Interior is stylish and the sound system is pretty good.

Everything but the sound system.

I'm going to make this short and sweet for everyone that is thinking about getting an Audi. The first mistake is the name Audi. Audi should change there name to HEADACHE!!!!!! I purchased my A4 spanking new back in 2003 (black on black). Nice car I thought until I found myself more at the shop then at my office. At one point, I was thinking about bringing in my desk from work and placing it in the Audi Shop because I'm always there. I can't even go out and party with friends because my car is always on the back of someone's tow truck!!!! I have to make sure that I have reliable shoes because at any given time, I know that I will be footing it. At purchase, Audi needs to give there customers a bus pass, a quarter, and some nice walking shoes because they do not make reliable cars.
The car is great for the first two years but if the car is 1 minute and 1 second over the second year, please run the opposite way. You will spend so much money fixing the car that you will not enjoy the Audi experience. Unless you have deep pockets, I do not recommend getting an Audi.
If Audi wanted me to be there P.R. rep and pay me 1 mill a year, I would still drive another car. The headache is not worth it. Please, Please, Please, run the opposite way when you see an Audi.
In conclusion, the car sucks. If you are thinking about getting an Audi, please have a bottle of asprin handy because you will need it for your headache.

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Toyota Corolla, Lexus IS

Styling
Rock solid feel at high speeds
Seats
Clutch feel
Quattro

Reliability
Lack of response from Audi USA
Audi roadside assistance
Electronics
wiring- headlights would go out and come back on.. headlights, taillights, brake lights had to be replaced multiple times before 35k

I really loved my black on black Audi A4 1.8t Quattro with sport, cold weather, & premium packages (& upgraded stereo). The styling and handling (esp. over 90 mph) was outstanding. It felt rock solid at high speeds. But over time, my confidence in Audi declined. I recently traded in my Audi at 43K miles. I was just too afraid to keep it after the 50k warranty expired. For the first 10k miles, I had no problems. Then I started having minor problems.. A noise in the steering wheel drove me crazy (turned out to be a bad spring in the airbag), and both headlights had to be replaced (twice) and a tailight and a brake light had to be changed before 35k miles. Other minor problems included repeated headlight adjustments, occasional radio glitches,and worst of all, a very foul odor from the AC (the drain was clogged- this took several trips to various dealers because Royal claimed there were "no drains" in the A4 and all the AC condensation just evaporated! Wrong!). Then at 28K I was driving home around midnight and my fuel pumped died WHILE I was driving fast pretty on the freeway. I was stranded in the middle of the night halfway between SF and Sac. Audi roadside assistance was horrible (long story but they were rude and useless). (Oh yeah Audi eventually recalled the fuel pump about a year AFTER mine died, so I guess others had that same problem). After that I had some other alignment issues (tire destroyed and left me stranded after the dealer had just "inspected" and rotated my tires. (I then found out Audi only gives you one free alignment in their maintenance program). In short, I just had a feeling that these and other problems would only get worse after my warranty was up. Since everything was covered (except that 2nd alignment), I was only out of pocket my time. It was with a sad heart that I decided to say goodbye to my Audi. The car handled and looked great. It did have some minor turbo lag as well, but it wasn't too bad. Audi's are beautiful cars. I think though, that they do require a lot more time in the shop than what I was willing to spend. Do I still miss my Audi? Yes, I have to say I do. No doubt about it, there is a trade off between reliability and the German feel of these cars. For me, my new Acura comes close in terms of "funness" to drive (but it is not as stable at high speed). However, the peace of mind I feel with new Acura's reliability was the deciding factor for to trade in my A4. I would be careful getting an Audi that was out of warranty...

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2001 Audi A4, 2006 Acura TSX

Remarkably safe, unbelievable handling, you get more than what you pay for (at least I did), just looks good!

Wheel bearing go out. Minor electrical concerns that shouldn't bother anyone who takes car of the car. Too much fun to drive, gas gets expensive.

This has been the most incredible car I have ever owned. I was skeptical when I first went to hand the check to this guy in Vegas, but I felt good about it anyway. One of my friends is an Audi mechanic and told me that this model and year A4 was very reliable. I had driven A4's before, but never my own. I had driven Porsches before, obviously not my own. It became the best car I have ever owned. I drove it for a year and a half. Service was relatively simple. Wheel bearings went out but that is common in the Audi. Oil changes saved me a lot of money because these cars don't need a change every 3000 miles... (See your mechanic). While I owned it I have never had to deal with any major problems or repairs. It drove responsively, quickly, handled like a sports car, and felt safe - which is why I continued to drive it even after the gas prices started to soar. It only had the 172 horsepower motor but the automatic transmission made up for that. It could very easily out-perform my friends' newer cars of other quality makes.

I was driving home this passed sunday evening from a movie at a friend's house when a 700 pound female elk stepped out of the median planter bushes (completely hidden from view) while I was going about 60 mph. It stepped out about ten feet in front of me and the next thing I knew was that the windshield was totally smashed and I was pulling over to the shoulder. Basically, my car is now totaled but still runs. I firmly believe that if I had been in an American car, I would be very dead, maybe decapitated. But the Audi saved my life (and my girlfriend's). That's a lot of animal to hit a car. I must thank the Germans for their unbelievable engineering.

So, yes, I will be buying another Audi A4. I feel safe in them. They handle very well. The quattro is absolutely incredible. I won't be buying anything else, ever.

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other A4s, bmw wagon, toyota camry, honda prelude, some american cars

Bulletproof handling, superb fit and finish, best looking beast in it's class by far.

It's picky and wants to be serviced well, has it's failings but they are minor in my estimation, see strengths. Expensive to feed but worth every penny.

Bought an A4 1.8T Tiptronic Quattro in 2001. Best car I've ever driven and the best mix of conservative engineering and sport capability I could imagine. Quattro made it bulletproof on the road in any weather, I really had to put my mind into it to spin a tire under ANY circumstances. Only complaint we had was the ventilation system was noisy. All went well until the 5/50000 warranty expired and then at 60000 we ran into about $2400 in repairs. Brain failed and we had to replace for $1500 to get the airbags working. Another $267 per axel to replace failed rear wheel bearings which is flat out inexecusable, it's not like anyone has made such things before. Yes, the coil issue came up but the car never failed and the dealer scheduled us in and took care of us in a morning. No pain, no fuss. For what it is worth, about ten days ago my wife let my daughter take the Audi one night against my advice and she totalled it. She fell asleep and rear ended a Plymouth Voyager already doing 65 mph (I'd guess my daughter was doing 75-80); she woke up, swwerved into a guardrail and tore the left front wheel off, pinwheeled down the road for another three revolutions and tore the front end to pieces. Car came to a stop, still running, and she put it in gear to pull off the road. Car would not move and she got out, saw the missing wheel, and turned it off. Walked away without a bruise, and when we cleaned out the car I observed it would still start, and the driver compartment damage was limited to what the two front airbag deployments caused. Say what you will you moaners and groaners, I cannot imagine getting anything else. I always felt it would climb trees if I asked it to and know nothing could out perform it in snow and ice. Nothing. No where, no way, no how. Came home two years ago in a winter storm through 8" of virgin snow, had to keep it down to the speed limit, sigh. Yes, more power would be great but the 1.8T with tiptronic made it easy to keep RPM's over 2500 where I could keep up with the V6's very nicely. We will replace it with the same car I suspect. I've had the wife out driving everything in it's class and she is plain unhappy with the result. She can't articulate the feeling but I will. It's the feeling of driving a car that is totally, completely on your side. No matter what you do it's with you. It knows it's job, which is to protect you, and it's with you all the way.

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American cars: Mustang, Taurus, Saturn. Has made me realize most American cars are dangerous pieces of trash and should be banned from the road. Any road.

All around excellent performance and a great driving experience. Beautiful car with great build quality. Balance of luxury and performance for a very reasonable price.

It's governed at 130 because of the stock tires. Fuel economy could be a bit better. I know, I know, slow down to 85 and I'll get better mileage.

This car is simply a blast to drive. Steering is the most accurate and nimble I've ever experienced and has near perfect weight and feel. This thing communicates better than Dr. Phil. You can feel exactly where the wheels are going...right where you pointed them. Handles like it's on rails but doesn't thump your kidneys on rough roads. Engine has good power and throttle response. In drive, the transmission shows only a small amount of hesitation. In sport or manual shift mode there is even less. This is the most technologically advanced automatic I've ever driven. Drive will get you decent fuel mileage if you take it easy but will happily supply a racier package should you choose to apply more pressure with your right foot. Sport mode gets you that all the time. It stays high in the rev band in every gear. The Quattro system is the benchmark for all-wheel drive. Feel like doing 130 in a down pour? No problem. The only difference between that and dry pavement is having to turn on the wipers. The Electronic Stability Program is so non-invasive you have to be right on the ragged edge before you even notice it exists. The car is so solid and stable you don't need it until then. Like the twisties? This car handles them like a champ. Like to romp down the highway? This thing cruises like a dream. Oh yeah, the brakes are great too, but who cares, you won't ever want to use them. Fit and finish inside and out are superb. No cheap, cheesy materials here. The leather seats are immaculate and the wood trim is tasteful without being overstated. Ergonomics are very good and there is not a cubic inch of wasted space. Front seat room is more than ample (I'm 6'2") and is complemented by an 8-way adjustable driver's seat and tilt and telescoping wheel. Leg room in the rear is snug for an adult. The trunk is cavernous and still cargo space can be increased by the locking fold-down rear seats. The list of standard features is excellent and a great deal of optional features can be had in reasonably priced packages. Too many to list here, so just a few examples. The 4 driver memory settings include seat, mirror, and even dual-zone climate control. The HomeLink system eliminates the need for a separate garage door opener. Steering wheel audio controls, 6 disc in-dash CD changer, Bose surround sound, and available XM Satellite. The dash-mounted cup holder is further proof of the superiority of German engineering. Tap the front of it and it slides out of the console and expands like an Erector set. Slide it back in and it folds up like a contortionist and disappears. Obviously an afterthought installed to satisfy the needs of us silly Americans who so often forsake the real purpose of driving a car like this for a hot cup of over-priced coffee. Regardless, it would be useless to any self-respecting German. It's too small to hold a Bierstein. 4 wheel ABS, 8 airbags, built in child LATCH system, and a front sub-frame that collapses in a head-on so the engine doesn't come through the firewall. Yeah, it's a pretty safe car. All this makes me want to buy one...for myself. It's my wife's car.

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Drove a friend's BMW 330i. Performance is similar but the Bimmer cost him $12K more and still no all-wheel drive. Brakes were way too touchy and the steering didn't communicate as well. At even money the Audi would still be a better value. At $12K less it kicks Bavarian butt. Infiniti G35 sedan claims to be in the same class for less money. The less money part is true. Steering and handling aren't nearly as good as the Audi or BMW. It does have more power than either. The interior is slathered with cheap plastic.

Handling, Speed, fit and finish, looks (it still stands out in a increasing field of clones, especially in red. Galvanized steel on both sides adds to the value of the car. I've seen Acuras of the same vintage with the typical Honda/Acura rust syndrome over the rear wells. Not a spot on these cars! Huge trunk , holds two hockey bags, or four sets of golf clubs

Service, it seems the stealerships know how to milk the wallets. front suspension, (some work is required to make the problems dissappear) lack of legroom in the rear (good for kids, bad for adults)

I initially needed to replace a GM product...need I say more...the cars that caught my eye were the Acura 3.2TL and the A4. I wanted something with some ballz and a little prestige to it. The Acura was nice but bland, no spark to it. Although I'm a fan of Honda products in general, the TL did nothing for me.On the other hand the A4 spoke to me as I sat in it. LET'S GO...it seemed to say. So...lets go. I took the car around the block for a long spin. I was hooked. The car handled and sounded great. The car is approaching it's tenth anniversary and the body was tight and nary a squeak from anywhere. Man try comparing that with something from Japan or domestic. Even the lack of rust or fading in the paint impressed me. Again see if you could find that on a domestic!. I was in awe of the handling, acceleration, stopping, level of fit and finish, lack of road/wind noise.

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Acura 3.2TL BMW 325 Honda Accord Volvo S70 GLT

Build quality is excellent in my opinoin low maintenance cost like not going to dealership all the time.first 50,000 miles free oil change service. Oh did i mention that its still running smooth and quiet?

Wish more people could afford this car instead of buying poorly engineered cars i have seen in this country and all the Horror stories i have read about here in this country. So no weakness found at least for my car.

Well what can i say the car has been really well to me minor problems but its normal wear and tear. I have pushed the limits of this car while living in Germany.Then lived in California to Mississippi to Michigan still no problems.Going on 5 years old now still great car interior dont rattle like most american cars and it dont sound Hollow like most Japanese cars. However i feel for some poeple who buy the Automatic tranny versions i read some reports about some tranny problems. This is why i Bought a manual in the first place.. just change gear oil every service time required and it will never fail you. Mechanically the engine it self is really well engeineered I have the 2.8 V6.Its been around quiet a while so its been Debuged to near perfect profection.Gas milage is still good in my opinion but hey if you buy a premuim car gas is the least of your worries right? To own this car and have it repaired buy dealers can be expensive so take that it consideration that these cars need a new timing every 70,000 miles and here in Michigan thats a $1,200.00 service. but that includes all the rollers,a new waterpump,tensioner,belt,and coolant which is a little pricey so have it done when it goes in for service.. I currently have 88500 miles on my car and the engines still sounds quiet and smooth. I use only Mobile 1 syntheitc oile and changer every 3800 miles. its a little excessive caompared to manufactures 5000 miles. But i really run my car hard on the highway. For the body the only thing i needed to replace so far is the driver side heated mirror a Right front head light washer which was my fault. because i let it freeze with some cheap washer fluid i used that could protect it from freezing temps it cost about $48.00. and a broken foglight which was a one in a million chance that a rock hit it it was th most expensive so far $160.00 Buts that is all i had to do for the car And thats only cosmetics. However i had a emission valve go bad but i fixed it by replacing the valve that was 3 years ago. it caots $78.00. So spent a Woping $346.00 in the 5 years i owned this cars for little stupid things which are only cosmetics Minus the vale i bought too. So its actually less. I would recomend this car to anyone that can afford a new one or even a used one. The only thing is buying a used one is taking a chance because soo many americans i have seen dont take care of thier personal belongings.Some people dont relize a car needs to be serviced properly and taken care of not just washNwax. Wich goes for everything else people own. So it's like any thing else, you take care of it and it will take care of you.

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Cannot compare any cars i owned to this so there are none.

Wonderful handling / Supple ride Handsome interior Plentiful amount of standard options Comfortable

Hight Maintenance Costs Electronic Gremlins Could use a 24valve for better acceleration.

I am the proud but frustrated (lately) owner of a 96 Audi A4 Quattro with the 2.8 liter V6. First of all, what a wonderful car. From the first time I just sat in the vehicle I could feel it's vast amount of comfort, convenient location of controls, and myriad of extras I had never experienced. Heated seats, one touch sunroof, heated door locks, side mirrors, and winshield/headlight fluid. This vehicle also has a remarkable warm-up time, just two minutes maximum and the cabin fills with warm air. The A4 makes you feel like winter isn't even happening...and this is before you get on the road. The A4 is a bit overweight considering its all wheel drive system and plethora of ammenities. It's acceleration is ample and follows a smooth ride all the way to it's redline of 6250rpm. Though it doesn't give the driver output of it's urgency as well as some might like, you are still moving quite quickly. Quiet enough for the folks who like a quiet ride, but has a subdued yet viceral tone for those who like to turn off the stereo every once in a while. Even at its heavy curb weight, it handles beautifully. Nimble on turns, although steering wheel feedback needs amplified. Turning at the limit can be a very pleasurable and satisfying experience and comes natural with the all wheel drive. Understeer is it's most natural instinct being that the drivetrain ratio is greater in the front, however, oversteer can be induced with a firm press of the accelerator and an earlier turn-in through your curve. Ride quality is superb but has suffered noticebly now that I have replaced the 205/16/55 tires with 215/17/45 Toyo tires. The A4's cabin has comfortable front seats wrapped in very durable leather which has lasted many years. Rear seat leg room could be improved but can be done at a small inconvenience to the front seat passengers. Trunk space is actually quite large for an entry level sport luxury. Safety features include all wheel drive, front and passenger air bags, and ABS. Four wheel discs stop the car when your enjoying yourself but pads need replaced more often. With my rigorous testing, this could be acceptable. This brings me to a few downfalls of perhaps just my particular model. Electrical problems have plagued me since 70,000 miles. Currently this car has a rather small amount of miles for it's year, 81,887. Some electrical problems I have incureed have been: Speedometer lights from 0-35 burnt out / digital display of climate control temperature sometimes malfuntions in it's readout / headlight, tailight, and markers replaced more than normal / power window motor (on a window rarely used, LR) went out...$400.00! / and another odd but not exactly worth fixing inconvenience...chimes no longer function, which left me with a dead battery as I accidentally left the lights on because I heard no warning beeps. Auto repairs have been a bit expensive which has somewhat hampered my love for the German Luxury Sport segment. Overall, the Audi A4 Quattro is a spledid vehicle that leaves one with a very satisfying driving experience. Maintenance costs can be exorbitant, but the quality, fit & finish, as well as durability is excellent.

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1998 BMW 328ci 1994 Nissan 300ZX TT 2002 Lexus IS300

-striking looks -classy/comfortable interior -great amenities -engine is highly tunable -good warranty (4 years, 50K mi. free maintenance) -helpful dealer (mine is, I can't speak for other Audi dealers) -LOTS of aftermarket parts/accessories -in-dash CD changer -unique chassis (i.e., not shared with current VW Passat) -Quattro AWD, all-weather handling -good crash ratings -lots of safety features -rare car on the road compared to Bimmers, C-Class, and IS300’s -dual exhaust looks cool/very sporty -great on gas (1.8T), even with Quattro

-cupholders only good for cans and small cups -folding armrest only good for long trips when there's infrequent gear shifting -trunk not the largest

I was in the market for a four door near-luxury vehicle and was considering the following: Audi A4 1.8T Quattro, Lexus IS300, and (2004.5) Volvo S40 T5. I thoroughly researched and test drove all three models. While the Lexus is definitely a quick car and an excellent handler at a reasonable price ($30K fully-loaded), I was turned off by its "Corolla-esque" exterior styling, boy-racer stigma, and cramped interior. I also didn’t like that the only manual available was a 5-speed. Granted, the Lexus/Toyota 3.0 inline six is one of the smoothest sixes this side of a BMW 2.5 or 3.0 and while it's pretty powerful (215 HP), this car did nothing to stir my soul. Plus these cars are extremely popular in Southern California so it's not uncommon to see at least 10 IS300’s on the freeway during my 40 minute commute home. It would seem the local Lexus dealer would pamper you when bringing the car in for service and I am a big fan of Toyota products (my wife has a 2002 Sequoia and I have owned the first two generations of MR2's), but still I decided to pass on the IS300. When I heard Volvo was going to replace its aging S40 (built on a Mitsubishi chassis), I was looking forward to test driving and possibly buying the 2004.5 edition which has the makings of a mini S60R. The new S40 T5 is certainly better-looking than the IS300 and it’s probably just as quick if not quicker. At the time, Volvo only offered the T5 in a front-wheel drive configuration with a 5-speed automatic. Although this transmission allows you to "manually" shift between gears, it's just not the same as a real manual. I liked a lot of things about this car like its interior and exterior styling, its many safety features, and crash ratings--apparently, the best in its class. However, I just couldn't imagine paying $30K+ for a front-wheel drive car with massive torque-steer that shares its chassis with the newly launched Mazda 3 and upcoming second generation Ford Focus. I obviously picked the Audi A4 1.8T. I actually test drove this car first before driving the other two. The funny thing is, I picked the slowest car of the bunch with the smallest engine (170 HP 1.8 liter turbo four cylinder) but there’s more to selecting a car than just pure speed. First, the car is just stunning to look at borrowing styling cues from the current A6 and TT. The A4’s styling will no doubt age well. Its looks resemble a four door coupe. The lines are clean and there’s nothing contrived about the exterior, like the Lexus IS300 and Mercedes C-Class sedans. It’s also not funky/weird looking like the G35 sedan by Infiniti. The A4 is definitely a “look-over-your-shoulder-while-walking-away-from-it-in-a-parking-lot” kind of car. I’ve caught myself doing just that on many occasions. The A4’s interior is also without equal. REAL aluminum trim pieces are tastefully used in the interior, NOT that cheap/fake stuff that Infiniti puts in its G35’s. There are also very nice touches such as lighted PASSENGER foot wells and two special LED’s that cast a faint but noticeable light over the gear shift area during night driving. There are handy drawers underneath the passenger and driver’s seats for extra stowage and a first aid kit inside the rear center arm rest. The heated seats have 6 settings! The controls fall logically to hand. No interior is perfect but the A4’s comes pretty close. My A4 comes with the “lower-end” 1.8 liter turbo four cylinder. I wanted the 3.0 V6 but it’s not nearly as good on gas and it also put the car out of my price range. I must say, 170HP is pretty adequate for me at this time. Luckily, the 1.8T is the darling of the Euro automotive aftermarket world which means I easily make substantial engine/turbo upgrades once my warranty runs out. Yes, the Quattro does add weight but the 1.8T with the 6 speed manual still provides lively acceleration and the A4’s handling is excellent. The optional Sport Package that’s included coupled with Quattro keeps my A4 planted when taking on the twisties. At the same time, you won’t get beat up on bad roads. Truly the best of both worlds. It’s a blast to drive and with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive, there’s an added measure of safety. Another thing I notice when driving this car is that you really feel connected to the road, enhancing the overall driving experience. After 6 months my A4 has driven remarkably well with no quality/reliability issues. My local Audi dealer also seems willing to pamper me. I could go on about the A4 and if you haven’t already noticed, I truly dig this car and I highly recommend it. Most people probably won’t listen and will continue to buy IS300’s, 3 Series Bimmers, G35’s, and C-Class sedans and that’s fine with me. But I feel you will be missing out on a truly terrific vehicle. You have to at least test drive the A4 like I did before making a decision. If you do choose something else, that’s OK too. I kind of dig the exclusivity the Audi A4 brings—even on the crowded SoCal freeways.

Fun to drive

In general my car has been in the shop for one major repair every 6,000 miles or so. Great car to drive, but lousy quality control, and Audi was unresponsive to my dissatisfaction.

First a plastic cover under the hood broke and flooded my car. It took nearly a month to dry my car and repair all the electrical damage. The Memory function on my side mirror has never functioned properly or been repaired to my satisfaction. With out my continual intervention, the mirror will progressively move to point downward over the course of a few days. The brake light warning come on despite the fact that the handbrake is not engaged. The catalytic converters have failed and needed to be replaced (Two separate visits to the Dealership). The rear sun-shade has failed and needed to be replaced. And of course, as was generally true for the 2002 models, two coils had to malfunction before all of them were replaced.