Audi 4 vs. Bmw 3 Series

I am considering a used 3 Series, maybe the Xi model or an Audi Quattro A4.

Thoughts, opinions and facts are appreciated.

H Castorp

Reply to
Asfwindsor
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Get the BMW. 1.Quality 2.Reliability From a 2001 A4 2.8 Quattro Owner

Reply to
Dennis W

Quattro system is superior to X-Drive. BMW is pretentious and overpriced, Audi has better interior to boot. BMW's performance is slightly better but you aren't racing, right? Get the A4. I'd also suggest the AWD Infiniti G35. Steve Grauman

Reply to
Steve Grauman

Both unreliable. Get a Lexus IS.

Reply to
Dan J.S.

Too bad it's so ugly. :(

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

I'm not aware of any mass claims that the 3-series is a problematic vehicle. My uncle had 3 of them before moving into the 5-series he just bought and they've been problem free thus far. However iDrive is a bitch. I'm well aware of claims aganist the A4 but my father's B5 2.8 went over 60,000 miles with no problems, and my 1.8t powered GTi is trouble free as well. The IS is great little car, it can out-handle the 3-series and matches the class average 0-60 time of around

7.0 seconds. But it's rear seat is even more cramped than the A4's and it lacks AWD. The AWD version of the G35 can match or beat any of them for performance and costs less. Slightly over-zealous brakes, but that's not the worst thing that could happen. However, I still prefer Audi's interiors and Quattro is the only truly proven system in the lot. Steve Grauman
Reply to
Steve Grauman

Steve, as usual, is right. I love BMW as much as the next person (the motorcycles are my thing, actually, more than the cars), but the Audi is more affordable and appropriate for my life in western New York winters, and my 98.5 A4 has been trouble-free for the most part. No, I wasn't amused by the rear bearing failures (one last year, one this year), but that's not the same as control arm failures, which I have not experienced, and the car has been rock solid reliable in terms of electrical and engine functions. Maybe I got a midweek built car. I love this machine and will probably drive it to the ground.

Reply to
KLS

Well, its not that bad. Audi is a pretty car! By far probably the best looking. I am not sure what happened to the Germans, cars that used to be rock solid are a thing of the past.

Reply to
Dan J.S.

=) Thanks!

Apparently Subaru's have a very good reputation for snow and ice conditions as well. Again I prefer the A4's interior but I think the Legacy/Outback with the

250Hp 2.5 litre turbo motor might be worth a look - just in case. Steve Grauman
Reply to
Steve Grauman

Mercedes Benz isn't what it used to be but the cars are still solid. In fact, IMHO, MB is the only company who's cars interior quality can match or best the Audi models. We test drove the ML-series SUV twice, once in late 2000 before my mother got her RX300 and again a few weeks ago before she got her new Touraeg. The exterior styling leaves a *lot* to be desired but the interior is extremely nice and well put togethor. Steve Grauman

Reply to
Steve Grauman

Subaru is an outstanding car for our winters, and we have a 1999 Legacy Outback right now, but the A4 is superior in all respects except price and maintenance.

Reply to
KLS

The Subies, at least the more expensive sedans, are getting nicer. I was fairly impressed when I test drove the new 2.5GT sedans but it's still not Audi quality. Steve Grauman

Reply to
Steve Grauman

The IS 300 is too small, no ski sack, flip/fold down seats, FWD... shall I go on? Get the Corolla XRS for 1/2 the price if you are stuck on a small car.

BMWs though nice are too common and option up real pretty like. Go to the Audi page and option up an A4 and then try it with BMW. You will spend ~ $8K more for the BMW. And look like every other mook on the road with a 3 series.

The G35 is pretty OK, my second choice. Distant 2nd. What Nissan is doing with the G35 is pumping up the HP in lieu of other useful things like how the rear seat functions, fit and finish and so on. The extra HP instead of useful things is something I would expect from the US car assemblers. More HP = more fuel consumption. Do you need 250 HP to toodle around at 50 km/hr? I don't and chose the A4 1.8 q.

Reply to
Cam Newton

The IS is RWD, and psosts higher skidpad numbers than a 330i, althog the 330 may turn that around if optioned with the Sport Pacakge that also ups horsepower.

The Corolla uses the 1.8 litre 180Hp motor from the Celica GT-S. Very fun at high revvs but practically useless torque below 4500 RPM and it still feels like an econobox inside. Frankly, even Nissan's Sentra SE-R VSpec is more attractive to me than the XRS. It's got better low-end power from the 2.5 litre motor and can be had with Brembo brakes. Of course, for the money, I'll take a Jetta GLS 1.8T over any of those.

My local dealer sells Audi, Porsche and BMW. I went with my mother several weeks ago to test drive a Cayenne S and to show her the A6 Avant. When we went to the BMW side to look at the X3 and X5 we noticed a fully optioned 330i with a $45,600 sticker. You've GOT to be kidding me. I'll take an S4 thanks.

The G35 is the best deal to come out of Nissan Motors in years. For $35,000 you can have a fully loaded, 260 horsepower sedan with Navigation, leather, premium sound, and a low 6-second 0-60 time. Not to mention that it can match or beat a

330 on the track. It's interior quality cannot quite match the A4's but it's certainly as nice as the BMW's, which I think is over-rated. There's also (apparently) huge discounts being given on the M45 which I think is a neat car, but some people really dislike the exterior styling, and it's normal price of around $50k is to high by any standard.

Well there's a little more to buying than that. If all you need is basic A to B transportation from a car that's capable of 65 MPH highway speeds than a $12,000 Kia will do it. Steve Grauman

Reply to
Steve Grauman

What!?!?

The ML is the worst piece of trash that Mercedes has ever sold (in America). If you thought that was anywhere near nice and/or well put together, you'd love a vintage 1980s Jeep. Seriously, that thing is a tremendous step down for MB, and they've been somewhat practiced at stepping down build quality and reliability for the last 10 years.

Check out a 1994 vintage W124 E-class or an even older W126 S-class. You will find many examples of those 10+ year old cars with fewer rattles, tighter exterior panel fit, and better internal fit and finish than a new ML that just rolled off the assembly line.

Reply to
Eza Gadson

The interior quality of the ML was at least as good or better than the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 330, neither of which are horrible by any degree. It was fit well and looked good, although not as good as previous Mercedes.

My Grandfather owned a 1979 S-Class Diesel sedan and a 1991 560 SEC coupe that he kept as "side" vehicles till just last year. Both were extremely well put togethor, but the 1998 SL500 and 2004 E500 he has at the moment aren't bad either. I'm waiting for a new Sl to replace the 98'. Steve Grauman

Reply to
Steve Grauman

If you can wait for the 2006 models, there will be a lot of fresh blood. New 3-series, IS, revised A4, Passat. Did you consider the S40 T5 AWD?

Reply to
Saintor

We'll just have to respectfully disagree on this one. I find both the interior and exterior fit, finish, and feel of the ML to be appallingly cheap and lacking in the "traditional" (but becoming less traditional with each passing model) Mercedes quality. I have no experience with the Lexus or the Acura, so I don't know if they are terrible as well.

The last body SL was the last well built MB IMHO, and it was magnificent. While the new car is a far superior sports car, its build quality doesn't match up. And as for the W211, I love the way it looks, and considered replacing my wife's W124 wagon with one, until I spotted the consistently inconsistent panel to light cluster gaps on every W211 I observed up close. That's just plain unacceptable for cars this expensive. Look at what Audi's doing these days. There's just no excuse for cheap plastics and big inconsistent panel gaps in a "luxury" car. It's sad, but I think I know own my last two MBs.

Reply to
Eza Gadson

You may be joining an expanding group. My recently purchased 02 Audi S8 is a far better car than my W140 S Class Mercedes was (1999).

Reply to
LIW

To be honest, I know nothing about BMW, but would warn you off the A4 based solely on my experience of Audi's customer service. Audi's are great, until they break - then you are truely ***ed. I'd had mine 3 weeks, had a problem and was made to feel like a piece of **** when taking it back. Dealer would not even acknowledge the fault and 'threatened' that I'd need to see the area Audi rep before they would consider addressing the fault.

Note I'm still an Audi owner, but only for another week or so (a year was long enough). Go figure - and IMHO go elsewhere.

I'm not trolling. My A4 is the best vehicle I've ever had period; ****ing fantasic car. My local service is the worst I've ever had and it's a bad combination and that's why I'm off. I've also read about superb Audi customer service, so perhaps you need to flag down some local Audi drivers.

Reply to
Chas

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