Holy cow, an automatic S4 is a ton of fun around town
#16
Racer
And it gets even better if you add a pushbutton for forced kickdown. Easy to do and you will love it
http://jenniskens.livedsl.nl/Technic...0/MyTip039.htm
1992 928GTS
http://jenniskens.livedsl.nl/Technic...0/MyTip039.htm
1992 928GTS
#18
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Saco, Maine/ Scarborough, Maine
Posts: 1,986
Received 591 Likes
on
218 Posts
Agree that the auto is fun to drive when set up right. I had my 89 S4 set up like Bertrand said, and had fun with it for 17 years. The GT is a totally different car, yes not much fun driving in stop and go traffic or the city, but a lot more fun out on the open twisting roads.
They are really two different cars, both, though, fun to drive in their own rite.
They are really two different cars, both, though, fun to drive in their own rite.
#19
Rennlist Member
For day to day driving the four speed auto box is superb considering its timeline. In practical terms it is really a 2 speed box given 2nd and 3rd are the power gears, first being all but useless unless at the traffic lights and 4th is more of an overdrive and the motor can pull this. When bouncing off the rev limiter in third that is enough to get you a free trip to jail in many countries.
I have often wondered what the thing would be like if it had the same transmission I have in the Cayenne Turbo S [6 speed tiptronic] and for that matter if it has the motor [520 BHP and a shed load of torque] .When I was looking at upgrade options I figured that for the likely cost I could purchase the Cayenne and have the best of both worlds- a good decision.
I rate the 4 speed auto box highly- in its day it was probably one of the best transmissions ever made. Modify the kick down cable tension and stick a bypass switch on the kick down wiring and that really livens things up quite nicely.
I have often wondered what the thing would be like if it had the same transmission I have in the Cayenne Turbo S [6 speed tiptronic] and for that matter if it has the motor [520 BHP and a shed load of torque] .When I was looking at upgrade options I figured that for the likely cost I could purchase the Cayenne and have the best of both worlds- a good decision.
I rate the 4 speed auto box highly- in its day it was probably one of the best transmissions ever made. Modify the kick down cable tension and stick a bypass switch on the kick down wiring and that really livens things up quite nicely.
#20
Rennlist Member
I like rowing gears like anyone else but for an auto transmission of its era I like all the adjustments to tuning that you can do. Shift point rpm and response to throttle and shift firmness. Lots of adjustments to make, but when you get it right they are great and really seem to suit the car. I'm thinking of the 4-2 kickdown on the freeway....
I think they get a bad rap for the stigma of being an "auto" of course, but also because many are not adjusted properly and make for poor performance.
I think they get a bad rap for the stigma of being an "auto" of course, but also because many are not adjusted properly and make for poor performance.
#21
Inventor
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Getting consistent results on the dyno with an auto is near impossible so I have a S4 5-speed, but I will eventually trade up to an auto...when I 'retire' from developing.
My first 928, an '81 with a 3-speed was really quite fun. My favorite auto was a '86.5 with LSD and a shift kit. The S3 has gobs of low rpm torque which works well with the auto. The shift kit fixed the 4-speed's 2-3 dullness with a higher rpm shift point. LSD makes it fun to get sideways around corners with a little extra pedal.
My first 928, an '81 with a 3-speed was really quite fun. My favorite auto was a '86.5 with LSD and a shift kit. The S3 has gobs of low rpm torque which works well with the auto. The shift kit fixed the 4-speed's 2-3 dullness with a higher rpm shift point. LSD makes it fun to get sideways around corners with a little extra pedal.
#22
Rennlist Member
What is a " shift kit "?
Getting consistent results on the dyno with an auto is near impossible so I have a S4 5-speed, but I will eventually trade up to an auto...when I 'retire' from developing.
My first 928, an '81 with a 3-speed was really quite fun. My favorite auto was a '86.5 with LSD and a shift kit. The S3 has gobs of low rpm torque which works well with the auto. The shift kit fixed the 4-speed's 2-3 dullness with a higher rpm shift point. LSD makes it fun to get sideways around corners with a little extra pedal.
My first 928, an '81 with a 3-speed was really quite fun. My favorite auto was a '86.5 with LSD and a shift kit. The S3 has gobs of low rpm torque which works well with the auto. The shift kit fixed the 4-speed's 2-3 dullness with a higher rpm shift point. LSD makes it fun to get sideways around corners with a little extra pedal.
#23
Inventor
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
#25
Burning Brakes
You hit it right on the head. I had my automatic transmission in my 1985 S3 adjusted by MrMerlin about a month ago. Even though my car has very low miles, my throttle was out of adjustment (too slack) and the torque tube was pretensioned (at least I think I have that right). He also swapped in some new fluid, and the car is night and day different that before it was serviced. It went from sluggish to being able to chirp it's tires. It's so worth it having an experienced professional make this car right, because when they are right, they are magical.
#26
Electron Wrangler
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
I find my manual car perfectly fun around town too... just so long as there isn't nose to tail gridlock.
Crawling along at a few miles per hour is literally just pure torture.
But I still do drive it virtually every day (I'm sure my left leg is now bigger though!).
(always thought a 1st gear crawler mode with a built in mini torque converter would be a great MT option)
Alan
Crawling along at a few miles per hour is literally just pure torture.
But I still do drive it virtually every day (I'm sure my left leg is now bigger though!).
(always thought a 1st gear crawler mode with a built in mini torque converter would be a great MT option)
Alan
#27
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
#28
Electron Wrangler
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Jim - yes like that but only for one special gear (say a mid range between first & second) so you can do all your stop/start crawling without a clutch, but not lose any performance in any other gear. So as soon as you resume normal unrestricted driving - just use the clutch to change to a regular gear as appropriate.
A neat feature that would instantly remove the biggest drawback of a manual.
Alan
A neat feature that would instantly remove the biggest drawback of a manual.
Alan
#29
Inventor
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
#30
Electron Wrangler
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member