What to Upgrade First on the Audi A4 (B8)

2016 Update: My recommendations still stand, but prices and links may no longer be up to date. 

I had to replace a 12 year old SUV and I went looking for something sporty.  I looked at the Volvo C60 briefly, but the salesperson could not give me the time of day.  The Audi dealership in Burlington, MA however was terribly friendly and willing to show me anything I wanted, and even offered me a great deal on a demo with a few miles on it, which I unfortunately passed up on.  In addition to looks, speed, handling and interior comfort one of the main reasons I went with the Audi was the aftermarket support.  I am an engineer by vocation and profession, and we like to change things.

So soon after purchasing I went looking for a local APR dealer to install a chip upgrade.  Lucky for me when I was ready to buy the upgrades were on sale and I got several programs for the price of one.  It's not like installing a rocket onto the back, but it is nice to play with all of that extra power now and then.  However, there is in fact a distinct downside rarely mentioned in the reviews.

The Audi A4 is actually pretty well balanced, in terms of the performance of the engine, suspension and brakes.  The 211 HP looks small, especially if you are used to Audi's feeling sluggish on the freeway.  The B8 is nothing of the kind from the factory.  It has plenty of torque in the low end and can spin up through the gears fast, especially with the Triptronic transmission in sport mode. 

After driving with the additional 30-40 HP from the APR mod I'm convinced of one thing:  It's the wrong modification to make first.  The reason I say this is that the suspension, which feels firm and sporty at first,  gets boat-like during turns and sudden changes.  With the stock ECU programming the limits of the suspension are just barely noticeable, but adding power gets you into trouble that much faster.  The better first upgrade is going to be a suspension modification, and there's two kits that seem to fit my needs and have been well reviewed in the forums: Stasis Touring and the Eurocode (really 3 kits, sway bars, links and Alu Kreuz) which overall cost about the same.   Obviously these particular kits are not designed to be radical or bring the A4 up to the racetracks.  In my case I need to be able to play chauffeur to clients and guests from time to time and I'm afraid having a sedan (or saloon) for guests and a sports car for me is out of the question.  If it wasn't, I'd be writing about the R8. 

I did a little research, and while Stasis can be installed by some Audi dealers, you don't seem to get any better warranty protection from Audi by doing so.  It voids the Audi warranty on the suspension exactly as if it had been installed by a third party mechanic.  On the other hand, I've owned several Audi's in the past, and I've never had a suspension problem before 70K.  After that, its' $3,000 per 7,000 miles.   My opinion on modifying your car is to do it early and enjoy the mods for the life of your car.  Don't wait until the warranty is gone and you are two years from selling it.  By that time you'll have misspent your car's youth!  Another thing going against the Stasis mods are that they do lower your suspension by about an inch.  Maybe in other climates I would consider it, but here in Massachusettes we have deep snow, slush, heavy rain and potholes to worry about.  Lowering the suspension by about an inch may just be enough to flood something important.

As a result I'll be going with the Eurocode upgrades.  For about the same amount of money you get the Alukrautz under-engine brace, sway bars, and upmarket links without lowering the suspension.  Mind you, it will void my suspension's warranty just as quickly, but given my experience with Audi, I have about 65,000 miles to worry about it.  If I ever move to warmer, more driver friendly climates I can add the lowering springs as well. 

To anyone looking to modify the Audi A4 with the B8 chasis,   no matter who you go with, do the suspension work first.  You'll be safer and feel more confident on the roads.  You may even decide that your Audi has gotten as sporty as you want.