Any word on your SE ordering questions?

 

Yeah, actually. Just ordered through Diplomatic Auto Sales and put $1K down. I've got a guarantee from them that if my Government move destination changes and I have to cancel at any time prior to delivery, I'll get my down payment back. That's pretty awesome. Pleasure dealing with them.

The dealership I had beenin contact withflat told me if Iordered through them, I'd lose my down payment if anything changed. OK, I'm not blaming them, but they lost the sale. Plus I'm pretty confident I got a better price.

Can you believe Diplomatic Auto Sales didn't have a single Audi in stock with a manual transmission, except for two or three A3s? Had to special factory order.

Mine's going to bean A4 Special Edition, Light Silver Metallic, 2.0T 6-sp quattro. Convenience package (bi-xenons!!) and sports suspension. Delivery in the U.S. estimated in 120 days --14 July. Just about perfect timing, if everything works out. Adn if I'm delayed, Diplo Auto Sales will hold the car for me at the port at no charge.

Hey, with the bi-xenons that you've got (don't you?), do the units have W5W-type "city lights"? MyVAG-COM just arrived in the mail.

Still waiting on someone who's got an idea whetheramber rear turn signals would bea function of just the bulb, or the whole assembly...

--Marek

 

Congratulations! What comes with the SE package again? How much did you end up paying for the car if you don't mind me asking? You'll love it.

Yes, with the bi-xenon lights, of the convenience package, they come with DRLs that function as city lights.

As for amber rear turn signals... you would get a red/orange hue if you changed just the bulbs. The light output would also be diminished. If you're really looking for a true orange indicator you'll have to replace the entire housing. I still think that is entirely unnecessary but it is your car!

I would just wait until you get the car, test out some orange bulbs and if it isn't enough for you you can always order your tail lights then.

 

The Audi web site pretty much lists what's included with the SE:
http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/n...l_edition.html

The 17" wheels will benice (don't think I'd want anything lower-aspect), and the spoke pattern doesn't look bad... but those intricate spokes are going to be a bitch to clean.

I haven't ever beena big fan of leather seats, but can't seem to get away from them in this car. The heated seats are a requirement, though.

I don't think I need the Sirius capability, but after the free one-year subscription I might change my mind.

Oh... metallic paint is also included, which is great.

The most vexing thing was that the Cold Weather Package isn't available. The heated seats are already standard with SE, and I'm not going to be putting our skis in the trunk with a ski bag pass-through. But I was kind of wanting theheadlight washers. They're required in Europe with HID/xenon headlights (as are auto-levelers, which these bi-xenons obviously have). But no big deal;this car wouldbe exempt if/when we move back here to Europe in my status.

So... the "base" A4 sedan 2.0T quattro 6-speed Special Edition apparently has an MSRP of $32,025; I hadn't been able to find that anywhere on-line.

The only options my car will have are the Convenience Package, Sport Suspension, and Rear Side Airbags for thekiddies -- er, teen-agers.That made the car's MSRP$34,725.

Actual price was $32,304, which is about 7% below MSRP. Beats the4% the U.S. dealer was offering me.

I do have to pay the unavoidable $775 for inland freight, $349 dealer prep, and a $285 "admin fee." All thatadded up to $33,703. Not bad. I'll still have to pay tax and title when I pick it up.

Every car I'd ever bought hadbeennormally through a dealer. I wasn't looking forward to the prospect now. I've got to say this was the easiestI've ever bought a car.

Diplomatic Auto Sales aren't availableto everyone, though. They've got affiliate companies that deal with military stationed overseas, etc., and with foreign diplomats coming to the U.S. If anyone is in those categories, though, I'd definitely recommend them.

I was digging around on-line last night, and found where someone had tried to put amber bulbs into the U.S. tail lights. They still flashed red. Must be the lens. I'm gonna need the European outboard assemblies. Just have to see whether the dealer price here is less than the $155.58 a pair currently from vagparts.com -- that's a pretty good price. Yeah, I'm pretty adamant about ambers.

In the few images of thebi-xenons that I can find, I think I can see the tiny W5W city-light bulbs embedded in the inboard reflectors. Those reflectors with the larger centerbulbs function asDRLs, right?

I hate DRLs. VAG-COM. Maybe.

If the DRLswere disabled,would those reflectors do anything besides the city light function? Are thecenter21v (?) bulbs useless then?

Anyway, the city lights will be goodif/when I decide to VAG-COM disable the amber parking lights too.Because then if a headlight goes out, it's good to have something shining on that side to show oncoming traffic that you're not a motorcycle. That's the main purpose of city lights in Europe now, where front amber parking lights have never existed... city lights aren'tgenerallyused to tool around in town any more. Except maybe in France.

--Marek

 

Does any one know if they will selling them soon in USA. Beacuse im also looking at a SE but if the B8 comes a few months later its really going to suck. Beacuse i would have walked in to a dealers trap to ditch the last of the B7..i have a6 02 2.7t right now and im looking to trade it in for the B8 of possible

 

Here in Poland, at least, where the introduction of the new B8 was also delayed by a year like in the U.S., it looks like they're already selling the B8. At least taking orders. The audi.pl web site has switched over to "selling" the B8. As of a month ago, alocal showroomstill hadB7's on the floor, but already had a B8 on display.

But introduction of the B8 would probably beeasier here, since it would be the European model that's already been around for a year. I've heard about U.S. delays of the B8.If you're not getting a straight answer from a dealer, I'm not surprised... they're probably being encouraged to clear out and push the B7 SE's first.

Heh... my situation was exactly the opposite of yours. I'm not thrilled with the new B8, or its increased price; and am glad to have gotten an order in for a B7 SE in time.

--Marek

 

I saw a handful of B8 A4s driving around Munich when I was there last month. They must have started selling them. The Audi plant in Ingolstadt was still producing B7s though. It was odd.

 

you should have been seeing more than a handful in Munich (an old stomping ground of mine!). You knowthe B8's have been sold in Western Europe since a year ago, as 2008 models, don't you?

If the Ingolstadt plant was still producing European-spec B7'sas of last month,it must have been the remnants destined for here in Eastern Europe(sorry, it's Central Europe now!) or elsewhere in the world. And hey, they haven't built the U.S.-spec B7 yet that I just ordered!

 

Marek, I've found your euro-spec rear tails with the amber turn signals you are looking for. They are OEM and at a great price! I'm sure you can sell the stock units on eBay and recoup some of your money!

http://oempl.us/index.php?main_page=...roducts_id=535

 

Thanks, I PM'ed you back.

Just saw my second new A8 on the road yesterday. This one was here in Poland; looks like the first ones are jsut starting to hit the road here.

I'm sorry, but there's just something wrong with itslines. The A7 "flows" much better.

Plus I'm just not a fan of that line of LEDs under the headlights.

Glad I've got one of the SE B7's on order...though I wish the trunk's license platearea would fit European plates, for the next time we're over here.

--Marek