Audi A4 2004 and earlier

quattro_pearl · June 2000

There is a caption saying some are fake, but the guy driving is the only different pic. The front end, trunk, and tail lights are different heck the whole body is diferent than the others

bollinger · June 2000

Another fellow had this type of problem with the sunroof. He got the switch replaced 3 times with no success. Replacing the motor is what finally did it. Get your dealer to replace the motor.

toyotaowner2 · June 2000

I have been looking at A4's the last few days and have done a good bit of research - primarily looking at 2000 models - 2.8 with Quattro.

I came across a 1999 1/2 A4, 2.8, automatic with Quattro, convenience and sport package, leather seats, Bose radio with 6 cd changer. It has 8,900 miles but has never been titled. The dealer says it is a demonstrator. The best I could negotiate is $28,900 plus tax.

Does this sound like a good deal or would it be worth moving to a 2000 model for approximately $4,000 more. The salesman said there was little difference so I am looking for value.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

equalizer1 · June 2000

There are many differences between the 1999-1/2 and 2000 models, but there are even great differences between the 2000 and 2001 models, the biggest being that the 2001 models will now have 4 yrs./50,000 miles warranty with free maintenance.

As far as the differences on the 1999-1/2 and 2000 models, there are a few that I can think of off the top of my head. The 2000's have an in-dash CD player and drive-by-wire. To find out more of the differences, I urge you to go to www.audiworld.com. They have all that information in the archives. You will also be able to see the differences between the 2000's and 2001's.

As far as getting a demo, I am sure it has been driven hard by many people. The enthusiasts on Audiworld will discourage you from buying something that has possibly been driven to the ground at 8,900 miles. I would either go for a used car that had one owner, or buy a new one. JMO

bollinger · June 2000

but not throttle-by-wire

ferarri11 · June 2000

also examine to see if the rear lamps, front turning lamps and door handles are the same as a 2000, i don t know if they are , but those are clear indications of an old and new A4. the deal sounds a bit high to me, but in houston , audis seem to be a bit cheaper

equalizer1 · June 2000

The 1999.5's did not have an in-dash CD, at least not on the A4's, and I indicated that the 2000's had drive by wire, not the 1999.5's.

bollinger · June 2000

Hmm. Late 1999 A4's had in-dash CD. They had the same unit as the A6. Perhaps it is the 1999.7 model, perhaps the 1999.5. I don't really care. The point is some 1999 A4s have in-dash CD.

markcincinnati · June 2000

Damaged my wheels in a similar fashion -- I have $250 deductable "comprehensive" coverage. Car was an Audi A8 with 17" wheels -- $699. I paid $250. Insurance paid the rest. Rates, did not go up since it was not a "collision."

$.02 worth. Good luck.

dsackman · June 2000

Got to get my Hawaii doll back in my car.

equalizer1 · June 2000

No factory 1999.5's had in-dash CD. I got one of the first 2000's that had an in-dash CD. This was discussed all over Audiworld. The 1999.5's were supposed to have an in-dash CD and Audi decided to wait until 2000. Alot of people who ordered the 1999.5's were disappointed. NO 1999.5's no matter when they were manufactured had an in-dash CD unless someone put in an aftermarket one.

gems · June 2000

Equalizer &CO... thanks everybody for all the inputs!!!( Remember I asked about A4's and Passat some time back). My friend took the 2001 A4 last Friday and is sooooooo happy about the car. He got the 2001 A4 1.8, Manual trans with
cold weather and convienence package for around 25K ( not sure about the exact figure). According to my friend he is begining to understand what he was was missing for years!!!!
Btw, I think you guys forgot to tell me that 2001 A4's are with 170 hp

equalizer1 · June 2000

I'm really happy to hear that. Congratulate your friend. Tell him that there is a big group of enthusiasts on www.audiworld.com and he will probably become addicted.

BTW, I can swear I wrote the 2001's had 170 HP (nice increase-now it's at the same plateau as the BMW 323). Also the 2001's have standard side headbags, standard sports steering wheel and a one year longer warranty with one year extra free maintenance(I wish I had that!). Tell him if he loves the car now, it only intensifies.

I'm glad I was of help. I guess when you're enthusiastic about something, you can't help but share that enthusiasm!

quattro_pearl · June 2000

how many ft-lbs/torque of get out of my way does it have?

bigninong · June 2000

does any a4 owners have a problem with a driver side chair....cause it squeaks alot

usc1990 · June 2000

for the 2001 A4, I think. www.audiusa.com is now updated with my 2001 specs and prices.

equalizer1 · June 2000

I have a problem with the passenger's seat squeaking real badly. They took it out a few week's ago and tightened some screws, but apparently it was only a temporary fix and is now squeaking worse than ever. It is driving me crazy. Audi has the car as we speak. I hope they can fix it once and for all!

toyotaowner2 · June 2000

Thanks for the responses. The dealer had one of those SALE stickers at $30,900. I offered $28,000 (before I had any responses on the board) but the dealer would not not move below $28,900. I chose to pass on the deal. I will still be looking.

xorbtant · June 2000

What is the best price anyone has gotten on a A4 1.8T Q? As for options the only thing that I think I will need is the Tiptronics, . Currently I have the 1.8T but not Q. I got that one loaded with convience package, sports package, and 6 disk changer out the door for 26,500. But as for the quattro i seem to have a harder time getting a deal, I think is good. So if someone can tell me their story or price on how much they paid I would appreciate it.

turbojet · July 2000

Yesterday I picked up my 2001 A4 1.T Quattro with manual transimssion, premium package, cold weather package and xenons. I paid 28,000 (before TTL), which is around $1500 off MSRP and 5% over invoice. I think this is the best deal around in this area.

The engine noise for 2001 1.8T models is a little more than the 2000 models, and in fact it is a little annoying. But otherwise the car is great! The increase in the horsepower is also pretty good.

axc146 · July 2000

I wasn't aware that the new A4 are 170hp. How does it feel? If I want one of these new cars do I have to order one or do the dealers have them already?

water_dog · July 2000

I went shopping this weekend, and believe that I figured out the 2001 pricing for A4 2.8. There are now three base models:
8D25UK: FrontTrak, auto, 30,340.
8D25U5: Quattro, manual, 30,990.
8D25UZ: Quattro, auto, you figure out the math.
So they only offer the manual with the quattro, and they DON'T charge the 1,100 automatic price. I checked this out on the AudiUSA site, "Build an Audi."

ferarri11 · July 2000

what are the new 0-60 times for the 170 hp 1.8t, and does it really feel any faster?

oxygen2 · July 2000

IS THE AUDI A4 1.8T 2001 OR A 2000 2.8 WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO GO. ALSO CAN P/U S4 2000 FOR 38,700. IS THE A4 SAFER THEN BMW3 SERIES? THANKS

ferarri11 · July 2000

the audi has all the safety systems of the 3 but the 3 got a best pick in the IIHS test, and the audi wasnt tested. also it is older than the 3 so it probably wont be as safe, since the newer models are designed to pass this test, but some older designs are good in this test/

equalizer1 · July 2000

The A4 is just as safe as the BMW 3 Series, especially with the now standard side headbags.

texashombre · July 2000

Got a question for y'all. First of all, I have never owned Audi. But ever since I saw Audi for the first time on a James Bond movie, little bit of Audi is in my heart. And now as I am reading how great the A4's are, all I can do is live vicariously through y'all. The question though is what makes Audi 1.8T a better buy than the Passat's 1.8T or the Jetta's 1.8T? The Passat and Jetta has the Side Airbag and Traction Control as a standard? I just bought a base model '00 Integra and I am somewhat 2nd guessing as A4s are beautiful. Thanks.
P.S. This may be a bit off the subject but as Jettas are assembled in Mexico, any idea if the reliability is not as good as German assembled Passat and Audi? Thanks again.

sunvik · July 2000

How long is the manufacturer's warranty for the 2001 A4. I think I read 1 year which surprised me, as my 1998 SAAB (the lease is almost up) has a three year warranty. It's great, because I have a three year lease and haven't spent a dime on the car for repairs.

Thanks for the help.

equalizer1 · July 2000

sunvik

The manufacturer's warranty for the 2001 has been extended to 4 yrs./50,000 miles bumper to bumper, with all maintenance paid for in that period.

Audi has always had a 3 yr./50,000 btb warranty. I wish I had waited for the 2001's because that extra year could be worth alot.

texashombre

Audi's are more upscale, especially interiorally than it's VW counterparts. The A4 is also sportier than the Passat with the sports suspension option, or even just in stock form. You get a better warranty with Audi and there is just a more tossable feel to the Audi. I own an A4 and my brother has a Passat, and he wishes he had purchased the A4 because of the above reasons. He likes the Passat, but loves the A4.

As far as Jettas are concerned, it would be a good idea to look at the Jetta forums for that information.

As far as your Integra is concerned, we just bought a new TL and love it. Most of the people at www.audiworld.com owned Integras before they bought the A4. I had a Prelude before the A4, so it seems to be the theme before owning the Audi. You might benefit by going to the URL I just posted in this paragraph to give you more information. Most of the people on that forum are Audi enthusiasts. For more information on the Jetta and Passat, you should go to www.vwvortex.com. That is a big enthusiast site as well.

Good luck with your Integra. It is a great car!

reubencahn · July 2000

I looked at the Audiworld site for 2001 pricing and found only the link to Edmund's y2k pricing. Am I missing something? Also, I live in South Florida. Have any of you recently purchased an A4 2.8Q in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area? What dealer did you use and what kind of price over invoice were you able to get? Thanks for the help.

texashombre · July 2000

Very insightful. Thanks again. As long as the reliability continues to be good for the Audi, I think I will be in the market for it shortly. I think I may have obtained incorrect information for the standard options for the A4s. I indicated earlier no standard side air bags for the A4s per Carpoint.com. In Edmunds, it saids it does have side air bags as a standard. Hmmm. One more question. How big of a difference between the 1.8T and 2.8L engines in the A4s?

equalizer1 · July 2000

reubencalm:

They definitely have the 2001 pricing on the audiworld forum. Just post the question and someone will give you a link to it. www.audiworld.com. Also, the average price over invoice can run anywhere from 4-7%. That would be considered in the "good" range. You might want to ask that question on Audiworld, as I am sure there are many Floridians that can give you a better answer. Good luck.

texashombre:

You're welcome. Always glad to help a fellow Audi enthusiast. Actually, not only does the A4 have standard front and passenger side airbags, but they now have a standard side curtain airbag which is similar to the Volvo side airbag and has the same effect as the BMW head airbag, so there are now six airbags standard on the 2001 A4.

Also, Consumer Reports actually has Audi with "Better than Average" reliability. My A4 has been stellar in reliability in the past 8 months/7,500 miles.

As far as the engines in the 1.8 vs. the 2.8, the 2001 1.8 has 170 hp, up from 150 hp for the Y2K model. It is a turbo as well. The 2.8 (which I have), is a 190 hp naturally aspirated engine. The 1.8 engine is much more tunable. If you go to Audiworld, most of the enthusiasts have a 1.8 engine with a 5 spd. and have their cars "chipped" to have over 200 hp. You can ask and/or find out anything you want about chipping on that website. The big difference this year is that the 2.8 does not have the 5 spd. standard anymore as it was not a popular combination. If you want a 2.8 5 spd., you need to special order it from the factory and will have to spend the extra $1,000 it costs for an automatic, even though you are getting a 5 spd. In essence you are paying for an automatic and getting a 5 spd. The big differences between the two cars are not only monetary, the 2.8 has the option of leather, the 1.8 has only leatherette or cloth. The 2.8 has power seats, the 1.8 has manual seats. The 2.8 has standard wood, the 1.8 has standard aluminum. Basically the 1.8 is more of a sporty version of the car, the 2.8 more of a "poseur's" car. Test drove both like I did numerous times, until I knew I wanted the 2.8. If I were buying it this year, it might be a little closer in my decision because of the 1.8's hp boost.

Good luck.

quattro_pearl · July 2000

the manual it is withdrawn from the total price. Atleast according to Momentum Audi here in Houston. Other dealers may be different, but if you let them or anybody charge you for something you don't have, you need to be taken to the cleaners for all you have.

vernm · July 2000

The manual is not extra cost. The standard A4 2.8 has auto and not quattro. If you add the manual, the price goes up a few hundred dollars but quattro is required (included). Go to the Audi site and compare the price of an A4 Qtip vs. an A4 Q-manual. You will see that the manual version is 1K or more cheaper.

jackbarone · July 2000

You can get all the 2001 pricing at the kelly blue book site. http://www.kbb.com.

water_dog · July 2000

I have to agree with equalizer1--the choice between 2001 1.8T and 2.8 is difficult now that the 1.8T is kicked to 170 HP and the 2.8 stays as 190. I drove the 2.8 two weeks ago and was ready to go until I heard about the change for 2001. Drove a 2001 1.8T this weekend and it was zippy.

What am I missing? How can I justify $4K for 20 HP and the option to buy leather?

quattro_pearl · July 2000

Audi saves the best for last, when the new A4 arrives. Just depends on if you want to wait or not and whether or not your current car(s) will keep you happy til then.

a4passat · July 2000

I was thinking about getting a 2001 or 2000 1.8T A4 Quattro Tiptronic, but I saw a *new* 1999 A4 2.8 with moonroof, Bose audio, sports steering, quattro and tiptronic at a dealership for $31k. It was on Sunday, so I couldn't speak to anyone to find out more specific detail. Any thoughts? Thanks.

edws1 · July 2000

Hi you all: This is my first post, although I have been reading this and other boards trying to compare cars and buyer's experiences. It appears there is a lot of experience and knowledge out there. I would appreciate any suggestions, comments or advise any would care to give. I have been looking at the A-6 2.8, Acrua TL, Caddy Catera, Infinite I-30, Lincoln LS, Lexus Es-300 & GS-300, Maxima GLE, and somewhat at the Seville SLS. There being so many possibilities, I'm getting a headache.

I am retired (age early 60's) and we are looking for a new car that provides luxury, and is somewhat "sporty". As we would plan to keep this car for a long time, quality and dependability are important. I have been leaning toward the A-6 2.8 quattro (although I really don't care for the appearance of the car from the back) as we live in the mountain west, and to reach our home we drive up a street with about 1/3 mile grade of 10=12%. Is the "traction control offered on the other cars a reasonable substitute for the quattro?? The car we are replacing is a 96 Taurus LX. With it's front wheel drive it does a decent job in the winter, but there have been a few times it won't make it up the hill. Thanks for any help by way of suggestions or comments on these cars.

edws1 · July 2000

Sorry I inadvertantly posted in the A-4 board, rather than A-6... will try again other there.

equalizer1 · July 2000

My husband and I own both a TL and A4 2.8. My boss owns the A6 2.7T. I think I can give a pretty good assessment of what would be in your best interests.

If you are looking for something "sporty", the Lexus ES300 would not be the right choice. I test drove it and it is very much like the Camry. It has no road feel and/or feedback from the road. I didn't test drive the GS300, but I imagine it is more sporty than the ES300. Sorry I couldn't give you better feedback on that model. Getting a Lexus will give you stellar reliability and a wonderful ownership experience.

The TL is wonderful. It is sporty, luxurious, a great value, and if you need a Navigation system, the Honda/Acura's Navigation is what I consider the best on the market because it only needs one DVD for the entire country, instead of 9 CD ROM's for different parts of the country that most of the other Navigation systems have. If you are in your early 60's and are retired or are thinking of retiring soon, a Navigation system to get you going on road trips would be just the thing the doctor ordered.

The A4 and A6 are wonderful cars. My boss feels the A6 is just too big and cumbersome, even though it is very quick in the 2.7T engine size, and would have preferred something more sporty. His lease was up on his A4 and he didn't give himself enough time to look for another car. All he knew was that he wanted a bigger car than the A4. If you live North of the Mason Dixon line, you might want to consider this car for the AWD. It is invaluable in inclemate weather. No matter what anyone says about traction control and other devices, I don't believe they will ever take the place of the confidence inspiring AWD. It almost makes you want to go out driving in the rain. Why do you think that BMW is now adding AWD to it's 3 Series line? Because of it's surefootedness and inherent value over all their traction control devices.

The Lincoln LS was another really nice car, but does not have a Navigation system, and it is rear wheel drive. I found it to be a little bumpy even without the sports package, but it was nice. I believe the resale value and more than likely the reliability will not be as good as the other cars on your list.

As far as the Catera is concerned, again it is rear wheel drive, and like the Lincoln will probably have a low resale value and not very stellar reliability.

The Infiniti I30 is a very nice car. If you get the luxury model, it is the perfect balance of performance and luxury. You will more than likely have wonderful reliability and there is an available Navigation system, although it is the one I mentioned above with the 9 CD's for the entire country. It is not as user friendly as the Acura's. You will also get better resale value on the Acura more than likely than on the I30, although the Infiniti's dealership experience is supposed to be among the best.

As far as the Maxima GLE is concerned, again the resale value will probably not be great, and personally I can't get past the looks. If I were looking at the Maxima and I30, I would definitely go for the I30, not only for the looks, better warranty and cachet, but I think it is much classier inside and out.

I haven't driven the Seville STS and don't know much about Cadillacs, but they have come a long way in the past few years. Resale value will not be good, but they have alot of neat features like night vision, etc.

Anyway, to sum things up, if money is no object, I would probably go for the Lexus GS300 or A6 (especially if one of your concerns is traction control and you live in a bad weather area).

If you are looking for stellar reliability and great resale value I would go for either the TL or Lexus GS300.

If resale value is of no concern to you, and reliability is not either, then I would take a closer look at the Catera, Seville and Lincoln LS (the LS being the best choice of the bunch, MHO).

If resale value is of little concern for you, but reliability is, then the I30 would be a great choice.

I would probably eliminate the ES300 and Maxima GLE from my list as I said before the ES300 is not "sports" oriented, and the Maxima is nowhere as nice as the I30. If you want a Navigation system , the TL is the way to go. I would suggest looking at the RL, but it is really not performance oriented.

I hope I helped you. Good luck!

ferarri11 · July 2000

it is not that the A6 is cumbersome. the A6 is very sporty though you must keep in mind that it is much larger than the A4. it is as sporty as the E class and 5 series, also GS. the A4 is more nimble because it is much smaller.

ferarri11 · July 2000

i was surprised to see that Audi sells more A6 sedans than A4s. isnt that surprising? i thought that for sure tha A4 would outsell the A6, which is more expensive. i guess it is like MB, which sells more E class sedans than C class sedans. the mid sized car sell more nowadays.

equalizer1 · July 2000

I don't think you're correct about Audi selling more A6's. If it is any indication of what is in the NE, the A4's probably outnumber the A6's 10 to 1. According to my Audi dealer, he said he can't keep the A4's on the lot, but the A6's are discounted more to move them, so I would appreciate seeing some hard stats about this. Also, according to the Europeans on this board and on Audiworld, there are tons of A4's all over Europe. No mention about A6's.

Also you're probably right about the A6 not being cumbersome and just as sporty as the Mercedes and BMW, but when you come from an A4 like my boss did, the A6 seems huge, and I guess he just likes a more tossable, agile car, but for the majority of us "regular" folks, the A6 would be just fine.

rollie · July 2000

As of the end of May Audi sold 13,617 A6s vs. 11,996 A4s for the year according to AutoSite. Count me as surprised as Ferrari11. Since I'm down to the wire between a 2000 A6 2.7T and a 2001 Volvo V70 T5 I might be adding to Audi's numbers shortly! (yea yea I know sedan vs. wagon - if I could get the 2.7T in a wagon now it would be a more logical comparison but the discounts on the A6 are hard to ignore...)

Thanks.

-rdo
russell.ollie@usa.net

mbnut · July 2000

I'm getting ready to move out of my A4 1.8T. How large are the A6 discounts? I

ferarri11 · July 2000

the A6 has only been on the market since 1998 and the A4 has been on the market for 2 or 3 more years i think. that explains it. when i went to europe in 1998, there were so many A4s it was like an A4 heaven. only a few A6s but it was only on the market for 6 months. when was the A4 introduced into the US market. and how many color options are available for it now?

equalizer1 · July 2000

The A4 was introduced in 1996 to the US. I believe it replaced the 100 or 90 (I'm not really sure). The A6 was actually introduced before 1998, but the new design came about in 1998.

As far as colors are concerned, I'm sure how many colors there are for the A4, but as you have probably seen, silver and black are the two most popular. When I see another color, I have to take a second look. I actually like the color choices better for the A6. What color do you have? How do you like your 2.7? My boss just got the same car, upgrading from an A4. He got it with a 5 spd., and is still getting used to the bigger size after owning the A4 for three years, but so far we all think it's gorgeous. He has ming blue with melange interior. Really nice combination. He originally wanted green, but they couldn't find him one with a 5 spd., and he will not drive an automatic.

reubencahn · July 2000

We have an 8 year old. I'm wondering if any of you have kids who regularly ride in the back seats. Is the room sufficient? Also, I see that Audi is offering ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program) that looks something like the eqivalent Mercedes and BMW feature. With quattro it seems superfluous to me. Any thoughts?

proxime · July 2000

I drove the 2001 1.8 and agree that it is zippy, but it has turbo lag and the engine sound isn't as refined as the 2.8

Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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