BMW 545 Sport or Audi A6 4.2 Quattro SE - Which is Best
BMW 545 Sport or Audi A6 4.2 Quattro SE - Which is Best
Author
Discussion

lotuselan7

Original Poster:

396 posts

234 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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Looking for new transport. Need car primarily for me but also to transport wife and 3 kids on occasion and long distance jaunts. Don't do huge mileage so not worried about MPG. Cars around 6-7 years old

Narrowed it down to above 2 cars, found 2 very similar cars age spec condition. Always been a been a man but have had a couple of Audi's years ago (86 Coupe and A4 Avant first version). Im tall 6'4" and my wife is tall 2 so rear width and legroom needed. Had considered & series, A8, Phaeton etc but don't want to go that big.

So recommendations do I stick with beloved BMWs or go Audi?

Fox-

13,482 posts

266 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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The A6, because the pre facelift E60 is horribly built inside and has an interior that looks like it was designed the morning after a voyage to trip out city.

And thats coming from a big BMW fan.

Dave Hedgehog

15,562 posts

224 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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got an 11 A6 TDi SE Quattro atm

its a luxo barge, waves or torque, would be ideal to cross continents with your kids, dog and bikes


completely removed from the driving experience, dull in the extreme, i dont think the steering wheel is even attached to the front wheels

Matt UK

18,080 posts

220 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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Have to agree with Fox, the e60 BMW is a huge step back from the e39, but then I don't rate the Audi either - nice interior but crashy ride really got on my tits.

If this is not a car for hooning, my I suggest a Lexus RX300? If you can get past the marmite looks, I rate them.
Same footprint as a large estate, simply wonderful ride, fantastic build quality, 4wd if you need a bit of help though mud and snow, nice place to sit and plenty of room, very quiet and refined, boot for family stuff.

I'd avoid a hybrid and air suspension and go for a standard 3.0 V6 SE - you will get a bargain as the market is terrified of petrol 4x4s.

We had one as a family car and loved it - not a b-road bruiser but blasting back up from the Alps in the dead of night with the cruise set to 'quick' and the lovely stero playing away, not many cars I would have swapped it for at the price we paid for it.

Edited by Matt UK on Tuesday 20th March 20:59

chris116

1,174 posts

188 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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If you go for the 545 look out for coolant leaks.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...


SWoll

21,509 posts

278 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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Matt UK said:
Have to agree with Fox, the e60 BMW is a huge step back from the e39, but then I don't rate the Audi either - nice interior but crashy ride really got on my tits.

If this is not a car for hooning, my I suggest a Lexus RX300? If you can get past the marmite looks, I rate them.
Same footprint as a large estate, simply wonderful ride, fantastic build quality, 4wd if you need a bit of help though mud and snow, nice place to sit and plenty of room, very quiet and refined, boot for family stuff.

I'd avoid a hybrid and air suspension and go for a standard 3.0 V6 SE - you will get a bargain as the market is terrified of petrol 4x4s.

We had one as a family car and loved it - not a b-road bruiser but blasting back up from the Alps in the dead of night with the cruise set to 'quick' and the lovely stero playing away, not many cars I would have swapped it for at the price we paid for it.

Edited by Matt UK on Tuesday 20th March 20:59
Rubbish, had an E39 530i, E60 530d and a E61 525i and the E60/61 are far superior cars to the E39 in pretty much every way imaginable.

Never had any quality issues with the interior on the E60 530d personally (54 plate) although I will agree that the 57 plate E61's is better from an aesthetic an ergonomic point of view.

Buy the BMW. Far better car than the A6 IME and will be a much better steer. The V8 in the Audi is also very good but that is the only thing going for it (other than 4wd for the snow, which unfortunately adds a lot of weight and complexity). Driven A6's everytime we have looked at changing cars and they are just so numb and uninspiring we have never bought one.

jdwoodbury

1,370 posts

226 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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I ran an E60 545i for a time, I found it a very accomplished car, well build and excellent on long journeys. I could get 30mpg on a run and the seats were almost as good as a previous Volvo. I had a few problems such as coil pack failure and the damn run flats were expensive. The only thing i wished for was for the v8 to be a little more vocal. A great car though at bargain prices now.