161 replies to this topic

[sootpig]

You all know the deal, got new job, R32 had to go.

 

But a car nut can't be driving to work in a Prius. I wanted a balance of economy and performance, and i kept coming back to the same answer.

 

So without further ado, here she is:

 

A4 Avant 5 by Adrian Solly, on Flickr

 

 

She's a B8 2008 A4 Avant, 3.0TDI quattro.

 

242PS, 369 lb·ft 0-60 in 6.2 seconds. But can happily get 42MPG on the motorway, which is significantly better than the R32, but the same performance figures.

 

Specs include:

 

• Xenon headlights with LED running lights
• S-line trim
• Bang and Olufsen audio system
• Panoramic sunroof
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Half-leather S-line seats

She's just shy of 97K miles, and drives flawlessly.

 

There are already some plans for this car, once i get my redundancy money in a couple of months, the fun can begin!

 

But for now, all i will be doing is FITTING CRUISE CONTROL. BECAUSE WHY THE HELL IS IT NOT STANDARDDDD!!!??? >Rant

 

Same story as my last car, big spec, but they didn't spec cruise. I just don't get it. Luckily that should be pretty straightforward to retro fit, if it's anything like the MK5 was.

 

Now i need a new signature, and i need to take some proper pictures with the DSLR some time, the camera phone pictures really don't do this metallic grey paint justice. Got some scratches and a bit of over-spray and whatever, but nothing a good rotary polsih shouldn't iron out, I think mr jay might be getting a visit for that, as i know he's the man when it comes to polishing things, oh and paint correction.

[callum_tdi]

Ooh very nice looking forward to see how this goes!

[RossF]

Looking forward to this. What are the plans for when the fun begins?

[Gtime]

Looks great, got a real soft spot for these.

[JGW1987]

Great car, one of the lads on UKPassats has one that he's added bits to currently 312bhp. He's gone down to 17's and fitted springs and shocks and has even done a couple of track days I believe.

[Ruined_brain]

This should be good, power coming out your ears.

[sootpig]

Cruise control retrofit kit ordered!

 

Bye bye £220! More than worth it for the ease of use, and the type of driving im going to be doing, it should make my drive to/from work stress free

 

Ooh very nice looking forward to see how this goes!

 

Cheers

 

Looking forward to this. What are the plans for when the fun begins?

 

The real fun begins when the DPF goes bye bye, i put an exhaust on, and pay a visit to darkside developments. but that's a good few pay packets off yet.

 

Looks great, got a real soft spot for these.

 

Me too Had to be an Avant. I was just lucky when this one came up in this colour and spec.

 

Great car, one of the lads on UKPassats has one that he's added bits to currently 312bhp. He's gone down to 17's and fitted springs and shocks and has even done a couple of track days I believe.

 

I'd be MORE than happy with 300HP. should be achievable with a few bolt ons and a map. Let me just say it pulls like a train as is, it just needs a better power band and a slightly higher red line. Really runs out of puff at 4,800.

 

This should be good, power coming out your ears.

 

[ct.p]

Very nice car.

 

As for your new name / signature.

 

How about "Greedy Sootpig" as although a derv it likes its fuel. 

[Booster]

Save the drive to darkside take it to Bobby Singh did you see what he screwed out of ed's 2.7?

[Imagewerx]

Not bad at all for a chip fat burner !

[danpalmer1993]

Absolutely love these dude! the only estate I would have I think! But they look incredible 👍

[JGW1987]

This is the build thread mate http://www.ukpassats...pic.php?t=70765

[sootpig]

Very nice car.

 

As for your new name / signature.

 

How about "Greedy Sootpig" as although a derv it likes its fuel. 

 

Thanks man, I've just gone with a generic signature i pulled off Google for now. In the mean time I've got myself booked in to the mandatory 'how to drive like a cock' classes.

 

I'm not bothered by the fuel consumption too much. It's better than the R32 was, and that's the main thing.

 

Save the drive to darkside take it to Bobby Singh did you see what he screwed out of ed's 2.7?

 

That may be a consideration, though i do know darkside have their own 3.0 with some impressive figures.

 

Not bad at all for a chip fat burner !

 

No chip fat for me! only BP/Shell's finest

 

Absolutely love these dude! the only estate I would have I think! But they look incredible

 

It HAD to be an avant man.

 

The saloons are okay, but my god the avant.... The trouble is, 3.0L avants are few and far between and it really narrows down your options. Other cars i looked at were either too low spec, or way out of my price bracket.

 

This is the build thread mate http://www.ukpassats...pic.php?t=70765

 

Cheers for that, i'll create an account later and have a nosey.

 

I've spent the evening looking into retrofitting the high level MMI and satnav, but it looks horrendously complicated and expensive, so i might just have to make do without the navi. Which makes me sad (i was sure this car had satnav, until i got in it to drive home )

 

Touch up pen kit has also been purchased, as there's a small bit of damage to the left side front wing, so I'll have a go and touching that up when the kit arrives.

 

I also think one of the rear brake callipers has been replaced at some point, as one of them is not painted black, and doesn't have the S-line decal on it. Functions perfectly fine, but I'll look into getting that painted and looking like the other one.

 

I can see this car costing me quite a bit of money. Which is the exact opposite of why i was looking for a new car

[maxitrol]

Very nice indeed

[cenobytez]

looking good.

 

now the spending starts, as with all new cars.....

[meemo]

B8 friend     Same mileage too!

Love the Avant. Look foward to the developments on this

[sootpig]

Thanks everyone, my to-do list keeps growing...

I'm going to have a play with vcds tonight and enable some goodies (needle sweep).

[Gtime]

Amazing isn't it, you get a new car and still end up spending and tweeking more!
My cars a week old, it's already had vcds used for auto rain closure, coming home lights on door opening and most importantly

[Gtime]

Well it was meant to be a YouTube vid of sweeping needles on my Tiguan but tapatalk won't let it load

[Gtime]

[northpole]

Very good choice my man! now enjoy it to the fullest! Ps the car can get to 300 bhp with only a remap.

[Thai-wronghorse]

This is right my street, look forward to see the mods begin.

[xJay1337]

Nice choice.

how do you find the off center pedals? hahaha.

 

think you need to get it remapped....

 

 

very disappointed you took it through a polish car wash.

unfriend. 

[MrLee]

Love the avant mate, those 3L's sound mental with a decent system bolted on!!
Bags of torque to enjoy too. Can't go wrong 👍👍👍

[sootpig]

Very good choice my man! now enjoy it to the fullest! Ps the car can get to 300 bhp with only a remap.

 

I'm just going by darkside development's 3.0 B8, which has  "DPF Delete, Exhaust & Intercooler - 295BHP & 560Ft/Lbs", So my guess is the DPF has to go, and the exhaust would just be for that awesome V6 noise. Intercooler... meh dont know if i need to do that. I'll have to email them when i have the money. See what bolt-ons i need to crack 300.

 

This is right my street, look forward to see the mods begin.

 

It might be a little slow paced, but i'll do my best

 

Nice choice.

how do you find the off center pedals? hahaha.

 

think you need to get it remapped....

 

 

very disappointed you took it through a polish car wash.

unfriend. 

 

Not noticed anything unusual about the pedals? only that the clutch travel is quite long, and the throttle isn't as comfortable as the R32 was. Nice to drive all the same!

 

and i would NEVER let anyone else wash my car, but the guy i was buying it off ran it through the car wash before i came to view it I've polished the bonnet out, but the doors etc are holographed to buggery in the sun. I NEED YOUR SKILLZ BRUV.

 

And i agree. It needs a map, and i will make it so. Just not for a while yet.

 

Love the avant mate, those 3L's sound mental with a decent system bolted on!!
Bags of torque to enjoy too. Can't go wrong

 

They really do. It's quiet as a door mouse at the moment, It makes me uneasy.

 

The torque is just incredible even stock, the whole car squats and pulls like a train, feels 'faster' than the R32 did mid-revs by a good margin.

[meemo]

 

 

Not noticed anything unusual about the pedals? only that the clutch travel is quite long, and the throttle isn't as comfortable as the R32 was. Nice to drive all the same!

 

 

haha is because they are shifted to the right in mine which he thinks is weird.. cruising possition as has a massive foot rest on the left.

[sootpig]

Okay, yeah, to be fair, there is a lot of room on between the foot rest and the clutch pedal. The foot rest could also be 20mm or so higher. I might look at modifying the foot rest situation depending on how i get on with it.

 

The cruise control kit should arrive tomorrow, so we'll see how that pans out.

[sootpig]

4 days in and we have our first mod!

 

 

Airbag out. Held in with two trox bolts. much better than the silly spring clip system in the golf.

 

 

 

 

Old stalk assembly removed.

 

 

New CC stalk kit fitted.

 

 

Re-fitted wheel and trim, plugged in the laptop and a few minutes later, we can go cruising round the 'hood

 

Oh and while i was at it:

 

 

[northpole]

And the first 2 mods have landed! Love the sweeping needles!

[sootpig]

New Xenon bulbs are on their way from deutchland, as the current ones i suspect are the factory fitted bulbs. They're looking very tired and purple, so time for a new set.

Coming from the R32's fantastic xenons, the bi-xenons of the A4 are thus far pretty dissapointing. I'm hoping new bulbs solve the issue