AvantMore

LOL - three pages later, the answer. I was just about to offer the same reply.

Barrels41

I am 68 but genetically endowed with anti-aging looks, personality and modesty.

I made an appointment for my 15,000 mile service. I told them it uses oil and the said that is normal.

So I add a 1/2 a quart every month or two.

Regarding the Infinity M3X5 lessee, I had that same car. At 14 mpg and 5.50 a gallon gas in 2008 I tried 87 octane too. It was OK when the a/c was not running. That car was a load that wandered all over the road. Built like a tank though and will run forever.

That S4 is looking sweet. Should I lease one when I am 70? Gas mileage reports are not good and I have nowhere to use those horses. Wife will be 63 but she would love one in Yellow! (Speeding ticket yellow)

markcincinnati

There are, undoubtedly, costs associated with all the options that COULD be had -- but, "so what?"

If the cost of fill-in-the-blank option/feature is $50 or $500 and I am willing to pay it, why not sell it to me. I understand that there may be some economies of scale in bundling optional features.

But, the answers I keep getting about the costs of these additional features continue to barely, if at all, pass the smell test.

Here's one: articulating headlights. My 2005 A6 had them, both of my wife's X3's ('05 and '08) had them -- you can't even buy them from Audi (as an "ordered option")! The explanation? "When we offer a car with a feature, function, option, color (in or out) we have to crash test the vehicle. We are not financially motivated to do this for a feature that will not have many takers.

Is this really true?

My bi-xenon headlights are great -- but after having had the articulating lights, well, this is a step backwards. Why, too, no heated steering wheel option or front parktronic (the Q5's implementation of the backup camera and front and rear parktronic "ought" to be a no-braniner)?

The list of options that can be seen on the configurators for other countries (including Audi UK, which is in English, at least), is much greater than anything we can get here.

You mean, you really have to crash test a car with white paint, gray seats and dark wood interior trim; and, an insuffcient number of people would buy this combo, so it isn't worth it?

Really?

I think if someone wants to pay for memory seats and that person doesn't want the Prestige package, he/she should be able to pay the price and get the car as desired.

Being in business for myself there is one rule I live by that doesn't seem to apply here: "sell the customer what they are willing to pay for, as long as it is not illegal."

markcincinnati

I disagree. I am very pleased with the Prestige value prop -- but then again, I wanted all those features that were included (2009 A4 Prestige.)

av_audi

Amen!

irenesbob

My 2008 A4 has (I believe) "adaptive bi-Xenon" headlights. Is this the same as articulating? Just trying to understand. I checked the 2010 A4 site and they do not say "adaptive" - is this an example of the A4 being de-contented or something else?

matthewsjl

Adaptive lights swivel left and right depending on the direction of travel to give a better view of the road ahead. I have them on my 07 Q7 - not offered as an option on the 2009 or 2010 A4.

What we might be seeing is some strategic de-contenting. It may be Audi's plan to introduce some of these features later in the model life. As the vehicle model run ages, buyers need that extra shove to purchase - extra options at little or no cost compared to previous model years.

John.

Scotty (UK)

Weird that they're an option in the UK.

I have them and love the.

Left, right and updown dependant on speed. They hunt out the "vanishing point" in the dark. Great for the twisty roads.