Kenny

Not sure what you're really talking about... Europeans cars today have been priced very similarly to their outgoing models here in the U.S. for the last 5-years or so. If I remember correctly, the current A6 design was not priced much higher than the previous generation A6 despite having more power and being a completely new design.. If anything they are priced about the same.. Efficient production methods and a very competitive market have kept price increases at the bare minimum...

srosie

If a 2.7T performes better than a 528i and costs approx. $3-5k less, then BMW this fall simply must have an outperformer in 530i stripes and hence deserve the pricing premium. Thus the conclusion about the existing 528i(lame duck i's). The relevent discussion begins when competitors bring performance at an unexpected pricepoint.

Kenny

Once again, you're one of those people who judges a car by paper numbers... Yes, an Audi A6 2.7 turbo is quicker than a 528i in 0-60mph.. But feel, and balance of a car is far more important than just performance numbers, and the 528i has the feel of a more spirited car in the handling department than the Audi...

If you're so worried about performance figures and bang for the buck, maybe a Ford Mustang GT or Chevy Impala SS or Ford Taurus SHO is the car for you.. At around $25k fully loaded each it would probably kick the A6's butt going from 0-60 and cost at least $15k less... but then you would be complaining about the car not being refined as the Audi etc. etc. etc.... Performance is subjective...

Rick

I have driven other people's BMWs in the past, but have never owned one. My impression is that they handle great, I love the manual shifter, and the overall driving experience is top-notch and hard to beat for an enthusiast like myself who enjoys driving. On the other hand, they cost too much for what you get, and with few exceptions (540), they are woefully underpowered, IMO. I love torque, and lots of it. Also, and a major consideration here in the snow belt in winter, their rear wheel drive is simply awful in snow; practically unusable. Quattro, the twin turbo, chip-upgradable engine, high level of refinement, and good ride and handling is what sold me on my 2.7T tip. I may be in the minority here, but even the best sedan is still a *** 4 door sedan, and will NEVER equal or come close to the performance and fun of a good, two seater convertible sports car, and shouldn't be expected to. It is a compromise for everyday driving until such time as you can get back to said sports car for fun on the weekends. The A6 2.7T is by far the best compromise in addressing all of these competing priorities.

Quikor

Kenny
Your right about the feel of ours or any car.
My C5 is very close to the Camaro in #`s , but I would hope that anyone who drives the two could tell them apart.

Dick Brass

I agree with your analysis, but I don't think they'll fix the stupidly designed cruise control switch.

I think it goes back several years for Audi and VW, if I am not mistaken, and they think it's tradition. While I can imagine 50 different ways it could be done better -- like integrating it into the trip computer.

Same for the phone system -- which could be much better if it was integrated into the speedometer display window, especially for looking up names and dialing without moving your eyes much.

Here in the US, they offer only an analog phone -- nothing digital, unless you want to go aftermarket. Analog telephony has some advantages (works in more places), but many disadvantages (easedropping, noise, and most of all high per-minute cost). Most digital systems will switch to analog mode when necessary. In fact, AT&T won't even activiate a new analog-only phone anymore, so I had to go to another carrier.

Final complaint here: The antenna Audi provides in the states for the crummy analog phone makes a whistling noise around 65 mph!

One fellow told the forum a few weeks ago that he had it ripped out and replaced with a cradle in the armrest that took his digital Nokia and added a power boost. And I am about to do the same.

Dick

srosie

IMH, the 2.7T has definately closed the performance gap with the 528i. Obviously you think the 528i still deserves a price premium. I say it ain't $3-5k. And if you're so worried about proper balance and handling why aren't you spending it on a M5, 911 or 355 F-1 instead of a dainty, old 528i, bigshot.

Ernst

That sounds interesting - obviously there are different phone installations in Europe and in the US. Here we can no longer use analog phones (service is shut down since Jan 1, 2000). Audi installs a digital Nokia phone (GSM 900) in the armrest and it's linked to the radio / nav system (automatic mute). The names to place a call can be selected in alphabetical order from the dash display of the trip computer (using the steering wheel controls - if you have the multifunction wheel installed). So far it's ok - but if the number you are calling is busy then the only option is to wait for automatic call repeat - otherwise you have to open the armrest and cancel the pending command on the phone's keyboard... Also you don't get any signal if you receive an SMS message - and that's is very popular here. Regarding the antenna this is a strange looking part - but it serves the radio, the telephone and the TV at the same time. I fully agree with you regarding the cruise control - it's an old design fault of Audi! What's their understanding of customer satisfacton? If they would care for those last details they could easily leave BMW behind them...

Kenny

You are definitely entitled to your opinion and I respect that... I just dislike it when people come on this board and start knocking BMW's saying they are overpriced statusmobiles or any brand like that for that matter.. Yes, a lot of what you say is true, but then again I can bring along a new VW V-6 Passat AWD owner who paid $28k for a car that basically rides on the same chassis as the A6, and tell him to start ragging on Audi owners how they got ripped off, and bought the Audi for the name... And he may actually have a valid argument there..

No need to make assumptions... How do you know if I don't drive an F-355 ??? Do you also assume that if someone doesn't brag about their exotic sports car on here, that they don't or can't afford to drive one?? Having driven both Audi and BMW (long time for BMW) I can say there are both pros and cons and I can at least understand why BMW's cost more... I consistently see Audi's more often at the shop where I take my BMW to, and hear from my mechanic who fixes BMW/Mercedes/Audi/Porsche grumbling about how Audi's are unecessarily complicated and break down more often than the other makes...

MA6

TV? Isn't that distracting?