A6 vs 535xi--Objective Test Drive-and My Dilemma
 

I currently have a 2010 A4 2.0 Prestige, which will turn 2 in July. It has almost 30K miles, and has some issues which the dealer service department is not helpful in resolving (see my posts in the B8 area)...Therefore I am considering replacing the A4 in the next few weeks.

I am limiting my choices to the 2012 A6 and the 2011 535xi. Last night I drove the BMW, this afternoon I drove the A6.

While the dealers were not close to each other, I chose routes with the same mix of highway and local street driving, about 65/35 highway. Each test drive took 25-30 minutes, and they were designed to give an honest impression of real world driving (okay I did push them both a little).

To be frank there were plusses and minuses on both, and to be honest, they finished so close, that I am having a hard time deciding. Below are some random thoughts, as well as some conclusions....

A6 - drove Prestige with Innovation...One immediate advantage is that I am used to the MMI, which I found relatively similar to the A4 3G MMI I currently have. Driving position was easy to set, and it was VERY comfortable. Ride was excellent, acceleration and response were near perfect, and the car cruises very nicely on the highway--it's quiet and very solid... The loop averaged 25.9 mpg, being set at the beginning of the ride. Two small concerns: 1. some very slight wind noise in the form of a muted whistle from the drivers door. I lowered and raised the window a few times but it persisted. 2. At mid-throttle cruise, it seemed to surge a little--not sure if it was just being a new car, but it felt somewhat like a slight misfire....not always there, but noticeable.

535xi - drove Premium with Nav...not the way I would get it..... Very comfortable, easy to set driving position and mirrors. Started on a similar route to the A6, about the same mix of highway/street driving. Acceleration and throttle response very similar to A6, but feels a little tighter. Ride slightly harder, but not objectionable. Handling similar, but it did appear the BMW was slightly quieter on the highway. The route chosen left us at about 27mpg, or a little over 1 mpg better than the Audi (but we don't know the margin of error for each).

CONCLUSION--the test drives were SO close, that I have to say they were somewhat inconclusive. While I am fascinated by the idea of the wi-fi hotspot in the Audi, I am not sure Google Maps wouldn't be a distraction.

CONCERNS-FINANCIAL and OTHERWISE

As some may know, I have had a less than stellar service experience from Audi during my time with my A4. I had to fight to get the control arms changed (which DID resolve the high speed vibration issue), and the dealer is unable to find many of the problems I report, until I force a tech to drive with me. The dealer GM is making me a sweet offer on the new A6, and a more than fair trade on the A4, but I remain concerned that the service department will continue to excel in mediocrity, which will be more disconcerting with a more sophisticated vehicle.

Equipped similarly, the Audi lists for just under $64K, the BMW just under $67K. My purchase price for each, however, is within $300 of each other. Finance rates are approximately equal, and although the BMW dealer has not appraised my trade yet, I have to assume it will be slightly lower than what Audi is offering. POINT to Audi.

Considering this as well as the fact that BMW has FREE maintenance which may offset the trade difference, I am really hard pressed to make a firm decision...I get excellent discounts through ACNA and with BMW promotions......

I will probably decide by month end... I am not putting this out here to argue, just to offer a counterpoint...and solicit comments from other Audiphiles....

I have the exact same decision to make. But the thing keeping me from the 5er is that run flat tire problem. It's the biggest complaint I hear, it does not handle pot holes well at all. Living in NYC I can't chance that. They are easily susceptible to the tire bubble problem that we all hate. Another thing is there is no 5th wheel (full spare). In order to have piece of mind I'd have to fork up another 2 gs for tire insurance.

It's a handsome car though. But since the 6 and 5 are such similar performing cars according to everyday Joes like you, and because most experts give performance kudos to the 6, I don't think BMW is making that hard of a case for me. The front of the 6 is sexy, but the back does nothing for me. The a7 makes my hair stand up since it's gorgeous all over, it's just out of my price point unfortunately.

That said, 6 has the edge for me. Just trying to get a demo in NYC soon.

Art:

A 2012 A6 is available for test drives?

If you stay with Audi can you switch dealers? Are they all owned by the guy on Howard Stern?

Would you go back to Infiniti for an M37X. My business partner likes his but he is not into cars. Too bad the back seats are fixed.

Is the transmission software update for the 8 speed only or the 6 speed also?

Run flats are a deal killer to me. I like summer/winter tires not all seasons.

Barry

A6 vs 535
 

Barry,

By now each dealer Has at least one vehicle. I drove the A6 at my original dealership, which happened TO be the one owned by Howard Stern's friend. The GM there is one of the best in the business,and has become a good friend. His offer is very sweet, and is significantly lower than any other dealer would touch.
The problem there is that his incoming car list is not close to what I want, so there would be a month or so wait...and he checked the entire region.

In theory I could buy from him and service elsewhere but then I don't get a loaner. He has even offered to call his friend who runs the neighboring dealership but I don't think that would be fair. He is trying hard but I have to say I am a little gun shy with Audi.

With regard to BMW I'd say the cars themselves are about equal...with the Bimmer just a little tighter. The tire issues are supposedly with older generation run flats, and they say newer versions are better. With regard to availability there is one car in the region and they are willing to truck it in for me.

I also did the BMW competitive drive this morning so I have an extra $1000 if I buy the BMW.

I will decide by Tuesday at the latest...and will keep you all posted. Please continue to give me your thoughts...

Cheers.

don't forget the $1500 Audi loyalty money, plus $500 ACNA if you are already in. My take - the A6 will hold resale better than the 5 based on current market. May or may not really matter to you but I think the A6 wins hands down in style, and this from a guy who has owned 7 new bimmers in the last 10 years. I have just become an Audi convert. My dealer relationship too is the real clincher, and it sounds like your GM is trying to take care of you. I would chalk the A4 up to random bad luck and not throw the baby out with the bath water. Either way, great cars, but I would find an A6 close to your liking and go with it.

I don't see you mention comparisons of other things besides the driving experience, i.e. rear seat room, truck capacity, interior design/fit and finish, etc. Also, keep in mind the BMW, even if the same net price after trade, is a year older with it's associated future depreciation. The first year depreciation is always the greatest.

While my '09 A4 3.2 is running like a top right now, I'm also considering switching to an A6 next year. I've decided I don't want to be an early adopter, first model year guinea pig this time around and will give the car a year for others to get out the bugs.

I appreciate all the thoughts.

As opposed to the other poster, the real killer for me was Audi service. Every time I brought the car in, they either could not find the problem, fixed something I didn't report, or it took three visits to fix the reported situation.

Also, going back to the situation with the control arms, I had to fight with AoA and the dealer to get them to replace them, which eventually DID fix the vibration problem.

I know this is an Audiphile forum, but between the items above, and some new developments, I am not comfortable with Audi right now.

I was able to work the BMW deal on a lease to the point where it works for me, so as long as they are able to swap for the car they located for me, it's a done deal. I was also able to negotiate a fair price for my A4...

I did change from a buy to a lease on the BMW, so maybe the A6 next time around.....

Thanks guys--I hope I am still welcome here :)

I was told the Audi loyalty money is $1000 on the A6. But that said, I picked up $1000 from BMW from doing their Drive for Team USA event last weekend.

Stylistically I like both cars, although they are different. I found the BMW back seat comparable as well as the trunk--with the Audi just being a touch larger. I also found fit and finish to be fine in both. My driving position with regard to the console was a little better in the BMW to my taste...

One thing about the Audi is that the cupholders are right behind the MMI controller. One can just imagine what would happen if a spill were to occur...and I doubt Audi would cover that.....

As I said, the deal I made is conditional on them getting the car they located for me....if not it's back to square 1.

I was in the exact same position as the OP. I, too, opted for the 535xi. While I think from a purely driving perspective the A6 is probably the slightly better car, there were/are a lot of other factors that were considered and ultimately tipped me towards the BMW. The first and probably the most telling, was the positively awful reputation Audi has for service and standing behind their product. This overall sense of being pretty much on your own after delivery was just reinfrced by the indifferent attitude I found in the Audi dealership around me re: making a sale and providing accurate information about the car. Now, to be fair, much of this had to do with the absolutely abysmal rollout of this product from Audi of America. There was almost no information available to the dealerships even after they received their cars for customer test drives and no pricin at the time. The configurator (which still shows a euro-spec A6) was not even active for at least a week after the car was in the dealerships. The Audi website is simply pathetic re: the ability to see the car's colors both interior and exerior. Overall, there was just a sense of utter chaos and disorganization.

While the 5 series has had its share of reliability problems (most of which have now been adressed in new builds) literally no one has had anything but positive things to say about BMW's commitment to service and after-delivery customer satisfaction. And, of course, there's the intangible issue of brand cache and prestige. Fair or not, BMW has it in spades while Audi is, to most people, "a nice car." Hey, no one said the world was a fair place.

Finally there was price. I found I was able to get over 11% off MSRP for the BMW while I would have been paying almost full price on the A6. While I understood that being that its a new product, it galled me nonetheless.

So, at least for me, I was and am quite happy with getting a car that is almost the equal of the A6 that has so many other factors going for it.

Both great products but, for me, the 5'er just has more going for it.

I've been doing the same comparison shopping (C7 A6 vs. the 535xi).

Basically, I agree that both are comparable in many ways. The only big unknown (to me) is how well the Bimmer handles driving on ice and snow. I equip my vehicles with Blizzaks on all fours (all Audi quattros) so that's my "standard" (and it's a helluva standard!). I'd appreciate any guidance in this area (comparison of Audi quattro to BMW's "x-drive").

Overall, I found the 535xi to be a quieter (less road and tire noise), more comfortable ride and that means something to me since I drive long distances on business trips. The optional seats in the BMW blow away the "comfort" seats in the new A6. Better support, infinitely more adjustable, and simply better. The cockpit is less spacious than the A6 but that doesn't bother me. Fit and finish are definitely equal to the Audi, even when comparing the much-heralded Audi interior.

The downsides to the Bimmer (based solely on web forums) seem to be the different nav system now used (was Navteq but they changed it) and issues with the Goodyear run-flats (no spare in the Bimmer).

I'm not rushing into a decision this year and will avoid the first model year issues (if any crop up) with the C7. This coming winter will also give me a chance to compare the two all-wheel drive systems albeit on all-seasons, not Blizzaks.