looking@audi

Do you guys read other car forums like Bimmerfest or MBworld?

Since I have owned both BMWs and Mercedes, I like to keep in touch.

Interesting discussion regarding the F10 BMW with lots of commentary on Audi and the A7. Here is a recent thread:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=669540

Rick Pardo

I've subscribed to the XF Owner's website for over a year; I believe the XF to be a beautiful design, albeit now in need of a refresh. I was waiting to see if they'd actually develop the AWD system they've talked about for years, as even though I now live in SoFlo, will only consider an AWD car. I found the comments on the board to be self affirming, as if to convince themselves that the $70k they spent was correct as opposed to a comparable Audi, BMW or Benz. The complaints generally cover many more areas that are displayed on the A7 site.

I see a lot of them here in the Ft. Lauderdale to West Palm Beach area as snow and ice isn't a factor as it was in the NY tristate area, where they were plentiful, but absent during bouts of bad weather.

As you can see by my below sig, I've now made my choice.

nyca

I own both a BMW and MB currently, and I agree with the positive Audi comments in that link you posted - with one exception - both BMW and MB have much better brake feel than Audi. Too much travel in the current A6/7 brake pedal, giving bad feel and non linear modulation when braking. Audi needs to fix that.

Freddie Fringe

I love it. The guy buys an M3 and swaps it out in 9 months for a 550. He goes from impractical to "pig". Then he drives an A7 and says they've nailed it. It's 90% of a E60, he says. I guess he is referring to the "driving dynamics" and not the reliability or the looks (butt Bangle ugly). The "dark side" he refers to is not that Audi nailed it with the A7 but the idea that BMW is better somehow because it's a BMW. The underlying Audi parts are weak?? What the hell is that? Are there some catastrophic mechanical failures in Audi that I don't know about? Keep your turbo hesitation, uninspired interior and snob factor. I know where the smart money is.

Rick Pardo

Absolutely agree, The A7 will be my 5th Audi owned since '84 (in between there was a 535i, a 535is and an M5), and the pedal feel on all the Audi's have all been "squooshy".

Maybe the brake designers are in the middle of "Octoberfest" when it's their turn to engineer for a new model.

DeerHunter

There may be something to that. My '93 Ur-S4 had squooshy brakes with correspondingly long travel, as does my '05 S4 Cab. The S6 seems to be a mild improvement, but I'm also probably used to the squooshiness by now. It's a strange engineering choice (and it is a choice), given that sister company Porsche is reknowned for brakes done right (hard pedal, no waiting).