One Week Reflection
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
One Week Reflection
So, I've had my 2019 S5 coupe for a week now. Of course, as these things always seem to go, it's been a week of mostly sub-zero temperatures, snow, and general winter ickiness, but what can you do? I didn't plan to buy a car in January, but the combination of the right car, right price, and where I am (tail-end of everyone's distribution network, where choice is often illusory) sort of conspired to make it happen.
In any event, I thought I'd record some of my impressions, good and bad. Well, not "bad," just stuff that makes me scratch my head.
Let's get those out of the way. I came to the Audi from a 2016 Golf R, manual transmission, no DCC or DAP. Pretty much an analog car other than the MIB II and MFI display. As such, it was pretty straight forward in a way the S5 is not. It seems to take far more steps to get anything done through the infotainment system than it should, even though most of the stuff is pretty well thought out and more or less logical. And of course, there's simply more of everything.
I can deal with that, as I'm sure it'll get more familiar as I use it. But some stuff...I mean, my VW had its rear-view camera safely ensconced behind the VW emblem on the hatch, but the Audi, that costs significantly more, has a plebian exposed fisheye lens sticking out from under the trunk lip. It doesn't get quite as dirty as the one on my wife's Ford Escape, but, really? The AMG C43 I test drove before deciding on the Audi had it hidden, and I think the BMWs I drove did too. Why, Audi, why?
As others have mentioned, the jack. Why on earth is it sitting in the luggage compartment, in a bag strapped to the side? Is that the most elegant solution a bunch of crack German engineers could think of? Oy vey.
And while I do like the auto-dimming side mirrors in general, they do seem to, well, REALLY dim stuff. As in, at night, they cease to function as actual mirrors, and I have to rely totally on the blindspot sensors. I'm used to setting up my mirrors to cover the blind spots, and losing that functionality makes me uneasy, particularly as I'm loathe to trust the electronic nannies as much as they want me to.
And speaking of nannies, would it be possible to make the setup and use of the stuff like pre-sense any more obtuse? When I drove the car off the lot, the pre-sense stuff was extremely active, but somehow now it seems nearly absent. I don't think I've adjusted anything, but now it seems to do pretty much nothing except warn me that, yes, five feet in front of me in the parking lot is another parked car. Who knew? I'm sure I'll get accustomed to it, but it sometimes seems Toyota or Honda does a better job of keeping this stuff simple.
All in all though these things are minor. The positives far outweigh the negatives so far, starting with the overall driving experience. I loved the Golfs I had, even the 1979 Rabbit, but this thing is in a different league. The suspension eats up the terrible roads here (I'm mostly in Auto mode so far, as it's winter and Dynamic really doesn't do much for me on my Hakkapalitas and salted frozen roads), the engine is responsive and extremely civilized, and the steering is precise, much better than I had feared it might be in such a large (to me) car. The seats are comfortable, more so than the Golf R for sure, visibility is good, and the sound system is light-years beyond the stock unit in my previous car. Everything flows smoothly--some might say too much so, as the car does indeed do everything with an ease that I find attractive but which I can very well see others finding unengaging or even, dare I say it, boring. But that's why I got this instead of the AMG. That car was a beast, but I realized that after a month or two, I probably didn't really want to wrestle a demon every time I went for a drive. The Audi is more like Milton's Satan--urbane, cultured, yet still ruthless and capable of extreme evil as needed.
Of course, I will have to wait until, um, April to get the snow tires off and actually see what the car will do in decent weather and good road conditions. I'll also be able to actually see the color of the car then too, as in winter all cars up here look the same--road salt gray.
In any event, I thought I'd record some of my impressions, good and bad. Well, not "bad," just stuff that makes me scratch my head.
Let's get those out of the way. I came to the Audi from a 2016 Golf R, manual transmission, no DCC or DAP. Pretty much an analog car other than the MIB II and MFI display. As such, it was pretty straight forward in a way the S5 is not. It seems to take far more steps to get anything done through the infotainment system than it should, even though most of the stuff is pretty well thought out and more or less logical. And of course, there's simply more of everything.
I can deal with that, as I'm sure it'll get more familiar as I use it. But some stuff...I mean, my VW had its rear-view camera safely ensconced behind the VW emblem on the hatch, but the Audi, that costs significantly more, has a plebian exposed fisheye lens sticking out from under the trunk lip. It doesn't get quite as dirty as the one on my wife's Ford Escape, but, really? The AMG C43 I test drove before deciding on the Audi had it hidden, and I think the BMWs I drove did too. Why, Audi, why?
As others have mentioned, the jack. Why on earth is it sitting in the luggage compartment, in a bag strapped to the side? Is that the most elegant solution a bunch of crack German engineers could think of? Oy vey.
And while I do like the auto-dimming side mirrors in general, they do seem to, well, REALLY dim stuff. As in, at night, they cease to function as actual mirrors, and I have to rely totally on the blindspot sensors. I'm used to setting up my mirrors to cover the blind spots, and losing that functionality makes me uneasy, particularly as I'm loathe to trust the electronic nannies as much as they want me to.
And speaking of nannies, would it be possible to make the setup and use of the stuff like pre-sense any more obtuse? When I drove the car off the lot, the pre-sense stuff was extremely active, but somehow now it seems nearly absent. I don't think I've adjusted anything, but now it seems to do pretty much nothing except warn me that, yes, five feet in front of me in the parking lot is another parked car. Who knew? I'm sure I'll get accustomed to it, but it sometimes seems Toyota or Honda does a better job of keeping this stuff simple.
All in all though these things are minor. The positives far outweigh the negatives so far, starting with the overall driving experience. I loved the Golfs I had, even the 1979 Rabbit, but this thing is in a different league. The suspension eats up the terrible roads here (I'm mostly in Auto mode so far, as it's winter and Dynamic really doesn't do much for me on my Hakkapalitas and salted frozen roads), the engine is responsive and extremely civilized, and the steering is precise, much better than I had feared it might be in such a large (to me) car. The seats are comfortable, more so than the Golf R for sure, visibility is good, and the sound system is light-years beyond the stock unit in my previous car. Everything flows smoothly--some might say too much so, as the car does indeed do everything with an ease that I find attractive but which I can very well see others finding unengaging or even, dare I say it, boring. But that's why I got this instead of the AMG. That car was a beast, but I realized that after a month or two, I probably didn't really want to wrestle a demon every time I went for a drive. The Audi is more like Milton's Satan--urbane, cultured, yet still ruthless and capable of extreme evil as needed.
Of course, I will have to wait until, um, April to get the snow tires off and actually see what the car will do in decent weather and good road conditions. I'll also be able to actually see the color of the car then too, as in winter all cars up here look the same--road salt gray.
#2
AudiWorld Member
Welcome aboard and congratulations!
It seems to take far more steps to get anything done through the infotainment system than it should, even though most of the stuff is pretty well thought out and more or less logical. And of course, there's simply more of everything. This all becomes second nature with a little seat time. It takes a while.
a plebian exposed fisheye lens sticking out from under the trunk lip. Not optimal, but it stays surprisingly clear, in fact better than my GFs X5
As others have mentioned, the jack. Why on earth is it sitting in the luggage compartment, in a bag strapped to the side? Is that the most elegant solution a bunch of crack German engineers could think of? Oy vey. Yeah, weak.
And while I do like the auto-dimming side mirrors in general, they do seem to, well, REALLY dim stuff. As in, at night, they cease to function as actual mirrors, and I have to rely totally on the blindspot sensors. I'm used to setting up my mirrors to cover the blind spots, I have mine set up for blind spots I do not understand what you are saying here. At night, my side mirrors are clear.
I'm loathe to trust the electronic nannies as much as they want me to. I have learned to trust them more with additional experience, but never for a moment do I relinquish accountability fully. I have had a couple of surprises, that is, misread traffic signs, false pre-sense intervention. Who knows what other surprises are in store. Pay attention.
And speaking of nannies, would it be possible to make the setup and use of the stuff like pre-sense any more obtuse? When I drove the car off the lot, the pre-sense stuff was extremely active, but somehow now it seems nearly absent. don't think I've adjusted anything, (Pre sense is adjustable in the MMII) .
The positives far outweigh the negatives so far, YES
The suspension eats up the terrible roads here YES
the engine is responsive and extremely civilized, and the steering is precise. YES
The seats are comfortable YES
The sound system is light-years beyond the stock unit in my previous YES, I also love the sound system, but many here are not impressed. It seems to me the bass positioning in the coupe is much better that in the the SB and results in much better sound.
The Audi is more like Milton's Satan--urbane, cultured, yet still car. went for a drive. ruthless and capable of extreme evil as needed. Oh yeah!
a plebian exposed fisheye lens sticking out from under the trunk lip. Not optimal, but it stays surprisingly clear, in fact better than my GFs X5
As others have mentioned, the jack. Why on earth is it sitting in the luggage compartment, in a bag strapped to the side? Is that the most elegant solution a bunch of crack German engineers could think of? Oy vey. Yeah, weak.
And while I do like the auto-dimming side mirrors in general, they do seem to, well, REALLY dim stuff. As in, at night, they cease to function as actual mirrors, and I have to rely totally on the blindspot sensors. I'm used to setting up my mirrors to cover the blind spots, I have mine set up for blind spots I do not understand what you are saying here. At night, my side mirrors are clear.
I'm loathe to trust the electronic nannies as much as they want me to. I have learned to trust them more with additional experience, but never for a moment do I relinquish accountability fully. I have had a couple of surprises, that is, misread traffic signs, false pre-sense intervention. Who knows what other surprises are in store. Pay attention.
And speaking of nannies, would it be possible to make the setup and use of the stuff like pre-sense any more obtuse? When I drove the car off the lot, the pre-sense stuff was extremely active, but somehow now it seems nearly absent. don't think I've adjusted anything, (Pre sense is adjustable in the MMII) .
The positives far outweigh the negatives so far, YES
The suspension eats up the terrible roads here YES
the engine is responsive and extremely civilized, and the steering is precise. YES
The seats are comfortable YES
The sound system is light-years beyond the stock unit in my previous YES, I also love the sound system, but many here are not impressed. It seems to me the bass positioning in the coupe is much better that in the the SB and results in much better sound.
The Audi is more like Milton's Satan--urbane, cultured, yet still car. went for a drive. ruthless and capable of extreme evil as needed. Oh yeah!
Last edited by Richr; 01-19-2019 at 12:30 PM.
#3
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
As for the side mirrors, I guess what I'm saying is that the dimming feature is very aggressive, so that at night, I don't see anything of the overtaking vehicle except its glowing headlights, and they don't appear in the mirror for long enough for me to register them before they've passed me. In my Golf, even at night the mirrors reflected enough light so that I actually saw the car and not just the lights? I've never had a car with auto-dimming side mirrors, though, so I'm sure I'll get used it. In the daytime the mirrors work fine.
#4
Club AutoUnion
As for the side mirrors, I guess what I'm saying is that the dimming feature is very aggressive, so that at night, I don't see anything of the overtaking vehicle except its glowing headlights, and they don't appear in the mirror for long enough for me to register them before they've passed me. In my Golf, even at night the mirrors reflected enough light so that I actually saw the car and not just the lights? I've never had a car with auto-dimming side mirrors, though, so I'm sure I'll get used it. In the daytime the mirrors work fine.
I wonder if that’s a change from MY 2018 as my S5 doesn’t suffer from that at all. I’ve never looked in the MMI to change it as it’s already good for me.
As someone who came from a “dumb” 2006 model car, it did take me awhile to get used to all the cameras, sensors and warnings but 7 months in, it all feels pretty natural to me. I am still trying to master the whole MMI menu system — that’s been my longest learning curve — but overall I am extremely pleased with my first Audi!
Good Luck & Happy Motoring!
— John
#5
AudiWorld Senior Member
I wonder if that’s a change from MY 2018 as my S5 doesn’t suffer from that at all. I’ve never looked in the MMI to change it as it’s already good for me.
As someone who came from a “dumb” 2006 model car, it did take me awhile to get used to all the cameras, sensors and warnings but 7 months in, it all feels pretty natural to me. I am still trying to master the whole MMI menu system — that’s been my longest learning curve — but overall I am extremely pleased with my first Audi!
Good Luck & Happy Motoring!
— John
#6
I have an 18 Cab and I don't have any problems with the mirrors. Do what I always do, take it to the dealer and tell them the mirrors are useless at night. I'm sure there must be a fix for that and if you don't get satisfaction, escalate it as high as you need to (Audi Corporate) until they take care of it. I always follow one rule, if it's under warranty, don't try to fix it yourself. Take it to the dealer.
#7
AudiWorld Senior Member
In heavy slow traffic at night, I've also had problems with the mirrors being too dark.
Otherwise it's been fine.
Otherwise it's been fine.
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#9
AudiWorld Senior Member
As for the side mirrors, I guess what I'm saying is that the dimming feature is very aggressive, so that at night, I don't see anything of the overtaking vehicle except its glowing headlights, and they don't appear in the mirror for long enough for me to register them before they've passed me. In my Golf, even at night the mirrors reflected enough light so that I actually saw the car and not just the lights? I've never had a car with auto-dimming side mirrors, though, so I'm sure I'll get used it. In the daytime the mirrors work fine.
#10
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Yeah, I don't think it's a problem, nor do I think there is much that can be done about it. The auto-dimming feature in most mirrors seems to involve a particular fluid that, when charged, accomplishes the dimming. You can turn it on, or off, but I'm not aware of being able to adjust the degree of dimming (not that that might not be possible, of course, just that I'm not aware of it).
I suspect that the combo of the angle the side mirrors are usually at, the size/shape of the mirror itself, and the angle of the view to the driver combine to make it likely that effective dimming will, for some people, be very dark, in order to avoid not doing enough dimming. Given that you have the blind spot system, I guess they figured more dimming is the best way to go. It's not a crucial thing, and I'll get used to it.
Oh, just as an aside, last I checked the Weathertech site didn't have anything for the '19 coupes. Would the '18 mats be identical? I have the Audi rubber mats (came with the car, not something I would have paid 200 smackers for) but tend to love the Weathertech stuff.
I suspect that the combo of the angle the side mirrors are usually at, the size/shape of the mirror itself, and the angle of the view to the driver combine to make it likely that effective dimming will, for some people, be very dark, in order to avoid not doing enough dimming. Given that you have the blind spot system, I guess they figured more dimming is the best way to go. It's not a crucial thing, and I'll get used to it.
Oh, just as an aside, last I checked the Weathertech site didn't have anything for the '19 coupes. Would the '18 mats be identical? I have the Audi rubber mats (came with the car, not something I would have paid 200 smackers for) but tend to love the Weathertech stuff.