bonedoc

Audi Gurus,

(I know this has been discussed but not quite in the way I am asking)

I plan to lease a new Audi S4 in the next few days and don't want to wait 4 months for an special order. I have scoured the tri-state area for my desired options and have not found the perfect car.

That said, I have found a car in my ideal color(deep sea blue), with navigation, B & O stereo, 19" rims and leather seats but NO Sports Diff:

One will be coming in in 3 weeks with the differential but only the stock ugly 18" wheels.

I have a hard time with delayed gratification.....That said would most wait for the Sports Differential?

Is the stock diff a major compromise?

I really like spirited driving but will not be going to the track.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Rich

tofuking

wait the three weeks for it, as far as i have researched and what people here have been saying it is definitely worth it. You can always get the 19" rims after the fact but not the sports diff.

zerinS4

Easier to swap wheels and tires than put the diff in after the fact (understatement). Wait the three weeks.

helix139

Wait the three weeks or investigate having the dealer do a swap or acquire one from another dealer. Worst case scenerio you can pick up some reps.

NWS4Guy

Was worth the 3 month wait for me to get one built to my specs. If you perform and love spirited driving, it will matter. It turns the car from moderate understeer to neutral or even minimal oversteer (in dynamic mode).

You also get the benefit of increased throttle response/engine mappings and tighter steering when in Dynamic, as well as more subdued settings in Comfort modes.

zillmc

Do not skip this option! It's the most important one!

NABS4

I disagree with the point regarding absence of SD. I do not have SD and find that the balance is very neutral. Balance is a function of weight distribution more than the inclusion of a torque vectoring system. I agree that near the limit the SD helps put the power where it needs to go, but it doesn't alter the inherent nature of the car. As a case in point, my previous vehicle was a MDX, which my have the best torque vectoring system available, handles like a pig as compared to the S4 and is not even close to being a neutral handler. What the MDX does amazingly well (esp with winter tires) is handle the slick stuff. My previous E90 325 had more front end push (ie understeer) than the S4 has. I challenge anyone to drive a S4 at anything less than 10/10ths (on dry pavement) and be able to determine whether or not the car is SD-equipped.

NWS4Guy

You can tell.

Take a cloverleaf in dynamic mode at double the posted recommended speed limit, and if you are a spririted driver, you can feel the rear end being pushed around the corner.

The car rotates much better with the SD, having driven a pair of S4's back to back the same day on the same roads, one with and one without I can say you absolutely can tell.

DrGP

WAIT 3 WEEKS! If it were 3 months I might think otherwise. The Sport dif is THE option that makes the S4 special! 3 weeks down the line you will have second thoughts and regrets that you did not get it. Is the other car the same color combo and have similar options? Don't worry about the wheels. There always seems to be someone looking for a set of OEM 18s.Also there are some that want to sell their OEM 19s You can generally sell the oEM 18" wheels and tires for over $1000. BTW, the 18" Pirellis themselves cost over $400 a piece. Someone is always looking to replace a tire or wheel. THEN, pick up a set of wheels and tires that you really like. I was lucky enough to find someone with an A4 S line to trade my oem 18s for the 19" Rs4 type and a little cash. BTW, Hartmann Wheels and Velocity Motoring wheels has some really nice and reasonable wheel and tire packages. Anything other than what you want is a compromise. Wheels can be changed after you buy the car, Sport dif cannot be added.

m444

I have felt the effect of the sport diff a few times, on a clover leaf and on an exit with a switchback on a compound angle. When hit at full speed, it feels like magic & the car follows the road like a hand behind pushing the car through the corner. It is an eerie feeling. I always drive in dynamic mode.