dseag2

Well said. Although in some cases "fancy" borders on garish.

Art234

I came from the other camp, had a 2010 Audi A4 Prestige, went to BMW - 2011 535 ix, now a 2014 535dx. The reason I switched was that Audi told me to get bent when I complained about the oil consumption issue in the A4, it was burning a quart every 500-800 miles and they kept saying it was normal. When they refused to do the first part of the test for oil consumption, I promptly sold the car and got the BMW. The icing on the cake was when the Audi service writer said to his boss "he only has an A4, what does he know?".

That said, the new 5 series is due by early 2017, and it will not have a diesel, so I may look at the A4 again....assuming the oil consumption issue is fixed....

Also, for the benefit of those who lease, the reason BMW's lease better is that BMW puts falsely high residuals on them to get the leases to be attractive. Audi does not. So while BMW may carry a residual in the 58-63% range, Audi is usually 10-12 points lower.

munsabin

Sounds like you came across someone stupid. Our car is over 130K km and we just got everything ok'd by Audi to have pistons changed, etc.

kage65

I'm at the moment trying to decide b/n a 540i and the a4. The main problem I have with the 540i is that the ride is on the harsh side.

I drove the a4 but that was quite some time ago but don't remember feeling the road bumps the way I do in the bimmer. Perhaps the run flats are to blame...

I did drive the a7 recently and the ride quality is night and day difference - a7 feels buttery soft, even with the big 20 inch wheels on there.

The advantage of the 540i is the massive amount of acceleration - actually pushes you back in your seat.

minmet

540i vs A4, you are comparing two difference level of cars : size and power. A 3.0T A6 or A7 are more proper I think.

kurtatx

I have never owned a BMW but I have always wanted one. And yet, every time I go to test one, I wind up leaving disappointed. The A4 probably isn't as real life exciting, but driving to work requires comfort, not necessarily excitement. On the weekend I get more than my fair share of exciting driving.

Not to mention, the BMW options you get standard in an A4 are just ridiculous. Too many packages and confusion to get what comes in the A4 standard.

munsabin

Apples and Oranges aren't the same.
A4 - compare to a 3 series
A6 or A7 - compare to 5 series

kurtatx

I was thinking this, too. The A4 is not a very big car. Probably not fair to compare it directly to larger bimmers. For driver comfort and trunk space, maybe, but you're just not going to get the back seat comfort in an A4 like in larger vehicles.

scoutmasterdave

I've owned several BMWs (E34 525i, E36 M3, E34 M5, E46 330i ZHP, E90 335d), and this is my first Audi. I loved my 335d, but the complexity of the diesel emissions system was too expensive long-term.

I miss a few things about BMWs in general: the heavy steering feel, thick steering wheels, heavy doors, that wonderful straight-six noise...

I also never leave anything stock, so I'm excited to tweak my A4 a bit and see what it can do. H&R sport springs, wheel spacers, and a rear sway bar should improve the handling and looks, and I already have a RaceChip (mixed reviews there).

Sean Curry

My friend bought a BMW 3 Series at the same time I bought my 2017 A4 Prestige. I can't comment on the BMW driving feel, but its interior seems dated and cheap compared to the A4. I really like the A4 Cockpit, heads up, etc - it's a great car to drive.