Audi allroad

pgordon

Anyone bought an allroad in the last few weeks? What did you pay?
I am looking to order in the next day or so. Btw, I am in the Bay Area.

Thanks,

Paul

JBaumgart

I just bought one a week ago Saturday. The dealer gave me a $1,500 discount off of MSRP. They are doing better in other parts of the country, but here both dealers in our metro area are owned by the same people. This obviously restricts competition and one's ability to negotiate much of a discount. Still, I'm a very happy camper as the car is awesome.

kullenberg

The header on this board shows the latest post as Jun 12, 2001 at 04:58 PM, however the last post shown when scrolled down is Mar 19, 2001 (08:16 pm
and there is no next 20 messages to click on. Problem?

pocahontas

It's possible someone posted a message here..., then deleted it. Also, if a host adds information to the Additional Resources, or edits the title area above, that will also cause the message information to update itself.

If you found this discussion near the top of the list, it's likely that any one of those things may have happened. Thanks for your concern. ;-)

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sob212

I am considering either an Audi Allroad or a Volvo XC both loaded with all options except navigation. I was wondering what was the final price you were able to negotiate? I am trying to find the floor before I begin to negotiate. When do the 2002's come out? I'm hoping I might pickup a 2001 at a good price just before the next model year is available.

Thanks

sob212

Why should I choose an Audi Allroad over a Volvo XC? Is the extra money for an Audi worth it? I'm trying to get as much info pro and con before I make a purchase.

JBaumgart

If you compare the interiors of the two cars I think you will find the allroad's to be quite a bit nicer - look at the details. The allroad is definitely quicker and handles better. It has the adjustable suspension if you ever venture offroad or require extra clearance for any other reason. It has four years of maintenance included - everything except tires. It's also very unique - you'll get lots of stares and compliments.

I suggest taking them both for extended test drives - preferably back-to-back - and think about what's important to you. My allroad has 4,000 miles and I couldn't be happier.

nofeer

which has more room for kids stuff, my wife likes the volvo safty stuff, like built in jump seats, but it could use more oomph. what about price? she also likes the regular volvo, but which would have better resale, what's the market moving toward>?

brightness

There is no reason for it to burn 50% more fuel on the high way than an A4 avant with 1.8T. Yes, the car is nearly 50% heavier and the engine is 50% bigger, but on the high way the primary drag is air resistance. Any owner with first hand experience?

conorj

I am close to finalizing a deal for a new all road. we want to get the third seat but the dealer cannot show us any models that have one installed (he can locate one however). has anybody purchased the car with the third seat? if so, does it take up a lot of room when folded up? is it easy to fold up? it is hard to remove and install? any other info would be helpful. thanks

JBaumgart

brightness: The allroad's relatively poor milage probably IS the biggest negative about the car. There are different threads regarding milage over at Audiworld.com - I've seen reports claiming milage figures anywhere from 14-15 mpg in city driving to 23-24 highway. The car is very fast but the milage is only slightly better than my old Jeep Grand Cherokee which had a V-8 engine (with less HP however). I have a short commute with lots of stop and go traffic and to be honest I haven't even measured what kind of milage I'm getting - but I do notice the guage going down rapidly. :-( However if you were to figure what the milage differential (between the allroad and the A4 Avant) really costs you on an annual basis, it isn't that much - probably less than one month's car payment. Of course it depends on how many miles you put on the car each year - in my case it's only about 10,000 miles annually.

conorj: Also check the allroad discussion board at Audiworld.com - there are several threads if you back a ways on the third row seat option. Those that have it really seem to enjoy it but have said it's only for pretty young kids - maybe 10 & under. I think I also read where the 3rd party manufacturer of the seats had some kind of problem which has delayed the manufacture of allroads which are being built with that feature. This may explain why your dealer would have to trade with another dealer to get one - I believe they are in very short supply at the moment.

saedave

Before you spend one and one half times as much......take a good look at the Passat 4Motion wagon. It has more interior room, nearly identical appearance, almost the same engine less the turbos, and no adjustable suspension. The performance is not that much worse than the not-too-fast Allroad. It is great in snow. I have driven mine off road on country trails, but clearance is limiting.

zscott1

The turbos make a big difference. That is like saying that an A4 2.8 is the same as an S4 minus turbos. Yes they both have AWD, and similar size, also if you are going to look at the Passat then you should look at the A6 Avant, that is the same, and can be had with the exact same engine. One other big difference is the allraod can be had in a manual tranny.

mybenje

I am ready to buy one of these, I am curious if any body had looked at LL bean Outback or a 4 Runner.
I can afford the Outback, but I am struggling with spendind an extra 20K for an All road or 10K for the 4 runner.

Which one is the best buy in the long run?

Thanks

mikenk

We went through your same dilemma. We compared the Passat, Outback VDC, Volvo XC, and Audi A4, A6, allroad. For various performance reasons, we preferred the Outback over all the cars except for the Audi A6 and allroad, but could not find an A6 and the allroad was just way too much. The Allroad is a beautiful car but an extra 20K: OUCH. The cost of ownership logically will also be higher.

We did not consider the 4-Runner; don't like SUV's. My son has one; there is really no comparison on ride and comfort between the two: truck versus car.

Overall, we have been very pleased with the OB VDC: very quiet, responsive, comfortable, great stereo. The Bean version is similar except for stereo and lack of Stability control system.

Mike

JBaumgart

I'm partial to the allroad because I own one but I have rented Outbacks several times in the last couple of years when on ski trips. There really isn't any comparison IMO as these cars are in an entirely different class. The Outback is a great buy but there are numerous reasons why it's $20,000 cheaper than an allroad - power, luxury and sportiness chief among them. I would encourage anyone on a "budget" who's mainly just interested in reliable, safe transportation to get the Outback, but if you can afford the extra high premium by all means take a good look at the allroad - awesome vehicle and well worth it, again IMO.

mikenk

I agree with you; I believe the Allroad is in a class by itself concerning looks and luxury. it is really a classy car.

I do believe that Subaru has done an excellent job with their 6-cylinder and associated upgrades on their top of the line models to effectively compete with the Volvo XC, Passat.

Without cost in the equation, my preference would be Allroad, A6 Avant, Subaru VDC, Volvo XC, Passat.

Mike

l943973

Does anyone know when the S6 Avant is coming to the US? I hear its pretty soon from the magazines (C&D, R&T, MT, etc). (4.2L V8 @ 340hp). I looked at the BMW 540 wagon, Audi allroad and was leaning toward the allroad for its quattro system but not really a big fan of turbos. I think the S6 would meet all my needs.

allroadq

I believe that it is comming out either late 2001 or early 2002

pocahontas

is now available, here's a direct link: 2001 Audi allroad, Rugged or Snazzy? Take Your Pick, by Neil Dunlop. Let us know what you think. Happy Motoring!

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she1122

Not many people posting here, so I shall try! I have been looking to buy a SUV for about 8 months. Last week a friend took me to Audi and on a whim I drove the Allroad. There is a thrill in driving a 250 horse quattro that is hard to forget! I keep trying to forget it,because I have been so set on a SUV, so here I am posting on an Audi forum! The price at 48000 puts the Audi right up there with X5 3.0 and Mercedes ML . Has anyone seen any 2001 with miles for below $40,000? Maybe just wishful thinking!

JBaumgart

Over at Audiworld.com (Forums - allroad) people are reporting paying on average $1,500-$2,500 over INVOICE which should put you into a new allroad for less than $45,000, with Premium, Convenience, Bose and Sunroof. Used ones (if you can find one) should go in the high-30's. With the '02's coming in soon, you should be able to negotiate a great deal on an '01 right now, if you stick to your guns.

I also was originally shopping for an SUV and in fact had ordered an Acura MDX, but cancelled and got the allroad once I examined it, compared it closely with the MDX, and of course drove it. Great, versatile vehicle and worth the price, everything considered, IMO. You simply will not get this kind of ride (especially at speed) in any SUV. It's also exclusive - you won't find many out there which I think is worth something too.

P.S. No problems to date, and if it turns out to be even half as reliable as our '98 A4 (no problems either), I'll be very happy.

Good luck!

ridgeway1

Could anyone give some information on how some of the new wagons might withstand rugged offroad conditions. We live in an area that gets a lot of snow and we have a rather steep grade and rough rocky road to drive. I have been driving an AWD Audi sedan and love the traction and handling it gives but does not have the ground clearance needed. The Audi Offroad and Volvo XC sound like a dream as far as all around capability but are they just that? Any opinions on the Acura MDX?

revka

this discussion is now linked from the Station Wagon's message board to the Suv message board. This means you now have the option to access this discussion from either one of these message boards. Hope you enjoy discussing this subject with participants from both of these message boards. Happy Motoring! ;-)

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autojunkyjosh

I replied to your post in the other forum, but After seeing the MDX on MT,C&D, etc...It is NOT an offroad vehicle! I believe it WAS voted SUV of the year, but in the testing going through even minor holes or crevaces it was knocking the suspension stops like crazy, it does offer a 3rd seat and is rather sporty, but the Allroad is called a SUW and the Acura SUV but any SUV built on a car chassis and boasting a V6 with AWD(no low range) is not an SUV just a glorified Mini-Van.

daveghh

I currently have a 2002 CRV and I want to put bigger wheels on it and I would like to put the Perelli Allroad tires on the vehicle.

I heard the Allroad comes with Perelli Allroad tires... so I was wondering how they handled in the snow. Are they as good as Blizzacks or Arctic Alpine studless snow tires? Are they close to that good? Are they quiet tires?

Thanks for your help...

JBaumgart

I have an allroad with the Pirelli tires, and overall I would rate them as a good all season tire, with the usual compromises. They do everything pretty well, but are not outstanding in any one area. They are NOT a snow tire; in fact last winter I took them off and mounted true winter tires (note: probably not necessary in most climates, but I live in Minnesota and value superior traction more than most drivers). In terms of noise they are pretty quiet - much more so than max performance tires. Handling is just fair-to-good (typical tradeoff for all season tires).

jslvest

Just read on the Edmunds site via readers that the Allroad has issues with snow getting packed in the tire well and causing the car to shake. Has anyone else had this problem & why wouldn't the A6 avant have the same problem? Thanks

JBaumgart

I've been through two Minnesota winters with mine and this problem has only happened once, and it was very temporary. We had a very wet, slushy snowstorm, and then it got very cold in a hurry, freezing any accumulations around the wheels. I believe the problem can occur when you use the adjustable suspension in those conditions, which I did that night when I had to park in a very unimproved/bumpy dirt lot (which was then covered with the deep, wet snow) and wanting the extra clearance I raised the car to level 4 (8.2 inches). Several hours later when I drove home in much colder temperatures I noticed a severe and audible shimmy (wobble) after the car automatically lowered itself. I took it easy and about 5 miles into my return trip this went away, after I suppose the frozen snow/rain mixture dislodged itself. Lesson learned: in these conditions just leave the car in automatic mode which for me is level 2. I know that allroad owners that have the optional double spoke wheels have experienced this more frequently, as apparently these wheels have a greater tendency to catch winter crud. But as my experience shows it can happen (although not very often) with the standard wheels also. I haven't heard of this happening with any other Audi models, so I believe it's related to the adjustable suspension, but like I said I think this can be avoided if you don't mess with it during heavy snowstorms. I've driven it through many others with no problems - with snow tires there are not many (or any?) better vehicles out there.

pbags

yes, i've had the same problem with snow accumulating in the wheel well and resulting vibration. car was in lowest position. thought raising it would eliminate the problem, but it didn't.

pbags

Have experienced a blowout, replacement, two rim replacements @$800 Ouch!. Today drove over a not too large rock protruding from country roadside. Have large bubble in tire, i.e. need another new tire. This is getting very expensive. If allroad is meant to go off road, how can tires (Goodyear Wranglers F1) be so fragile (and expensive to replace)? Also, engine has been tugging, jerking, lurching, bucking? for months, more pronounced now, at all speeds from start to 80 mph. No diagnosis yet at first glance; will go in for extensive look next week. Use auto not tiptronic. The car is great when it's great, I LOVE the turbo, but have had too many problems in 18 months. Anyone else experience this?

JBaumgart

I had a flat early on after striking a bad pothole at an angle. It was on the highway (in Minnesota spring "breakup season") and when trailing another car I didn't see it in time. This was with the stock Pirelli tires. Found out during that experience that changing a tire on just a slight incline with the included "jack" can be dangerous - luckily when the car fell my hands were out of the way...

Otherwise my car has run well with no "major" problems - I did have to take it in once for the air conditioning which was apparently caused by something getting lodged where it shouldn't have (don't remember details). I also had the brake rotors replaced just before 20,000 miles, which I think is pretty common with late model Audi cars. But the engine now at 22,000 miles is as smooth (and as fast) as new. I wonder if you don't have a dirty fuel filter or injectors?

pbags

I often read that Pirellis are the allroad stock tires. i have goodyear wranglers. does audi use different stock tires on the same model? tires say they were made in germany. what has been your experience with wear? audiworld.com mentions the goodyears wearing out fast. some are now using michelin pilot a/s but may need a snow tire. don't want to need two sets of tires. i have 28.0 miles. do mostly highway driving in new england.

JBaumgart

Yes Audi uses both the goodyears and pirelli's as stock tires on allroads. I think that overall they are pretty comparable to one another - have heard reports of either wearing out at about 20,000 miles but some do much better than that - it all depends on how you drive. If you go with one set of tires for both summer and winter in New England there are many all season tires from which to choose - just realize that each will have its advantages and disadvantages. Go to tirerack.com and do a search for (stock) tire size 225-55-17 and look at all of the choices. If long wear is your primary goal, check the UTQG ratings - higher is better - but realize that these ratings are only an indicator and that actual longevity could be very different. Also look at the reviews and survey results to get a good feel for each tire's strengths and weaknesses. I do think the Michelin Pilot A/S would be the best tire for your situation but they are obviously not cheap at $199 each.

bradlake1

I have had my 02 allroad for about a week. Upon reading the owner's manual, I verified that the vehicle had an option of having the doors lock when reaching a speed greater than 8mph. When I asked the service dept. to program this option I was told they had received a directive (within the last day or so) from Audi of America to NOT program the allroad to lock automatically. Speculation is the directive was sent because of litigation which Audi/Volkswagen may be a part of. Can anyone offer any information confirming?

I know it is not a big deal (activating the auto-lock), never the less, if the vehicle is equipped to perform this operation, there have been no problems with this option, and more importantly I want it why not activate it??

JBaumgart

I know that some allroad owners who participate in the allroad forum at AudiWorld.com have had their cars programmed to have their doors lock automatically. Some have had this done by their dealers after making a simple request, while as I recall others have done this themselves using a "VAG" tool. Also I believe some owners have met the same resistance from their dealers as you are from yours, although I haven't heard about any litigation cited as the reason why, nor can I imagine why this would lead to litigation. Of course many cars come this way from the factory, and I can't think why this feature on an Audi should be any more problematic.

Personally I would not want this on mine, but I realize this is strictly a matter of personal preference. Other than this issue, how do you like your car?

bradlake1

JBaumgart:

Thanks for the reply! I absolutely love the allroad. We were considering an SUV (MDX, X5, XC90) but a friend suggested that we look at the A6 wagon. Nice vehicle but not necessarly what I had in mind. While at the dealership we saw the ar and after test driving it knew the vehicle would suit our wants and needs. The uniqueness, styling, and performance won us over. We have had it only 2 weeks but have enjoyed our driving experience thus far. I noticed (from your profile)that you have a 01 ar. Please share any (good or bad) experiences you have had.

JBaumgart

My experiences have also been very positive - like you I've really been enamored with the performance and also the interior build quality and features (my daughter really appreciates the heated rear seats in the winter here in Minnesota). I find that there's plenty of room for our family of three, plus an occasional friend or two. It drives more like a sport sedan than an SUV, which I was growing weary of after having owned a Jeep GC for 6 years. MUCH more fun to drive, especially when going fast, and yet it still retains most of the advantages of a true SUV, which for me includes occasional towing of a boat. Although it has not been totally problem-free, as I've incurred two unexpected issues involving unscheduled repairs, each was solved very quickly by the dealer with little hassle. The many attributes of the car have more than made up for these two minor inconveniences. For our situation it's quite literally been the perfect family car to complement my wife's commuter car (an A4).

Good luck with yours...

rmitsuda

After several months of researching and looking at the X5, ML 320, RX 300, GX 470 (soon to be out next month), etc., I eventually looked at Audi's lineup. At first I was looking into the A4 Avant, but then I test drove a 2002 allroad at Pacific Audi in Torrance, and I knew it was what I really wanted. My wife and I are very happy with it. Quite simply, it's a beautiful car with ample performance to back it up. It's one of the best looking cars on the street, IMHO.

Rich

bradlake1

Congratulations!!! I am in agreement with you that the ar is one of the most distinctive vehicles on the road. My wife and I also had compared the suvs you mentioned plus the MDX and were trying to wait for the XC90. A friend suggested that we take a look at Audi's A4 wagon. My initial reaction was "A WAGON........
To make a long story short, we test drove the ar and instantly knew this was the great compromise to my wife's vehicle perfomance desire and my vehicle size needs. We have had the ar for 6 weeks and love to drive the vehicle. It is absolutey amazing. What color and packages did you all get? Our ar is black/ebony auto/tip with all the options except navi and child bench. I hope you all enjoy as much as we do.

Derrick

JBaumgart

Congrats on your new allroad purchases - hope you enjoy them as much as I have so far. I bet there are many other SUV owners out there who probably would have been happier with the allroad, but didn't ever consider it because it's a "wagon." Performance wise, not too many SUV's can even come close, and the same goes for the interior's quality of materials and workmanship. My 2001, Atlas Grey with the platinum interior, has most options, except the Nav (I use a portable unit, when needed), the 3rd row and the optional wheels. Getting ready to mount the snow tires as we've already seen snow here in Minnesota!

rmitsuda

Thanks! I have a Silver (black interior) allroad w/ most of the options. My original choice for colors was black, but they didn't have any in stock. My wife loves silver so we opted for that one.

One thing I love about this car is that is has a lot of "character." It's not your typical wagon, and there isn't a wagon on the market that comes near it in both appearance and performance, IMHO. Moreover, most of the other wagons look very tame, but the allroad has a very aggressive presence. Consequently, this car gets a lot of looks. In fact, I end up staring at it, too!

It's nice to be a part of the Audi family.

Rich

rmitsuda

Although I did "try" the tiptronic transmission when I first bought the car, I really didn't drive the car hard with it. Until yesterday, that is. Whoa! The fun factor in driving this car just hit the top of the ceiling.

I've read several reviews on the allroad where the critics didn't care for the sluggish turbo lag with city driving. In pure automatic mode, I'd have to agree with them. However, w/ the tiptronic the engine reacts completely different. It is very much alive and peppy. The throttle response is a lot more responsive and the engine pulls continuously throughout the rpm range. Driving the tiptronic smoothly does take some time to get used to, but it's well worth the practice.

Driving the allroad w/ its tiptronic transmission is nearly as much fun to drive as my '86 911. I may have to pull a Derek Bell and take this car to the track in the very near future (i.e. my local track is the Streets of Willow).

Rich

JBaumgart

I agree with you - I drive in Tip mode quite a bit. About a month ago I had an APR chip put in - this really makes a difference, even in auto mode. I don't drive the car hard most of the time, in fact I can say that I've yet to even put the accelerator all the way to the floor. But I find now that even at moderate throttle, the car just takes off - much more responsive and "pull" at all RPM's. This mod was well worth the investment!

uwmadisonmsme

We got our allroad a couple of weeks ago and had the first problem after about 600 miles. After stopping for gas and restarting a bunch of the warning lights on the dash came on indicating ABS, EPS, and level problems. We drove home and the next morning after starting the car would not shift out of park. After calls to the Audi assistance line they told us to turn the key slightly without any lights coming on on the dash, shift car between neutral and drive, start it and immediately shift into drive. This got the car into the dealer and he will look at it tomorrow. Once shifted into gear it could not be shifted into reverse, the whole process had to be started over. Has anyone experienced this problem? What was the solution?

Has anyone experienced problems using a cell phone in an allroad? The owners manual recommends not using a cell phone because it could screw up the electronics. I can't believe this with all the cell phone use now days. They recommend an external antenna and of course a dealer installed phone. What about radar detectors? Are they a problem in an allroad? I can't live without my radar detector.

I agree with a lot of the comments about the allroad. It's a great car and a nice alternative to SUV's. We have enjoyed it so far and hope the problems are few.

I have had good experiences with Audi and also have a TT with 45,000 miles on it with few problems to date.

JBaumgart

I have never heard of anything like you've just experienced, and I've been following the allroad forum over at AudiWorld, ever since it got started when the allroad was first introduced. Sounds like a very unique situation and I'll be very interested in hearing what the diagnosis is - please report back.

rmitsuda

Hey JBaumgart,

Good info on the chip. Where did you get it and how much was it? I can't believe that the chip gave the allroad an extra 50 bhp. That's impressive.

For everyone else: Tonight I started testing the tiptronic to see how I could improve my fuel efficiency. I did some short shifting @ 2,500 rpms for each gear all the way up to 5th, and it seemed to improve quite a bit. I don't have enough data yet to provide to everyone, but I will keep testing to see if I can notice a trend.

Note: Short shifting @ 2,500 rpms comes up very quickly, so it's almost like continuous shifting up until you get to 5th. If anyone else tries this I'd be curious to see how it changes your fuel efficiency. Thanks.

Rich

JBaumgart

Mine is an APR - for info click here: Audi allroad quattro - APR ECU Upgrade

This makes a huge difference in how the car performs - highly recommended. Again the big difference is in the torque. I never race the car, but sure do enjoy the added responsiveness at all speeds.

Haven't fooled around with the short shifting, except when I first start the car to keep the RPM's low I drive in Tip mode until the engine warms up. Have actually never measured gas mileage, except occasionally will check the computer for "instant MPG" when crusing on the highway.

uwmadisonmsme

Some feedback on my problem: I got my car back today and the dealer replaced the brake light switch. Apparently the switch activates an interlock to the transmission so if you don't step on the brake you can't shift into drive. Remember "unintended acceleration" on the Audi 5000. I had a 5000 and never seemed to have the problem. It's nice to see we are all now protected from ourselves. I'm glad it was that easy of a fix. Why they need to scare the crap out of you by turning on all those warning lights on the dash is a mystery to me.

JBaumgart

"Why they need to scare the crap out of you by turning on all those warning lights on the dash is a mystery to me."

Well, it did get you to take the car in right away. Just the threat of another rash of bogus lawsuits over "unintended acceleration" is enought to scare the crap out of Audi!