Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Audi A4 Convertible

245

Comments

  • stehersteher Member Posts: 37
    Here are some pics of my new Audi A4 Cabriolet 2.5 TDI. (163 hp, 310 Nm Torque, top-speed 142 mph).

    Are there any other US-Audi-Cab-Drivers?
    Would like to hear some opinions.

    http://hometown.aol.de/Steher8083/homepage/cabrio+klein2.jpg

    http://hometown.aol.de/Steher8083/Cabrio+Heck.jpg

    http://hometown.aol.de/Steher8083/Cabrio+Innen.jpg
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    Nice! Vanilla leather huh?

    M
  • stehersteher Member Posts: 37
    Tanks. The color is called Anis-yellow.
  • libertycatlibertycat Member Posts: 593
    The styling seems to go right along with the convertible. What does everyone think about it?
  • ark67ark67 Member Posts: 1
    The dealer here in Atlanta tells me that the keyless entry remote can be programmed to operate the top, but that they can't do it for policy reasons. He indicated that the owners section of the Audi website provided instructions. I am curious about this feature. Has anybody done this?
  • scipio1scipio1 Member Posts: 142
    My wife and I went looking for a replacement for our 2001 330, and I went in with high hopes that the A4 cabrio would be a compelling alternative. My wife's been dying for a convertible ever since we bought my 2002 M3 cabrio, so off to the dealership we went.

    I was really disappointed in the A4. For a 3.0 liter engine putting out 220 bhp, the car just sagged around like it was wading through knee-deep water. Clearly, they put too much weight on the car and it showed.

    The CVT was neat, but failed to provide a satisfying experience even for an automatic tranny (my wife wants an automatic slushbox, even though I've been begging her not to give in to the Dark Side... five simple words, dear: six speed short throw manual).

    On the bright side, the leather was nice, on par with my M3's nappa and the car seemed to be very well-behaved, if that's what you're looking for. My main complaint is that it lacked any sense of urgency or snap. It's not fair to compare anything less than an S4 to an M3, but my feeling was that the A4 cabrio is sedate even compared to a 325 cabrio much less the 330. Overall, I came away underwhelmed by the experience.

    The final straw was the price. Fully equipped, it was comparably priced to a 330ci cabrio. For a large discount, I think we would have considered the Audi, but at those pricing levels it was a no-brainer. No offense, but the Audi is not a BMW, and asking the same for an A4 as a 330 seems ludicrous to me.

    On the other hand, I came away thinking that the Audi probably makes more sense if you're looking for a sedate, well-mannered cruiser at a discount to a Mercedes cabrio. I think the CLKs are marvellous cars: pretty, elegant, well-mannered and superbly predictable luxury convertibles. On that comparison, I think you could come away with a favorable price/value basis and say the A4 cabrio has a better value proposition. Unfortunately, it's just not a compelling driver's car.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    the A4 convertible is a great addition to the import mid-priced droptop mix. right now you have a 3 series convertible or the aging Volvo or the Saab 9-3 in the same REAL price range - thats it.

    if you want a 6 cylinder - it is the Audi or the BMW. and some people won't consider BMW for image reasons and lack of AWD/FWD. the Audi is the only game in town for some folks.

    i personally think other car companies should be REQUIRED to copy the Audi interior schemes....:)
  • taylor35taylor35 Member Posts: 39
    The details are a 2003 A4 (1.8 L) v. a 2003 C70 HT. Both with low miles and in great shape. The C70 is priced $3000 more. We need to haul kids in the back (sometimes even teenagers)and will be doing mostly suburban driving. Thoughts?
  • scipio1scipio1 Member Posts: 142
    it's hard to say, because it depends on (1) mileage (2) options and (3) most importantly, what you want in a car.

    The only thing I can add of value is a friend of mine has a Volvo, and has always owned them. He says his cars break down a TON, but he lives right by a volvo mechanic who he has a great personal relationship with, and that makes it workable for him.
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    My wife is thinking about the VW New Beetle convertible. I convinced her a few weeks ago to go down to the dealer and test drive one. Unfortunately, the dealer didn't have one on the lot, so we walked next door to the Audi dealer to look at the TT Cabrio. Wife not sure about only 2 seats, so I direct her to an A4 convertible with the 1.8T engine. She likes the look, so we take a drive.

    Like scipio1, we found it to be nice, but more of a cruiser. Unlike scipio1, that's sorta what we're looking for. The acceleration is adequate; better than my wife's current ride, a VW New Beetle with the 2.0L gas engine with a 5-speed. She was blown away by the construction of the interior, however. Way nicer than anything she's been in before. Evverything felt screwed together well and the switches moved with precision. The lining of the roof was nice; with the top up, it felt like a sedan. The totally automated roof was a nice feature; with the frequent summer t-storms we get, getting the roof up in a hurry can be quite important. Not a huge amount of room in the rear seat .. we have teenagers, and they would probably complain.

    The price tag took my wife's breath away. Optioned with leather a couple of other things, it stickered at $38K. Tough to swallow for a 4 cylinder; almost impossible when you can get the same engine in the New Beetle Cabrio for over $10K less. And, you can get the NB with a stick, which is my wife's preference.

    Bottom line: nice, but the spouse will want to drive the NB convertible first before making a final decision.
  • scipio1scipio1 Member Posts: 142
    isn't the NB considerably roomier than a TT? I haven't driven one, but I would have guessed that to be the case. Also, shouldn't the TT be a LOT faster than the NB? I remember reading somewhere that the NB took over 11 seconds 0-60 in its base trim.

    if you're in the $40k price range, and want a cruiser, have you thought about the toyota solara as a cheaper option? Much as it galls me to admit this, we rented a Sebring convertible and for $23,000, I felt it was a superb cruising convertible if you can get over the American nameplate (I couldn't). In fact, I thought it was light-years superior to a Mitsubishi Exclipse Spyder we rented later.

    At $38,000, aren't you into the lower end of the price range for an A4 cabrio?
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    i hate to say it, but if you wife is looking for the ultimate inexpensive 5 speed convertible, look no further than the Miata. tell the kids to take the bus :)

    if a 5 speed is what she really wants, with a quick up and down roof, the Miata is the only game in town. no one can make a better manual transmission than the Miata. and it is $18k less than the base A4 convertible! :)
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    Just curious as to whether anyone here has driven both the A4 and the Sebring convertibles? I know some people truly hate domestics but I've always liked the Sebring - it has nice measures of luxury and elegance at a good price, and is a pretty soft ride. The A4 seems to offer double the luxury and elegance for double the price but also has the pretty soft ride. I don't know why, I just think of these two cars appealing to the same sort of personalities and differentiated mainly by the pocketbook of the buyer... just my thoughts. I could be totally off-base on this.
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Believe me, I've given a Miata a lot of thought. I've also been subtlely trying to get the wife to think Z4 or used Boxster, though that's pretty unlikely as well. The next car is the wife's, so she'll get to make the choice.

    We've got a New Beetle currently; that's one of the reasons why the NB convert is high on her list. She knows the ergonomics well, and ours has held up pretty well in the 50K miles that we've driven it.

    Yes, the TT is faster (180hp vs. 150hp in the NB), but it's not outright speed she's looking for. Her commute is 20 minutes on rural roads, pretty much in a straight line with only 2 stoplights. The A4, with 170hp from the 1.8T, certainly has enough "pop" to satisfy her.

    The other car the wife really likes is the T-Bird, but I think (and she agrees) that it's pretty large for just two seats. I admit to not having given the Solara or Sebring a lot of thought, to be honest.

    I'm hoping to get her into an NB convert next weekend, just to drive it and see what she thinks. It's possible that she'll like the A4 more -- I'm also trying to sell her on the free maintenance that Audi offers, plus the nicer experience overall.

    We'll see.
  • scipio1scipio1 Member Posts: 142
    That was precisely where I was going with that Sebring thought. For it price point I thought the Sebring was an absolutely magnificent "cruiser" convertible, for comfy beachside drives. The car was well-mannered, roomy, nicely optioned with things like a power top, and drove quite well. Soft, but quite capable of cruising very comfortably.

    The Mitsu was smaller, less practical, and had a joke of a trunk. For all of it's extra intended "sportiness", the Eclipse didn't seem to do anything as well as the Sebring. I fully admit to having doubts about American car build quality, but the Sebring came the closest out of any American car to getting me to take a chance.

    I felt the A4 was very similar to the Sebring, albeit with higher quality and production values. However, I revolted at the thought of paying twice as much for a similar, mild-mannered comfortable cruising convertible. I was willing to fork out for a 330ci or M3 cab at that pricing level, but for the A4 cab, I'd say if you're willing to take the hit on the badge, go with the Sebring.

    One quick note: the Camry Solara is also supposed to be quite good, although I've never driven it. Pricier than the Sebring, most reviews say it's about comparable in terms of room, power and comfort, if you absolutely cannot bring yourself to buy a Chrysler.
  • scipio1scipio1 Member Posts: 142
    It's really funny, it sounds like everyone goes through similar steps when looking for a cabrio for their significant other. We all seem to be treading the same ground.

    My wife liked the idea of the Miata a lot more than she ended up liking the car in reality. Her friend bought one when they were in grad school and she thought it was very cute.

    My impression is that the Miata was a lot like a Jeep Wrangler. A lot of fun, but scraping by with the absolute minimal amount of techology possible. Throwback vehicles, if you will. As an aviator, it was the feeling I got from going from computerized multi-function displays to stepping into an East-bloc aircraft and seeing analog gauges everywhere.

    Michaell, my point was that the TT and NB seem to be very, very different cars, and so I was curious as to why they were the front-runners.

    As much as I'd love to beat the drum for the Z4 or Boxster, I'd say that there's a huge practicality trade-off versus a 3-series or A4. Just something to consider, and an argument in favor of the A4/NB vs a TT/Miata/Boxster/Z4...

    Still, I'd hardly complain if my wife said we needed a Porsche - although I'd hold out for the 911 Cabrio. ;)
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    see, to me, there is NO need for a Z4 when Mazda makes the purest 2 seat sports car out there, for at least $15k less. so you give up an inline 6. who cares - they are gutless unless you spend money for the bigger version offered.
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Thanks for the comments. My wife has always liked the looks of the TT. "It looks like a squashed Buggy!" is what she says. For the wife, it's more about how it looks rather than how it drives. So long as it has enough power to get out of its own way, she's fine.

    Most of the time, it's just the two of us going places. The kids are almost 15 and 17, and rarely travel with us anymore. If they do, we take my Saturn L300. The wife drives her NB to and from work; occasionally, we use it on the weekends for errands, but not often.

    We talked a bit over the weekend about what she's looking for. "Distinctive" was her response, "distinctive, but functional". Her NB certainly covers the first, but sort of fails on the second point.

    I think the A4 Cabrio covers both points pretty well. It's not like we'll see too many of them on the roads, it's got enough rear seat room to handle the occasional passenger or our 50 pound dog, and I really, really like the looks.

    We'll just have to wait and see.
  • sjmurray2sjmurray2 Member Posts: 65
    Does anyone have any insight or experience with the A4 3.0 version? Really thinking hard about buying one this weekend!
  • scipio1scipio1 Member Posts: 142
    I took it for a long, long drive a few weeks ago.

    My impressions are heavily biased by an enthusiast's orientation, but I found the A4 cab to be sluggish and uninspiring. The 3.0 engine just didn't seem powerful enough to overcome the gobs of weight that was clearly added to the car. From that perspective, it clearly wasn't a "driver's" car.

    Inside, fit and finish were very good. The CVT transmission makes for a smooth, but soulless, driving experience. For a highway cruiser, it seems like a good entry-lux convertible, which I'd charcterize as sort of an upscale Sebring. (That's not an insult, I found the Sebring to be surprisingly excellent at what it does.)

    The way I'd describe my impression is that it fits squarely in between the Sebring and the Mercedes CLK. The A4 doesn't seem to be the value leader (I'd call the Sebring 85% of the car for 50% of the price), but offers a non-American badged lux convertible that won't set you back $60-85,000 like a CLK will.

    When I left the dealership, I felt that the A4 3.0 Cab would have been compelling at $33-38,000. At $44-48,000, it's just too much for me to justify for myself.
  • ckelly14ckelly14 Member Posts: 105
    I was impressed by the fit and finish of this car. It is incredibly solid, with no cowl shake or body roll on "inspired" diving. It does not have neck-snapping acceleration, but passing at highway speeds is excellent. We were driving 90 in the 1.8T without effort. The 3.0 has better performance off the line, but not quite the BMW. I sat in the back seat with no problem, and the head room and visibility was excellent compared to the 2003 CLK. I am waiting for a test drive in the 2004- which I have been told will be a while (see my CLK 2004 Cab post).

    Fully loaded, the 3.0 would have an MSRP of 45K, but can be had for 42-43K. A 1.8 T will be around 37-38.
  • bcomesbcomes Member Posts: 1
    I just saw one on the lot. Same 3.0 engine as 2003 but was a quattro. It was loaded with the exception of the sport package and had a sticker of $47. No mention of CVT but did highlight triptonic tranny. Are these one in the same? Had a satellite receiver - something I'm looking for in my next car.
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    I think the 04' Cabrio is available with Quattro, if thats the case and the car you saw had Quattro then it was a regular 5-speed automatic, Tiptronic. The CVT (Multitronic) isn't available with Quattro, yet.

    M
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    automakers don't start forcing the CVT on us....fine as an option, but i would rather have the tried and true automatic transmission thank you. don't feel like being the auto industry guinea pig!
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    I knew Audi would do the right thing......behold the S4 Cabriolet:

    http://www.vwvortex.com/

    (Center of the page under the new Golf)

    Note to Audi: Get rid of the A4 Cabrio 3.0L model and replace it with the 250hp 3.2L V6 model and add the DSG gearbox as an option, since a true manual isn't.

    The big question is whether or not a RS4 Cabrio is coming next? When does the A4 Coupe debut and will it get the S4/RS4 treatment? If Audi does this they will have finally realized their goal of going model to model with the 3-Series.

    M
  • ckelly14ckelly14 Member Posts: 105
    The S4 covertible will be huge. I really liked the A4 cab, and will probably purchase one next summer, S4 or no. Will this be on sale in the States?
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    I'm not sure, but let me see...it debuts at Frankfurt in Sept, so I'd bet on a Spring 04' intro here.

    M
  • ckelly14ckelly14 Member Posts: 105
    I wonder why they didn't go with the 2.7T instead of the V8. Bit of an overkill, don't you think?
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    "Overkill" seems to be in vogue with German performance cars these days. If you include the RS4, which is strongly rumored to be coming to the U.S. next year, the S4 is the "middle of the road" car in the A4 line. Seems that Audi is moving away from turbo engines with it's "everyday" models.
  • ckelly14ckelly14 Member Posts: 105
    I read a road test that Audi chose the V8 to compete with the BMW M3. I just don't understand that marketing. I doubt they will ever be able to compete with the M3 in terms of performance/"sportiness". They have a beautiful convertible, available all-wheel drive, incredible interior. After driving one, I did think it could use a touch more power, although I was generally pretty satisfied.. Now in order to have more power, I need to choose a bloated V8 with a $10K premium. The 2.7T is a nice engine. I chose it over the 4.2 in my last A6, given the price delta was almost $8K. I would guess that the S4 convertible will be priced between $55-60K. That's big.
  • kmau1kmau1 Member Posts: 1
    My brand new Audi A4 convertible, 235 miles, is already in the shop since 19 days! for transmission and aircon replacement
  • april15april15 Member Posts: 1
    I have a A4 Cabriolet 3.0 CVT and I'm experiencing many problems. The car bucks when it is approaching a complete stop and randomly does not engage the gas petal after pulling out from a complete stop. It will eventually grab the gas after some time, but by that time, I've already rolled out into the middle of traffic and the car is not accelerating.

    The dealership can not figure it out. It's been there three times for this issue and is only about 5 months old.

    Has anyone experienced this? Or have any solutions?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You might want to join some of our other discussions on A4 mechanical issues:

    Audi A4 in the Sedans Board

    Audi A4 Owners: Problems and Solutions (Maintenance and Repair Board)

    Audi A4 Owners' Club

    MrShiftright
    Host
  • stevedvoskinstevedvoskin Member Posts: 1
    If you have an '03 or '04 A4 convertible, please tell me what's best and worst about the car. I'm particularly interested in how reliable it is -- have you had any problems yet? I am considering getting an '04 A4 3.0, probably the quattro.
  • nsirponsirpo Member Posts: 2
    I'm considering buying the A4 Cabrio Quattro...how does that top handle the elements? I live in Colorado so it has to be able to take some snow and it will have to spend the first few months without the benefit of a garage. Will it show signs of wear??

    Do you recommend the car as a whole?
  • stehersteher Member Posts: 37
    The top handles the elements very good.
    I own a '03 A4 2.5 TDI Cabrio and 2 weeks ago it began to snow for the first time this year here in Munich/Germany. I don't have a garage, too, but from my experience that's not a big problem for this car. The top is very well isolated and with those heated seats the car becomes warm in a few minutes.
    With Quattro you will even have a better "winter-car" than most other sedans, coupés etc.
    I recommend this car very strong, because it's fun to drive, it's a real eye-catcher (here in Germany Audi's reputation and image seems to be much better), and the costs are moderate.
    Here are a few pics:
    http://www.carpassion.com/de/usergarage.php?no=339

    Good luck with your decision and sorry for my bad english ;-)
  • rme78rme78 Member Posts: 3
    I am looking for my first car and fell in love with the cabriolet. I would love to find a used quattro cabriolet but it still may be out of my price range. I need a car that would be used "year-round" and was wondering from the owners your thoughts on a cabriolet's dependability and also how well a fwd does in the snow.

    Thanks
  • connellyconnelly Member Posts: 1
    My goal is to find a convertible that can handle bad winter driving conditions (like a drive to VT in the middle of a snow storm!). Am I asking for too much?!?! I have been considering the A4 1.8/4-cyc and the 3.0/6-cyc. I thought that the FWD on the A4 would be fantastic (other converts I looked at had RWD). Is the FWD enough for the car to handle winter driving conditions? I like the idea of buying a 2003 model since it is a year old and I can save on the cost of the car. But now I see that the 2004 model will offer AWD! Would that make all the difference in the world for winter driving? I would not be happy laying out extra $$ for a new car! But if it's a great feature for that, I might have to consider it (despite budget constraints!) Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'd really appreciate any feedback you have to offer!

    Kathleen
  • doroydoroy Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone had a problem with the convertible top stopping midway when opening?
    I have a 2004 A4 Cabriolet with 7000 miles, and don't have any complaints, except for the top (Only THE reason we bought a convertible!) It only happens when the car is in my driveway that has a slight incline. When the car is level, the top performs flawlessly. I took it to the dealer (twice), and of course, they could not duplicate the problem. They even put the front end on a rack to produce an incline, but everything worked. I brought it home, and the first time I tried it on the driveway, it stopped! I took it to a level ground, and it works.

    On another topic, I guess most of you know by now that the in dash 6 CD changer doesn't shuffle between CD's. It only shuffles tracks on a single CD. That was mentioned on the A4 board, and also verified by my dealer. Why, then, do they have that as a CD menu option?

    Doroy
  • jazzjitjazzjit Member Posts: 14
    Hey Everybody,

    My sister was thinking of buying a new 2004 Audi Cabriolet AWD this year. She's not too much into performance and what not but would like a car that's relatively fast and not sluggish. I was looking at the Cabriolet's weight and it is over 4000 pounds with an AWD. I wanted some feedback on current Cabriolet owners as to how the car performs driving wise. Thanks.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,370
    You can get thru winter conditions with any drive configuration provided you're equipped with snow tires (not all-season) but if you undertake long drives in bad weather you'll find that awd is much more relaxing to drive.

    FWD will get the job done but awd is only an extra $1650, that's 1.4% more on a $45k convertible.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    She might want to wait until the new 2005.5 models are released early next year, they should have the new 3.2 FSI (252hp) V6. The current 3.0L model is sluggish.

    M
  • jazzjitjazzjit Member Posts: 14
    Thanks merc. Is this for a fact that the new 3.2 engine will be released early next year? Also, will it be available in AWD and what is the price difference? Thanks for any advice.
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    To be honest I'm not sure when these changes will take place. Some say this fall, others say next spring. Of course you can expect a little price increase. I'm sure the new 3.2L FSI engine will be available with Quattro, Audi wouldn't put 250+ hp to just the front wheels exclusively.

    Come on over to the Future Models board and post your questions in the 2005 Audi A4 topic. Markincincinati can help you there.

    M
  • drpvhdrpvh Member Posts: 1
    I'm also breaking my head over which cabrio to buy! I currently have a 95 saab 9000, a tank and would like a convertible and a bit sportier car. I don't like sitting in the Beemer, the audi feels like a lot of money for a polished VW. One can get an '03 9.3conv. for about $28,000! Is the '04 model THAT much of a better car?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    If you think that the '03 9-3 convertible is a deal at $28K, please consider that you can buy an '01 9-3 convertible for about $15K-$16K...

    It isn't always purchase price you have to consider.... don't forget about the resale.. $12K depreciation to own a used Saab for two years.. You could probably own a new BMW or Audi as cheaply.

    regards,
    kyfdx

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • swdeaswdea Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2003 A4 Cabriolet 3.0 with front-wheel drive and have had no problems in the snow. I live in the Chicago area and have driven it through two winters. I love the car.
  • newtoaudi1newtoaudi1 Member Posts: 2
    Hi.

     

    I'm on the market for a new car and have fallen for the 2005 Audi A4 Cab 1.8T CVT with the following options:

    - premium package

    - audio package

    - lighting package

    - 17" alloy wheels

    - heated front seats

    - color - l. silver metallic

     

    List price is $41.3K, and the dealer has quoted me $38.4 (plus taxes, title & dealer fees), claiming that it is their invoice cost.

     

    Does anyone know if this is a good deal, especially with the 2005.5/2006's coming out in ~3 months?

     

    Thanks!
  • kcamhikcamhi Member Posts: 2
    I just traded in a BMW 323 convertible for the Audi A4 3.0 cab quattro, 2005.5 model. It has the new dvd navigation with flat panel display, et al.

     

    My first impression is that this is a great car. I'm more of an electronics/gadget enthusiast than a horse power enthusiast, so I'm not the one to write eloquently about how it handles. It does feel like a substantial car and has quick pickup.

     

    On the electronics, this car is very cool. All the functions are conrolled off of one display. The user interface is a little cumbersome with a dial and 4 buttons surrounding it -- if you're used to just turning a knob to adjust music tone, forget it, you've got several clicks and menus.

     

    Aside from that, this thing is tremendous.

     

    Navigation is intuitive, the display is terrific, it's fast, it zooms in and out very fast. It's a big step up from systems that are a couple years old.

     

    The stereo (premium bose with sirius) is outstanding. The sound is great. And a feature that wasn't even in the book when I bought it is that in addition to a 6-cd changer, it comes equipped with 2 SD slots. SD cards cost about $100 for 1GB cards which can store a couple hundred mp3 files each. With the 2 cards you have quite library of music you can put into the car, complete with playlists, off of your computer. The screen can be used to move around your songs, display track info, etc.

     

    There is also a phone button. Apparently the car is not yet equipped with bluetooth though, but I imagine that will be a similarly well-done feature when it is.

     

    All in all, very pleased after a day of driving!
  • sm122097sm122097 Member Posts: 3
    I am looking for for an A4 2005 Cab (3.0). What is this about a 2005.5 and the flat panel DVD based navigation system. My dealer did not say anything about it.
Sign In or Register to comment.