how do you like the 3.0L vs. 1.8T??

[fritzner]

i have searched and searched, but have not been able to find a thread dicussing 1.8T vs. 3.0L.. (wish the search would work for 2 letter words ie. B5, B6, B7 or with 1.8T, etc).. if you have a link, please point me to it..

i am looking for a "hard to find" A4 combination and wondering if i should limit myself to the 1.8T.. i know its more tunable, but i dont really plan to mod much..

if i get a 1.8T (preferred) i will probably go with an APR stg1 (maybe 1+) but thats about it..

hp between chipped 1.8T is similar to 3.0L, but torque is much higher with chipped 1.8T.. and i think mpg is still better if driven reasonable..

for those that have had both or those with the 3.0L -- how do you like it??.. a stock 1.8T is SLOW!!.. how is a stock 3.0L??..

[Gavin]

slower. the 1.8t motor puts out less numbers than the v6 but the added weight compensates and the car is slower in the end get the turbo one

[lox1985]

3.0L engines are much harder to work on (maintenance) and much more expensive.

[sailor]

There is only one positive for the 3.0 that I can think of; it will be more drivable with the tiptronic. I have the 1.8t and while it was very refined without a chip it is now rather unruly with stage 1. With a stick you can control the power and shift points much easier and turbo lag is kind of fun, not so with an automatic.

So if you are planning on getting a tiptronic I would at least consider the 3.0 even with poorer gas mileage and higher maintenance.

[fritzner]

your replies are what i was afraid of.. i found this USP Avant -- ironically with all the goodies i want anyway (19" RS6 reps, snowboard attachment, cargo mat)..

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ual&max_price=

if it were red i may still consider the 3.0L, or maybe if it were closer.. but black, 3.0L, and far away - i will have to pass.. looks nice though!!..

i am definitely getting a manual..

thanks for the replies..

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^ i'd take that! i have a 1.8T and i wish i had a 3.0, cause me like u didn't plan to mod too much, and well the 3.0 is just right, enough power for everything, and they sound reaaaaaaaallly good! and it's a wagon!!!!

[A4Quattro3.0]

slower. the 1.8t motor puts out less numbers than the v6 but the added weight compensates and the car is slower in the end get the turbo one

I hope you're joking.

1.8T steel block HP - 170 | ftlbs torque - 166 @ 1950 curb weight-3406 lbs
3.0 Alluminum block Hp - 220 | ftlbs torque - 221 @ 3200 curb weight-3583 lbs

You're telling me the 3 liter with 29% more HP output can't compensate for the 5% weight gain? Ever driven a 3.0, or were you just making things up as you go?
0-60 on a 1.8AWD is normally around 8.5 vs 7.7 on the allwheel drive 3.0 all things the same (+or - given different Transaxles of course, but these numbers are both fully loaded, AWD/Tip).

The 1.8T can be faster after modding, but stock vs stock the 3.0 takes the cake. no one would pay extra for the v6 for worse gas milage & a slower car; in fact Audi wouldn't make one.

Plusses for the 3.0 better braking, , faster stock engine, beefier TIP if you go that route, better trim level - convenience things like the tilt down mirors in reverse, real leather instead of the vented pleather etc.

Less things you can mod, but if you're not into that anyway it hardly matters.
The window trim is chrome instead of black on the 1.8T

The one downfall I can see coming is plugs will cost more, timing belt will cost more, oil changes etc. but you pay for what you get.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^HaHa!

[T0M3K]

I have 3.0 and I must say I like it. It's slow, but if I had 1.8T the most I would do is getting it chipped. And it is stock power, just get GIAC chip, it will improve response and maybe give you like 5 hp. Maintenance won't be THAT bad, usually you will do T/B once and oil is relatively cheap. You can mod 3.0, but you must have
a) lots of $$$
b) balls to risk good engine getting destroyed
c) lots of patience
d) luck
There are people here with supercharger and almost half of them have serious problems.

[abradley]

buy a 3.0 or pay $$$ to get the 1.8 chipped so it has the same numbers. and what maintenance on them is more expensive/harder to work on? how often do 3.0 blow coilpacks?

[thebikedoctor33]

I'm seriously considering the 3.0. The interiors seem a like a decent step up. real leather, steering wheel mounted controls, tilt down mirrors, etc. plus i won't have much money to mod a 1.8. it will discourage me from dumping money into a bad investment. i figure. i'll start saving for a supercharger and in like 3 years of putting 20 or 30 away every week i'll give that a shot. lol. plus they sound sick with exhausts.

[[email protected]]

If you want to save money buy the 3.0 since you can't mod it very much.

Otherwise a 1.8t with a chip and injectors will outrun it and you'll have better fuel economy.

Just don't go to any Audi forums after the purchase or you'll spend more on mods than you'll save on gas.

[tman6919]

I'm seriously considering the 3.0. The interiors seem a like a decent step up. real leather, steering wheel mounted controls, tilt down mirrors, etc. plus i won't have much money to mod a 1.8. it will discourage me from dumping money into a bad investment. i figure. i'll start saving for a supercharger and in like 3 years of putting 20 or 30 away every week i'll give that a shot. lol. plus they sound sick with exhausts.

I went through the same delima and decided on a 1.8t

my plans are a chip, test pipe and maybe fmic

after the headache of test drives, research etc. this is the decision i came up with, 1.8t gets good gas milage even with mods and can easily beat the v6 (with mods). v6 has a nice flat tourque curve, and much more power stock, not a lot of potential for power unless you got some deep pockets. so basically if you plan to mod.. go with the 1.8t or 2.0b7, if you plan to keep it stock 3.0 FTW

[thebikedoctor33]

if you think about it. the price of a sc kit and a bt setup are not to fart off. i mean, i havent done much research regarding sc kits like the one from pes, but it looks like 5k for the kit and not much needs to be purchased after. but like i said, i havent done much research yet.

[A4-to-rs4]

I hope you're joking.

1.8T steel block HP - 170 | ftlbs torque - 166 @ 1950 curb weight-3406 lbs
3.0 Alluminum block Hp - 220 | ftlbs torque - 221 @ 3200 curb weight-3583 lbs

You're telling me the 3 liter with 29% more HP output can't compensate for the 5% weight gain? Ever driven a 3.0, or were you just making things up as you go?
0-60 on a 1.8AWD is normally around 8.5 vs 7.7 on the allwheel drive 3.0 all things the same (+or - given different Transaxles of course, but these numbers are both fully loaded, AWD/Tip).

The 1.8T can be faster after modding, but stock vs stock the 3.0 takes the cake. no one would pay extra for the v6 for worse gas milage & a slower car; in fact Audi wouldn't make one.

Plusses for the 3.0 better braking, , faster stock engine, beefier TIP if you go that route, better trim level - convenience things like the tilt down mirors in reverse, real leather instead of the vented pleather etc.

Less things you can mod, but if you're not into that anyway it hardly matters.
The window trim is chrome instead of black on the 1.8T

The one downfall I can see coming is plugs will cost more, timing belt will cost more, oil changes etc. but you pay for what you get.

The 3.0 dose 0-60 in 6.9 not 7.7

Ok the bottom line is the 3.0 is a way better car to have if you don’t want to mod much you can put on an air intake, exhaust, and chip it. Now I have found a way to do all of that for under 600 not including install ( because I found amazing deals) It will cost you around 1600 if you pay full price you get a bit of horse power from that. Then later on if you decided you want more you can drop $3600 (and that’s wholesale) on a super charger and get at least 330hp maybe more depending on your other mods. Look at how many 1.8's you see on the road, there are way less 3.0's they hold their value slightly better. Yes you may have to spend more on repairs in the future but that wont matter if your happy with all the horse power that is available to you.

[toaster]

never modded the 1.8t when i had it.

i loved the car because it was beautiful, safe and one amazing driving machine with the suspension upgrades, but the power is beyond pitiful.

i look forward to the s4.

if you don't want to mod much, the 3.0 is such a no brainer it isn't even funny.

[A4-to-rs4]

Exactly

[toaster]

if you think about it. the price of a sc kit and a bt setup are not to fart off.

that's funny!

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^ i thought the same thing LOL!

[skeeball]

that's funny!

Actually it's not far off. You can get a s/c for $3700 new. And you don't need to buy these:

FMIC
test pipe
upgraded DV
boost controller
TIP
bigger brakes

Not even talking about the extra money spent on software/injectors if you go 1/1+/K04 and then decide go BT.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^ i think he meant that u wrote fart instead of far was funny!

[A4Quattro3.0]

The 3.0 dose 0-60 in 6.9 not 7.7

Like I said, Plus or minus depending on the transaxle setup you have. the numbers I quoted were both for Quattro & Tip (the slowest of the bunch). The 6.9 number is FWD with the 6 speed manual.

Personally, FWD on an Audi in most cases is rediculous, might as well have bought a VW. I prefer the car loaded for the style & comfort and a touch of class. If i wanted to mod the crap out of a four banger to make it ungodly fast, I probably wouldn't have bought an Audi to begin with, it's not what they're for.

Not to mention when you start modding the engine on this car you start having problems. Deny it all you want but the more HP you you try to get over stock the more issues people seem to have. How many threads over the years have we all seen where someone is freaking out becasue they just spent their savings on new turbos & chipping etc. and OMG my car is shaking wtf is going on??!! Then after 8 people tell them to change coilpacks they come back a month later saying they've gone through 2-3 sets of packs & which revision should I have blah blah blah. After 60k I still have my stock coils in. The same troubles can be applied to the 3.0 Supercharger; in theory it sounds great... grenading the engine (in some cases multiple times) does not.
I guess that's why I prefer to mod things that make the car slightly more astheticly pleasing (to me), and leave the real engineering to Audi.

[cjonesgo]

I have the 1.8t avant. I love it and would not trade it, but the mileage is not so great that it justifies the lack of power. If it's going to be this slow I want higher mpg. I have yet to chip it, and have read conflicting info regarding its affects on mileage.

From what many have said, the mileage on the 3.0 is not so good. Not s4 bad, but it's no civic. Just look at what you want out of the car and make your decision based on that. From everything I have read on this board, the higher REGULAR maintenance costs on the 3.0 are offset by not having as many mystery maintenance costs once you start making changes to the 1.8t

personally I love my pleather interior, but want steering wheel controls and dippy mirror. switching to 3.0 brakes was pretty cheap and as easy as a regular old brake job. any other differences between the two?

[thebikedoctor33]

^^ i think he meant that u wrote fart instead of far was funny!

my bad. haha. idk if that was some kind of subliminal message or what.

[Smitty2A4]

I love my 3.0, sure it could be considered slow compared to many cars out there, but it is still quicker than a lot of cars on the road, and with the 6 speed and the way it is geared it never feels like you don't have enough power for average driving, I love merging on the highway or taking a good on-ramp in my car, it never feel weak to me. I understand I cannot really mod it besides exhaust, intake and chip, which might add 15 Hp all together if I am lucky, but o well, I did not buy it to be my track car and run 11's. I bought it because it has a great interior, great style and is sporty enough for me to enjoy driving it every time I get in the thing.

Plus 3.0's with exhaust sound mean as hell! Video of mine below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl2XcKKxRXs

It is not captured on the film, but a few people have even told me it has the burbble like that of a much more exotic car at high RPMs.