skoorbevad

I'm hooked, I think, on the TSX -- I can't quite seem to find another car out there right now thats a better deal for the money.

I'm selling my '99.5 A4 1.8TQ this weekend, and I just may put a deposit down on a 6-spd. TSX. Dealers in my area are swearing they can still get their hands on the '04 6-spds in about a month.

I didn't think I'd be able to downgrade to something slower, naturally aspirated, and FWD after the Audi (chipped) - it still puts a grin on my face every time the turbo spools up! Time for something else, though, and I've read nothing but good things about the TSX on this forum as well as clubtsx.com.

I drove a 6-spd TSX once some months back when they were first released, all I remember from it wa taking note of how sweet the shifter feel was - and Ive only been able to test drive the Automatics since.

So, I'll keep you posted as to what color I decide on -- there's a White/Tan 6-spd coming into a dealer here in early Feb, but I may see what else they can get their hands on thats not white.

Buff-Daddy

It's in it's 1st year of production and there have been some minor problems. No car is going to be perfect, but I think you will be happy with this car for different reasons than your Audi.

Just out of curiosity, what is involved in chipping an A4? What was the total cost and what did it involve? Thanks...

TinkySD

Chipping any of the 1.8ts are easy. 500 dollars or so for the part and is usually just a replacing of an eprom chip on the ecu. Good manufactures like APR have a dual setup where you can choose to run the reflashed ecu or original code. Chipping those 1.8ts is fantastic because of the electronically controlled waste gates amont other things. You can use software to up the boost instead of having to replace any parts physically. They are fantasic mods and one of the reason i initially considered an a4. It was just a little too price for my taste.

rb1

As I recall, Upsolute chips could be had in the neighborhood of $300. I went so far as to visit an chipping get-together and took a ride in a freshly chipped Jetta. It was amazing how much difference it made. The chipped car pulled as hard in 5th gear as the unchipped car pulled in 3rd!!

That being said, the K03 turbo in the 1.8T really only pushes enough air for 0.8 bar (say 12 psi, which is now the stock boost in the 2002+ cars) and the chips try to squeeze 1 bar or more. Also, the stock programming provides for a very flat torque curve (say a constant 175 lb-ft) vs. a huge early spike to 230-240 lb-ft in the chipped cars which rapidly falls off since the turbo can't sustain the boost levels at higher RPM.

So, I decided to stay stock even though I have the 150 hp/0.6 bar programming. My opinion is that the above observations don't bode well for the long term life of the turbo under chipped conditions if driven hard regularly. Those folks even show pictures of the turbo housing glowing red-hot after a few WOT runs. No thanks.

TinkySD

RB1 what are the new 1.8ts rated at that are pushing 12psi?

dom

I thought the 1.8 had 3 variants, the 150HP, 180HP and the 225HP in the TT? Could you not transform your 150HP motor into the 225HP TT motor with a chip? or will it take alot more?

rb1

The 225HP TT motor has upgraded internals (forged crank/pistons?), two intercoolers, and the K04 turbo instead of K03.

With chip alone, you can bring the 150/180HP cars up to about 200 HP.

rb1

These are the 180 hp (174 lb-ft @ 1950-5000 RPM) models (although I expect that the 170 hp models in the Passat and Audi have almost the same boost). There are variances in the compression ratio, exhaust, etc. that account for the output differences.

skoorbevad

<b>Buff-Daddy</b>:

Chipping involves removing the ECU, soldering on the new unit. This is usually done by a tuner who can properly make the modification. Yes, APR has chips which can be turned "on" and "off" via the cruise control stalk.

the 1.8t comes in a few varieties. Mine came with 150HP/177fl. lbs stock. After the chip, that power went up to about 200HP/245ft. lbs. Needless to say, a huge difference.

I've got my Audi until this weekend, it puts a stupid grin on my face every time my tach gets to 3,000.

The 180HP motor is the same as the 150HP, just running more boost.

The 225HP version of the 1.8t motor (used in the Audi TT's with DUAL exhaust pipes - the single exhausts are only tuned to 180) is actually using a K04 turbocharger, not a K03. It can pump a little more juice through. Chipping this motor will yeild around 265HP/300 ft. lbs of torque.

Its a very versatile motor, indeed.

But I'll be happy with the TSX - doesnt have the neck-snapping torque the Audi does, but its a whole lot of car for the price!

skoorbevad

Ahh yes, and the turbo housings do glow red after WOT runs.

Actually, the turbo housings glow red after higher-rpm freeway runs, even without being chipped. I can open the hood at night and you can see it glowing in there.

Whats so cool about chipping the 1.8T's is that that's all you need. You dont need an exhaust, intake, or anything else. Just more software. Boom, 50HP!

rb1

Well, there are other differences, too. Fuel injectors are different, exhaust downpipe size is different, etc.

Someone with VW dealer connections over on VW Vortex arranged to have the 2002 180 hp engine ECU swapped into his 2001 150 hp car, and it ran -- as he put it -- like "poop". Coughed, sputtered, etc. So there are clearly other differences besides just the boost level programmed by ECU.

What do you mean by "high RPM freeway runs?". When cruising at any legal speed, the engine isn't running on boost anyway but is actually drawing a partial vacuum, at least in top gear.

dom

I think if Acura intended to steal some sales away from potential 3 series, A4 and C230 shoppers they seemed to have hit the mark with A4 owners/potential buyers.

We've had more "I'm getting a TSX to replace my A4" or "I'm getting a TSX instead of a A4" threads here than we've had for any other car. I don't think this says anything negative at all about the A4, as we've also had many people choosing the A4 instead. I think it just means that maybe Audi owners/lovers are'nt as loyal as say a BMW owner. I don'thave any facts to back this up, just something I think I noticed.

rb1

&Deity. knows I'm probably the biggest VW booster here, but I would choose the TSX over an A4 without a second thought. The A4 is too heavy for the 1.8T, I don't like the A4 interior, it's weird/dumb to have a longitudinally mounted I4 in a FWD car, etc. Sure, you can get a A4 V6, but now you're talking apples/oranges as far as pricing.

For the features you get for the price, the TSX is very hard to beat.

dnb

It's also possible the current generation A4 is just not as good as the previous generation A4. The latter car garnered tons of great reviews and awards even in its final year. I haven't seen the same level of enthusiasm in the automotive press regarding the current A4.

JaTe

i thought the 225hp TT motor had a hybrid k03. the turbo is in a k03 housing but has k04 internals.

rb1

Nope, that's the K03 "Sport" turbo that was introduced into the VW line in 2001. It's in both the 2001 150 hp model engines as well as the 2002 180 hp engines. The 225hp motor has the true K04.

JaTe

i knew it was one of the models...hehe...just forgot...its been so long since i browsed the audi forums

heres a pic of my old a6 2.7t

jiggaman

i had an S4 that was chipped and let me tell you. that thing was fast as all hell. the chip manufacturer claimed the car would have 310hp and 350 ft lbsof tq. and it felt like that was true. and then the engine blew up. really should have replaced the turbos with some better ones.

JaTe

WOW...luckily my turbos held up. I was GIAC chipped at 6,000 miles and then GIAC X-chipped at 32,000 miles. The car had 50,000 miles when I got rid of it. I used to drive the car hard also.