Audis with air suspension query

Adrian E · #1 27th March 2022, 06:43 AM

Hi all

Mainly a question for those with relatively recent air suspended models (post 2014 really) - I'm currently looking at S6 Avants and have a long standing issue with not being able to get any of my cars since our 2004 A6 Avant onto my MIL's driveway, which was badly installed by pikeys and has a horrific peak to the tarmac at the top of a very steep drive, which has caught every subsequent car I've tried to get on it, including my old D2 S8 and current S5 Sportback and Golf GTI.

Her selection of 5 Fiestas of various generations bought since the drive was done have all been short enough wheelbase and high enough ground clearance that they're fine, so there's zero incentive to spend money on sorting it properly.

I'm wondering if lift mode can be used for slow speed manoeuvring, or if the handbooks all say to only use it statically when prepping to jack the car up? My closest experience of cars with lifting suspension is the hydraulic system on the Citroen BX! With those you can't drive the car in the highest setting as it locks out the struts completely and using any steering lock at the same time is likely to wrench something out and result in green wee on the floor!

I've seen my perfect spec S6, but the timing is as usual lousy and need to find £20k down the back of the sofa.....but it is lovely spec

Adrian

ainarssems · #2 27th March 2022, 07:47 AM

I think you are confusing lift and jacking mode. Lift is the highest setting and of course you can drive in it, it's a bit bouncy and it drops down again once you reach certain speed. The speed at which it drops down is dependant on car and which and how many lift levels it has. I think it was about 50mph for D3 to drop from Lift to Comfort and on Q7 it's about 25mph to drop from Lift to Off-road and about 50mph to drop from Off-road to Comfort.

Jacking mode is for when you are jacking up 1 corner. It does not change the hight and remains in whichever hight setting it was before, it just tells the car that you will be jacking up to stop it from trying to level itself as you are lifting up and jacking mode switches off as soon as you start driving.

homer simpson · #3 27th March 2022, 11:58 AM

Not in the year range but my D3 can be driven in lift mode no problem. In fact I use it for the exact reason you mentioned - for going over a high kerb. Lift mode will automatically drop to normal ride height once the car reaches a certain speed (according to the owner's manual).

roberto · #4 27th March 2022, 12:06 PM

yes i always put mine into lift mode driving locally over speed (bas---d) humps
be carefull with old S6,s as they carry a £600 tax disc +

Adrian E · #5 27th March 2022, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roberto

yes i always put mine into lift mode driving locally over speed (bas---d) humps
be carefull with old S6,s as they carry a £600 tax disc +

One I'm looking at is £155 pa

sarg · #6 28th March 2022, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian E

One I'm looking at is £155 pa

if it's post 01/04/2017, remember it is +£335 for the first 5 years from the start of the second licence, i.e. about 6 years in total

Not that it should matter if it well used

Adrian E · #7 29th March 2022, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarg

if it's post 01/04/2017, remember it is +£335 for the first 5 years from the start of the second licence, i.e. about 6 years in total

Not that it should matter if it well used

Good point - although the advert quotes £155, a quick check on gov.uk suggests the higher rate is still applicable until November '22. Still cheaper than the S5 to tax

Still working on the Mrs to persuade her to change! Apparently we need sofas more than a new car......

sarg · #8 29th March 2022, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian E

Good point - although the advert quotes £155, a quick check on gov.uk suggests the higher rate is still applicable until November '22. Still cheaper than the S5 to tax

Still working on the Mrs to persuade her to change! Apparently we need sofas more than a new car......

I've just had to spend £3k on getting some old sofas refurbished

The extra tax is for 6 years, not 5, as it is from the second tax event for 5 years, still worth it though, especially when it gets cheap after 6 years

roberto · #9 29th March 2022, 11:19 AM

Cars with a list price of over £40,000 when new pay an additional rate of £355 per year on top of the standard rate, for five years...

plus the £165 which is also going up on the 1st (was £155)... which started at £140 it goes up every year...

so as from friday 1st of April it will be £520 for 5 years after the first year of reg ...

rip-off

Adrian E · #10 29th March 2022, 01:48 PM

For some reason I thought the S5 was more to tax than it actually is - cost me £340 last summer. The Golf is £170

It wouldn’t put me off buying the S6 if there’s one more year at the higher rate - there’s not much change from £40k for the car so a couple of hundred in VED isn’t an issue for me