Loaner A7 compared to RS4
08-08-2012, 08:18 AM
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Loaner A7 compared to RS4
So I have my RS4 in for service and my dealer surprised me with a brand new A7. I'm not a huge fan of the exterior styling, but the interior... Wow. Simply beautiful. It's very quiet (too quiet) and pulls pretty hard. It's a wonderful car to go for a ride, but as for driving? Well, I won't be trading in my RS4 anytime soon.
I find that pretty interiors, the new car smell, latest techno widgets, etc., all get old over time. The novelty wears off pretty quickly. On the other hand, a great driving experience never really gets old, which is why the RS4 continues to put a smile on my face after two years of ownership.
I find that pretty interiors, the new car smell, latest techno widgets, etc., all get old over time. The novelty wears off pretty quickly. On the other hand, a great driving experience never really gets old, which is why the RS4 continues to put a smile on my face after two years of ownership.
08-09-2012, 06:00 AM
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I actually really dislike the new Audi leather. It feels so cheap and smells awful to me. I've been in the S line A4, S line A3, and Q5 and they were all the same. Even the S4 I drove didn't have leather that was as nice as ours. It just doesn't feel real to me.
08-09-2012, 07:19 AM
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The seats in my loaner A7 do seem a bit like a basketball.
One thing I do like on the A7 is that the RPMs are pretty low when cruising on the highway. On the contrary, in 6th gear, going 70 mph, the RS4 is turning 3,000 rpms.
If I had a 3 hours highway trip ahead of me, I'd pick the A7. For pretty much everything else, I like the RS4. Although mine is pretty loud with my exhaust, so the serenity of the A7 is kinda nice. Very smooth and very quiet. I feel like I'm driving a day spa.
One thing I do like on the A7 is that the RPMs are pretty low when cruising on the highway. On the contrary, in 6th gear, going 70 mph, the RS4 is turning 3,000 rpms.
If I had a 3 hours highway trip ahead of me, I'd pick the A7. For pretty much everything else, I like the RS4. Although mine is pretty loud with my exhaust, so the serenity of the A7 is kinda nice. Very smooth and very quiet. I feel like I'm driving a day spa.
08-09-2012, 11:25 AM
#6
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There are actually 2 or more kinds of leather high-end auto manufacturers use. The basic one is usually grainier, harder and treated with plastified coatings to make it last longer (commonly, the slang for this is "pleather") and the more expensive cars get leather that is less treated, softer and closer to real hide. The leather in the RS4 is of the latter kind and is called "Napa Leather". The closer to natural hide, the more of leather smell you get. My RS4 was purchased new in November 2006 and the interior still smells like leather. My S4 was new in July 2010 and the interior smells like plastics.
08-09-2012, 12:14 PM
#7
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The new car smell isn't just leather though, it's a pretty complex blend of things including leather, plasticizers, unpolymerized plastics, mold release agents, adhesives, carpet, paint and dyes, electronics, lubricants - lots of stuff.
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08-09-2012, 12:34 PM
#8
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Correct! But, leather that's been treated minimally tends to continue to smell like leather.
08-09-2012, 01:38 PM
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On a side note, in addition to the 55,000 mile service, which includes new plugs, I'm getting my carbon cleaned. They quoted me $800-$900, which I thought was a decent price to have it done at the dealership. Sure, it can be done cheaper by an indy shop, but then I wouldn't be riding around in a brand new A7, and my rental car costs would eat into any potential savings.
I'll be sure to post my impressions, post-cleaning.
I'll be sure to post my impressions, post-cleaning.
08-09-2012, 03:15 PM
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On a side note, in addition to the 55,000 mile service, which includes new plugs, I'm getting my carbon cleaned. They quoted me $800-$900, which I thought was a decent price to have it done at the dealership. Sure, it can be done cheaper by an indy shop, but then I wouldn't be riding around in a brand new A7, and my rental car costs would eat into any potential savings.
I'll be sure to post my impressions, post-cleaning.
I'll be sure to post my impressions, post-cleaning.