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Comments
I can't say I disagree with your logic. I just can't figure why you felt is so important to get a rear spoiler?
LOL, You need not answer that one!
Good luck with your new vehicles! It has always been important to not just get the right car, but to feel your being smart about it also!
If you're deciding between the A6 and the 525i, then I would say the HANDS DOWN choice would be the A6. Fully loaded the A6 probably tops out a little above a comparably equipped 525i, and delivers a more powerful car, one with all wheel drive, and one that IMO has a far superior interior.
The BMW is overpriced, underpowered, and it's interior is underwhelming. Even still, opinions on the interior aside, the A6 is a much more gratifying performer VS. the 525i. And this is from someone who thinks that the M35x was a better overall car for the money than either the A6 or the 530i.
Audi changed so much around during my ordering process that I became disgusted with the whole thing and just walked away from it. I ended up keeping my current car and buying an '05 Mustang GT. I'm now eyeing an M45 Sport.
I drove an M45 Sport and non-Sport back-to-back and you'd be hard pressed to tell a difference during normal driving, other than the Sport having more road noise. However, I did have the opportunity to toss them both around a nice, curvy road with a tight switchback. That's where the Sport shined! The difference was night and day in that situation.
Oh! To answer your question about the "sport package" on the A6, the real added value would be if you're like me and like to accelerate through a curve or on/off ramp until your tires squeal. If you're just the average driver, there's little added value in getting a sport "package" these days unless that includes better brakes and/or more precise steering.
It's obvious in the staff that Infiniti is trying hard to make a turn around. In time, they will be there. Right now, the M45 Sport is at the top of my extremely short list. The thing is, I'm waiting for the Chrysler 300C SRT8 to hit the lots. I really like what I'm seeing and reading about that car! The only things thus far that would keep me from getting one is the horrible gas mileage, having to buy 20" tires when the time comes (ouch!), and dealer gouging.
My drive in the M45 Sport was a very pleasant (possibly exhilarating) experience. It just felt like that's what I'm supposed to be driving. And the other half likes it, too.
In any event, sounds to me like the Sport Package for the A6 doesn't matter but for the M45 its definitely something to think about. At least you convinced me to test drive it before making a final decision. Good luck.
.
The reasons are simple -- handling, performance, comfort and fun. But that is my bias. You might find the handling not sufficiently improved to offset what you might perceive as a reduction in comfort.
At the very least, consider the big wheels and tires if you won't go the extra $250 for the suspension.
And even more to the point: take a test drive of the same car with and without the sports suspension (and for Pete's sake make sure the test drive is over the same roads, at the same speed and if you have a passenger once, make sure you have a passenger both times, etc. -- also don't listen to the stereo while you're doing this eval, either.)
If you value one person's opinion, well, here it is: don't buy the car without either the bigger wheels and tires (18") and/or the sport suspension option. The sport seats, depending upon your configuration are very nice and do compliment the entire sport set up -- but at MSRP I think they run yet an additional $1500 in the 3.2. The S-Line probably bundles all this stuff together and is a very nice and attractive deal. Some don't see the value.
I think it is a bargain -- and had I ordered my 28th Audi, I would have gone for it in either the 6 or the 4 had I elected another Audi. But that is just me (and my wife).
Test drives are expensive and that is why most people refuse to take a meaningful test drive -- and if you are happy with this approach and happy to take the opinions of some of the rest of us, that is OK too.
Half the fun of buying is in the choosing. Every person you date doesn't' have to become your spouse, but dates can be fun. But only if you work at them.
Same thing with test drives.
Perhaps we need a forum on HOW TO TEST drive a car for maximum benefit and fun.
In conclusion, if nominated, I will not run, if elected, I will not serve -- if you want something done, do it yourself. Then, fully vet the process by reading what the "pros" say and what we "civilians" have to say. But trust your own bum first, not mine, not his, not hers and certainly not Consumer Reports.
Spin cycle anyone?
If you priced out the springs, 18 inch 5 arm wheels, bought a front spoiler and painted it, and painted the rear spoiler like on the S Line, you'd easily hit $2500. So I don't know what all the griping about cost is about.
From Mercedes, BMW, and such, some of their sport packages with bigger wheels and tires and a few ground effects can easliy run $5000.
True, but it wasn't supposed to change for 2005/06, it was all new for 2003. Don't put too much on a comparo. BTW, the A6 4.2 won the same type of comparo in the May issue of Automobile.
M
S-Line, then, is a relative bargain if you would try to recreate it piece by piece.
The trim pieces look cool, but I think that S-Line is more about some suspension upgrades, ground effects & a couple of badges rather than an "S" or "RS" version. I always thought Sline or Ultrasport was something I would get if it is available. Of course if money were no object heck, I'd get an RS in a NY second!
Now, to get the net performance effect, you can get the sport suspension ($250), sport seats ($500), and 18" wheels ($750). Total = $1500. That's a substantial savings of $2700. Even if you get the Cold Weather Pkg ($1050), you still save $1650. Keep in mind the S-Line has zero performance enhancements over this particular setup. So is it really worth it?
That extra money can go toward Advance Key ($350), tire psi monitor ($250), Nav ($?), and Bose w/ satellite radio.
The sport suspension option is $1250 and that includes the upgraded Wheels and Tires (which are, separately, $1,000, not $750.) I do believe you get the "special" steering wheel and the trim bits.
I agree, however, if all you want are the performance bits, heck, you could stop at the sport suspension option for $1250 and I do not think it requires cold weather. But I wouldn't get one without cold weather, so that, in my case is not disincentive.
The S-Line is more about making a statement -- some do and some don't want to do that. And, the trim bits, as far as I know have nuttin' to do with performance, they just, to me, look cool.
I say if you understand what S-Line is AND value the trim bits for any reason at all, that it is a bargain cause if you had to assemble it it would cost more.
2005 A6 4.2
Cold Weather Pkg - $1050
S-Line - $2650 (requires Cold Wthr Pkg)
18" wheels - $750
Sport seats - $500
Sport suspension - $250
Advanced Key - $750
Nav - $1500
Bose w/ satellite - $1300
Tire psi - $250
Voice rec. - $350
Realizing S-Line is a bum deal - $Priceless :P
I'm getting my numbers straight from Audi's website (along with from the option sheet I did when I was ordering one).
As I kinda like the look, I still feel it is not overpriced.
Realizing S-Line is a bargain - also Pricele$$
Year to date sales thru March 2004: 2405 cars
Year to date sales thru March 2005: 4149 cars
Looks like the new body style 05 A6 is doing quite well.
http://www.aicautosite.com/editoria/asmr/svsedan.asp
I've read many of your posts, and I respect your opinion and could have used more last week when test driving the 3.2 A6 and the GS300. You've mentioned that test driving is "expensive"..to whom? My time on research, including test drives, is valuable, but is it not worth the time to make the correct personal decision on which model to buy?
The test drives were fun, but I am not sure what to look or feel for. The Lexus, with its ventilated seats and extra bells-and-whistles, had the "oh, that's cool" factor, but the Audi (in Arctic White with Sports suspension) had the "this IS a luxury sports sedan with less fluff and more fun" factor.
So if you could breakdown some of your "How to test drive" tips, it would be much appreciated. One thing I did notice, is that the Audi's side view mirrors are so small. Perhaps this is because I am used to my Lexus RX300's large mirrors, but I could barely make out what was going in those areas...
Desparately waiting for the "S-line" 3.2 A6 to be announced.
Lexus strives for perfection. Part of it is isolation. While I admire the cars, I find they lack an enthusiastic touch for those who like to drive. Feedback is minimum.
I have read that Lexus is for people who don't like to drive. They numb the experience. High quality, quiet, smooth driving. Not a thing wrong with that at all, just preference.
I love my 03' manual tranny allroad. Part of it is I like shifting myself.
Ok, Remember, all new cars are great cuz they got new tires!
Of course, as mark says test on the same roads. I like to test my commute. I can get a feal that way. Drive in highway with radio off. kick on AC also. Listen and learn. Find an area and break with hads off wheel. See if its straight. Check airpressure before test, they usually too high.. Car will be crisper that way, but nobody keep them 10lbs over recommended use in real life!
Play with radio and make sure treble is not set all the way up. The ear likes the high tones at first, set it the way you would. Take along a familiar cd.
Take wife for second drive. Make sure she likes it. Not worth the trouble if she does not. If you have a girlfriend, make sure she is impressed. :P If you have both, make sure you get a popular color and model that blends in will otherwise wife will get the car in settlement when caught! :confuse:
First, in "my idea" of a meaningful test drive, I map out a route that I will take in my current car -- the assumption being I will be familiar with the car that I currently drive and can use that as the basis for tactile, muscle and emotional "memory." After I have mapped out the course, I take the course in my current car twice. Once in silence and once with the sound system on (playing a CD that I will take with me on my test drives). The reason I take a CD, rather than playing the radio -- for instance -- is to not be influenced one way or the other by random music. The last few times I have taken Brian Wilson's latest album "Smile" and U2's latest, "How to Disassemble an Atomic. . . ." My wife likes opera and classical.
OK, then you go to the dealership and get the car you are going to test. I assume it is not unreasonable to inform the dealer of the approximate intended duration of your test drive (I would suggest 30 - 45 minutes is a reasonable minimum).
Then "do your test loop" -- twice (once in silence and once with your tunes -- and if you want to test the radio's reception or sound, this is the time to do it, but your own CD will provide you with the "I know how I am used to this sounding, and I know this song or these songs, so I will be able to test the highs and lows of the system because of that familiarity.) Hopefully if you have two dealers that are one hour apart, you will establish a test loop that is about 1/2 way in between the two.
I would use the equipment (as much as you can possibly use) -- the A/C or the Heater (depending on the time of year), the lumbar adjustment, the nav system or whatever the bells and whistles of the car you are testing might have on it -- I made certain I could use the voice activation of the A/C and radio when I tested an Infiniti, for example. Turn the wipers on and off. Do "normal" stuff, that is. And do it on every car you test.
If you test alone, always test alone. If you test with 150 pounds of another human being in the car, always test that way. It effects the ride, handling and braking.
What is expensive about all of this is the time it takes to do this as objectively as you can -- and I am pretty much convinced if you do not do something at least "in spirit" like this that all hope of objectivity will be dashed.
Most people take a rather superficial test drive and since the car is new and different it almost always feels better than the one they currently have. So they buy the car and a bit later on they say "I never noticed there is no way to turn off that FRONT parktronic or that every time I mean to release the parking brake, I pop the hood and have to get out and slam it shut. Or, I didn't open the hood when I test drove the car, I had no idea it had a hood prop and that the damn hood weighs in at 250 pounds," and on and on and on.
See where the spare tire is, see if it takes a technician to figure out how to change a tire, just do "normal" things with your demo car -- and do the same things over and over as you attempt to fully vet your potential new car.
If acceleration is really important to you, clock yourself from "0 to whatever" (twice) and do it in all the cars you test. If just an overall sense of the car's power is sufficient, well be guided accordingly.
Parallel park the car.
Try a somewhat hard stop -- if the car has under 150 miles on it, this may not be all that meaningful. I actually like it when I am given a true demo to test -- if I like it enough to consider this brand for further investigation, I then at the final moment ask if I can "drive THAT one."
Some other tests involve entering a turn and accelerating out of the turn and noting the "feel that the car is (or isn't) on rails)."
I have a turn in my test loop that is a sharp (banked) 90 degree right hand turn that is marked 15MPH. The speed limit on the highway (a secondary road) is 45MPH. I have found that my Audi allroad can approach the turn at 45MPH enter the turn off throttle and accelerate hard at the apex and power out of the turn with a turn terminal velocity of 50MPH (3x the posted sign). I use this as my guide to the "hunker" factor (body lean, or roll). If the car I am testing cannot take the turn with the same degree of aplomb as my allroad, I note that as, essentially, a demerit.
By the way, I made up all these test drive tips -- I think the key is repeating them after you have a basis. My wife likes to go to a parking lot and her test is driving in figure 8's faster and faster and faster (until I feel I am about to hurl, sometimes). To see how the car feels in what she imagines imitates emergency lane change situations.
My test methods are my own, yours should be yours -- and if any of mine have any merit, use them with my blessing and encouragement.
Just "get a routine" stick to it and repeat (rinse, lather, repeat)!
It is hard work and time consuming -- hence the statement it is expensive.
Of course, I would submit that NOT doing such is even more expensive as you may end up buying a new car that seemed fine on secondary roads but road like a washing machine on the Interstates. Or, one that drove great under 60 miles per hour, but that felt downright scary at 75 (and unless you never drive 75, I would say that is a critical oversight on your part).
I do usually take cars to at least 85MPH on one part of the test drive loop -- since this is the normal maximum I find myself driving on the freeways that circle and weave through Cincinnati. The fact that most of the time I usually am about speed limit +5 - 10mph is not lost on me either.
M
Nothing pained me more than the sense that I had to do it or I would feel that I had not been true to my "ideas and ideals" that I have formunlated over the past 3 years -- in part because of my participation here on edmunds.
I would have chosen another Audi for a little bit more money (if I could have configured the Audi "pretty close" to the Infiniti). Such was not possible.
The Inifiniti is my first ever non German car, since 1977. The Infiniti is my first ever Japanese car, period.
I have deliberately rented Japanese cars over the years (including the Lexus models that were available from Budget rent a car), and never found them to be bad or undesirable, but also never found them particularly to be "driver's cars." One of my fellow co workers has an Avalon and another one has an Acura. Nice cars both -- bland, blander, blandest.
The Infiniti impressed me as being a car that must have come from a mixed marriage -- part German and part Japanese. It drives very much like an Audi (with a little bit less understeer). It accelerates like a car with a small V8 (placing its power in between the A6 3.2 and the 4.2). It has the features and options that, at this stage in my life (I like gadgets), are fun (not that the Audi doesn't have most of them, too).
And the warranty was better, and the price was comparable at MSRP but much lower at the lease per month cost.
Nothing against the Audi -- if someone would let me have one competitively with the Infiniti, I am confident that would have been the way I would have gone.
Ditto my wife, the A4 3.2 vs the X3 3.0 Bimmer -- the BMW aced out the A4 (she wanted stick, bluetooth and a reasonable price, to name just a few reasons).
Audi lost out on almost $97,000 in car sales to captive customers who have been (and mostly remain) Audi advocates.
I would guess that "we'll be back" to check out Audi in about 3 years from now.
That's the story.
Painted spoiler! We did not think the aircraft aluminum would work on the M35.!
Oh my!
Thanks for the reply though, like others have said very detailed and one could see why you did what you did.
M
Since this is an Audi site, we Audians want to stay if we can. You give us hope!
All things being equal, I would prefer the Audi without even a test drive of anything else.
I would hate to take a test drive knowing now what I know about taking a test drive.
You would be depriving yourself of driving a great machine (M35x).
Then again, this would probably make getting the A6 (the 3.2, anyway) easier, as you wouldn't know what you'd be missing out on with the Infiniti.
It's funny because an Audi salesman I had been dealing with just called me 25 minutes ago and I had to tell him that if I'm getting anything anytime soon, it's gonna have to be the M35x. I felt like I was dumping a college girlfriend or something: "I'm sorry Lloyd, but the 3.2 just isn't fast enough for me. It has a great interior and a quiet ride, but the M35x is just, well, better. Don't worry, you'll sell plenty of them.....no Lloyd, we've been over this before, the S4 is too small for me. Lloyd, I gotta go. Good luck." :P
Audi A6 3.2 w/MSRP of $53,020.
Included Prem, Conv, Cold, Parktronic, Sat Radio, Navigation, 18" wheels, Adv Key, Voice Recognition, Premium leather (amaretto).
Nothing down (except 1st month and fees totaling about $1,600).
36 months, 15K miles.
Monthly payment = $699. which includes 6% NJ tax.
I know the M35 is faster, but the A6 is plenty fast - certainly fast enough for my real-world driving. The M is impressive, but the A6 just seemed to "fit" better. It has a few things in its favor that were not insignificant to me: larger trunk (with full size spare), split fold-down rear seats, maintenance included, somewhat better mileage, and longer wearing tires. I also think the Audi heated seats are excellent - they get warm very fast and offer more settings (when I test drove the M, the heated seats didn't seem to get warm - at best they take a while).
I also found I like the Audi gauges better than the M35, and the folding, heated, auto-dimming side view mirrors are nice. While many people are concerned about Audi reliabilty and service, my experience with the allroad was excellent, and that wasn't an issue for me. The car is beautiful - inside and out. It is fast (enough), extremely comfortable, quiet, and solid.
It is missing a few of the M35 features (LDW, backup camera, 5.1 DVD-Audio), but overall these were not an important consideration. Sometimes, it's the intangibles rather than the specs that help make the decision.
This is a great deal (at least as of April) -- but I'm too late, Inifiniti already has my money. This is EXACTLY the kind of deal that would have kept me in an Audi.
At least this is what I tell myself. I do like the look and feel of this A6, despite a "wish" on my part -- that wish is for a bit more torque and/or a slightly quicker accelerative time to highway speeds.
If this is the type of deal that is widely offered by Audi, this ought to be bettering BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes, Acura and Lexus based on my now 15 day old research.
Congrats. I hope I am feeling this good about my M35x a couple of months from now (after I pick it up).
Although I know you decided not to go with the Audi, I thought I would still respond to your old note about my early thoughts on the A6.
We have had our Audi 3.2 for about two weeks now, which is only enough time to give very preliminary thoughts. So far, our experience has been great. My wife and I both love the car. The ride and handling are about as firm as I would like without the sports suspension – I am glad we didn’t get it. The acceleration is smooth and certainly substantial enough for my driving. The car seems incredibly solid and refined on the road, especially at higher speeds (70-90 mph). I find the cabin to be excellent at keeping out road noise or other NVH. The ability to set a speed warning is actually useful here, because otherwise you would find yourself cruising along at 90-plus all the time on the highway. The doors provide that very substantial and satisfying “thunk” when closed.
I haven’t had any problems with the MMI, but I also haven’t used a lot of its advanced functions. (Although we did go through with the dealer when we picked up the car and set the various – dozens, it seemed – of customizable settings for the car). I am thankful for the useful steering wheel controls that allow you to bypass the MMI for the radio. (I haven’t really used the voice activation yet, so I can’t comment on how useful/convenient it is). I also really like that the display between the tach and speedometer displays things like radio settings and directions from the nav system, so you don’t have to look at the big screen in the central console while driving. (I turned off the voice associated with the nav directions, which I found to be irritating).
I love the large back seat, and the well-executed integrated rear window shades. (Since we have a baby, we wanted a big back seat for the baby seat, and the integrated window shades to keep the sun off the baby.) The small back seat in the RL was one of the main reasons we did not really consider that car after our initial test drive. The large trunk is also great.
I also like the keyless entry system for its convenience in locking and unlocking the car, although using a button to start and stop the car still seems very foreign to me. I keep forgetting to press the brake before hitting the start button, and I am not used to hitting the stop button twice – once to turn off the engine, and then holding it for a second time to turn off all of the accessories. I also am not used to hitting the MMI button after I start the car to turn off the disclaimer screen. I expect that this will all become second nature soon enough.
I still am playing around with the driver’s seat to get the most comfortable position for me. I haven’t got it exactly right yet. I love the upgraded leather on the seats, although I can see how some people would want more lateral support in the seats themselves (I will not be performing any slalom testing on a day-to-day basis), and the sport seats may well be a good option for them. I love the tactile feel of the steering wheel. The various compartments for storage seem to be well placed and easily accessible, although I don’t know how often I will want to put a big gulp in the cup holder right in front of the MMI - it seems like that would be a potentially expensive spill if I had to slam on the brakes. (Right now, having any food or drink in the front seat of this pristine car seems like heresy). I also think that having the CD changer in the glove box is a bit of a misstep.
All in all, I would agree with the ultimate conclusion of the recent C&D review – with so few flaws, I can’t imagine ever regretting buying this car. By the way, I love the exterior styling of the car, which, if you don’t like it, is the only reason I can see not to very seriously consider dropping your $50K on this car, particularly if you want/need AWD.
PS - I haven't noticed that the footspace in the passenger side seemed cramped.
Im sure you'll be happy in the M!
Funny, I love gadgets, but hate paying the bloated prices for them in Cars!
I am not talking down the M (this is not a M site anyway) but I agree with your view about the audi. Some cars are just more solid then others, and sometimes its just a certain feel one wants to attain.
The 0-60 in my 6spd allroad I believe is not all that great, but I find the power I need is not jumping off the line at a light, but from 20-30 mph to 60+. I think all these cars do a good job.
My allroad is fast, and I love it! I really like the Audi feel and provideing the value is there, I would just as soon re-up with them!
But I agree that if its not in line with other vehicles in same price range, I will not pay up a substantial premium. Now I don't know if the next 27 vehicles will be audi's, but when my number is up, I'll shop the numbers on a few cars, then test drive them only if Audi is not inline.
I find truth in all the statements and opinions offered. The M is a great car and seems like a good value. CincyMark, I'd have done simmilar to you, but waited some. I get to get my next ride in Sept of 06', which by then most of these models are in midlife. I do this on purpose to get good deals and get the bugs out. Nothing like a fresh model though, being the first on the block is great!
Good luck to those new M buyers, and welcome those new A6 buyers!
Happy motoring Y'all!
Enjoy your new Audi! I absolutley loved my A6 while I had it!
You can get a nicely equipped 3.2 for about 47-48 grand without Navigation. Some of the options were not avaialable just a few years ago. An 04 2.7T was 46 grand, so the prices haven't gone up much.
The new A6 is bigger and better in every way. The pricing to me is reasonable and anywhere from $3-7,000 cheaper than simially equipped BMW's and Mercedes'.
This isn't a divorce, its just a temporary reassignment -- I'll probably be back.
I have the same problem with my 1998 A6 Quattro: at very low speeds when sharp making turns I feel vibrations coming from the underneath. Audi dealership said it is normal, but I don't believe them. Did you find the solution? Please, let me know if you have any information.
Thanks.
Infiniti makes beautiful new cars, but another reason I still wouldn't buy one is their quality. Sure, they have the typical reliability for Japan, and the new M has unmistakable style. But, their interiors just still don't seem quite top-notch. I think you'd notice that if you walked out of a Lexus RX330 and into an Infiniti FX35. The interior overall isn't as nice, including the materials, and I don't even have to say that Audi makes them better because Audi makes their interiors, dare I say, the best in the world. Their plastics aren't that nice and soft to the touch, and anything that moves in it moves with a harsh movement, save the pop-up NAV in the G35.
But that's just me. Audi has tons of qualities that Infiniti doesn't have, and vice versa. I think we shouldn't just say one automaker is waaaaaaay better and fight about it, but say that each one has its own great qualities, and one is better than all the others in its own way. Audi is the best for me, not everyone. "Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others." - Groucho Marx