Help me spend money

**mortimersnerd** · 11-08-2016 06:59 PM

Picked up a 2010 A4 Avant with 80k miles and sport package yesterday. It's definitely an upgrade over my TDI Golf. Am looking to upgrade it a little and am considering a tune, Q7 TDI intercooler and a high flow cat. May look at suspension as well and am planning a second set of wheels so that I can run summer and winter tires (live in Denver). Where's the best place to start to maximize my performance dollars on this platform?

**umairg35** · 11-08-2016 07:01 PM

Stage 1 from APR is best bang for the buck! Completely transforms the car from performance perspective.

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**Hunter2011** · 11-08-2016 07:33 PM

Get a high flow cat and apr stage 2. You will love the car after that.

**punkalex1** · 11-08-2016 08:06 PM

go k04

**Willënskraft** · 11-08-2016 08:08 PM

Sure I'll help ya spend your money, 1st thing 1st is use it on maintenance, then strippers

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**Dr. Awesome** · 11-08-2016 08:27 PM

You got a lot of money here so far if you do it all, but my 2 cents is:
1. Wheels really help change how the car handles, by far the best investment in my opinion. Plus I live in MN so having the extra set is way worth it, even though I know it will work better than most other vehicles even with the summer tires, having winter tires just takes that much more off of my mind. It dominates any snow.
2. Stage 1 is good, but I wouldn't say it completely transforms the car, though. It's a safe bet to do stage 1, if you want to do stage 2 later and get the APR downpipe, it's free. If you do your own HFC (requirement for stage 2), you can get it for $150 more since they acknowledge the previous tune. You don't need the K04 turbo, if you want that power and wanted to spend that, you should have gotten an S4!
3. I agree with Willenskraft, if you don't get the basic maintenance done first, no point! Ignition coils, plugs, DV+, etc.

I'm no expert here, so I'm sure others may disagree, but that's my perspective and this is a forum!

**shonseb** · 11-09-2016 08:04 AM

Now: chain tensioner replacement. Should absolutely be done with that many miles, too many people on here with destroyed engines.
Soon: dedicated Winter wheels and tires. You should go 17 if you have that for stock wheels or 18. The meatier the sidewall and the deeper the tread, the better.
Later: high flow cat and downpipe and strait to stage 2. Intercooler also if your summer get into the high 80s-90s. Best bang for your buck power upgrade. Also at this point you should look at suspension. Since you need help spending money, go with Bilstein pss10, and 034 motorsports rear sway and end links. Amazing what that combo does.

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**Lambda13** · 11-09-2016 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Dr. Awesome

You got a lot of money here so far if you do it all, but my 2 cents is:
1. Wheels really help change how the car handles, by far the best investment in my opinion. Plus I live in MN so having the extra set is way worth it, even though I know it will work better than most other vehicles even with the summer tires, having winter tires just takes that much more off of my mind. It dominates any snow.
2. Stage 1 is good, but I wouldn't say it completely transforms the car, though. It's a safe bet to do stage 1, if you want to do stage 2 later and get the APR downpipe, it's free. If you do your own HFC (requirement for stage 2), you can get it for $150 more since they acknowledge the previous tune. You don't need the K04 turbo, if you want that power and wanted to spend that, you should have gotten an S4!
3. I agree with Willenskraft, if you don't get the basic maintenance done first, no point! Ignition coils, plugs, DV+, etc.

I'm no expert here, so I'm sure others may disagree, but that's my perspective and this is a forum!

I'm not sure I agree with some of your points lol.

My wheels didn't really change how my car handled as much as my coilovers/swaybars did... Looks yes, handle... Eh.

Stage 1 does change the car pretty substantially. I went straight to stage 2 myself but I wouldn't bother with the APR downpipe given its ridiculous price of $750. You can get most other HFC's for $350 or less if you buy used. It's cheaper to pay the $150 and get a cheaper HFC.

Also you said that if you want k04 power you should have just bought an S4. That is not really a good comparison or even remotely true. Generally speaking S4's are about $10,000 more for the same year car, compare that to the cost of a brand new k04 which is about $3,000 and change. So for several thousand less you'll have a quicker car.

Maintenance I agree with. I'd look into the timing chain, trans fluids, diff fluid, coolant flush, coils, plugs, carbon clean, fuel filter, etc.

**Fox Fader** · 11-09-2016 10:11 AM

Test pipe if you can get away with it. I'm going K04 one day.

**shonseb** · 11-09-2016 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Lambda13

I'm not sure I agree with some of your points lol.

My wheels didn't really change how my car handled as much as my coilovers/swaybars did... Looks yes, handle... Eh.

Stage 1 does change the car pretty substantially. I went straight to stage 2 myself but I wouldn't bother with the APR downpipe given its ridiculous price of $750. You can get most other HFC's for $350 or less if you buy used. It's cheaper to pay the $150 and get a cheaper HFC.

Also you said that if you want k04 power you should have just bought an S4. That is not really a good comparison or even remotely true. Generally speaking S4's are about $10,000 more for the same year car, compare that to the cost of a brand new k04 which is about $3,000 and change. So for several thousand less you'll have a quicker car.

Maintenance I agree with. I'd look into the timing chain, trans fluids, diff fluid, coolant flush, coils, plugs, carbon clean, fuel filter, etc.

^^This is spot on

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**mortimersnerd** · 11-09-2016 11:29 AM

This is helpful, thanks! Maintenance is definitely top of the list. Only mild mods are planned since reliability is the top priority. I've got a heavily modified '71 Bronco that scratches the mod itch.