Dr. F

I like the 340, and yes the deals are amazing right now. A $3k incentive (currently) means that I don't have put anything down to get a killer payment. And yes, the M3 is noisy and rides rough if I am honest.

I do like the new 540 and drove one on an track when they first came out. An amazing car with really nice features. I would not get one without M Sport though. Equipped as such they are usually around $70K. Ultimately though, I don't like the size of the 540 for my needs and transportation habits. It's just a touch too big.

visualguy

The out-the-door price difference between a well-equipped 540i and an S4 would be $6K for me. The difference between an S4 and a 340i would be $5K. The S4 is pretty much in the middle between the 340i and the 540i.

The thing you need to realize with BMW is that you can get very large discounts. You can get them for around invoice minus a bunch of incentives and things like fleet discount. Around 10% under MSRP is pretty common unless it's a new model or an M car. This is not the situation with Audi where you're lucky to get 6% off. If you lease, then lease terms also favor BMW.

Anyway, my point is that the S4 is close-enough in price to the 540i to merit serious consideration of the 540i as an alternative if you can spend the extra $6K or so. Alternatively, the 340i is a great option at $5K less. Again, this is all street prices, not MSRP.

visualguy

The 540i is a fabulous machine, and it's amazing that it weighs as little as it does. One issue is that some people complain about A/C problems, but this will probably be sorted out on newer production cars.

It is indeed a bit larger than the S4, but if you're in the US (rather than Europe or Asia), that shouldn't be too much of a problem. It's not that huge - it somehow looks bigger than it is (unlike the S4 which looks smaller than it is), and it doesn't feel big when you drive it.

MedStudentS4

Haha indeed. I'm fairly young and definitely have less experience with car ownership than most of you so I could end up really regretting my black interior. Only time will tell

Its strange actually, when I was looking at floor samples I really liked the red and asked to take an example out for a spin but the moment I sat inside it and looked through the rearview mirror I immediately said "nope". The red looks gorgeous on the front two seats but in the back something about it it looked quite tacky to me (again, a completely subjective opinion) and a bit too "loud".

As an aside, I would absolutely go nuts over an option for black leather with contrast red stitching or something like that. maybe this is possible if you order one? who knows, maybe in the future

nicotino15

I priced out 340i's many times and could never get it cheaper than a new S4 properly optioned. You would have to forego M-sport options which is what makes the cars more similar, a 340i without it is quite different and does not match the S4 in braking, suspension or visual appeal, although I suppose the engine is the same so you could get a stripper for cheaper.

nicotino15

I would also add that I was able to get 9% off msrp, so while 6% is more likely based on Audi club discount, there are deals to be had. I know the dealer near me is looking to give a generous discount on a lot car which does have a scratch on the door, but I got the feeling they would've gone 10-12% off for it (they were hoping I would go for it).

markcincinnati

The key, I've found, is your important words "properly optioned."

I buy Prestige models. There are analogs in the BMW 3 series with X-drive, but I can't figure out how to find a BMW COMPARABLY optioned for $5K less. You can get 10% off on an end of the line BMW 340 and 6% off on the latest and greatest S4. What happens when the new 3 series hits the dealers and the Audi is in its sophomore year? If the BMW is discounted at 10%, that would be awesome. In year two, the Audi would still be at 6 to 7% off. If these are real discounts, the Audi would have a 3.5% smaller discount, apparently. But, equipped like an S4 Prestige, I just can't get it to work. Perhaps the new model will be BMW's chance to lower the MSRP by 2 or 3% over the outgoing model.

I know it was months ago, but we tried the exercise with the X3 v the SQ5 and couldn't make it work. On the other hand, we weren't just looking for price.

If you want the vehicle you will work very hard to rationalize the purchase.

If you don't do this, you're one of the few who isn't really into cars.

My neighbor is one of those folks -- first he got an MDX, then a BMW 7 series, then another MDX, kept that about 15 minutes and got the "big" Mercedes SUV. I asked him why not a second BMW, and he said, "I'm not a car guy, I don't really want to get the same brand of car two times in a row.

Most folks I know are "brand loyalist" -- but I don't hang around with many folks born after 1979 -- one guy at my office (including his wife) always buys Acuras. Another guy (and his wife) always goes with Mini's, another one yet goes BMW (his wife has a Lexus however, so go figure). My father was Hudson's -- they went out of business (when I was 3) -- subsequently, he went Chrysler products exclusively.

A close friend of mine -- I[m not even sure he would RIDE in something other than a BMW -- is about as loyal to BMW as I am to Audi. My wife also wears the Audi underwear (so to speak).

Point is, pulling someone away from "their brand" is about as difficult as pulling teeth from a healthy set of gums. My brother-in-law is GMC vehicles only, he has an Acadia and the new "mid-size" 4-door pickup truck from GMC. The guy across the street from me -- Ford Taurus SHO's and only SHO's. The list of friends, associates, neighbors, and relatives in my universe are pretty much "Audi guys," "BMW folks," or "Cadillac people."

My guess is this isn't the case anymore for millennials. Indeed, seems like a lot of under-30 folks would just as soon never own a car, let alone build any kind of "identification" with a brand.

Nothing wrong with either type of individual. It does, on a personal note, seem to see a car as nothing more than a "MEH" is confusing (to me).

I blame Toyota.

Dr. F

I thought that I wanted a 340 earlier this summer, and I built them many times. Super fun cars. I was always able to come in around $60k for what I would consider comparable to a Premium Plus S4. Granted, it wasn't considered fully loaded, but darn close. Someone here also said the 340 is about $5k more than an S4. Unless the S4 has few options, that is not entirely true. While you can build a 340 that cost close to $69k, that typically only happens by adding some one-off features such as an M3 interior, carbon fiber accents, etc. You can also build a 340 that cost just over $50k. It'll be boring, but still have the same engine.

Dr. F

I typically only see BMWs discounted at 10% if they are an outgoing model, languishing inventory, or the dealer is desperate for a sale on a non-M car. Invoice on a BMW is something like 0.93 x MSRP + $500. A discount of 8-10% also means the dealer is probably going to mark up the money factor or finance rate. On a side note, I happen to like analog dials, but even BMW has now changed that up. I was looking at a 2018 340 today that has a nearly full digital cluster. I'll admit It was refreshing to see a minor change.

visualguy

Employees of many companies get a BMW fleet discount. Right now, it's $1,500 on the 3-series and $2,500 on the 5-series. This is on top of the 7% discount that's easy to get. On top of all that, there are frequently other incentives.

The digital cluster is part of the optional Executive Package.

I personally prefer the 340i to the S4 not just because the street price is lower. I find that it has better steering feel, better throttle and transmission response, better engine sound, more comfortable seats, and I like the new iDrive 6.0 better than MMI. I also like the shortcut keys on the BMW for speed dial, etc. Looks are highly subjective, of course, but I think the 340i also looks better than the S4. Still, I think the S4 is a really good car, and it does have some advantages, but overall I personally would take the 340i. The S4 would be my second choice after the 340i in this class.