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Audi A6

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Comments

  • lenbrovermanlenbroverman Member Posts: 18
    sorry for the confusion, but what I meant was when you press the toggle wheel to select a station my information screen goes back to the trip computer screen(mpg. temp. etc.)
  • boomsamaboomsama Member Posts: 362
    Are the sports seats worth it? I found the previous' A6's standard seats to not be that supportive.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    OK, folks, here's the deal: We want to keep this conversation intact, and Pat, the host of the Sedans board, has graciously agreed to have this discussion moved in its entirely into the existing Audi A6 discussion.

     

    You will need to bookmark the other discussion:

    /direct/view/.ee9e705

     

    But when you get there, you'll see all of the messages, in order, just as they appear here. We're planning to do this later today or tomorrow a.m.

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  • jwdjwd Member Posts: 3
    I recommend you stay away from the 2005 A6 4.2 right now. My new one is in the shop after 3 weeks and only 700 miles. It has engine problems and the dealership can't seem to fix it. Audi is not much help yet, maybe I need a good lemon law attorney.

    I'm very unhappy with Audi
  • jwdjwd Member Posts: 3
    My new car is in the shop after only 3 weeks of driving. Audi Can't even diagnose the engine problems and they are being very unresposive.

    Stay away from this car for a while !!!
  • jwdjwd Member Posts: 3
    I've got a new 2005 A6 4.2 with engine problems with less than 1,000 miles. I'm very unhappy.
  • liyliy Member Posts: 47
    What, specifically, is the nature of your "engine problems"?

     

    LIY
  • boomsamaboomsama Member Posts: 362
    How are the V6 owners doing then? It seems only the V8s are getting problems.
  • safeldersafelder Member Posts: 60
    Surprising, since the 4.2 is a pretty well established engine in the Audi line.
  • jgainesjgaines Member Posts: 39
    I think the sports seats are worth it. They seem quite a bit more "stable" to me. I have the sports package which keeps the car from swaying in any event, but regardless, the sport seats keep you in place.
  • jgainesjgaines Member Posts: 39
    I believe you just need to hit mode again next to the toggle and it goes back to the radio info. I have only had my 3.2 for a week but I think thats it.
  • jgainesjgaines Member Posts: 39
    I have a new 3.2 a6 and a blackberry 7520 wth buetooth. The car and phone recognize eachother perfectly and logon, etc. Call to the phone activate the ringer in the car, but the softkeys on the MMI are not active, and the screen says "please wait". The caller can hear me but I can't hear them and can;t dial out, etc. as the soft keys are inactive. Does anyone have any ideas. I have ried to reinitialize the phone and Car, and they do sinc up again but I have the same problem.
  • jgainesjgaines Member Posts: 39
    silver with black interior (premium leather). The car has every option other than the extra rear airbags (i was told not so good for little kids of which I have two) and rear parking alert (not much parallel parking here in North Carolina). The sports package and 18" wheels are really nice aesthetically and for the additional stiffness in the ride. So far I am extremely satisfied-I have been making excuses to do errands for my wife.
  • liferulesliferules Member Posts: 531
    This is the 1st mechanical problem I've heard about. I have to admit I'm a bit suspicious about a new poster who creates a user ID and posts 3 simultaneous bad posts... but again, maybe I'm just not a trusting person...

     

    As for my 3.2, It's running beautifully. I love it more every day. Such a fun ride. I caught a couple scoping it out at the store as I was walking back to it...kind of a good feeling.
  • liferulesliferules Member Posts: 531
    I looked at my car driving home today and you are right, the driver's display changes back to the driving info after changing stations. I personally like it as I really don't care to look at the radio stations scrolling menu (the chosen station and song title still appear at the top).

     

    Maybe Audi felt the main driver's info should have precedent over the "recreational menus"... Anyway, I couldn't find a way to keep it onscreen unless I scrolled without selecting a station.
  • maui19maui19 Member Posts: 31
    My new A6 4.2 has been absolutely flawless. It is a spectacular in every way. Frankly, I expect this car to have some teething pains, but so far it has been absolutely rock solid. In fact, it is MUCH better than my 2002 MB E320 was at this stage of ownership. Even thought this particular E320 model had been produced for several years, I had all kinds of initial problems with the car.

     

    Sorry to hear you are having problems. It might be helpful if you could describe them.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    We've now combined the 2005 Audi A6 discussion with the existing conversation on the A6. You'll notice that a few messages are out of order, which was unavoidable - but the discussion is basically intact.

     

    Pat will now be your host. Happy driving!

     

    kirstie_h

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  • tvetteltvettel Member Posts: 4
    Just took delivery on my new 2005 A6 3.2. I am having problems with acceleration lag and hesitation. Has been dangerous from dead stop at intersections. Car feels like it wants to stall, then has sudden acceleration. Dealer did not have a solution when brought in. Their answer is getting used to drive-by-wire. I'm not happy with that answer. Is anyone else having acceleration problems with their new 2005 A6? Otherwise, the car is very nice.
  • liferulesliferules Member Posts: 531
    Tvettel,

     

    Try driving with it in sport mode. That will eliminate any decision making between 1st and 2nd when accelerating. If you still have problems, then there may truly be a problem with the car.

     

    Some people have found that when they gently push down on the accelerator then push harder, the car gets confused as to which gear to go into (1st or 2nd) and may "jerk".

     

    Good luck.
  • liferulesliferules Member Posts: 531
    I was reading the initial 2005 A6 messages again for nostalgic sake. It was kind of funny when the 1st spy photos came out and everyone was arguing that they were really photoshop edited pics of the 04 A6, or A4, or Saturn, or Passat, etc...

     

    I've enjoyed the discussions. Thanks everyone.
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    What's new is old again, I say.

     

    In order, I had an A8, A6, A6, A6 and now allroad. Two of the A6's and the A8 we V8's. All but the allroad were automatics (5speed autos).

     

    I call it "tip lag" -- others call it DBW lag -- in any case my turbo allroad has a stick shift (6spd) and at 40,000 miles NO, ZERO, ZIP, NADA, lag.

     

    This seems to go with the territory. I thought, frankly it was dangerous and often embarrassing for cars this expensive to lurch and rock 'n' roll when they wanted to.

     

    The temp cure is to floor the car with the key in the on position but the engine not running (wonder how you do this with smart key?)

     

    This seems so lame to have to do this -- and this problem does not seem to bother the S class Audis (S6, S8, etc.)

     

    Oh how I had hoped that we had buried tip lag.

     

    For pity's sake, even the new A4 3.2 has that 6speed tip!

     

    Maybe I can turn back my odometer!
  • safeldersafelder Member Posts: 60
    I second the earlier suggestion. The first time I test drove the 3.2, I thought it was sluggish off the line. There's a good reason I felt that way--it's designed to shift into 2d at about 3-4mph so that you get a nice, smooth ride. There are basically three solutions:

      

    1) Stomp it--the car will assume you want it to rev, and it will delay shifting;

    2) Use Sport mode--the car will permit itself to rev, so you'll have the low end power (note, however, that it also revs on the way back down, and that feels kind of weird IMO);

    3) Shift it yourself in tip mode as necessary.

      

    I tried 2 and 3 the second time I took the 3.2 out for a test drive, and the sluggishness was gone. Plenty of power to merge aggressively in DC traffic. When I get my car (March), my plan is to leave it in D in traffic and on the highway, put it in S for entertainment from time to time, and use tip in certain spots just to make sure it doesn't upshift until I want it to(the popular VA on-ramp configuration that allows you about 40 feet from a dead stop to reach 45 mph).

      

    For the record, when I tested the 4.2 I had it in standard drive, and it had the same sluggishness off the line...then it threw me into the back seat when it shifted to 2d.

     

    [Edited. I thought my previous self-censorship would pass muster. I was wrong. If I offended anybody before our host pulled the plug on me, I sincerely apologize.]
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Thanks for the repost ;)
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,499
    how to find the old A6 posts made over the last week or two?

     

    I went back a few pages (to 246) & couldn't find them.

     

    Just curious.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Here's one link that will get you in the vicinity of when the discussions were merged: cdnpinhead, "Audi A6" #4239, 8 Dec 2004 6:58 pm
  • jeqqjeqq Member Posts: 221
    If the car doesn't feel right, make them fix it. If you are slamming on the brakes and then slamming on the accelerator I think most cars especially Audi's will hesitate. That's the result of drive by wire. The guys in this forum will be able to explain it better.
  • quixotequixote Member Posts: 4
    After 5 straight BMWs I have to decide whether to go with the 530i or A6. I am ready to buy the Audi, need the AWD and like the features, but am very concerned about all the postings in other forums which suggest reliability problems with Audi. The CR and J.D. Powers rankings seem to support those postings. The closest Audi dealership is 300 miles away and I can't afford the inconvenience of trucking a limp A6 to the dealer. Can I expect something differenct from the new A6 in terms of reliability? Should I expect a different experience with the Audi than I have had with 320i, 528i, 735i and 530i? The BWM dealership is in town and available for repairs.
  • kscctsksccts Member Posts: 140
    Relaiblity is probably about equal. If the BMW dealer is in town and the Audi dealer 300 miles away then I think I would buy another Bimmer. 300 miles is a long way to go if something does go wrong.
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    Do you have a VW dealer that is closer? You could take the car there and probably have the majority of your problems addressed and fixed, should you have any.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I tried that once upon a time, and for the same reason, distance to the dealership. My local VW dealership told me that due to the "Franchise Rules", they were prohibited from working on my car.

     

    Best Regards,

    Shipo
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    Well, that was a [load]. Seems like they would've made an exception since you were too far away from your Audi dealer.
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    If your dealer is 300 miles away, you will not be pleased with the experience.

     

    Franchise Rules -- true enough, however, if you were to arrange special dispensation from the Audi of America management, there is no reason that a VW dealer could not work on the kissing cousin Audi -- and, again with special dispensation they are set up, becuase of the Phaeton, to handle all maintenance for free.

     

    Audi would have to agree to pay the VW dealer for the service however.

     

    ===

     

    I see no reason to believe that the Audi would be more or less troublesome than the BMW. Other than routine work and one recall, my 2003 Audi allroad has been almost trouble free for 41,000 miles.

     

    Not that I have any thoughts that I would want one past 50,000 miles without a warranty -- but the same goes for BMW.

     

    If you WEALLY WEALLY Want the Audi, try asking for special dispensation. What could it hurt?
  • safeldersafelder Member Posts: 60
    Another thing to consider is whether there is an import car specialist in your town--if so, check to see if they have Audi certified mechanics. My parents have started doing this because the Audi dealers where they live are inconvenient to them and are generally obnoxious--they're very happy. I've used the guy on a couple of ocassions while in town visiting my parents, and have the same opinion of him. (It doesn't hurt that he's expressed interest in buying my A4 when my A6 comes in.)
  • liferulesliferules Member Posts: 531
    One hopes that the Audi reliability is improving (as indicated by JD Powers ratings on the A4). However, one can never make guarantees, especially on a new model. I agree with the above posts, get the car you really want, but if its close, then chose the BMW for dealership locality...
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    Don't forget tonight's member-to-member chat - it's open mic night, so come and discuss whatever's on your mind.

     

    image

     

    http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

     

    6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Drop by for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!

     

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  • gold233790gold233790 Member Posts: 183
    I've owned both. Now....if this were Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, et al, I would say go with your gut/heart. But not here.

     

    I wouldn't own a BMW, Audi, or Mercedes that far from a dealer. Chances are you'd be fine...but what if something DOES go wrong?

     

    Plus, schedule free maintenance on both. You going to drive the 300 miles for it?
  • kscctsksccts Member Posts: 140
    Excellent point on the maintenance.
  • jgainesjgaines Member Posts: 39
    I looked at both vehicles and came to the conclusion that the Audi was a better car and better buy. But since it was my first Audi and due to the bad reliability rap on german cars, I decided to Lease and dip a toe in the water so to speak. I really don't see how you can buy a vehicle which requires a 300 mile trip for maintenance and repairs-unless they bring you a loaner and flat bed if something happens. There have been posts about a problem with the 05 4.2 engine so it it somehting to think about. My 3.2 has been flawless but its basically brand new and too early to tell.
  • tvetteltvettel Member Posts: 4
    Liferules:

     

    You nailed it! Thanks. I can feel a significant improvement driving in Sport Mode. The dealer has also told me that it takes time to "train" the computer with the drive by wire mechanics and to try establishing a driving pattern that is comfortable. I'm just used to my old 740i Sport and the completely smooth feeling during acceleration. I hope the lurching does not become an issue when it starts to snow her in Minneapolis and get slippery. Thanks for your tip. TVettel.
  • jgainesjgaines Member Posts: 39
    How is the compuer trained? And does driving in sport mode ruin the training program/procedure. I have been using sport mode almost exclusively because the lag is annoying.
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    I assume that the training on the 6speed tip is the same as on the 5speed. If it is not, well as Emily Latella used to say "never mind."

     

    Turn the key to the on position -- do not start the car, however. Completely depress the accelerator pedal (you may feel a very slight resistance when you think the pedal is all the way down -- increase the pressure on the pedal just a bit to see if you can press through the resistance. Don't get carried away, this is not major resistance -- another couple of pounds of pressure from your foot is what I am suggesting.)

     

    Theoretically, if you perform this action, the computer is sent a reset command (think alt control delete).

     

    The transmission is supposed to learn your habits, but it also has a "prime directive" and that is upshift, upshift, dance to the music, upshift.

     

    The only way to override this directive is to force the transmission to stay in gear for a bit longer than "it wants to." And, the only way to do this is to start from a standing start with a bit more throttle tip -- think "jackrabbit" start (but this does not mean you need to floor the car from dead stop with the selector in D. It just means that instead of driving like there was an uncooked egg in the shell between your foot and the pedal, you will press slightly harder, perhaps hard enough to break the imaginary egg.)

     

    What this will do is make the car "believe" that it needs to -- of its own "free will" -- remain in first gear longer than 1 foot or 2 or 3 mph whichever comes first.

     

    This tip lag effect was most pronouced on my A8 and my second A6 (a 2001 model) with the 4.2 engine. Sometimes I would come to a NEAR full stop (perhaps at a yield sign, for instance) and press the pedal and literally nothing would happen for perhaps a second or a second and a half -- usually about three quarters of a second into this "routine" I would either become irritated, frustrated or "panic" due to on-coming traffic or overtaking traffic if this situation occurred on an entrance ramp to a freeway. Then at three quarters of a second I would floor the accelerator and the car (remember I was in the 4.2 V8) would LUNGE forward -- and if I had passengers they either thought I was a poor driver or that I had had temporary engine cut-out (which, after all, is exactly what it feels like).

     

    I test drove a 2002 S6 and did not notice this "feature." I have read and re-read about the RS6 and it too lacked this feature.

     

    It HAS to be the programming, it really is a feature -- I believe it is designed to do this, not that it is a "bug." I do not know if the European market gets this release of the software, but I cannot imagine this is anything other than "the way it is told to operate."

     

    Ultimately, I got rid of the car opting for a 2003 allroad (which at the time was the ONLY A6 based Audi that could be had with a stick shift -- people ask me why I wanted a station wagon, which I didn't want, and technically didn't buy as the allroad is a crossover car -- but I digress.)

     

    I have test driven, three times, the new A6, once for a long long time -- I did NOT notice this "feature" -- but I 100% believe you have it.

     

    DBW or Tip-lag -- heck I'm not automotive engineer or transmission programmer. But I do know this, it is NOT unique to Audi. It has been "fixed" but first you have to find the right person within Audi who will understand and who can authorize a change to the software to mitigate this "feature."

     

    It is particularly hard to "fix" something that technically isn't broken.

     

    The "S" mode seems to be a work-around that alleviates this issue -- just remember once you hit the freeway to move back to D for improved economy (and from time to time, floor the accelerator -- let it know "who is der boss!")

     

    To repeat this is the 5speed tip story -- I can and have only assumed this is applicable to the 6speed.

     

    Doh!

     

    Homer out!
  • safeldersafelder Member Posts: 60
    Mark--

     

    There are a number of posts on the forums at Audiworld suggesting that the very solution you describe is equally applicable to the 2005. There are also some suggestions as to how to use VAG-COM to reprogram your engine computer...

     

    FWIW, I plan on sticking to the "floor it" solution. Messing with my Gateweay is one thing; reprogramming my $50K auto is quite another!

     

    --Scott
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    Apparently so, but anytime I have mentioned another automotive web site, my post has been purged. We'll see if your's is retained.

     

    I would not want my car reprogrammed externally either. I was not endorsing such an approach.

     

    What I would really want is for ALL of us to petition Audi of America to bring the manual versions to our shores -- and train the sales reps to demo them.

     

    Drive one of these machines with a stick shift and it will change your mind -- Oh, I guess that means hi tail it over to the local BMW store and ask to test drive a new 2005 5 series with a stick, as far as I know they still come with this as a choice.

     

    All I hear about is "emissions" regulations prohibit AoA from bringing this to our shores.

     

    Until or unless they update the programming at the factory, I would opt for a 6speed manual in a heartbeat.

     

    My wife REFUSES, which is stronger than my approach, to even consider an automatic. I will go ahead and get one but probably be somewhat disappointed that a stick was not available.

     

    I just don't see the attraction of the manual given its (and this is NOT just Audi) current weaknesses. Perhaps a CVT or DSG would be OK, if avail on the A6 lineup.

     

    Let's all give me a pity party.

     

    There, I'm over it.
  • jeqqjeqq Member Posts: 221
    Hi Mark,

    Manuals are fine by me, but why should there be any lag in the Audi automatics? I haven't driven the BMW 530 that much, but I did not feel any lag and they also have auto/tip.
  • eugeneeugene Member Posts: 1
    I recently compared the two vehicles in the title (since the 2005 S4 is not yet available in NA) on numerous variables--one of which was fuel consumption. The model comparison tool on www.audiusa.com's Web site indicated that fuel consumption for the A6 is 17/23 while consumption for the S4 is 15/21. Standard tires on the A6 are 245 mm wide while on the S4 are 235 mm wide (the A6 hypothetically has a very slightly larger contact patch with correspondingly greater friction on dry pavement). The A6 weighs 300+ pounds more than the S4 (comparably equipped). The 4.2 liter engine--although tuned slightly differently in each model (with emphasis on the word slightly)--is the same engine.

     

    If anything, I expected the fuel consumption figures for the S4 to be higher than for the A6. I have to assume the comparison figures--most likely from AOA--are incorrect. Does anyone have more accurate data?
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,370
    Based on my short ride in a DSG/TT 3.2 I can assure you there is NO LAG whatsoever. It shifts faster than any human being could, even the ones named Schumacher, Montoya, Hakkinen and the like.

     

    Beats me why Audi and VW don't make some noise about this cool setup.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • mariobgoodemariobgoode Member Posts: 114
    My lease on a 2002 A6 2.7T 6M is up in March and AOA is not selling a manual for 2005. My wife and I love the car - it's the best one we ever had. But we will not drive automatics, not even a Tip. So I am moving down to the 2006 A4 with 6M, and a 2006 BMW 330xi 6M for my wife. This way, we both get AWD and a 6-spd manual. I'm not waiting for Audi to realize that the manual has a market here. If they want to lose market share in the A6 to other makers, that doesn't bother me one bit. Let them find out the hard way.
  • tvetteltvettel Member Posts: 4
    It's me again with the one week old 2005 A6 3.2l. Aside from the acceleration lag, I am having a devil of a time getting used to the brakes, which have a very hard bite. Should I ask the dealer to back them off a bit? I'm concerned that the snow and ice will be hard to drive in with brakes that stop the car if your foot so much as twitches. Ideas? TVettel in Minneapolis.
  • maui19maui19 Member Posts: 31
    I have a '05 A6 and I am facing the same thing. My throttle problem is not lag, but non-linear response. Press a little, the car goes a little. Press a little more, and the car shoots forward. I reset the throttle using Mark's technique from above, and the throttle response is much more linear (and therefore far more controllable). But after a day or so of driving, the car has re-adapted to its twitchy self.

     

    I too find the brakes horribly touchy at low speeds. Just the slightest press at low speeds will cause the nose to dive and the car to lurch almost completely to a stop. I am actually looking forward to slippery conditions because then the ABS will kick in and smooth things out.

     

    This is bad enough that I may be taking the car in for service.

     

    BTW, I am the one who posted Mark's tip on Audiworld.
  • jeqqjeqq Member Posts: 221
    Definitely go in and have them fix both problems. Let us know what the outcome is. This doesn't sound good to me.
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