Why Did you choose the A4 over the 328xi or C300?
02-10-2010, 07:55 AM
#31
AudiWorld Member
When I drove the 328xi recently, I leaned forward as I pulled out of a parking space. I'm just under 6' tall, and I bumped my head on the visor or the windshield (can't recall which). That's when I realized how cramped it was. The factors that made me buy an A4 (B8) instead were not wanting to be cramped, questionable reliability of the BMW AWD models, run-flats, mediocre radio, and price.
02-10-2010, 08:00 AM
#32
AudiWorld Super User
Some good discussion here. I made a fairly simple claim above without much support for my opinion. I view the steering feel of the B8 on par with the BMW – as a whole. This statement doesn’t come without a caveat. As someone mentioned, the Audi’s steering is overboosted at slower speeds. My 335’s steering is more precise and communicative at these lower speeds. As speed increases the Audi’s steering weights up and provides excellent feedback and I will argue it’s just as good (perhaps a little better) as that of my 335 up to about 8/10s. Perhaps I should credit the non-RFT Michelin PS2s for much of this ‘feel’. My 335 has Bridgestone RFTs which, in a word, are GARBAGE.
02-10-2010, 08:36 AM
#33
The dealer experience you perceive must be localized. Here in River City, the Acura, Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes and Volvo dealers offer either a loaner car or pick up and delivery. All wash and vacuum the car upon returning it to you. The Audi and BMW dealers provide free unlimited car washes -- the BMW dealer has an all-day Saturday ritual that seems to me to be a social club for BMW owners and the line for the wash often exceeds 90 minutes on Saturday (and only one of the two BMW dealers in Cincinnati actually have the "ritual" car wash.)
The BMW does include 100% maintenance for 50K miles -- but forces 15K oil changes on you if you want it to remain free. I suspect this is one reason most BMW's are leased. I have the now extra cost Audi maint program on my 2009 and, feature for feature, my A4 was less money than a "similar" BMW 3 series (and I have ADS which was not even offered by BMW.)
The experience at the Infiniti store, likewise, is "about the same."
Far as I can tell, only the Lexus dealer experience, of all those noted above, is really different, and I suspect that is because our Lexus dealership is almost literally "brand new" -- you know, it contains day-care, a mini shopping mall, a gym, a theater and everything else you would expect from a Delta Crown room in Atlanta (well, almost.)
Sharing Audi and VW would cheapen the feel, to be sure -- but as far as I know this facilities sharing is NOT supposed to be permitted on a go forward basis. My Audi dealer had to shed its Porsche stablemate -- so the ownership built two brand new facilities (not even close to each other), one for Porsche and one for Audi. They are both very nice. The Audi store has the quattro cafe, free drinks and often free snacks, and, during the summer, free hamburgs and hot dogs fresh from a grill that seems to be a regular feature during weather permitting months.
I'd buy the car I was attracted to (at least based on the dealer experiences offered in Cincinnati) -- more important to me than all the froo froo nicey nice things are the availability of loaner cars and prompt, competent service.
Here, the dealers are hardly all the same, but, as the saying goes, they're close enough for jazz.
Now, if one of them would, at least, install a Jacuzzi.
The BMW does include 100% maintenance for 50K miles -- but forces 15K oil changes on you if you want it to remain free. I suspect this is one reason most BMW's are leased. I have the now extra cost Audi maint program on my 2009 and, feature for feature, my A4 was less money than a "similar" BMW 3 series (and I have ADS which was not even offered by BMW.)
The experience at the Infiniti store, likewise, is "about the same."
Far as I can tell, only the Lexus dealer experience, of all those noted above, is really different, and I suspect that is because our Lexus dealership is almost literally "brand new" -- you know, it contains day-care, a mini shopping mall, a gym, a theater and everything else you would expect from a Delta Crown room in Atlanta (well, almost.)
Sharing Audi and VW would cheapen the feel, to be sure -- but as far as I know this facilities sharing is NOT supposed to be permitted on a go forward basis. My Audi dealer had to shed its Porsche stablemate -- so the ownership built two brand new facilities (not even close to each other), one for Porsche and one for Audi. They are both very nice. The Audi store has the quattro cafe, free drinks and often free snacks, and, during the summer, free hamburgs and hot dogs fresh from a grill that seems to be a regular feature during weather permitting months.
I'd buy the car I was attracted to (at least based on the dealer experiences offered in Cincinnati) -- more important to me than all the froo froo nicey nice things are the availability of loaner cars and prompt, competent service.
Here, the dealers are hardly all the same, but, as the saying goes, they're close enough for jazz.
Now, if one of them would, at least, install a Jacuzzi.
02-10-2010, 10:54 AM
#34
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None of my cars have sport suspension. Non sport 328i is still a lot stiffer than non sport A4 avant. You get a lot more road feel (sometimes not in a good way) from BMW than Audi and that makes a non sport BMW feel like it has a sport suspension compare to a non sport Audi. I do not race/track anymore therefore I like my ride to be comfortable and suitable for a city driving especially in SF. I specifically chose non sport suspension on my Audi to make sure that my kids and wife are comfortable especially when we take long trips to Lake Tahoe or to visit family.
02-10-2010, 11:05 AM
#35
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According to my buddies at Consumer Reports, True Delta and now (gulp) JD Power and Associates, it is now the Volkswagen/Audi Group that trumps the BMW Group in dependability, durability, quality (including quietness regarding bad noises and, in some cases, noise factor for good noises), reliability, satisfaction and service in North America (this has always or pretty much always been the case overseas-especially Europe and most of all, Germany). 
My buddies at CR, JD P&A and TD also say that the fun to drive, road feel and steering feel (city and highway; city just as much as highway, FTW and FWIW) of Audi with Quattro AWD (FWD is garbage for a vehicle of this caliber-that is what we have Civics, Sentras and Corollas for) is now extremely close to that of the luxury vehicles from BMW, Maserati and Porsche and better to far better than all other luxury vehicles.
That makes all of the above 100% true. Anything else is 100% bogus. 
As for interior design and styling and quality, Audi (ultra beautiful inside and out and for many years now) trumps BMW here much more to far more than every other conceivable area (which almost every on planet earth knows). I say almost everybody on planet earth because an indescribably small number of people on planet earth are under the delusion that BMW's interior design and styling and quality is better than Audi's interior design and styling and quality is. 
I am ultra happy to say that the interior design and styling and quality of all of the ultra beautiful (inside and out and for most of the time BMW has been in business but not for many years now, unfortunately) pre Bangle/van Hooy Donk BMWs is on par with or very close to Audi's interior design and styling and quality.
Unfortunately, the interior design and styling and quality of all of the [mostly] ultra ugly (inside and out and for many years now) Bangle/van Hooy Donk BMWs is mediocre at the absolute best (mostly pure junk).
My buddies at CR, JD P&A and TD also say that the fun to drive, road feel and steering feel (city and highway; city just as much as highway, FTW and FWIW) of Audi with Quattro AWD (FWD is garbage for a vehicle of this caliber-that is what we have Civics, Sentras and Corollas for) is now extremely close to that of the luxury vehicles from BMW, Maserati and Porsche and better to far better than all other luxury vehicles.
That makes all of the above 100% true.
Anything else is 100% bogus. As for interior design and styling and quality, Audi (ultra beautiful inside and out and for many years now) trumps BMW here much more to far more than every other conceivable area (which almost every on planet earth knows).
I say almost everybody on planet earth because an indescribably small number of people on planet earth are under the delusion that BMW's interior design and styling and quality is better than Audi's interior design and styling and quality is. I am ultra happy to say that the interior design and styling and quality of all of the ultra beautiful (inside and out and for most of the time BMW has been in business but not for many years now, unfortunately
) pre Bangle/van Hooy Donk BMWs is on par with or very close to Audi's interior design and styling and quality. Unfortunately, the interior design and styling and quality of all of the [mostly] ultra ugly (inside and out and for many years now) Bangle/van Hooy Donk BMWs is mediocre at the absolute best (mostly pure junk).
Last edited by vtheman; 02-10-2010 at 11:07 AM.
02-10-2010, 11:27 AM
#36
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I've leased two other Audi's prior to this one and I must say that the quality of the material that they are using now is inferior to the material that was used in my 2001 and 2003 allroads. I see a lot more cheap plastic parts used in an A4 than I can find in my BMW, in fact I can't even find any cheap plastic in my 328 even thou it is a base model with some options the interior still feels more solid than my A4. Audi does give you more bang for a dollar than BMW but it comes with the price
That being said, I will still stick with the ultra trustworthy CR, TD and now JD P&A over anybody (especially if they are North American-and that is coming from somebody who is proud to be North American, FWIW) on here-or any other forum for that matter (unless they completely agree with CR, TD and now JD P&A).
02-10-2010, 12:47 PM
#37
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I've leased two other Audi's prior to this one and I must say that the quality of the material that they are using now is inferior to the material that was used in my 2001 and 2003 allroads. I see a lot more cheap plastic parts used in an A4 than I can find in my BMW, in fact I can't even find any cheap plastic in my 328 even thou it is a base model with some options the interior still feels more solid than my A4. Audi does give you more bang for a dollar than BMW but it comes with the price
I would say the 328i has a much cheaper interior especially if you dont have idrive and have to look at only the 1 line LCD thing ont he radio for any information. I mean, the wood for one thing isnt as nice looking, and things like the radio do not feel as nice as well as some of the switches for things like the headlights.
my moms is a premium package one with leather, so i think the seats are about the same at least feel wise, but mine has sports seats so i cannot really compare the side bolsters. That said, a non sport bmw is going to feel really stiff compared to a non sport A4 just becuase of the runflats. my father and mother both have runflats and have complained they are stiff (dad has an x3).
Anyway, the one thing i like better in the 3 is that the trim is real aluminum in the non wood ones. That is the one improvement from the e46 that the e90 is really better than, and in the A4 that only comes with s-line.
02-10-2010, 04:40 PM
#38
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Whatever dude.
That being said, I will still stick with the ultra trustworthy CR, TD and now JD P&A over anybody (especially if they are North American-and that is coming from somebody who is proud to be North American, FWIW) on here-or any other forum for that matter (unless they completely agree with CR, TD and now JD P&A).
That being said, I will still stick with the ultra trustworthy CR, TD and now JD P&A over anybody (especially if they are North American-and that is coming from somebody who is proud to be North American, FWIW) on here-or any other forum for that matter (unless they completely agree with CR, TD and now JD P&A).
02-10-2010, 05:32 PM
#39
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How about a non-sport BMW 3 with run flats against an 18" sports pack A4. How would they compare in terms of ride and handling? Anyone knows?
02-10-2010, 05:47 PM
#40
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I was just going to ask about that. It seems like a lot of people are complaining about that. You are probably getting harshness from the runflats without any improved handling over regular tires.
How about a non-sport BMW 3 with run flats against an 18" sports pack A4. How would they compare in terms of ride and handling? Anyone knows?
How about a non-sport BMW 3 with run flats against an 18" sports pack A4. How would they compare in terms of ride and handling? Anyone knows?
i remember a sport run-flat one was brutal over like even small cracks on a normal street.