Audi A6

komoper · February 2001

Looking foward to my new RED 2.7t,Picking it up on Weds. lease all my cars. have aGS400 & GS300.My400 goes back on Weds. The400 is a powerhouse,but a blah car to drive. Looking for fun & adventure with the Audi! I`m in my seventies &love to run.`I`llget back to you guys in a week or so.

pat · February 2001

Yep, that spell checker can bite ya, no doubt!

You do have about thirty minutes to edit your post, though - you'll see an "edit" button next to your post during that timeframe.

Or another thing you can do is use the spell checker to see what it wants to change, then use your browser's back button to manually make the appropriate changes, ignoring the things it wants to do that are incorrect.

Pat
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indyjenks · February 2001

I have a new Acura 3.2TL S Type on hold and it is due in March 18th. I dearly LOVE the 2.7t Audi...so much fun to drive and its all wheel for the wifey in the winter! Im just not sure I can justify the ~10K$ premium.... Decisions....decisions....decisions....

mpuzach · February 2001

As nice as the 3.2TL is (and it's pretty darned nice, especially in the upcoming S Type), it's no match for the A6. I, too, was very close to getting a TL before finally getting my dream car (A6 2.8 quattro - 2.7T was a little too rich for my pocketbook). My next door neighbor got his new TL at about the same time, so side-by-side comparisons are common.

The A6 out-classes the TL in every regard, though the addition of the Type S narrows the gap a bit. Here are some specifics:

Exterior styling: Admittedly, it's subjective. While the TL is certainly not homely, it isn't distinctive, either. The A6 has just enough "edge" to it to be unique. It resembles nothing else on the road. I can't tell you how many passers-by have commented to me on the car's beautiful styling.

Interior styling: Nobody does interiors like Audi. Unlike Acura, Audi uses real wood (in your choice of two types). The red and white fiber optic lighting is downright sensual. Add small features like puddle lights, floor lights that illuminate in conjunction with their respective open doors, the rear compartment reading lamps that don't blind the driver, lined door bins that actually open and close, three FULL adjustable rear headrests, the list goes on and on. The A6 interior is a MARVELOUS place to spend time!

Interior choices: I've never understood Honda's approach. They'll build you a blue car, and they build a black interior. They WILL NOT, however, build you a blue TL with a black interior. They take it upon themselves to deny their customers choices. Take a look at the color charts; the choices and available combinations are extremely limited. Contrast that with Audi. The A6 is available with 3 different seating materials in 6 different colors (or color combinations). There are 3 different leather textures, two unique stitch patterns, 2 types of wood, three colors of metal trim. The point is that Audi gives you MANY choices to choose from, and that's a very cool thing. (If you haven't yet seen the striking Vanilla/Satin Black or Vanilla/Royal Blue interiors, I suggest that you check them out. They're positively stunning.)

Other unique Audi features: quattro, choice of 7 different A6 wheels (depending upon specific model and whether or not Sport Package is ordered), front AND REAR fog lights, available 6-speed manual transmission (2.7T only), available front AND REAR heated seats, etc. etc.

To me, the A6 is a no-brainer.

jmwatts · February 2001

When you guys say you bought a car for $1500 over invoice, is that over the invoice price of the car with no options?? If so, what did you pay for the various options, invoice or MSRP price? Sorry if this was obvious to everyone else...

timcar · February 2001

To me, over invoice means the total amount over dealer's invoice which will include any options that are on the car. I.e, the dealer's cost for an option is usually less then the MSRP for that option, therefore if the dealer's cost for the option was $200, that $200 would be added to the dealer's cost for the base car, plus the dealer's cost for any other options.

jmwatts · February 2001

Ahhh, ok, that's good news. So, to come up with a good negotiating price for an A6 2.7T, I could use edmunds "invoice" prices for base car, options, etc. Thanks for the tip.

bthirk · February 2001

Instead of a dollar amount over Invoice I've found it more effective (and accurate) to use a % over Invoice. From my experience, 2.5-4.5% over Invoice is a "good" deal. One thing to realize is you don't see those "$100 over invoice!!!" specials with luxury cars. The makers know that people will shell out a few extra bucks for a nexus, Mercedes, etc...

bthirk · February 2001

With:

3Y5(Sunshades), PAW(Cold Weather Pkg.), PHS(Bose Stereo), PAL and PFX(Preferred and Premium Pkg.), PST(17" Sport Wheel Pkg.)

Racing green with Melange interior. Was told it is a custom order so wait is 8-10 weeks.

Got it for 4% over invoice.

Only thing is I got HAD on trade in value of my Honda. I'm going to sell it myself!!

Keep you all updated!!

jroc84 · February 2001

I am undecided between these three cars. I am really impressed with the Saudi , and the features, I like the dimmers fun factor out of the box handling, and the gs300 is beautiful refined , and sophisticated, and reliable yet so so flashy. I am leaning toward the A6 however the reliability reports have me spooked, along with the customer service. I currently own a mazda millennia I and the reliability reports out score both Saudi and dimmer. I want more but I dot want to regress in quality if you know what I mean. I am looking for long term. I am in to performance upgrades to, and all of these vehicles offer such. Pricing is about the same also, and so is insurance. What am I to do?

sbacklund · February 2001

Any current information on the 2002 A6? When and where will the best place be to locate?

timcar · February 2001

2002's should start hitting the dealers on the East Coast by the end of July or the begining of August. Best guess is that exterior may be changed very slightly (face-lift, not redesign) and the interior tweeked. May have new aluminum 3.0L to replace existing cast iron 2.8L.

First place I saw anything significant on the new A4, including plenty of photo's, was on AudiWorld. But I wouldn't expect anything any earlier than probably May. Here's their link:

http://www.audiworld.com/

tmanlaw · February 2001

I've had my A6 2.7T for about three weeks now. The more I drive it, the more I love it. I have never been so impressed with a car! Seems like I'm buying things at the grocery store one item at a time, just so I have an excuse to drive more. I do have a question though. What have people found to be the best wax/sealer/polish for Audi's paint?

timcar · February 2001

I prefer Zaino Show Car products. Their link follows:

http://www.zainobros.com/

Their polishes are polymer based and provide a hard, very long lasting shine. The sparkle and depth are almost unbelievable. The products are also easy to use. They provide complete instructions for the application and use of their products at their web site. It's very important to follow them, and if you do, the products work as advertised.

actionman · February 2001

Has anyone experienced hydraulic fluid leak from steering rack. It is a very expensive fix, and I want to know if it has been a problem for anyone else. Many thanks for the great information!

pat · February 2001

If you are interested in Zaino, there is a very active discussion on the product over on our Maintenance & Repair Board - here is a link: Zaino Car Care Experiences.

Pat
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Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

tmanlaw · February 2001

Thanks for the info on Zaino products. I had never heard of them. Their website, and the "Zaino Car Care Experiences" website gave me more information than I could ever use. Very impressive. I think I'll try them.

marsha7 · February 2001

once you read the zaino posts, you may discover that the posters there, well, seem to "like" their zaino products...to say the least

:):)

rwish · February 2001

Just a few days ago the new wheels and tires arrived from Tirerack! They're SSR Competitions and look great. Quite pricey but for as little a time as they've been on, I had quite a few compliments. Next step could be suspension mods but we'll see. I need to do a lot more investigating on this before jumping into it. Actually, I've already done quite a bit of research (i.e. PSK setup vs. Eibach spings/Bilstein shocks vs. coilovers) but need to think about it more. I want the tighter feel but don't really like the idea of dropping the car.

Rick 00 2.7T Ebony Pearl
Sport/Convenience/Cold Weather Pkgs
SSR Competition wheels

gjo11 · February 2001

I am considering an A6 4.2.The dealer has one on lot, unfortunately it has the 17" rims with Pirelli P6000 tires. I drove this in snow and could barely get the car to stop! I was hoping to find one with stock 16" rims and high performance tire that I could switch out to all season radial. I know that sounds like heresy to you Audiphiles but since I put 20k per year and do a lot of highway driving, I am trying to soften the ride and get some decent traction without the hassle of summer/winter tire set up. anybody have experience with different tire combos on the A6 4.2? Does the 16" rim make the car wheel well look odd? Any alternative to the Pirelli if I have to stay with the 17" rims? Also-does anybody have depreciation values for this car?
what will it be worth in 3 yr and 60,000 miles?
Thanks, and no offense to that Audiphile thing.

markcincinnati · February 2001

Wheels OK @ 17" -- you will like them better in the long run than the 16" wheels.

Lots of choices for High Performance all season tires -- www.tirerack.com.

If -- the car has the P6000's on it does this mean it has the Sport Suspension? Try to keep the same "circumference" on whatever tires you ultimately get -- for the computer, etc.

Good luck.

grogsuz · February 2001

Curious as to lease figures on recent 2.7T acquisitions.

automophile · February 2001

timcar -
Good lead on the Zaino products. I have been using them for about a year, and I could never go back to waxes. As you say, the shine and protection are unbelieveable - and it's easy, too!

kirby2010 · February 2001

A month ago I was quoted a money factor of .00260 and a residual of 55% for a 39 month lease. After some consideration I opted to buy. When I went back last week to close the deal I checked the latest lease numbers (to convince myself I made the right choice.) No change. Money factor was already good - 6.25% equivalent - and was unaffected by the recent reduction in interest rates. I felt the residual could/should be higher for the lease - perhaps 60 - 62%. Since I'd decided to buy I didn't try to negotiate these numbers.

timcar · February 2001

IMHO, the 17" rims look best. 16" won't make your car look wierd, but I don't think it would look as good though you'd get a bit softer ride and maybe a little better traction in snow. The biggest problem with the car you drove is it's summer high performance tires. They are not intended for snow and are lethal. There are lots of good all season and winter tires that should give you what you need for decent snow traction. Personally, I'd select Dunlop SP5000 ultra high performance all seasons. They have very good snow performance for an all season and don't degrade performance significantly.

I'd also suggest checking out Tire Rack on the net. It's a good place to both learn about and buy tires. I'm also attaching a URL for tire size comparisons. It happens to be for a Miata, but includes all A6 tires sizes as well. It's easy to use and informative.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Good luck!

lesleyallan · February 2001

I am from Seattle, WA, and the lease rate I was quoted on a 2001 A.6 2.7T was .0030. I would like to get .00260. Did they quote you this, or was it a published rate? Do you know if these lease rates change by region or state? My dealer told me that these rates are set by AudiUSA

ctorrey · February 2001

For those of you looking into A6 lease figures, check out the Leasing, Financing, and Warantee posting page. "Carman" has all the current lease info you may need and is quick to respond.

kirby2010 · February 2001

Two dealers quoted me a .00260 money factor. One showed me the published money factors and residual rates. It appears to me that they were working from the same Audi USA guidelines. I don't know much flexibility dealers have - or are willing to have with these numbers. Don't know, either, if this is regional - would imagine it could be.

rayainsw · February 2001

I went to my local Audi dealer here north of Atlanta primarily to investigate the 17" wheel Sport Package situation as it pertains to the purchase of an A6 2.7 TT. The salesperson said that they had a couple on order, but had not yet seen one - and he did not know the wheel width or the tire size / aspect ratio. Has anyone seen definitive information on this? The Edmunds site shows 205/55 for the tire size under both the PQP and PSK - but the tires on a Sport equipped A6 on the lot had 215/55s.

TIA!
- Ray

Who does not really want to pay to immediately 'throw away' 4 16" alloys to have Z rated tires on 17" rims installed after purchase...

timcar · February 2001

Hi, Ray. They're either 225/45 or 225/40. Can't remember for sure. The wheels are BBS RC's with Audi logo center caps. I believe they are shipped with summer performance tires from various manufacturers. I've got pictures of both the wheels, and cars with them. If you'd like, I can e-mail some to you. tmsci@worldnet.att.net.

hiflyer · February 2001

Is there any word whether the base 2002 A6 will be getting the same 220 hp engine as the new A4? It would certainly be sweet if it was matched with the upcoming 6 speed Manumatic, but alas that seems to destined for the new FWD A4s at least for now.

Much appreciated.

tmanlaw · February 2001

The Sport Package with the 17" wheels and tires is PST. It is not listed in the A6 Brochure, but is available for viewing on the Audi.com North America site. Try the following link:

http://commerce.audiusa.com/

Under "Accessories" in the left hand column, click on "A6", then click on "Performance".

guswirth · February 2001

I just got a A6 2.8. Have 250 miles on it(that's right two hundred and fifty). Left front seat heater control broke, right rear seat heater does not work, Went to start it yesterday and it was dead. I put on a charger and checked if anything was left on, found nothing left on. Drove it to dinner, was at dinner about two hours and car was dead again, had to get road service. Audi has the best handling car, but just cannot keep them going. Owned an 85,87 5000, and 90,V8. You would think I would learn. I suggest Lexus or Toyota, I have yet to have a problem with any of them, even a Honda is better.

moimeme · February 2001

I hate to say it, guy, but some people have bad fortune with cars of certain types. I think part of that relates to how you equip your car, another part how you use it, another part whether the world at large hates/loves you.

Example: I have a 1998 Mazda 626 ES-V6 w/automatic. At 73,000 miles, it's been completely problem free. Folks who bought the lower power engine have had all kinds of trouble.

I just leased an A6 4.2. 1100 miles so far and zero problems (no rattle, headliner hum, overboosted steering, changing radio stations, none o' that). Everything works, and I'm looking forward to 47 months of near perfectness.

r34 · February 2001

Will you consider Q45, RL, or MB E-class too ?
I think A6 is a better deal and worth the money.

guswirth · February 2001

Just got an Audi A-6 which now has 250 miles on it. Front seat heater contol bad, rear seat heater does not work and the car was DEAD when I tried to start it. I put on a charger and checked all to see if anything was left on, nothing. After charging a overnight, started it, parked it for two hours and dead again. Called dealer and they scheduled service 5 days from today. No Loaner available. Audi may be returning to the 85-87 years. Nuts, Toyota, Lexus or even Lincoln. Will I ever learn.

markcincinnati · February 2001

While not trouble free entirely, my wife and I have had 24 Audi's between us since 1978 -- our only "lemon" was a 1979 Audi Silver Fox, which seemed to consume a quart of oil every 150 miles or so.

The brakes on my 1997 A8 (the rotors that is) and the front rotors on my 2000 A6 4.2 had to be replaced a couple of times before they got a "good set."

My 1987 5000 CS quattro did have a little squeak in the driver's door which was fixed first time and the stereo on the same 5000 CS quattro had to have the speakers replaced in the rear doors as the tweeters blew after I discovered the Burning Down the House CD and cranked it too much.

Virtually all -- and probably literally all of my Audi "problems" have been fixed for free (but yes, I grant the problems did "put me out.") Overall, I have always felt that the Audi provided a level of performance, safety and fun that somehow made its less than "Japanese reliability" worth it.

The last few Audi's we have had, even the afforementioned A8 and A6 with their brake rotor problems, have been fundamentally bullet proof.

Nothing mechanical is perfect -- no car I have ever had is. My friends with their Toyotas and Hondas have nice reliable cars -- and they (the cars) are frustratingly unremarkable to the point of boredom and tedium. My friends with their BMW's Audis, Mercs -- even Volvos and Saabs -- may (MAY) have their cars "in the shop" with greater frequency than the Japanese car owners -- but they love driving their cars. The thing most people say about their Japanese cars is "they get me from point a to point b" or they are reliable. Seldom -- if ever -- have I heard the owner of one of these "perfect" machines opt to take their cars when they can ride in mine. Moreover, I cannot recall any of them ever actually talk about their driving experiences.

My European car -- especially German car owners -- friends will often wax poetic about how much they enjoy driving their cars.

Different perspectives I guess. Low maintenance would seem to be equal to low involvement and low "fun." Perhaps some of the higher maintenance some people seem to mention should be put in the perspective of their (generally) high praise for their cars "driving pleasure," "handling," or other aspects of its performance.

Sure, we all want a zero maintenance, high performance, high fun car -- I have yet to see anything that actually beats an Audi -- in its price class and certainly in its performance class. Of course, I believe that Audi quattros have few competitors -- although both Mercedes and BMW are trying to change that with their recent inclusion of AWD models in their respective lineups. Ahh -- but competition will surely improve the breed.

No Japanese cars need apply for residence in my garage -- life is too short.

But -- then again, "it" is in the Eye of the Beholder.

guswirth · February 2001

I drive an A8 and 740i and certainly agree with you for handling, my daughter has the A6 with a boat load of problems for 250 miles.
It is so embarassing to have my wife take me to the Audi or BMW garage every two weeks with her Lexus. Toyota is just zero problems. I guess it makes me mad, I am leaving for the Audi garage tomorrow, AGAIN. The V8 that I had before the A8 had $14,000 worth of warranty repairs, most of them on stuff I never knew wrong, dealer replace option.
Thanks again Mark for your comments. Heaven help Audi and BMW if the Asians ever get the fun in the cars.
Pretty soon I will be inviting the Audi Service man to dinner, I see him more than most of my friends.

moimeme · February 2001

I *still* have the Mazda 626 ES-V6 I mentioned in my earlier post. Just extended the lease by 6 months. It's fun AND reliable. Loves the twisties, has that saucy little growl to it when it's ready to rock and roll. When it's rainy out, I *logically* would choose the A6 because it's safer, but I put it best this way...

My Audi carries me safely and luxuriously through the rain. My Mazda likes playing in the rain and makes me crave rainy days. "Yippee, it's raining! Let's go for a spin! Yeah, let's take that curve a bit faster. Kewl! That was fun. Grrrrrrowl!!!" Have you seen the new Mazda Miata commercials where there are three cars playing around... ZoomZoom? It's not a joke. Just be sure you get the biggest engine they offer for whatever model you get.

On the other hand, when I feel like being pampered or want to go for an extreme performance drive, I prefer the A6 4.2.

My Mazda definitely has a better Bose stereo implementation as well. I also "feel the road" much better in the Mazda, while in the A6, I accidentally found myself going 125 and thought I was doing 70.

markcincinnati · February 2001

Your enthusiasm for your Mazda places you amongst a field of one person -- maybe two -- that I know with respect to driving pleasure and their non-European car. If the "zoom zoom zoom" commercials were matched with people like you (in quantity) -- Mazda, I am sure, would rule.

On the other hand, I submit my 2001 A6 4.2 with sport package (even tho it has an automatic) really does love rainy days, the twisties and handles like a snake in a rat hole.

While your enthusiasm is refreshing, it has in no way dampened mine -- and until there are many more who share your enthusiasm for the Japanese (esp. Mazda) magquis, I still remain unconvinced.

I'll take the great luxury (pampering) and/or extreme performance drive -- every day -- any day!

dmallinder · February 2001

My 626 V6 ( avoid the 4 ) will be replaced in a couple of months with either an allroad or a 4.2 A6 but my 99 Miata 10AE 6sp is going nowhere. I can't speak to Audis over the long term but nothing I test drove in the class of the A6, including the A6 was as fun as the Miata. Of course that's all the Miata is good for. No practical virtue of size, comfort, utility, safety or even speed. It's essentially a toy car but it is more fun to drive than anything I've come across period. That includes some cars costing over twice as much.

The V6 626 is to me far more entertaining and fun to drive than its competition - Accord, Camry etc 6s which is why I bought the thing even with its depressing resale value over much more saleable rivals. Mazda really does have a penchant for producing fine driving cars in their class and is a massively underestimated marque. Obviously it's not in the same class as the A6 in refinement or power or safety and isn't intended to be at $20K or so. Also worth mentioning is that Mazda marketing savvy is laughable and they have been unable to craft an image in the marketplace no matter what they try. I got 180,000 out of my last 626. 10yr old hard driven Miata with 150K plus on original clutches, gaskets and pumps are common. Again their driveability shines above their competitors - not just my opinion either - but who the hell thinks of MAzda first when they want to look at fun affordable cars with great reliability ? Me and the guy above and that's about it !

However comparing the Audis as I did several times to Lexus ES and GS, to MB E Class and to BMW 5 series I can honestly say it was more enjoyable than any of them.

....Now if it had a ragtop and could turn and hold a curve like the Miata we'd be on to something - including lapses in the laws of physics.

markcincinnati · February 2001

Try the TT -- I have never driven the Mazda, so this is not a poke -- but my wife had a 2000 180HP TT quattro and loved it so much she upgraded to the 225HP 2001 TT w/ESP.

She says the car is fun, safe and with the hatchback almost stationwagon like without looking it. Holds golf clubs, groceries and a bunch of other stuff -- and it is FUN.

Can't speak to reliablilty -- has 11,000 miles on it, and DID require a new set of tires, but they were really HP tires and therefore were kind of expected to only be good for 10 -15K miles.

Love this forum!

dmallinder · February 2001

A 3100-3500lb FWD or quattro roadster is not really a comparison vehicle to a 2200lb RWD Miata.

TT's look cool as hell and are undoubtedly fun, but the Miatae are not as much of a compromise. Other than maybe some power accessories the Mazda has absolutely nothing that does not maximize handling and driving enjoyment - from a 50-50 weight distribution so niggly that they put the battery in the trunk ( there is room in the front ) to a suspension set up that means you can drive over a quarter and tell which side up it is.
This also means they are pretty much suicidal in the snow and have all the luxury of a park bench. However just watch people cover their eyes when they see you take a sharp exit ramp at 80mph then gape when you don't even touch the brakes all the way around. Now that's fun !

Not knocking TTs. I'd definitely take one if I had to have one year-round car and wanted a convertible. Roomier trunk by 20% or so. 4" more shoulder room ( I'm about 260 ). More HP although not really faster because of the weight. But $10K more and 1000lbs heavier and not set up to take the corners the same way.

Miatae really compete more with S2000's and MR-2s than TTs, which are aimed at a more affluent and more luxury inclined market.

moimeme · February 2001

Actually, my 626 slipped in a few dollars over $30K, but it's an awful lot o' playfulness in that car, compared to the $53K for my loaded A6 4.2.

It's not a Miata going around the curves, but it does surprisingly well. I wonder what the skidpad is on this car? Hmmm... The 626 is remarkably well-balanced too. I was surprised to find out it's a FWD, 'cause it sure doesn't feel like it, and it's almost impossible for me to push the tail into an uncomfortable position. I think it would flip over first, it's so stable.

It's definitely a much better car than Honda/Toyota, even Lexus. As I said before, this car has great road feel. I didn't buy a 540i because, as the sales guy was saying "doesn't it feel like a car should" and I thought...cheap looking plastic, uncomfortable seats, one little strip of wood-grained plastic as an accent. Then, I tossed it around a curve that I always take at 70 in my 626. At 45, the 540i started sliding...almost had to change my underwear. I mean it wasn't that tight a curve! When I test drove my A6, I took the same curve at 75 and it didn't burp. That clinched the deal. Quattro works!

cubanaudi · February 2001

I grew up driving Mazdas, but have grown into loving Audis. These two cars are in totally different classes, so comparisons between them are pointless. The 626 is comparable to a Camry or an Accord. I do think the 626 is the much better drivers car of the bunch. Moimeme, if you really like the 626 so much, congratulations on extending the lease. It is a good driving car, and super reliable on top of that. Keep on zooming.

moimeme · February 2001

1. It seems to be almost universal that folks who enjoy Mazda's convert to Audi-philes. Very few seem to go to BMW's, Lexi, Toyota, American cars. A good number of Volvo and Saab purchasers too.

2. Just think...the fun, reliability and road feel of a Mazda PLUS the elegance and further attention to detail of an Audi. Combine the two and BMW simply wouldn't compete. The resulting car series would be remarkable. Also, Mazda has a large-scale, halfway decent service network.

Maybe we should start a petition...

pmvi · February 2001

That actually makes sense to me. Audi represents a well engineered and styled German car without the snobby or wannabe image (my opinion only) of BMW's. Mazda's have always been a little different than other Japanese cars.

BMW will always be BMW though. They still have the more prestigous image, and the best performance sedans.

markcincinnati · February 2001

BMW's are great cars, fun cars, overpriced cars and some of their cars are the "best performance sedans." When compared at a price point to Audis the BMWs just can't cope, however. And, for the 2000 model year more than one enthusiast's publication gave the nod to the S4 over the competing Bimmer, and the A6 over the competing 5 series. In fact the A4 quattro and the BMW comparable (if there is such a thing) 3 series have traded 1st and 2nd ratings time and again since the beginning of the mid 90's. At this point the most recent test put the A4 back in 1st place. In Germany, Audi edged past BMW in sales -- I think in 1998 or 1999.
The new 2002 A4 ups the ante again!

The "prestige" that is BMW is far greater in the US than elsewhere.

For the money, I just can't see (and neither can more than a few journalists) a BMW beating an Audi -- now if you crank the BMW's price up quite a bit, you can out accelerate and sometimes out handle an Audi -- on a perfect road, especially a perfectly dry road. The Audi seems to live in the real world, where it rains and snows and freezes a lot more competently.

Now, Audi better be looking over its corporate shoulder as we now have BMW and Mercedes apparently ready to "get serious" about AWD -- but at least at this moment in time the Audi, in its understated way only loses the prestige contest, not the performance or safety contest (again, especially at the same price point).

dmallinder · February 2001

OK I've never driven one for a long period so my experience is only test drives but I'm a relatively savvy driver who has driven on similar test drives just about every car in this class ( just as I did the more mid-priced sports sedans when I got the 626 V6 ) and I frankly don't see the reality behind the "ultimate driving machine". Now I'm definitely not saying they are junk. They are fine cars. However they are to me no more fun to drive than comparable Audis or Saabs etc. They have nicely made but spartan and uninspired interiors, no great reliability record, and in the 5 series at least offer nothing at all to compete with Audi's safety features.

I can take the same corner at the same speed in an A62.7T as a 530i. The Audi if anything feels slightly more responsive across the powerband. Top speed I never did and never would get close to so it matters not. Acceleration if any different would have to be stopwatch tested because you can't feel it. Add to that cheaper cost, quattro and much nicer interiors and it's no big decision at all for me.

I don't want to get in a piddling match with BMW guys because frankly it's all down to taste anyway but I wonder what specific objective advantages the BMW has.

pmvi · February 2001

Sorry guys, I didn't mean to start a flame. I agree with you--I would rather own an Audi A6. However, I can think of 1 objective advantage for the BMW: 1. Speed/Acceleration: the 540 is simply faster than any A6; the M5 more so. Also-while they may be biased--every professional review I have ever read says their steering is superior. On a subjective level, I do think the BMW feels more "solid".

As far as styling, I think both companies are very good. I much prefer the A6 over the 5 series, the 3 series over the A4 (though not by much) and the 7 series over the A8 (though I suspect the A8 is a better car overall). Interiors? No contest there: Audi!

Is Audi a better car for the money? Yes. Also, I personally don't like the BMW "image".

Audi A6

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