Automobiles

[Blue Jays]

”...The past sales numbers on wagons in the US are why we don't get them anymore like manual transmissions...”

Agreed. My belief is the manufacturers are simultaneously too hasty “pulling the plug” on offering these models.

[davids]

i'm so glad DavidS and Lionel could come together on a car buying decision. #blessed

If Lionel and I can find common ground, there is hope for the world.

Are you saying an A4 all road is the same as an S4 Avant.

#wrong.

:)

#hopeless

[taz]

For all you GTI, Audi and BMW owners with direct injection... How often are you having to have the carbon cleaned out of the cylinder heads and are you having any intake manifold issues?

Love my MK6 GTI but have had two manifolds replaced under warranty.

[tbonefitz]

I Walnut shell blasted my N54 335 about 5k ago, at 105k. Car was running terribly. I actually bought a blaster and all the parts to do it myself and it worked. Lots of good videos on YouTube.

However, your question was how often, not when. The BMW equivalent to the Salon, e90post.com, has lots of folks who say that about 45k is the limit before the valves need to be done. I'll attest to the fact that by about 80k, mine was acting funny and down on power, and by 100 it felt like it was actually missing or misfiring on hard accelerations.

BMW makes a special vacuum adaptor that fits directly into the intake port with a hole for a blasting wand. Takes about one hour to pull the front half of the engine off, then the blasting is a couple minutes per port, assuming everything goes well. Figure three hours of work and an hour of cursing at parts.

For a preview, go here REVIEW: Cleaning of intake valves with BMW walnut shell blasting tool

A local shop quoted me $750, if that helps. Now that I have all the blasting equipment, I'll probably do it every 2 years or so (I put about 20k a year on a car).

[Saab2000]

For absolutely no good reason at all, I now really want an Audi Q7.

That is all.

[Matthew Strongin]

For absolutely no good reason at all, I now really want an Audi Q7.

That is all.

There's plenty good reason to want one. They make a fantastic car and the new Q7 is particularly nice. I still struggle with the whole diesel-gate thing, but Audi is killing it lately. A friend just got the new A5 sportback and it's amazing.

[Saab2000]

There's plenty good reason to want one. They make a fantastic car and the new Q7 is particularly nice. I still struggle with the whole diesel-gate thing, but Audi is killing it lately. A friend just got the new A5 sportback and it's amazing.

My brother-in-law is in town from overseas and he has had an A5 for a couple years now. Loves it in 2.0T form. The hatchback makes it useful for the cyclist and it's an elegant design.

Regarding the Q7, it's way more car than I need, but it seems to make a case above a Q5. The Q5 is way more appropriate for me being a single guy who drives alone 99% of the time but the Q7 makes a very good case for making the next step.

Yes, I'm also disgusted with the deliberate fraud that took place in the VW group with the diesels. It is unjustifiable. In light of that, they at least don't seem to be shying away from taking responsibility. Not an excuse, but it makes going into the dealership a bit easier.

I went in on a whim about a week ago and the fit and finish and rich material quality of the Q7 blew me away. Of course, so did the sticker price...!

[Lionel]

Picking up my S4 Avant Friday. Excited !

[Saab2000]

Picking up my S4 Avant Friday. Excited !

This is in France, right?

How has the diesel scandal of VW/Audi/Porsche been portrayed in Europe, where diesels are much more common and where regulations are different?

[Lionel]

This is in France, right?

How has the diesel scandal of VW/Audi/Porsche been portrayed in Europe, where diesels are much more common and where regulations are different?

Yep, the S4 Avant does not exist in the US !

As far as the Diesel thing I think most people do not give a damn.

Turning in my X3 diesel. My last diesel car.... ever.

[Saab2000]

Yep, the S4 Avant does not exist in the US !

As far as the Diesel thing I think most people do not give a damn.

Turning in my X3 diesel. My last diesel car.... ever.

The only people in the US who care are people are follow the auto industry. But the US has only a niche following of diesel cars. They've never been mainstream so I doubt most folks are even aware of it.

It's only relevant to my Audi lust because I suspect diesels were planned as a major optional engine for vehicles like the Q7 and Q5 and now that's off the table.

[davids]

My friends who owned diesel VWs are bullshit.

But 50% of them bought another VW.

[Saab2000]

My friends who owned diesel VWs are bullshit.

But 50% of them bought another VW.

I nearly bought one myself a few years back before the scandal broke. Seemed like a pretty good thing - a Golf that would get nearly 50 MPG. I guess it was a mirage.

I'm torn too about buying another VW product. That said, I'm not sure which of these companies would be the most ethical. They're all stained at some level.

[sailor]

We have a last gen Q7 diesel. It is a very nice big car, but you don't forget that is is big when driving it. Audi is fixing it and giving us a fat stack of cash for the trouble. I have not driven a q7 gas but we test drove a bunch of other similar cars (pilot, mdx etc). I love the diesel in this car, effortless lazy power at all times vs a downshift and a bunch of revs for power with gas and delivers better mileage than my 325xi. We also have a camp trailer on order so we will make good use of the torque going over mountain passes.

The new Q7 is fancier but I am not sure it is nicer. A friend of ours traded his last gen TDI for a new 3.0T and is planning to trade back to a diesel if he can find one.

[robin3mj]

The newest gen Q7 looks like it has a saggy butt. Prior one was way nicer. At that price point I would go with the Volvo or an M Class all day long.

[Lionel]

The Q7 is a huge car made for the US. Meh.

[Blue Jays]

”...Picking up my S4 Avant Friday. Excited!...”

My goodness how I wish Audi USA could make that awesome car available in North America.
Do they enable purchasers to get that sweet S4 Avant with a traditional metal roof, too?

[Lionel]

My goodness how I wish Audi USA could make that awesome car available in North America.
Do they enable purchasers to get that sweet S4 Avant with a traditional metal roof, too?

Yep, sun roof is optional. I ticked that box though, and many others as things like S Sports seat (with freaking massage!), Quattro sport differential, latest greatest gadgets like heads up display and lane assist and auto emergency braking all seem to make some sort of sense once you start playing with the configurator. They add up though....

[funcrusher]

i hope no one is planning to sit behind you...

[Matthew Strongin]

auto emergency braking

My wife's car has this feature. I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate it. The worst. Turn it off.