big windy

Gents,

I posted a few days ago that I picked up my new S4 on Saturday morning. I took her down to Portland on Sunday morning for a bit of a break-in road trip. So far, I'm really impressed with the car. The only two things that I absolutely do not like are the electronic parking brake and the chime that goes off when you first start the car and you don't have your seat belt on (I'm hoping to fix that with VCDS). I also noticed that my car does a "gauge sweep," even though I haven't VAG'd anything yet.

Anyway, I thought I'd include a few pics. I've already hardwired my V1 and installed some Hoen H11s, and both are great. The last pic is a side by side shot of H11 vs. stock fogs (sorry it did not come out that great).

S4.2Avant

Congrats, car looks great. I'm thinking that I'll have to take a little trip when I get mine, maybe up through the mountains...

DrGP

Congratulations! You're going to love the car. Put your seat belt on like a good boy and you won't have the annoying chime.(you can vag it off) I wasn't in love with the e brake initially, but I have grown accustomed to it and am acquiring a liking to it. You don't find the exhaust sound quiet?

PhilH

The only time seat belt chimes annoy me is when I'm in a parking garage (unbuckle, get wallet out, then drive at 10 mph through the garage, new cars then throw a fit with the seat belt chime).

Why don't you like the parking brake? I read a magazine review that said they didn't like it because they couldn't do handbrake turns (or some such nonsense...I drive on the track, but I've never done handbrake turns). I don't have my car yet, but from my test drives, I thought it was kind of cool.

With the two road trips I took this past weekend, I wish I had my car already. I'll have to plan another road trip after I get it.

drrick89

Put your wallet in one of your front pockets. You'll have better seating posture in the car and you're less likely to get pickpocketed when you're outside the car. But more importantly, you won't have to remove your seatbelt in a moving vehicle; an unsafe behavior at any speed.

PhilH

Me? I do keep my wallet in my front pocket. I stop at the gate for the garage, unbuckle because it's a lot easier to get to my front pocket, and get my wallet out.

dvon1981

I think this forum is going to cause me to buy an S4, I came here while researching A4's but the more I read the more I really think I need to look at an S4, your car looks amazing btw.

drrick89

Yeah, you with the tight pants on (or anyone else who drives without a seatbelt *at any speed*) - you never said anything about rebuckling your seatbelt, instead saying that the "new cars then throw a fit with the seat belt chime."

As you probably know, I deal with head & brain injury every day - both as a doctor and a survivor of a near-fatal MVA, myself. There is a good reason that new cars chime relentlessly. It is this:

There is no such thing as a minor head injury!

Let me repeat: There is no such thing as a minor head injury!

So everyone - please, please - put your seat belt on *before* you start rolling again.

Understood? This is serious guys.

Chris

I agree. I have never quite understood why the chime is so easily irritating to people. I have my belt on before I even push the start button.

I do sit on my wallet (I know, bad for posture), but I can get my wallet out without taking the belt off. Actually, if I'm going to be driving for a while, I put my wallet in the cupholder anyway.

If I had to weigh the two options: chiming car or head trauma, I'll take the car's noises.

jdgamble

Beautiful car... I've got a BB coming at the end of the month. Can't wait.