RFMASSA

Had two BMW's , 325xi and X3 prior to me buying two new 2010 Audi Q5's. No comparison for me. Audi all the way.

abiazis

My friends in Germany tell me they go with Audi A 4 or 6 as a DD because of better reliability and lower initial cost versus BMW.....Quattro is a refined all wheeler and proven........ you see more in the fatherland because of the aforementioned...

BMW has lost many of its followers due to the last decade of uneven styling appeal and poor fit and finish versus years past.....engines still run well when they run...quality of interior materials has declined dramatically the last few years, as it seems you find the same stuff no matter the class........IMHO

Newly designed Volvo S60 is getting great reviews by the car mags and could be a viable test ride candidate.....

Infinity G-series or a used M also pretty good test drive candidates...they have 4 wheel drive also...very reliable cars....

Mercedes C or E or M could also fit the bill - solid cars....for DD.....I am sure you saw a few of them in Germany being used as Taxis.......

Lots of choices these days......even a Cayenne or used Panamera.....reliability may be a question though with those...

cmd4

another thumbs up for the audi.I've had two,no issues other than coilpacks.PLus if ya want you can pick up a used s4 at a descent price point.......or maybe even a avant.And yes...the quatrro is the best in the snow hands down with some descent winter tread on it.You always hear about the usual bashing of reliability,but honestly evryone i ACTUALLY know with audis has had great experiences with them like myself.Honestly any euro's gonna have it's ups and downs...thats why we love em!plus they're so much easier to find with that third pedal too

Canyon56

I've never owned an Audi. So all my fear of them comes from the perception that they are not reliable. So where does that perception come from? There are so many reports about poor reliability with Audi.

I'm curious because I own a MB that's been flawless. And yet everyone says they aren't reliable either.

Is all this stuff made up?

I've always been curious as to why there's a general consensus that one brand is somehow worse than another.

I guess once something gets ingrained in one's mind, then reality takes a back seat.

Or is it part of the internet phenomenon where anything said becomes 'fact.'

ilko

I'm biased since I've owned a few Audis. I've found them to be reliable after warranty/CPO expires. And if you're moderately handy you can do most of the work on the 4-cylinder turbo engine by yourself.

My current car:

DFC4S

Thanks to all the Audi owners for chiming in here. My perception is what was holding me back on Audi and greatly appreciate the feedback. Somehow, I'm not sure I would have taken the feedback the same way hearing it from the Audi salesman this weekend... Appreciate the feedback here.
To be honest I do not like the new 3-series BMW styling since E90. I've owned a 97 M3 and 01 328i and now am going to be looking at the A4 as the replacement. In fact, am even going to look at a few new Avant's this weekend. I'm am also now thinking about a B7 Avant if I can find a great one.

jhale

Derek,

It might be worth looking at Volvo as well... I have an '06 Volvo V70R and it has plenty of giddy up (340hp (w/ slight mods) and lots of room if you're thinking wagons. IMHO, the interior and leather work is beautiful and the boost is addictive.

Rinty

Derek:

My wife has a 2001 A4 1.8 with 165,000 km on the clock. To date, the failures have been:

rear coil springs
rear differential seals
mass airflow sensor
heater motor
exterior trim
coolant guage
oil temperature guage
in dash CD player
rear wheel bearing

The clutch was replaced at 160,000 km. and the coil packs were replaced on a recall.

This car was a certified used unit, but I found out too late that it came out of Quebec, where they apparently use a lot of salt on the roads. Lesson learned is to car fax even certified cars.

But my wife loves the thing.

Helsinki Paul

Hi From the frozen North of Europe,

If you need AWD performance the Audi Quattro is the way to go IMHO.

I've had an A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro for two years and an A6 2.4 Quattro for three years before that. The Quattro is with out doubt the best all round AWD system I have driven.

Also both cars have been totally reliable with superb build quality.

I have driven a number of BMWs with xdrive over the past couple of years and although competent cars they do not match the all round performance of the Quattro driven Audis on icy or loose surfaces.

With snow on the ground for about than four months a year in Southern Finland and a variety on road surfaces in the countryside I don't think there's a better choice for my everyday driving than the Audi Quattro.

Good luck with your purchase.

C2Cab95

I have a MkV GTI w/DSG and the 2.0t is by far the best 4-banger I've ever owned as well. It's just so silky smooth with TONS of low end torque.

That said, all the reviews, publications, all pretty much point to Audi.

cabrio993

Here is some reading and more food for thought.

http://wardsauto.com/reports/2010/te...ngines_091208/

Another Audi honoree is the excellent 2.0L TFSI turbocharged I-4, which returns to the list for the fifth straight year, driven in the Audi A4 sedan.

This benchmark engine, upgraded in 2008, is well ahead of its time, combining both direct injection and forced induction for stellar performance and allowing Audi customers to downsize their engine choice from a V-6 to a 4-cyl., without compromise.


3 out of the 10 best engines for 2010 are Audi's/VW (same). The 2.0L TFSI Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A4) has made the list 5 years in a row. BMW's only reference is their Diesel Engine - 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel (BMW 335d)

2Many Cars

Looks like it was designed in Japan or South Korea. It's a shame because BMW used to have some of the best looking cars on the road but their styling has gotten seriously off track. At least they're slowly but surely getting rid of the Bangle butt.

DFC4S

Great info and thanks again everyone.
The consensus majority on the 993 board is Audi I can see.

rw229

Audi makes a nice car. Our family has had two A4s and a TT with nothing more than scheduled maintenance needed. I would strongly consider another if I can get past the dealer's annoying sales games.

I've also looked at the 328ix. Nice but expensive, felt more cramped inside and I really don't care for the RFT tires.

If it doesn't have to be German, I would also look at the Infiniti G37x which seems to provide a lot of car for the money.

1pcarnut

Just sold the last BMW I'm going to own for quite a while. It was an 03 325iT and was nothing but trouble including leaking oil filter housing, front arm bushings, failed alternator, failed starter, failed radiator overflow tank and more. All this by 65k miles. The day I sold it the windshield washer tank failed literally as the guy drove up to the house to pick it up. I compensated him for the trouble but boy was I glad to see that car go. This was my fifth BMW in the last 10 years and there won't be any more for quite a while.

Regarding the Audis, they are having their issues too including carbon build up on the 2.0 motors with direct injection. Without fuel going through the intake tract, carbon is building up on the intake valves causing a misfire. Overall build quality though is in my experience better than the BMW and the interior fit and finish are better. I currently have an XC90 which I quite like and it has terrific seats for trips. The new Volvo 3.2 I6 has developed a great reputation with no issues since 07.