jessenyc

My dilemma is does the Allroad offer much over the A-4. The primary use of this vehicle will be weekend commutes between NYC and central NY approx. 200mi each way. The trip is comprised of city, highway, country roads and about 3 miles of semi paved/gravel dirt un-maintained county road.

NOTE: at this point I have only driven the AR (loved it) and plan on driving an A-4 and AR back to back this weekend. Currently I have a '94 Toyota p/u. I purchased the truck because I was sick of denting wheels and getting alignments in my previous cars (the beginning and end of my commute, NYC > central NY, is rough).

What I'm thinking:

SPACE: AR: Rear passenger and cargo space seem a little bigger but not huge. Currently I'm only officially obligated to my dog but hope to be starting a family while owning this car. Do parents find the 6 size much better than 4?

PERFORMANCE: It seems a toss up in engine, yes? Wheelbase on 4 a little shorter inherently a little more agile, yes? Any seat of the pants opinions?

REALIABILITY: This is where I'm most concerned. I worry about the AR's turbos and air suspension. Is there any reason to think a non chipped engine shouldn't last 100K mi? Have any high mileage AR owners had suspension troubles, or any other consistent troubles?

PRICE: As long as this car lasts 100K miles w/o a lot of repairs it'll be great.

Thanks for all the information on this board. I look forward to owning my first Audi in the very near future.

Kind regards,
Jesse

HPH

...and my parents sure like the allroad's back seat much better than they liked the A4's.

Troy H

power and torque out of the box, but for $600 you can have it making ~50% more power than the 3.0L. Also, the space is grossly different between the two cars, especially in terms of cargo room. There's also a lot more room in the back seat, as I can sit comfotably behind a seat adjusted to me (6'1") in the ar, but not so in the A4. While 1-2" of leg room may not sound like a lot, it is a huge difference. The ar has over 30% more cargo volume than the A4 Avant according to their respective brochures. To me it was a no brainer, especially considering that the ar I ordered only cost me ~$3K more than the A4 I would've bought.

ar2002

The allroad wins in all catagories except handling and fuel economy. Almost no one has had suspension or turbo problems. Both the ar and the A4 should be good for 100K miles w/o major repair. I expect to get 200K out of mine. But understand any German car is going to cost a lot more to maintain than its American or Japanese counterpart.

The tires on either car won't take a lot of abuse; you might find your need a set of aftermarket tires before long. Get the stock wheels - not the optional 2-piece wheels.

Ollie

In terms of space, allroad is much bigger, especially for cargo and back seat. For performance, the 2.7T is a real kick to drive. Have not driven the 3.0 but can't imagine it comes close..the low rpm torque from the turbo is the key. In the handling section, the A4 wins..allroad is just too heavy to be agile. Thicker swaybar and tire/wheel upgrade helps. In terms of reliability, I don't think anyone on this forum has had turbo failures. Several of us have, however, had suspension compressor failures even at relatively low mileage. (On my 2001 allroad, compressor failed under 15K, so covered by warranty). All in all, if I wanted a car for highway driving with dogs/kids/stuff, I'd definitely pick the allroad.

mbiker

The Squeaky Wheel had a deposit on an A4 Avant and some knowledgeable fellow talked him into the allroad. He seems to be very happy with his decision.

LisaPhish

chose the 6 spd Allroad. BUT, I have 3 kids and do alot of driving with them!

I drove an A4 3.0 Avant and it was just way too small. I was actually uncomfortable in the driver's seat with my husband sitting behind me. I didn't put the seat all the way back (I'm 5'7 and he's 5'11) so he wouldn't be squished, and though I wasn't compromising my own comfort entirely, I definitely was ready when it came time to pull over and let him drive. I have a 3 year old with a booster seat and two teenage boys, and there was definitely not enough room for them in the A4. The teenagers will be driving soon, but even with just my daughter, I prefer the comfort of the Allroad. I currently drive a 2000 Passat GLX wagon and even it, has much more space than the A4. I think they're on the same chassis but the A4's body parts seem thicker and they angle in more towards the roof. The trunk area too, is much smaller than the Passat. Hey, not to confuse the issue here, but maybe you should drive an AWD Passat? Mine is front wheel drive, as it's the only way I could get one with a manual trans, but if you don't mind automatics, that might be an avenue you should investigate.

As far as power goes, the Allroad wins, no questions asked. Unless of course, you're thinking of waiting until summer and buying an S4 Avant! :-) That car will be a ROCKET!!!

Believe me, I was trying to sell myself on the A4 for a couple of reasons. It was economically more feasible for me, I like the size and design of the exterior, but it was just too small inside, and I also wasn't too thrilled with the interior. I prefer the way the Allroad sits on the road to the A4. It is much more solid.

I drove the Allroad a few times, and the A4 twice, and I preferred every aspect of the Allroad.

I can't answer your longevity question, but I'm sure the A4 is less complicated and for this reason, has fewer things that can go wrong and most likely will be less expensive to maintain. Similar to the difference between the old 4000's and 5000's. .. however. . . I've had 5 Audi's and drove them all for over 130,000 miles. I have friends with over 200,000 miles on theirs. Audi paint and interiors remain perfect, for years and years and years.

Good luck making a decision. Do as I did. Just drive them both back to back and let the right one will just out and tell you.

Happy test driving........ remember to include highway driving!

Lisa

markcincinnati

I read that the W8 Passat will be offered starting next month (or perhaps December) with a sport option, which means 17" wheels/tires, 6spd manual, All Wheel Drive, ESP and all the other good things from the top o the line Passat.

Knowing all this and knowing that the Passat W8 Wagon with sport will be about $9,000 less than the allroad and have 20 more HP than the allroad, I still ordered a loaded 2003 6spd 2.7T allroad (which came into port on October 7th).

Of course the allroad is still bigger than the Passat, but the Passat W8 with sport package could be a contender against an A4 3.0 Avant quattro.

But, factor in the somewhat spotty reputaion of VW dealers (I know I know it is getting better), the "Audi advantage" and the fact that the Audi IS more upscale with more content -- and I would probably still opt for the allroad.

And that 2.7T engine is a blast especially with the 6spd!

itacud

The new A4 has a more spacious interior than the old, and the new chassis is much more flickable than the old. The A4 3.0 6-spd has a 0-60 of 6.9s, while the allroad 6-spd's is 6.8s. The lighter weight of the A4 does pay some dividends in performance, though the engine is less powerful. If you don't plan on chipping the allroad (and facing warranty troubles), I'm sure the A4 would be quicker around a track.

Overall, I haven't read a review of the A4 which did not really like it. The allroad is the perfect car if you need it's combination of space and all terrain ability. If you don't, then the A4 should be a strong contender in your search. Best to decide on your needs first.

Troy H

$40,000 range, right where my allroad is priced. Perhaps if you got a bare-bones W8 and a fully loaded allroad, you could see close to that difference, but I'd still doubt it even then.