Exclusive although getting less so, looks great in black and silver- hell any color, stunningly classy interior, the warm weather package is great in Texas heat- worth the upgrade price. Warranty is great- forced BMW and others to match it.

Power, low end grunt, getting pricey for 200hp. Passat is getting to be a much better value as price for A6's go up. Basically the same car with less luxury and much less money.

Lets first say that I love AUDI's I have an A6 2.8 Quattro and my wife has an A4 2.8. I paid $34k for my black A6. The only two complaints that I have are these, the power is enough but the tranny needs to be Americanised to give us more tourqe at lower speeds. And the Transmission does shift quirky for the first two gears- too much computerization. Also, I had an A4 from 96-99 and this A6 I have paid about $1200 out of pocket INCLUDING TIRES FOR THE A4 to run both these cars. I simply have not had any service problems that the warranty diod not handle. Put 96k miles on the A4 in 4 years- no problem. But for 10-14k less a Nissan Maxima has more power and is a nice package. I think I should have more power for my 34k (now 37-38k) than a Maxima. No Japanese car can hold a candle to the interior of the A6. simply a great place to be when stuck in a traffic Jam. The 2000 model has a single CD in the dash as well as trunk- nice touch. When this lease is done I will consider the turbo- but the Turbo has 3000 mile service intervals- the 2.8 has 7500. Taking to the dealer every 3k is too soon. I may look elsewhere when I am ready in 2003- not because these are not great cars, but 45k for the turbo may be pushing my budget. Now if they upped the 2.8 to 220 hp and lowered the gearing a bit...

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Other Audi's.

Love the exterior and interior styling of this car - best looking wagon on the road and prefer its styling to the A-6 sedan. Clean lines and rich materials. Bought the car for the all wheel drive safety feature which is standard in the Avant wagon. It has ot been a disappointment and give such a high degree of driving confidence especially driving in all the rainy weather we experience in the Pacific NW. Precise steering and solid built. Drove the car last summer from Olympia, WA to Yosemite NP, tp Las Vegas, NV to Grand Canyon, across the Mojave desert (112 degrees) to LA, up to California coast to Monterey, San Jose, San Francisco, Redwood NP, back up to Portland, OR and finally back home in a 3 week period without one single problem. Aside from some dealer recalls and a whinney sound that they recently fixed there have been no mechanical problems with this car. The 3 year or 30,000 miles no maintenance cost is great.

Though horsepower has been the main complain I think it is fine. What could be improved is changing the gear ratio so you would have more low end torque for getting off the line. Switching the tiptronic to manual helps to do this somewhat. Don't like the automatic dual climate control. Seems unnecessary and prefer to have simpler adjustments for the heat and air. Wish Avant would be offered with the sports suspension package.

Paid $36,000 for the standard avant. Did not want the leather interior or sunroof. Lots of standard equipment. Would highly recommend this as an alternative to SUVs and mini-vans. Carries sufficient cargo and passengers. On our summer trip back up from LA we brought my in-laws and 14 yo brother-in-law to San Jose and managed to fit their luggage and ours in the back cargo area. The car handled just as well power-wise with 5 people going up Highway 1. A lot of money but you get great quality and safety.

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Volvo V70 wagon and BMW 525 wagon. Both cost too much and did not like styling. Neither had the free maintenance.

Great "feel". This car makes all the right moves at all the right times. Wonderful power band... even at high altitude(s) (we also have a home in Vail, CO). A real joy to drive... I purchased this car for my wife, and she reports that she feels "safe" in this car. Brakes are very good in the wet.

The only issues I have are minor. I noticed a rattle somewhere in the vanity / mirror assembly that can drive me nuts. I'm also not thrilled with the Conti's. I would wish for a better transmitted road feel with these tires. We've had some minor trouble with the car alarm system as well.

I really believe that in the mid 40's this is the car to own. I drove the MBZ's (as we own a 230 SLK Kompressor Sport)and I was really prepared to buy an E-Class car... but the Audi is more emotional and complete. We also carefully looked at the 2001 740il as well as the latest 5-series. The 740il was pure joy... but 26K dollars more!

I continue to like our decision every day. I would absolutely recommend it.

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We've owned a 1997 BMW 528iA as well as a Lexus LS 400. We both seem to like this car much more than either the BMW or the Lexus.

4WD is great on slippery surfaces, high speed stability very good, engine and gearbox very smooth, especially at speed

The ride is harsh on poor road surfaces, gearchange pattern sporadic (that "thinking" electronics!), 1st to 2nd gear shift much too far delayed when car is cold

It has strengths no other car could offer, but the irritating gearbox and the agents' seeming inability to fix it would make me look elsewhere next time around. Overall, dealer support is miserable; one could do better.

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Nissan Maxima

Excellent ergonomics. Interior and exterior detailed german engineering. Quattro with tiptronic trans. Saftey in bad weather. Luxury, Good Pricing.

2.8 liter engine. 2.7 liter bi-turbo is the way to go. Gas guage problem fuel sending units were replaced.

I love my A6. It has taking me thru some of the most nastiest weather including blizzards, heavy rain, and fog. The A6 with the quattro is saftey at its best. The A6 interior and exteriier are magnificent. Detailed German engineering is its trademark. The A6 feels very comfortable at all speeds including the freeway here in California. The handling is also responsive especially driving thru the twisty Sierra Nevada passes. Extremely taught and nimble. The tiptronic transmission becomes very handy in going uphill and keeping a good controll of the engine.

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Saab, BMW

Great look, excellent stereo system, got the Bose with the disc changer. Love the interior lighting and the really smooth ride. It's fun to use the tiptronic.

Really bad clearance for the front fender. I ended up damaging it. Don't know what it will cost to repair. The car is definitely underpowered. Sometimes wish I had waited for the 2000 4.3 litre model instead. Tiptronic helps, but not much in the 0-35 mph range.

I would recommend this car for someone who values comfort and luxury at an affordable price and to whom pick up is not a significant criteria. Be careful about the front fender.

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None

The Exterior and Interior design is simply super, and this car looks just great.
The quality of the interior material is first rate, in my opinion definitely better than the comparable BMW 528 and the Mercedes E320.
I love the red fiber optic lighting in the interior.
The car has a very good balance in handling and comfort
I enjoy the tiptronic transmission whenever i use it.
The price of this is a bargain compared to other cars of it's class, specially when you include the quattro.

None so far. However it is nice if it had automatic daytime running lights.

$37k. This car is simply great, no wonder it has got so many awards including best luxury car by motor week, 10 best for 2000 - Car & Driver, Finalist North American Car of the Yr 1998, Highest Rating in the Consumer Reports Magazine in it's class, just to name a few. We are lucky that Audi has cut it's prices down in the USA, specially when you compare it with the prices of these cars in Europe. I definitely recomend it, but you will not know how good it is unless you test drive it and compare it to other cars in it's class. If you need more power there is a A6 2.7T (0-60 mph in just 6 sec.) and the more powerful A6 4.2.

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The Audi A6 2.8 is a bargain compared BMW 528, Mercedes E320. The build quality of the Audi is definitely better and the styling is more futuristic.

ESTETICA

Potrei dirvi che è stratosfericamente stupefacente, ma cerco di essere obiettivo: tra le station della sua categoria è secondo me quella che ha la linea più indovinata/equilibrata/originale anche perché secondo me la BMW serie 5 è troppo tradizionale e legata ai canoni della casa e la Mercedes E-Klasse lo stesso (e secondo me è già in versione carro funebre...).
La mia versione è dotata di assetto sportivo (-30 mm) e cerchi da 16'' (cinque fori) con pneumatici Michelin Pilot HX MXM 205/55 ZR16; ne consegue una linea molto più slanciata rispetto alle versioni prive di assetto sport e cerchi a pia fori.
Il frontale è piuttosto importante: bella calandra con stemma dei 4 anelli in centro, cofano non molto spiovente, paraurti molto avvolgente ed arrotondato con tre prese d'aria inferiori che inglobano i piccoli fendinebbia ellissoidali (devo dire che la 4.2 da 300 hp è ancora più bella però, per non parlare della S6).
Fiancata molto slanciata grazie al giusto rapporto superfici vetrate/lamierati, ma forse è la parte meno originale del progetto, visto che sconta una grossa parentela con la versione precedente.
Posteriore "particolare": il paraurti quasi non si vede, gran portellone sottolineato inferiormente da una sottile fascia d'acciaio; poco sopra la targa inserita in un rettangolo di plastica con sopra i retronebbia (forse non un gran che).

INTERNI

L'allestimento Ambiente non si differenzia degli altri due disponibili (Advance e Ambition) se non per tipi di tessuti/pelle/radiche/disegni dell' alluminio adottati. La mia ha gli interni in pelle Nappa Blu e gli inserti in alluminio Prisma che ho preferito alla radica perché mi sa di cassa da morto (non me ne vogliano i "radichisti"). La posizione di guida è veramente comoda, soprattutto rispetto a quella della Saab 900 che avevo prima:
regolazioni facili e micrometriche in altezza (che non uso) e lombare in 2 zone (tra le scapole e vicino ai lombi). Il volante sportivo con i comandi riportati del tiptronic è anch'esso di colore blu, si impugna molto bene ed è di diametro leggermente più ridotto rispetto al quattro razze tristissimo di serie (che però può avere i comandi della radio).
Strumentazione piuttosto completa con i classici 4 indicatori oltre al display centrale del computer di bordo comandabile dalla leva al volante di dx. (unica cosa inutile il voltmetro); il display riporta anche le informazione della Radio di bordo).
Nella console centrale, nella parte superiore trovano posto da sx a dx: pulsante di esclusione dell'ASR, hazard, portalattine (boiata incredibile che piace tanto negli USA e che funziona); subito sotto troviamo lo sportellino rivestito in alluminio che cela la radio Concert (optional, ora sostituito dalla versione Symphony che non so come sia) di fabbricazione Blaupunkt di buona qualità e buona resa sonora ( 200 watt di potenza - 8 altoparlanti + subwoofer nel bagagliaio); ancora più in basso: comandi dell' impianto di climatizzazione veramente ottimo.
Sul tunnel c'è la leva del tiptronic, comandi specchietti, freno a mano, portacassette da tre.

On the Road

Motore: è l'ormai noto V6 24V di 2496 cm3 - 150 hp di casa Audi, da poco affiancato dalla versione da 180 hp con coppia max di 31.6 kgm da 1500 a 3200 rpm (in realtà si va da 1750 fino a ca. 3000 rpm); molto elastico e incredibilmente poco assetato di gasolio nonostante l'accoppiamento con cambio automatico e mole di quasi 1800 kg. da tirare.
Le prestazioni sono molto buone: ho rilevato molto empiricamente i seguenti dati: vel max tachimetrica 218 km/h (ci siamo con i 210 dichiarati) dopo un discreto lancio); 0/100 in 11"2; 0/1000m non lo so; consumo medio di utilizzo (30% città, 40% extraurbano, 30% autostrada) 14 km/l.
La macchina è mostruosamente silenziosa: il rumore del diesel si sente solo la mattina per i primi minuti dopo l'avviamento a freddo, poi a caldo lascia spazio ad un piacevole rombo avvertibile solo in accelerazione piena. Grazie all'assetto sportivo la tenuta è molto sicura e le reazioni, quando ci sono, sono prevedibilissime; in più l'ASR fa proprio il suo dovere sul bagnato. Rollio quanto basta, sospensioni non durissime e che trasmettono qualche scossone sui fondi irregolari e dissestati. Anche se la tenuta è da 9 in pagella non sono molto d'accordo con la Casa sulla misura dei pneu.: secondo me ci vorrebbero almeno dei 215/55 16 o anche dei 225.
Per quanto riguarda il cambio, passato il trauma dell'automatico che fa inorridire Idani e non, devo dire che è di una comodità spaventosa: in città eviti crampi alla gamba sx nella marcia in colonna (cosa che mi è capitata prima con la 164 Turbo 4 cil. E poi con la Saab 900 turbo) e ti consente riprese fulminee grazie al kick-down; in più c'è il tiptronic: basta spostare la leva nella griglia di dx e il cambio diventa un sequenziale, non molto pronto, ma efficace (se qualcuno ricorda la prova di Auto della Porsche Boxster tiptronic di 3 anni or sono, sappia che i difetti che lamentavano quelli di Auto sono gli stessi che evidenzierei io).

Ecco qua.
Questo è tutto. E' il mio prima IDA-Test che posto, quindi se qualcuno desidera chiarimenti o integrazioni o mi vuole suggerire correzioni me lo faccia sapere.

A vehicle that has all the right stuff. Great power, especially through the mid-range, and a smooth tiptronic five speed automatic (w/manual option) transmission that allows the car to cruise along at less that 2000 RPM when you are going faster than the legal highway limits. Compared to the standard A6, those very flared aluminum fenders, lower stance, and slight increase in length make this car special. It is a different car from the windshield forward. It just looks good. The interior is finished with excellent quality materials and I cannot find anything that was not given a luxury touch.

The 17" wheels with the 255/40 ZR tires look great and provide excellent grip through the turns, especially in the rain. Quattro all-wheel drive; once you have it, you cannot do without it; especially in those sandy intersections after a long winter. Interestingly, I am getting 24 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city as I listen to a great BOSE stereo system.

And, on these cold days everyone, front and back, have seat heaters with six settings.

You have to pay to play! The 255/40 ZR 17" tires are amazing, but you better order up a set of snows and wheels for the snowy time of year. It would be nice if you could tell it to stay in first gear for a bit longer, but that is just a minor issue.

Anyone looking to drop about 50k on a luxury passenger car that wants power and control should look at this car. The V8 is so, so smooth. As a fan of Quattro, I could not even consider the BMW. The Mercedes 4Matic is price prohibitive for what you get. I can't imagine how anyone would not find this car to be a pleasant and enjoyable long-term possesion.

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My last car was an 1995 A6 and they have eliminated all issues such as power and style. However, if I wasn't happy with the 1995, I would not have dropped a bunch of cash on this one.

This car has exhilarating acceleration. It moves and it moves quickly. The interior is beautiful. The stereo and climate control are great. The braking is superb. This is a go / stop car. You hit the power and it goes, quickly. You hit the brake and it stop's, quickly.

Slightly firmer suspension (did not have the sport suspension when I took delivery) would be about the only change I would make. The standard suspension is not bad if you get 17" tires and wheels.

The vehicle is a little pricey but anything in this class is either very close in price or a little higher. If you are considering any car in this class this is a must see/drive.

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BMW: It exceeds the BMW in the performance department and it is on par with the interior appointments and quality. Also, the Quattro with snow's will get you through almost anything. BMW does not have an AWD type of system.