Just curious to know why FWD Audi's get a bad rap? I'm bored off my *** with time on my hands (evident by this thesis) and have been perusing the threads and have noticed how lowly esteemed the FWD Audi's are regarded. I own a FWD and I live in a state that 8 months out of the year there is snow and ice on the roads. If I don't even desire Quattro why Quattro or bust person do you need it. I chose FWD over Quattro because its slightly quicker, more fuel efficient and best of all with less moving parts=less **** to wear out and thus work on. I also know how to drive in hazardous conditions. Been doing it for 16 years now. Everyone knows (or should)that AWD, 4x4 Quattro, 4-motion 4-matic etc etc etc... blah ****** blah does not assist in the most important aspects of driving in hazardous condition i.e. braking on icy or slippery condidtions or cornering in icy or slippery conditions(think about it if the front wheels are slipping the rear wheels will propell you straight into the guardrail, ditch or oncoming traffic at a higher rate of speed but I fail to see this as a positive selling point). So if it does not assist but to get one unstuck I would suggest that the reason one is stuck in the first place is because one doesn't understand the basic principles or physics of a car that has two wheels upfront to direct the car and two more rearward to propel it. The misinformation and misunderstanding that is perpetruated by ignorant statements like "too bad its a FWD should've gotten quattro" and "an Audi with FWD is a VW" is utter ignorant bliss to the sayer but stupid ******* moron speak to anyone with even the most basic understanding of the physics of an automobile. Especially annoying when its coming from someone whose car sees nothing but the occasional rainfall and wet road. This is demonstrated to me year after year after year after year of seeing hotheaded dipshits in their 4x4 pickups, SUV's and the like racing down the highways during the winter causing accidents losing contro and hitting the ditches and medians. Overall acting like genuine ******** because they think "hey I've got 4 wheel drive (and a small peeenis) road conditions don' affect me with my 4x4" .

If you're a serious tuner and your car is pushing serious torque than quattro would be a definite advantage.
If you like rock-climbing or mud-running or off-roading in general than quattro would be a necessity.

But for the most part the general enthusiasts car is a daily driver with a little extra to make it fun and FWD is plenty sufficient.

So the misinformed person who poo-poos the FWD's has about as much sense (in my mind) as the dipshit in the 4x4 Escalade (which will never see anything but pavement)with an 12" lift and 22" chrome wheels with 1/2" of rubber tire to protect the wheels (yeah that thing looks tough princess). Dumb. Just Plain Dumb.

I'm just sick of the ignorant bullshit like... an Audi with FWD is a VW. Yeah well then Your Quattro Audi is just a VW with 4-motion. No ****?! Really? Yep. We're all Audi enthusiasts not BMW ******** lets act like it.

 

I personally have never seen someone say it in an offensive way just stating there opinion. The reasoning behind getting quattro is not always for road conditions or even hp but many times the handling aspect of the car. From what I have read the fwd audi's have tons and tons of understeer. The quattro ones do too but if you hit the gas you can manage to kick the rear out instead. Also I have had a good balance of fwd, rwd, and awd vehicles and I personally will never own another fwd unless it is a honda and I got it for the gas mileage. I don't like how they feel or handle and they just don't seem right... When it comes down to it its just peoples opinions but when it comes to winter driving yes they all stop the same but when you can go out in the much deeper snow w/o getting stuck is where the difference comes in. Some poeple live out in the country where the roads don't get plowed till the next day sometimes and couldnt get to work w/o it.

 

I noticed that it is for the most part good natured ribbing. I pretty much figured it was someone busting ***** anyways. Like I said I was just bored and there hasn't been much action on the B6 side today.(never seems to be as fun as the b5 side) just wanted to get something going. I am actually really suprised by your response. The understeer has never been a concern but I think now I may upgrade the stock torsion bars. Was starting to run out of things to do on mine being I do have the CVT tranny which is truly disappointing only in that it doesn't allow for much perfomance modifications. Was kind of hoping to ruffle some feathers just to get something going. I'm Bored...maybe I'll start a thread on why the CVT kicks so much *** over the manual or tiptronic tranny hahaha j/k that'd probably do it. All Audi's that represent their owners individuality kick *** in my mind...

 

First off, quattro is different from 4-Motion; claiming that an A4 with quattro is just a Passat with 4-Motion is just as ignorant as saying an A4 without it is just a FWD Passat.

Secondly, Illinois may only see snow three to four months of the year, but our winters suck. They're random, unpredictable, and usually provide at least one good snow storm each year, during which at least one of my parents still has to go into work...which car do you think we take?? We live on a short dead-end street that is usually one of the last in town to get plowed, even though we only live in a town of 450 people.

If you've bought an Audi, you shouldn't have to worry about getting a few MPG extra over quattro models, no matter what you bought your Audi to be. Whether it's your daily driver or your track toy, it's still an Audi (which means you've probably got a little bit of disposable income). Audi drivers bitching about gas mileage is almost as bad as asking if it's safe to run 89 octane.

I don't like dicks in 4x4 trucks that think they own the roads in the winter, either, but I don't consider myself to be one of those people by any means, just because I've got quattro and because I feel safer in the snow in my car than in either of my parents' cars.

To sum it up - some people do go overboard when it comes to quattro vs. Frontrak, just as some go overboard in saying that manuals are superior to Tiptronics, but until you've owned a car with quattro you don't know what you've been missing out on. FWD, on the other hand, is just FWD.

 

And just for the hell of it...



~25" ground to fender on Cooper all-season tires taking on 8"+ of snow without a problem.

 

Yeah mine would definitely be stuck in that mess(that is pretty impressive). I must say though that the ESP system is pretty amazing I feel total confidence when I'm driving on slippery roads...its the best format for hazardous weather I've ever driven (mind you I've only driven honda's, toyota's, GM's and Ford's with their takes on an ESP like system). I still think the CVT tranny is the best of all...j/k. Damn weak tranny stopping me from more upgrades BOO!

 

The only FWD car I've driven in the snow is my mom's '04 DeVille, so it's hard for me to really say much on FWD in the snow, other than it wouldn't have made it through some of the things that I've put my car through.

And the only RWD car I've had out in the snow is my dad's old 325i, and it wasn't much fun, either. I remember one day last winter we switched cars for the day for some reason and I came out of school that afternoon to find that it had been sleeting all day - it was an interesting 10-mile drive home that day.

 

I bet it was. I did chose the FWD because I do all of my own work to my cars(except one time I needed a cars frame straightened, not the audi, but my buick) always have always will and the additional moving parts (more parts to wear out and eventually repair)turned me off. I really wish I had more knowledge of the specific transmissions when I purchased it because I would be driving a manual model today. I have no regrets though with the FWD. Always what I've driven and its by far the best handling FWD i've owned. Glad to finally get some interaction besides a simple sentence. Been pretty bored, this is the most action the B6 side has seen today so I'm happy!!

 

Haha, glad I could be of service. I'm usually in the OT - that's my killer of boredom - but I was browsing around and the thread title caught my eye. Other than that I'm not in the model-specific sections too often.

 

I guess I felt like the OT was a kind of club that I'm to new to contribute to. Usually stick to the model specific to help out others where and when I can. I've never even checked OT out but may start now these days on disability get pretty long waiting for people to ask a question I can answer or answer a question that I ask. OT here I come! Thanks for not responding to me like i'm an a ***-hole (I know it could have gone either way with the first post) kolbs91 nice to know that AF has good people.