Audi A6

markcincinnati · January 2006

Often wrong, never uncertain dept here:

May happen, who knows.

My guess is no, for reasons cited above but also that the 3.2FSI is the little engine that could. It is hardly breaking a sweat in its current state of tune.

The poor fuel quality de-tuning that was done to make the engine able to swill US gas with nary an issue can be un done. Better breathing can "breathe" both HP and torque into this engine, too. And, although this prayer probably won't be answered, mild turbo charging of this engine would make it ROCK! Steady.

I'm guessing that there is more juice in the 3.2. Now, the fact that the Q7 will be able to be had with the 3.6 COULD mean the A6 sedans will get it. Stranger things have happened.

It just seems, uh, er, so un-Audi to do this since it would not be a proper V6.

I have, however, no reason to believe that 280HP in the A6 would be anything but welcome.

Make mine 7spd DSG, and a turbo diesel, please (or a bi-turbo 3.2, mildly blown, please, mildly blown -- for minimal turbo lag.)

And, pigs will fly (at least no diesel is likely here in the US -- it seems because it would be such a low volume car despite its inherent goodness both in performance and economy.)

:surprise:

rjlaero · January 2006

Audi needs to bump up the HP for 07 V6 model to keep up with the competition. 255 hp is not bad, but an extra 25-30 would do the A6 well. Even if they keep the 3.2, they should squeeze some more power out of it.

The Q7 will make 350 hp from the same 4.2 V8 that makes 335 in the V8 A6. 2007 will make the 3rd model year for the new body style A6's, and I think a little more power for each engine is needed.

You can't wait 4 years anymore in this competitive market with no increase in power.

shipo · January 2006

I have no doubt that Audi will bump the output of their V6 mill over the next year or two. I think that Mark might have a bead on this one with either a displacement increase and/or a light turbo application will more that suffice for enough extra power to stay competitive.

Best Regards,
Shipo

hawk248 · January 2006

We have had our A6 for about a month now. It has premium package + Sirius satellite. Great car, so far very happy with it. My question is regarding outside mirror auto tilt in reverse. Is it something that needs to be enabled through MMI interface? Should both mirrors tilt down in reverse?

This is our first German car. I am also little confused about memory seat function. I would think that after I set my preference in memory 1, all I should have to do is press it once to retrive my setting. However, I have to hold the 1 button in until seat and outside mirrors stop moving. Is this normal? :confuse:

markcincinnati · January 2006

Memory seat function response:

Set the seat the way you want it. Set the mirrors to your liking (outside power mirrors.)

Press the memory / set button and #1 for example.

Make sure your key is the #1 key, DOH!

===========

When you approach the car either with advanced key or with the non advanced key and activate the open feature and open the door, the seat and mirrors will move to the position related to the key fob that commanded the unlock of the door.

If, previously, the seat and mirrors had been in some other position than position 1, the seat and mirrors will move to the #1 position.

AS LONG AS THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS OPEN.

This means if you're a really fast driver and you open the door and get in the car in 2 seconds and the seat repositioning takes 6 seconds, you will ONLY get two seconds of seat movement.

On the other hand, if your seat is in position 2 and you approach the car and activate the open door function, the seat will begin moving but the moment you open the door and close the door the auto set function ceases.

If you are sitting in the car and you want the seat and mirrors to move to position 2, here is what you do.

Open the door and press and release button 2.

The seat and mirrors will move to position 2. If you closed the door before the movement ceases, the movement will stop and you will have to hold the seat memory button 2 until position 2 has been fully reached.

With respect to the mirror:

Set the mirrors the way you want them. Address the seat and mirror position to a number (e.g., #1), memorize it.

Then move the mirror selector rotary dial to the right mirror position.

When R is engaged, the right hand mirror will "dip" to show you the curb on the right side of your car.

Put the car back in D or S and start driving forward. At a certain speed (10MPH?) the right hand mirror will rise to the non curb view position.

I know no one likes to read the manual, but the dealer education during delivery should've included this, but it is in the manual and the manual is at least a C+.

I'd let the dealer know you expected a learning experience not just a financial transaction.

The MMI alone takes an hour to get introduced to. Voice commands, although minimal, are certainly worth about an hour, too.

The navigation system has many features as does the phone system and the sound system function.

The appropriate and accurate delivery of this car is about a 2+ hour sucker.

Odd, this car has 82 dials, buttons, switches and things to turn, push, view or in someway touch (from behind the wheel). The car has an average MSRP of at least $50K -- something is wrong that the seat and mirror function were not fully explained with you behind the wheel.

The A6 has so many great features -- it would seem that when spending this much a buyer would want the multi hour education and if you were a seller you would want to tell the buyer how much car he just bought.

Hopefully they told you that your A6 has the Battery Disconnect Safety Device -- even the A8 didn't have it at the time the new C6 A6 was brought to market in 2004 as a 2005 model.

Hopefully they told you about the voice commands avail for the navi systems, etc etc etc.

hawk248 · January 2006

Thanks. Sarcasm aside, I found your reply very helpful. I took delivery of the A6 in 15 mins, literally, on a Saturday morning before Christmas. Had a 30 min window to take delivery and sneak it into the garage before my wife woke up. It was a surprise gift for her.

I will read the manual, hopefully this weekend. I did open it a few weeks back and went straight to homelink section for setting garage opener.

My opinion: If prefessionals like myself have to read the manual for every little function, then the control was designed too complicated. Not saying that's how Audi controls are. Actually I learned most of MMI while sitting on the passenger seat that Saturday afternoon.

markcincinnati · January 2006

Contrast or indication of need?

When I took delivery of my A6, the salesrep (known him for a long time) sat with me to go through "a lot" of the MMI, the navi, the sat radio, the in arm rest telephone set up, the climate control, synchronization and Auto recirc, etc., functions. He missed at least a third of it. But in his defense, mine was one of the early ones with "all the toys" with a customer who actually intended to use voice activation, etc.

When my wife got her new BMW we met "Jason" -- his job? Delivery of cars, master of iDrive and all things obscure within the BMW electronics, etc. We actually had the car delivered twice. The second delivery was just for the navi system and BMW assist.

I think BMW systems are more obscure, less intuitive than Audis. That doesn't mean I think Audis are user friendly but I think you could probably use the MMI with the built in help text alone and get by with it.

Imagine, for a minute, coming from a DOS based world and WHAM hello, seeing Windows XP for the first time.

I think for a lot of folks this may be close to their experiences.

I am so glad for the voice control, which, IMHO, seems to take the danger off of driving and "interfacing."

And, now I understand the time frame for your delivery.

There is a lot to learn however.

mikeroch · January 2006

Hi all,

This is my first post in this discussion....

We were considering a 2007 (the '07's are starting production in March) 530xi, but after some research, found out that we could get an A6 4.2 with more power (V8); higher safety rating (IIHS Silver award); and the ability to get 18" wheels upgrade with all season tires (so no worry about snow tires...); for "almost" the same $ as the 530 xi (with "equivalent options"....actually, the A6 would have a few more features) - approx 2-3 thousand (CDN) more.

This seems like a good choice - we are going to test drive one later today.

Any comments would be appreciated... (Shipo?...)...

P.S. - Comparative driving opinions (handling, etc..) as between the two? Need "S" line or Air suspension on the Audi? (Also, Active Headrests are on all five seats in the Audi versus only front seats on 530xi with Comfort Seats - is this correct??).

Thanks!!!!!

liferules · January 2006

Mikeroch,

Good decision. Yes, the A6 3.2 is pretty much in the same category as the 530xi...while the 4.2 A6 compares better with the 545 and 550's. IMO, the engines are similarly powered though the BMW's are slightly faster (but who really cares about a second in the real world?). The interior is much better in Audi's and the overall features are much higher in quality IMO. The drive is very good in both though some feel the BMW is a little better. For my needs, the Audi was hands down the choice (I had also looked at the 5 series). If you are really into sporty driving, then maybe you need to go for the BMW (but you'd need the 550 to be anywhere near the performance of a 4.2 A6)...otherwise, go for the A6!

Good luck.

markcincinnati · January 2006

Last year for about 5 months, a more expensive BMW 5 was less on a lease than an Audi. Big bucks less (~$200 per month US$ less for the BMW when similarly priced and about $119 per month less when similarly equipped.)

Then something happened and the tide turned.

Then the Audi (lease rates and mo pymnts) went on a nose dive and the tide favored Audi.

Of course when things were all cozy and cool with Bimmer prices, I had to compare a 530i to an A6 3.2. The new 3.0 BMW engine equipped models had NOT yet hit the street.

Since quattro or X drive was a non negotiable feature, I instead elected to order (March 31st 2005) a new Infiniti M35X for it too was far less money than an Audi A6 3.2 and they could be equipped similarly in almost every aspect.

Then Audi laid an egg of such interest it might as well have been gold -- they dropped the price on the A6 3.2 equipped as I wanted it to below the Infiniti M35X price.

When the 530xi finally did come to market, the demand (locally, Cincinnati, Ohio) for the AWD 5's went "to eleven" on the 1-10 scale. Prices for a 530xi were for a while not all that interesting and in the mean time, the time between the parenthesis, that is, I had picked up my new A6 3.2 with all the toys EXCEPT sport suspension, sunshades and TPMS. My only regret it not getting the sport suspension since I went for the $1,000 18" wheel option which was part of the $1250 sport package ($250 what was I thinking?)

Anyway, for YEARS (10?) it was possible to get an Audi 5000 or A6 that had higher content and AWD for a lot less money than for an RWD BMW. Then Audi discovered turbos for this market, then Audi brought the V8 to the mid size cars and here is what could be had. . . .

. . . let's go back 6 years and here is what could happen:

BMW 5 series with all toys, 6 cylinder and RWD was almost identical in price to an Audi A6 with all toys, 8 cylinder and AWD.

Of course even though the Audis 2.7T and 4.2 engines in A6's were less expensive and came wrapped in AWD cars, well the BMW mystique ruled the day.

Now, if what you say is true (and I am not suggesting it is NOT), the BMW 530xi 6 cylinder version is more than an A6 4.2 8 cylinder version and the Audi can be had with "SLine" and A/S tires -- there is no sport suspension offering today on the 530xi.

Did I mention the 530 has a 6? The Audi would have a V8?

Now if the price for the 530xi and the A6 3.2 were very close to each other, the 530xi could be equipped with 18" wheels and tires AND a 6 speed manual transmission.

If the prices have parity, I would be tempted toward the BMW with the stick (my BMW rep says "not" to order the "discomfort" seats, BTW.)

In the light of what you are saying, an Audi A6 4.2 SLine would indeed appear to be at MSRP (in US$) priced very similarly to the 530xi -- and if the gasoline differences don't faze you, well the Audi in that context is a stone cold bargain.

We've apparently come full circle.

I have had 3 Audi V8's -- I loved them. I also love the 3.2 V6, but admittedly it is not quite as powerful.

If you are going to go with the auto trans, a fully equipped A6 3.2, still betters the 530xi (if the 5 has the Steptronic transmission, NOT, however if equipped with the super slick stick.)

It's deja vu all over again. :shades:

markcincinnati · January 2006

If you are really into sporty driving, then maybe you need to go for the BMW. . .

I don't think so #1

I don't think so #2

Audi Rules

shipo · January 2006

Hmmm, well, if I was sold on the idea that I need/want AWD (as you know, I'm not), and if I was to decide that I could live with an Automatic transmission (I can't, as you might know, I like to stir my own), then I'd probably opt for the A6 Quattro over the 530xi.

All else being equal (which of course it never is), I'd probably opt for a 550i SP with a three-pedal six-speed. There is however one more criteria that would affect a hypothetical A6 vs. 5er decision, that being "looks". To say that I've been an outspoken critic of the E60 would be sugar coating the issue, to say the very least. So, I want RWD, 6-Speed manual and a good looking car, which means that I probably wouldn't choose either.

Hmmm, clear as mud, I guess I've been about as much help to you as was Mark. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

mikeroch · January 2006

Gas mileage - yes. Does anyone have real world figures for the 4.2L? 3.2? 530xi?

P.S. - Definitely want automatic trans.

Thanks!!

markcincinnati · January 2006

The 3.2 is a sipper. The 3.0 is also more frugal than any Audi or BMW current tech V8.

If you must have an auto -- take a long drive of the 3.2 and 4.2 both with the Sline package.

You may find the 3.2 is no bone.

The 530xi with an auto "feels" somewhat less responsive than it really is -- part of that must be the difference in the suspension and tires or something that made the 530xi (auto no sport pack running on 17" tires) seem like a dog that came to bask in the sun rather than rough house with his pals -- and I am not calling anyone of these cars a "dog."

Now, I have driven the stick shift and sport package equipped RWD BMW's and they are sweeeeeet.

My wife actually has an X3 3.0 stick shift with the sport package which does include the sport suspension and the bigger wheels and tires. It is great -- makes me long for the exact same vehicle with the 255HP 3.0.

Alas the best that the 530xi offers in factory guise is the 18" wheels/tires (and they are good, but kind of an incomplete or "fake" sport package in the traditional sense of the word.)

To each his/her own. I want an SLine A6 4.2FSI quattro with a manual transmission.

Can't have it.

The growing dominance -- darn near to total dominance of the 6 or more speed automatic transmissions has dulled the sharpness of the BMW somewhat, especially when it is equipped with AWD+17" wheels on HP A/S tires.

The Audi with the years of AWD experience plus the taught suspension and the availability of a an even more taught suspension have finally made the Audi (for US buyers) a serious choice (it would seem it was thus already in Germany, based on sales.)

If the prices are as you say, I am attempting to be a bit clearer than mud (not much) and strongly endorse the A6 with either engine in SLine guise.

The 3.2 does sip gas, relative to the other two engines we are talking about.

OK/good = 4.2
OK/better 4.2FSI (not here yet)

OK/better 3.0 valvetronic
OK/best 3.2FSI

These are relative good, better best rankings.

Frankly the Audi 4.2 Turbo diesel blows the others completely away in terms of both power and economy.

Can't have that one either -- yet, maybe never.

Drive it like you live, not the way I live or the way your other fellow posters live, etc. :shades:

shipo · January 2006

It seems that you and I are on the same page of the song book for a change, albiet for different reasons. :surprise:

That having been said, it seems that given the criteria set forth, the best bang for the buck for MikeRoch is without a doubt an A6. Now he needs to decide which engine and which options. Hmmm, I'm thinking that he is still in the "Decisions, decisions, decisions..." phase of automotive shopping. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

anthonyp · January 2006

I have one in the a8 and I like it very much...In an a6 it should be even better....My mpg are around twenty six at around eighty mph, unless I get stuck in traffic, then it`s lower...I am going on what the instruments tell me, so they may be wrong...I`l further check it manually---in time--Tony

kgary · January 2006

I have a 05 A6 4.2. It gets about 16 around town and about 27 on the highway.

liferules · January 2006

You forgot this one...!

A little fun in the snow

:shades:

markcincinnati · January 2006

Wow! That one I hadn't seen. I kept looking at this and being reminded somewhat of my gone but not forgotten allroad.

mikeroch · January 2006

Hi All,

Thanks so much for all the input/responses.

Yesterday, we drove a 4.2 and 3.2 A6....WOW!! - The 4.2 is a rocket (the 3.2 is pretty good also, but we think the 4.2 is worth the extra 6-7 thousand CDN (plus the other items that come with it)).

We didn't drive an S-line, which I suspect would be closer to the 530 in handling - but we would be happy without it.

The dash is fantastic (airplane anyone?); the car has many great features; and it looks great. It does seem a bit less roomy than the bimmer, including the trunk. Also, could use some more wood accents, although we would be getting the wood/leather steering wheel and shift, so that would add a nice touch. (Anyone know where we can see pictures of that steering wheel??).

We were originally looking at a red pearl (whatever the official name is...) and beige interior, but there is a blue pearl available with the Amareto interior (georgeous leather and matching wood) and we are going to look at an Avant with the same colour combination tomorrow, and almost all the options we want (except sport seats and shades - which I suppose we can do without). Otherwise, the wait is four months for a factory order (!!!).

I think the gas mileage will make us unhappy, but the 335 horsepower just seems to take precidence over it (any further mileage comments are (still) most welcome....).

When one factors in the higher safety rating over the 530 and the fact that you have an eight cylinder with a lot more power; plus 18" wheels with all seasons, and a few more features not available in the 530 (power folding mirrors; folding seats; led tail lights, etc...), the Audi seems the clear choice.

P.S. - Any comments on the lack of sport seats in the car that is available?

Thanks again!!

legendman · January 2006

Any comments on the lack of sport seats in the car that is available?

I bought the car without the sport seat, on purpose. Too many sporty cars these days are coming with very tight bolsters -- to hold you in while taking turns I suppose, but also, so they can charge more.

I found them a tad uncomfortable. If you are of slender to average build, and like the idea of being "one with the car", then maybe they are right for you. But if you're a fairly big guy, or put a value on comfort over racing form, or don't like the feeling of the seat bolster pinching you during your entire drive, try the standard seats. I find them to be extremely comfortable; great if you spend a lot of time in your car.

This is, in the end, a very personal, and hence subjective judgement. Either way, you'll getting some of the best designed seats in the industry. Far more comfortable than a 5 series BMW!

markcincinnati · January 2006

My interior is Amaretto, I love it.

My only regret is not getting the sport suspension.

I have the 18" tires with LOW performance (HP actually) A/S tires size 245 x 40 -- the car is under tired.

With hindsight, I would get the sport package. I don't know if you can get one this year without the SLine option.

The handling and suspension of the standard version are pretty nice overall -- and with Ultra High Performance tires, I keep telling myself, I will only miss the sport suspension a "little bit."

There is no replacement for displacement and the sweet sounds and rush of the V8 in the A6 are hard to pass up.

The interior, IMHO, seems LARGER than the 5 series, by a bit, especially in the back seat.

The quattro system is for all practical purposes the best AWD on the market in this segment.

You have chosen wisely.

mikeroch · January 2006

There is the "air suspension" as a separate (and rather costly) option, which, according to the salesman, is different than the "sport suspension" that is packaged with the S line. Sounded like the air suspension is geared more towards ride height than perhaps handling - not sure....

Anyone out there have the air suspension?? - Would appreciate any comments...

Thanks.

markcincinnati · January 2006

I had the four position auto adjusting air suspension in my allroad quattro.

On level 1, the suspension is stiffer, the handling improves, etc. On level 4 the ground clearance exceeded 8" on the levels 2,3,4 the road speed of the car determined the ride height and spring stiffness.

The system is NOT real time -- it barely qualifies as dynamic.

It is a very good system, but do not enter into the proposition thinking that it is an adaptive, real time system. It is adaptive "same day."

I never had any problems or issues with it, I liked it, but after a time, I just left the thing in position 1 (the most sporty.)

I also upgraded by anti-sway bars to ones that were 20% stiffer which quieted down the tail wag.

The sport suspension does not adapt; it would be, I would imagine, level 1, similar. Sport ride height over standard drops perhaps 20mm+ and all suspension bits are better (more) damped and/or stiffer. The sport set up has less jounce and greater control (which I assume level 1 on the new A6's has also.)

I would not have the air suspension out of warranty, but again I also have no direct experience that would suggest it is unreliable. I participated heavily on some allroad blogs for 30 months and while there were some failures, they were few and far between. The A8 and Phaeton, too, use this technology and it is great just as long as you understand that it is not an "active" system, rather it is an "adaptive" system.

This is not meant to damn with faint praise.

Once the novelty had worn off, as I mentioned, I simply kept it on my "favorite" setting which was mostly level 1.

I would NOT characterize the air suspension as more geared toward ride height than handling however. I would think in dynamic setting mode, the air suspension would be at least as good as the pure sport set up.

What I do not know, however, is if the air suspension version has standard or sport anti-swaybars since those are not air compression related.

Great salesperson -- who would say it is "different."

In the early going with my air suspension, I did crank it to level 3 when I was in town with passengers since it did offer a bit more cushiness. But the moment you would hit 50mph the system would drop to level 2 and not go back to 3 until you came to a full stop.

The thrill was gone by the end of the first year -- not because the system isn't good or isn't useful, but because level 1 was "perfect" for my tastes.

The rare pop up to level four was when I would go to a parking lot that was grass or dirt (think state fair kind of thing) and I wanted as much ground clearance as possible.

All things the same and if price were not an issue, I would probably go back to the air suspension. I just wouldn't pay a premium for it over the Sline set up.

Take a test drive, a long test drive in one with air and one Sline. Then you pick.

Also get the ABS (Audi Brand Specialist) from your dealership to participate in the sale -- if your salesrep is unable or unwilling to take the time to educate himself or you.

The air suspension since it is not real time provides subtle changes and benefits over the non air suspension. You should get more info and butt on driving before you decide unless the price pushes you away.
:shades:

marleybarr · January 2006

I drive a 2000 A6 2.7T w/ tip and have been experiencing 18~20 in town and up to 23 on the road. Your 26~27 on the road MPG is quite impressive for a 4-wheel drive V-8 engine.

mikeroch · January 2006

Check out the following site for mileage (us government) figures...

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

markcincinnati · January 2006

I do believe the 2.7T was "thirstier" than the 4.2.

I had a 1997 A8 4.2, a 2000 A6 4.2 and a 2001 A6 4.2 before my 2003 allroad 2.7T (which had a manual.)

These cars above all had thirsty engines. My 2005 A6 3.2FSI in contrast is a sipper. I would imagine the 4.2FSI (not in the current A6 -- yet) will also demonstrate that it is less thirsty.

I would assume the current 4.2 is, however, more efficient than the '97, '00 '01 and all variants of the 2.7T ever were.

Yet, with $3.00/gal looming large, and traffic jams everywhere, I am "getting over" my lust for that rare poke in the back when I actually can "goose it."

The 3.2 is fine at 80, 90 and higher speeds cruising along (and even that is more and more difficult in the traffic we have in Central and SW Ohio.)

In Europe the A6 can be had with the 2.0T and run all day on the autobahn -- of course it isn't what you would call quick, but it IS fast.

Coming soon to the Americas one would imagine, unless or until we can get more of that black goo.

Gimmie a diesel (TDI) please. :shades:

marleybarr · January 2006

Prospective Audi buyers must (before purchasing) realize that the Audi is a limited production car, a special car, that requires special parts and services. Synthetic oil, premium gas, limited availability of parts and a smaller number of independents that have the knowledge and specific equipment to service these "special" cars. If these issues are overwhelming to the prospective driver, then it isn't worth it to purchase such a vehicle, and either leasing or buying that Honda/Toyota/Kia would be the route to go.

The "thrill" of driving the Audi has to make it all come together.

markcincinnati · January 2006

I am not certain I agree with the characterization that Audi is limited in production, but I think I understand the intent of the "warning."

Synthetic oil and premium gas are hardly scarce. I have never had to wait more than 24 hours for any part since 1977 when I got my first Audi.

I do live in a Big Town (or a Small City if you like) and we do have two Audi dealers and several German Car repair shops.

Nothing about owning over two dozen Audis has ever been even remotely overwhelming -- except, perhaps, the performance (and that's a GOOD thing!)

:shades:

mikeroch · January 2006

My Dad owned a 5000S (1981 or something?!) and had the radio stolen THREE times!! Anyone else have this problem or modern theft alarms have taken care of this?? Mark?

liferules · January 2006

I can't find the source right now, but I read somewhere that the A6 is one of the safest cars on the road in terms of theft...as well as driving safety.

The car is a virtual vault when locked...

mikeroch · January 2006

According to Consumer Reports, the A6 Reliability (mechanical, electrical) has been "worse than average".

Comments/experiences?

Thanks (you guys are great - this board is very informative!!)

anthonyp · January 2006

Dated information t

mikeroch · January 2006

Just spoke to the salesman again (and he apparently is an "Audi Brand Specialist"), who reported to me (clarified, acutally) the following:

1) The 4.2 we drove yesterday was a 2005 with the "sport package", which included the "sport suspension"

2) The 2006 4.2s are available as an S-line with sport suspension (and other items...); OR with Air Suspension, alternatively (I already knew this)

3) In his opinion, the Air Suspension is really geared towards ground clearance and not handling, per se....He said one could consider the Air Susp to be between the base suspension and the sport suspension included in the S-Line pkg

4) The 3.2 we drove was a 2006, w/o S-Line or Air suspension

5) The above now explains why the 3.2 definitely did not feel that it handled as well as the 4.2 we drove!!!

6) S-Line or Air Suspension means ordering and four month wait....S-Line means no wood steering wheel (which we really want)....and Air Suspension apparently isn't that much help for the handling....

I guess this means we either take the blue one available without the air suspension OR order one with the air suspension - the wait is not the major problem here, the question is whether the Air Suspension will help the handling enough (i.e. make enough of a difference over the base suspension) to be worth the extra cost ($3,000 CDN)?!?
[Note: the S-Line is $3,750 CDN]

Help!!!

markcincinnati · January 2006

The SLine suspension would be, IMHO, the way to go if your expectations are for the sharpest, keenest handling.

Spending my own money, knowing what I know, having had what I have had -- I would go SLine.

Or if the 2005 you drove is for sale and equipped as you want, with the requisite warranty -- well that might do it.

The best thing to do is order, get exactly what you want.

I have and my wife has ordered virtually all of our cars with great satisfaction.

OR

You could get the standard suspension car if it is in every other way what you want. . .

THEN

Order the sport suspension and have the Audi dealer install it and provide a four wheel alignement after the springs have settled. I did this on my A8 by ordering the S8 suspension from Audi AG and having it sent to my dealer who installed it.

There was no issue, no aftermarket feel or look -- it was a factory set up.

The A6 with standard suspension can be upgraded without muss or fuss if you will pay for the parts and labor.

It could be made part of the deal within reason if you did not have the patience to wait.

:shades:

mikeroch · January 2006

You are right Mark, we have indeed decided to go with an S-Line car. I have just sent a detailed e-mail to the salesman asking him to search for one with the set up that we want. (I also asked him to confirm, just to be sure, that no Amaretto and/or wood wheel/shift knob can perhaps be special ordered or something with an S-Line car - just to be sure...).

If we have to, we'll order an S-Line the way we want it and wait.

The 2005 is the wrong colour combination; and I am a bit hesitant of the upgrade suspension option you describe.

By the way, what A6 do you have??

Thanks for all your help. I'll post tomorrow with the results.

markcincinnati · February 2006

In our garage, currently, is one Audi A6 3.2, and one BMW X3 3.0, both 2005's, both ordered cars.

My A6 is Cambridge Green Pearl with the Amaretto Premium leather.

While I did order the $1,000 wheel and tire upgrade, I somehow had a "moment" and did not order the sport suspension which would have added $250 to a car that MSRP'd at $53,286 at the end of June 2005.

Not included in addition to the sport suspension:

Solar Sunroof
Power window shade, manual side shades
TPMS

. . .and of course I went with the 3.2 after 3 "thirsty" 4.2 V8's.

I did add the Audi aftermarket, dealer installed, in-arm rest phone cradle for use with a Sony T637 Bluetooth & in-car phone (which uses the roof antenna and car battery when plugged in.)

Voice is my favorite "why not" (at the time I got it) option. At $350 it is a fantastic feature that is a bargain.

I miss the sport set up.

I believe I can largely compensate for this in two ways:

#1 Switch to 245 x 40 x 18" UHP all season tires when the factory 245 x 40 x 18" HP all season tires poop out; and,

#2 Inflate the front tires +3 pounds over the rears (I am at 36 pounds front and 33 rear.)

Item 2 has made a noticeable difference in "turn in" and has undoubtedly improved the gas mileage slightly.

Audis are nose heavy and the extra air pressure in the front seems to compensate somewhat for the issue.

Plus "0" tire sizing or even Plus "1" could be an option but then there is the issue of the almost certain increase in "unsprung" weight.

My wife's X3 3.0 has almost all the options, too, and she was able to go with the 6 speed manual, alas, we Audi buyers are not offered this choice.

These two cars are the best cars we have ever had -- in virtually every way.

One car, alone, qualifies as the best I have ever had: a 1995 S6. What a rush it was to drive that car. I have driven the current gen S4's which, too, are a rush -- the 1995 version seemed more connected to the road, perhaps more "raw" -- maybe that is why the then aged 44 me loved it so much.

:shades:

marleybarr · February 2006

I probably wasn't clear in my message, didn't mean to imply that Premium fuel and synthetic oil were scarce, just that the "average" driver doesn't have to deal with these "issues"= extra operating expenses, if you want to call them that.

Not sure how many Audis are sold in this country, but the numbers appear to be tiny compared with the overall national sales figures of the other brands. I consider my A6 2.7T to be a "limited production" vehicle, in loose definition of the term, because I haven't seen many on the road in the last 6 years, especially in my color combo of black exterior w\vanilla seating.

marleybarr · February 2006

I drive a 2000 A6 2.7T w/ standard 16" TOYO tires. Have been running 39 PSI front and 38 PSI rear with no apparent trouble. Do you feel that is too high for this car? The side wall of the tire says 44 PSI maximum.

erickpl · February 2006

The Max PSI rating is for the tire itself. If you need more than 44 PSI for that tire on a ride, then the tire is not going to work on that ride.

Check the panels inside the door for the recommended pressure for the Audi. The pressure required should be based on the vehicle's weight, and any load being put in it (people, luggage, cat litter, lumber, groceries, etc).

On my Jeep, my BFG AT's the max pressure is about 40-something, but for the Jeep, 28 or so PSI is what is used for best results (handling, mileage, etc).

-Paul

markcincinnati · February 2006

Audi sells ~ 80,000 cars annually here in the US.

Cincinnati, a small city, a big town, whatever has two Audi dealerships one of them a $7,000,000 tribute to the brand and it is NOT a dual dealership. The other location is somewhat smaller and shares the service dept with Volvo.

There is one Audi dealership in Dayton, OH (30 miles north) and one in Lexington, 70 miles south.

We are about 100 minutes (~90+ miles) from Columbus, OH which has, as I recall, one or two Audi dealers, too.

We are a little over 100 miles from Indianapolis and Lousiville and we're covered there too.

Now, living where we live does make having an Audi "no brainer" in terms of service in warranty. There are, several Audi or Audi, BMW, Mercedes technically qualified non factory affiliated service outlets too, in our area.

Synthetic oil of the highest quality (the stuff Audi, BMW and Mercedes use) is readily available at WalMart. Costco Premium or even Kroger brand Premium gas is never more than $.20 higher in cost than regular and as has been beaten to death here, the engines used in these cars from Germany are "more fuel efficient" based on their displacement and power than most US car engines that require regular.

My new salesperson just bought a new Cadillac CTS with the 255HP engine -- on the sticker is says "PREMIUM" required, min octane 91. We have only 93 and 94 here in River City.

I have visited Montana -- and I know nothing about the availability of service or parts for German cars. It did not occur to me, based on my experience since 1977 when I got my first Audi, that I would exclude a German brand if I lived in Montana. Perhaps if I did live there I would feel differently or perhaps the norms of the region might dissuade me from driving a German car -- I don't think so, though.

I guess if there were NO service arrangements that could be made in a given geography, I would think twice -- but at this point even though I would generally agree with the assessment that an Audi is a "lower volume" car than some others, I would still not hesitate to acquire one just about anywhere in the US, unless no dealerships could be found within a couple hours drive.

My first 10,000 service interval is tomorrow -- I might be a little unhappy if I had to drive to Cleveland or Chicago or Detroit to have this work done, but if I really wanted the car, even that would probably NOT make me rule it out.

Audi sells on average about 7,000 cars a month here. Low volume? Sure -- but not "worrisome" low.

Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

:shades:

mikeroch · February 2006

Heard from the salesman again - apparently, it might be possible to have the amaretto interior in an S-line 4.2 for an extra 3-4 k (CDN) (!!). He is trying to confirm that....and regarding possibility of wood steering wheel/shift knob also in S-line. Also, confirming, if beige interior, that wood is not grey (we really don't want grey wood) and also if it can be substituted with the darker wood (i.e. from the amaretto/black interior).

Regardless of what happens, looks like a definite factory order.

Will post again.....

(Mark, any pictures of your amaretto interior??)

mikeroch · February 2006

Confirmed by salesman with "area manager":

1) No Amaretto on S-Line
2) No Wood steering wheel on S-Line
3) Grey wood only on S-Line (although looks brown in some light conditions - there's one in the showroom).

markcincinnati · February 2006

I saw the grey wood -- I would be OK with it if the interior color wasn't BLACK. Does SLine come in other than a black interior?

Personal pref only -- black plus grey wood, too BMWish and too depressing.

Grey leather, tho, OK.

To each his own.

For once in my life getting the 2005 was actually a lucky thing since I have

Premium
Convenience
PremimumLeather
ColdWeather

Sat Radio
Sat Nav
Advnce Key
Voice
Parktronic
18" Wheels

In arm rest phone cradle
Winter and Summer floor mats

And the headlight washers came with it!

I wish I had sport suspension and heated steering wheel.

Otherwise I am content and actually delighted.

mikeroch · February 2006

S-Line also has Beige and Grey available leather (ours would be the Beige).

Glad you are enjoying yours!!

marleybarr · February 2006

How does the acceleration on your tip Audi model 3.2 compare "off the line" with your wife's 3 pedal BMW?

anthonyp · February 2006

I strongly urge you to get the car as you want it, and not compromise just to get it quickly...I had to order my a8 and the wait was a little less than three months...A long time for sure, but worth it once the car gets in.. You will regret in short time getting a car that is not really what you want...I did this four years ago when Lexus didn`t make the highest line ls430 other than black analine leather...It was nice but got old fairly quicly..Tony

markcincinnati · February 2006

. . .if you cannot get yourself comfortable with this notion don't bother:

Your Audi dealer is (or ought to be) competent to swap out the springs and anti-sway bars if what you really want is the car and the colors you want but with the Sport Suspension that comes with the SLine.

All the parts would be Audi. The springs and swaybars and struts are all parts that can be ordered.

I added this twice once in 1997 and once in 2003. No issues, the dealer did it all. I never had any warranty issues.

The look was stock, it was all Audi parts.

If you had an SLine and had it damaged, the parts would be ordered and replaced, the wheels aligned, and you would go on your way. The difference is no such incident would be required to make this happen.

If it were part of the deal, you might, as my dealer did, give me the parts at cost, discount the installation to cost and they got to keep the parts they removed from my cars.

It took two all wheel alignements to finish the job.

The cost, as I recall on the A8 was about $1800 -- I had already ordered the wheels with the car.

If you can see this as a way to get your Sline YOUR way, this would work.

If you can tolerate the more limited color schemes Sline offers, that, of course would be the best of all.

Fear not, however, the swap out -- you'd never know it wasn't born that way.

dan339g · February 2006

I have the air suspension in my 2006 3.2, with nearly 3 months driving experience I am very pleased. My take is this option actually makes the ride more luxury rather performance oriented. When I had whittled down the A6 to my "short list", my biggest concern leaving the test drives was the firm ride. In my old age, my personal preference is for something that favors the luxury side of the luxury performance equation, and when I expressed this concern to my salesmen he suggested the air suspension option. Unfortunately, they are special order only with the A6, so there were none available to test drive. He did offer to let me take an A8 that comes with it standard (I believe), but I was concerned that would not be a good representation given the very different dynamics of the larger car and motor. I had planned on a special order regardless to get all the specific options I wanted along with color and interior, so I took the salesmen's advice on faith and ordered the air suspension. I find the ride in the "automatic" setting to be just about right for my purposes It's no Lincoln Towncar, but it does nicely insulate the worst out of our winter ravaged New England roads, and the torn up streets of Boston's "big dig" without being too "cushy". I've only used the dynamic (sport)setting a handful of times on the highway, and it did give me more confidence when negotiating off ramps, or making quick maneuvers, although I'm not sure this setting offered significant advantages from a handling perspective over the standard suspension. I've yet to use the highest height setting, but I would agree with Mark that it is probably seldom used unless you leave the pavement, or are driving on an unplowed snowy road. Bottom line is, if your goal is to enhance performance, I'd say go with the S-line.

ftlnewaudi · February 2006

Thought I would post a few comments about the gas mileage and sport seats.

I special ordered a 2006 A6 4.2 specifically to get the sport seats. I am a tall slender guy and I find the sport seats to be great. The side bolsters are not overdone as in some sports cars and the real feature for tall people is the extendable thigh support. Great for trips! I also have the amaretto color and love it. I get lots of comments and several people have told me the interior is "sensuous."

As for gas consumption...the 4.2 definitely can suck gas. On the city streets of Fort Lauderdale in stop and go traffic the computer tells me I typically get about 13 MPG. Get on the highway and it quickly improves. A few trips to the West coast of Florida saw 28 MPG (65 mph) and 25 MPG (80+ mph.) These are Audi computer numbers that I have never manually verified.

Audi A6

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