Which would you pick ? Audi A6 or BMW 530xi

[pwp]

OK so I'm getting the Mrs. a new vehicle (old = 2001 BMW 330i)
And I was pretty well set on the 530xi, we are mainly looking for more rear passenger space, and we LOVED our 330 but, the more I look at the A6 the more I like.

Any comments , opinoins, and snide remarks , would be appreciated.


Thanks

 

[mightymg]

I just drove an a6 saturday, and after that ride, I was sold, Im getting one for the wife also. The beamer is nice too, they seem pretty close to the same to me.

 

[BeachRover]

Never owned an Audi but I can't say enough good things about my 540.

 

[draaronr]

I have an A4 and personally I love the interior and the bad weather traction is superb, but as said above the BMW is nice also. If awd is what you are looking for the audi is the way to go they have a long track record with the quattro system

 

[mr_katanga]

every audi everyone I have known has owned has been a complete nightmare (with the exception of a4's and s4's). We're talking all sorts of wacky problems such as transmission failures, electrical harness shorts, fires, cruise control staying on, the whole lot. All of these problems have been on cars from 2000- present, so it's not like this is stuff that just happened in the "dark ages" or something. They do have nice interiors, but you could not pay me to take one. The BMW is nice, but certainly costs a lot more than the audi when you have it all outfitted with the same stuff. I would get the bmw - but my opinion is biased, since I own a Bmw and have all of the first person audi horror stories. Finally I would get the bmw, because the particular engine in the 530 uses a timing chain system and not belts like the audi. Belts have to be changed (which on those motors is not super cheap), are more likely to break than a chain, and when they break, kiss your valvetrain goodbye.

 

[FIVESPDDISCO]

get the 5 think resale

 

[montanablur]

I have an Audi.

Love it.

Although, there was a thread somwhere talking about BMW owners having more sex...

 

[Silver]

I got to drive an A6 last week, nicer than any BMW I've ever driven. Go with the Audi.

 

[MTN_rover]

my mother has an A6 and my father had a 5series. she has had a few odd problems out of it. hers was audi certified so they were all taken care of free of charge. but the interior is nicer than the beamers and it also rides very well.

 

[Alyssa]

We had a 2004 530, and it was the WORST vehicle we have ever owned. We had fires in the car, CONSTANT electrical problems, transmission problems, a/c failures, smells, squeaks, airbag problems, trim problems, you name it. Not to mention the incessant software bugs that wiped out every electrical function in the car. We ended up settling w/lemon law and just recently got rid of it. The resale value on the NEW BMW 7 & 5 series SUCKS. Really. It's a shame, because it used to be fabulous. Fabulous car, fabulous resale, fabulous reliability. I think they rushed production of the new model & introduced it before they had everything figured out. Plus, BMW customer service is HORRIBLE. I wouldn't really call it service at all...and that's at both the dealer and corporate level.
I have no personal experience with the Audi, but I want to warn you that the new BMW is NOT the old BMW.

 

[Rocky]

Wife loves her xc70. doesn't work for me though. Rversions really shift as well....

 

[Eric N.]

Audi really needs so make an S6..

 

[jhmover]

Just don't buy a Mercedes....after dealing with my girlfirend's, I think Mercedes is German for Junk.

 

[pwp]

I already ruled out the Mercedes E350, absolutely nothing impressed me on that car.

Thanks for all the feedback. As I stated we LOVE our 2001 330I, but the look of the new five dosen't gimme all that much love. Plus AWD is a must (winter+snow+woman driver (not that theres anything wrong with that)+kids=AWD) and that got me looking at the Audi, as some one else noted, Audi has been making AWD for a long time compared to BMW. The thing that keeps pulling back to BMW is my current 330I and how much I like it. Oh boy it's gonna be a tough one, I am going to drive the Audi later this week.

 

[curtis]

I have a buddy that just bought a new A6. He absolutely loves it. He better because he is paying $846/mo for 66 months. After insurance and gas I figure he is in it for a litle more than his house payment each month.

I used to drive FGI's (Fine German Iron) until I realized I was just throwing my money away. Now I have one paid off 98' LSE, and one nearly paid off 2002 MPV. Not nearly as cool as an A6, but my house sure is worth a hell of a lot more than my buddies.

So my buddy comes over a couple of weeks ago. We started talking about the even nicer home we are considering building. He moans and bitches about how he could never afford a house like that because he is so buried in his current car and house. He won't even go to see the neighborhood with me. He does offer me a ride in his A6. I declined, but said that someday we should drive his A6 to our prospective new community - then we would both know what we were missing out on.

Cars always go down in value. Invest wisely and if you have to get something bigger - get something used and reliable. Minivans are so cheap. There are other options too. Tell your wife you will get her a new house or improve the one you are in with all of the dollars you will save

 

[Roverlady]

Plus AWD is a must (winter+snow+woman driver (not that theres anything wrong with that)+kids=AWD)

Oh boy it's gonna be a tough one, I am going to drive the Audi later this week.

Woman driver eh? Boy THAT must be scary! Gotta have AWD then...never know when a woman is gonna skid off the road....of course, if she's out in the snow and doesn't know how to drive in it...that's even more scary! (partial sarcasm here)

What does SHE want? Seems to me, SHE should drive the Audi too.

 

[ID_Disco_II]

For the wife, I would go Audi all the way. My wife loves her 2000 A4 wagon, and I feel better knowing she has the quattro awd system for the harsh winters out here. It is a very nice car, very sound, good comfort features, rides very smooth, and is a great car for long trips. Power is more than adequate, the transmission feels solid, and handling is accurate and inspires confidence. We have had it two years with only a few minor issues, not even major enough to worth mentioning.

That being said, the Audi will never equal the driving experience I got from driving a BMW. The Audi is more refined and subdued, almost like a sports car on novacaine: you feel it all, but it feels rather numb. The BMW, however, is a driver's car: more direct and immediately responsive, like a sports car should be. That probably explains why you are leaning towards the BMW then the Audi, and your wife the reverse. Guys tend to like the sports car feel where women tend to like the more refined road manners of the Audi.

 

[ID_Disco_II]

Audi really needs so make an S6..

Audi RS6 Plus

 

[Roverlady]

What about the BMW wagon? I believe the 5 and 3 series Sport Wagons are AWD?



My sis went from BMW (89) to Mercedes (92) to BMW (98) to Land Rover (03) and she misses her BMW the most. Wanted an X5 but the Rover was a better deal. She says her 98 Beamer was the best of them all.

 

[pwp]

What about the BMW wagon? I believe the 5 and 3 series Sport Wagons are AWD?

My wife express her "dislike" for wagons many time to me. I like em !
The 5 series sedan is available as AWD. Which is the one I am considering.