JonDeutsch

re: #1. So, here are my two issues with the sport package:

1. It comes with summer tires! One of the main reasons I have gone Acura in the past and am considering Audi is because I didn't want RWD which would require me in my climate to swap tires twice a year. Not interested. I don't know why Audi forces us to choose sport + RWD PITA! I wish it wasn't the case, but it is. Hence my question about adding the sport package stuff on ad-hoc/dealer-install vs. pre-packaged with tires I'm not interested in.

2. I've read (can't test drive; nobody has them in stock apparently) that it makes it a harsher ride, even on highways. I do a mix of highway and twisty driving, and I love striking the balance between compliance and feeling the road. It *sounds* like (from what I read) that the sport package may go a bit into BMW harsh land from Audi's luxurious compliance.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
Jon

JonDeutsch

Yeah, the TSX is really a nice car overall. The 4 banger with 6-speed is awfully peppy (it even feels more peppy -- even though it's not -- than the A4 due to a number of factors).

What really turns me off to the new TSX, oddly enough, are the two ***** on the center console. Not sure why they bother me so much, but center ***** in the button-laden dash just look oddly cyclopsian. I know it's a weird thing to disqualify a car, but let's just say that I'm also looking to try a new brand and not be so darned conservative with everything I do!

Another thing that I like about the A4 a bit more than the TSX is size... the TSX has gotten as big as the prior-gen TL! The A4 is a bit more compact and tight. I like that.

JonDeutsch

Hmmm... I'm a bit worried that the sports seats will be too grippy/tight/bolstered for my fiancée. But I suppose I should sit in them and see for myself. (see my concerns with summer tires vis-a-vis sport package).

JonDeutsch

Oh, another thing I'd like to get some feedback on:

Coming from an Acura TSX 6-speed, I am quite accustomed to a very tight clutch pedal feel. The Audi 6-speed feels super-light and, at least initially, makes it feel less sporty somehow. Am I nuts? Has anyone else come from another brand to find Audi's clutch system to be too light-weight in feel?

Any info/insights appreciated.
Thx.
Jon

JD15

#1 is easily remedied. I switched out the stock summer tires for Continental DWS in mid-October at a cost of a little over $600. I will likely be purchasing a second set of nicer 18" or 19" wheels with summer tires for the warm weather months, but I am glad that I wasn't deterred by the cost of removing the stock summer tires for the winter. I would recommend that you not let the summer tires dictate your decision.

#2: I could not test drive a sport package equipped A4 either, but I am glad that I listened to the consensus on the forums and ordered one anyway. I would not have purchased the A4 if the sport package were not available, as the standard suspension is too soft and floaty and the standard seats are grossly inferior to the sport seats.

JonDeutsch

I suppose this all has to do with driving preferences and profiles. Can you or someone explain the difference in drive, seats, etc., between the sports packaged A4 and the lack thereof?

While I do want a sporty sedan, I don't want to compromise everyday commuting comfort, road noise, etc. I end up commuting more than driving, whether I like to admit to that fact or not.

Thx.

JonDeutsch

So, what did you do with the stock tires? And, with the Prestige, it seems you need to go 19" with the sport package. I'd imagine that 19" rims and low-profile tires together conspire to make you feel every bump and crack in the pavement?

Don't get me wrong... I'm interested, just not convinced. Looking to learn more. The fact that there are so many here who so enjoy the sport package makes me re-think the value/cost thing as well.

Looking forward to learning more.

gunsmoker

JonDeutsch, if you want a sport sedan, then you need the sport package, otherwise you won't be getting a sport sedan. If you are concerned about the harshness of the ride, then the 18" sport package is the one for you. The seats are better looking and more supportive, but aren't harder. The shifter **** and the steering wheel look better. The stance of the car is lower, but not too much to be concerned about.
18" wheels on the TSX carry the MSRP of $3k - that's a ransom compared to the $1.5k for the Audi sport package.

The A4 is a very close match to the TSX size-wise. The quattro is a bit heavier.

The sport suspension is not overly sporty. It has more body roll than I'd like. I own also a 2007 IS250 (no sport options that year) and the chassis rigidity, the body roll, and the ride quality are about the same, with the A4 with the 18" sport package being able to absorb the potholes a little better.

There is a very limited color choice on the TSX I noticed. The A4 is a hands-down winner in the exterior styling department.

Doesn't the Acura's buttons galore bother you?

About the stiff clutch pedal of the Acura. That would be a downside for me, because a portion of my commute is in stop-and-go traffic. Still, I wouldn't trade the manual for an automatic. I don't see how a softer pedal can feel less sporty as long as it follows your foot.

I also didn't drive/see an A4 with the sport package before I got mine, but I'm happy I made the right decision.

I asked the dealer to make a note in my order asking for all-season tires. The factory didn't honor it, the dealer didn't help it either. I bought the Conti DWS tires which was about $800 including the shipping and the installation (by the Audi dealer). I sold the summer tires for $400 with 700 miles on them. All said and done, still cheaper than the TSX's 18" wheels.

JD15

My car is Premium Plus, so I have the 18" Sport Package.

Currently, my summer tires are sitting in my basement. If I end up going with 19" wheels for the summer, I will try to sell them for $400-500. If I can't sell them, I will chalk up the $650 spent on the Conti DWS as an added expense of the Sport Package. Even at $2000, the package would have still been worthwhile. Also, the stock Pirelli P6 all-seasons that come standard on the A4 are supposedly awful tires, so you possibly would want to replace them anyway.

I forgot to mention this earlier, but the three-spoke sport steering wheel is also a nice upgrade over the standard four-spoke wheel.

JonDeutsch

Thanks for the info. This is really helpful. So, here's a new issue (sonofa): I want the Prestige, and it seems as though I can only get the Prestige with the 19" sport package. Correct?

And, for a mere $200 more, I can get the Titanium Sport Package, which I think looks great on the outside, but am not totally thrilled with going 100% black (with no brushed alum accents) on the inside.

Is there no way to go 18" Sports Package with Prestige?

You guys are killing me what with all of you ganging up on me with the Sport Package. I'm still driving (and enjoying) a 2005 TSX! Isn't the base A4 more sporty than the TSX? Or, are my driving impressions kind of accurate, in that it's really not?

Thx.
Jon