After lurking on this board for 6 months, I finally picked up my 2001 2.7 last weekend (Ming/melange, 6-speed, prem, pref, cold, rear airbags). I originally wanted an S4, but the back just wasn't big enough for the car seat and the grandparents. I opted out of the Bose (my high fidelity music listening takes place at the symphony) and the sport package (my wife is only 5 ft tall, and when she moved the seat far enough forward to be comfortable with the clutch, her elbow bumped against the side bolsters, making shifting difficult). I may go for sport springs in the future.

The entire sales experience was surprisingly pleasant (Ken Kanazu at McDonald Audi in Denver), with most negotiations and communications by email.

The car arrived with 13 miles and fewer defects than any other car I've bought--the little popout storage compartment on the passenger side that won't stay closed, a minor ripple in the windshield that I had to search for to find, and the infamous radio station drift. Between the time I first saw the car on Friday and picked it up on Saturday, it suffered a scratch on the door that's being fixed as I write this, and on my drive to the dealer to get the scratch fixed the turn signal blinker began to stick intermittantly (which I hope is also being fixed as I write this). In the interim I'm driving a 2000 A6 tip as a loaner (good car, but just not the same thing).

The 2.7 is a pleasure to drive--very smooth acceleration (comparable to the '89 Probe GT turbo I used to drive, but with none of the wild torque steer that drove my wife bananas), rock stable on twisties, great brakes (I have no problem modulating them for smooth stops), and (despite others' experience) good shifting with no 3-2, 2-3 or 4-3 problems.

The relatively high torque and grabby clutch make rev matching critical for smooth shifting, but that's just a matter of time and training my ear.

I'm afraid I don't have much high performance experience for comparison--before the 2.7 I ws driving an '86 Volks Cabriolet (based on the '84 GTI)--but it still makes for an interesting comparison. Obviously, the 2.7 is faster, quieter, more luxurious, and in much better shape. With the Cabrio, you feel like revving to redline (actually with only 90 HP you have to to get it moving) and throwing it into the turns. The 2.7 doesn't invite that (at least not yet), and I wouldn't recommend it for people who crave a sports car experience. You don't feel the road the same way you do with the Cabrio. What it is is a very spirited sedan for adults who want to get from here to there safely and moderately quickly.

The non-Bose music system is fine for non-audiophile listening. I followed the advice over on the audio forum by setting the fader slightly to the rear and boosting the midrange and trebble--the resulting sound is adequate for classical music.

My biggest complaint is with the stupid cupholders-I've yet to find a commuter mug that fits well (same problem on our LandRover Discovery).

I want to thank all the regular posters to this forum. Your advice was invaluable in selecting the car in the first place, choosing the options, and negotiating the price.<p>Ming/Melange, 6spd, PPL, PPX, PAW, 4X4

 

Get your salesman to give you an Audi mug--they fit the cupholders perfectly, and they look nice too.<p>Bruce Williams
98 A6 2.8 Cashmere/Melange

 

Good for you. I know you'll love the car. One suggestion: it's NOT a 4x4. Try saying QUATTRO.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

4x4 is the current factory order code for rear side airbags.<p>Ming/Melange, 6spd, PPL, PPX, PAW, 4X4

 

My father-in-law drives a '00 A6 2.8 quattro; he stuck some change in the sliding dash compartment, after which a quarter fell out the back and slid down behind the drawer. We spent a half-hour trying to figure out how to remove the drawer, but no luck. His dealer had to special order a special tool to remove the silly thing. All in all, it took nearly two months to fix the problem!

 

I should have added the drawer wouldn't shut with the quarter behind it!

 

I even checked the inside. The top of the drawer is covered when it is open or closed so that change can't bump over the sides. Of course, I guess as you say it can slide over the back.

Hmm. Wonder what I should do. I don't want to stop using it!

 

... and condoms? %^)

 

little compartment in the driver's door for change. It's felt lined so that you don't hear any change jingling in it. Works perfectly!