Article: Has the 3-Series met its match?

My comments on Audi servicing are made on the basis of hundreds of posts I see regularly from other owners (TSN).  Their major gripe is VAG Customer Care.

In respect of what I said about servicing costs, well I can give a very relevant example:

My wifes 54 plate 320d SE - First Oil Service - £174.

My 54 plate A4 Avant TDi 130 S - First Oil Service - £278.

Most people complain about the cost of oil at £11 per litre too.

Of course this is all really a matter for personal experience, and different people will report different things.  It doesn't help when the head of the VAG group comes out and says he doesn't know why everybody wants a VW or Audi instead of a Skoda "because all we do is put a different badge on, use a few different materials, and hike the price up by a much bigger margin".

Gee, that was a clever thing to say!!!!

I'd still give BMW the nod on the basis that their engines across the range still make Audi's seem poor by comparison.

I don't think the A6 competes with the 5-series well at all, and sales back that up.  I might not like the shape of the 5 (and prefer the A6) but it's a remarkably good all rounder.

The new A4 is better than the 3-series by quite some way in my opinion.  However, I'd take a 1-series over an A3 for the sheer fun in the drive.  The 6-series doesn't have an Audi equal (yet) and I think the 7 and A8 are evenly matched. 

The TT is dated and one of the most boring cars of it's type I have ever driven (including the 3.2 DSG).  On that basis I'd take a Z4.

Finally, M cars on the whole still hold one over RS's - but the competition is all set to heat up in that area anyway so it'll be ineteresting to see what happens.

If there was one thing I wish BMW would bring up to Audi standards it is the paintwork - they're miles behind Audi in respect of the quality of finish.  BMW paintwork also chips an awful lot easier in my experience.

Hmm, well I can't agree that Audi owners want people to know they can afford their cars.

If anything I'd say it's very much the opposite.  From the people I know on TSN they'll all very quickly say it is the image of BMW that puts them off more than anything - they want the more anonymous or understated image of Audi.

I'd also disagree regarding the Audi brand appealing to people with no real interest in cars - in fact I think that too is more applicable to BMW owners, many of whom buy the badge.

In my experience Audi owners tend to know a great deal more about their cars than your average BMW owner.

I don't think the A4 is comprehensively beaten by the 3-series either, not by a very long way.  I'd pick an A4 over a new 3-series every time as things stand right now.

pma1ums wrote: lets face it chaps audis arnt really a drivers car[apart from RS types] theres very litlle driving experiance/feel in any audi that i have had the great pleasure in driving even the latest RS types offer nothing more than a solid and a planted to the road feeling type of driving experiance;to me thats nothing but boring

Was still surprises me is the difference between the standard FWD and the quattro with sport susp. & seats. If you drove the two blindfold () you could be forgiven for thinking they were from different manufacturers.

The A4 I use has the above sport bits, and there is more communication from the front wheels than my E36! (probably the weakest BMW in this area I know).

Having driven most models, I wouldn't buy one that wasn't sport equipped, if I had the money - RS6 all the way (& E34 & E39 M5, alpina B10 V8s, B10 Bi-Turbo, UR-Quattro, etc. etc.)

sleeper wrote: pma1ums wrote: iam not saying audis are bad  far from it ;there great cars to drive and to own but not really in the same driver/involvement as a RWD car dare i say it but arnt audi drivers a little bit boring in the fact they dont want to enjoy the driver involvment of say a RWD car get a peach of a drift on and then let your grin do the talking!!

now your talking

ive yet to experiance the pleasure of getting a four wheel drive car sliding about on a race track ;untill then il just drift beemers about on them

Peter Fenwick wrote: Coasting wrote: I don't think the A6 competes with the 5-series well at all, and sales back that up.  I might not like the shape of the 5 (and prefer the A6) but it's a remarkably good all rounder. i wouldn't have either. The 5 is ugly and the A6 bland. If I was in the market for a car like that i'd get a Jag XJ and sod the residuals. It might not be as sporting as a 5 but who buys a car that big to be sporting? Coasting wrote: The new A4 is better than the 3-series by quite some way in my opinion.  Again wouldn't buy either, I'd get an Accord. I do like the Audi though. Coasting wrote: However, I'd take a 1-series over an A3 for the sheer fun in the drive.  The 6-series doesn't have an Audi equal (yet) and I think the 7 and A8 are evenly matched.  Don't like the 1 or the A3. Why spend that much on a hatchback. I'd get a second hand focus and spend what I'd saved on something for the weekend Coasting wrote: The TT is dated and one of the most boring cars of it's type I have ever driven (including the 3.2 DSG).  On that basis I'd take a Z4. I'd get either a 350z or a Boxster. Coasting wrote: Finally, M cars on the whole still hold one over RS's - but the competition is all set to heat up in that area anyway so it'll be ineteresting to see what happens. The E46 M3 is still the car I'd go for in that sector; although I'd proabably end up buying a second hand 911 instead. The new RS4 looks the part and is supposed to be very good, but as i said earlier, EVO still rated the E46 M3 CS higher. The M5, no thanks. I don't see the point in trying to make a car that big and heavy sporty. All the reviews I've read say that it struggles to hide its weight when pushed hard. If you want a 5 get a standard one and with the change get a real sports car.  The only have to go into a BMW showroom to realise a lot of buyers are only after the badge.

Say's he who drives a Honda,  

bmw1066 wrote: Say's he who drives a Honda,

Which is relevant why? It wouldn't matter if I drove a Lada, my opinion is as relevant as the next person. I also chose to buy a Honda instead of a BMW for a reason..............