Duck

Nah you're okay mate. It's just my avatar name, my name's Kev! Yeah I've been thinking about sat Nav updates too and came to similar conclusions as you. I still rely on my Tom Tom since my A4 hasn't been updated since it came out of the factory in 2012. Shocking really. Yep, that's what I meant 'N'. Unsure if it's true meaning relating to struts, only that it's familiar in the sense that torque is of course measured in NM.

Ha! Yeah thanks for that Simon! 😂 I did some reading about the pressure levels the struts can offer. Some as low as 450n, some as high as 560n. I have no idea what the OEM level is at but I guess i'd like it to be as strong as possible. I've also since read that the struts do have a lifespan, and it confirms what you're saying about them being around 5 years. My last car was a Q5 with a larger tailgate, and it swung up like a shot. Presumably the strut had a higher 'n' level than my Avant which has a much smaller tailgate. Good idea to go get a cheap used part, but perhaps from a different model than my Avant...

Does anyone have issues with their tailgate struts? The tailgate seems to slow down instead of 'popping' up to it's maximum height once opened. I once hit my head on it, reaching into my boot, because the struts didn't push the gate up fast enough. Is it because it's cold outside or are there gas issues/faults within the struts? I don't have a powered tailgate.

Sold

Cheers Steve, pm'd him earlier today.

If anyone is interested, check out the link above. Cheers.

Easy Niedzial, as a result of my new set up, my old 19" alloys and tyres are up for grabs. Here's a link to my Facebook advert.. www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/426820618143060/

Cheers Inefilo, but I have now bought some new rims and tyres... Smaller but I think the look is still good.

Ha ha! Yeah, I'm not treating it as a mud-plugger by any means, but I want it to handle the odd rough track (slowly) without damaging anything! So I agree, definitely springs, and the accompanying shocks. Have to think about what tyre profiles on an 18" wheel would negate the lowering of the car from an19" wheel.... Maybe I shouldn't be shy about it and go for 45 profile. It is a 2 litre quattro.

Yes, S-Line Black Edition. However it was only advertised as factory lowered by 20mm.

So the real question I guess, is how do I increase ground clearance abd stop the wheels hitting the wheel arches when I have a car load... Without making the car look out of place? Without buying an Allroad, there must be some kind of suspension/wheel combination of alterations that should fit, right? 😅

I do want to raise the ride height because of the nature of the model Avant I have (love the look and spec but didn't really think about the practical side of it...!). My concerns are due to my family in the car and roof box on top whenever we have UK holidays in the sticks and we always stay in remote places peppered with country roads and the occasional rough track. Despite it being a quattro model, I feel that I'll end up damaging the car. More than my own comfort, I want to protect the car! Having SE suspension seems a sound plan however I would need to find an Audi specialist as if I took it to a dealer they would probably wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Anything non-spec and they freak out. Niedzial; what you're saying also sounds interesting. Maybe I could just get a set of tyres with 40 or even 45 profile... Or would that just make the car look awkward?

I've got 19" alloys (5x112 - 8.5J - ET43) with 255 35 R19 tyres on my Avant. The ride is quite firm for my requirements and I'm looking to soften the ride somewhat by dropping down to 18" wheels and having slightly higher profile tyres. I found numerous sets online and this particular size keeps cropping up. Can anyone tell me if I can install 18" alloys at 5x112 - 8J - ET47 with 245 40 R18 tyres without any problems? Would this be a straight swap or do I need spacers and the like? Any info would be much appreciated!

Hey Niedzial, I will let you know if I need to do a straight sell if I can't swap.

Hi folks! Just migrated from a Q5 and drove my first A4 Avant 177ps, 2L (Quattro) 300 miles home and I !Removed! loved every minute of it! 🙂 However, it is an S-line, Black Edition and from factory it came with 19" wheels and 20mm lowered springs. It was fine for me, but having a wife, two kids, a dog and most likely a loaded roof box on the top of the car whenever I holiday will make any journey uncomfortable. I'm looking to 'downgrade' my springs to some standard SE ones, and get smaller, 18" wheels and tyres with a touch higher profile. Anyone know of someone who might want to swap? New tyres (255 35 R18) and pristine genuine Audi 5 rotor alloys (see pics).

Hi Don, I just joined this forum too and also last week bought an 2012 A4 Avant 2l TDI Quattro Manual. Not too knowledgeable about questions 1 & 4 but I can shed some light on 2 & 3. Having previously owned a manual Q5 for some years, I can tell you that unless you have the 'Hill Hold' spec (which holds your car in position on hills for a couple of seconds so that you can apply acceleration in a slightly more casual manner), you can negate the problem by having your clutch foot ready and releasing the electronic parking brake in tandem. Not suggesting you make the car lurch with the brake on, just makes it easier if you have your clutch foot ready to release as opposed to your other door trying to accelerate. I also had Michelin Cross climates 235 60 R18 (not plus) on my Q5 and i was advised by Audi that the Quattro system should be more effective (and therefore less likely to lose traction) if all wheels wear evenly. Technically this should be easier on 4WD as opposed to a front wheel drive system. Despite this, I decided to swap my wheels after 20k miles and the tread difference between the front and rear wheels was only a matter of 1 mm. I holiday with the family and a roof box in the UK on a serious amount of country roads and rough tracks and those Cross Climates are the best tyres I've had.

P.s. Nice car by the way! 😎 Here's mine... I think I prefer your alloys too, might have to change up mine one day.

Alright Maz, Last week I bought a 2012 A4 Avant, S-Line black edition with 19" wheels and suspension factory lowered by 20mm as standard. I drove it 300 miles home and loved every minute of it, but being a family man, and having UK holidays with a loaded roof box on top, I feel the ride might be a bit too harsh for the long term! Do you know if your S-line uses standard SE suspension? Because if they are SE, we could in theory trade springs?

Okay, just realised there are dedicated A4 model forums... I'll post in there!

Hi! Just part exchanged my old Q5 for a 2012 A4 Avant, Quattro, S-Line, Black Edition. I drove the thing almost 300 miles to get it home and although UK roads aren't especially forgiving with the 19" wheels and factory 20mm drop in the suspension, I had a great time doing it..! 🙂 As a family man, I may need some advice on how to make my journeys a little more comfortable when I have a car load and the occasional holiday with a full roof box. Any advice on suspension changes, smaller alloys or higher profile tyres? Thanks in advance!