Are Audi's any good?
Discussion
Just pondering whether Audis are actually any good or whether the marketing/soft touch plastics/image have won people over.
I'm not talking RS models more how the standard A4/A6 stands up - they always seem to get poor reports for handling and ride in roadtests but the verdicts are usually quite decent - what's the experience of those who have owned them?
I'm not talking RS models more how the standard A4/A6 stands up - they always seem to get poor reports for handling and ride in roadtests but the verdicts are usually quite decent - what's the experience of those who have owned them?
I spent some time recently driving my wife's auto A4 tdi - probably about as much of an 'average Audi' as one could get - and I found it to be very relaxing to drive with a good ride. It wasn't a S-Line which perhaps explains the ride. The handling was unremarkable really, I didn't exactly test its limits of grip but it seemed very much ho-hum. The responsiveness of the throttle, especially moving out of junctions was a bit scary at times, with a split second delay between pressing the pedal and the car moving. On the motorway it was very comfortable and had a good surge of power and I was quite surprised when I saw how quickly we were travelling at times. It felt too large and soft to hustle on anything smaller than a wide A-road. Overall, I can't say I especially enjoyed driving it beyond the novelty of it being a 'new' car to me, but I did quite like it purely as a product and it was admirable in terms of its apparent quality and economy. It was very comfortable and pleasant to sit in, had a 'premium' feel and technically the auto box seemed very good (although my experience of automatices is limited to an ancient Honda Accord). Given that the majority of car buyers aren't interested in oversteer or understeer and probably just want a comfy, well made car that has the right badge on the front, I could understand why Audis are so successful in the market.
I suppose, being fair, I'd say it was a 'good' car, but not really one I liked. I'm looking forward to the BMW 1 that should be arriving toward the end of the year to replace it...
I suppose, being fair, I'd say it was a 'good' car, but not really one I liked. I'm looking forward to the BMW 1 that should be arriving toward the end of the year to replace it...
Edited by forzaminardi on Saturday 17th August 08:20
I had a company Audi TT for 4.5 years.
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- Hifi replacement (2 weeks after delivery)
- Noisy windows led to a recall for window seals replacement (along with all the other early mk.2 TTs)
- No engine power above 3000rpm led to diagnosis of a Turbo wastegate failure. Main dealer attempted to fix once (fix lasted a few days then failed again - I believe they attempted to weld something) then they had to replace the wastegate itself, car was off the road for 5 weeks awaiting a part which I assumed would be pretty common (same engine as golf GTI, octavia vrs, various seats and other audis). I was raging by the end of this, as I was paying the lease on a TT and driving a s
tbox vauxhall instead. - The automated rear spoiler failed a few times and needed work to fix (this was not related to a common problem on the TT which is that the mechanism gets dirty).
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Audi has come a long way and most models get very good reviews. I wouldn't sell my TT although I did have a lot of mechanical issues which cost me a lot of money to fix. Regardless of that they're great cars to be in and most importantly they are tuner friendly. For some this is not really important because they won't intend to keep them for a long time but is to me.
So, it very much depends on what you're looking for in a car. If you're looking for a family barge with some poke the avant models are great. You can argue all about quattro, RWD and FWD and what not but at the end of the day only you can decide what you're looking for in a car.
Mechanically they're getting better but there are issues and I don't know if they're more or less than other manufacturers.
So, it very much depends on what you're looking for in a car. If you're looking for a family barge with some poke the avant models are great. You can argue all about quattro, RWD and FWD and what not but at the end of the day only you can decide what you're looking for in a car.
Mechanically they're getting better but there are issues and I don't know if they're more or less than other manufacturers.
Haven't owned but have driven and looked after a few for friends. They're inoffensive to look at and drive. Ride quality isn't good for the classes they're in. They feel sturdy to the tough but appear to break down as often as anything else really. Nice seats, but so have many other makes.
I sold my 2006 A6 avant with 160,000 miles on earlier in the year. Was still a great car,everything worked,felt tight no wear on seats etc....I had no reason to sell it other than being a serial swapper.
During the 60,000 miles I did only a relay failed which meant I couldn't start the car. It could ave been a real pain fining the issue but my indie sussed it out.
The build quality is much much better than my current Jap 4x4!
I'd definitely have another.
During the 60,000 miles I did only a relay failed which meant I couldn't start the car. It could ave been a real pain fining the issue but my indie sussed it out.
The build quality is much much better than my current Jap 4x4!
I'd definitely have another.
I have two and can thoroughly recommend them the A4 is 18 years old and looks and drives like a new car and makes an ideal A to B mode of transport, the brakes and steering are nice and light and its very responsive and its only a 1.6 so is good on fuel and quite nippy.
My weekend toy is my Audi cabriolet and that's the same but the brakes do need a bit more of a shove as it carrys a lot more weight and it also has the 5 cylinder engine so it does sound nicer than the 1.6.
Both neither use any oil or water and run like clockwork also not a spot of rust on either cars, if Audi still build their cars like this then you will not have any problem.
I may buy myself a petrol A5 next the thing is I only like an N/A engine and don't know if Audi still make them, also I will have to wait about another 16 years to be able to get one in the £500 category but at least I will know that the teething troubles should be ironed out by then by the 16 previous owners lol.
This is what the average audi looks like after 20 years motoring even the roof is original as new condition and so is the paint and its no garage queen and lives on the coast getting covered in seagull st.
I wouldn't buy anything else apart from a VAG product from now on.
My weekend toy is my Audi cabriolet and that's the same but the brakes do need a bit more of a shove as it carrys a lot more weight and it also has the 5 cylinder engine so it does sound nicer than the 1.6.
Both neither use any oil or water and run like clockwork also not a spot of rust on either cars, if Audi still build their cars like this then you will not have any problem.
I may buy myself a petrol A5 next the thing is I only like an N/A engine and don't know if Audi still make them, also I will have to wait about another 16 years to be able to get one in the £500 category but at least I will know that the teething troubles should be ironed out by then by the 16 previous owners lol.
This is what the average audi looks like after 20 years motoring even the roof is original as new condition and so is the paint and its no garage queen and lives on the coast getting covered in seagull s
t.I wouldn't buy anything else apart from a VAG product from now on.
Edited by Vince70 on Saturday 17th August 09:57
Pommygranite said:
Just pondering whether Audis are actually any good or whether the marketing/soft touch plastics/image have won people over.
I'm not talking RS models more how the standard A4/A6 stands up - they always seem to get poor reports for handling and ride in roadtests but the verdicts are usually quite decent - what's the experience of those who have owned them?
run Audi's for over 10 years now, and obviously I like them...I'm not talking RS models more how the standard A4/A6 stands up - they always seem to get poor reports for handling and ride in roadtests but the verdicts are usually quite decent - what's the experience of those who have owned them?
that said, poverty spec ones are much like any car in their price, and I have never owned a FWD one.
one of the best I had was an 06 A4 2.0TFSi Quattro, easy to live with, half-decent handling, and (for a 2L) pretty quick, without being heavy on fuel (overall average ~36).
that said, I have had some horrible ones as loaners, A2 sticks in my mind, possible the most pointless horrible car I have driven (old bangers aside), guess I was not the target market for it.
Reason I stick with them is mostly due to the lack of ANO 4 door saloon cars out there with 4WD etc.
I have always been anti-Audi. Thinking they were Silly VW's with an inflated price ticket. A couple of years ago I was given an A4 (brand new) as a courtesy car for a couple of days whilst my Mazda 6 was being repaired. On Paper it was on par with my Mazda6. In reality it was a world apart, Great feel, fantastic seats, very comfortable. I was deeply impressed. Unfortunately I then had to eat lots of humble pie after taking the urine from Audi drivers of the previous years.
If one was in the right class and right price for me I would be interested.
If one was in the right class and right price for me I would be interested.
Scuffers said:
Reason I stick with them is mostly due to the lack of ANO 4 door saloon cars out there with 4WD etc.
Offtopic, but have you tried a recent 4wd BMW 3er?Looking for someone who can drive to give an opinion on what thay are like, and you're one of the people on here who I know falls into the category.
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Pommygranite said:
Just pondering whether Audis are actually any good or whether the marketing/soft touch plastics/image have won people over.
what's the experience of those who have owned them?
Have had a whole pile of Audis, as my handle denotes. All excellent high mileage cars which got hammered on the Autobahn day-in day-out. Was nothing to have done around 100000km/Year. Reliable as the german trains, but do NOT like being driven short distances as a daily, they need autobahn hammering. The only problems I had were with the S4 and it's tuning, where Audi got arrogant when it came to guarantee.what's the experience of those who have owned them?
Their attitude nowadays still seems very arrogant and this turned me off buying another, especially as now a swiss company has taken over the local area agency and these are even more arrogant than the "normal" Audi nose in the air... Hope it's different in GB
So just to summarise: excellent autobanh cars, don't like short distances, service good but arrogant as f***!!!
I've had one Audi an allroad 2.7TDI very nice car, smooth, quiet and had the best diesel engine I've driven for refinement, but it was as dull as dish water.
Driven the A4 and A6 and found them the same, they seem to dumb down everything steering, handling and control weights to the extent you get zero feedback from anything.
But lots of people are looking for that.
I have a bread and butter 2011 A4 TDie SE as a company car. It was ordered by a colleague who then subsequently left the role and I it took over.
As a BMW die hard, having owned a 1-series and several MINIs I was interested to see how it would perform doing on average 1k miles per week.
After 25 months and 103k miles I can make the following comments:
Ride on the SE is considerably better then the S-Line models I've had as courtesy cars.
The car is a comfortable long distance cruiser. I can easily do 600 miles in a day and get out feeling reasonably fresh?
The SE equipment levels could be higher, esp for someone who spends on average 25/30 hours a week in the car. The hifi is especially poor and it would benefit from xenon headlights.
On the motorway it drives fine, with good levels of refinement, but on NSL country roads the deficit in the ride and handling becomes apparent - it simply isn't a patch to drive compared to a 3-series.
Fuel consumption, although not important to me, isn't anywhere the claimed figures. I don't exactly hammer the car, but a typical mpg is c45 mpg.
As a co-car tax payer, the emissions lag those of BMW. When the car was delivered in 2011 it was in the lowest tax band. Now 3 tax years later, it costs me an additional £100 pm in tax.
Interior space and quality is good. The standard seats are comfortable. The offset pedals take some getting used to, but once you are they are fine. The electric handbrake is a pain. If you're only moving the car a short distance it's simpler to put your belt on, than have to deal with the interlocks to overcome the brake.
The Audi dealer I deal with swings between "great service" and "rip off". At 75k they recommended a cam belt change, the lease co refused. Further digging revealed the official service interval is 135k miles, so they would have duped the customer!
Would I have another? No!
Looking at an F30 3er estate for when it goes next year.
As a BMW die hard, having owned a 1-series and several MINIs I was interested to see how it would perform doing on average 1k miles per week.
After 25 months and 103k miles I can make the following comments:
Ride on the SE is considerably better then the S-Line models I've had as courtesy cars.
The car is a comfortable long distance cruiser. I can easily do 600 miles in a day and get out feeling reasonably fresh?
The SE equipment levels could be higher, esp for someone who spends on average 25/30 hours a week in the car. The hifi is especially poor and it would benefit from xenon headlights.
On the motorway it drives fine, with good levels of refinement, but on NSL country roads the deficit in the ride and handling becomes apparent - it simply isn't a patch to drive compared to a 3-series.
Fuel consumption, although not important to me, isn't anywhere the claimed figures. I don't exactly hammer the car, but a typical mpg is c45 mpg.
As a co-car tax payer, the emissions lag those of BMW. When the car was delivered in 2011 it was in the lowest tax band. Now 3 tax years later, it costs me an additional £100 pm in tax.
Interior space and quality is good. The standard seats are comfortable. The offset pedals take some getting used to, but once you are they are fine. The electric handbrake is a pain. If you're only moving the car a short distance it's simpler to put your belt on, than have to deal with the interlocks to overcome the brake.
The Audi dealer I deal with swings between "great service" and "rip off". At 75k they recommended a cam belt change, the lease co refused. Further digging revealed the official service interval is 135k miles, so they would have duped the customer!
Would I have another? No!
Looking at an F30 3er estate for when it goes next year.
I purchased my first Audi a few months ago (B6 A4 Cabriolet with the 3.0 Petrol V6).
I cant really complain, it was a nice car, built better than the equivalent Mercededs CLK and a much better drive than a Saab 9-3 Convertible - But i always knew that an E46 330i Convertible would have been the better car.
The problem i have at the moment (having had many in the past) is i just have this (rightly or wrongly) aversion to the BMW badge. like i would feel like a c%#t if someone asked me what car i drove, and i replied "A BMW"
I cant really complain, it was a nice car, built better than the equivalent Mercededs CLK and a much better drive than a Saab 9-3 Convertible - But i always knew that an E46 330i Convertible would have been the better car.
The problem i have at the moment (having had many in the past) is i just have this (rightly or wrongly) aversion to the BMW badge. like i would feel like a c%#t if someone asked me what car i drove, and i replied "A BMW"
I would argue your both falling down the same path as the FWD/RWD thread on here...
you cannot expect a FWD A4 or the like to handle in the same was a RWD 3 series does, it's just not going to happen.
Maybe I should? (not really driven a BMW properly for years, and much as I love the M3 dynamically,I could just not live with one.)
you cannot expect a FWD A4 or the like to handle in the same was a RWD 3 series does, it's just not going to happen.
CraigyMc said:
Offtopic, but have you tried a recent 4wd BMW 3er?
Looking for someone who can drive to give an opinion on what thay are like, and you're one of the people on here who I know falls into the category.
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Nope...Looking for someone who can drive to give an opinion on what thay are like, and you're one of the people on here who I know falls into the category.
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Maybe I should? (not really driven a BMW properly for years, and much as I love the M3 dynamically,I could just not live with one.)
Years ago I had an Audi 80 Quattro.
In January this year, I bought an S4, which I recently traded for a Porsche.
They are very capable cars, very quick and nimble and a brilliant drive.
I wasn't too fussed about the looks and found a white car difficult to keep clean as dirt seems to stick in awkward creases.
Six months and 7k miles with no issues at all.
In January this year, I bought an S4, which I recently traded for a Porsche.
They are very capable cars, very quick and nimble and a brilliant drive.
I wasn't too fussed about the looks and found a white car difficult to keep clean as dirt seems to stick in awkward creases.
Six months and 7k miles with no issues at all.
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