Hello everybody! Just wondering, is the A4 a good first car in your opinions? Its my favorite car on a short list, and I will purchase, including about $30,000 from my parents, in November (when I turn 16). <br>Also, what is the best chip for the A4? <br>Thanks for any advice!<br>-Kean

 

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Kean, you don't want to start out with a $30k car. Buy yourself a lower-end car to begin with. Learn to drive well, practice your manual driving skills, then in a year or two get yourself an Audi. You'll be so much happier with it that way. J

 

Good suggestion! I was driving a spartan Honda Civic LX -SE (only SE has A/C and hub caps) when I was 16-year old..

 

<br>Many on this board will have the opinion of you being too young, inexperienced, whatever, to drive an A4 as your first car. I disagree with that. The A4 is a very forgiving car that can be great as a "learner" car. Take yourself to a couple of driving schools and you'll be much better off then classmates driving older cars. My sister bought my nephew a 99 M3 when he turned 16 as a first car. The first thing he did was to attend several high performance and defensive driving schools. And I can tell you, he is the best 16 year old driver I have ever experienced. In fact, he is a better driver than most of my co-workers. So ignore those who tell you you're too young for an A4. The A4 is an awesome car in many respects, and I'm sure you won't regret it.<p>CH - (86 Camry, 94 Civic, currently 99 1.8TQMS)<p>

 

I agree with Marcus, get a cheaper car first. My first car was a Jetta III with manual tranny.

 

When I turned 17 years old, all I wanted was a Ford Taurus SHO. That was 9 years ago for me. I would have done anything to get that car. Instead, I got the third car, a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI, which was a pocket rocket. I did not get my first new car until 2 years later, and that was a 1992 Saturn SL2. But I wanted that SHO so bad. I understand what you want because I was 17 years old and just had a license. My personal opinion on the Audi A4 1.8T and a new driver is they don't mix. The last thing a new driver needs is a 'hot car' and distractions. If your parents are giving you 30K, my best suggestion, buy a cheaper new car like a entry level Jetta, or a Saturn SL series sedan or SC coupe. Don't go for the Audi.<br>Yes the Audi may cost under 30K, but don't forget, you have to add in insurance, state taxes, which can come out to several thousand dollars over the sticker price, gas (The A4's beverage of choice is premium, and it is not that cheap these days). And once the Audi Advantage period is over, Oil Changes and stuff. And if you want that extra warrenty, it is going cost an additional couple of thousand dollars.<br>And don't forget in just a few short years you will be going to college. And trust me when I say you will wish that you did not get the Audi.<br>I do know what you are going through, but what I can say, I am glad that I did not get the SHO. And also as a new driver, your car insurance rates are going to be sky high. My best advice is you don't need a car that is a luxury car. Get a basic car right now, one that has the most important features, A/C, Airbag and ABS. Learn how to drive, you are bound to have a couple of accidents along the way. Get comfortable with driving, before you think about the A4. And if your worried that the A4 is going to go away, don't worry. Yes it may go through a redesign or two from now until the time that you buy it, but it will be worth the wait.<br>Take my advice, you don't belong in an A4 as a new driver.

 

A teenage and a high performance car don't mix. Yes you may say that he went through high performance driving school, but your nephew does not have defensive driving skills, and no six month class, or weekend class, can give a teen 10 years of defensive driving. My first car that I drove was a 1983 Rabbit GTI which like the M3 is NOT a forgiving car. I am familar with the M3 and I feel that I can say this confidently.<br>Teens and new drivers have a nastiy habit of making mistakes. Just a month ago in my home town, kid was killed driving a Saab 900 or 9-3. Age, 17.5 years. Parents sent the kid to a high performance driving school and claimed that he was calm and such behind the wheel. That was when his parents or parent was in the car with him. Othertimes he drove like a maniac. (I am not saying that your nephew does or doesn't. I have not seen him on the road, nor have I been in the car with him.) The day he was killed, he was going around a sharp corner at a resonable speed when he lost control of the car and went spinning into a telephone pole at 40 mph. According to the police report, he was killed on impact, and he had his seat belt on.<br>The fact is Teenages are 60 times more likely to be in an accident then anyother age group.<br>A teen does not belong behind the wheel of a Audi A4, and they certainly don't belong behind the wheel of a BMW M3. And I don't care if Michal Andretti was his teacher.

 

ALD.. what the hell are you talking about? First of all, you can't even compare an a4 to an m3. An m3 is a sports car..... and a4 is NOT! it is a sedan. <p>I agree with you in your logic about m3's not being forgiving cars. But you know what? Overall, german cars(especially bmw, and audi) are one of the safest cars to drive (side impact air bags, cultiple crumple zones). If his parents are willing to get him an a4 as his first car so be it. It's far from a sports car and it's definitely a solid safe car. There is absolutely no reason in the world as to why he should be denied an a4 if he wants it and is willing to spend lots of $$ on his first car.<p>Chris K<br>98.5 1.8TQTS Tap Stage II

 

Was not compairing the A4 to a M3. As for the A4, the A4 has a lot of distractions in it that could get a new driver into trouble.<br>And Side Airbags and front airbags while great, they can't always do their job. And crumple zones can only crumple so far before it starts getting into the passanger compartment. The kid in my town who was in the Saab wrapped the car around a pole, and side airbags and stuff did not help. It is easier to get over secure feeling with Airbags and stuff, but there is only so much that an airbag can do.