Any Audi Owners?

[RBBailey]

The '03 BMW we have, a 325i sport trim, has 186k on it, and it's getting a bit small for our growing kids. We've been spending about $1000.00 every six months on simply replacing items that are going bad. Although we like the car... We've been wanting a wagon and we've been wanting AWD.

The Xi Wagons are very difficult to find, and when we finally got a chance to drive one, we really didn't like it as much as we thought we would. This was a newer model, and I certainly like the E46 line better than the E90.

So we drove a Volvo V50 -- not anywhere near the same class. Interested in the V70 XC, but it's a bit larger than we wanted, and the model line we like would be high $$$$$.

Started looking at the A4 wagons and liked what we were seeing, but I haven't driven anything newer than a late '99 Audi, so...

But, when doing a literal side by side comparison with an XDrive 328i Wagon, we really ended up liking the Audi better. More comfortable, much better AWD system, better MPG, basically the same performance, better price. So, here it is! What should we know from anyone who has owned one?

2007 A4 Avant Wagon 2.0T

 

[kennith]

If you don't change the oil while standing on your head and clinching a calculator in your tight German ass, cylinders 1 and 3 will seize.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[RBBailey]

Is there an app for that?

 

[Roving Beetle]

Keep the oil changed with good synthetic oil and follow the timing belt/water pump/tensioner interval and you'll be fine.

Buy a VAG-Com from ross-tech (on the web) and smile every time you solve your own diag and recodes etc. Amazing scan tool for cheap money.

Is it manual or automatic Tiptronic? If auto don't believe the "lifetime fluid" BS. Change it at 50K intervals.

If you ever need help email me I am a trained VW/Audi tech and have had a lot of them. We just bought my wifey a 2012 TDI A3 to replace her 2007 MINI Cooper S.

That Avant is a Pretty car!

Doug

 

[DougG]

That's a great car. I have a 2005 A8L and it's amazing. Like Doug said, just like the Land Rover, maintenance is key. I believe that the 2007 has a timing chain and not a belt. At least in the A8, they changed from belt to chain in 2007. Once you get into Audi's, no other German sedan will do it for you. The interior fit and finish has no equal, and the exterior is just right. Not flashy, but understated class. The $250 for the Vag-Com will pay for itself very quickly, and is a must for Audi enthusiasts. If you live in an area with snow, throw some Nokian's on that baby, and you can go anywhere.

 

[emmodg]

I'll second the VAG COM purchase comment. I had a 1.8T in a GTI and would have been hurting without it!

Audi is a nice car but the build quality on their lower end models doesn't compare to Beyerische Motoren Werke!

Thats a Torsen-design AWD I think - I know they used Haldex designed stuff but just not sure which models....Haldex is FWD with AWD when it sees fit. LOL!

 

[Roving Beetle]

A3 is the only haldex Audi.

And the timing chain is only the v8 if I recall correctly.

 

[Ed Cheung]

But is the A4 roughly the same size as the BMW 3-series? Why not a A6.

 

[pdxrovermech]

i think he just really needed the wagon. we have a base 2010 A4. Its a bit more pricey than our Mazda3 was, but for a full-size car it gets surprisingly good gas mileage and the road noise seems to be cut in half. The insurance was cheaper too because apparently the 3 was considered a sports car. too much zoom zoom i guess.

 

[mjbrox]

if it is anything like the one I had, you will get to know your service advisor on a first name basis

 

[Some Dude]

We just bought my wifey a 2012 TDI A3

Suh-weet. That little engine is amazing. Been rocking a 2012 TDI since April.

 

[Drillbit]

Steve Young works at an Audi dealer now, he could give you some pointers.

 

[JohnB]

Best decision you will ever make is buying an Audi.

 

[Ballah06]

Having had an 01 1.8L A4, non-turbo (was not as much fun to drive as the T verion) and the 06 3.2L A6 (non-turbo as well) i have not personally ran into any major issues. I will say though that having shopped around, i found the options and styling offered by Audi to be much better, IMO, than comparable Benz and BMW models. Having driven an A3, that thing was quirky and fast.

 

[RBBailey]

But is the A4 roughly the same size as the BMW 3-series? Why not a A6.

Yeah, they are virtually the same size but the cargo space in the Audi is a bit more squared off and taller than the BMW. But like I said, when we actually got into the BMW wagon (E90 version as a comparison to the B7 Audi) we just liked it better. I thought I would be sold on BMW for a long time, but I just don't like the interior, comfort, and handling of the E90 as much as I do the E46. If I had been able to find a low mileage, good condition E46, that might have been different. But then, looking at these videos sort of sells me on the AWD system of the Audi over the XDrive:

;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4IrzzMgkks&t=0m42s

Now, if my wife would let me collect cars, I'd still have my old E30 in the garage!

Good info here, thanks for the posts.

 

[KyleT]

my bro has a 07 a4 quattro s-line v6 (sedan). it is nice.
he did stainless brake lines and S4 front brake rotors and caliper brackets, seems to make it stop quite a bit faster.

since you have the 2.0T, boosting more power is easy peasy.

e46 is not Xdrive.
Xdrive is about the same as Quattro, but both are miles ahead of the old BMW xdrive that wasnt really xdrive in the e46.

audi looks tons better than the bimmer too.

 

[RBBailey]

my bro has a 07 a4 quattro s-line v6 (sedan). it is nice.
he did stainless brake lines and S4 front brake rotors and caliper brackets, seems to make it stop quite a bit faster.

since you have the 2.0T, boosting more power is easy peasy.

e46 is not Xdrive.
Xdrive is about the same as Quattro, but both are miles ahead of the old BMW xdrive that wasnt really xdrive in the e46.

audi looks tons better than the bimmer too.

Yeah, I was talking about the E90 we drove.

That's one other thing about this car, the brakes were noticeably more effective on normal breaking than the BMW. The discs up front are huge. It really wants to stop when you ask it to.

I'm wondering about chips, but I'm not telling my wife about my thought process along those lines.... although, I have to assume that a tweak would shorten the life of the turbo.

 

[KyleT]

upgrade to the S4 rotors and your teeth will be on the dash.

 

[wheelen disco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hs10NzmPrQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This is the only reason to buy an Audi

 

[mick968]

We've got 2 Audi's.Allroad Quattro and TT Coupe.TT has been awesome car and hoot to drive.Allroad is also fun vehicle but a technology/mechanical nightmare.Should have done more research on Allroad before purchase.