Audi A4 2004 and earlier

ajayme · December 2002

Here in Dallas, the W8's are sitting on the lots unsold. It seems that for that price point people expect good treatment ala Audi, BMW, Lexus, et al. While the VW brand in europe is well recognized, here in the states it's viewed as a good low/mid price car. Personally, I like the treatment I get at the Audi dealer and the extra perks like free maintenance, better loaners, freebies like Coffee mugs, Car care chemicals, etc. Again, this is what we're seeing in Dallas and the VW dealers and Audi have confirmed this. How about in other parts of the country?

markcincinnati · December 2002

The VW dealers around Cincinnati are either at an inventory level of 1 or 0 on W8's from what I can tell.

And, I agree, the Audi treatment far exceeds most VW dealers (and my dealership -- while not a dual, also owns -- or used to -- both Audi and VW brands).

How in the world does VW expect to bring a Phaeton to the market unless they do make the "leap of faith" that Americans are looking for a $60 to $80,000 VW, ramp up their dealer network to "Lexus" standards and bring in more and more high buck product.

I believe that they are determined to try this -- I also believe that we will see VW and Audi diverge over the next 3 or 4 model years; and finally I believe that there will be many more high buck VW's than we ever thought could happen in the US.

But, man, what an uphill road -- the VW crowd "believes" the W8 Passat is a steal -- and it probably is if you compare it to an A6 2.7T. And, I was proven wrong -- I thought for sure that Audi "wouldn't allow" a Passat W8 and an Audi V6 to coexist -- but the W8 is, apparently, not eating into A6 2.7T or A4 3.0 sales (I had assumed some "cannibalization" would occur -- if it has, it has been only a tiny amount).

Yet, when you can get the "Audi treatment" that most of us enjoy -- well, it is hard to imagine anything even close to that at a [current crop] VW dealership. Again, maybe the Phaeton will give the VW dealer network "religion."

Come to think of it, even though I see many Passats and quite a few 4Motion Passats, I see very few W8 Passats -- I think I may have seen 3 in the past 6 months. "Regular Passats" -- well, I see a dozen or so every day.

The future, like a Chinese curse, could be -- for VW -- "interesting."

music_wheels · December 2002

I own a 2001 A4 1.8T Quattro and love the car. My local Audi dealer made the experience a (nearly) painless experience. I was treated as one ought to be treated when you are prepared to drop $25,000+ on a car.

This past summer my wife was looking for a wagon. I immediately considered the Passat 4Motion GLX wagon, which was actually more expensive than my A4. My wife loved it and we were prepared to buy. The VW dealer treated us so poorly that our minds were spinning. It was an old-fashioned 2 hour back and forth to the office nightmare. The man refused to give me a price offer unless I committed to buying his car.

We left the VW dealer and accepted an offer that the Volvo dealer had on the table for a V40. The dealer experience made our decision for us.

I feel that the VW product is making great strides, and has excellent vehicles. But their dealers MUST learn that someone spending 30K on a car expects to be treated better than they were when they bought their first Civic hatchback. My experience tells me they have some distance yet to go.

ajayme · December 2002

Well after turning in my '99 1/2 A6Q, I picked up a 2003 A4 CVT Christmas eve. Well over the weekend one of my Xenons developed a problem-turn it on and it flickers, goes on, and dies. I thought, "Oh great I had my A6 and the Xenons never missed a beat!". Well I took it in today and they found that the ignitor was at fault and had a replacement only to find out it wasn't the right one. Long story short-they took it off a new car and got me out of there in less than 2 hours. That's why I got another Audi-even after all the fuel sensors in my A6! I'm like Mark in Cincinatti-why mess with a good thing!!!! Much better service than my wifes BMW! Happy New Year to all on this board. Audi's forever!!!

JBaumgart · December 2002

I don't mean to make this sound like a commericial, but I want to offer my praise for the quality service and treatment that I have always received from Carousel Audi in the Twin Cities over the past 5 years, both for our A4 and allroad. These guys are top-notch in every respect. I have never left the dealership feeling disappointed by the way they've handled our service issues. Granted, more than 90% of our visits have just been routine maintenance, but for those other 10% which have involved adjustments and repairs of various things, they've done a magnificent job. A recent example: when in for an oil change last Saturday, I asked them to check the rear wiper, which wasn't doing a good job of cleaning the hatch window. When my car was ready, they not only replaced my rear wiper, but both front wipers as well - all for no charge of course.

Overall, I can't imagine being treated any better than I have at Carousel, and this goes for those vaunted Lexus dealerships too. Too bad Audi can't raise the bar and make this more uniform across the country (I say this only from reading the comments of others in the various Audi boards here). Still, from what I can tell, Audi is miles ahead of VW, and like others I question if VW can improve their dealer network quickly enough to satisfy the luxury car buyers that they will trying to attract over the next few years. After you've experienced true luxury car service, whether it's from Infiniti, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, or whatever, it becomes very difficult to "go back" to the service typically offered by the lesser car makes. Right now I put VW squarely in this category.

n8rh8r · January 2003

I am very close to purchasing a 2003 Audi 1.8 Quattro Automatic(black with taupe leather) with the following options: Premium Package 2 (includes power drivers seat in addition to the other package features), Bose system, Xenon headlights, heated seats and 17 inch wheels.

I have done extensive research on the A4 and it's competitors and have come to the conclusion that it offers the biggest bang for the buck in the entry level luxury class.

Since last October, Audi has been offering 2.9% financing for 60 months, however, the incentive is about to offer on January 7. For budgetary purposes, I need to finance the vehicle for 60 months.

The local dealer doesn't have the exact car in his rather small inventory (he is a combined Infiniti, Audi and Porsche dealer with Infiniti being his primary line).

Unfortunately, the power seats have only been available in A4's produced since November so that limits their availability as the cars are just now arriving in the States. And, my wife wants power seats and since it will be her car I want her to be happy.

The premium package will increase from $1600 to $2000 as a result of the driver's power seat inclusion. Why wouldn't they include a power passenger seat as an available option? How can such a great company produce a totally loaded luxury car but not offer a power passenger's seat? Oh well.....it's not the end of the world.

The problem is that the deal has to be "booked" by January 7 in order to take advantage of the financing. Basically, that precludes my car because it is not available at any dealership within the our region. To book a car, they need a VIN and I am not about to buy a car I've never seen or driven. And, besides, they don't even have that car (nor can they yet obtain it) with that equipment even if I bought it unseen. So, ordering it is out of the question because they can't "book the deal" on an ordered vehicle.

Bottom line: After speaking with my dealership, I am holding out on getting the Audi as they are confident that Audi will soon offer yet another incentive which actually may even be better.

Admittedly, it is a gamble because there is nothing definitely known about any future incentives and I have to purchase a car within the next 60 days at the latest as we are down to one vehicle which is rather inconvenient.

Here is another kicker: I am just now in the financial position to buy this car but I have a limited budget and if I can't get the 2.9% rate (or some type of cash incentive to the dealer) the whole deal will fall apart because I will only allow myself to spend a certain amount for this car and I'm not going to compromise on the equipment.

So, this whole "deal" could be tricky and is going to require a bit of luck for it to materialize.

I really want the Audi, but if it doesn't work out, I will have to start from square one and buy a less expensive car.

There is no other car that I am aware of for under $30,000 that can come close to the quality of the Audi (and with the same options), so if this little gamble fails, I will have to drive 200 miles to attend the Tarrant County Auto Show in Ft. Worth in early February to see if anything catches my eye. The Ft. Worth Auto Show is the first auto show of the season in this region and time is of the essence.

So far, I havent' seen any other car which even remotely excites me for under 30k.

I guess I might have to look at the newly redesigned Saab 9-3, but I am not very excited about that car since it is basically a GM product, but Saab (GM) is trying to sell these things and they have a nice dealer holdback which can work to my advantage plus the base MSRP is lower than the A4. Again, the Saab wouldn't be my first choice but it may turn out to be my 2nd choice.

So, for now all I can do is hope that Audi either extends their current promotion or quickly introduces a new and better one.

I'll let the group know what happens. Hopefully, I will join the ranks of Audi ownership in the very near future.

Scott
Oklahoma City

andys120 · January 2003

before long. The auto sales outlook for'03 is very iffy. I'd be surprised however if you could get 2.9% on any loan over 48 months.

It would help you to be flexible on colors if supplies are limited.

Don't rule out the Saabs, They are far from typical GM products and priced very attractively.
You might be able to get a 9-5 for under $30k.

Also consider a CPO A4 if a new one is a stretch for you, you can get a virtually new car for a lot less ($5-6k) but again, need to be flexible on colors etc.

nerd · January 2003

What Audi dealer have you dealt with in the Dallas area and would you recommend it? Also, the name of a good salesperson would be appreciated.

I am shopping for a sedan, and the A4 is on my list.

ajayme · January 2003

At University Park Audi there is:

Steve Logsdon
O'Neal Littlejohn

And at Boardwalk Audi:

Oscar Ramirez

It seems that University Park is willing to deal more than Boardwalk but that may just be my experience. If you have questions you can PM me as on my profile. Good luck and you can mention my name. Regards Allen

dtwleungnyc · January 2003

Have your dealer or yourself consider this option? Find out what the current lease rate is. Then lease to buy the car. Here's what I meant. Let's say you do a 36 month lease with 15k miles per year with $0 down. In most cases, the lease rate should be better than the finance rate, not always, but most of the time. The monthly payment should be fairly close. Find out what the residual for the lease is, there's a good chance that the residual will be close to what your initial down payment is. And you can always call up Audi financial near the end of the lease and discuss a new buyout amount and might save couple thousand.

Just a suggestion, good luck.

markcincinnati · January 2003

marleybarr · January 2003

I second what JBaumgart had to say about Carousel Audi. Besides being the most luxurious dealership I have ever been to, they do give first -class service.

I drove in for a routine oil change and they replaced the front brakes/rotors---replaced the heater blower motor--- and fixed a leaking rear seal, all under warranty.

The heater motor part in stock also turned out to be defective and I needed to come back a week later for replacement when the new part arrived. They did not charge me the 2nd time for a loaner-(I didn't buy the Audi from there so I did pay for a loaner car the first visit).

The service work was finished on time and to my satisfaction!

Mark- Does the A6 2.7T/4.2 have similar 0-60 mph times with the VW W8?

markcincinnati · January 2003

Nope. But wait for the W8 with the 6spd manual. As it stands currently the King of the drag strip still remains the A6 2.7T -- which with a 6spd manual is claimed to get to 100kph in 6.0 seconds.

I think this makes the A6 2.7T Audis quickest -- it beats both the S6 and S8 and even the spunky High Output (225HP) TT (@ 6.3 seconds, at last glance).

The W8 is hampered by:

auto trans

gear ratios not as aggressive

torque of W8 is lower than the V8 and comes on higher than the 2.7T which reaches 258 foot pounds at 1850RPM thanks to those tiny little bi-blowers.

The W8 in the Passat is still a great engine in a nice car. The "one to have" if you are drawn to the VW will be the W8 passat with the sport package and the 6spd manual transmission. Should be available soon here in 2003.

The specs are published at VW.com as I recall (for the current auto W8 Passat, that is).

If you want to get an idea of what the US W8 6spd Sport Passat MIGHT do, check VW.uk and go to the configurator for the Passat W8 -- I think it tells the performance (and they use miles per hour in the UK, BTW). Of course if you can sift through the German site, the info is there too.

baapuu · January 2003

n8rh8r - I am buying exactly the same car you described. 2003 A4 1.8T Quattro Auto in Denim Blue with Platimun (grey) interior. Options included are Bose, Xenons, Cold Weather Pkg, Premium Pkg and 17" all seasons. The premium package is the new PPY pkg (vs. the old PPX) which includes power driver seat and MSRPs at $2000. I am in Los Angeles and got lucky in locating this car at the San Fran port. My dealer is Audi/Porsche Beverly Hills. If all goes well, I should get the car next week. I am getting the 60 mths 2.9% financing deal.

I have been lurking here for a while and would like to thank all of you for your posts (esp. markcincinnati). This is my first Audi and my very first new car purchase. To say that I am excited would be an understatement!

I will try and post more info once I get the car. Thanks again!

nerd · January 2003

Thank you for the info. I have corresponded with Littlejohn. He quoted me MSRP for an A4 that was close to my specs. Maybe he will be willing to deal when he sees me in person.

What is the deal with the new premium package? Has Audi included more equipment and raised the price of the package?

marleybarr · January 2003

For my use, the 2.7T is the better buy, if only because of the full fold-down seat in the back. I need more than a "pass-thru" to haul goods on a regular basis.

Thanks for the interesting comparisons!

vocus · January 2003

You can hit that with a Jetta with a $500 chip and a couple other upgrades, and pay half as much. Not trying to flame, just making a point. Speed isn't everything...

mbnut1 · January 2003

You make a good point. If speed is a high priority metric, then there are certainly cheaper ways of getting it.

ajayme · January 2003

I sure he'll deal. I assume you're referring to the new Premium Package on the A4 1.8 they added power seats and lumbar adjustments. It's well worth the added $200 IMHO. Good luck and keep me posted.

massappeal106 · January 2003

I was wondering if anyone out there is willing to share their cars specs and lease deal on a '03 1.8t Quatro.

Thanks.

jdbtensai · January 2003

don't forget the s4. it's quicker than the a6 2.7t from x -> y, for all speeds x and y.

markcincinnati · January 2003

sfbuyer2002 · January 2003

I am debating between a the 1.8T 2000 vs GLX 2001.

Here's the scoop:

1.8T 2000
*23000 miles
*fully loaded
* leather
* price is 21000
* 2 yr warranty

jetta VR6 GLX 2001
* 32000 miles
* fully loaded
* leather
* price is 17500.

I am planning to sell the car in 1 year.

What should i buy???

dtwleungnyc · January 2003

If it's my money. I would take the 1.8T 2000. The reason? Less miles for the year, 2 yr warranty. Plus, its a quattro.

lauk0dg · January 2003

I'd take the A4 hands down. The Jetta is already out of bumper-to-bumper warranty, and fixing a German car is $$$$$. Plus less miles, it's a Quattro, and it's an Audi. And I bet the price difference will be smaller in a year than now, which means you will gain the benefits of owning an Audi over a VW.

Billy

cehblckdr · January 2003

I've been looking at the '03 Audi A4 Convertible. In the last few days, I thought that I really liked it over the Saab. However, after reading the problem/solution board and hearing about poor reliability from a co-worker that is really into researching all types of cars.........The Saab is looking like a better deal....

My plan is to now check out the Saab board messages.

Any comments?

vocus · January 2003

If you think Audis have problems, go ahead and get a Saab.

nerd · January 2003

How much did University Park audi deal with you on price? (I'll understand if you would rather not say).

I am interested in a couple of 1.8T cars they have on order. But, the salesperson has already tried to condition me that they don't have "much room to deal" on an A4. According to Edmunds price list, the cars of interest to me is marked up about $2700.

rich_a4 · January 2003

This is in response to a post in early December regarding changing the oil in a new A4 - my dealer told me that I should NOT change my oil before the first 10,000 mile interval because the synthetic from the factory has special additives to help break the engine in. This is on an '03 1.8T. I think I have seen other posts in the past that say the same.

In any case, my car is about 3 months old and I'm loving it. Especially with all of the snow we've been getting in Chicago.

One question, the dealer left some adhesive on the glove box from the sticker that is there on new cars (airbag warning I think). Anyone have any good suggestions for ways to get it off?

Thanks!

vocus · January 2003

Weird, the VWs that use the same engine call for 5K changes all the time.

bjbird2 · January 2003

Check out the Infiniti G-35.
. Better reliability
. Better performance
. Rave reviews from all the automotive press

nuff said

vocus · January 2003

Just make sure that latest fuel line recall is done, lest your new Infiniti catch on fire. Also, the interior looks/feels cheap next to Audi's.

andys120 · January 2003

There's no G35 convertible yet. The Saab convertible draws complaints about lack of rigidity. Be sure and drive one on a less than perfect road. Also be aware it'll be replaced in a year or so with a new design that'll almost certainly improve handling.

FYI-I own a Saab and an Audi.

markcincinnati · January 2003

Dealer claims Audi uses non-syn oil and says it was a "good idea" to change the oil and filter at 3500 miles. Then at 10K, then, so he says, every 7500 miles -- and the engine will be fine for 200,000+ miles. This is the service manager who has a 1987 4000 CS quattro with 275K miles on it -- oil+filter every 7500 miles, says the body will rot before the mechanicals crap out.

I was thinking about using syn or semi syn oil -- but at the regular specified intervals.

If there is syn oil in the car, it must only be in the 1.8t -- I have an allroad 2.7T and unless he misspoke, I have just passed on the skinny.

cehblckdr · January 2003

Thanks for the comments. I will try to find a less than perfect road. With all the construction in Houston that shouldn't be hard! One nice thing about this dealership was that I was allowed to take the car on a test drive WITHOUT the sales guy! I liked this sales approach.

cehblckdr · January 2003

Advantage dealership in Houston will not deal either. They want sticker price.....am I that desperate? I don't think soooo. Also, I don't make my decision hastily. I'm on the other end of the spectrum.

ajayme · January 2003

Since mine was an A4 3.0, there's a bit more to play with. The sticker on mine was $34,920. The invoice was $31,658. I paid $32,171 which inluded a double loyalty coupon worth $1,200 (If I remember correctly). So there is some dealing room. Hope this helps- I do know that University will deal more than Boardwalk will since University is larger (part of Sonic corp.-not the Hamburger Sonic!).

nerd · January 2003

Thank you very much. Your numbers give me an idea of what to expect. I have asked University for a firm quote on a 1.8T model they have on order. I should hear from them today.

I thought the name of the parent company was interesting. They did explain. I always like to know whom I am dealing with other than the local folks.

andys120 · January 2003

so I'm not surprised they want sticker for it. If you can hold off til next fall they might be more willing to deal.

chaseboy · January 2003

Both Audi dealerships in Houston are hard to deal with , especially Momentum. I was in the market for a 2001 Audi A4 late in 2001, and had spoken with a salesperson over the phone. He was very rude and condescending. I ended up talking with a salesperson at Advantage who had emailed a listing of available 2001s , and asked me to come in to the dealership. I was treated very well by him, and even test drove the car i wanted without him in the car! Great guy by the way, named Eric Pallanez. Definitely recommend him. Audi dealerships usually don't deal on their cars much if at all, like BMW. I was able to get a super deal on my A4 when i bought it (at the very end of the 2001). The sticker was nearly $37000 and I was able to negotiate it for $31,250 + TT&L. Came out to nearly $34K. Not bad I think. I love the car! It is a A4 2.8 Quattro with all the trimmings, except for heated seats.

andys120 · January 2003

is a great adhesive remove also. They used to call it "rubbing alcohol". You can get it in any drugstore.

mcmuney · January 2003

I was wondering about removing the glue from my glove compartment.

What do you guys normally use to clean the interior panels. The panels generally get white marking on them, which are hard to remove. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

peterpan223 · January 2003

Anyone know any dealers that they would recommand in Southern California area?
Thanks~

jdbtensai · January 2003

i got my s4 in san diego. miramar audi. maybe it's miramar audi/vw. either way. i dealt with the internet manager. he was fair. the deal was pretty easy.

vocus · January 2003

You might wanna get this stuff called "Goo Gone" it if's sticky stuff you're trying to remove. Be careful though, it might leave a stain behind as it's very greasy. I have never used it on interior panels. How did you get glue on the glovebox anyway? Just curious.

mcmuney · January 2003

The glove box had a audi sticker on it and when they removed it... it left residue.

But the door panels has white marks from either touch or other stuff. The material is very dry, so I don't know what to use to clean it up.

mcmuney · January 2003

Go to Beverly Hills Audi. When I was shopping the fleet guy offered me $800 above invoice, but I ended up buying at McKenna Audi in Norwalk because Bevery Hills didn't have the particular car that I wanted, plus, the salesman at McKenna was able to qualify me for the 2.9%. So, I ended up paying about $1K over invoice.

vocus · January 2003

White marks are from sweating on the door panel. Happend with my car before on the center armrest (my last car, not this one). Wipe it with window cleaner or something, it should come right up.

Also, the Goo-Gone I talked about before would take the sticky stuff right off probably.

peterpan223 · January 2003

Which one? I know that the Audi offers a lot more for the money than the bimmers, but all these little problems that the Audi has are making me think twice!
These two are both great cars and I don't know which one to get...
Need some input please.

nerd · January 2003

I just ordered a 2003 325i for the same reasons you are concerned about. I was considering an Audi A4 1.8T with 5-spd. I got an equivalent deal on the BMW, so I ordered one. I know I paid more for the BMW, but I feel comfortable with my decision. Now I just have to wait a few weeks.

I drove all the cars in this class, and I considered the Audi A4 to be a close runner to the BMW.

Audi A4 2004 and earlier

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