2005 USP question

**A4Ultrasport** · 11-28-2008 12:09 PM

I recently bought a 2005 dolphin grey USP, but have a couple of questions. I know the car is an '05 based on its VIN in Audi's system, and it has the shark fin with the point that seems to be on '05 and newer A4s. So it seems the car has some of the '05 USP characteristics. I also have the lighting package, but don't think I have bi-xenons (my high beems are halogen while my low beems are xenon)... I thought '05s had bi-xenons. Maybe only on 05.5 and newer? Also, my car has the fish-scale aluminum trim, which I thought was only on 04 USPs, not the brushed aluminum. Finally, my car doesn't have the s-line badge on the wheel, although the wheel looks like it's brand new and may have been replaced before I bought it. It does however have the tip buttons on it like the 04s.

Just curious if anyone else had an '05 USP with some of these more '04 like characteristics. I know mine was an early 2005 based on the the warranty ending last september.

**mobigray** · 11-28-2008 05:02 PM

Bi-xenons does not mean you have 2 xenons - one for the high and one for the low - it just means that when u hit
the high beam, a cover flips up allowing the xenon to fully open. you will still have a regular halogen high beam.
Try this: park your car in front of a mirrow. Hit the high beam. If you see a flick on your regular low beam xenon,
then u have bi-xenon. Remember to try this when the xenons are fully warmed up.
As for the S-line badge on the wheel, it should have... like u said, maybe it was replaced.

**3Zero** · 11-28-2008 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by A4Ultrasport

Also, my car has the fish-scale aluminum trim, which I thought was only on 04 USPs, not the brushed aluminum. Finally, my car doesn't have the s-line badge on the wheel, although the wheel looks like it's brand new and may have been replaced before I bought it. It does however have the tip buttons on it like the 04s.

I purchased an 05 USP this summer which also had a Sept 04 "in-service" date. My car has the fish-scale trim. I read somewhere on AZ that this was replaced with brushed aluminum at some point during the production run for that model. My car also came equipped with an 'S-Line' badge on the (3-spoke) wheel. As my car has a 6MT trans, there are no buttons on the wheel.

**CyberPMG** · 11-28-2008 06:49 PM

Check the build date found on the label on the driver's door jam. I'm guessing that your '05 USP was actually built in 2004 which would explain why some items normally found in a 2004 USP show up in yours.

**Sp3C14L 3D** · 11-28-2008 08:24 PM

Dont worry bro, mines an 05 too and i have all the same stuff you do. Its just an early 05. except i do think your wheel must have been replaced bcuz i have the 3 spoke w/s-line badge.

**A4Ultrasport** · 11-29-2008 09:32 AM

Ok cool, I figured that was probably the case. I'm guessing the steering wheel was replaced (probably with an '04 wheel), it looks completely new. I'll check the build date but I'm almost positive it has to be '04. Anyone have pictures of the brushed aluminum? I don't think I've ever seen it before in an A4.

**CyberPMG** · 11-29-2008 09:54 AM

Do you have the S-Line badge on the outside on the rear passenger doors on the rub strip? Post some pics (inside and out). That would help us out in determining what you have.

**F16HTON** · 11-29-2008 10:16 AM

Audi just threw whatever parts they had left over on the 2005 models...

There is no specificity to the type of trim or the fact there is a badge on the steering wheel.

The reason you get the S-line stuff on the US model is that the Euro model changed platforms from the B6 to the B7 in 2005, Audi had plans of keeping the B6 in the states for one more year so they could dump the rest of the crap they had left over.

**dubenvy** · 11-29-2008 04:54 PM

2005's had fish scale trim too. 2006's (b7's) had the brushed aluminum.

**vc1492a** · 11-30-2008 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by 400HPA4

Audi just threw whatever parts they had left over on the 2005 models...

There is no specificity to the type of trim or the fact there is a badge on the steering wheel.

The reason you get the S-line stuff on the US model is that the Euro model changed platforms from the B6 to the B7 in 2005, Audi had plans of keeping the B6 in the states for one more year so they could dump the rest of the crap they had left over.

sounds about right. My sun visor is in english and FRENCH...

**a4audi4fun** · 11-30-2008 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by A4Ultrasport

I recently bought a 2005 dolphin grey USP, but have a couple of questions. I know the car is an '05 based on its VIN in Audi's system, and it has the shark fin with the point that seems to be on '05 and newer A4s. So it seems the car has some of the '05 USP characteristics. I also have the lighting package, but don't think I have bi-xenons (my high beems are halogen while my low beems are xenon)... I thought '05s had bi-xenons. Maybe only on 05.5 and newer? Also, my car has the fish-scale aluminum trim, which I thought was only on 04 USPs, not the brushed aluminum. Finally, my car doesn't have the s-line badge on the wheel, although the wheel looks like it's brand new and may have been replaced before I bought it. It does however have the tip buttons on it like the 04s.

Just curious if anyone else had an '05 USP with some of these more '04 like characteristics. I know mine was an early 2005 based on the the warranty ending last september.

http://www.bitnet.ro/vw/datasticker/

Find the sticker with all your factory option codes. There's one in the trunk/spare wheel well area, the other one is in the factory maintenance manual that came with the car. Enter the VIN and other info in the form at the URL above and it will decode all the factory options built into your specific car.