the Audi S5 sportback is not perfect, but...
11-20-2017, 08:44 PM
#31
AudiWorld Member
If only you were right... It does have a soundaktor:
First drives: 2018 Audi S4 sedan and S5 coupe Autoweek
Some people disable it by pulling a fuse.
In general, I didn't like the exhaust drone in the S4 that we test drove. The 340i/440i have zero drone. I think someone posted that the drone went away on their S4 after 1,000 miles.
First drives: 2018 Audi S4 sedan and S5 coupe Autoweek
Some people disable it by pulling a fuse.
In general, I didn't like the exhaust drone in the S4 that we test drove. The 340i/440i have zero drone. I think someone posted that the drone went away on their S4 after 1,000 miles.
11-21-2017, 03:07 AM
#32
If only you were right... It does have a soundaktor:
First drives: 2018 Audi S4 sedan and S5 coupe Autoweek
Some people disable it by pulling a fuse.
In general, I didn't like the exhaust drone in the S4 that we test drove. The 340i/440i have zero drone. I think someone posted that the drone went away on their S4 after 1,000 miles.
First drives: 2018 Audi S4 sedan and S5 coupe Autoweek
Some people disable it by pulling a fuse.
In general, I didn't like the exhaust drone in the S4 that we test drove. The 340i/440i have zero drone. I think someone posted that the drone went away on their S4 after 1,000 miles.
11-21-2017, 05:58 AM
#33
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
well the 540i is a new chassis...
But it is not lighter than an S5 Sportback, let alone an S4: C&D weighed the 540i RWD at 4071 pounds and the xDrive at 4171 pounds; the S5 Sportback at 4017 pounds. What is critical for me - whether I'm hauling my wife's walkers or my photo equipment to photograph snowy owls - is that the trunk space in the Sportback is 22 cu. ft. vs. 19 cu. ft. in the 540i.
It is hard for me to argue ergonomics because they intersect so closely with habit. After 21 years and some 2 million kilometers of owning only BMWs BMW is how a car should operate to me. Having said that in the past I would often hop between my 2007 335i or 2010 M3 and my wife's 2008 TT without noticing any jarring differences. As much as I love a BMW cockpit, I really don't seem to have any problem adapting to other cars with good ergonomics - Audi and Mazda in particular.
It is hard for me to argue ergonomics because they intersect so closely with habit. After 21 years and some 2 million kilometers of owning only BMWs BMW is how a car should operate to me. Having said that in the past I would often hop between my 2007 335i or 2010 M3 and my wife's 2008 TT without noticing any jarring differences. As much as I love a BMW cockpit, I really don't seem to have any problem adapting to other cars with good ergonomics - Audi and Mazda in particular.
11-21-2017, 07:11 AM
#34
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Agreed - they all have their stronger and weaker aspects, and I also would like a combination of the strong aspects of all of them. Since that's not happening, you have to decide based on what is most important to you... For us, BMW wins in driving experience and ergonomics, and those are very important to us. We would pick the Audi if we cared more about some other things, or we would go with a 5-series. My wife prefers smaller cars, so the 5-series isn't an option for her, and she likes the 340i better than the S4, so that's the car for her. I'm trying to decide between the S4 and the 540i, but leaning toward the 540i.
Last edited by LOVEMYGOLFR; 11-21-2017 at 07:17 AM.
11-21-2017, 08:28 AM
#35
AudiWorld Senior Member
Like the old saying goes; "Opinions are like hemorrhoids, every a**hole has one," so here's mine.
The BMW loses to Audi A/S5 series on exterior and interior appearance alone. The only BMW I'd ever consider buying would be a 5 series kombiwagen (and this is only if I couldn't get my hands on a A6 Avant kombi).
The BMW loses to Audi A/S5 series on exterior and interior appearance alone. The only BMW I'd ever consider buying would be a 5 series kombiwagen (and this is only if I couldn't get my hands on a A6 Avant kombi).
Last edited by N8!; 11-21-2017 at 08:42 AM.
11-21-2017, 08:39 AM
#36
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<snip>......
It is hard for me to argue ergonomics because they intersect so closely with habit. After 21 years and some 2 million kilometers of owning only BMWs BMW is how a car should operate to me. Having said that in the past I would often hop between my 2007 335i or 2010 M3 and my wife's 2008 TT without noticing any jarring differences. As much as I love a BMW cockpit, I really don't seem to have any problem adapting to other cars with good ergonomics - Audi and Mazda in particular.
It is hard for me to argue ergonomics because they intersect so closely with habit. After 21 years and some 2 million kilometers of owning only BMWs BMW is how a car should operate to me. Having said that in the past I would often hop between my 2007 335i or 2010 M3 and my wife's 2008 TT without noticing any jarring differences. As much as I love a BMW cockpit, I really don't seem to have any problem adapting to other cars with good ergonomics - Audi and Mazda in particular.
It's really funny when one of us drives the other car. Everything is completely backwards. All the ***** and levers turn the opposite direction. Even the auto-manual shifter rocks the opposite way to engage manual mode and then shifts in the opposite direction. I'm always upshifting when I intended to downshift, turning the iDrive **** down when I want to go up in a menu, turning the windshield wipers on when I want to do the momentary wipe, etc. These are ingrained muscle memory things that even though I know they are opposite I still can't help doing it the Audi way whenever I'm in the BMW.
Everything is opposite to me when I drive her BMW, as it is for her when she drives my Audi, which keeps us from driving each other's car except when absolutely necessary. I don't know, maybe that's a good thing. I don't think either way is bad ergonomically, they're just opposite. It's almost like Audi and BMW knowingly and intentionally do things 180 degrees out of phase, just to subconsciously maintain their owner base.
Last edited by PRGeno; 11-21-2017 at 09:05 AM.
11-21-2017, 12:05 PM
#38
Good luck winning an audi vs BMW argument in an audi forum! I own both audi and BMW. I'm coming from a 2014 335i to the S5 SB. I would have to say both cars have things I like about them more than the other. I think the Audi blows the 2014 335i away in terms of interior design and tech. Honestly the idrive system and interior of the BMW looks really dated compared to the 2018 S5. However, I'm having more technical/electrical issues related to the S5 (parking camera issues, steering wheel button) that never plagued the BMW. I think the BMW N55 engine seemed to have less lag and was overall more responsive. Both cars handle great. I think both cars are great and it really boils down to personal tastes and pricepoint. I liked the BMW enough that I was looking into a 440i GC, but I was really swayed by the interior on the Audi so I went with the S5. Plus I can still drive my wifes X5 if I miss the BMW.
11-21-2017, 01:09 PM
#40
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It depends on how you configure it and the discounts. For me, the S4 would be an MSRP of $61,100. The 540i would be $70,570. The MSRP difference is $9,470, but I can get a much larger discount on the 540i. On the Audi, I can get only 6%, while on the BMW I can get 8% plus a fleet discount of $2,500, so the discounted price on the Audi is $57,493, and on the BMW it is $62,424, so the difference shrinks to $4,931. For a savings of less than $5K (or 8%), it's hard to go for an S4 over a 540i... I wish Audi had better discounts!