PaulW

From Chicago to Palo, IA and back. Here's the stats:

Avg speed: 66 MPH

Avg MPG: 21.3 MPG

The car is very nice......better than my car in many ways, mostly because it is newer.....but a few things I like more about my 97:

1. Seats in the 97 are closer to the floor (maybe the floor board is higher in the facelift?). My knee no longer tucks under the window switches on the door panel, it kinda rides next to them. Effectively makes it a little smaller.

2. The car does not have to be this low of gearing....I would say it's too low. On the highway the gearing does not suit the available engine torque/HP as well as the A8 does. This is the only reason it gets poor mileage as compared to the A8.

Gabor, get working on a gear set change to change 5th gear to something in between the A8 and the S8.....that would be a nice mod!

3. Combined with 2 above, the range on the car is not what it is on the A8. Fill it up, the range is 480 miles....on the A8, it would border 700 miles for the first half hour of driving.....need to extend that with a gear change.

4. After having a Nav Plus for more than 3 years, I can't wait to get another one for this car. Don't like not having navigation.

The power is awesome.....but for some reason the car does not seem to pull like it should above 5K RPM, I'm thinking it's the second diaphragm positioning on the intake manifold....will have to check that.

The output shaft seal is leaking on the tranny, just like I thought it was when I looked at it....maybe that would be the time to do the gear set change!!!

Love the CAR!!!!!

skiracer

The stock Nav. in the '03 is OK (good directions), but no maps is a bummer.

Sky1904

just checked out your ebay listing in your signature. what a way to make a statement about the A8 with a state trooper in the background. I'm sure you will have no problem selling it.

tozoM8

Unfortunately you can't change the gear ratios, only the final drive ratio.

ohbw

It's a relief to know that gearing might allow me to beat you and skiracer on the NY > San Francisco pink slip run. Let's schedule that.

Regarding nav, may I suggest you follow the lead of the Polynesians who navigate thousands of miles of open ocean in outrigger canoes to accurately locate tiny islands -- with no sextant, compass, or other device? It's simple, just read the link. (I once read a longer article on this but can't locate it now. However, the link may provide you with more information than you ever wanted.)

Of course, you'll have to drive the way Jack Nicholson drove his Corvette on the beach in "Terms of Endearment" -- sitting up on the sunroof and steering with your feet -- but that's a small price to pay for discovering your ancient, innate inability to find your way home.<ul><li><a href="http://travelerstales.com/carpet/000130.shtml">Testicular navigation.</a></li></ul>

skiracer

And I wouldn't want to try it in the Amazon river.

PaulW

With the rear end gear or a gear in the transfer case on the back of the transmission?

I would really consider changing the final drive to something higher.

A8CT

You can do that in a couple of hours.

PaulW

How about the front diff? You don't have to change that?

pkrasusky

...for me at least.

I have nooooooo issue with the highway cruising RPM - quite the contrary really. I quite enjoy cruising exactly right at peak torque and being able to mash the throttle and get some action w/o downshifting. If I recall correctly (hey it's been like 3 weeks since I've whooped up on mine) cruising at 85 is RIGHT at 3,400 - read - peak tq.

What's not to like? MPG be damned. Buy a Prius already 8-).

Is it sad that I enjoy cutting those off when they clog the left lane @ 64? Was that out loud? Where's my meds? Hey look, a butterfly...