Audiguy - You might want to ask about a 36/39 month lease as I think the money factor is better (.0019) and of course the residual is better. You might be able to get into the car for about the same price (39 month @ .0019 money factor)
Regardless that seems expensive. Let's hope Audi provides some lease support in the near term.
After doing some more checking around, looks like among the 3 dealers here they are all around the following: .00210 MF $800-$1000 off MSRP 50% residual for 39 or 42 mo. lease (though that makes no sense to me...) I agree, I'd NEVER put that much down on a lease - that was his opening deal. When I do lease, I normally do start ups only.
Update on gas mileage: My last tank was at 23 mpg, mostly interstate highway (I-70), generally in mountains with some pretty good climbs, higher speeds 75 mph+.
I agree with others assessment on putting money down on a lease...essentially you would be "prepaying" the lease payment. The issue is the residual, which is 52% on 36 months and 49% on 39 months through Audi leasing. I'm certain this has gone down from previous years. You might check with a 3rd party leasing company to see if you can get a higher residual (which would reduce the lease payment) assuming the same implicit cost of money.
Others are probably right...there may be some deals come along if Audi can't lease at these prices.
But is it a great car.
Not sure how residuals compare to current 5 series, Acura RL and M35...but that would be interesting to see. Anyone have a buddy at a leasing company?
I priced out an 05 RL lease (didn't shop it hard, as although it is very nice, I don't think that car will be my choice) and it was pretty prohibitive as well. With just start ups down, 12K yr, 48 mo. was in $740 area. Ouch. Not sure what MF and residuals they were using, as again, I'm not pursuing.
. . .said customers are balking at the lease prices, "big time" -- pre-orders are being passed on, in fact. Only those paying cash are buying. People with 2001, 2002 A6 4.2's are coming in and finding new 3.2's are hundreds more on similar terms.
My sales rep believes "this will change. . .sooner rather than later." Also they are discounting $1250 off MSRP on 4.2's and $1000 on 3.2s.
At current lease prices, most people can purchase an excellent vehicle. Audi has introduced some excellent lease deals over the years, and it seems they are getting bitten on the current A6 as they try to maximize $'s.
My dealer inferred to me that Audi has taken a bit of a beating on the lease deals given in past few years. Lets see what happens now, when these new A6's start to pile up on the dealer lots.
it would appear that Audi is not seeking to make a splash with these cars.Only diehards who must have the latest greatest model on the road will be willing to put up with the current highway robbery lease deals. BTW in my shopping I have found that the Acura TL without navi and the Infiniti g35x with premium package are leasing in the four hundred twenty five dollar a month range with nothing down, sign and drive for fourty two month, twelve thousand mile a year leases. So while they are certainly not same as the new Audi you can lease two for the same price as one Audi. Or one for half price. As a current Audi leasee I am dismayed and this will certainly push me away from any further Audi lease.
Actually priced out the TL with Nav, 15k, and 42 month lease, nothing down. $495. Is the A6 a superior car? Yes, it is. Is it TWICE the car? No. I agree. Audi better move here, and soon. Once the new Infiniti M34/45 comes out, the A6 is going to have some major competition between the RL, M, and even some of the lower models.
Plus, my guess is that when the new, re-badged A4 comes out in the spring you will see a lot of A6 drivers migrating.
Audi- stop acting like BMW and Mercedes. Yes, you have a wonderful vehicle- but get your nose out of the air and allow the people who would like to drive your new 50k vehicle to lease it at a reasonable, and market price. When I can lease a 5 series for several hundred dollars less a month.....that ain't good.
Response to jlim (PS to johnne and flyfisher) : the A6 3.2 car is not being "discounted" - by any dealers, at least in the Northeast (maybe a little "accommodation - $250/500). You should expect to pay the sticker. In the Northeast, the car you describe is $47,470, I think. I shopped a few dealers before I bought mine out of state 10 days ago. Good luck- the car is great-much better than my '01 2.7T. Lots of discussion here recently about lease costs and not enuf talk about the car: Love the car - ONE PROBLEM: on 1st cold morn, the windshield (at upper edges, 1st behind the rear-view mirror and then above driver's visor), began to "snap and crackle". Not broken - just the sound - sounded like a penny tapping on the windsheild. The service manager (remember, not local...) thinks it may be a seal problem - car is more rigid (not Sport pkg, tho)- to bring it back in 10 days [funky thing tho- today was almost 60 degrees- not one sound - don't you hate that? They may never hear the complaint in person!) So- never problems like that in TX - but up here in Boston - (should I have bought the RL??) - Happy enuf tho - good luck everyone.
The lease deals are obviously not good at this time. The car, however, if excellent. I am happy to say that I have had no problems with my C6. It is a pleasure to drive and I find myself looking for reasons to go out and just drive. I'm still in the "fear of the 1st ding" phase and thus take extra time finding that "just right" parking space in the mornings.
I'm really enjoying the tip. Some posts in other forums have discussed the lag in starting from a stop. I have not noticed this when in tip or sport mode.
I had opportunity to use the nav system (for real, not just cruising around the neighborhood) this weekend and was really impressed. I was totally lost, but "Ms. Audi" as I call her, got me home without problem. Kind of fun to drive and not worry about looking at the street signs or map...
I do hope the lease deals improve as I think a lot of others would enjoy the car.
Thanks for your reply.. i do agree that the new a6 is a great car and when i compared with the RL to me it was a lot better and bigger in size.. but the only thing holding me back is the price.. if i can get it for the sticker price as the drive out price which includes the tt&l i would jump on it right now but i have never paid full sticker for any of my previous cars before
also another thing that might bother me a bit is that this is the first year production model so im sure that they will find problems later on and since i never owned a audi before i am not sure about the build quality. with my previous lexus's i have only had 1 problem during the whole ownership..
The one thing I would point out regarding reliability was that the C6 was launched in Europe 6 months ago (and China I think as well) so its not like this is the worldwide launch of the car and we are the guinea pigs. However, some of the issues have been worked out.
That being said you have to accept that any Audi (as well as BMW, Benz, Jaq, etc..) will not be as reliable as the Asian counterparts. And that is something that the Europe/German manufactures need to really work on.
I've owned and/or leased Audi's, Lexus', Infinti's, Toyota's, BMW's, and Acura's over the past 15 years.
If you are looking for reliability, go with the Lexus, Infiniti, Acura brands. You can drive them forever, and usually only need regular maintenance. I still own a '94 LS400- with 160k miles- and have never had one issue with it other than age-typical replacements like brakes, etc.
On the other hand, if you are more concerned with performance and "driveability", BMW and Audi are far ahead of the Asian brands (I've never owned a Mercedes, so I can only assume they are in the same category). But.....I've had my problems. Great thing with Audi (and BMW) is that under warranty you never pay a dime. And most of the problems I've encountered in the first 50k have been minor. Early brake rotor wear, occasional electrical issue, etc.
If you are looking for a car to own for 100k+, I'd suggest seriously looking into the extended warranty. If you can afford a 50k car to begin with, splash out the extra few thousand. It's well worth it. I have an extended warranty to 100k on my current A8. Since I passed 50k miles a year and a half ago, the warranty has more than paid for itself. But with the extended warranty make sure you have a good service department- they have a ton of leeway in deciding whether or not something is under warranty, contrary to popular belief. I've had things covered because they were "affected" by parts that were under warranty and malfunctioned.
One comment on purchasing an extended warranty is that you buy from the manufacter and not from a 3rd party. You want to know that in 6 years down the road that the company behind the warranty is still around.
Also ask if the warranty is transferable. That's a huge selling point if you try and sell the car in 4-5 years.
I could not agree more. This car is incredible. My personal car experience is multiple ownership of all of the big three German Iron makers over 30 years, and I did just extensively test drive the new RL, 5 series, CLK, E320, 7 series and A8 before deciding on the new A6. It is a fabulous vehicle and I cant imagine anything coming close for quite some time. It is so well thought out and implemented, the performance is awesome (I chose the 3.2 over the 4.2 and drove both) the quality throughout, first class unsurpassed interior with surprising features discovered every day, perfect handling, technology.. it is all there. Take the A8 if you want the bigger car drive, it is the only other car I wanted, but the A6 is all A8 with a more sporty drive. It is simply the best car I have ever owned and I am not given to exaggeration.
Very interested in how voice recognition and NAV work on the new Audi A6 - for example, does the voice recog simply allow you to call up the NAV function with all data entry manual, or can you enter data via the voice recog!
Thanks in adavance. (Virtually no description of how voice recog works on the 'net).
I currently have a 2002 MB E320 4matic, but want to get something that feels a little more contemporary and sporty. I consider AWD to be a must here in NH, so that narrows the field a bit. I first considered a new 2005 E320. It is a definite improvement over the 2002 in every way (except reliability, I guess), but when we got down to talking price, my dealer was kinda snotty to my wife, and I decided to look around some more. I decided to check out the new Acura RL, and have to say it was a MAJOR disappointment. It is a nice car, but nowhere near the peer of an E320. The RL looks great and is very nicely appointed, but on the road it is louder, rougher riding, less responsive, and doesn't feel nearly as solid as the MB. I was pretty surprised, since I've owned two Acuras in the past and they've been great. The local Acura dealer is also far and away the best car dealer I've ever experienced.
After the RL experience, I was thinking MB again, when my wife suggested Audi. I have owned an Audi before and liked it quite a bit. We checked out the new A6 and I can't really describe how great this car is. We first drove the 4.2, which was probably a mistake because it made the 3.2 seem a little underpowered.
I found the A6 to be outstanding on the road. Extremely responsive, sporty as heck, yet amazingly civil, solid and quiet on the highway. It has neck-snapping acceleration and just hugs the road in corners. The interior is nicely appointed, and pretty functional. The MMI is very cool, and I like the fact that you can control it from both the center console and the steering wheel.
I'm still a bit undecided on the styling. I do agree with a previous poster that the front grille looks better in lighter colors because there is less contrast between the chrome accents and the body color.
Now I face the problem of finding one of these beauties. The 4.2s are a little rare in these parts, and finding a deal on one is as hard as finding the car itself. The dealer where I drove the car hasn't really committed to finding one for me, so I think I'm going to be on the phone a lot trying to complete the deal.
I'm pretty excited at the prospect of getting rid of the MB and having the A6 in the garage.
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My hoped for configuration for a new A6 included Sport Package and Sport Seats (of course other options, but the Sport was essential).
Even after reading the review in Car and Driver, I felt that I would like the stiffness of the Sport Package -- especially coming off of an allroad that I have modified to firm it somewhat. Moreover, I had owned both a 2000 A6 4.2 and a 2001 A6 4.2 one with the sport pack and one without.
First the engine -- plenty of power and smoothness. The 2.7T engine still has the low down gobs of torque feel that is typical of Audis turbo charged cars -- but both the sound and the smoothness of the new 3.2 engine were spot on -- almost as sweet as an Audi V8 sound.
The 2.7T engine is great, don't get me wrong -- but it is a bit more "unrefined" than the 3.2, which seems almost electric it is so smooth.
Having driven a regular suspension A6 4.2 and now this sport suspension A6 3.2, the differences in the ride are not radical, but they are noticable.
The main difference is in the handling. It would be an overstatement to suggest that the A6 with the sport suspension is wired into the driver's central nervous system (as is the 2005 S4). But it is not an overstatment to suggest that it is possible to detect a hint of that sensation especially on a particularly "crooked" road that I always use to test drive cars on.
The body lean (roll) was minimal and the seats had sufficient bolsters to keep your butt firmly planted without imparting a cramped feeling (which the last generation sport seats could do especially for some with only slightly above average girths.
The A6 belies its size (it is virtually an "almost A8" as far as I'm concerned). It is tossable -- not in the S4's league, mind you, but there is no doubt that the A6 and the S4 are related (not twins, but perhaps first cousins).
The sound system, the MMI, the heated seats (yes it was cold here in River City over the weekend) the nav, everything was like a fine high-end home theater component. Precise, silky smooth and substantial feeling.
The difference between the 4.2 and 3.2 is real, but -- IMHO -- the 4.2 is not worth the extra coin for the modest performance improvement it offers (although the power steering column is pretty cool as is the the heated steering wheel only available in the 4.2). Practically speaking the 4.2 thusly equipped would have been at least $6500 more and the performance improvement (for MY GAS MONEY) although real, was hardly worth that premium.
This in no way suggests that I am dissing the 4.2. Hardly. In a world that was not going to have $3.00 gasoline, the 4.2 would be my choice -- but I do feel that the upcharge should be more like $4500 rather than $6500 or more. But that's just me.
I was able to drive the car at night and the articulating headlights -- a la Tucker -- are also a welcome improvement.
This car is THE MOST solid Audi (and, frankly the most solid CAR, period) I have ever driven.
This day, we tested an Infiniti FX35 w/Sport Package, a Hemi Jeep Grand (with all possible lux options) an S4 6 speed and the A6 3.2. The only real loser in this bunch of $40,000 to $50,000 vehicles was the Infiniti. This car actually made me motion sick -- while I was driving it the ride could only be called herky-jerky (and this was on the smoothest, most level and straight road I could find and at any speed between 50 and 80 -- and I am 99.999% certain it was not a tire out of balance situation.) If given this vehicle (the FX35 -- with an MSRP of $48,000+), I would immediately trade it or sell it for something else. The Jeep Grand with the Hemi (@ $40,000) blew the Infiniti away. My pick of the litter on this day was the A6 3.2 followed by the S4 and the Jeep (not even apples to apples, I'll grant).
The Jeep was very car like and the Hemi and the brakes (and the fit and finish) set a new bar for SUV's (that can truly go off road). Indeed, I liked this Jeep every bit as much as the Touareg 4.2 (which cost $10,000 more) I had test driven previously.
What a great day -- next on my list the Chrysler 300C AWD and the Acura RL. At this time, neither of these vehicles can be test driven -- but I suspect that will soon change, at least with respect to the Acura.
Audi has raised the bar with the A6 (with sport package and sport seats, for my tastes).
Mark, your comments were very helpful in my 6spd quest with my allroad and I value your comment.
Its time for a replaceemnt for the allroad already?
I was surprised to see you found the 3.2 suffiencently powered! I figured it would be hard to leave a biturbo and not go to the V8.
I am happy to read you found the 3.2 as so. I regretted upgrading my previous E-430 form the 320 as it was really not needed except for the rare grin an giggle.
Would I assume you prefer a 3.2 sport package? and a tip is also ok by you? I wonder if they would not do a 3.2 front manual?
I am just halfway thru my lease, and am glad I am not shopping in this introduction phase. Im sure lease prices will ease up.
Mark - Good comments. I'm curious what you think of the RL. I was debating between the RL and A6 3.2 for the last month and selected the Audi this weekend. Delivery is est 12/6.
The RL is a great car, but (IMHO) the styling was blah and the lack of passenger height adjustment was the deal breaker.
Having said this, this was the best auto trans I have ever had the pleasure of driving.
This cannot be taken, however, as an endorsement of the transmission since this was a test drive.
There was NO tip lag, and the shifts were "perfect" in every way -- even my wife said she could live with automatics if they all were this good.
Sure, I'd probably opt for a DSG or a true manual if one were to be made available; but, this isn't a choice with this car and frankly the car is so good, I would be delighted based on the test drive experience.
Time will tell, of course -- and I still have more to evaluate.
BTW, the Infiniti Dealer and the Audi Dealer were in a class far different than the Chryco dealer.
Again, it was like going from a two star hotel to a four or five start hotel.
My wife asked me if I would consider another stick for the new A6. I think this car is now too big, too refined for a Stick. The fun factor is leaving this car, and its likely going toward the A4. The a4 is growing, so it would be a similar car. A s4 for $50g is a great car. A 3.2 a4 stick with some sport package is the natural succesor to the a6 2.7T.
This new A6 is now a different type car. At this price point, it appears to be the value leader amung the 5 series BMw and Eclass. It seems to be sandwitched between the 5 (sportier) and E-class (sedate).
There is something nice about a highly refined car in quiet and comfort. If I need more sport, I might look BMW. Just so U-G-L-Y.
Lexus-Infiniti-Acura, lots of gizmos: no soul. They simulate road feel, they just don't manufacture it.
Sorry - could not remember when your lease was up on the Allroad. - Ray Smitten with more than one current and expected / announced new car - as usual . . .
. . .I can't remember any lease from VW Credit or Audi Financial that ever "required" going to full term.
AF, like GMAC and all the others, HATES a level playing field. Here is the deal:
A customer leases a new --insert brand here-- for some term, say 36 months. Then, based on the circumstances du jour, about 6 months before the lease ends, "loyalty activities" begin to heat up.
When you get to about 3 months left on your lease, the chances of you leasing another --insert brand here-- really start to fade fast. "They" all know this.
Incentives, some in your face, some you have to ask for start happening.
Indeed about a year ago Audi Financial was willing to forgive up to 12 lease payments. The current number "if you ask" is probably about 3. My gut is telling me that in a couple or three months, early outs will be at 4 or 5 months. I could be wrong, I often am -- but this is my hunch.
I'm looking for input/opinions from anybody else who decided between the RL and the A6 and why. I'm torn between the two...but it seems to be "little things" that are upsetting me (lack of height adjustment on passenger seat and fold down rear seat in Acura, or less technology in the Audi). For the record, my immediate family has owned nothing but Audis for the last 20 years, but they seem to be getting progressively less reliable; everyone I know with a Japanese car praises their reliabliity.
I just bought an A6. I wanted to dump my E320 and replace it with a sportier AWD sedan. I started with the RL. In the showroom, I thought it was a knockout. Great design, good looking, very functional. But 5 minutes into the test drive, I knew I wasn't going to get the car. My wife felt the same way. The RL didn't have nearly the solid feeling on the highway of the E320 (or the A6). It was louder at speed from both road and wind noise. Despite the horsepower, the RL needed to be revved up to go. When we did rev it up, the engine had a high-pitched whine that I would expect more from an Accord than an RL. Both the E320 and the A6 have a more pleasing (and muted) engine growl. The steering was overly light at speed and lacked decent feedback.
From the standpoint of eletronic wizardry, the RL was way ahead of the E320 and slightly ahead of the A6. There is no question in my mind that the RL will be absolutely bulletproof (my other two Acuras were in the shop only for scheduled maintenence). I am expecting some problems with the Audi, but that is a price I'm willing to pay for a car that is so outstanding on the road, and so well appointed inside. The RL is a nice luxury car, but it comes up short on the road.
At this time, I have not been able to drive the new RL, but now have driven the A6 3 times (twice the 4.2, and once the 3.2). Although I have driven several other "contenders" (from BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes and Volvo), I cannot comment on the RL comparo -- that is unfortunate, but true. The RL I think is/was targeted at the A6 3.2 shopper (or previous A6 owner) -- so I am keen to test one.
The comments above, pertaining to the A6 certainly ring true, however.
I spent a lot of time cross shopping the RL and A6 (3.2). Finally pulled the trigger on the A6 last weekend. Nothing against the Acura as its a great car, but I thought the styling was bland and the ride didn't really come across as sporty. After a long test drive in each I walked away from the Audi with more of a smile than the Acura. If you haven't already take both cars on a drive that includes city, highway and some rough pavement. As you mentioned the Acura's tech gadgets are above anything else on the road, but the Audi interior is something that I would enjoy more sitting in for long trips.
Finally the lack of Acura passenger seat height adjustment was enough to push me to Audi, but you honestly can't go wrong with either car.
Your questions and comments would be MOST appreciated!!
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Does anyone know if voice recognition can be a dealer installed option? It appears to me that this is at least a possibility, as the steering wheel button is there, and I assume the microphone is present in all models.
Does anyone have any feedback on the feel of the 3.2 vs the 2.7t. I drove the 4.2 but have not had the opportunity to drive the 3.2. I know many of us are concerned with feeling underpowered, after having owned a turbo. I know that Mark wrote about that, maybe he can give us some more feedback.
I inquired about the very same matter to my dealer...he said voice recog. has to be factory installed. He also said that it does not work very well at this time of technology develop..so not worth ordering it with the car....why do they still put that button on the steering wheel? You got me.....hey, has anybody gotten any good lease deals on these cars?
The 2.7T is stronger than the 3.2, of that there is no doubt.
However, the 2.7T lacks the smoothness, the "almost" electric motor feel that the 3.2 generates. The 2.7T (I know, I have one) is quick, almost lag-free, indeed, with the manual transmission, it IS lag-free for practical purposes. However, the sound of the 2.7T and the "feel" is slightly more coarse -- not harsh, but not buttery smooth.
Now, power, generally speaking, trumps smoothness and that is certainly true with these two engines. But, either the transmission, torque curve, final drive and "sound engineering" of the 3.2 make its lesser quickness not much of an issue.
I would, for the money, opt for the 3.2 -- if money didn't matter and gas prices didn't make me no never mind -- the 4.2 certainly is one the best engines on the planet.
I feel the compromise with the 3.2 is small, very small indeed.
2.7T is much quicker off a dead start than the 3.2. I wouldn't have thought the turbocharger would make that big a difference, but I was quite disappointed in the 3.2 off the line. Otherwise, the two drive much the same.
I agree with Mark. I have a 2.7T (Auto) and waiting for my 3.2. Having driven both the 3.2 is much more linear in the acceleration. Whereas the 2.7T is a little slow off the line then a rush of power that pushes you in the seat.
If you have a manual 2.7T and are used to keeping the RPMs high so the turbos are spinning you might find the 3.2 somewhat dull.
However, for me with a 2.7T auto I was constantly frustrated by the engine response around town. it needed time to gather the thrust and then "whoosh" off you went. I'm looking forward to a more linear power delivery with fast throttle response.
Does the new 3.2 A6 6-speed tip have different "shift points" than the 2.7T 5-speed tip? In other words, does it automatically shift at 3 mph right off the line into second gear like the 5 speed model?
Not sure about acceleration of 3.2 versus 2.7...have not driven a 2.7 for awhile. My guess is 3.2 is slower once the 2.7 turbo kicks in but 3.2 is smoother.
I care less about that and more how it performs on the road which the 3.2 does beautifully. A few days ago I drove out of Denver west up I-70 into the mountains, which is a pretty good grade (7%?). I had 4 adults and could accelerate at 85 or 90 mph. That works fine for me.
I test drove the 3.2 yesterday. It is a beautiful car inside and out. The only reservation I have is the noticeable lag when you step on the accelerator. It lasts only briefly and then the engine seems to rev up and produce good power, but it was a bit disappointing. Was this just the particular car I was in or has anyone else noticed it?
I picked up my 3.2 three days ago and I am impressed with its acceleration. Re: shift points, it does seem to go into 2nd gear at 3-5 mph just like the 2.7T (which I actually drove last year and remember the turbo lag as being noticeable.) I think the acceleration is more linear than the 2.7T, but am a little bugged by the shift into 2nd so early in the power curve of first. This goes away if you step on it, or in the sport mode. I have not driven a payload of passengers yet, so don't know about power in those circumstances. What an amazing car. You really should drive one, it is put together extremely well, is quiet, powerful, handles beautifully, and the Servotronic steering resistance is a nice feature. The interior is a huge step up. MMI is quite easy to use (compared to bmw) and the keyless entry, although a total luxury, is very easy to get used to.
to those of you who have just purchased the new A6. Last night's chat was fun, by the way - for those of you who didn't make it, the transcript will be up in a few days. Marc Trahan did a good job of addressing reliability issues, and of answering some questions that I've seen posted here.
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As stated after your post, the A6 tries to determine your driving style to decide whether to start in 1st or 2nd gear. The 2nd gear is for the more conservative drivers and would save gas. To initiate 1st gear, you have to learn to hit the pedal just enough without punching it and getting a start off "jerk". This is something I have learned with driving the car but wouldn't expect a person to learn on a test drive. The other (easier and more fun) option, is to drive in "sport" mode. There, you will find the true nature of the 3.2. What a joy to drive! So fast and smooth.
Comments
Regardless that seems expensive. Let's hope Audi provides some lease support in the near term.
MSRP: 46,970
XM, 17" wheels, cold, prem pkgs.
$4500 down, .00215 MF, 50% residual
42 mo. 10K/year
Mo. Pmt = $616 plus sales tax
They are discounting MSRP by roughly $800.
for me i think purchase would work better since i drive a lot of miles.
but just for my curiosity
how much would audi's discount for normally lets say if you were to buy a 2004 around last year this time..
.00210 MF
$800-$1000 off MSRP
50% residual for 39 or 42 mo. lease (though that makes no sense to me...)
I agree, I'd NEVER put that much down on a lease - that was his opening deal. When I do lease, I normally do start ups only.
I agree with others assessment on putting money down on a lease...essentially you would be "prepaying" the lease payment. The issue is the residual, which is 52% on 36 months and 49% on 39 months through Audi leasing. I'm certain this has gone down from previous years. You might check with a 3rd party leasing company to see if you can get a higher residual (which would reduce the lease payment) assuming the same implicit cost of money.
Others are probably right...there may be some deals come along if Audi can't lease at these prices.
But is it a great car.
Not sure how residuals compare to current 5 series, Acura RL and M35...but that would be interesting to see. Anyone have a buddy at a leasing company?
I'd compare G35 to A4, too.
My sales rep believes "this will change. . .sooner rather than later." Also they are discounting $1250 off MSRP on 4.2's and $1000 on 3.2s.
Audi.....there is too much competition here....
Plus, my guess is that when the new, re-badged A4 comes out in the spring you will see a lot of A6 drivers migrating.
Audi- stop acting like BMW and Mercedes. Yes, you have a wonderful vehicle- but get your nose out of the air and allow the people who would like to drive your new 50k vehicle to lease it at a reasonable, and market price. When I can lease a 5 series for several hundred dollars less a month.....that ain't good.
I'm really enjoying the tip. Some posts in other forums have discussed the lag in starting from a stop. I have not noticed this when in tip or sport mode.
I had opportunity to use the nav system (for real, not just cruising around the neighborhood) this weekend and was really impressed. I was totally lost, but "Ms. Audi" as I call her, got me home without problem. Kind of fun to drive and not worry about looking at the street signs or map...
I do hope the lease deals improve as I think a lot of others would enjoy the car.
Best wishes.
Thanks for your reply..
i do agree that the new a6 is a great car and when i compared with the RL to me it was a lot better and bigger in size.. but the only thing holding me back is the price.. if i can get it for the sticker price as the drive out price which includes the tt&l i would jump on it right now but i have never paid full sticker for any of my previous cars before
also another thing that might bother me a bit is that this is the first year production model so im sure that they will find problems later on and since i never owned a audi before i am not sure about the build quality. with my previous lexus's i have only had 1 problem during the whole ownership..
That being said you have to accept that any Audi (as well as BMW, Benz, Jaq, etc..) will not be as reliable as the Asian counterparts. And that is something that the Europe/German manufactures need to really work on.
If you are looking for reliability, go with the Lexus, Infiniti, Acura brands. You can drive them forever, and usually only need regular maintenance. I still own a '94 LS400- with 160k miles- and have never had one issue with it other than age-typical replacements like brakes, etc.
On the other hand, if you are more concerned with performance and "driveability", BMW and Audi are far ahead of the Asian brands (I've never owned a Mercedes, so I can only assume they are in the same category). But.....I've had my problems. Great thing with Audi (and BMW) is that under warranty you never pay a dime. And most of the problems I've encountered in the first 50k have been minor. Early brake rotor wear, occasional electrical issue, etc.
If you are looking for a car to own for 100k+, I'd suggest seriously looking into the extended warranty. If you can afford a 50k car to begin with, splash out the extra few thousand. It's well worth it. I have an extended warranty to 100k on my current A8. Since I passed 50k miles a year and a half ago, the warranty has more than paid for itself. But with the extended warranty make sure you have a good service department- they have a ton of leeway in deciding whether or not something is under warranty, contrary to popular belief. I've had things covered because they were "affected" by parts that were under warranty and malfunctioned.
Also ask if the warranty is transferable. That's a huge selling point if you try and sell the car in 4-5 years.
Thanks in adavance. (Virtually no description of how voice recog works on the 'net).
LIY
After the RL experience, I was thinking MB again, when my wife suggested Audi. I have owned an Audi before and liked it quite a bit. We checked out the new A6 and I can't really describe how great this car is. We first drove the 4.2, which was probably a mistake because it made the 3.2 seem a little underpowered.
I found the A6 to be outstanding on the road. Extremely responsive, sporty as heck, yet amazingly civil, solid and quiet on the highway. It has neck-snapping acceleration and just hugs the road in corners. The interior is nicely appointed, and pretty functional. The MMI is very cool, and I like the fact that you can control it from both the center console and the steering wheel.
I'm still a bit undecided on the styling. I do agree with a previous poster that the front grille looks better in lighter colors because there is less contrast between the chrome accents and the body color.
Now I face the problem of finding one of these beauties. The 4.2s are a little rare in these parts, and finding a deal on one is as hard as finding the car itself. The dealer where I drove the car hasn't really committed to finding one for me, so I think I'm going to be on the phone a lot trying to complete the deal.
I'm pretty excited at the prospect of getting rid of the MB and having the A6 in the garage.
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Even after reading the review in Car and Driver, I felt that I would like the stiffness of the Sport Package -- especially coming off of an allroad that I have modified to firm it somewhat. Moreover, I had owned both a 2000 A6 4.2 and a 2001 A6 4.2 one with the sport pack and one without.
First the engine -- plenty of power and smoothness. The 2.7T engine still has the low down gobs of torque feel that is typical of Audis turbo charged cars -- but both the sound and the smoothness of the new 3.2 engine were spot on -- almost as sweet as an Audi V8 sound.
The 2.7T engine is great, don't get me wrong -- but it is a bit more "unrefined" than the 3.2, which seems almost electric it is so smooth.
Having driven a regular suspension A6 4.2 and now this sport suspension A6 3.2, the differences in the ride are not radical, but they are noticable.
The main difference is in the handling. It would be an overstatement to suggest that the A6 with the sport suspension is wired into the driver's central nervous system (as is the 2005 S4). But it is not an overstatment to suggest that it is possible to detect a hint of that sensation especially on a particularly "crooked" road that I always use to test drive cars on.
The body lean (roll) was minimal and the seats had sufficient bolsters to keep your butt firmly planted without imparting a cramped feeling (which the last generation sport seats could do especially for some with only slightly above average girths.
The A6 belies its size (it is virtually an "almost A8" as far as I'm concerned). It is tossable -- not in the S4's league, mind you, but there is no doubt that the A6 and the S4 are related (not twins, but perhaps first cousins).
The sound system, the MMI, the heated seats (yes it was cold here in River City over the weekend) the nav, everything was like a fine high-end home theater component. Precise, silky smooth and substantial feeling.
The difference between the 4.2 and 3.2 is real, but -- IMHO -- the 4.2 is not worth the extra coin for the modest performance improvement it offers (although the power steering column is pretty cool as is the the heated steering wheel only available in the 4.2). Practically speaking the 4.2 thusly equipped would have been at least $6500 more and the performance improvement (for MY GAS MONEY) although real, was hardly worth that premium.
This in no way suggests that I am dissing the 4.2. Hardly. In a world that was not going to have $3.00 gasoline, the 4.2 would be my choice -- but I do feel that the upcharge should be more like $4500 rather than $6500 or more. But that's just me.
I was able to drive the car at night and the articulating headlights -- a la Tucker -- are also a welcome improvement.
This car is THE MOST solid Audi (and, frankly the most solid CAR, period) I have ever driven.
This day, we tested an Infiniti FX35 w/Sport Package, a Hemi Jeep Grand (with all possible lux options) an S4 6 speed and the A6 3.2. The only real loser in this bunch of $40,000 to $50,000 vehicles was the Infiniti. This car actually made me motion sick -- while I was driving it the ride could only be called herky-jerky (and this was on the smoothest, most level and straight road I could find and at any speed between 50 and 80 -- and I am 99.999% certain it was not a tire out of balance situation.) If given this vehicle (the FX35 -- with an MSRP of $48,000+), I would immediately trade it or sell it for something else. The Jeep Grand with the Hemi (@ $40,000) blew the Infiniti away. My pick of the litter on this day was the A6 3.2 followed by the S4 and the Jeep (not even apples to apples, I'll grant).
The Jeep was very car like and the Hemi and the brakes (and the fit and finish) set a new bar for SUV's (that can truly go off road). Indeed, I liked this Jeep every bit as much as the Touareg 4.2 (which cost $10,000 more) I had test driven previously.
What a great day -- next on my list the Chrysler 300C AWD and the Acura RL. At this time, neither of these vehicles can be test driven -- but I suspect that will soon change, at least with respect to the Acura.
Audi has raised the bar with the A6 (with sport package and sport seats, for my tastes).
Its time for a replaceemnt for the allroad already?
I was surprised to see you found the 3.2 suffiencently powered! I figured it would be hard to leave a biturbo and not go to the V8.
I am happy to read you found the 3.2 as so. I regretted upgrading my previous E-430 form the 320 as it was really not needed except for the rare grin an giggle.
Would I assume you prefer a 3.2 sport package? and a tip is also ok by you? I wonder if they would not do a 3.2 front manual?
I am just halfway thru my lease, and am glad I am not shopping in this introduction phase. Im sure lease prices will ease up.
The RL is a great car, but (IMHO) the styling was blah and the lack of passenger height adjustment was the deal breaker.
Thanks for the post.
The "new 3.2 engine " - requires the 6 speed Tip.
Comments?
(From a real manual trans. guy.)
- Ray
Very curious . . .
Having said this, this was the best auto trans I have ever had the pleasure of driving.
This cannot be taken, however, as an endorsement of the transmission since this was a test drive.
There was NO tip lag, and the shifts were "perfect" in every way -- even my wife said she could live with automatics if they all were this good.
Sure, I'd probably opt for a DSG or a true manual if one were to be made available; but, this isn't a choice with this car and frankly the car is so good, I would be delighted based on the test drive experience.
Time will tell, of course -- and I still have more to evaluate.
BTW, the Infiniti Dealer and the Audi Dealer were in a class far different than the Chryco dealer.
Again, it was like going from a two star hotel to a four or five start hotel.
Mark -
Are you still planning to test drive a new A4 3.2 before your final decision?
- Ray
Planning to . . .
This new A6 is now a different type car. At this price point, it appears to be the value leader amung the 5 series BMw and Eclass. It seems to be sandwitched between the 5 (sportier) and E-class (sedate).
There is something nice about a highly refined car in quiet and comfort. If I need more sport, I might look BMW. Just so U-G-L-Y.
Lexus-Infiniti-Acura, lots of gizmos: no soul. They simulate road feel, they just don't manufacture it.
And, I am happy to weather the winter in my allroad.
So, while I certainly am smitten with the new A6, the new A4 3.2 Sline if one can be had, will certainly merit a long test drive.
Sorry - could not remember when your lease was up on the Allroad.
- Ray
Smitten with more than one current and expected / announced new car - as usual . . .
AF, like GMAC and all the others, HATES a level playing field. Here is the deal:
A customer leases a new --insert brand here-- for some term, say 36 months. Then, based on the circumstances du jour, about 6 months before the lease ends, "loyalty activities" begin to heat up.
When you get to about 3 months left on your lease, the chances of you leasing another --insert brand here-- really start to fade fast. "They" all know this.
Incentives, some in your face, some you have to ask for start happening.
Indeed about a year ago Audi Financial was willing to forgive up to 12 lease payments. The current number "if you ask" is probably about 3. My gut is telling me that in a couple or three months, early outs will be at 4 or 5 months. I could be wrong, I often am -- but this is my hunch.
I just bought an A6. I wanted to dump my E320 and replace it with a sportier AWD sedan. I started with the RL. In the showroom, I thought it was a knockout. Great design, good looking, very functional. But 5 minutes into the test drive, I knew I wasn't going to get the car. My wife felt the same way. The RL didn't have nearly the solid feeling on the highway of the E320 (or the A6). It was louder at speed from both road and wind noise. Despite the horsepower, the RL needed to be revved up to go. When we did rev it up, the engine had a high-pitched whine that I would expect more from an Accord than an RL. Both the E320 and the A6 have a more pleasing (and muted) engine growl. The steering was overly light at speed and lacked decent feedback.
From the standpoint of eletronic wizardry, the RL was way ahead of the E320 and slightly ahead of the A6. There is no question in my mind that the RL will be absolutely bulletproof (my other two Acuras were in the shop only for scheduled maintenence). I am expecting some problems with the Audi, but that is a price I'm willing to pay for a car that is so outstanding on the road, and so well appointed inside. The RL is a nice luxury car, but it comes up short on the road.
The comments above, pertaining to the A6 certainly ring true, however.
I spent a lot of time cross shopping the RL and A6 (3.2). Finally pulled the trigger on the A6 last weekend. Nothing against the Acura as its a great car, but I thought the styling was bland and the ride didn't really come across as sporty. After a long test drive in each I walked away from the Audi with more of a smile than the Acura. If you haven't already take both cars on a drive that includes city, highway and some rough pavement. As you mentioned the Acura's tech gadgets are above anything else on the road, but the Audi interior is something that I would enjoy more sitting in for long trips.
Finally the lack of Acura passenger seat height adjustment was enough to push me to Audi, but you honestly can't go wrong with either car.
http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/audia6chat111704.html
Your questions and comments would be MOST appreciated!!
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LIY
Thanks for the input.
However, the 2.7T lacks the smoothness, the "almost" electric motor feel that the 3.2 generates. The 2.7T (I know, I have one) is quick, almost lag-free, indeed, with the manual transmission, it IS lag-free for practical purposes. However, the sound of the 2.7T and the "feel" is slightly more coarse -- not harsh, but not buttery smooth.
Now, power, generally speaking, trumps smoothness and that is certainly true with these two engines. But, either the transmission, torque curve, final drive and "sound engineering" of the 3.2 make its lesser quickness not much of an issue.
I would, for the money, opt for the 3.2 -- if money didn't matter and gas prices didn't make me no never mind -- the 4.2 certainly is one the best engines on the planet.
I feel the compromise with the 3.2 is small, very small indeed.
Just my 2 cents worth!
If you have a manual 2.7T and are used to keeping the RPMs high so the turbos are spinning you might find the 3.2 somewhat dull.
However, for me with a 2.7T auto I was constantly frustrated by the engine response around town. it needed time to gather the thrust and then "whoosh" off you went. I'm looking forward to a more linear power delivery with fast throttle response.
I care less about that and more how it performs on the road which the 3.2 does beautifully. A few days ago I drove out of Denver west up I-70 into the mountains, which is a pretty good grade (7%?). I had 4 adults and could accelerate at 85 or 90 mph. That works fine for me.
Plenty of room in the back for 6 footers, too.
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