Audi

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Drive as much as you want? The only reasonable leases I've seen advetised are ones where you are allowed 12K miles per year, 15k at the most.

But I'm going into a lease with the intention of taking the option to buy at the end and then resell it myself..So even though I sign up for a 12k a year lease to keep my payments low..I can still drive 20k a year..

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

i've never had issues with any of my Audi's....just getting rid of it as the wife wants the A4 convertable....I have a Nissan Armada and the Audi, love em both....this is a beautiful ride, it always gets comments and I'm sad to let her go.....

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

some pics

 

[bvibert]

For all you guys who claim high maintenance costs on Audi's; What exactly did you have to fix that cost so much? I've heard this a lot, but never any specific examples to back it up...

 

[deadheadskier]

For all you guys who claim high maintenance costs on Audi's; What exactly did you have to fix that cost so much? I've heard this a lot, but never any specific examples to back it up...

for me, it was the Air Bag computer. It cost me $150 to diagnoze the problem, and if I had chosen to get it installed, it was going to be $1600. At 100K miles, I also had my front control arms go and I would have had to replace all 4 tires because of a nick in one of them. The last thing obviously is all wheel drive specific, but is an expense none the less. Overall, I would've had to have sunk $2800 into it to get inspected for those three things. I said no thanks, that's 10 months worth of car payments on a new car.

 

[Paul]

dibs on the screen name...

 

[ski220]

10 months payments on what kind of car though???? An S4 is the way to go if you are seriuos about getting powder. Chip it too. But an A4 will do in a pinch. Nobody makes an all wheel drive like an Audi. You don't want to flying off the highway during a blizzard. All cars have their issues. You just have to decide what is important for you. Skiing powder is for me.

 

[snoseek]

I don't want to sound like an ass but what is so great about awd-4wd. any front wheel drive car gets me to the same powder as the next guy. seems like a lot of x-tra $$$$ for peice of mind. spend less money=work less=ski more.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I don't want to sound like an ass but what is so great about awd-4wd. any front wheel drive car gets me to the same powder as the next guy. seems like a lot of x-tra $$$$ for peice of mind. spend less money=work less=ski more.

Before I had my current 2006 Subaru Impreza I always drove FWD vehicles....the AWD is far superior in snow..it's more stable..and much less likely to get stuck since all four wheel spin..Whether I have an Audi or a Hyundai..I still work the same..:smash:just less $$$ in the bank..but I get to the powder quicker and more confidently with AWD...Why do people use powder skis when straight skis work just fine..because they're better..lol

 

[deadheadskier]

10 months payments on what kind of car though???? An S4 is the way to go if you are seriuos about getting powder. Chip it too. But an A4 will do in a pinch. Nobody makes an all wheel drive like an Audi. You don't want to flying off the highway during a blizzard. All cars have their issues. You just have to decide what is important for you. Skiing powder is for me.

A lot of cars - $300 a month is an average payment for a car in the 20K range if you have good credit.

Trust me, I'd drive an S4 if money wasn't an option, hell, I'd drive an RS4 if that was the case. Don't get me wrong, they are my favorite brand of vehicle on the road, but their maintenance history is SH$% compated to Japanese or Korean vehicles.

They are a wealthy man's car as are BMW's, Mercedes, anything from Europe. It really has always suprised me that cars such as these that perform so well have such crap track records for maintenance. They really need to keep doing what they do well with their engines, breaks, suspension and styling then through a few mil at some Japanese engineers to handle the electrical work.

 

[severine]

Jap crap isn't perfect either. I had a co-worker who was always tossing a couple-few thousand at a time into her Toyota to fix it.

 

[deadheadskier]

Jap crap isn't perfect either. I had a co-worker who was always tossing a couple-few thousand at a time into her Toyota to fix it.

oh no car comes without faults, there's always a chance you get a lemon, but in general, maintenance history speaks for itself and over the past twenty years, the Japanese hands down have built the most trouble free reliable vehicles. There's a reason why Toyota is the number one automaker in the world and that is the reason.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Yes, Japanese cars were hands down more reliable in the 80s and 90s, but things are changing....It's time to stop over-generalizing.

For overall mechanical quality, JD Power recently ranked the brands as follows:

1. Lexus
2. BMW (yes, a German is #2)
3. Buick (USA #3!)
4. Honda
5. Infiniti
6. Lincoln
7. Mercedes-Benz
8. Mercury (3rd American in top 10)
9. Porsche (3rd German in top 10)
10. Toyota (#10....4th Japanese in top 10)
11. Acura
12. Audi
13. Cadillac
14. Chevrolet
15. Ford
16. GMC
17. HUMMER
18. Hyundai
19. Jaguar
20. Kia
21. Nissan
22. Pontiac
23. Saab
24. Saturn
25. Scion
26. Subaru (a favorite of AZ is way down the list, quality-wise)
27. Volvo
28. Chrysler
29. Dodge
30. Jeep
31. Land Rover
32. Mazda
33. Mitsubishi
34. Suzuki
35. Volkswagen (ouch)

http://www.jdpower.com/util/ratings/results.aspx?study_id=207&vertical=Autos&order=1&orderDir=2

 

[Marc]

Yes, Japanese cars were hands down more reliable in the 80s and 90s, but things are changing....It's time to stop over-generalizing.

For overall mechanical quality, JD Power recently ranked the brands as follows:

1. Lexus
2. BMW (yes, a German is #2)
3. Buick (USA #3!)
4. Honda
5. Infiniti
6. Lincoln
7. Mercedes-Benz
8. Mercury (3rd American in top 10)
9. Porsche (3rd German in top 10)
10. Toyota (#10....4th Japanese in top 10)
11. Acura
12. Audi
13. Cadillac
14. Chevrolet
15. Ford
16. GMC
17. HUMMER
18. Hyundai
19. Jaguar
20. Kia
21. Nissan
22. Pontiac
23. Saab
24. Saturn
25. Scion
26. Subaru (a favorite of AZ is way down the list, quality-wise)
27. Volvo
28. Chrysler
29. Dodge
30. Jeep
31. Land Rover
32. Mazda
33. Mitsubishi
34. Suzuki
35. Volkswagen (ouch)

http://www.jdpower.com/util/ratings/results.aspx?study_id=207&vertical=Autos&order=1&orderDir=2

Well those are recent rankings. I doubt everyone here drives MY 2007 cars. The other suspect thing about that list is the placement of VW and Audi, considering how many parts they share as well as the same parent company (VAG).

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

After working sellng and marketing vehicle leasing and services, I really only see a few situations where leasing personal vehicles makes any sense. Generally, it's a low mileage situation for someone who insists on having a new vehicle every several years. That's not me. Though my mileage is down a little ths year, I've been around 25,000/yr for the last 20 years or so. I don't need a new car. I'll buy used, pay cash and run it to 150 - 200K. I take good care of it, and when things need to get fixed, I fix them. It's the most economical for me, by a long shot. Other might rather spend more for the peace of mind of a new car.

I'm just curious, how does J.D. Power define quality in their survey? Fewest repairs? Least costly repair? Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but maintenance and repairs are two different issues. (Unless you don't do the mainainence...) If it doesn't breakdown, it shouldn't cost anything to fix. Maintainance, like brakes, shocks, etc might be very expensive. (I had a Subaru in college that had the parking brakes on the front calipers, I almost croked when I had to do the front brakes at 100K). Is a better measure the cost of ownership? (or does that put too much weight on the aquisition price?)

 

[snoseek]

girlfriend drives a honda now approaching 300,000 miles. regular maitenence and normal stuff like exhaust ect... no big thing, car runs excellent. timing belt was just replaced for the third time.


also how reliable is jd power (buick #3) ? these seem way off from consumer reports (which i personally trust).

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Yes, Japanese cars were hands down more reliable in the 80s and 90s, but things are changing....It's time to stop over-generalizing.

For overall mechanical quality, JD Power recently ranked the brands as follows:

1. Lexus
2. BMW (yes, a German is #2)
3. Buick (USA #3!)
4. Honda
5. Infiniti
6. Lincoln
7. Mercedes-Benz
8. Mercury (3rd American in top 10)
9. Porsche (3rd German in top 10)
10. Toyota (#10....4th Japanese in top 10)
11. Acura
12. Audi
13. Cadillac
14. Chevrolet
15. Ford
16. GMC
17. HUMMER
18. Hyundai
19. Jaguar
20. Kia
21. Nissan
22. Pontiac
23. Saab
24. Saturn
25. Scion
26. Subaru (a favorite of AZ is way down the list, quality-wise)
27. Volvo
28. Chrysler
29. Dodge
30. Jeep
31. Land Rover
32. Mazda
33. Mitsubishi
34. Suzuki
35. Volkswagen (ouch)

http://www.jdpower.com/util/ratings/results.aspx?study_id=207&vertical=Autos&order=1&orderDir=2

I guess I'm getting a Lexus..

 

[deadheadskier]

Well those are recent rankings. I doubt everyone here drives MY 2007 cars. The other suspect thing about that list is the placement of VW and Audi, considering how many parts they share as well as the same parent company (VAG).

Likewise with Lexus and Toyota. Same company

 

[ctenidae]

Likewise with Lexus and Toyota. Same company

And Honda and Acura.
My TSX is an Accord in Europe.

 

[Marc]

And Buick, Hummer, Chevy, Saab, Pontiac, Saturn, GMC, Cadillac and all others owned by GM... Nissan goes with Infiniti. Ford/Lincoln/Mercury (same cars) and Ford also owns Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover... Toyota makes Scion's. Then you have all the Chrysler companies who was also owned by Daimler Benz until recently (MB's). It's becoming very tricky to know what cars are made with what parts... and where and by whom.

The majors really now look like this:

US: General Motors, Chrysler, Ford
Japan: Toyota, Honda, Nissan (Mitsu and Subie, to a lesser extent)
Germany: BMW, VAG (VW/Audi) and MB