wvoce

Am looking at buying an A4 Avant tdi sport or a 3 series touring (330 ideally but prob a 320 diesel) as i am doing 500+ miles a week.

can anyone give me a few words on everyday living with these cars. i am organising test drives but would like some real life experineces too.

cheers

will

Blueblaster

Can't comment on those, but I can recommend the Civic Diesel. Check the specs to see the kind of value this car offers. I get 50mpg combined and have just been to Homebase and loaded it with a wheel barrow, my golf clubs and a lawn mower. There was loads of room to spare. Buy the Civic and treat yourself to some track days.

Dream Weaver

If you get the 320, go for the std kit with 17" wheels.

Our 320cd has the Sport kit and 18's and is dangerous on the motorway, tramlining like mad. In fact, any bumpy road throws it around which is a problem in the UK.

My Pug is more stable on the motorway, even over a ton.

Amazing economy though, 50 mpg at 90mph on a run

AudiLover

audi better interior, safer and more comfortable

turboman786

not to mention lifeless steering and devoid of any character....

AudiLover

your opinion not mine. If audi is that bad then vauxhalls and fords must be like walkin through hell.

Dream Weaver

AL, you're obsession with Audi is quite worrying, especially considering your age and the vitriol you pump into these threads when people don't agree with you, specifically the missscoobygav thread

Audi's are OK, i've been looking at A4's this week, but they are bland looking things at the best of times, and they don't set the motoring magazines alight do they.

You're barely out of nappies, try driving a few different marques.

logiclee

If you enjoy driving and enjoy a car with feedback and sharp handling then you will have to discount VAG products although the latest Golf and it's clones are much better.

Cheers
Lee

logiclee

The Mondeo is in several classes above the A4 for driving pleasure, fluid handling, ride and steering feel.
Vauxhall know the current Vectra could never compete against the Mondeo and other cars for handling and response so they market it on it's refinement and motorway ride quality. Horses for courses and all that.

The A4 is a quality premuim product thats very well built but it is not a drivers car, the steering has little feel, the ride is too soft on some models and jiggly on others, it doesn't have the fluid balance and feel of the lesser Mondeo.

Depends what you want from a car and at what price and that's why they all sell well.

Cheers
Lee

AudiLover

what about TT, rs4, s8, a6. Audi is a luxury maker, they are built to keep you safe, be fast, but not feel fast in the cabin, ie hides speed due to excelent ride, noise reduction etc.

A4 still ****s all over a mondeo though. Most people here have never even driven a new sporting one, they just spit out old sterotypes by magazines of old audi models.

Remember at one point the B7 A4 was class leader for about 3 months just before the E90 3 series arrived.

rabbos

As judged by the robot who designs audis ^^^

logiclee

The models you quote have prices that could buy many Mondeo's so one would expect something several times better.

But you really should be comparing something like an A4TDi with a Mondeo TDCi.
Then you have to way up life costs and whether you prefer the image and premium feel of the Audi or the handling and drivabililty of the Mondeo.

Of course the thread starter was more realistic comparing the A4 to the 3 Series.
It's all down to what you want from a car but Audi's main stream bread and butter models fall down on their drivability and ride when compared to other more driver focused brands.

And I'm not just sprouting magazine reviews, I have four or five hire cars a month and get to drive most anything apart from the really high end luxury stuff.

Cheers
Lee

wvoce

so the A4 is a no no then!!

am hoping to see an 02 320dse touring at the weekend with leather etc it has had a new turbo aswell so that should remove one worry! so will have some experience my self.

cheers

will

logiclee

Depends what you want, the A4 is a good car but the mainstream models are not drivers cars.

Cheers
Lee

500

I'll be going for the A4 1.9 TDI Avant in a couple of months.

I'm not bothered about it being a 'drivers' car as If i wanted that sort of car I wouldnt be looking for any diesel estate

a remap should help the torque figures dramaticly though

It's my choice and everyone has differing opinions, I'd say get out and try a few!

AudiLover

How come so many people opt for the 1.9tdi? Id get the 2.0 version!

Petem95

A4's are excellent, and so are 3-series IMO. I currently drive a 2002 A4, and as has been said built is excellent, its great on the motorway - very quiet. Handling isnt as good as a 3-series, but its still a very good handling car - grip is excellent, very little body roll on corners but the steering could do with more feel. You can still have fun on a/b roads tho.

A 3series was the other option when I bought my A4, and the main plus for the BM was the better handling. Negatives were the interior, which is good, but not as good as the A4 in terms of space or build.

That shape BM is starting to look quite dated now IMO, and obviously the image really suffers when they get a bit older and all fall into the hands of low-lifes

500

2.0 diesel or petrol? Ive got enough gas guzzlers already and fancy somthing with a bit of economy, I like the pull of a turbo, and to get it to 370 ft/lb its only a case of a remap!

Like I said, each to their own. if you were to get one, you'd have one, and I'd still have the slightly older 1.9 thats already lost it's initial fall in value