BrassRox

Hey guys,

Recently test drove an A4 1.8T and loved it. Have people with the new generation A4 experienced lots of problems? I know Audi reworked the electrical system but are there any problems with the turbo engine or CVT in particular? I am coming from Hondas that have never given me a problem so I will not be happy with the Audi if it experiences lots of problems. Thanks.

Audi2Ody

How do you define reliability? My A4 is 5 yrs old with 90K miles and I would define it as rock solid reliable. It has never stranded me anywhere and has never failed to start (knock on wood).

Has it been trouble-free? Nope. The A/C compressor had to be replaced. A speaker went out. The lower control arms had to be replaced.

If you want to own a car where you never have to go into the dealer for anyhting other than regular maintenance, then stick with Hondas and Toyotas.

Good luck!

PDX-Boy[hermit mode]

The drive an Audi over a Honda is remarkable, with possibly the exception being the S2000. How much money are you willing to spend or have available after you purchase/lease the car?

Know that a warrenty (for the most part) is a must on these just to be safe.

SeeYa4

Well..

more questions you should be asking yourself:

Will you beat on your car? Are you going to take care of it?

It's a different car than a honda.

Much different.

JWG

Additionally, I have had very few problems with it, none over $1000 dollars. Yes, German cars require more expensive maintainence, because the cars generally have higher quality parts and more complex engineering designs.

However, neither I nor anyone else I have known has owned a Japanese car with 135,000 miles that feels as tight as the day it came off the dealer's lot. I kept a 1984 Nissan Maxima alive for over 200,000 miles; it needed periodic welds and replacement of structural parts starting at about 100,000 miles.

Buy the Audi, enjoy the luxury and advanced German engineering, expect higher maintainence costs, but remember that you will likely walk away from a bad wreck that will hospitalize or kill a Japanese or American car driver, because Audi, MB, and BMW engineer their cars for the more upwardly mobile customer who wants to survive Autobahn wrecks while the Japanese and Americans compete for the lower income car consumers and keep costs down with ligher, less thoroughly engineered cars.

BrassRox

Yes, thanks for the advice-my concerns about the A4 are being alleviated although I have to accept that they won't be as bullet proof as my past Hondas. It seems that many people here are critical of Japanese cars though, which I don't agree with. My Honda Accord and Civic still looked/drove like new after each passed 100K miles. And as far as crash survivability goes, my current Accord is actually my identical to the one I owned for 3 months that was totalled with just over 4000 miles on it. I survived a high speed collision with an Explorer. I am actually considering the new Accord coupe and an A4, but the Honda lacks the xenon lights and nice wheels of the A4. That 240hp V-6 kicks the 1.8T into the weeds though!

Audi2Ody

The A4 is not in the same category as the Accord. Also, you shouldn't compare a 1.8T with a V6. Try the 3.0.