Audi A5

m4d_cow

Chirad, I can tell you this: stay off the dumb Dunlops. I'm not sure how bad Chicago winter is, but I heard its really bad. Put it this way, the SportMaxx are NOT recommended for winter driving in my area, which normally consist of no more than 8 inches of snow at worst. If you choose Michelin Pilot Sports make sure you get the Pilot AS (all season), which in my case, works perfectly fine on my Acura TSX. The only weakness, apart from price, is that Michelins wear off rather fast, probably a trade off for the soft ride. Another good choice imo is the Bridgestone Turanza, which is slightly stiffer than michelins, hurting ride a bit, but has better threadlife. Pirelli's PZeros are decent, but produce too much tire noise, which can get annoying imo.
A5s come with awd, so getting all season might work, depending on weather condition that is. If you dont mind swapping tires for winter, I'd recommend Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires. I dont know how good other snow tires are, so cant help you with them, sorry.
For more such infos I recommend you checking Tirerack's website, it's got a chart where customers rate the tire's noise, thread wear, ride, etc.
Seriously, there's no point in having AWD if the tires get no traction. Hope this helps.

momscar2

I am looking for any help that I can get regarding lease pricing for an audi a5? I am new to this site, everyone seems to be very honest. That being said, I live in long island new york and I am desperate for help. If anyone could give me any information on current lease prices for this car (premium package and nav.) that I can compare to quotes that I will get, I would be grateful.

sryn

Planning to order a new A5 - relatively loaded; cash buy. Is MSRP about the best I can hope for at this time?

Thanks.

sco3putt

i just leased a A5 end my lease payments with the same packages you want is 844 a month no money out of pocket, i live in new jersey

azteco469

I read on these boards that the 2008 A5's had a voice activated navigation button that didn't work. Does anyone know if that has been remedied on the 2009s?

bmlexus

I did drive the Audi. It's a fine car. Actually I don't have the extra 10 grand; I'm not even sure I have the $ for the Accord Coupe even though I bought it anyway. Honda consistently shows up at #1 (or close to it) in terms of reliability and quality. My brother-in-law (who is the best automobile guy that I know in terms of mechanics and quality; I know, all of us know the "best" car guy) always advises buying Hondas unless you're going for something more exotic (like a Corvette). My wife has a 2002 Passat (GERMAN CAR!) which has basically been a terrific car, but we've had about half a dozen "quality" issues with that car, including the fact that she about burned her [non-permissible content removed] when the heated seat caught fire! Also, for example, when replacing brake pads on the Passat, one also has to replace the rotors, since they are too thin to machine. Just throwing it out there. My brother always buys BMW's. I driven all of them. They're fine, but they don't knock me over. In case you're wondering about my own car skills and knowledge, I own a 1967 numbers-matching 427/435 Corvette and a 2006 ZO6 Corvette. I've driven 350Z's, Hummers, Cadillacs, etc. Take care and thanks!

Just curious, If you can afford 1967 corvette and a 2006 corvette,then why don't you have another $10k for an A5?

I am interested in bmws, what bmws did your brother buy? any reliability,electronics issues?

bmlexus

The value is in the beholder. Have you test drove them both?

IMO, there isn't anything from Japan that comes as well screwed together as something from Germany. The feel from behind the wheel is light years different.

If you don't have the extra 10 G's the whole problem is solved.

There is nothing from Japan that comes as well screwed as something from German, are you sure about that?

Nothing at all? No Lexus cars? IS F? LS600h? GTR?

Steering feel lighting years away :surprise: really :surprise:

goldendragon18

so ive been with lexus and infiniti and acura, but havent tried a german car yet.

can someone tell me if audis are reliable cause i really like the new A5 its just that im debating if i should get it if i run into problems 5 years down the road or right when the warranty expires

carcrazed

Goldendragon,

Audi reliability has continued to improve over the years and is at an acceptable level per consumer reports for most of their vehicles now. While it is not up to the same level of Toyota Motor Co (Toyota and Lexus) or Honda Motor Co. (Honda and Acura) it is still quite good. Nissan/Infiniti does not rate as high as these other two.

I had the same concern prior to buying my 2008 A5 but traded off some reliability for fun. I have owned 6 Acura/Honda/Toyotas over the last two decades and they simply are unbeatable in reliability. I previously placed top-notch reliability near the top on my list of must haves but couldn't find an all-weather vehicle (I live in Chicago) that brought so much to the driving experience as the A5 from these or other manufacturers for the price (in other words, I avoided rear-drive vehicles due to snow).

When it comes to pure driving excitment, I think you will be hard pressed to beat the A5. I am not saying it is the best performing sports car. I am saying the total package is great. The design of this car by Da Silva is truly remarkable. I personally find the car to be a work of art that I believe will make these cars desirable for decades to come. Performance is great for avid drivers like me who are not racing on the track but looking for a great all-around performer to drive to and from work (I have cart raced at the Bondurant track multiple times, however driving to and from work does not allow one to use a true sports car's full capabilities anyway). I look forward to taking any trip just as another excuse to get behind the wheel. It is a pleasure to look at and drive. Additionally, for a person who is a car fanatic, it is an extra benefit in buying a car that is relatively unique - you see very few of these on the roads even in a city as large as Chicago, due to Audi limiting their dealer allocations of this vehicle.

I have yet to hear someone say they made a mistake by purchasing an A5. My suggestion is for you to do what I did and throw a little practicality out the window for a more exciting ride and get one. I couldn't be happier that I did so.

Sorry for the long-winded response. I am pretty passionate about this car.

laurasdada

Compliments on a great posting!

The A5 is on my list, I agree that it is a work of art. Much better in the flesh than in pix. Where it looks good, too!

I actually kinda feel the same way about my '05 Acura TL, a great all around car...

goldendragon18

Haha
I love passionate people about cars like me. most of my family only sees cars as a transportation so i get frustrated at times.
Thanks for your input

mariobgoode

I love Audi since I bought one in 1985, replaced it with another every few years or so until April last year. Was looking to lease an A5 until the dealer told me the cost of leasing one would be the same as buying one. No can do. So, goodbye, Audi. Got something else more practical.

dhamilton

they are not cheap to lease, people do it all the time, but the financially savvy, unless writing it off, just purchase it outright with a big enough down to get the rate manageable

priv

Over the past few months, I have been collecting a lot of information both on the A5 as well as possible financing both with Audi as well as other sources. After test driving one here in Rhode Island I decided that this is the car I want. However, lease offers were horrible even though Audi came out with better money factors and residuals. I came to the conclusion that I might have to purchase an early 08 model that comes in as an off lease to be able to afford this car. One night after searching local dealer sites I noticed a 09 A5 configured almost exactly the way I wanted. All I would have to sacrifice is the Technology Package. The list price was $49,900. I decided to go and see what I could get. After talking to a very informed representative I was able to get the price down to $47,500. With my trade, I was able to get 84 month financing at 6.9% through Citi Financial (but done with the dealer). My payment ended up at $579.00 per month.

If you decide to purchase this car and select the little extras that I did, you should be aware of their true cost.

Audicare - price $650, dealer price - $350
Tirecare - price $475, dealer price - $175

These extras were given to me at cost to close the deal.

WHAT A CAR !!!!! Wow.

ldjaxon

After extensive research and negotiation, I finally got a beautiful A5 - Deep Sea Blue, S-Line, manual, nav & tech - the most wonderful ride on the road! I'm in Alabama, but it sounds like financing is about the same everywhere. MSRP was $52,240, and they came down to $50,000 - about $500 over invoice. A offer of $7,000 for my 2004 A4 was the same at two Audi dealerships in the state. Leasing wasn't attractive, and originally financing was better at my credit union - until I was about to walk out. They finally gave me 3.99% for 36 months, better than the 4.25% from the CU. One thing to note though, starting March 1st, the Audi Care went up to $740 - at least in Alabama. Having shelled out $150 for a fog light lens on my A4, even $740 is worth it. I didn't think to negotiate that price - they gave me a bottle of water instead.

bandfan

I just requested dealer quotes on the 09' A5, my only reluctance being that its a coupe and with a dog and lots of musical gear I was truly hoping for a 4 door with the same sleek styling. And then stumbled across links about the A5 sportback. WOW. perfection!

Now the dilemma is...do I play the waiting game (again), hoping that the Sportback comes out later this fall, or will it be pushed back (typical Audi) for another year before they get to dealers... sigh....

dhsieh9

Somehow when I compare the entire Audi A/S/RS-5 line vs. BMW 328/335/M3 coupes, I get the distinct feeling that Audi simply didn't want their perspective buyers to make a direct model-to-model comparison against the Bimmer. For example, the A4 is slotted between 328 & 335. The same goes for S5 & RS5 with RS5 topping out M3 spec-wise. I think this is simply a marketing decision so that Audi's new A5 line will not end up with embarrassment competing a dominant industry leader.

I read an interesting article on comparison between Audi A5 / S5 vs. BMW 3-Series:

http://www.truedelta.com/comparisons1/A5-S5-vs-3-Series-price-comparison.php?ses- - sion_code=&aff=

The author did a great job comparing between S5 and 335 coupe. From the article, it concluded that a similarly equipped 335 cost $5k less than S5. of course, S5 has 54 more HP than 335. However, in real world driving, does the extra $5k worth the extra HP? Again, it still comes back to the question and make me wonder why Audi doesn't want to compete with BMW head-on with similarly priced models?

bandfan

Anyone know how much these go for on the street?

conall

"Again, it still comes back to the question and make me wonder why Audi doesn't want to compete with BMW head-on with similarly priced models?"

The price premium on most A5's and the S5, is due to them being equipped with the world's best AWD system.
This is why they don't directly compete with most similarly priced BMW's.

An exception has been the rivalry/competition between the RS4 and the M3.
Since the B7 generation RS4, the Audi has been at least as competitive as the M3.

packrfan

Anyone else notice the amount of road dirt & dust that collects on the rear panels of A/S5s? It seems like as the airflow comes across the top & sides, it drops along the back panel & deposits everything along the back of trunk lid (where the rings are), the lower back panel and the bumper top. I've noticed this before - an 02 Subaru Forester did the same thing until I had a rear deflector installed. Can't just be me or my area....

brew99

You'll be waiting for some time as the Sportback is not headed over here unfortunately.

skurny

I have an A5 and the trim on both the right and left side (back windows) is popping out. The manager started looking at other A5's coming in for service and noticed it was happening on them as well. If you have an A5 take a look. From what he said, the windows will have to be removed on both sides in order to be fixed.

happy_potatoes

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to buy a pre-owned 2008 A5 but the car does not have navigation. I was wondering if anyone had any info regarding installing a double din navigation to this car?

There are a few websites that talk about after market installation of the factory navigation but it seems quite complicated and very much over my head...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

drhippo

looking to trade-in 08 TT quattro roadster for A5 convertible....any owners out there? Debating whether front wheel is preferable to quattro, since the latter are hard to find and the engine isn't all that big. Also, is the S5 10k+ supplement worth it!? Likewise, any experience with the bang and olufsen system...is that worth it? Very hard to find models with the right equipt. combos...any suggestions are appreciated!
Or, perhaps I should keep the TT and be happy with that!

Thanks!

lpf4

I just ordered an A5 cab with front wheel drive. the salesman told me that I should order the quattro because it drives and handles better. Is this true or is he giving me a sales pitch.
Thank you

conall

Ever since I've driven Audi's (in the 70's), I've much prefered the handling and traction from the quattros.
Although, the first quattro in the States was built in '82 and imported as an '83 model.
I owned one of those Urquattro's until recently.

go8

We have about 6 inches of heavy snow on the unplowed roads and the A5 sliced through without any problems. Great car!

darkside8270

I'm debating between manual vs. automatic transmission on a 2010 2.0T A5.

Does anybody has any advice or comments?

Thanks in advance

dhamilton

If It's a debate get the auto. Hardcore stick people like myself have 0 debates over transmissions. It's a one way love affair with 3 pedals.

I hope that helps

conall

x2
If you're a control freak, like I am and hamilton may be, there is no question.

A manual allows the driver more control in a myriad of situations, cornering, getting traction in snow, etc.

markcincinnati

It is true, the A5 quattro will drive and handle better -- and it will "go" when the coefficient of friction is low.

One more thing, if you buy the FWD A5 it will almost certainly be less desirable used, translating to essentially faster and steeper depreciation.

jaffman

dont know what section this is supposed to go in, but would appreciate any input: considering purchasing one of these two cars: 2010 audi quattro a5conv loaded (it was an audi exec car) with 3500 miles for 52000 or pre owned bmw 2007 650i convertible with every option, 27k miles like brand new for 45k.

which one would you pick and why?

thank you very much folks.

dhsieh9

In my opinion, 650i is in a different class than A5. it is significantly heavier and more powerful than A5. For me, I won't buy either of them. The reason is that there are better choices. If you should go to http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/cars/, you'll find out that they are not at the top of each class. For example, 650i only ranks 6th behind models such as 911, MB CL/SL, Jaguar XK. It is even behind Nissan GT-R & Lexus Sc. As for A5, its cousin A4 only ranks 7th. Of course, the top is BMW 3-Series in that class.

slingshot80

I think this is one of the nicest looking cars on the road. However, when I started to look at the standard features and the options I believe there are better values.
My biggest complaint is that you can no longer buy a 6 cylinder with a manual. I realize most people don't want manuals but its main competitor, BMW offers a manual across all its models. Then I saw that there is only one CD Slot not six? Even my son's $20,000 Subaru has six. This is a feature I constantly use. To get Xenon headlights which should be $500 to $700 more, you have to buy the entire Premium Plus package which has a lot of fluff in it. Maybe it can be added after market but it will cost a lot more. The sunroof doesn't open all the way, just tilts?
I also want the Sports package which you can't with the better leather which really dresses it up. One car magazine said it makes it look like a 6 figure vehicle.
Also I just got back from Germany and I want to go again. It would be great to pick up one there and drive it around. This seems to be the only Audi vehicle that you can not purchase overseas!!

I just compared the A5 with the 328xi on True Delta. Virtually the same price for the same options including the additional costs for the BMW's AWD, leather and power seats. The BMW of course has a 6 cylinder which I much prefer but much less torque. I think a used A5 6 cylinder manual may be the way to go. :confuse:

alljose

I am considering an Audi A5 2.0 T. As someone who has never owned a turbo car I heard some information and am not sure which one is true and what is just a myth. Can someone with experience shed some light on which of these statements are correct

-Turbo cars are less reliable because there is more stress on the engine and more parts are involved, and are more expensive to fix and maintain

-You need to/should wait for a while before stopping the engine

-The acceleration is not going to be smooth because of something called turbo lag (whatever that means)

-On the positive side. You get better gas mileage on the turbo 4 than a NA 6 (I guess this on depends on how the car is driven)

glennindc

I can speak as a 2000 Audi A4 owner. it had the 1.8T engine, and I am only just this week going to a new car after 210,000 miles, and 10 years. I had some minor electrical problems, and I had to replace a lot of sensors and modules in the last two years, but never had any repairs to my engine other then the scheduled maintenance and timing belt changes, etc.

NEVER had any sort of engine issue in ten years, but I was pretty religious abut service and used synthetic Oil for every oil change .\

I just bought an A5 2.0T Premium Plus, Fully loaded with nav/MMI, upgraded leather seats, B&O music system, etc. and am very happy with the look and feel of everything about this car so far (Less then a week). I fully expect that if I am good about the oil changes and regular service I will get 200,000+ miles out of this car too, and enjoy the fact that this time I bought a lot of the creature comforts and gadgets that I didn't the last time since I spend so much time in my car (90-120 mile commute each day considering round trip).

These 2.0T engines have been around in basic configuration forever, so you shouldn't worry about it. The engine growl is higher pitched then a 3.2 6 Valve engine, but you are quicker off the line. Either way you go the engine should be fine for you.

alg34

How do you like the CLK? I heard Mercedes is coming out with a C-Coupe later this year. Do you know anything about it? I have been leaning towards the BMW 3 Series but considering waiting it out for the Benz.

billymay

Get this device called an "iPod" and don't worry about CD slots.

ivan_99

My kids don't even know what a CD is...I said it's like a DVD, with only music, but it doesn't hold many songs.

"Why would you want only songs?"...they assume you should be able to watch movies as you drive; I suppose that's the mentality when you put a DVD player in front of them all the time.

billymay

I have the automatic in mine. Don't get me wrong, because I love the car, but it's more of a luxury coupe (like an Merc E350) than a sports coupe (BMW M3). I think you'll find a manual to be a bit out of character for the car.

autoengines

Audi A5 is one of the prestigious cars of Audi...Five-link front suspension with upper as well as lower control arms, stabilizer bar and individual, gas-charged coil springs/shock absorbers , plus Independent trapezoidal-link rear suspension with rigid subframe, stabilizer bar and individual, gas-charged coil springs/shock absorbers , even it can fold upto 30 MPH... there are many other features that Audi A5 has.. One of the best piece from Audi..

pete_lee2011

anyone have the nav and b&o systems in their a5? worth getting, or safe to skip?

ahsanhasan

I am considering buying an Audi A5 ; what are road noise/interior noise/maintenance issues

volvo_driver

Interior road noise is almost nonexistent. I had a hard-top 2006 Volvo C70 previously and was concerned that a soft-top would be much noisier. The reality is my 2010 Audi A5 is quieter. The Audi's soft-top is so well insulated. I could not be happier with the switch from the Volvo C70 hard-top to the Audi A5 soft-top. No maintenance issues either - only thing was it requires topping off the oil fairly frequently due to the efficiency of the engine I was told.

tslbmw

I was in the same boat and finally decided on a used manual 3.2 quattro. It's an 09 with 30K miles and I couldn't be happier. This is truly an amazing car...and not just the looks, but the handling, interior, smooth/slick 6 speed, B&O system, etc...just an overall excellent car.

nash4u

Hello All,

Ok, Let me first tell you about my situation. I am Single 28 yrs old, just recently got a job and want to buy a new car. It should have sporty features but should also be a good value for my money.

I have test driven a few cars and have made my mind on 2012 Audi A5 and 2012 Audi TT. I am planning to finance this car for about 5 years and then maybe sell it off.

Please let me know which car would you recommend as my first sports/luxury car.

a few points that I have in my mind for these cars is as below:

1. Audi TT has been one of THE sports cars offered by Audi but Audi A5 is a little more spacious.

2. Both the cars have and I-4 engine, 212 HP and 258 lb-ft of Torque hence there is not much of a differentiation here.

Which one would be the right car to invest today as per my needs.

Or do you think i should go for a more powerful engine such as a V6 offered by BMW 338i coupe or Infiniti G37??

Any advise is highly appreciated.

Thanks!

ivan_99

I think the TT would make a better sports car

The A5 more livable; in 2 years you get married have kids...they'll fit in the back. Want to go out to dinner with another couple...the seats are fine.

I haven't driven the A5 with the 2.0T...but the 3.2 felt real nice (and the S5 felt Reeaalll nice).

I haven't taken either for an extended time on the highway but i would *guess* the A5 is a little more tolerable for long periods of time.

I've been watching the used car market for the A5 since it's come out and the prices haven't dropped very much. I haven't compared any numbers versus other vehicles, but it appears as though the A5 retains its value (relatively of course).

If you want to take your *new* car to auto-cross on the weekends...then the TT may be the car for you.

I vote for the A5...but wouldn't pause for a moment if somebody else suggested the TT.

The TT seams more of a niche vehicle...but as the saying goes...buy the car for your self, not the next person.

coke69

looking @ the 2012 A5 premium plus....... does any one have any experience they would share of the sport package.......... is it worth it... Thx

jets0419

Hi,

I'm about to purchase an A5 next week. I usually keep my cars for 5-7 years to get the best value out of them. To those that have A5s do you plan to keep your A5 for a decent amount of time? Any reliability or maintenance issues that concern you?

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays to all.

Claires

"The 2013 Audi A5 receives a face-lift and a few minor interior revisions. Audi Connect mobile WiFi also debuts. The A5's 2.0T engine is a mixed bag. It gives this coupe and convertible class-competitive acceleration and great fuel economy, but it doesn't sound as refined as a six-cylinder at high revs and it transmits some off-putting vibrations through the steering wheel."
Read the full review.