Hi guys,

I know this is an audi forum, so most of you will probably recommend the A4.

I have been looking for a new car lately.

A local dealer in my area has a beautiful deep sea blue pearl A4 3.2 S-line Avant.

This car is fairly new, a 2007 with only 41400kms on it.

I really like this car, especially with the avant's 5-door style.

Just makes accessing the trunk much much easier and gives me a lot more room to play with.

I am just wondering if there is anything I need to watch out for and pay extra attention to. Any common problems this car has ?



Also, how does the car drive?

I found some articles on google, but they all give some very different comments.

So say they actually understeer quite badly, but some say they absolutely love the car's handling characteristic.

Also, others say the car feels underpowered even with that 3.1 liter/250hp engine.

I have seen stats that clocks the car going 0-100km from mid-6s to low-7s and quarter mile at 15.00s to 17.00s(seriously ?).

My brother drives a 04 maxima, I find the car fairly quick. At least there is always enough power on the tap for me.

Just throwing this in, in case some of you have driven the car before and could give me some insights and comparison.

As for the rear seats, how roomy are they ? I am looking to fit 2 adults in the back from time to time.

I think it was consumer reports or another source that said even the hyundai elantra offers more rear seat than the A4.

This car is being offered at around 35000 cdn.

Am I getting a good deal on this ? or is it just the average market price.




Then again, I am also looking at the BMW 330i sedan.

Its a 2006 with 40300kms. Loaded with probably all the packages.

Premium package, sports package, navi, parking radars, voice activation.

Its being offered at 29000 cdn! I really like this car too.

Test drove it this morning, the car felt solid and safe.

Just exactly what I expect from a german car.

The torque is always there, I can pretty much just tap the throttle and keep the rpm at around 2000 at all times.

However, I find the rear seat just about the same if not smaller than my mazda protege. I am around 177cm (5'7) btw.


So all and all,

The Audi has the trunk space thats BMW cannnot offer, but BMW is loaded with packages that this Audi does not have. (I really love the navi on both cars)

Audi also offers the world famous quattro system, which should really come in handy when Vancouver snows. As for BMW, its the good ol'slide your way there rear wheel drive.

The gentleman working at the dealer also said. Getting the BMW is simply getting a car. 5, 10 years later down the road, not a lot of people will want to buy it since its just a sedan.

There will be other better choices out there, such as the BMW 335. But with the A4 Avant, its something that people will need, i.e. wheel drive and 5-door body style.



I am in a real dilemma here. The BMW sounds like a steal while A4 has the 4 wheel drive.

Can you guys please give me some comments and suggestions. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance ! Cheers !

 

The comparison stops at the fact that they are both German made vehicles. One is a station wagon and the other a sedan. One has full time 4 wheel drive and the other rear wheel drive.

Fortunately you do not experience the winters like the rest of us in Canada so perhaps having the Quattro is not as important to you. I didn't hear anything about family or kids in the picture. The Avant will provide you with more room and functionality than the BMW when it comes to trips with the family.

It really comes down to what feels right for you and what is your head telling you?

For me, I love the Avant and wish I owned one. The only BMWs that I like are the 335 and M3 models. The rest I just find are too plain on the inside and don't like the more recent exterior styling.

Let us know what you decide?

 

Why not just go and test drive the audi? Then you'll know how it drives compared to the bmw.

For snow driving, there is absolutely no replacement for quattro. However, traction is only as good as your tires in winter. My friend has a bmw with winter tires and he gets by really well when it snows.

If i'm the one to choose i would go with the audi. Not because i have an audi but because of quattro and the interior design.

But you're the one that has to drive it everyday, so my advice is to just go and drive the audi. If you don't like how it drives then it doesn't matter how good we say it is right?

 

FWIW - friend of mine has a 335i; we both agree his drives way better than the Audi, he says hands down, however, my Audi interior is far better than his. I find quattro great in winter, especially with the type of slippery wet snow/ice/rainy conditions we get here during a Vancouver winter.

 

Not sure, but $35K seems steep for the A4?

 

I'm in a unique position to comment on this as I test drove an 07 335xi and I own an 07 A4 3.2 (s-line, titanium package, sedan).

*edit* i thought the 335 and 330i's had the same engine, they do not. The 330 has power more in line with a 3.2 A4 the 335 is quite a bit stronger. So, the 330i should have about the same power as the 3.2 A4. The 3.2 is a great engine. That being said, I absolutely hated the 335 interior and I'm pretty sure the 330 interior is more or less identical. What a joke, I can't believe how minimalistic it feels compared to the Audi. Even hardcore BMW enthusiasts will rave about how much better the Audi interiors are.

As far as handling goes, I would say next to an s-line A4 the cars are different but both capable around corners - next to an Avant 3.2 base A4 suspension - the BMW will handle much nicer. I wouldn't say the base A4 suspension is all that bad, it doesn't "understeer badly" but if you push it to the limit it is going to understeer like any 50:50 torsen Quattro car. The newer ones use a 60:40 default split which tends to push them into oversteer a little bit more.

Quattro is amazing, and you will love it even if its just in the rain. You'll pretty much always have traction. The ESP system in the B7 is amazing also, it's almost transparent, sometimes you'll see the light blinking and wont even feel what it's doing. BMWs x-drive was a joke in comparison back in 2007 (it's better now). The 330i being RWD will definitely not be as nice in snow or wet conditions as the Quattro.

It really depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a more comfortable, better looking (subjective) car - I would suggest the A4 hands down. The interior is a lot nicer and the exterior looks better (again, subjective). If you are looking for more of a sports car, look at an S-line A4 or go with the BMW.

$35,000 is market value for a 3.2 avant 07 with 40,000km. You should be able to talk that down some though. I got my 07 3.2 S-line titanium sedan for $29,000 with a CPO warranty about a month ago with 70,000km - They were asking $32,000. The V6 certainly adds to the price of the car, you could probably find an equally good 2.0T avant for $31k. Honestly though if its a beautifully clean car with no damage, I would try to talk them down to $31 or $32k.

 

I totally agree with hoeser's opinion. I own an '07 A4 s-line sedan with 40k and virtually every option. The B7 interiors are superlative in their class and it's apparent why the automotive industry generally regards Audi as the benchmark. The nav operation in combination with the dash LCD is one of my favorite features albeit a novel one. It amazes me how far the front seats can move on their tracks to provide more rear legroom when necessary.

I find the 3.2 mated to the 6 speed auto to be a great daily driving combination that provides plenty of useable torque on tap for city driving. Quattro with winter tires are a indomitable combination in Alberta winters.

I'm not a wagon guy, that's what trucks and SUVs are for, but I do understand the utility. Choosing between the two isn't easy but everything is temporary.

 

THANK YOU ALL for your inputs,
i was going to decide on the 330i, but it got sold that afternoon in 10mins.

so as of now, i am waiting for a 2005.5 s4 to arrive at the showroom, then go take a look and test drive it.

Really looking forward to become a proud member of the AUDI family.

I will keep you guys posted, and again your comments are very appreciated.

 

I think you will find that the S4 is somewhat different than the 3.2.

Give us your thoughts afterwards.

 

hahaha, yeah, s4 is a much different beast for sure.

drove one a few years ago when thinking of upgrading. Still want one .
Didn't get one cause bought a house instead lol.