Mazda version somehow uses the ABS sensors...it doesn't use valve stem TPMS sensors. It is probably less accurate but makes it easier to swap snow tires on and still have TPMS capabilities.
It works on the basis that a tire low on air compresses a bit, reducing the radius between the center and the contact patch and thus has to turn faster than the other wheels at the same vehicle speed. It works quite well, only drawback is in the rare case that all 4 tires where equally low it could not detect it.
Reputations are a funny thing. It takes only a few years to ruin one, and a generation to earn it back. Audi's have historically been one of the best European high-mileage cars, although we all know that's not so true in recent years. I wonder when it changed, and if their reliability has improved in the 10 years since I last purchased a new one. Either way, it will be a decade or two before they regain any reputation for being a good high-mileage car, if they ever do address some of their apparent issues.
Audis issues seem to plague German cars in general, and to some extend European cars in general. Knowing a lot owners of Audis, BMWs and some Benzes Ive seen a couple broad categories of issues:
Cooling systems - notoriously bad on German cars. My old college roomates 2000 era Audi S4 used to get a new water pump yearly. The Mike Miller special maintenance schedule for BMWs calls for replacing the entire cooling system (pump, tstat and hoses) every 90k.
- Reason? Im not sure, maybe they all buy from the same bad suppliers. One friend of mine suggested that there are tight environmental rules in Germany that require them to use a lot of recycled plastic and rubber in these systems where the Japanese would use aluminum and new materials.
Electronics! Modern euro luxury cars have way too many computers and they tend to be problematic. BMWs eat batteries because they have so many CPU draws even with the car off. But they also have to have problems with basic electronics that dont effect other makes - especially coil packs and injectors. One of my close friend is an Audi fanatic and has owned a string of 3 or 4 A6s in a row over the last 20 years, and has admitted to me that every one of them has stranded him at least once for a coil or injector.
- Reason- I cant say for sure but since they all have these issues my suspicion is that Bosch and Continental QC is not as good as Denso.
To a lesser extent, they also tend to over engineer things that could be done much simpler. Perfect example is VANOS and i-vtec. They both to basically the same thing, but one system is much simpler in implementation and has basically a zero failure rate.
Bottom line, I think I've stated this before. If you make an S4 or an M3 with the electronics and cooling system sourced from a Japanese supplier I would be the first in line to buy it. maybe we will finally get such a car in this talked of BMW-Toyota joint venture for a hybrid sportscar.
Because yeah, my practical side drives Japanese to avoid the frustrations, but my car guy soul would love to be riding in an Audi............