I am seeing double (avants)

[yload]

Hey guys.....orskier and I have been reading the forums here for a while and posting a bit. I picked up my avant 4 weeks ago. She went straight to the mod shop (9 miles on her). Got APR 91 octane, Stasis exhaust, Stasis suspension, and Stasis BBK. Orskier lives up in Oregon (no 6MT's available), so he got his down here, and drove back to Oregon this last weekend. Got APR installed & Stasis Exhaust as soon as we crossed the border to TAX free country.

Orskier's pro/con list:

PRO's:
- The acceleration was sub-par off the lot, but once I loaded in the APR 91 octane program, this car came to life! Feels like the shop dropped a new engine under the hood. Blows my mind you get all that with no mechanical mods!
- Gas mileage! Off the lot I got 27.3mpg
- The smoothness of the ride (sport suspension) is great
- SLine decals, steering wheel, and shifter are nice touches
- Build quality far exceeds all US built cars I've had....no rattles!
- Brilliant Red....nuff said

CON's:
- Seat comfort. After 3-4 hours the seat comfort is just terrible.
- The steering wheel controls lack expected functionality to switch between presets, rather it simply tunes up or down.
- IPOD interface is absolutely a joke! The attempt at functionality is equal to that of a 2nd grader.
- Stereo audio quality is lacking compared to other vehicles in its class. The audio is distorted and the subwoofer i sub-par for the vehicle.
- Car feature settings should be user set-able (ex: door unlocks, window roll-down, door chimes, etc.)
- Xenon should be standard in ALL luxury cars.

Yload's pro/con list:

Pros:
- Suspension is spectacular, after working out a couple rubbing issues
- Car is very fun to drive after APR chip was turned on
- Avant has great room for hauling tires/dog
- Mp3 CD's make the Stereo pretty usable overall
- Brakes (stasis) stop on a dime
- The exhaust note is perfect

Cons:
- My grandmother could make better ipod support
- I wish my right foot would let me get better gas mileage
- sometimes road can be harsh when being lowered
- Why have plastic engine cover?
- Stock brakes really leave something to be desired, I mean they work but they have no pedal feel.

Currently sitting on the back deck drinking beer, posting.....wishing we were driving!

Shop props (California): StreetWerks Palo Alto
Shop props (Oregon): Futrell Beaverton, Matrix Integrated Portland

PICS ****************
YES we know our wheels are the same.

[akasch]

this is a pretty good write up. helpful for new buyers

[Sly Raskal]

Don't forget to add that memory seats should be standard on the 2.0T as well. The 2.0T isn't any less luxurious than the 3.2 to afford the 3.2 the "luxury" of memory seats. My previous acura had memory seats and that was 1/4 the luxury of my Avant. :(

[yload]

also if you get 3.2 you take away about 50% of modding possibilities.

[orskier]

Did I mention the IPOD interface is TERRIBLE???????

[akasch]

one thing that bugs me is that the right mirror doesn't tilt down when you reverse. that should definitely be standard

[CZA420tAvant]

one thing that bugs me is that the right mirror doesn't tilt down when you reverse. that should definitely be standard

I am guessing you have the mirror ajusment knob turned to the right mirror, then put in reverse and see?

Maybe you dont have convenience pack???

z

[yload]

nah having convience package does not seem to have it anymore :(... I think it only came on 2008 3.2 for some reason.. Anyways my 2.0T with convenience pkg does not have it :(... I will try one last time after work though.

[akasch]

I am guessing you have the mirror ajusment knob turned to the right mirror, then put in reverse and see?

Maybe you dont have convenience pack???

z

yeah I've tried it. I have the convenience package on an 08 I think ^^ right, it only came on the 3.2 for 08

[einstrigger]

huh...i didn't know they took that out. I have an '06 2.0T with folding mirrors and tilted in reverse. I do wish I had MP3 cd changer though.

[yload]

yeah maybe they fired the engineers that made the Ipod integration and they happened to also have done the fold down mirrors. That is what I will use to justify it for what ever reason. Do you have memory seats in your 2.0T 2006?

[AvantNoir]

Nice! The red one reminds me of mine

Congrats!

[ibiski]

Hey guys.....orskier and I have been reading the forums here for a while and posting a bit. I picked up my avant 4 weeks ago. She went straight to the mod shop (9 miles on her). Got APR 91 octane, Stasis exhaust, Stasis suspension, and Stasis BBK. Orskier lives up in Oregon (no 6MT's available), so he got his down here, and drove back to Oregon this last weekend. Got APR installed & Stasis Exhaust as soon as we crossed the border to TAX free country.

Orskier's pro/con list:

PRO's:
- The acceleration was sub-par off the lot, but once I loaded in the APR 91 octane program, this car came to life! Feels like the shop dropped a new engine under the hood. Blows my mind you get all that with no mechanical mods!
- Gas mileage! Off the lot I got 27.3mpg
- The smoothness of the ride (sport suspension) is great
- SLine decals, steering wheel, and shifter are nice touches
- Build quality far exceeds all US built cars I've had....no rattles!
- Brilliant Red....nuff said

CON's:
- Seat comfort. After 3-4 hours the seat comfort is just terrible.
- The steering wheel controls lack expected functionality to switch between presets, rather it simply tunes up or down.
- IPOD interface is absolutely a joke! The attempt at functionality is equal to that of a 2nd grader.
- Stereo audio quality is lacking compared to other vehicles in its class. The audio is distorted and the subwoofer i sub-par for the vehicle.
- Car feature settings should be user set-able (ex: door unlocks, window roll-down, door chimes, etc.)
- Xenon should be standard in ALL luxury cars.

Yload's pro/con list:

Pros:
- Suspension is spectacular, after working out a couple rubbing issues
- Car is very fun to drive after APR chip was turned on
- Avant has great room for hauling tires/dog
- Mp3 CD's make the Stereo pretty usable overall
- Brakes (stasis) stop on a dime
- The exhaust note is perfect

Cons:
- My grandmother could make better ipod support
- I wish my right foot would let me get better gas mileage
- sometimes road can be harsh when being lowered
- Why have plastic engine cover?
- Stock brakes really leave something to be desired, I mean they work but they have no pedal feel.

Currently sitting on the back deck drinking beer, posting.....wishing we were driving!

Welcome, both of you have a great taste

Here's my take on some of your gripes:

Seats are more comfortable with the Convenience package (which I don't think you have). And for some reason (3.2 I think) I do have the automatically tilting mirrors.

To be honest I haven't tried my iPod interface yet (I find the SD cards much more useful and quicker), but I've heard that it's not the best. I'm surprised about the audio system, because personally I think it's much better than most stock/premium systems I've heard. Do you have the complete Bose package or just the standalone iPod connectivity with the standard system? The only thing I could wish for would be advanced EQ options to tweak with the sound at lower volume levels. Anyway, lots of useful nav/multimedia info here: http://www.navplus.us/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

Various settings, incl. locks, windows, chimes...) can be changed via VAG COM module. Look here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158766

Keep in mind that this is the outgoing B7, so I'm sure things such as the now optional xenons will be standard with the new B8.

Check out the Avants only forum here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=86

[yload]

Really ? I the DG avant above have the Convenience package and you say the seats are different? I could not tell a difference I have taken a long trip in both the BR and DG 5+ hours and both after about 3-4 hours gave me a little flat ass(bus butt) what ever you want to call it

Anyways overall I think we are both very happy with the seats but just not as comfortable as previous rides.

Also I agree the SD cards or MP3 CD's are just easier and work better just sucks I was forced to pay $250 for Ipod which I will never use.

Thought of another pro:
All the little compartments for manual so you can use your full glove box and the compartments in front of each seat are very nice.

[HeHateMe]

Excellent write-up! I would just get an aftermarket dvd player/nav. Most of the stuff out now has pretty good ipod interface.

[orskier]

ibiski, yea the VAG COM interface and settings are great! I had the APR shop setup a few of them yesterday. In my old TL, some of those settings were set-able from the MID, no cables or software needed. But I still give props to having a way to change this stuff!

Time for some lunch time driving!

[ibiski]

Really ? I the DG avant above have the Convenience package and you say the seats are different? I could not tell a difference I have taken a long trip in both the BR and DG 5+ hours and both after about 3-4 hours gave me a little flat ass(bus butt) what ever you want to call it

The convenience package has power passenger seat with 4-way power lumbar adjustment, so they may be more comfortable.

[OrangeA4]

Being a new owner too, I'd agree with all of the above, plus I'd actually like to see a "sport package take things a bit farther by having the seats actually be NON powered but better Recaro buckets like R32 / RS4. In fact having a list of weight saving options and maybe less electronic crap would be great too. I don't really need dual zone electronic climate control, I don't need power seats, the full size spare is a nice touch, but all these things just add cost and weight.

I guess I could always gut the car and do whatever I like, but I'm talking a bout al-la-carte options to save cost and weight. That would be cooool.

I'm curious the MPG you guys get with the chip, Mine is a Tip, my B5 was Manual. I did dotice slightly better MPG with my chipped B5 at times, just wondering if anyone has better MPG in a Tip after chipping.

[Sharkfin]

Good writeup and sounds like you guys are enjoying your new rides.

[yload]

We both have the 6MT, but we both noticed approx. the same mileage after the chip, but a little lower because we drove harder. I would say after the chip turned on we are averaging 26-27 HWY and 20-22 when pushing it some and around down. Overall great stuff, now we both just need some tint :).... The mods never end. Could get 30MPG I think pretty easy, but what would be the fun in that.