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Between NJ, NY, CT and MA I tried about 12 dealers and came away with 7 quotes that I felt were close enough to be fair and accurate but 1 was about $20 less a month and $500 less on the down payment. This perked my curiosity about national programs, margin tolerances, incentives etc. (I settled on leasing because my wife gets bored easily with cars - I will get to the A4 tie in soon)
3 things came-up that changed our model direction. 1) as expected, no dealer wanted my car at anything close to what resembled a sane price. ($4500 - $6500) Yes I understand that what they may get at the auction but knowing they would sell the car with a $2K or more premium just killed me. So I was onto selling it privately which prevented me from purchasing a new car. (wife's ultimatum, must sell before you can buy) 2) we're trying to save for a new house so we came-up with an under $400 target and minimal cash outlay and 3) we have decided to speed-up our family expansion plans so a 2 door was out of the question.
I hemmed and hawed for weeks about what car to get and re-examined the options, cost and availability. The C240 and 325i were far to expensive to lease once we added in our sunroof and heated seats requirement so that left the 9-3 and A4 1.8. As a current Saab owner and with the $4K coming from GM to the dealers, you can lease a loaded 9-3 for a RIDICULOUSLY cheap monthly payment. I mean in New England with the glut of dealers and if you do your bargaining right, you can pay under $300 a month (including tax and 12K miles per year) with only $2000 total out of pocket. That's a lot, I say A LOT of car for that low a price. The 205 hp in the auto is fun and you get leather, sunroof, heated seats, Harmon Kardon stereo - the works. So I settle on the 9-3 when I see the spy-photos of the 2003 model which is completely re-designed and actually has a trunk!! Now I'm reluctant to get into a car that in 4 months will be the old body style so remembering the awesome performance of the TT, I head for the A4.
I do my usual local road testing and model / option review and settle on the car for us: 1.8T (on our budget $5K is a lot just to get leather and a few more ponies when a $500 chip can get you the same off the line juice) Quattro, sunroof, 16" rims and heated seats in black on black. Then I do my usual tri-state / NE phone calls and canvas the same 12 or so dealers and come back with 5 that are relatively close and then 1 (same as before on the TT) who is just glaringly less per month:
$2063 total out of pocket @ $378 per month including CT sales tax and 12K per year miles for 39 months on the exact car except its grey inside - and he says maybe there is a little more room.
One problem, I still own my car and its late January and nobody wants to give me what I want for it. So a few weeks pass trying to sell my car in the local paper and finally I put it on the internet and it sells to someone in NYC for what I want / need. Now it the middle of February and I am ready for my new A4. Problem is the dealership who gave me the great price no longer has the car I want, could trade for one but that would raise the cost. Now I have this great price in my mind and will not settle for a higher amount so I begin to take the price around and everyone turns the other way or doubts my numbers. I even go to the "world's largest Audi dealer" in Greenwich and the salesman says, "listen I think I can help you out. Here's a demo A4 1.8T q with 5K miles, sunroof, heated seats and 16" in black (beige interior which looks terrible with aluminum trim) for $416 a month and $2075 total out of pocket. Good deal huh? What do you say? Should we sign the papers?" I almost fell out of my chair. Its Presidents day so I'm off and I spend the rest of the day on the phone trying to negotiate back to my comfortable price.
I'm driving home with about 20 miles to go and I make 1 last call to a dealership that turns out to be almost in my back-yard but that I had completely discounted because they never advertise and are fairly low-volume and I hit the home-run: '02 A4 1.8T Quattro, sunroof, heated seats and 16" in black on black. "Don't lock the doors! I'll be there in 15 minutes and bring it around front." Just what we wanted but I feared the price. Would I just settle out of desperation?
It took me about 30 minutes and 3 rounds of negotiating but I finally got to mu number:
$2000 TOTAL out of pocket @ $375.16 per month including CT sales and 12K per month miles for 39 months.
Now that's a number I felt I could live with so I signed the paperwork and picked the car-up a few days later and its been 3 weeks of great fun. The turbo spools up with just enough oomph for me and the Quattro is a blast around traffic circles. We drop the seats, slide our snowboards thru and head to VT for the weekends and feel the same sure-footedness around the mountains as our ML 320. Yes you can spend allot less on a car but the build quality, stylish design, new appearance and performance are hard to beat if you can afford it. I will praise my decision to stick with the A4 for a long time to come. We're even thinking the A6 Avant will be the replacement for out ML when its lease is up! Thanks for hanging in there with my novel here but I hope it helped you kill a few minutes.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
But, I still have a question.
So, you mean I have to give a tip to gas station workers everytime? They gonna call the police or something?
I heard that NJ is not garden state. "Police state". So if that's true, I think I better take off my tint before I go there.
I think you said you ended up getting black on black. The black interior looks sharp--but I only saw it on a 3.0 with wood trim. Does it go well with the aluminum? I agree the beige doesn't. I actually got the avant, but nobody seems talkative on that page, so I come here--same car with room for the skis and the dogs, right?
The year before last, when I first started thinking about moving up to a more luxurious yet sporty yet practical car, my first choice was the Saab 9-5 wagon. I still like it, but I was talked out of it--first because of turbo and second because it has no AWD, and every year we end up getting caught somewhere between Utah, Nevada, Canada and Washington in some severe deep blowing snow packed whiteout conditions, so AWD had to be a first consideration. So i'm glad to hear you made the move to Audi and so far without regret.
Tell us all about the interesting moments with your new car as they happen. I'm still waiting for mine on order. Week 3 of I'll let you know how many it takes to get from there to here.
And cpetersen3, maybe after the ML320, you want a RS6 Avant with 450hp :> Well, that is, if you think the S6 available now in US which has 340hp is not enough :>
Billy
herr finkle
Bluetrane said what I would have said. My dealer said I had ordered a nice combination of options--sunroof, heated seats, 16" wheels, xenon headlights. I guess he meant that combination would be easy enough to sell if i changed my mind. I don't know, though, 3on--from what I can see, there are so few Avants in stock anywhere on the west coast that I would think they'd be up for grabs with nearly any combination of options. Are they easier to come by where you live?
And Finklejag--I must have been in contact with at least 12 dealers up and down the west coast. I didn't quite get to the point of pitting one against the other, but just took the best offer given by the most receptive and least arrogant dealer, which happened to be Roger Jobs in Bellingham. It wasn't just a good offer, the other dealers didn't seem interested in even talking about coming down from MSRP on an Avant. Well, the one in Tacoma offered 500 off MSRP, but Roger Jobs came forth without my asking. There happened to be two avants available at the time I was ready to buy--one in Tacoma and one at University Audi in Seattle, but for me it was worth waiting for a better price. There's also one in stock right now in Bend--supposedly. I'll just be interested to see how prices change by May and June. Gotta run!
I ordered my 3.0 A4 in early January, and it is here now. The guy just called me today. Unfortunately, I have an all day meeting tomorrow, and I am not sure about friday. The guy was disapointed that I could not just come tomorrow, but the dealer is 45 minutes away and 1 day's notice is not enough time.
I knew it would be some time when I ordered (I had previously ordered my '97), so I did not stay in contact with my dealer. Still, less than 3 months, so I am not complaining.
They did ask for a $1k deposit at the time. I did not get leather, but I really wanted power seats, which are not available in the 1.8T engine. So I got sports package, xenons and moon roof. Red with the tan interior.
I'll let you know how I like it when I am driving it.
Ned
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
A4 3.0 Quattro
6-speed manual
Sport Package
Xenon Headlights
Bose Premium sound
At 5% tax, metallic paint (i think they all are), i'm going out the door for $34,614
Did you test drive the BMW 330xi? What exactly didn't you like in comparison? Or hopefully, what did you prefer in the Audi?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
So far, loving my '01 1.8T...has a few quirks, but you get used to it! I wish I could've gotten the same deal on the '02s, but it's a fine car either way you go.
To all new A4 owners, welcome to the club! Nice decision and I'm sure you will like your new rides.
Sf10, I think for colors black, white and red, they are non metallic paints and you can save $450 right there. Just a thought.
Billy
The Audi I ordered is coming with the sport package, xenons, sunroof, and heated seats. The BMW that I most recently test drove was similarly equipped including the sport package. The acceleration advantage of the V6 on the 325i was there but only barely noticible. I accelerated through some curves that had a small amount of loose gravel and felt the bimmer slip a little, but immediately regain control when I let off the accelerator. I was reminded of the advantage of Quattro. I realize that the 325xi is an option, but a very costly one at that. Anyway, while performance was nearly comparable, when considering the full package, i. e. getting a six disc in dash CD changer and a tape player v.s. a single CD player, dual zone climate control, head protection air bags and heated seats in the back as well as the front, and a tiny trunk in the Bimmer, and so on... I was reassured that I had made the right decision.
The problem, and the reason that I post this message in search of advice is this: I recently read some glowing reviews of the new Saab 9-5 so I took it out for a spin two nights ago. Let me preface this with the fact that I will very soon become a new dad, and thus, the extra room in the back seat, I speculate, may be a big plus. Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised with the Saab. Tested the 9-5 2.3t which has 185 h.p. but an amazing 207 ft. lbs. of torque. I drove both a 5 speed manual and their new 5 speed automatic. Another surprise to me, but I actually preferred the automatic in the Saab. I am a die hard manual fan for performance and I love the silky smooth A4 gear box. However, in the Saab, the automatic appear just as quick and was extremely smooth. In terms of handling, while is was not as nimble as the A4 with the sport package, I took a street corner at about 25 mph and the tire screeched a little but the car was sure footed.
So this is where need for advice comes in. The Saab that I drove and can take immediate delivery on is going to cost me $2500 more than the A4 that I ordered. In addition, from a financial standpoint, contrary to my initial thought, my Audi dealer will not refund my $500 deposit if I do not take delivery on my A4, so it actually will cost me $3000 more to get the Saab.
My dilemma is this, the Saab still appears to be a better value. The sticker price on the Saab is just under $38,000. I told the Saab dealer what my situation is with the A4 so knowing that I will definitely take delivery on a new car in the next 2 weeks, he brought the price down to $32,500 ($5500 below sticker, $3000 below invoice, and $1400 below edmunds TMV (Saab has huge dealer holdback thus they can afford to go below invoice, actually a marketing scam)). For the $3000 I am getting a car that is classified with the A6, has a substantially larger back seat, a huge trunk, and leather seats (and when they say buttery soft Saab leather, they mean it, those seats were amazing).
I went into the Saab dealership to once again reassure myself that I was doing the right thing with the Audi, but now I am not so sure. I told the Saab dealer last night that due to the significant price difference, I am almost sure that I am going to stick with the Audi but that I would think about it.
Sorry that this was so long winded but I wanted to give any of you wanting to give advice on this the full picture.
Thanks in advance.
BTW: WHile Quattro is superior to BMWs AWD system, they are priced the same: $1750.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
A4 1.8TQ with similiar options maybe sport package. I also live in CT (Fairfield County).
Sounds like you got a great deal. Which dealership did you end up buying from and who was your salesperson. What were the residual value and money factors on your 39 month lease?
Congrats on the new A4 & good luck.
Gripes are minor, but there are some:
1. I agree with a previous poster who noted the limitations of the trip odometer. Audi could have done better. Suggestion: replace the silly "instant MPG" readout, which is useless, with a "miles driven" readout. Knowing that I get 13 MPG going uphill and 45 MPG going downhill does me no good at all.
2. With all that German engineering, they still couldn't find a good place for the second cupholder. In the armrest? Duh!
3. The automatic transmission in the "D" mode seems to decellerate at times (about 3rd gear) if constant pressure is placed on the gas pedal. Fortunately they also have the "S" mode, which goes to higher RPMs before shifting, or the shift-it-yourself option.
4. Maybe it's just me, but the seam on the leather seat hits me in the wrong place, and the seats seem a little hard. The heated seat option is nice, though.
Even with these minor miscues, the A4 is still a jewel. Hope I can say the same after 10,000 miles and my first scheduled service.
Much luck to all in your automotive adventures!
My one comment to add is regarding pricing. Everyone looks at rebates and discounts from MSRP and uses that as a measure of how good of a "deal" they are getting. Remember that supply and demand is one of the few laws that is never broken. The only reason for Saab (or anyone else for that matter) to sell a $38k car for $32.5k is that not nearly enough people are buying them at the higher price. I would argue that you are not getting a $38k car for $32.5k, you are getting a $32.5 car at a fair price.
None of this really matters of course. There are few things more subjective than taste in cars; plenty of people look at Daewoos and find love there. If you really like the Saab better then go for it .
This explains why I have steadfastly refused to test drive anything since putting my A4 deposit down
Very well said.
The dealer now say they looked all the brand new A4 in their stock, none worked for right mirror. So they suppose it may just work like that although owner menu say it should work for both.
My question is is there any 2002 A4 3.0 owner which can make the remote restore the right mirror position.
Thanks
Weijie
for me, I ordered because I didn't want all the crap that came with the A4's--the sunroof, the leather, the autodimming lights, homelink. i didn't need that stuff, and didn't want to drop $38k for a car with crap I didn't need. If you go to the showroom and ask them to show you a leatherette seat, the difference is imperceptible. It's much cooler in the summer, and much easier to care for. I thought I was sitting in leather, and they told me it was leatherette. so by ordering, I saved money and I paid only for stuff i wanted. besides, you can tell your friends, "yeah, it's leather--ahem--ette."
I chose the 3.0 over the 1.8T just because I wanted something with more zip. the 1.8 is pretty sluggish, especially when you've got nissan altimas & honda accords blowing you away for much less money. i simply thought the A4 ride was luxurious, and the 330 ride was more gritty. the car just felt so much nicer. It feels like more of a car than the 330. And $3k to save isn't too bad either. I think with the A4 sport, the ride isn't gritty like the 330, yet the cornering is much better. also, I've gotten so much flak from people and even journal articles saying that the BMW 3series is a "wannabe" car, but it's a beautiful car no doubt. People have said that the Audi A4 is the "thinking man's car."
Please help!!
Thanks, Billy
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
this is an 3.0, 6 speed avant, but the avant newsgroups said that i should post here as well. just wanted to hear any advice that you folks might have for striking a deal!
thanks!
i want a 3 year 15K/yr lease.
should i expect a mf of .002? how about the residual %? have folks been getting much off the msrp? anything else i should look out for?
many thanks
If anyone has had any bad experiences with McGrath Audi in Glenview I would like to hear from you. I welcome both sales and service issues and want to know your problem, was it resolved and do you still go to them for service and would you buy from them. I can be reached at e-mail Brian_Bohnert@Visiontek.com. Thanks in advance for any input you can give.
Brian
If you go to the "Lease Questions" board in the "Finance and Insurance" area here in the Town Hall, there is an incredibly helpful user named Car_man that has access to this information and usually responds to posts within a day or two. I just used his information quite profitably for me during my recent negotiations. Hope this helps.
Rick
However, that's not an excuse.....Audi gotta do something to correct that. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the lone ranger.
Billy
Even though we in Washington state don't pay state income tax, we get it in the butt for sales tax...which is 8.8%, and in restaurant tax of 9.1%
but that's at least only in the seattle area.
Speaking of gas prices.....darn it's creeping up again.....$1.69/gal in the suburbs, $1.79/gal in downtown Chicago for Juice 93.
Billy
But, I still have a question.
So, you mean I have to give a tip to gas station workers everytime? They gonna call the police or something?"
no they wont call the police. You just pay em a little extra. YOu only have to do it once every 2 years. its your choice. plenty of people have "illegal" tint in NJ.
So, it's gonna be DMV or other insepction stations not a gas station. huh?
I took delivery of my new A4 3.0Q with sport, 6 speed, sunroof and xenons last friday. It is red with the tan interior. It looks great! Delivery was very pleasant, quick and no delays. We had had some previous problems with the dealer in terms of delays, but nothing wrong on delivery day. In fact, they were more ready than when my wife and I signed for delivery of her new BMW the week before.
The car is great, I was nervous that after driving the bimmer I would not be too excited about it. I had nothing to be nervous about. The Audi 3.0 is more powerful than the 325. The '02 shifting is smoother than my previous '97, but it is not as smooth as the bimmer. This is the only area I feel the Audi is behind the BMW. The radio/CD controls are a little confusing at first. It might be nice to have volume control on the steering wheel. I find the engine note to be very pleasant, more so than the '97 1.8T. I know some people feel that the 3.0 is aneamic compared to what it could be, and they are probably correct. Still, it is a fun drive and I am enjoying it. My wife is sick today, so I had my choice of cars. I did not even occur to me to take the BMW until I got to work, that says it all.
sunroofs: Living in NC, I can use a sun roof many days of the year. Even in the summer I often dump the AC in favor of it. My daughter hated it as a baby, but as a rambunctious 2 year old, she likes it. It is a sunny day here in NC, think I might leave early for a long drive home.
Ned
I took delivery of my 3.0 6spd quattro last week...I have the same sentiments as you do. I love the car...especially here in Charlotte...yesterday was a prime example for great sunroof usage!
Edwin