fireguy40

After all this... you purchased a Nissan...?

Bargamon

The worlds most interesting car shopper......!

OP, consider the G37 sedan. High content with some good grunt!

Barrels41

I understand. Audi is not well positioned to compete in the $30,000 sale range. My 40,000+ 2009 A4 P+ included memory seats which were deleted from the P+ in 2010. Am irritation like that will give me a pause when it's time to re-order in early 2012.

Gizmos are getting cheaper and standard. Audi A4 P+ should be equiped like a G37X or TL. Prestige should have lane departure and adjustable suspension.

By then fuel may be $5.00 a gallon and the Middle East may be burning.

Bargamon

I thinks the OP is getting pushed around.

Me, We got a brand spanking new Avant in the driveway for an amazing price.

My first priority is always drivetrain and suspension. Amenities are usually over rated in my book.

But I don't work out of my car and I I did travel as part of my business I would consider a high content Japanese build or a Genesis sedan. ES350 Lexus, TL Acura, etc are great values. Not the greatest driving dynamics but you have to have priority with a limited budget.

My personal driver is a 328i coupe 6 mt sport premium package with no seat heater, no NAV, and no LED display screen. Compared a similar priced car by others it lacks serious amenities for the money. some of them might even be faster 0-60!

IN the real world the cars driving dynamics suite my tastes and my needs. Even after 45,000 miles the car is wonderfully tight and is holding up great.

When price is an issue and we all have budgets, I feel the better car with fewer amenities is the better value.

j0nx

Fireguy: I haven't purchased anything yet. Still looking and comparing. Still love the Audi but am just finding it priced out of its league for the options that you get. Not as bad as a BMW in that respect but close.

Surf: There need to be no changes to the nissan as it comes with a very tight sport suspension and ALL SEASON TIRES already so I will not be able to test your theory. If they treated me with suspicion, asked for a $1k deposit and then evaded my question as to whether or not it would be refundable if I did not like the car and were generally unwilling to accomodate me then I would tell them the same thing I told the Audi dealer: PASS. I'm still not sure what Audi was thinking with summer tires in winter on their SP cars but I'm sure they have their reasons. I'm gonna stop by the dealer on my way out to a family gathering later tonight. I was never that hip on black but after seeing the online pictures of this car it is starting to grow on me. It looks pretty tough on that car. 0-60 in 5.5 seconds will also be MUCH appreciated. A stasis chip when they are released for the '11 A4 would have been another $1k+ expense for me as well. I can still fall back on the Audi at my local dealer with a factory order if all else fails

Cabal_san

You do get what you pay for, that's for sure. Most reallize this on here.

For me Quattro was a must. Not 0 to 60 times. Fit n finish over grunt power is fine with me. However after addin Stasis. The new A4 2.0 really shines. But you're right you have to pay to play.

Otherwise get a mustang gt - fast, but not exactly the same driving experience.

surfcity rings

J0nx, got my Nissan serviced today, but the dealer did not have the Altima 3.5 SR coupe, so I can't offer my opinion comparing it with 2011 A4.

I will tell you a few differences about the ownership experience between my Nissan and Audi.

When you get your car serviced by Audi, they make sure it is fixed to your satisfaction the first time. Nissan in my opinion is not as concerned with perfection, they will tell you they fixed it, and you may need to take it in another time for them to actually fix it.

Nissan dealers in my area change owners all the time. It seems like every 2-3 years they change owners and often change the name as well. This may not seem like a big deal, but in my experience the dealer you purchased a car from, cares about servicing it, to get you to buy another one from them in the future (not just telling you to give them a high scores on surveys if you are contacted)!

Nissan dealers often offer great service deals (my oil change out the door on my Pathfinder today was $21). With an Audi, I recommend finding an independent mechanic to take care of the car when its out of warranty.

I have owned several Audis and several Nissans, and have enjoyed owning them all (for different reason at different time of my life). The big difference for me is: I have never missed any Nissan after I sold it. When I part with an Audi, I always regret selling it!