BMW or Audi?

[RallyofDiscovery]

Hi,

after six years of treatment for cancer I am going to buy a car! I was all set on a Skoda Octavia 12 months old - BUT.... people have intervened and are demanding that I get a 'Gentlemens carraige" as I apparently deserve it. So after driving several cars my original choice of low cost to tax and own has gone out of the window! Max milage will be an absolute max of 5000 pa and the car will spend many days undriven. I am 6'6" and 110KGs

My dilemma is, I have identified and driven a BMW 530D SE Touring which is great seems much better to me than the 520D. Extras include Pro Sat nav, Sports gearbox and steering wheel, Head up display, Rear camera, Comfort seats, heated seats, zenons etc on a 2010 60 plate 47,000 miles. My one reservation was the 19" alloys as I have damage to my spine (Hence the SE spec rather than M sport). However, the dealer has agreed to change them to 18" wheels and throw in an extra years warranty.

Just about to go when a friend in the car business suggested I should try an Audi A6 Avant SE 3.0 Quatro. Having checked I can get one for similar money. He tells me the car i have identified would be unusable in snow

Has any unbiased person had experience of both?

Help!

[Debaser]

If you like driving, get the BMW.

[anonymous-user]

For that mileage there isn't the slightest point in getting a diesel. Could you get a 535i or better still a 550i in your budget? Much better.

Also as the chap above says if you have the slightest interest in how it feels to drive then it's a no brainer between those two options!

[EtcEtc]

So hard to say. There's no substitute for experience, i'd test drive both. Sometimes stats and reviews don't give you the subtleties of sitting your backside in one

[Andy665]

And never forget, there are other great cars out there that don't wear the BMW or Audi badge

[Bradgate]

In my experience of driving both brands, Audis are generally better looking (although that is, of course, subjective) and have superior, more expensive-feeling interiors. They just seem more special to sit in. Quattro models are much more useable in sleet and snow, with the appropriate tyres fitted, of course.

BMWs tend to have better, smoother, more refined engines and to be much more enjoyable to drive due to the RWD, absence of torque-steer etc. BMWs are completely useless in the snow.

I prefer BMWs, and have bought two in preference to their Audi competitors. Both have been very reliable.

I definitely wouldn't contemplate a diesel for such a low mileage. If you are only driving 100 miles per week, petrol is a no-brainier, and so is at least 6 cylinders.

Edited by Bradgate on Tuesday 25th November 20:53

[Matttracker]

I love the look of the a6 and the 3.0 petrol is stinking good

[joebongo]

BMW with snow tyres is the best solution. I can attest to the awesomeness of this combination and so can many thousands of Germans.

Even better when you grin from ear to ear passing abandoned 4x4s with no bother at all.

[Nigel Worc's]

I love BMWs so would go that way.

But that is me, you need to test drive them and see which you prefer, because in this instance, what you prefer is important.

I wouldn't entertain diesel, for reliability/repair cost reasons, but again, your choice.

[Mave]

Bradgate said:

BMWs tend to have better, smoother, more refined engines and to be much more enjoyable to drive due to the RWD, absence of torque-steer etc.

Agreed

Bradgate said:

BMWs are completely useless in the snow.

Disagreed. Whilst driving in the snow in my A6 quattro (on all season tyres!) was definitely easier than my 328i (on summer tyres) I wouldn't say the BMW was completely useless. Got me about in the snow of 2011? 2012? competently enough with sideways fun on demand!

[gaz1234]

Bow rusts

[Fox-]

dme123 said:

For that mileage there isn't the slightest point in getting a diesel. Could you get a 535i or better still a 550i in your budget? Much better.

Although this makes perfect sense on paper in reality the answer is probably no, he can't. Both of these models are sufficiently rare as to make finding a nice one almost impossible. Worse still when the 550i does pop up it's usually massively more expensive to buy than the equivilent 530d.

This is how I ended up in a 530d saloon when I actually wanted a 535i. In 4 months of looking I found zero 535i of the right spec.

It's such a shame.

[blade7]

joebongo said:

BMW with snow tyres is the best solution. I can attest to the awesomeness of this combination and so can many thousands of Germans.

Even better when you grin from ear to ear passing abandoned 4x4s with no bother at all.

If you're going to the expense of snow tyres put them on a quattro and you will be safer/faster than a rwd BMW, just like you would be safer/faster in the wet with summer tyres on a quattro.

Edited by blade7 on Tuesday 25th November 23:10

[gizlaroc]

RallyofDiscovery said:

Just about to go when a friend in the car business suggested I should try an Audi A6 Avant SE 3.0 Quatro. Having checked I can get one for similar money. He tells me the car i have identified would be unusable in snow!

Does he own a car wash??


The BMW on winter tyres will beat the Audi on summer tyres.

The Audi will have a slight edge when both on summers.


I have own both and the BMW is a great car, really is fun for the sort of car it is.

I wouldn't knock the new A6 though, in Quattro guise it is very nice.

Take one out and see what you think mate.

[Fox-]

Careful with a 3.0 A6 - 2011 is when the old model (Which came out in 2004) was replaced with the new model.

The old model is not a patch on the F10/F11 5 Series, it is a much older car and it really shows inside. Make sure you don't spend big money on an old gen A6.

[RallyofDiscovery]

Thanks for responses! The trip profile will be a number of 300 & 400 mile round trips then occasional trip to Scotland/ west coast of Ireland from Kent, rather than lots of local mileage. The problem with petrol engines is that there just don't seem to be that many about!

I am a great fan of the BMW V8 which my friend had in his Morgan Aero 8 (great fun but totally impractical! )

There are just two petrol engines 5 series touring on the BMW web at the moment one with limited extras and one with a Panoramic sunroof - which as I am 6'6" is a no no!

I was very impressed with the six cylinder BMW diesel engine - to me it was much better than the 520d.

Obviously there will be occasional local journeys but as I cannot work there is no regular commute.

I do have heartaches about whether a diesel would be suitable or cause problems (dpf etc)

In some way a petrol makes more sense! So any other suggestions for a 6'6" driver estate cars - that meet the gentlemans carriage spec? I am fed up with wife's old 1.0L Polo! Great though it is around town! The Dacia Logan while great value is not in the running. Up until illness stopped me working I always had company cars and had Saabs (hence my love of estates! ) an A4 avant for six months (Germanically great, efficient & functional but no soul) Alfa twinsparc great engine and others - now with spinal infection and fatigue being a problem comfort and practicality are key

[cerb4.5lee]

RallyofDiscovery said:

I was very impressed with the six cylinder BMW diesel engine - to me it was much better than the 520d.

To be fair its nearly impossible to buy an engine that's worse than the one that's in the 520d so that doesn't surprise me one bit.

[ging84]

if there was a possibility that a meaningful answer could come out of this thread
one of these companies would be going out of business in 2-3 years times
just get what ever you want

[Shaoxter]

RallyofDiscovery said:

There are just two petrol engines 5 series touring on the BMW web at the moment one with limited extras and one with a Panoramic sunroof - which as I am 6'6" is a no no!

What's a pano roof got to do with your height?

I have a 500bhp BMW which I drive in snow on summer tyres, haven't crashed or died yet. Mind you I don't live out in the sticks though...

I'd definitely look for a V8 in your situation, 550i (rare!) or B7 RS4. Or a 6 series if you don't need an estate.

[LasseV]

Why you wouldn't choose a real gentlemans car which is beautiful and enjoyable? You live only once etc etc. Now i mean cars like jag XK or similar. Your mileage is so small so it's not an financical issue. Those german cars are only dull and ugly daily drivers.