Cars and Other Driving Machines - Page 73

NotFromHere · 10-04-2005, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by taxwonk
I'll take both.

Reliability better than Mercedes, less than BMW (other than new 7 series which has had computer related issues).

Interior coachwork is beautiful. Tight, clean. Exterior - a little boring. Could use a little character. Neither have changed in years.

A6 - too big. Drives like a big car. Even with the sport suspension. Visibility for backing up, not bad, not great. Steering - awesome - nothing like Quattro. But still, a little boaty on the freeway. Brakes not bad, not great.

A4 - mushy. Same as above. Drives like it's heavier than it is - until you get to the sport suspension and then it's sprung like an Acura in Fast and Furious. Too hard. Takes bumps too hard. Steering - amazing. Tried to make it break loose on freeway onramp at 90mph. Barely broke a sweat. Quattro rocks. Brakes are good. I don't think we ever got it to let go of the pavement and lord knows we tried. Still, it's a yawner to look at.

Audi needs to make an in-between suspension package for the 4 and maybe some nicer wheels to jazz it up.

notcasesensitive · 10-04-2005, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by taxwonk
I'll take both.

I have a 2001 A4. Very reliable car. I haven't had it in for anything other than annual checkups since I bought it in June 2000. Of course, I drive very little (25k total miles in 5 years), so maybe most cars would have good records after that period.

The new A4 is larger than my model (I think they are phasing it up in size in order to wedge the A3 into the prior A4 niche). The A4 v6 engine has more than enough power for the weight of the car. I have a stick shift, which has very peppy acceleration from full stop. Not great on-ramp acceleration with the a/c on, however (without a/c is good).

If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me, though I'm guessing you are looking at newer body styles than my little car. I did not compare it to the A6 when I bought. I was more into the comparable cars in its class (BMW 3, VW Jetta/Passat). My A4 has plenty of leg room for four adults, as long as you aren't talking cross-country trip. I would think newer ones have more leg room.

Audi was treated like the ugly step-sister at the dealership I had in Dallas (Porsche-Mercedes-Audi), so I can't say that my perceived treatment by the good folks at Audi has been stellar, but after taking my car in here, I think that might have been a regional issue. At least I hope so.

I'd buy another, if I weren't planning to hold onto this one for a few more years...

dc_chef · 10-04-2005, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by baltassoc
Very interesting. Just went to their site. Any insight on the difference between the 250hp 2.5L and the 250hp 3.0L (seems to be available only on the Outback, and puts you back another $3-4k)?

In the '05, you could only get a stick shift with the 2.5 turbo. I heard a rumor that they dropped the stick option from that engine combo for the '06 model. If that's true, then you'd end up with slightly less torque in the 3.0 but no turbo lag, but otherwise, not sure of the difference.

pony_trekker · 10-04-2005, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gattigap
So it appears that a new friend of mine (through the kid's soccer team) owns a Volvo dealership.

I was planning to make my next car something like an Acura TL or entry-level BMW 3 Series (before today's thread scared me off), etc. Hadn't really considered a Volvo before, but if I can talk my way into a good deal with the dealership owner, I'm willing to sacrifice most standards.

Any comments on the Volvo S60, for example? Shite? Brilliant Swedish Engineering?

Friend of mine was in the same situation I was in, except with a Volvo S60. His was a little more dire: his wife was stranded in the car 7 times.

He said they tried to tell him "But Volvo is the safest car on the road" to which he responded "Yeah because it's always in a bay here."

dc_chef · 10-04-2005, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gattigap
Any comments on the Volvo S60, for example? Shite? Brilliant Swedish Engineering?

A friend of mine has a Volvo S60R with the 6 speed manual. He loves it. I covet that and coveted the V70R when we were looking for a wagon, but I didn't want to come up with the scratch for that. I don't know about the reliability (I think that someone else might have posted about that), but great power, AWD, and amazing seats.

NotFromHere · 10-07-2005, 04:07 PM

Britney and KFed in a car the neither one deserves or can drive properly.

NotFromHere · 10-07-2005, 05:44 PM

BMW hands Pope Benedict keys to X5 SUV

FRANKFURT - Germany's BMW has handed the keys to an X5 full-size sport utility vehicle to Pope Benedict, the world's largest premium carmaker said on Thursday.

"We are proud to be able to provide Pope Benedict XVI with a BMW car," the group's chief of marketing and sales, Michael Ganal, said in a statement following an audience with the pontiff.

Benedict hails from the small Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, about an hour's drive from Munich, where BMW is based.

Flinty_McFlint · 10-07-2005, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NotFromHere

BMW hands Pope Benedict keys to X5 SUV

FRANKFURT - Germany's BMW has handed the keys to an X5 full-size sport utility vehicle to Pope Benedict, the world's largest premium carmaker said on Thursday.

"We are proud to be able to provide Pope Benedict XVI with a BMW car," the group's chief of marketing and sales, Michael Ganal, said in a statement following an audience with the pontiff.

Benedict hails from the small Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, about an hour's drive from Munich, where BMW is based.

Pope gets all the cool cars. I hate him.

baltassoc · 10-20-2005, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dc_chef
In the '05, you could only get a stick shift with the 2.5 turbo. I heard a rumor that they dropped the stick option from that engine combo for the '06 model. If that's true, then you'd end up with slightly less torque in the 3.0 but no turbo lag, but otherwise, not sure of the difference.

I came across a Truth About Cars review recently, which says pretty much this: the 3.0 gets you more expense and more weight, but that's about it. They recommend against.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/con...8614953775861/

Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) · 10-20-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flinty_McFlint
Pope gets all the cool cars. I hate him.

Kind of funny--the X5 is built in South Carolina, not Germany.

Alex_de_Large · 10-20-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by baltassoc
I came across a Truth About Cars review recently, which says pretty much this: the 3.0 gets you more expense and more weight, but that's about it. They recommend against.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/con...8614953775861/

I love that site. From the review of the new Mazda MX-5 (formerly the Miata):

"The MX5 has such a well-judged form it creates an optical illusion; you think you’re still ten yards away when you bump into it. And apologize. While the car's slightly more generous but still teeny weeny proportions maintain its position as an automotive gay icon, it's now more like the Village People’s construction worker than, um, the leather one."

ETA: their coverage of GM's spiral into oblivion, "GM Deathwatch", has been outstanding.

sebastian_dangerfield · 10-20-2005, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by taxwonk
Anybody care to offer any insight on the Audi A4 or A6?

The A6 has no identity. Its not the sporty A4 or the regal A8. Boring middle child.

Get one of those new superfast A4s. Those are fucking hot.

I speak from experienc - I own the boring middle child 5 Series BMW. Its nice, but i shoulda just sucked it up and bought the 7 (which was only a few bucks more on the used market). Why the fuck not? I could die tomorrow. Might as well grab the really heavy metal when they offer it.

Actuall, fuck BMW, Audi, Volvo and Benz. You want a killer ride? Get a Lexus. Yeh, the LS is a undertaker's car, and yeh, its pricey. But they run forever and there is no better stereo in any car on the planet. I have never heard anyone complain about a Lexus.

I like the Japanese stuff.

sebastian_dangerfield · 10-20-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NotFromHere

BMW hands Pope Benedict keys to X5 SUV

FRANKFURT - Germany's BMW has handed the keys to an X5 full-size sport utility vehicle to Pope Benedict, the world's largest premium carmaker said on Thursday.

"We are proud to be able to provide Pope Benedict XVI with a BMW car," the group's chief of marketing and sales, Michael Ganal, said in a statement following an audience with the pontiff.

Benedict hails from the small Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, about an hour's drive from Munich, where BMW is based.

So the Pope's a Suburban Soccer Mom? Fuck, I gotta keep up with the goings on in the Church... I thought they elected some kooky cat who was once in the Hitler Youth. Must've been daydreaming again. I daydream a lot about papal succession.

Flinty_McFlint · 10-20-2005, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Kind of funny--the X5 is built in South Carolina, not Germany.

Not as funny as a German Pope, but yeah, pretty amusing.

Now is ze time to do the praying. Schnell!

pony_trekker · 10-20-2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dc_chef
Love it, love it, love it. So much nicer inside than previous Subarus. Not as nice as some high end German machines, but you get what you pay for. Fast, fast, fast, and all wheel drive, to boot. Handles decently, smooth shifter and relatively light clutch. No one (other than car people) will be impressed when you tell them that you drive a Subaru, but you knew that before you suggested it.

I recently test drove one with an automatic. Was fast as shit. Outsdtanding torque. Handled really well -- about as well as my BMW but the one I tried had been sitting so the tires had flatspots and the brake rotors were warped.

Any experience with the brakes on that car?