BRnPA

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and I need some help/advice. My wife's 1995 Taurus SHO is finally dying to the point where I don't want to dump any more $$ into it. We've been demoing a ton of cars for the last few months and it's down to either an '06 Acura RL or '06 A6 3.2. Price-wise, it's a wash: Both cars can be had for ~$25,000. As long as the factory warranty is valid, there's no worries with either, but after that, things can get expensive. The extended warranty for the Acura is about $1,500.00 for a 5yr/84 month comprehensive (covers everything). From what I've been able to read on this forum, a comparable Audi warranty is over $3,000.00. Now, I believe the Audi is a nicer car, but in the Acura is no slouch: Both are AWD and have great amenities, though there is more road noise from the RL but I could probably mitigate some of that with strategically placed Dynamat. So, your opinions are welcome. Please feel free to provide both biased and unbiased views. I presently drive an Acura MDX so I'm very familiar with maintenance but feel less comfortable working on the Audi (but I do have a lot of metric tools and have been working on cars since 1980, so I'm not intimidated). Fire away!

guinn10

acura's a nice car but u cant compare the all wheel drive in that to the quattro. my wife had a 04 TL and it was a great car. but i prefer my audi's over any of the competition. more fun to drive, handles way better. as far as the xtended warranty, i just shelled out almost 3k for 3 yr, 36,000 mile warranty. but its worth it. it boils down to personal preference. i just like the audi's overall, esp. their interiors

KnappAttack

I was in the same boat and would have purchased the Acura had I not found my 05 4.2 fully loaded. IMO the 3.2 Audi isn't much of an engine or vehicle in base trim. The FSI issues are troublesome, from a few running and starting issues to carboned up valves. Not to mention performance is kind of weak. I personally will not buy a direct injected engine. They are very hard on engine oil with fuel dilution and carbon up intake valves nearly immediately. I'll get an average of 23 MPG in overall running with my non FSI 4.2 V8. highway I'll run up around 30 MPG calculated, not computer figures. Oil samples after 10,000 miles return excellent results with no fuel dilution or wear metals. The same can't be said of the FSI engines. V6 Audi also not nearly as smooth as a V8 Audi. I know the Acura's 300 HP V6 isn't the smoothness I have with my 4.2 V8, but I believe it is a far better choice over a 3.2 Audi. The Acura finished 2nd in Motor Trends shootout in the March 2005 issue for what its worth. First was Infiniti M35, second was Acura RL, third was BMW's 530 and the Audi 3.2 came in 4th.

Be careful purchasing a 3.2 Audi as many don't have too much for options. Trip computers, adaptive lighting, heated steering wheels, push button start, nav, voice recognition, sport suspension etc. Make sure you get the options you want with an Audi, you won't be happy down the road if it doesn't have the things you thought it had. The 06 Acura has all the goodies stock other than the sport susp. Not to mention it should be more reliable down the road and cheaper to maintain. I had a 02 2.7t Audi prior to owning this one. I love my 4.2 Audi but will may not do an Audi again. I like the fact the bodies are less susceptible to rust and have better paint. The interiors are incredible but the quattro is not all its cracked up to be. I won't even drive my 4.2 in the winter. They absolutely need winter tires to turn or stop. Both my Audis have exhibited this same behavior to go straight when turning the wheel without winter tires. My 4.2 with sport suspension is downright dangerous with all-season tires, hence the reason to leave it in the garage and take the wife's Camry. That and the fact my Audi electronics don't like the cold, the stereo plays full blast in the cold weather till it warms up in the vehicle. I know the Acura would be more reliable for me. In fact, I'm thinking it is a pretty good bet Acura or Lexus is going to be the next vehicle I purchase. Good luck with your decision. Find a 4.2 V8, then go do a comparison with the Acura RL. Let us know what you think. The Audi soul will get a little harder to walk away from at that point.

KevinGary

With winter tires my 4.2 is a blast to drive in the snow and pass everyone else on the road. Though I agree with you that all season tires just do not cut it in the snow.

haha bye

drive them both and get back to us

BRnPA

Thanks for the input so far. This begs a further question: why can't Audi simply get it "right" when it comes to reliability? Is it still like the old days of Jaguar ownership: You need two so you can drive one while the other is in the shop? At least with the Acura, reliability seems less of an issue plus repair and maintenance costs seem to be much less since the it's really a Honda. As for winter driving, I'm in PA and we get some snow so having AWD is a plus and the Acura SH-AWD in the RL does a good job of curtailing wheel slip, and I don't want to have a set of Blizzaks in my garage for the Audi's winter driving if I don't have to. I'll drive both of them again and look for a 4.2 A6 to test drive.

Bruce M

You can have European design, interior materials, and roadfeel, or you can have reliability. You only get to pick one!

The C6 chassis A6 is not unreliable, actually they are pretty good. Not in Acura's league yet, nor are part prices, but getting there.

The Acura and the Audi both needs winter tires in the winter to behave well in snow. In wet, you can get away with good all-season tires. But eve the best AWD system is only as good as the tires that contact the pavement (or snow/ice as the case may be). You're doing yourself a disservice asking tires designed for pavement to power you through snow.

A late model non-AWD car with a set of proper winter tires (Blizzaks, Alpins, etc) will be as good or better, and and more predictable in bad weather, than an AWD car with summer tires.

Bruce

pierreb

I drove both and hated the RL when I was shopping. Looks like an Accord, is underpowered, and highly questionable in the snow. Interior didn't win any points either.

KnappAttack

My Daughter has an accord, it was my wifes. It looks nothing like it.

Underpowered????? The 3.2 Audi is 265 and the RL is 290. Whats that saying for the Audi?

Audi interior is nicer with the upgraded leather that comes in the 4.2. Not sure of the name of the leather but it's much better than the base models std. leather.

I really liked the RL, but I love my 4.2 other than the common issues we all have seen or will see. I think I have had everone of them. Good thing it had a 50,000 mile warrant to work all of them out. I have the heater blowing hot air from outside vents to contend with now and the warranty is off. It's not as bad as my old 2002 for sure, but it's no Lexus or Acura by any means.

Audi S5 TC

Actually, right now, Audi and Volvo are tied for the best European brands (with significant improvements all around) in dependability, durability, quality, reliability, satisfaction and service in Consumer Reports, making it. Only the Asian brands currently surpass Audi and Volvo in these areas (beating out BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen and Mercedes).

The problems that AudiWorld members have with their 2005 and later or 2006 and later Audis are only typical of Audis from the late 1980s and again from 1998 to 2004 or from the late 1980s and again from 1998 to 2005, depending on the model. Even the bozos at JD Power and Associates have confirmed significant improvement in dependability, durability, quality, reliability, satisfaction and service.

The AW (AudiWorld) members that have had bad experiences with their 2005 and later or 2006 and later (again, depending on the model) Audi are an extremely small minority of owners of 2005 and later or 2006 and later Audi models.

And for the record, Audi's problems always massively paled in comparison to the problems that Gaguars-err-Jaguars, Junk Rovers-err-Land Rovers and all 2000 to 2006 Mercedes Benzes have. All of these trash can vehicles make the late 1980s 1998 to 2004 and 1998 to 2005 Audis (as problematic as they are-which is to say, big time) look like Toyotas, Lexuses and Scions by comparison.

So just relax and take it easy.