Beautiful inside and out! The build quality is excellent. Mine is a dark cactus green with the "Ambiente" interior. Seats are a light gray with gray plastics and metallic tan trim.

Even with the automatic, the car seems to want to really move. Lots of torque from 2000 up to about 5000 for great passing power even against cars with big 6 bangers.

The quattro system really shines. Cornering is very neutral with loads of grip all over.

Attention to detail everywhere. Even the cigarette lighter slowly rises up with a touch. Trunk space is plentiful and seats are great.

nothing at all yet! I am worried a little bit about turbo reliability however and would of rather had a small normally aspirated 6.

You can't beat this car for this price with this amount of quality. The word for this car is "balanced." It does not have a fatal flaw anywhere compared to its competitors. I've been driving this great piece of engineering for about a week and can't wait to go out and drive.

The 1.8T gets a boost up to 170hp and 166 ft/lb's of torque from 2000-5000; an amazing torque band. Sure the Lexus IS and BMW 325 gets better numbers but they can't push max tourque for that amount of time. Handling is superb even without sport package, although I wish I did get it because there is a pronounced amount of roll and dive in tight cornering. But grip is great, thanks to the Quattro system. Quality of materials inside are the best period according to most automags, even better than MB!

Right now, the only true competitors to this car (with the 1.8T engine) is the IS 300 and BMW 325. The IS has more power while the BMW is very close. Both are RWD whereas the Audi comes generally with AWD (I wouldn't even consider the FWD, when you buy Audi, you buy its Quattro system). Both have advantages and disadvantages. The IS has a very gimicky interior design and a aggressive boy racer outside in my opinion. The BMW is beautiful but does not have the range of options as the Audi standard and the price starts to truly creep up.

It truly depends on what you are looking for in the end. With RWD, you get power oversteer in cornering situations which some like, whereas with the AWD heavy frontend, you'll understeer at the limit. But that limit, because of AWD, is much higher. Its a matter of objective capability vs. subjective feel. RWD is more fun for the sport enthusiest whereas the Audi is more neutral and stable. But for about 25k, you will not find a more well balanced package.

Now with the new MB C class and next year or so, the Jaguar X-type, the entry level luxary sport class is becoming more and more competitive. Audi has already redesigned the A4 for 2002 in Europe and now looks like a small A6. It seems Audi is here to stay in this market and its not hard to figure out why this car outsells the 3 series in Europe and has record sales in the US. Buy this car.

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Nissan Altima, Mercury Sable

Exceptional handling dynamics with Quattro all-wheel drive system.
Classy design inside and out.
Excellent balance between ride comfort and handling.
Throttle response is quick even if its only 150hp.
Progessive clutch action and smooth stick shifter.
Reasonable price to upgrade 1.8T engine.

Headlight is not bright enough during evening and poor weather.
97's climate control has problem with ventliation in rainy days.
Wet-braking delay issue occurred.

I ordered this car in April and took delivery in August, 97. I got a very impressive opinion since I first test drove a 96 2.8 12V during A4's initial introduction in late 95.
Overall its an excellent driving experience, I highly recommended this car to anyone who are shopping for sports sedan.

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BMW 328iS
Mercedes C280 Sport

This car has excellent styling, handling, and power. I love the innovative cupholder design - it pops out of the dash with a little push. The sport front seats have great lumbar support, although I heard the standard seats are not as great. The car does have a solid feel about it - you will find yourself pushing it harder than most cars because the response you get from the engine is like " is that all?"
I simply love this Audi - It has sporty ( not too sporty) looks, and can go from the opera to the racetrack. There is plenty of Low- End Torque to swoop about town easily, and plenty of high-end torque to speed on the freeway.

There are a few things here. I don't like the placement of the power window swich - it is too far back on the armrest. I would have liked to have power seats as an option on the 1.8 model. The light output from the headlamps is just a bit too dim (even when I purchased after-market Xenons.) The BOSE premium 8 speaker sound system is not what I expected, as 6 of those 8 speakers are in the front doors. The rear passenger seats are very uncomfortable and too upright. There is no cupholder back there, either. The knob that is used to adjust the angle of the front seats reminds me of old 1965 VW Beetles -(its this HUGE knob you have to reach WAY back to turn - Its comparable to trying to open a stubborn pickle jar with your hands and arms stretched out behind you.)

I think this car is a top seller because it is a great alternative to the millions of 323's and 328's out there. I can see this car appealing to young as well as older buyers - the young ones will go for the turbo model ( and there are plenty of modification products for the a4 out there. I personally have purchased a cat-back exhaust - great sound and 17-20 more HP, I have an H & R suspension kit wich lowered the car about 1.5 inches lower than the already lower-than-normal audi sport suspention, and a K & N air filter which added another 5-10 HP. This has added MUCH to performance, under $1700 ) the older ones will go for the 2.8 liter. All Sport tuned out I would expect to see it on the racetrack, and the stock model is still nice to impress other drivers of not- so nice cars.

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None

Quattro!! Car is GREAT. Fit and finish are outstanding. Performance is great with aftermarket parts. People are always asking about the car. Handling is exceptional. The dealership I bought the car from provides great service. Well, worth buying it from them. Audi really put the little things in this car which made it just a better machine. There are a few minor problems but the dealer will always fix when going in for service.

Cupholder is a joke but it can be used. Rear seats - I never sit back there so it is not an issue for me. Stock stereo is not all that good.

Paid 26885 with trade in and before taxes. Best car purchase(first new car). Love my car everyday and would not buy anything else. Test drove a 97 Audi A4 in 97, but could not afford it at the time. Now I have the money and just needed a new car after driving used. If you want a fun to drive sports sedan with an elegant look and feel buy this car. It is worth every penny. Great service - 3yr/50k miles for 2000 models. 2001 and greater offer 4yr/50k. I love the car. Now I have a hard time driving anything else even for a day or so. If you have the money, are looking for a new one, get this car.

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Owned 90 Grand Am (junk), 90 Integra (nice car), 69 Porsche 911 (too much to fix). Test drove a number of cars and none of them were on the same level for price.

Beautiful car. Luxurious and very handsome interior. Handles better than most sport coupes while maintaining a smooth ride. Quattro inspires confidence in inclement weather.

2.8L V6 lacks low end torque when compared to BMW's 2.8 or 3.0. Has very little power under 3000 RPM's. Useable torque range is 3500 - 5500 RPM - Pretty narrow range. Bose stero system has terrible bass response. Poor gas mileage - I average 19mpg with about half highway and city driving (my car's a manual).

The A4 2.8 is still the car to get if you have ~$35K and: you want a sedan and you want a manual tranny. Quattro is a huge plus. The 330i is about $5K more and the IS300 has a cheap interior and only comes in an automatic.

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The A4 2.8 is still the car to get if you have ~$35K and: you want a sedan and you want a manual tranny. Quattro is a huge plus. The 330i is about $5K more and the IS300 has a cheap interior and only comes in an automatic.

Quattro is great with 5-speed. Beautiful inside and out. Quiet. GREAT "Premiunm" Bose sound-system... best factory system I have heard. Convienent easy to use controls.

Small backseat, no power seats...

Simply put the A4 is a great enthusiasts car. With the manual transmission it is so much FUN to drive. With the optional sunroof, heated seats and BOSE system the car is a bit pricey at close to $30K since it is not really a "family" car but for a second car or for a single person such as myself it is a dream.

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My first new car but I am very familiar with my father's BMW 740il, which while bigger and more luxurius, has little else on the Audi.

- Quattro: All wheel drive provides this car with the most fantastic handling in all weather conditions
- Fit and finish: The interior and exterior are finished to perfection.
- Styling: Car becomes prettier each day.
- Smoothness of engine: Engine has very smooth acceleration and power delivery (you can't feel the turbo kick in).

- Wheels: I don't like any of the wheels offered with the A4.

110% Recommended. I still look at my car and smile ear to ear.

If buying used, check your car thoroughly before buying it to make sure it has been maintained well. If buying new, make sure to choose your options wisely. Make sure you try both the Quattro and FWD version to compare the difference.

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- BMW: Great car, different feel and strengths. I prefer Audi because of the all round handling, daily drivability and refinement. BMW is strong for those who prefer a more sporty steering and teutonic feel.
- Lexus: Excellent refinement and comfort but falls short on handling and feel.

Great handling, powerful in its' stock form, looks great!

Cupholder only holds cans, but it holds it WELL! Right in the center of gravity. Mileage is lower than I am used to. Repair costs are higher than I am used to.

Good car for the money. Buying it used was great, there are some things to look for when buying it used though. Common problems with the '97 are control arms need to be replaced, dash peeling (I don't have this problem), turbocharger failure (I don't have this problem). I recommend going to the tech.vw.com website to pull info on recalls, getting a full fluids flush/fill when you buy it (~$200), and get everything looked at. Drivetrain especially. I had leaking tie rods or whatever the rear axle is called.

Waiting for next year to do the timing belt, always recommended by the people on the boards to replace at 60K miles, I'm almost there.

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N/A

Sporty, a blast to drive, and can't beat the "cool factor" even with the wagon. Has "quality" written all over it. Best combination of practical, all weather handling, sportiness and luxury I've found in this price range.

A bit on the small side - glad I don't ride in the back seats very often. Approx the same size as a Subaru Outback wagon. Hard to fit 4 six-footers in except for a quick trip to lunch. Some wind noise at higher speeds, sun roof has a squeak due to wind vibration when closed.

Buy this car. I went to a Volkswagen dealer to make a deal on the 2000 Passat, which I sort of resigned myself to given my budget $$. (I really wanted the Saab 9-5 but didn't want to spend $35K). I found that the driver's seat on the Passat just didn't fit me right and was about to walk away when the sales person suggested I consider a used Audi he had on the lot in the same price range. "Why not?" I said. Wow, was I impressed. The test drive up and down a windy narrow road with the 2.8L 5 speed Quattro was amazing, and I had the biggest grin on my face when I was done. I absolutely love this car and find new things to appreciate about it almost every day. I wasn't sure about having a 5 speed again but now am so glad I got it so I can better enjoy the sports-car like acceleration, handling, etc. Also, it turns out that nearly every salesman had taken the car home from the dealer for a day or two just to have a chance to drive it - they loved that car. The man who sold it to me was thrilled that he had found a buyer who would really appreciate the car.

I highly recommend the Bose sound system - it is incredible. Also very much like the cold weather package, the sunroof (even with the squeak that I haven't started troubleshooting yet), and the tighter sport suspension.
My only complaints: gas mileage in the low 20's (so what, it's 10x more fun than my thrifty Honda Accord was), sunroof squeaks sometimes when closed, and there is a whistle somewhere around the edges of the windshield at high speeds. The nifty in-dash computer is really cool, although it took me a little bit to figure out how to reset everything.

I have done one road trip with the car, where I consistently went 80mph. You can picture this car on the AutoBahn quite easily - 80mph is effortless. You can still punch the accelerator and be up to 100mph before you quite know what's happening. :-) The wagon is practical (I think the trunk on the A4 sedan would be too small for most people), although I wish the rear storage space was big enough for 2 golf bags instead of 1.5 (I have to fold down part of the rear seat to get 2 in there).

Also, for $27.5K for this fully loaded 2 year old car in mint condition, I think I got a steal.

Who should buy this car: budget-minded car enthusiasts who don't mind a stiffer ride and sports-car handling along with all wheel drive. You do some sports and maybe have 1 kid. Car would be too small for 2 kids.

Who should not buy this car: Anyone with 2+ kids or who seeks more of a traditional luxury car like Mercedes or Lexus. Also, don't bother if you're a really tall (6'4")person -you'll feel cramped. This is a driver's car, with less power steering assist than, say a Buick, and a stiffer suspension. The regular suspension might be softer. I don't mind but my husband has spilled his coffee once or twice when his maniac wife is driving... :-)

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Saab 9-5, Mercedes C class, Volvo 850, Miata

Quattro AWD!!!

I actually went to a Volkswagen/Audi dealership to test drive a 2001 Passat. However, they didn't a 5 speed and I wasn't interested in an automatic (my wife drives a Passat auto). When I was about to leave, the salesman suggested taking out an A4. Why not? I was already there and had never driven one (I wasn't really interested as it was only a 4 cylinder)

I just couldn't believe it when the salesman took me out for a test drive (he drove first before giving me my turn). He was driving along a curving service road (speed limit 60km/hr) when he calmly said "Don't be alarmed, I want to show you what this car can do". He then accelerated to 140km/hr with a VERY, VERY sharp corner (and fence) approaching! Man, I almost had a heart attack. The A4 hugged the corner without a problem. Then he did it again...this time he said "Now if someone forces you off the road into the loose gravel...". He did another corner (even faster!), but this time with two wheels off the road in the gravel! Same response from the car.

He later admitted after that he was trained for that type of driving. After I recovered, I decided that this was the car for me.

I love everything about the car except the Pelican Blue colour (I bought the last 2000 A4 1.8 Quattro, Sport, 5 speed that I could find in the area).

Small back seat - who cares
Stiff VW-like clutch - have already gotten used to it

I paid 3,000 less that MSRP, as they were making room for the 2001 models.

I would definitely recommend this car!

The colour is growing on me!

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'87 RX7, '90 300 ZX, '95 VW Passat, '99 Miata (loaded, still have it)

Although I've enjoyed all these cars (the Miata is so much fun!), the A4 is my current baby. I love the ride, handling, finishing, etc.