A few questions, can you help/advise?

[orb]

First of, as you can see from my signature, I have a B5 Avant 2.4 SE Auto. The car is standard and has been maintained to a VERY high standard all of its life (by my dad who bought it new)

I have the car as our second car and I fancy making i look a bit better, but I am worried about making it too chavvy. So, OE is something that I am a great believer in.

The wheels are the 16 inch multi spoke that have the usuall knackered centre caps and are just too small and poo. So what wheels will go on as standard? I am sure that Golfs and A3's have a lower PCD and thus cant be used. I dont want to spend a lot of money as the car will rarely be used, and I do not mind re-furbing the wheels so second hand would be preferable. What do you think would suit it? Any options you can push to me?


Also, this car needs to sit lower! and I know this is an easy job, but what would you reccomend? do I just bang on a se of lowering springs and away we go or do I need to shell out for coil overs etc? (I cannot justify the latter)

would these be of any use? - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAMEX--40MM-L...vr_id=&cguid=9e88cbd11250a0e203421bb2fd897a73


And another thought I have is, I love the burble of the V6, but I find that the exhaust kills some of the sound. I wondered if there is a back box out there that would give the car a more fruity note without making it too Max Power Halfords Nova **** mobile? on a similar note, will a K&N pannel filter make the induction noise any better?



I plan to keep this car for some time, and I am very handy with the spanners so looking after it is no problem, but I want it to look and sound the part.

Any options and ideas welcomed!

Thanks and sorry to bore you with a ******** post.

 

[phoenixv6quattro]

Hello mate. Congrats on the car! Will try and answer some of your questions. Ref alloys anything with a PCD of 5*112 should fit(you may need spigot rings/spacers for some applications). Do a search for a4 alloys on ebay for the best way to see your options. Ref lowering ideally coilovers would be A1 for the job. However they are pricey(for a worthwhile set). As long as your stock dampers are in good nick you should be able to get away with lowering springs as long as you don't go too crazy with the drop. Be aware that if you already have the sports suspension your car will already be 20mm lower than non sport models. So those Jamex's will only drop your car 20mm, if that makes sense. For a better induction noise you can drill the standard airbox. Some bods are for this and some are against, but obviously its your choice. A K&N panel filter will not make much of a difference (as I have found out). Backbox wise I don't know as I have a Milltek system, never changed just the backbox on a car. The Milltek is awesome, but costly. Hope this helps mate.

 

[aragorn]

His car is an SE, so it wont already have the sport suspension

If you want to keep it cheap and cheerful, stick the jamex's on, it wont be perfect but it should be better than it is now.

Mk2 TT and A3's and mk5 golfs all have the same 5x112 fitment as the A4, but they have a different offset so require spacers. A4/A6/A8 wheels will all mostly fit streight on. Mk1 TT and A3's and Mk4 golfs are 5x100, so wont fit.

You could look at having an exhaust shop cut out the middle box on the exhaust, as that should improve the sound for not too much money, just make sure they refit the hanger if you do that!

Drilling the stock airbox is fine, just drill the holes on the front edge and the side nearest the wing only to get the coolest air possible, and only on the lower half before the filter, so your not drawing in unfilterered air.

 

[phoenixv6quattro]

"His car is an SE, so it wont already have the sport suspension "

I did say "IF" aragorn....Read between the lines mate....; • )

 

[orb]

Cool.

I will buy me some springs, I found some that seem better value and more specific to the car.

link - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360214543576&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT - £53 delivered, cant go wrong really!


Does drilling the Airbox make much difference to the sound? anyone noticed any changes to MPG after doing this?


I dont see the point in me going for a full system on the car as I am not bothered about performance as it will allways be the Mum mobile. I may see if I can weld one up myself. It would be like 1995 again and welding cherry bombs on

 

[phoenixv6quattro]

Not noticed a change in mpg. I have found a noticable difference in indiction noise, but nothing major.

 

[orb]

cool, ok, what size drill bit is the chosen weapon? also, where about on the box are people drilling, and how many holes?

is there a guide or some pics out there?

 

[aragorn]

Just get a large 20-25mm boring bit, and make some holes in the lower half of the box (ie under the filter), as far away from the engine as you can manage.

The front and the side nearest the wing are the best places to drill.

 

[orb]

Ok, that sounds very easy! may do this today


What about the backbox then, any thoughts?

 

[aragorn]

something like this:

http://www.bulletmotorsports.net/audi/airboxmod-3.jpg

But i'd also drill some on the front edge, behind the headlight.

You can choose to drill holes thru the wheel liner too, i'm not so sure i like that idea though.

 

[aragorn]

for the backbox i'd give removing the middle box a try instead.

OE backbox and no mid box should give you some more purr without sounding too raspy and horrible!

 

[orb]

Rather good idea. I shall have a go asap.

 

[aragorn]

If you do it, theres a hanger on the middle box, if you leave it off the system twists round on the flexis and wrecks them, so make sure you knock up a replacement hanger.

 

[Audidave]

I have fitted a b5 rs4 complete exhaust from the cat's back on to my 2.8. Had some sleeves made up from a chap called pipe_werx on ebay in stainless as the rs4 has a stainless system as standard and is about 60mm O/D . complete system cost me £50.00 sounds great!