman]

I just test drove a 2.8 and 1.8t - one after the other.
It may be because I am just so used to the 1,8t I had, but the 2.8 felt very soft and without much grunt. Whereas the 1.8t had a sportier feel to it.

Maybe I am just used to the shift points on the 1.8t (since that is what I had).

[SEXICÄN]

Originally posted by CowboysRock
Hey, while you at it, make him pony up some decent money for it.....he'll appreciate the car a lot better in the long run. i've worked my butt off since i was 14 for this car, and i love it to death.

So true, since i'm paying for my car (i'm only 20), i take such good car of it, like never eating in my car, washing it every so often, cleaning it out also. But yeah, i have a truck that is mine too but parents gave to me, and i treat it like Cr@p, but not my audi