Audi A6

marleybarr

I found the 3 mph tip shift into 2nd on my 2000 A6 2.7T to be annoying at first,especially in dedicated stop and go driving.After some practice, just easing off on the throttle as it shifts into 2nd makes for more enjoyable driving.

I'm surprised that the new 6-speed tip also shifts at 3~5 mph. It appears that the Audi engineers do not want the average driver to "rev' the engine in 1st gear any more than is necessary to get the vehicle rolling.

Tip shifting into 6th on the new model must be exhilerating on the open road!

markcincinnati

I believe the early shift from first is "programmed" in to permit fuel economy numbers.

The slight lag one may feel in either the 2.7T or the 3.2 (or especially in the "old" A6 4.2) is, IMHO almost entirely one of transmission or "tip" lag. Yes, the 2.7T equipped with a tip could be induced to turbo lag (if the shift from first happened below 1800 - 2000 rpm, you immediately fell out of the torque sweet spot -- but the absolute worst at lag were my two A6 4.2's with the 5 spd tip.)

If you ever got to drive an S6 or an RS6 then you know it "MUST HAVE BEEN" the software that made it shift early and "pause" to figure out how to do your foot's bidding as cheaply (fuel wise) as possible. Very troubling.

I did not notice this "feature" on the three new A6 test drives I took -- but I know that this "feature" is actually a learned feature and perhaps I did not train my testers to be sluggish.

When I test drive I do tend to be a bit spirited.

I did try S mode -- but other than raising the shift points (which I expected) there were no surprises.

For "the record" the "old" 2.7T equipped A6 was quicker to 60mph than the 2005 A6 4.2 V8. Indeed, there was a time in 2000, I recall, where the quickest US Audi of them all was the 2.7T equipped A6 with a claimed time of 6.0 seconds -- to 62mph.

The S4 (also with the 2.7T came along and changed things -- but, remarkably, just a little).

When I got my 2003 allroad 2.7T with it's 0-62mph time claim of 6.8 seconds, I could not tell any difference over my 2001 A6 4.2 with its 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds.

Of course those who bought the 2004 A6 S-Line with its bumped HP and torque, did indeed have a quicker car, by far (in relative terms, but not in absolute terms) than the 2004 4.2 equipped version.

Said it before -- at the price point, Audi should have brought out the new A6 3.2 with a "sub 7 second" mfgr's data point for the 0-62mph sprint.

The argument I heard was that we are supposed to compare the new 3.2 to the previous 3.0 -- unfortunately, price makes this comparison seem rather unlikely.

Nothing but praise for the new A6 3.2 -- silky smooth, plenty peppy and great "pipes."

marleybarr

Does the 2004 2.7t S-Line w/ approximately 15 more HP and 2o more pound-ft. of torque than the older standard 2.7t make that much of a "noticeable" change "off the line", say, 0-60 acceleration?

In other words, would the average driver be able to observe any difference driving the 2 vehicles in a side by side comparison?

jgaines

Thanks for the reply. I will try the sport mode next time. By the way , has anyone checked into the accessories packages (front and rear spoilers and rear diffuser). They are offered by Audi, but "require painting and installation". Is this something that a dealer can do prior to delivery and has anyone seen an A6 so equipped. The pictures look great.

tomm

Did u decide on the A6? = I drove from Boston area to Nashua NH Audi to buy my A6 3.2 (only 40 min drive) - don't go to one dealer or the other with deals in mind - availability now is the key. A6 4.2 too stiff a ride for me- 3.2 is responsive enuf. Good luck - I love my car

jeqq

Has anyone seen the amaretto leather interior?
Any feedback?

stockrad

I just bought a 4.2 A6, and boy, is it ever fast and good looking!! It's an Oyster Gray with Platinum interior, and has most of the options.Nav system worked fine for me, except that my streeet (its a small town) was not listed, so I had to go by a nearby address.

Someone brought up a momentary lag when you press the gas pedal, and I noticed it too. It was slightly annoying. Otherwise, the driving feel is excellent.

My other minor complaint is, the cruise control pod is very small and hard to reach. Also, the XM station does not seem to take any commands except 'previous' and 'next station'. FM works fine.

However, these are only minor problems. Overall, the car is heavenly! I was lucky to get it. I happened to call the dealer at the right moment, who apparently had just taken a 'sold' sign off, because the original buyer could not come up with the money!

maui19

That's pretty funny. I drove from So. NH to the Lakes Region to buy my A6. Audi of Nashua has a pretty nice set up, and had quite a few 3.2s when I was there. It's a great car.

maui19

Here's an interesting tidbid I read on the audiusa.com site:

"Tiptronic® transmission
When the transmission is in Tiptronic® mode (if so equipped), it will automatically shift into second gear at three miles per hour unless the accelerator is depressed by at least 80 percent (this only applies to A6 2.7 T, S4, A6 4.2 and A8)."

jeqq

I was surprised that Audi stated regular gas in its specs and then Marc Trahan recommended premium. I was looking forward to saving some gas money. Every little bit helps.

rayainsw

audiusa.com site:

"Tiptronic® transmission
When the transmission is in Tiptronic® mode (if so equipped), it will automatically shift into second gear at three miles per hour unless the accelerator is depressed by at least 80 percent (this only applies to A6 2.7 T, S4, A6 4.2 and A8)."

And NOT the new 3.2?????
- Ray
Thinking this odd, as the suggestion of higher EPA MPG would seem to apply here as well - perhaps more so, given one typical expectation when choosing to buy a model with a "smaller" engine . . .

markcincinnati

The bump in torque made the Sline quicker by .4 seconds -- considering that folks will pay over $5,000 for a half second improvement, this late in the game bump for about the same price was really a nice present from Audi.

Me, I still prefer the old 2.7T with the 6 speed manual. But if yo must have a tip, well, get the Sline version.

marleybarr

I have yet to see a single piece of literature showing the new 3.2 with a US license plate in front. I nixed an older CHrysler 300 sale a few years ago, simply because placement of the front plate looked "unfinished" and "cheap" in respect to the design of the vehicle.

My 2000 A62.7T has a nice "indentation" on the front bumper that "blends" in nicely. It will be interesting to see how a standard US plate adds or detracts from the look of this car.

jlim0930

you can see the us license plate thing in the front on this one

http://www.northtexasaudigroup.com/forums/attachment.php?attachme- ntid=2387&stc=1

boomsama

Is manual available in the US? It is here in australia.

liy

No. And according to the recent chat with Marc Trahan, of Audi, conducted here on Edmunds, it may never be available!

LIY

jgaines

I don't think that is a 2005.

liferules

Its a 2005 alright, but an A8! The front plate holder on the C6 looks different and is not painted, but black plastic. Not very attractive.

safelder

Anybody have voice command on the A6? What does it control? Also, does the navigation system give verbal cues ("In 300 feet, left turn.")?

lenbroverman

Owned a 1998 A6 and loved it. I tried to keep it till the new model arrived but there were too many costly things to fix so I traded last Feb. for a Cayenne S.I didn't like the Cayanne and was at the audi showroom the day the new A6 was in to demo. I picked up my car this week and cant stop driving it. Even better than the old Audi. I've got the 3.2 and can't believe you'd ever need more power especially if you drive it triptonic which I do. For the person who asked about amerreto interior, Mine is a black car with amerreto and it is smashing. I'm also curios about voice recognition. I wish I ordered it.How well does it work and can it be dealer installed? How about using regular gas? Has any body tried it and notice any decrease in performance? The A6 is a wonderful car and anyone would be have a hard time finding a better car to drive.

maui19

I don't have voice command, but I do have NAV. The NAV system does give audio (voice) cues, and turns are also shown in the driver's display. It is a very slick system.

FWIW, I've heard (from a salesman) that the voice command system doesn't work all that well, but I've never tried it myself.

jgaines

I spoke to a dealer today about the voice command and he was very funny about it saying "it is brand new and has some bugs". Time will tell.

tomm

The mid- grade was recommended by my dealer- and my new '05 3.2 runs great on it...

morphie

I ran into this question several years ago, when our A6 was having serious electrical problems. Apparently, there were a sufficient number of vehicles affected such that Audi sent an electrical engineer from Germany to tour dealerships and examine problems. I asked this gentleman (in english; my german is quite rusty) about the premium fuel "recommendation". He was quite explicit: never use any grade other than premium.

Audi's, according to him, have knock sensors that, when activated, modify ignition to prevent premature detonation. However, this is intended to prevent catastrophic failure in the event that either poor fuel is utilized, or a lower octane grade is all that is available. It is, in essence, a stop gap measure. The reason that lower octane fuel must not be employed, on a regular basis, is what occurs when the sensor/ignition fails: detonation will result, unchecked, resulting in severe damage to the engine. While it is likely that one could drive for many miles with no problem, why take the chance? First, engine performance is somewhat reduced. Second, and most important, I question if Audi would honor a warranty claim if the A6 had a tankful of mid-octane or regular gas. An Audi, as we know, is no bargain to repair.

jeqq

In Audi's 3.2 specs it states regular gas. On the Audi chat Marc Trahan said you can use regular gas, but premium will give you better performance. I don't remember if he said it will increase MPG.
I know that Kirstie, our host, said a transcript of that chat will be available. Kirstie how do we access it?

morphie

I am not familiar with the 2005 recommendations. However, the information that I was given was applicable to the previous A6's, utilizing the 2.8 and 3.0 engines. We had a 1998, 2002 and 2004. The engineer's comments were related to those models.

I signed off of the chat prior to Trahan mentioning octane grades. However, if I had a 2005, and was going to use regular fuel, I would use whatever Audi recommended: So long as it was in writing.

Kirstie_H

Once the transcript is available (meaning Audi has "signed off" on it), there will be a link on our forums home page. As soon as I see that it's up, I'll post a link in this discussion.

liferules

The C6 manual and gas tank sticker both recommend premium. I had also heard that we could use regular, but based on the information in writing that I have, I will be sticking to premium. Not worth saving a few 100 dollars annually at the engine's detriment.

jpvwaudi

is easy and works very well. I delivered my first A6 w/ voice rec today and it went very smoothly. I didn't notice any bugs, however, neither my client nor myself have an accent of any type...

revras

Has anyone been able to lease one of these at a somewhat reasonable price yet?

gold233790

Also curious about the lease deals. One of the dealers indicated last week that Audi had softened the blow a bit in terms of leasing the A6- and I've seen reference to it on this site- but haven't seen the numbers.

jpvwaudi

AFS has lowered the money factor and raised the residuals. The 36 month program is the best. 57% residual (15k) and money factor around 3.5%.

safelder

What sorts of commands does it respond to? Can you give it an address for navigation? Is it capable of answering simple requests (the famous "find nearest Italian restaurant" that all commercials seem to use)?

javanow

very disappointed in the color combinations you have to choose from in ref to leather/wood...
In all dark colored cars (black,dark blue,etc) you do not have a choice of wood.you must get the light birch which didn't appeal to me. i actually wanted the dark blue with beige with the dark wood interior but they said it couldn't be done..argh!
I had to upgrade to the amarretto with the black car (have only seen this color combo in an A8..so i am hoping the A6 will look just as nice)

liy

but not certain, so I would check with dealer Pretty certain that Amaretto interior in dark blue car gets the dark wood!

LIY

safelder

Exactly--wood color is keyed to interior color, and is not a separate option.

That said, I know from experience that you can order the trim as a part and have the old piece replaced. So, while you may not be able to get the exact color you want from the factory, there is a work-around.

jeqq

The color and wood combos are set in stone. You should look in the back of the A6 catalogue and it gives you the choices. I have read elsewhere that custom colors and options are available direct from Audi if you pay extra. I don't know much about that so maybe someone else has more info on that. If you want to see pictures of the amaretto interior go to audiusa and click on interior and click on 360, to see a virtual look at amaretto.
 
I have not seen the A6 amaretto in person. I'm not sure if the dash and the carpeting is black or grey. Different pics show different color colors. I have been told the headliner is grey. If anyone has seen it in an A6 I would like to know what it looks like. The A8 ameretto is not the same color combo.

safelder

It is true that the color and wood combos from the factory are set in stone. However, the trim pieces are removable and replaceable--so it wouldn't be too complex, given a sufficient sum of money, to have replacement parts ordered in the other color and then swapped out. My guess is you'll simply need the trim code from a car with the color you want.

Fair warning, though--when I had the wood trim crack on my A4 (covered by AoA), it took MONTHS for the replacement part to come in (but only about an hour for the dealer to make the change).

bmwlover

when can i go ahead to the dealer and pick up an o5 audi a6??? when do they hit dealerships.

thanks ahead for feedback

jeqq

I think you can order your car built by Audi with custom colors and options. Anyone have any feedback on this?

johne

go now if you can find one. They started arriving about Nov. 1.

johne

Mine is Dakar beige. I was told the tan leather and birch trim were the only options available with that color. And it's gorgeous!!

lenbroverman

I have a black A6 with amaretto and think it looks great. The dash and rugs are black. The headliner is gray. For other's information I think the wood is determined by the leather color.

revras

is this posted ? did he comment on lease prices or just techie info and promo?

liy

price, availability, options, or future cars.

LIY

gold233790

While continuing to determine whether I want to take the plunge.....

Two technical questions-

Anyone with XM radio? Does it utilize the MMI display to give you title/singer/etc? The Acura's use their whole screen, and it's pretty cool. Other setups I've seen give you a scroll, and while the sat radio is great it is a little more difficult to master.

The Audi site says bluetooth is available. Is it? Can I pay Audi dealer a fee and have Bluetooth available on this vehicle? That would be a huge option, though I haven't seen it discussed.

Thanks!

maui19

I have XM radio, and it does utilize the MMI to show the artist and title. There is a lot to the MMI radio interface (XM/FM/AM), and I haven't quite figured out how I want to configure things yet. Needless to say, the interface is quite robust.

As for bluetooth, I believe it is standard on all cars. I have just upgraded to a bluetooth phone but have not received yet.

The new A6 is outstanding, BTW.

safelder

Satellite radio does utilize the MMI display to give song information. It also gives RDS broadcast information, and, I believe, song info on a CD, provided the CD is encoded with CD text (if you do things right when burning a mix CD, you'll have this).

Bluetooth is standard in all cars, and there is a "shoe" in the front armrest for cradles for certain phones. Be advised, however, that Bluetooth is only standard in theory. In practice, you take your chances. Your best bet is to ask around here for somebody with the same phone as you have to see if they've had success pairing it with the car.

safelder

Actually, I should be a bit more specific about how XM displays info. When you're simply scrolling stations (be they FM or satellite), the entire display is dedicated to what amounts to a program directory.

In other words, when you're in FM, you see as many stations as the car has picked up, and any associated RDS broadcasts. In satellite, you see as many stations as can fit, plus full data on the one you have selected.

I haven't ever seen what the screen displays for a pre-set on any band.

gold233790

I'm familiar with MMI from an '04 A8 (family member). I don't love the thing, but I guess it is an acquired taste. The issue I have is that sometimes you just want to flick a switch to listen to radio, etc.- and with MMI it's can be a short process.

Anyway, thanks for the XM info. Not a MAJOR deal, but a curiosity.

The Bluetooth is something that does concern me, however. I'm a current ATT customer with no contract. I have a dated phone, but have been waiting until my next car purchase to determine my next phone. Essentially, I'll tailor it to my car.

What phones are working out there with the A6 Bluetooth? How is the interface? Solid connections, or does it sound like the early analog phone connections from years ago (I've heard poor reception in some of the Acura's)?

Thanks again.