Since theres a bit of chatter about them atm I thought Id ask a few Qs. Ive been looking at these for a while as an upgrade, but frankly I cant find much solid info on the variety in the range to know whats good/best in performance and features.
Are the TDis better performers like for like with the petrols? I know the avants are simply estate versions, what are the other differences between things like sport and quattro 4WD?
Id be looking at 2L + probably, whether petrol or turbo diesel.
sport is just a trim level, like SE, quattro is obviously 4wd
personally if i was gonna get an a4 I wouldnt bother with a petrol version seeing as the 2.5 tdi has 170bhp, more than enough grunt to get you where you want to go
How much you wanting to spend?
Bored of the 5 already?!
Jaimz :rock:
clockd, most answers you are after will be found on http://www.whatcar.co.uk/
Id get a Skoda Octavia 1.8Turbo personally, fast and economical. Good cars and pretty much the same as A4s.
The diesels are super cheap and there are nice examples around too, not just 200K taxis.
Anything with the 1800 20V turbo will do - preferably with Quattro as well.
300bhp on standard internals is very easy on these.
Quote from: JaimzBored of the 5 already?!
Jaimz :rock:
Nah I wouldnt say Im bored of it. Just looking for something with a bit more comfort and refinement, but good performance too. The 5 is great fun (I had a lot of laughs plowing down a 4 mile narrow country lane in Wales at the weekend), but its not practical and wind noise, etc gets on your tits on long journeys (3-4 hours drives I do fairly regularly).
Im going to budget around 10k for one next year.
What Car? was alright but it didnt go into great detail about the variances and performance details, anyone know a good Audi forum?
vwvortex.com
Quote from: redvwvortex.com
Everyone on that forum seems to be a 3L driving American. :lol:
From sitting in one of my colleagues A4s theyre not terribly roomy inside (compared to Mondeo/Vectra family cars). The high doors give you a shut-in feel too. Id look at a 5 series diesel perhaps, though also youd want a hatchback/touring thingy for carrying those big ATCs when you get them :P
Quote from: Clockd 0NeQuote from: JaimzBored of the 5 already?!
Jaimz :rock:
Nah I wouldnt say Im bored of it. Just looking for something with a bit more comfort and refinement, but good performance too. The 5 is great fun (I had a lot of laughs plowing down a 4 mile narrow country lane in Wales at the weekend), but its not practical and wind noise, etc gets on your tits on long journeys (3-4 hours drives I do fairly regularly).
Im going to budget around 10k for one next year.
What Car? was alright but it didnt go into great detail about the variances and performance details, anyone know a good Audi forum?
Fair play mate, have a look at:
http://www.audifans.net/http://www.audiforums.com/Jaimz :rock:
Cheers for the Brit forum links :)
Quote from: CeathreamhnanFrom sitting in one of my colleagues A4s theyre not terribly roomy inside (compared to Mondeo/Vectra family cars). The high doors give you a shut-in feel too. Id look at a 5 series diesel perhaps, though also youd want a hatchback/touring thingy for carrying those big ATCs when you get them :P
ATCs will probably come the year after at this rate (I keep watching the SCM10/11s sporadically popping up on eBay) :P
I think the Avant style boot would be useful, but overall I dont like the estate look as much. Are the avants actually longer cars or is it all perceptual?
If roominess was an issue I was starting to consider the A6, but that opens up a whole other raft of questions. I think A4/A4 Avant is the way to go.
air traffic controllers?
Ive recently changed my mind over A4s, sure theyre nice and they have a certain status, but there are cheaper and better cars out there, the ford mondeo being one of them, the ST TDCis are fast, and they look nice too, plus theyll have all the equipment the A4 has and the servicing and parts will be cheaper too
ATC speakers (http://www.audiosalon.co.uk/atcmain.html)
The new Mondeo is fab and all the reviews agree there, but the old one just doesnt have the looks and class to quite match up. Id take a new style Mondeo though I doubt Ill be able to afford one, compared to an Audi a few years old with a bit of mileage.
new style mondeos get the seal of approval from the person designing the parts.
Personally I think the MkII Mondy is better to look at the bloated Focus-esque MkIII, and the Zetec or ST versions are sharper to drive too. Mk1s are sh*te though. All based on 400k plus miles in the 1st two types!
What specs have you been driving? Ghia? Titanium?
my sister has an A6 and loves it... its about 13yrs old now but youd beleave it was only a couple of years if you didnt already know :o
her husband is always trying to get her to change to an M5... but being a "girl" shes happy with the A6 :shock:
Quote from: Clockd 0NeWhat specs have you been driving? Ghia? Titanium?
LX, LX, Zetec 2.0, Zetec 2.0, Zetec S TDCi. They all have the same suspension except the Zetec/Zetec S/ST which is a bit stiffer.
I dont suppose you driven the Audis too? It would be nice to have a point of comparison. I drove a new Focus Ghia for a few hundred mile and it wasnt bad at all, nicely specced.
Ive only been driven in the newer A4 1.9Ds, nice enough inside, probably better finished than the MkII fords. Stereotypically the Audi will have more remote steering feel, certainly for the less uber-bonzo ones.
If you want a lot of toys the Honda Accord diesel my friend drives has the lot (heated seats, integrated Satnav, autowipe, autolights etc). Less connected than the Ford but comfy. Hard to tell its a diesel too.
From memory, the Honda diesel is the new GM lump.
correct
You mean the new GM lump is the Honda engine under license? The Honda engine was designed from scratch by Honda (big song and dance made by them). Still, if the Vectra replacement uses that then that will help - GM-only policy at work now... :cry:
nope, Im sure its the other way around.
If you google for Honda diesel youll see the hooha Honda made at the time their top designer (who invented the VTEC stuff) designed their new diesel, to make it as much like a petrol as possible, so, no!
http://irishcar.com/hondadieselbb.htm
Quote from: MarkAnything with the 1800 20V turbo will do - preferably with Quattro as well.
300bhp on standard internals is very easy on these.
i wouldnt say 300 is easy, you need to do quite a bit of work including swapping turbos.
Matt
You cant sell a mobile skip in the winter tbh.
Id take the Focus Ghia over the Audi, although I say that without having driven the latter.
The Focus I drove was a 1.6 or 1.8. In any case it was very slow, but comfortable.
I wont be doing this until next year anyway so Im thankful for everyones opinions and suggestions.
Considered a beemer?
Ive been half tempted by a 3 Series Tourer recently. A 2.0D of some sorts.
Found quite a few good ones at 50,000 miles + around £5k. Very tidy cars.
nige we still need to do something some time so you can take mine for a spin and play with the turbo !
Yeah you can try and squeeze yourself into the 5 too if you like :lol:
Im not struck on the BMW image really except for the older style 90s squarer ones. The good lady thinks Im a snob enough already...
Quote from: Clockd 0NeThe good lady thinks Im a snob enough already...
call her a good lady and shes probably right!!!
Matt
Calling her other things usually ends in a slap to the chops :lol:
Amen