SP767

Good evening everyone!

(Disclaimer: this post offers words of my own opinion. I did not factor in dealer
performance/handling/service...NOR did I factor in snob appeal. Any BMW loyalist
that just has to have two kidneys and a spinning propeller will not be able to read
this post objectively.)

This post is for anyone who is in the process of buying a new car and trying to decide between purchasing an Audi or BMW. In the last four years, I have had the good fortune to experience several different late model BMWs and Audis. I thought that some of you might enjoy my own personal slant on a direct comparison between the two different ownership experiences. I have driven the following cars at least 5,000 miles (I have been an Audi owner since 1986 and haven't listed those Audi's owned between 1986 and Audi's serious comeback in 1996 with the vaunted A4).

1996 A4 2.8 5 spd
1997 A4 1.8t 5 speed(chipped)
1998 A6 2.8 Tip
1999 BMW 540i 6 speed
1999 BMW 528iT Sport 5 speed
2000 Audi S4 6 speed
2000 BMW 328i 5 speed
2001 Audi A6 2.7T Tip

As you scan through the list, three cars are going to stand out. The 1999 540 6sped, the 2000 S4 and my current A6 bi-turbo.

Audi has always played second chair to BMW. That all changed in the US in 1996 with the introduction of the B5 A4. It has only gotten worse for BMW since then..but today.. with the value of the dollar factored in (excluding the A8 unless you are smart enough to let it depreciate a year and pick one up on the used market), Audi is on top, clearly. If it were not for the gas hog, chic X5, Audi would be pounding BMW into submission. A6 sales in the US have exceeded 5 series sales by 30% or more in 1999 through the 2000 model year.

My Audi ownership experiences date back to 1986. I haven't ever owned an Audi that wasn't deficient, dynamically, to BMW in some manner or another in all these years until 1996. From 1996 to 2000, my Audi's have been getting better. The A6 for 1998 was a massive advance. The climax for the A6 has come with the introduction of the 2.7T and the 4.2. The 2.7T and 4.2 now have the envied "X" factor in their genes. What is that? They are a gas to drive. They are fun. You want to drive them hard. You can't wait to drive them each and every day. You make up things to do so that you can take your favorite road. I find myself taking my "Blockbuster" videos back early. In a word, they are...dare I say.. ultimate driving machines!

Get me a BMW executive and let him drive a 2.7 T with an enhanced ecu and you are going to strike terror in his heart. Better that he stay in denial and not drive one (one of my previous BMW salesman tried to tell me that today's late model Audi will "fall apart" in a few short years, as they "just aren't built with quality like a BMW") The 2.7T outperforms the 540 for nearly $20k less (factoring in that you can count on a discount from your Audi dealer while expecting to pay full list for a 540) than a similarly loaded 540 sport.



My gripe on the S4 was a rubbery, indirect shift throw in the 6 speed and the narrow accommodations in the rear seat. I probably would have kept the car longer if I had ordered the tiptronic trans. In addition, the S4 suspension is still not quite the match of BMW's sport suspension when it comes to the ride quality/handling formula. The A4 sport suspension in the S4 transmits too much harshness through the body on bumps and highway expansion joints. The current BMW sport suspension advantage was the tops in the industry until the 1998 A6 came along..followed by the updated A8 for 2000. I'm willing to bet that the suspension advantage between the two manufacturers is now over for good with the release of the B6 A4.

As good as Audi is these days.. sometimes they seem to trip over themselves. What is it with Audi wheels and tires? Until the A6 4.2, Audi wheels are not for the enthusiast.. and their choice of tires is a joke. The A8 has been really beat on in editorials from car magazines when the tire deficiency is probably 75% of the problem. Any sport option in a BMW gets you real performance tires and a nice selection of wheels. When I buy a BMW, I normally settle on the wheels. Buy any Audi (except the awesome S wheels) and you can guarantee yourself a call to the Tire Rack in short order. If I were the new USA Audi boss, the first thing that I would do, would be to fire the wheel/tire guy with dishonor.

If you have decided on an A6..let me first say congratulations! Now, the next difficult decision is which A6 it's going to be...the 2.7T or 4.2.

Audi's decision to export both the 4.2 and the 2.7T into the US market is an attempt at an amends of sorts to the hardcore US Audi enthusiast. For years, after Audi's infamous run-in with 60 minutes and false "sudden acceleration" claims, we here in the US have been "punished". Very few if any of Audi's true performance cars were offered to US shores during the late 80's and early 90's. Today, low and behold, we have a plethora of performance choices from Audi USA. IMHO, the ability of Audi USA to convince Audi AG to get us both the 4.2 and the 2.7T in the A6 here was a real coup for the "good guys" (read, not the bean counters"). We should be privileged as customers to actually have the choice of engines.. as the 2.7T, undoubtedly has pirated a lot of potential 4.2 sales. The 2.7T actually out performs the 4.2 in stock form, and walks away when the motor is released by performance software. But there are those who want the handling feel, prestige and resonance of a V8 in their car. I say, more power to em.. even though I favor the 2.7T for my own personal tastes.

When I drove out to the Audi dealer last month I was set to buy a 4.2 A6. It looks more muscular than the 2.7T with the flared wheel arches. Pictures don't do the car justice. It is a hunk of a car.. awesome. One negative though, is that if you have need for a back seat, the rear buckets are sort of weird. I have kids so that was a small nick for the 4.2 in my comparison shop. In the 4.2 you feel more torque around town at low speeds when you ask for get up and go.. but the odd thing, is that when you chip the 2.7T it is impressively better than the 4.2. The steering feel on the 4.2 is heavier and less lively..less agile. The engine note in the 2.7 is more noticeable if hearing the engine is part of your fun factor quotient.

This is my conclusion. If you want sport, speed and power..buy the 2.7. With an ecu upgrade, this car will satiate you with torque. It is absolutely a joy. The ecu program is a MUST.. I am emphatic with this. The car is quick and enjoyable in stock form.. but with the ecu mod, the car is an animal. Also, the goofy tip mode's inability to hold second gear is a real bummer (read my notes below on the A6 for more on this) and this deficiency can only be overcome with more torque. The 4.2 is strangely quiet. This is where the 540 really shines, as it's aural sounds are tops. The 2.7T offers more visceral feedback. The engine noise is audible..more so than the 4.2. The lighter engine makes the 2.7T feel much more lithe than the 4.2. The wheels/tires on the 2.7T are an embarrassment for Audi. I won't belabor this point.. but you'll have to pick up the phone and find suitable replacements on your list of upgrade to-do's. Having ripped the Audi tiptronic for it's lack of ability to hold first gear, I will say that it does a great job in all other respects. Performs flawlessly in auto mode. I am a manual driver in general.. but I got tired of rowing myself, so I opted for the auto this time and I am glad. But I will be buying a third car..prolly a convertible in the future.. with a manual trans, so that will be my manual outlet. For those of you that will only have one car and you enjoy shifting for yourself.. this will be a tough decision. I am not in favor of Audi's shift throws/linkages. I had a bad experience with my S4's manual. It was notchy and not direct as in the BMW, EVEN after buying the UUC shift kit.

I'm beginning to ramble... so here is my personal score for the current Audi vs. BMW debate:

A4 vs. 328

Suspension: 328...

More supple, less lean

Handling: A4...

More direct, albeit less feedback than the 328 as you load up through the turn

Design: A4...

Stunning design that will last (it's going to take some time to love up to the B6 the B5 was so well penned)

Engine: 328...

Nothing can match the sound of BMW's inline six at redline

Quality: Tie

Winner: A4

As soon as you factor in the new S4, the contest is over. The only thing that the BMW holds over the S4 is the suspension.. but that's about to end with the B6 A4 and S4. One can buy a loaded S4 for the price of a loaded 328/330. The difference in "fun to drive" and power is massive. A chipped S4 makes the comparison obsolete.

Notes: I love the steering wheel on the A4/S4. It's thick and feels perfect. The current BMW steering wheel is horrible! Thin as your dad's oldsombile from 10 years ago. Audi Bose is much better sounding than BMW's premium stereo. Audi xenon is at least 30% brighter and has far better coverage. A win for BMW with the steering wheel buttons, especially the cruise control functions. I really hate fumbling over the cruise control stalk on the Audi. Rotary switch for the Audi sunroof should win an award for design. Kudos for the mileage countdown/monitor on the BMWs. The car tells you when it wants service, depending upon your driving style. I miss that in the Audi. Audi bumpers take a beating from stone chips unlike the BMW car. I was once told that the Audi paint on the bumper is not resilient in the interest of recyclability of the car after life...so it is susceptible to pits and chips on the road. Trip computer.. clear winner for Audi. You get all the information you really want, all the time. BMW only shows you one indication at a time. Seats: BMW has stolen the genes on seat comfort. They can't be beat. The Audi seat is fine, but not quite as comfortable. You wear, sit in, a BMW seat (any model). The Audi seat, while comfortable, is a seat you sit on.. not fall in.. like the BMW. Unless you have owned a BMW seat, you won't know any better and the Audi seat will feel great.

Yes, the new M3 is going to be a benchmark for performance.. but that will only last until the B6 S4 arrives with bigger motor up front in 2002. I think that the new A4 will leap ahead of the current new 3 series.







A6 vs. 530/540 Suspension:

Tie...As good as the 5 suspension is... it's
going to be a tie as Audi has finally broke
the BMW suspension code with the new A6

Handling: 528...

for the most **** of enthusiasts.. but there is a case for at least a tie with the A6. The A6 definitely has better on center feel and it's ratio feels quicker. When one first drives the A6 after having owned a BMW, it feels terribly over assisted... but over time, you get used to it and it begins to feel good. 540 steering loses points due to the recirculating ball setup... A6 4.2 wins handily over the 540.

Design: you pick it..

I like them both for different reasons.

Engine: Split decision...

New 3.0 liter BMW six should be a welcome addition..but the 2.7T Audi mill offers more power, more torque and has it's own sinuous sounds.. plus some turbo whoosh for extra effect. The BMW 4.4 V8 makes a case for the best sounding engine in a sedan. The Audi 4.2 V8 is too muted for the enthusiast.

Quality: Audi wins...wow!

The Audi fit and finish is impeccable and also superior to MB beginning with this class and up to the A8. No one can touch the A6/A8 when it comes to interior design. I'm holding my breath on the B6 A4.

Winner: Audi A6:

Power is everything. The 250hp 2.7T has the goods over the 3.0/2.8 liter BMW. But when you chip the ecu on the Audi you approach super car levels. The 2.7T is easily $10k less than a similarly equipped 530, yet the 2.7T has the potential of 300hp and gobs more low end torque for the price of a $700 software program. My Wetterauer chipped 2.7T is a fantastic performer. Even with an automatic transmission, the car is 0-60 sub six seconds. Low end grunt is astronomical, with peak torque at 2000 rpm. Around town, this car is a blast. The quattro driveline chomps at the pavement as you squeeze the throttle. The suspension comes alive with the demands of the engine. It's a marvel. The A6 with power becomes a rare machine that has X factor. All the pieces become a synergistic whole...the envy of any automotive engineer. Some of you BMW diehards are going to pooh-pooh the turbo's as a liability. Forget about it. I've been to Ingolstadt and on the inside. Even with a boost from the ecu, they are still putting out low pressure. I can assure you that the Audi engineers already out thought the consumer. The 2.7T hull is overbuilt and ready for your demands for more air and fuel.

Notes: All my notes from the A4/328 apply to the A6/528. BMW's manuomatic transmission beats Audi hands down for one reason. While the Audi auto transmission is extremely smooth you cannot keep it in first gear! This is highly frustrating. You put the car in tip mode.. in first gear.. and as soon as you leave the stop sign, the tip has taken you into 2nd. The only way to get first gear is if you mash the throttle to the floor...and even then...it will shift to number 2 before the redline if you let up at all on the accelerator. This has to be a fuel economy issue where the beaners one out over the guys responsible for performance at Audi. It's a joke. You are not allowed the joy of hearing the engine spin up the tack around town. Blasphemy! There is one solution however. Get the ecu mod in your 2.7T. What happens, is that the car flips to 2nd quickly (it's hard to detect actually) but there is so much torque(with the ecu mod for increased power/torque) in 2nd that you will swear that you are launching in first gear. If you need room in your car.. bypass the BMW comparison shop and go right to Audi. The A6 has a huge advantage in interior space when compared to the 5 series. A6 has better storage bins, better cup holders and memory seats on both front seats. Heated seats are front and back. You can get headlight washers on any model as long as you get the cold wx package. BMW does not offer it on the 540 sport (?). Audi gives you fold down seats at no cost. My A6 has some slight distortion in the front windshield when looking 70% to your right while driving, but it is very minimal and a nonfactor as far as nuisance. But it shouldn't be there at all. Get this: the night lighting on the A6 is awesome.. awesome I tell you. The white speedo lights set in red background gauges and the red layout of the center counsole is stunning. This comes from someone who drives Boeing 767's at night too.

Audi needs to introduce rain sensing windshield wipers. Stability control has taken the fear out of the wet/snow rear wheel drive experience. If you want to buy BMW but you are afraid of winters.. don't fret. Dedicated snow tires and BMW stability control diminish the quattro advantage. However, if you buy Audi, you just get one more feather... it's quicker in the wet and snow with quattro all wheel drive AND stability control make it faultless as far as stability and control is concerned.. but in BMW's case, you won't be scared anymore in the snow/wet

The purist enthusiast prefers rear wheel drive. I love it myself. I loathe front wheel drive and I am skeptical of all wheel drive in comparison to the 50/50 weight bias that BMW has perfected.. but if you are from the same school and you are also afraid to depart it in favor of an Audi... don't sweat! The quattro driveline/suspension in the new S4 and the current A6 shreds this advantage. It is so much fun and so linear that you will quickly forget the difference. There is an argument now that the new Audi quattro is as fun or more fun than rear wheel drive. Watch out for remarks on the new B6 A4. Audi engineers may have coded in rear wheel drive feedback in to a new quattro designed suspension. There is a reason why the respectable CARANDDRIVER magazine picked the 2.7T over the 528 in a 2000 year article.

So there you have it. Both carmakers have their faults and their pleasures... but the bottom line is money and power. All else being equal (which it is in the end) Audi brings more power for less money. Winner: Audi

Steve Pitts
2001 A6 2.7T Tip Wetterauer ecu

LCP

Seriously, this is THE LONGEST on-topic post ever posted (enjoy)

Monkeyboy

Well written, objective experience - great job - thanks!

Doug K

I'm trying to get her into an A6 2.7T, this and a test drive may do it!!!! :-)

dvdre

Great, well thought out post. I do think you come to the analysis with a bias, but I happen to have the same bias. The Audis have a "complete package" edge on the BMWs -- especially in the A6 vs. 5-series contest. The A4 is a superior "automobile" when compared to the 323i, and very close to the 328i. By "automobile" I mean the entire package -- engine, suspension, drivetrain, exterior, interior. The 328i is superior in engine and handling, but not in the overall driving experience. The A4 exterior and interior are first-rate -- possibly the best of the 1990s. The ride is supple, the seats extremely comfortable. I think the advantages of AWD put the A4 very close to the 328i, especially when cost is considered.

MP

nice post

SGP

Wow, and thanks.

RickM

Excellent post! I really enjoyed it, thanks.

Ash

..not a biased babbled about "my car is 0.01s faster to 60" etc etc.

I'm going to save this one...

Thanks again.

-Ash 98.5 1.8TQMS
APRv3/K&N
17x8OZVolcanos/ToyoT1-S
Audi Eurosport Springs
MC Bypass Valve --- not installed yet

Osmodious

You may want to check out the Tip chip...they MAY take care of the 1st gear thing...