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Comments
Jack
Clair.com - Panasonic 6 changer - $299
Panasonic.com - Panasonic 6 changer - $279
Autotoys.com - OEMAUDI8 8 disk changer - $195
autotoys.com - OEMAUDI6 6 disk changer - $233
The two at autosys.com are also Panasonic changers. The most important thing is that they are compatible and in fact the part description says:
"AUDI 1998-2001+ COMPATIBLE CHANGER OEM TYPE II"
My 2 cents. Get the one from Autotoys for $195.
Good luck.
Personally, I'd have a problem buying from a company that so obviously tried to misrepresent the products as being OEM. (Not only that, but they consistently misspell "Matsushita"!)
In addition, they describe most of the changers as not being compatible with the Bose system, which is absolute hogwash. The standard Audi and Bose systems use the same head unit; if a changer works with one it will work with the other. It's remotely possible that a bit of re-programming (with a VAG tool) could be required, but that's it.
The $299.95 unit at Clair IS the real deal, the same unit as installed at the Audi factory. I think knowing that is worth a few extra bucks.
Gem: I have both a 2000 A6 2.7t and a 2000 Volvo s80 T-6. Both are great cars. My wife drives the S80. After about a year of driving both, I prefer the A6. While she says she prefers the S80, even she raves about the Audi's beautiful fit and finish and interior appointments and solid feel when driving. I just feel more solid and glued to the road in the Audi compared to the Volvo. Lots of torque steer to the S80 too. Perhaps that's what contributes to the less "in control" feel when I drive it. I don't think you'd go wrong with either car, but Audi is definitely more of a "driver's" car.
I drove Volvos (740 GL and 940 Turbo) for 11 years before getting my A6 last year. I was actually very close to getting an S80 2.9 until I took a close look at and test drove the A6; then it was all over.
I looked closely at the S60 at the San Francisco auto show. It's a terrific car, but in my opinion not in the same class as the A6 (in fact not even close). Yes, it has a nice power train. It will accelerate very quickly. That's where its ability to compete with the Audi ends.
While it's admittedly completely subjective, I think the A6 has a clear styling edge over the Volvo. The interiors are drastically different; no "volume" manufacturer offers interiors close to those offered by Audi. If you haven't yet looked closely, by all means do so, and do so at night. Their use of red fiber optics is mesmerizing. Then there's the real wood (in your choice of 2 different types), choice of 6 different interior color combos, 3 different leathers, 2 different stitch patterns, 3 different metal trims, and the list goes on.
I don't know about Volvo's newest transmissions; Audi's are a 6-speed manual and a 5-speed Tiptronic, and both are fabulous.
I'll close by giving you the same suggestion that I've made many times before: Try to get a handle on how you "feel" when driving each car. I vividly remember my first A6 test drive; the car gave me an emotional sensation that no other car (including just about every other sedan out there) had before. It was wonderful. It was as though it was a PERFECT blend of sport and luxury. Today, after owning the car for 7 months, the feeling is still there. I wish I could explain it more clearly, but I can't. When you determine which one does that for you, buy it. You won't regret it.
- Mike
Jack
The A6 2.8 is all that you've described. The 2.7T and 4.2 are all of that too, plus really fast sedans. If you're interested in the A6, I'd suggest you try to drive each version you're interested in as each has it's own personality. You can't go wrong with any of them.
I had mentioned in a post that one place a compatible changer could be found was AUTOTOYS.COM (also Clair and Panasonic). There was a reply made that stated:
Quote
"I looked at the Autotoys web site and can tell you that they use the term "OEM" much too freely. While these changers might work in some Audis, they are not OEM!"
End quote
Autotoys does NOT say these are OEM changers. The term used by them is that they are OEM COMPATIBLE PLUG IN CHANGERS, which is 100% accurate.
Second, as I CAREFULLY pointed out in my post, these aren't for all Audi's. The OEM COMPATIBLE PLUG IN CHANGERS advertised by Autotoys are for 1998-2001+ Audi's and they DO in fact work. I have the 8 CD changer installed in my trunk. The changer came with an interface adapter that is as simple as plugging one end to the Audi changer cord in the trunk and then the other to the Panasonic changer. Piece of cake. The only issue at hand was mounting to the left bracket since it is not of exact OEM dimensions. Anyone however with decent use of basic tools however should have no problem.
If it gives you piece of mind to spend $300 at Clair for the OEM version, I suggest you do it. I frankly preferred to spend $195 for the same end result.
The choice is obviously up to you but the bottom line again is that IT WORKS!
Good Luck.
P.S. I do realize that the "BEWARE" post was obviously made for good intentions but thought it necessary to provide all interested with the facts.
Residuals at this time of year on your car should be around 49% for 4 year 15K lease, depending on the market in your area. That’s an ALG number with a regional override. The only leasor with any motivation to raise the residuals would be Audi Financial, and I've never tried to negotiate with them. If you get a better residual than that number, you can safely assume it's a pretty good residual for you, much lower and I'd look elsewhere for financing.
Can't give you an estimate at monthly because there are too many unknown variables. The MSRP can vary by $5K depending on how the car is optioned. What length lease? How many miles? In addition to the monthly lease, you must also consider up front money. It's easy for a dealer to offer you a low number, and make it up in cap reductions up front, plus questionable charges such as acquisition, disposition, etc. The less you put up front, the better the deal.
1. I have a pretty steep driveway at home and my Acura Legend currently scrapes its front scoop when pulling up it. Does anyone have any idea if the 2.7T's clearance (without the sport package) is better or worse than the Legend? The Legend looks pretty low to me, so I'm hoping it's not a problem.
2. I'm located in the Bay Area and was contemplating using a car buying service called Hammer Auto. I was wondering if anyone else in the Town Hall has used this service and has an opinion about it. I've heard good things about their ability to get a great price, but have also done a lot of research and have a pretty good idea what 2.7Ts are going for.
3. I realize the 4 yr./50K mile warranty covers all servicing (and also, surprisingly, brakes from what I've read here), but was wondering what else is/isn't covered that should be noted. Any interesting anecdotes related to this warranty would be appreciated.
4. Not sure if anyone would know this, but is it probable that prices for 2.7Ts in the Bay Area are likely to be higher than in any areas because of the wealth around here? Has anyone found that they could get a much better deal by getting their car in, say, Los Angeles or San Diego?
Thanks a lot for considering my questions. The knowledge I've obtained from religiously reading these posts has been invaluable. I can't wait to be the proud owner of the car that currently finds itself in most of my dreams.
1. Had a '92 Legend. Minimum ground clearance was only 3.5 inches. Used to catch it on everything. Don't know what it is for 2.7T, but know it's not a problem.
2. Sorry, have never heard of Hammer Auto. As you've probably learned, $1K to $2K over dealer invoice is the going rate.
3. Apparently, everything is supposed to be included, though some individual dealers will sometimes attempt a "weasel deal" by trying to charge you for covered items, or not doing things that are routine, like checking and changing wiper blades, or rotating tires, unless requested.
4. Bay Area dealers do look for more money, but people still have been able to find deals under $2K. Think I can remember reading about $1.5K and $1.8K in recent past.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck! You can E-mail if you feel I can be of any further help.
The invoice numbers here at Edmunds.com are 100% accurate, right to the dollar. I suggest going to the 2.7T pricing information here and getting the total invoice price on the car configured exactly as you want it. (Be sure to include destination.) On a 2.7T (in the Bay Area or otherwise), $1500-2000 over invoice is fair to all. I doubt that you'll have trouble making a deal up here for those numbers, but if you do you can always try McKenna in Norwalk or Keyes in Van Nuys.
Since you're in Millbrae, I recommend giving David Leibenson at Rector (Burlingame) a shot; he's a straight shooter and the folks at Rector run a nice dealership. I was just there last week; they have a lot of cars in stock (though 2.7Ts are always in tight supply). If David can't take care of your needs, try Phil Riley at Sonnen (San Rafael) or Ernst Gosch at Diablo (Concord).
Let me know if I can be of any help. If you want to talk about dealers, etc, just send me an e-mail & I'll send you my phone number.
BTW, congratulations on your choice of an A6. It's a FABULOUS car, and you're going to love it.
If you haven't yet done so, check out the A6 forum at http://www.audiworld.com; it's full of A6 nuts (like timcar and me!) and makes for some great reading.
A few more notes:
1. I thought the Legend's ground clearance seemed low, so I appreciate the insight of another Legend owner. While on the subject of the Legend, Tim, can you tell me what in your experience has been the greatest advantage in the A6 over it? I must admit that it's mostly the visceral tug of climbing into the 2.7T that is driving my desire to replace the Legend. Frankly, I'm virtually astounded at what a quality automobile the Legend is. It has 110K+ miles and I honestly don't believe it has EVER had a mechanical problem. Not anything. Pretty remarkable, I know. However, it is getting older and just doesn't "do it for me", if you know what I mean. I'm guessing that most participating here know what I mean or they wouldn't be here in the first place. I guess I'm looking for a little validation from a former Legend owner that I'm not insane for getting rid of a fantastic car for no good reason. Any comparisons between the Legend and A6, other than the purely obvious, that will make me happy with my decision would be great.
2. As to Hammer Auto, they're located in Palo Alto and supposedly shop at least 25 dealerships to get the best possible deal for you. They charge $300 for the service and get the car delivered to their location and have all the paperwork ready for you to sign. After placing your phone call to them and telling them what you want, it supposedly takes all of 15 minutes of your time to sign the paperwork at their location, and you're off with your brand new car. I know someone who used them, and she was quite happy with the service she received, but don't necessarily trust that she would know if they got her the best possible deal. I think they do pretty good volume, so I thought someone here might have used them, or encountered someone who had.
3. I used to live in Southern California so would have no problem getting a car from Van Nuys or Norwalk. Does anyone have any specific advice about those dealerships and the kind of deal they were able to get there? Any specific sales people to refer?
Again, thanks for the help.
Regarding the 4Y/50K warranty, the dealer told me tires were the only thing I would be responsible for over the course of my 4-year lease!
Good luck. You're goint to love your new A6...I can't stop smiling.
I had my Legend for over 5 years and put over 80K on it in that time. It was nearly flawless. The only problems I encountered related the suspension and brakes. This wouldn't affect you in the Bay Area, but quasi-rural NW NJ where I make my home is typified by bad pavement and cold winter weather. I think '91 & '92 were the last two years for solid bushings in the Legend's suspension. Simply, the suspension was too rigid for the pavement and took a beating. After about 20K both ride and handling had deteriorated. One cold winter day I even broke a shock exiting a NY highway where pavement joints resemble speed bumps elsewhere in the country. The first 20K the feel and handling of the car was magical. After that, it was still good but not as smooth and a little tail happy. Toward the end of 80K the brakes had become less effective, and I once fried a caliper when braking hard with a full load.
Most Japanese cars have problems with bad pavement. Most European cars don't. That's one of the things that drew me to the 2.7T. The 2.7T is better riding, better handling, faster, more luxurious and more comfortable than the Legend. I also think the A6 is the best looking 4-door sedan on the market. It reeks of style, yet it's not a status icon. Unlike the Legend, the 2.7T can be optioned so many different ways that it's virtually an entire range of cars from a fast, good handling luxury sedan to a luxurious, fantastic handling performance sedan. The interior can be luxurious understated black leather, or it can be vanilla leather with amber wood and royal blue carpets and dash. The first has a dark gray headliner, the latter is cream to match the seats. The first interior is snug and cockpit like, the second open and expansive. And these are only two of the interiors that are available. You can virtually custom design the car to order if you’re willing to wait 3 or 4 months. Tiptronic or 6 speed? Not fast enough? Add a chip and do 0-60 in less than 6 seconds. Bigger wheels, big performance tires, a sport suspension? Whatever your priorities are, you can slant the A6 to be more of what you want. My own preferences are toward the more luxurious end of the spectrum. But even there, it is still faster, better handling and more comfortable than my Legend was.
Are there any downsides? Sadly, yes. The A6 is very well designed and beautifully manufactured. It is a very good car. However, it is not bulletproof in the way your Legend has been. Honestly, the electronics could be more reliable. The fanatical Japanese dedication to detail in the design of cup holders, etc. isn't there. Frankly, I think these things just aren't a priority for most German manufacturers.
Secondly, Audi’s aren't sold by dealers where the "buying experience" has been designed from the ground up. Some dealers are excellent. Some aren't. Parts and technicians expertise can sometimes be problematic when compared to Acura.
It's really a matter of priorities. I'd rather have a car that's wonderful to drive most of the time, rather than boring to drive all the time. So I'm willing to accept the lack of Acura or Lexus like support.
Mike, you didn't say if you've driven the 2.7T. I think if you can spend a little time with it, it will tell you far more than I can. These are just my opinions. I hope they have been helpful.
And to answer your question, No, I have not yet driven the 2.7T. I test drove the 2.8 back in August at Rector in Burlingame (they had no 2.7Ts to test drive that day, unfortunately) and was actually close to buying it, but I really wanted to hold out for the sexier car. I figure if you're going to spend $40K, you should get something that excites every part of you. I thought the 2.8 was a fantastic car and I'd be totally happy with it right now if I had bought it, I have no doubt. With that said, I'm glad I held out for the 2.7T and am in that much of a better position to get it soon. I may even give Rector another chance at my business, if I don't use Hammer Auto.
Anyone looking for a '91 Legend in perfect condition?
Glad you found my opinions helpful. Need a bit more logic? Hmmm - Even though your Legend has been perfect for 110K, no car is immortal. Soon you’d start having to put money into it to keep it on life support. OR, you could be driving a new 2.7T. Isn't rationalizing helpful?
If you feel such a strong visceral desire without even having driven the 2.7T, I'm afraid you're probably a goner once you do. A crafty salesperson offered me a test ride without my requesting it when I really had no interest in the A6 because of my commitment to Japanese luxury. Afterwards, I had difficulty sleeping for about a week!
By the way, if you’d like to interact with a few other Audi fanatics, try the link below:
http://www.audiworld.com/forum/a6.html
I just read your post (#682) and have a thought regarding the services of Hammer Auto, specifically the 15 minute vehicle delivery process. For what it's worth, a very positive component of my A6 buying experience was the delivery process that took place at Rector. David Leibenson took me through a wonderful presentation of the car that, once experiencing it, I wouldn't have wanted to miss. Keep in mind that I thought that I knew everything there was to know about the car and then some! To my surprise, I was wrong. David showed me things that were new to me. In addition, there's just something about the whole delivery "ritual" that makes for a very special experience, and David executed that ritual in grand style. It's not something that I'd pay $300 to give up!
I guess another piece of this is that, in the unlikely event that you discover a problem with the car at delivery, it's far better to do so at the dealer who will ultimately be responsible for making it right.
Finally, I have great confidence in your ability to negotiate a deal that's BETTER than the best one you'll get from Hammer! Now, with that vote of confidence, how can you possibly go wrong?!
Good luck.
- Mike
According to the Audi dealer, "cosmetic" changes will made to the 2002 A6 due out in the fall of 2001.
Has anyone seen the new 2002 A6? Where can I see some good pictures?
Around town acceleration is a bit leisurely, but can be improved somewhat with use of the Tiptronic feature. Out on the highway, it has good mid-range punch if you downshift to at least third and will certainly fly from 70 on up.
It all depends on your needs. Some people feel they really need the extra acceleration for entering freeways, etc. My driving situation must be tamer, I guess. I had a Taurus SHO that was a really accelerator, but that was about the only thing I liked about the car. But I like so many things about my Audi that leisurely acceleration is hardly a concern.
When I bought mine the 2.8's were more heavily equipped than they are now (there was no 2.7T or 4.2)so mine stickered at $42,225. I know that now they are cheaper than that, but, I don't believe, have the same option choices. Mine has everything but a phone, but, since it's a '99, it doesn't have ESP, sidecurtain airbags, or steering wheel controls.
Yes, I have absolutely no regrets. Nor have I had any problems in 15,300 miles.
No matter what you end up with, make certain it has ESP (about a $550 option on those that don't have it standard, yet.) My dealer claims that those with ESP will command much more on the used market, especially as ESP is getting to be more mainstream -- not quite as much as ABS -- yet, but next year, for example ALL Audi's will have ESP -- ALL US Audi's and probably elsewhere. One other thing, the sport package makes the car handle better -- I don't know if it is available on the 2.8 -- if not and there is a wheel/tire upgrade that will make a difference -- go for that.
I had a '99 A6 2.8Q loaded to the gills -- other than OFF THE LINE, the car was a pleasure to drive and had very few maint. problems. I would recommend it -- unless you really "need" the quickness that the 2.7T will supply -- and supply big time.
New Subject:
I am starting to get a real good case of the "ick" for Pirelli P6000 Z rated tires (I now have 1,500 miles on my 2001 A6 4.2 'sport') -- they are not good in cold weather at all (notice I did not say wet or snowy weather, I said COLD weather); they are also noisy -- this is mostly an FYI as I am going to put Dunlop SP 9000's on the car in a month or so. Why bother, Audi? These tires are merely "good" -- you have put Michelen's and Dunlop's best on several other Audis in the past -- it seems like I just "got unlucky." Not to blame Audi alone, seems like the manufacturers of some of the best European cars "undertire" their cars from time to time -- so I guess it is not just an Audi thing.
Anyway -- the difference in price (on line retail difference is about $60 per tire) is worth it and if offered the choice, I would pay for something other than Pirelli P6000's -- any thoughts, anyone, Bueler, Bueler. . . .
There, I feel better, now.
I have the P6000's on my S4, and I don't think they're all that bad. True, they don't handle like S-02PP's or Pilot Sports, but for a stock tire on a non-sports car (even the S4 isn't a pure sports car), they're quite acceptable. Make sure they're sufficiently inflated (mine are at 45psi). One piece of advice -- the SP9000's aren't going to be any quieter, and won't handle *that* much better. If you're going to bother changing tires (which I probably will too, in spite of what I just said), go with Bridgestone S-02 Pole Positions (1st choice) or Michelin Pilot Sports (2nd choice). FWIW, the P6000's are vastly better than the stock ContiTourings that were on my A4.