Rob 97 993c2

Need Adice.
My friend was in an accident (she is ok), but totalled her 95 volvo 850 with 140k mi -amazing how it ran forever and she loved it.
She is now looking for a replacement. She lives in Hartford,CT (bad weather), drives lots, and wants something a little less sluggish.

We tested cars this w/e and drove the new Audi A4 3.0 quattro - was very quick and the quattro had great grip.
Also looked at the Passat 4matic both 6-cycl and 8-cycl but didnt do a long test drive. She is considering both as well as buying used (2002 and up). As the weather is bad, she is seeking the best value and is not sure if it is worth to take the depreciation of a new car if the used market is weak.
Questions:
1) Are the VW and Audi allwheel drive systems the same?
2) What are differences between cars beyond the name and more gadgets in the audi
3) Do you guys think the value play is a used passat - when did the model year change? (i.e. Latest Audi a4 is same from 2002 to date)
4) Is there a Audi/VW rennlist forum?
5) Should she consider anything else in this class that would be good?
thanks,
=r

swftiii

As far as Audi vs VW here are some experiences I know of:

I have a bunch of friends with VWs (passat and jetta) and they have had a bunch of problems with them.
My Dad has had an Audi with around 80k miles and has had no problems and it still runs very well.

Needless to say, when I buy a sedan I had always thought I would look at the Passat, but now I know I would buy an Audi quattro.

Good luck to her and just my experiences.

-Skip

Randy M

I've had a '92 Corrado, a '98 GTI and an Audi S4. The only problem I've had with any of them was the AC on the Corrado. Imo VAG makes great cars and the fit and finish on the new ones are excellent. Of the two my pick would be the A4 w/ a 3.0 in it.

Rezal

1) Not sure
2) I believe the Passat is still on the old platform, the B5, but the new A4 is on the B6 chassis. Also, in the case of the B5 platform, the Passat's is extended so there's more interior room vs. the B5 A4
3) Used A4s, esp. the B5s, have been dropping in prices
4) For audi, go to www.audiworld.com, For VW, go to www.vwvortex.com
5) Another option is the BMW 325xi but the interior isn't nearly as nice as the Audi (the Audi looks better and not as depressing), plus Audi has been doing quattro for decades. If she doesn't mind a cheaper interior and lack of brandname cache, but just as good, if not better reliability, consider the Subaru WRX which is in the low 20s (not the full fledged STi). A lot of pep for not a lot of buck.

When looking at the recent Passats/Audis, be aware of the coilpack problem. VW/Audi had to do a major recall due to the supplier producing poor quality coilpacks. Unfortunately, due to parts constraints, VW/Audi botched the recall process. They would only replace the bad coilpack and then only to have the customer return a month later with another bad coilpack which might be same one replaced a month ago. There has been a lot of frustration expressed on Audiworld and VW Vortex.

If she wants low end torque, get the 3.0 V6 A4. The 1.8t does ok but is probably lacking on the low end (popular among tuners though and is seen as a poorman's S4).

Another option is to look at used A6s, specifically the 2.7t. A lot of interior space and very luxurious. Lastly, even if she has AWD, don't forget to get dedicated winter tires. These cars are awesome with them. The Audi club even has a winter driving school up in NH that you can go to to learn on how to maximize quattro in the snow. I knew someone who went and had a lot of fun.

titleist1

My wife drives a 2002 Audi 3.0 Quattro and it is a great car, we had the last version but this car is much better driver and goes well in bad weather.

911

Personally, I really like the look of the newer A4s. It has a classy, yet sporty shape to it. I was looking into getting an A4 Avant, but decided on the allroad instead (dealer was out of the Avants). Good luck.

nota_troll

Buy my S4 avant.

Franklin229

My wife has had a 1999 Passat since new-awesome car! For the $$$ it was a far better value than the Audi, which was almost 8K more for a lot of the same parts and less room.
The VW is probably still a better value although the latest Passat body style has been cluttered with "K-mart chrome".

Chuck W.

Both are great cars. Two of my daughters have Passats; 2002 and 2003. My son has a 2000 Audi A4. The A4 is all wheel drive, the Passats are not. For fit and finish, the Audi is the winner. The Passats are great cars it’s just that the Audi is put together a little better. I believe that resale will also be better on the Audi. My wife has the Audi S4 Avant. Although it is more expensive, it is by far much nicer that the A4. All S4’s are all wheel drive. For boards www.audiworld.com is great for all Audis. For the Passat I prefer www.clubb5.com. Good luck

Alfie

To my knowledge, the A4 Quattro system utilizes a Torsen Differential(mechanical), electronically controlled, while the 4motion system uses a Haldex coupling, so the reaction may be a bit slower. The coil issue was for 02's and the first batch of 03's, and affected the 3.0 much less than the 1.8T motor. I am biased, since I sell Audi's at Ira Porsche-Audi, but I would take the a4 3.0 personally.
Im also not sure if VW has free scheduled maintenance yet.