[jaehshim]

First of all, I'm not trying to be sarcastic with this thread/topic

Recently, I've seen many Audi enthusiasts around me. They are not the ones who just drool over R8s and waiting for the next ecu/supercharged tune of 3.0T engines.
They simply love the brand and keep owning and building Audis, ranging from the first RS model the RS2 avant, B5 RS4, B5 S4, A4 Avant with K04, recent S4 to R8s and etc...They have huge passion for this brand.

They seem to really enjoy the brand, the quality, technology that Audi has offered. And that got me thinking, why Audi?

I honestly do not have much experience with Audi. Aside from being Quattro and somewhat "better" quality with "better" designs, I do not see why Audi is so special to many Audi enthusiasts.
Also, I do not believe the "better" quality part of Audi. For example, their interior dash switches tend to use high quality rubber (BMW typically uses high quality plastics). Those rubber switches tend to fade SO QUICKLY, after about 40K miles on the car, you can't tell which switch is which because these rubber switches have faded.

I've owned couple cars, and enjoyed every one of them. I have owned an Acura and loved to be in honda/acura community. I still love the Honda engineering and praise their quality, from their reliability, V-tec, i-vtec in K20 series engines, to JDM FD2's hand built civic type r motors. Simply put, i can answer when people ask, "Why Honda?"

I also am proud to be a BMW owner. Aside from just the brand, having experienced the high revving S65 motor, the highly capable chassis, trust worthy handling and somewhat surprising(to me) reliablilty of the techs and motor, I understand the value and character of BMW, and can tell why people keep coming back to BMW to continue to stay with the BMW community.

So, back to my question.
Why Audi?

[flyinb501]

Why BMW? I have owned two Audis and they were both amazing cars.

[Billup]

Really that's like saying "Why does anyone like any manufacturer". Audi has options that appeal to the masses, aesthetics, AWD for northerners, decent power output.

There's brand junkies for all car companies, each one has its own zest that makes it appeal to certain masses. Just like I say..., why Ford? Why Ferrari? Why there is so much suabru guiz?

[MediaArtist]

I own a 335i and recently bought an A6. Hands down, there is no comparison between the interior quality. The 335i rattles are well known. The leather in the 335i is spartan. With the A6, the material quality just feels and looks better. I don't have the rattles but admittedly the car is newer.

I also crossed shopped the F10 535i and A6, and still preferred the A6 interior quality.

Now, I USED to believe that driving feel was always in BMW's camp. How could it not? Quattro is a "FWD" all wheel system. But after comparing the 535i and A6, I can safely say that's no longer the case. The new F10 feels so damn numb. I don't know what BMW was thinking with the F10, but the driver feedback is almost non-existent, it feels like a Mercedes. I'm not expecting to feel every asphalt dimple like you would in a 997, or Cayman S, but the F10 is down right numb at both high and low speed. Both the A6 and F10 535i use electric steering, but with the A6 I feel the feedback a lot more than in the F10.

Performance wise, the A6 beats the 535i in pretty much every category. The V6 is gruntier, and has a torque band that goes on forever.

I never thought I'd say it, but with the F10, it seems like BMW is going more towards the same market segment that Mercedes attracts, while the A6 feels more like a true German sports sedan.

That's why Audi.

[IEDEI]

I have been an Audi enthusiast for the past 12 years at least......

they are remarkably robust and well engineered cars. They have a certain 'feel' to them which is unmistakable----extremely solid and sculpted. Audi do the details VERY well. You've never driven through snow until you've driven a quattro through a blizzard with snow tires....Even with the Haldex system, they engineer their cars with traction has a huge priority instead of just making their AWD systems just an afterthought (like BMW does with XWD, which isn't even really engineered into the cars...just added). Audi engineer the cars from scratch to be AWD whether they are torsen OR haldex.

The interiors are definitely beautiful as well.

For me, Audi made some really characterful and fantastic cars. On the street, i still think that Audis are, for the price, the fastest street cars you can buy that can be used in ALL weather......i know there will be days where i miss quattro in the rain or snow....

The standard models have been a bit eh....but honestly the MK1 TT for me was probably the ultimate automotive design of the past 30 years.....totally iconic. Any company who was able to put the MK1 TT from concept into production as a concept car earned by respect instantly! The S and RS models are very powerful, well made, and well engineered cars. They have a very different feel to BMWs.....i would suggest you go try one out to understand what i'm talking about...

all that being said....i am ready for my first BMW! change is good. a life without trying new things is a life not worth living.

[hellrotm]

I honestly think the current crop of Audi's are some of best cars coming out of Germany these days. I have test driven a S6 lately. That is one impressive bit of kit. People are correct about the interiors, they are light years better than BMW's. Audi almost have an over engineered feel to them. Everything you touch/see/hear gives solid feel.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

all that being said....i am ready for my first BMW! change is good. a life without trying new things is a life not worth living.

Exactly. Why be stuck on one brand? Life is too short to have single minded view when it comes to cars.

There are so many other great cars out there and guess what they don't have a BMW badge on them.

[jaehshim]

thanks for all your inputs guys,
like I mentioned, I don't have much experience with Audi and always wondered why this brand was so appealing to the owners, outside of its popular "beautiful interior", decent power, and most importantly quattro.

I was never into believing this "audi aesthetics" until the new A6 showed up. Its interior is beautiful.
I agree about the interior quality of dakota leather 3 series. I had a 3 series loaner couple times and thought the same thing...the quality was somewhat low...
It definitely feels different compare to much luxurious perforated leather in 6 series or soft touch Novillo interior in M3.

My colleagues and friends had couple B5s, B6s, and bunch of B7s and hell they hated their Audi due to reliability. Like many around me say, "Audi owners never come back to audi after their first one". That's why I was really curious about this brand.

Recently I'm very interested in the high performance audis, especially their turbo cars. Audi should stick with quattro and turbo, that's their gene. Merc AMG should not kill V8s and V12s...and BMW should NOT kill NA engines...period.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by jaehshim

My colleagues and friends had couple B5s, B6s, and bunch of B7s and hell they hated their Audi due to reliability. Like many around me say, "Audi owners never come back to audi after their first one". That's why I was really curious about this brand.

Recently I'm very interested in the high performance audis, especially their turbo cars. Audi should stick with quattro and turbo, that's their gene. Merc AMG should not kill V8s and V12s...and BMW should NOT kill NA engines...period.

i know many, many people who buy Audis every time they need a new car...just like there are many people who buy BMWs every time they need a new car. I think people should just buy what they like....regardless of brand. I think i'm done with 'brand loyalty'....it feels too confining. I'm hoping Alfa Romeo comes back to the US with some nice coupes and sedans....that's what i'll buy next time (not holding my breath! lol)

Audis aren't that unreliable. they have improved A LOT since those A4s. My A3 has 46k miles and has had ZERO issues. Their newer cars have been significantly more reliable than prior years.

[jaehshim]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

i know many, many people who buy Audis every time they need a new car...just like there are many people who buy BMWs every time they need a new car. I think people should just buy what they like....regardless of brand. I think i'm done with 'brand loyalty'....it feels too confining. I'm hoping Alfa Romeo comes back to the US with some nice coupes and sedans....that's what i'll buy next time (not holding my breath! lol)

Audis aren't that unreliable. they have improved A LOT since those A4s. My A3 has 46k miles and has had ZERO issues. Their newer cars have been significantly more reliable than prior years.

I love your A3, with fully loaded xenons and titanium gunmetal wheels
Everytime I commute to NYC and see many A3s in manhattan, I always want an A3 as a commuter/DD!

[gonzo]

Nothing against BMW, I have been through four of them.
320i
528e
M3
335i

That is where it has stopped. Nothing in their huge lineup appeals to me.
I felt it coming in my 07 335. Not quite the same not to mention the thing was in the shop way too often.

Audi, meanwhile, has several interesting currents.
The RS4 avant would be a magnet to me if it made it here.
Since its not, I am looking forward to trying the SQ5.
349hp.
5 flat 0-60 rumor.
All wheel drive
Great looks...personal.
Leather as soft as a babies butt.
Great gadgets ...that work.
Dual pane moonroof.
B&O sound.
on and on....
60k
That is why Audi.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by jaehshim

I love your A3, with fully loaded xenons and titanium gunmetal wheels
Everytime I commute to NYC and see many A3s in manhattan, I always want an A3 as a commuter/DD!

it is such a perfect car to commute in...you wanna buy mine!! it's for sale!

it's also brilliant in the winter. gonna miss it when it's gone i think...

[jaehshim]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

it is such a perfect car to commute in...you wanna buy mine!! it's for sale!

it's also brilliant in the winter. gonna miss it when it's gone i think...

it seems like you work at hospital
Once I'm settled with all my med education and get married in ~3~4yrs, I'm thinking about an A4 avant with titanium pack or 328 xi wagon for my daily and keep my E90 M3 weekend.

nice car indeed, it's hard to find a fully loaded A3 like yours!

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by jaehshim

it seems like you work at hospital
Once I'm settled with all my med education and get married in ~3~4yrs, I'm thinking about an A4 avant with titanium pack or 328 xi wagon for my daily and keep my E90 M3 weekend.

nice car indeed, it's hard to find a fully loaded A3 like yours!

sounds like a plan. always good to hear not everyone in medical education is driving bad cars!

yeah am an attending now. i actually spent part of my government loan to buy a TT when i was in medical school....highly irresponsible, but damn good fun to splurge!

[saeyedoc]

Yeah, nothing like an Audi in snow country. Lived in MT for 15 years, had 2 or 3 A4s, an allroad and an A8. A8 with Blizzack's was the ultimate ski machine. could put the skis through the trunk passthrough. Only issue when there was so much snow I high-centered, other than that, bulletproof.

[LAwolverine]

jaehshim - just noticed your avatar. go blue!!! 3 days til kick off

[wisesoul]

My RS4 was my first real performance car. It just felt special, looked special, and sounded special. Audi knows how to make a good performance car, and they nailed the B7 RS4 for me at least. It is to this day the best manual gearbox I've felt.

[SAM135iAM]

I came from a 2001.5 Audi S4 to my 2011 135i. I miss the interior quality of my Audi, even though it was ten years older than my 135i. The all wheel drive was fantastic and has such a distinctive and fun feel when driving. The 6MT felt amazing, and the twin turbo V6 had such an amazing tone. The reliability was phenomenal as well. I bought the car with 60K+ miles on it and sold it with 150K+ miles. For every one of those miles it was only in the shop three times for minor things. I miss my Audi greatly and plan to go back to the VW Auto Group when the time is right. I seriously for see Porsche 911 or Audi RS5 in my future.

[Randy M]

I've had a B5 S4, a B7 RS4 and my wife's old Q7. Fit and finish on Audis are superior to most. AWD is a great asset to have in everyday driving where I live. They're great cars in general.

However, AOA doesn't do the best job when it comes to warranty. I had to write a nastygram to AOA when the DRC suspension failed on my RS4. Their excuse was that my shocks were 'sweating' hydraulic fluid. They eventually replaced the front two and recharged the system. My SA was a total tow the corporate line weasel as well. Always groveling for high marks on the survey. Audi FSI engines are also notorious for carbon buildup in the intake. Audi will not warranty the cleaning of coked up intakes or valves even though it is stated that this is a potential problem in their patent documentation. I've since sold both of the Audis I recently had.

The RS4 also had a really annoying ignition retard shifting from 3-4 at high rpms. Totally killed the drive when getting on the throttle. That wasn't what I was looking for when I bought it lol

[Endless619]

Only Audi/Volkswagon I would consider is the R8. Other than that the styling is too Jetta-ish on their other vehicles.

[KingOfJericho]

I've never owned the same brand twice: Saab> Volvo> Infiniti> Nissan> Lotus> VW> BMW> Audi. They've all had their strong and weak points with the exception of Saab which only had weak points.

My current Audi is a CPO 2010 S4 which I quite like, despite the abysmal MMI system. Carbon buildup is an issue on all DI motors and is not exclusive to Audi. My 135i was walnut shell blasted at roughly 18k miles. The S4 was done at around 33k as a part of the CPO process. It says it clearly on the carfax report which I will throw around when the time comes to have it done again and they try to make me pay out of pocket.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by Endless619

Only Audi/Volkswagon I would consider is the R8. Other than that the styling is too Jetta-ish on their other vehicles.

In that they have four wheels?