Are Audi overrated for their price?

wally1990

I feel like every 2nd car now is Audi and I don't see the appeal

It's like how everyone had bwm years ago , feel like their inside are bog standard and plain , can't justify it

colm_mcm

Different people like different things.
I’m not an Audi person, but I can see the appeal.

Two ofmy family have them. Not a car I would aspire. Like a fancy vw really.

Fuascailteoir

Nice to look at on the outside but an interior that resembles a 1985 lada.

colm_mcm

Fuascailteoir wrote: »

Nice to look at on the outside but an interior that resembles a 1985 lada.

I think you’re thinking of Aldi


This is about Audi.

Toyotafanboi

Deleted User wrote: »

Like a fancy vw really.

That's the concept

I think they are nice, not necessarily nicer than any other premium German stuff like BMW or Merc, everyone has their own preference that way.

They are a nice place to be, maybe hard to justify an A3 vs a Golf but getting into bigger stuff the likes of an A6 vs a Passat or whatnot is notable.

NiceFella

I agree, I don't see the appeal either.

Very little variety in design between models, they seem to have the same bonnet headlights grill etc.interior is bland too.

Also the bigger models A4-A6 are the most cumbersome vehicles. A lady that lives across the road from me has an ordeal with an A6 every morning pulling out if the drive. I suppose you could say the same about mercs but I would minus points for that too.

xhomelezz

colm_mcm wrote: »

I think you’re thinking of Aldi


This is about Audi.

To be fair older models are horrible when it comes to interior imo.

Kenny Logins

I've had a few older ones and I think the interiors are OK. Nothing special yeah, but sure I spend most of my time staring out the window.

Kenny Logins

NiceFella wrote: »

Also the bigger models A4-A6 are the most cumbersome vehicles. A lady that lives across the road from me has an ordeal with an A6 every morning pulling out if the drive. I suppose you could say the same about mercs but I would minus points for that too.

What? :pac:

colm_mcm

xhomelezz wrote: »

To be fair older models are horrible when it comes to interior imo.

You’ll have to remind me, relative to the time and other cars they I thought they were usually on the higher end of things.

Certainly their late 90s and early 00s stuff was miles ahead of the competition in terms of ergonomics, design and fit/finish.

theoneeyedman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

. Like a fancy vw really.

And like VW, the VW Bank, with it's 'cheap' finance, PCP and lease deals both here and in the UK, have facilitated a flooding of the market of sorts, these cars are now accessible to young lads, who seem to have all moved from Boras to Passats, and will soon move on to Audis.

Not to my taste personally, and as common as muck now to boot!

eastie17

never understand when i see people buying their SUVs/crossovers. KIa, Hyundai and the other suspects give you such a much better, feature packed package for less money. Brand I suppose

User1998

I hate how everything on an Audi is optional extra when most of the stuff is standard on the equivalent VW

xhomelezz

colm_mcm wrote: »

You’ll have to remind me, relative to the time and other cars they I thought they were usually on the higher end of things.

Certainly their late 90s and early 00s stuff was miles ahead of the competition in terms of ergonomics, design and fit/finish.

It's just my own opinion, went through few BMW's and Alpha's over the years. I would pick them anytime, when it comes to interior. Audi always put me off, didn't like the inside. Talking about whatever I saw say before 2008.

Buddy Bubs

NiceFella wrote: »

I agree, I don't see the appeal either.

Very little variety in design between models, they seem to have the same bonnet headlights grill etc.interior is bland too.

Also the bigger models A4-A6 are the most cumbersome vehicles. A lady that lives across the road from me has an ordeal with an A6 every morning pulling out if the drive. I suppose you could say the same about mercs but I would minus points for that too.

Long winded way of telling us your neighbour can't drive.

iffandonlyif

User1998 wrote: »

I hate how everything on an Audi is optional extra when most of the stuff is standard on the equivalent VW

Welcome to premium German cars.

Pawwed Rig

I had a 2004 TT some years ago and it is still the best car I have ever driven.
I would buy it back in a heartbeat if I didn't need a back seat

Toyotafanboi

eastie17 wrote: »

never understand when i see people buying their SUVs/crossovers. KIa, Hyundai and the other suspects give you such a much better, feature packed package for less money. Brand I suppose

Let me tell you, I spent a few years working with Audi, eventually got a demo as part of my deal, had two Q3's in a row, 1.5 petrol S-Line and i liked them but i didn't think a huge amount of them either, de-sensitised i suppose.

Moved local during covid, working with Hyundai now, have a Kona and I have to say it's a culture shock and not a good one. The Audi was on another planet, looking back.

Buddy Bubs

They must be doing something right if every 2nd car is an Audi. In reality they've a huge range as big if not bigger than other manufacturers and they are still only 10th in overall sales in 2020. Best selling model the A3 is in 39th place. They are a bit pricey and probably not great value at all but they are generally a nice car.

colm_mcm

xhomelezz wrote: »

It's just my own opinion, went through few BMW's and Alpha's over the years. I would pick them anytime, when it comes to interior. Audi always put me off, didn't like the inside. Talking about whatever I saw say before 2008.

This is my memory of Alfa Romeo from the early 00s.


Comical build quality, windows that didn’t close properly, a CD player that overheated, heater controls from a Massey Ferguson.

I loved it, but an Audi A3 was in a different league in terms of interior quality.
This was a LOT cheaper than an A3 I suppose….

0lddog

colm_mcm wrote: »

This is my memory of Alfa Romeo from the early 00s.

Comical build quality, windows that didn’t close properly, a CD player that overheated, heater controls from a Massey Ferguson.

I loved it, but an Audi A3 was in a different league in terms of interior quality.
This was a LOT cheaper than an A3 I suppose….

Thats the thing .... Audis have no character

galvo_clare

Had a ‘97 A4 followed by a 00 156 Selespeed and a 02 A4.
Audi in terms of fit and finish were leagues ahead of anything comparable at the time. Design was maybe a bit conservative. The Alfa had more style but the materials weren’t as good.
That said, the Alfa over 2.5 years was very reliable bar the Selespeed system which caused the gearbox to have to be rebuilt under warranty. Wasn’t unusual as the gearboxes were made of chocolate.

colm_mcm wrote: »

This is my memory of Alfa Romeo from the early 00s.


Comical build quality, windows that didn’t close properly, a CD player that overheated, heater controls from a Massey Ferguson.

I loved it, but an Audi A3 was in a different league in terms of interior quality.
This was a LOT cheaper than an A3 I suppose….

Buddy Bubs

Like a few others here I had a 2006 Alfa 156 sandwiched between a 2001 bmw e39 and an 2008 audi a4. I liked the Alfa but the build quality was shocking, truly terrible. There were bits of interior trim falling off and so many parts of it didn't line up right.
Compared to the bmw and audi it was comical, lucky it was nice on the outside

_Kaiser_

Having had 2 A6s (05 C6 model and a 2010 facelift) , and now a 2012 A7 (C7 model) I have to completely disagree with some of the above, but I will say it very much depends on the spec/trim level.

Basic models (like any car) will be an unpleasant place to be, but get yourself a decent spec S-Line paired to a proper engine and it's a very different story. I did several hundred thousand km in the A6s and the interiors were still almost as fresh as when I bought them and everything worked. Maintain them properly and they'll do massive mileage.

I think the E60 put me off BMWs. Supposedly a direct competitor for my A6 but I found them smaller and more cramped, the controls awkwardly laid out, clunky media/interface system and the Euro wipers that went the wrong way just struck me as a cheapskate move on a premium car. I rated it as more an A4 equivalent personally.

xhomelezz

colm_mcm wrote: »

This is my memory of Alfa Romeo from the early 00s.


Comical build quality, windows that didn’t close properly, a CD player that overheated, heater controls from a Massey Ferguson.

I loved it, but an Audi A3 was in a different league in terms of interior quality.
This was a LOT cheaper than an A3 I suppose….

Which Alfa was it? I have different memories.

xhomelezz

Never experienced problems you pointed out. They were just chewing through front suspension, but that goes to quality of the roads around my location. Other than that, only pleasure.

PauloMN

Love my A5 (2012 car), have it 5 years now and it's like new. Audi interiors are top notch, I often see new Korean stuff and think "that's funky", but as soon as I sit into those coal pit interiors, I just get put off.

Audi are generally conservative styled, so not extremely wow when new, but on the flip side they date well imo. My A5 is still a good looking car imo. It's been brilliantly reliable too. I'll go S-Line next time if I stay with Audi, which is pretty likely.

2forjoy

Same here , have A3 for 3 years now and love it.

Atlantic Dawn

Mid 2010's they became really premium inside when the headunits were updated, but so did VW's and Skoda's sharing the same parts across the organisation. I remember being shocked seeing mid to late 2000's A4's with manual windows in the back, talk about poverty spec.

Example here
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/audi-a4-1-9-2007/28410053

colm_mcm

xhomelezz wrote: »

Which Alfa was it? I have different memories.

00 146

freddieot

If you look at new cars, it was already mentioned but spec is the key. A standard \ basic Q5 for example or an X3 will have a better spec than a base Kodiaq or a Sorento. They will of course be much dearer. This is because of the brand status as most would agree they are not more reliable, just more expensive.

However, a new high spec Kodiaq Style or a top level Sorento will leave them looking like poverty spec from the 1990s.

Of course all the options are available for both the Audi and BMW if you specify them, at significant cost, if you really want the badge or feel that the car itself justifies it. And on that point opinions will of course vary.

Would I buy an Audi myself, Yes, but it would be an indulgence as I think like BMW and Mercedes, they are orver-rated against many of the modern offerings from Kia to Skoda etc. The days when you had to buy a BMW or Audi to get electric front windows or something that would go 100,000 without any problems are long gone.

Check out the spec on the new top spec Kia Sorenot PHEV on line and compare it to the basic spec Q5 and you may see what I mean.



.

Wibbs

Down the years the one thing I've heard from mechanics is that they can be a "soft" car and I've known few of same who recommended them. Though the TT seemed to get a pass. Then again that's pub talk too. Pick any brand/model and you'll hear different things from different people.

BlakeS94

Similar situation to a person commenting above, I had an A4, thought it was a lovely car to drive, good build quality, great on the motorway, and comfortable, I have issues with my lower back and its the only car I never needed one of those ergonomic cushions placed on the seat. Long journeys didn't make my body stiff afterwards, also I didn't mind the interior on the one I had, but I'm not looking to be dazzled at the same time.

After that I got a hyundai i40, different driving experience altogether, vague steering, boat like around corners, unrefined diesel engine, nowhere near as comfortable.

In my opinion Audi earns its price tag, as do other premium German saloons, it is all down to preference though, a friend of mine has a '16 E class and it's a lovely car too.

All this being said, I'm currently in a mk4 mondeo and think it's a fantastic car so what do I know

cal naughton

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Let me tell you, I spent a few years working with Audi, eventually got a demo as part of my deal, had two Q3's in a row, 1.5 petrol S-Line and i liked them but i didn't think a huge amount of them either, de-sensitised i suppose.

Moved local during covid, working with Hyundai now, have a Kona and I have to say it's a culture shock and not a good one. The Audi was on another planet, looking back.

Not a fair comparison to be fair. Like comparing an Apple with an orange.

AlfaZen

Take a 10 year old Audi with over 200k kms and a Kia/Hyundai of the same age and mileage and you will see the difference in quality.

Cars are down to personal taste and budget. Personally I would take a 3 year old Audi over a brand new Kia.

Toyotafanboi

cal naughton wrote: »

Not a fair comparison to be fair. Like comparing an Apple with an orange.

Totally agree, that's the point

Although i'm not sure if a Q3 and a Kona are in the same segment (excuse the orange pun).

AUDI20

freddieot wrote: »

If you look at new cars, it was already mentioned but spec is the key. A standard \ basic Q5 for example or an X3 will have a better spec than a base Kodiaq or a Sorento. They will of course be much dearer. This is because of the brand status as most would agree they are not more reliable, just more expensive.

However, a new high spec Kodiaq Style or a top level Sorento will leave them looking like poverty spec from the 1990s.

Of course all the options are available for both the Audi and BMW if you specify them, at significant cost, if you really want the badge or feel that the car itself justifies it. And on that point opinions will of course vary.

Would I buy an Audi myself, Yes, but it would be an indulgence as I think like BMW and Mercedes, they are orver-rated against many of the modern offerings from Kia to Skoda etc. The days when you had to buy a BMW or Audi to get electric front windows or something that would go 100,000 without any problems are long gone.

Check out the spec on the new top spec Kia Sorenot PHEV on line and compare it to the basic spec Q5 and you may see what I mean.



.

Top level Kia Sorento is costing the bones of €63grand, not coming in cheap either?

rob316

I love their bigger cars, RS models and the Q7 but A3/A4 even A6 are fairly plain vehicles, I'd honestly just buy a VW instead. A few years ago I had narrowed down I wanted a 170 GT Vw CC or an audi A6, after driving both I realized the CC was ridiculous value in comparison so went with the CC.

Stallingrad

Audi interiors used to have a massive wow factor, I’ll never forget the A4 (B5) and A6 (C5) back in the day, the solidity, build quality and switchgear were so far ahead of nearly everything else. I nearly bought an A6 on the feel of the rotary climate controls alone!

Whatever about the engineering under the hood, the perceived quality is fantastic, they still do this stuff so well.

Easy to see why they sell in big numbers, and cheap PCP deals just sweeten the deal.

ShadowHearth

For me Premium brands were always BMW, Merc and Lexus.

Then for some reason they horsed in Audi there. Why? In my eyes its not a premium car, its overpriced VW.

All those brands are now pretty much in same bracket. If I had that much to spend on premium car, Audi would not be even on the list.

colm_mcm

Isn’t a Lexus just an expensive Toyota though?

Henry Ford III

All cars are overpriced I reckon, but that's largely down to excessive taxation.

Audi make some lovely high end and sports cars. Their cooking models aren't that special though - they are very similar obviously to equivalent VW, Seat, and Skoda - just with the Audi badge, a few fairly minor tweaks and perception of higher quality.

Ash.J.Williams

NiceFella wrote: »

I agree, I don't see the appeal either.

Very little variety in design between models, they seem to have the same bonnet headlights grill etc.interior is bland too.

Also the bigger models A4-A6 are the most cumbersome vehicles. A lady that lives across the road from me has an ordeal with an A6 every morning pulling out if the drive. I suppose you could say the same about mercs but I would minus points for that too.

I’m not a mechanic but it seems the issue with your neighbours Audi lies somewhere between the steering wheel and the drivers seat

grogi

NiceFella wrote: »

I agree, I don't see the appeal either.

Very little variety in design between models, they seem to have the same bonnet headlights grill etc.interior is bland too.

Also the bigger models A4-A6 are the most cumbersome vehicles. A lady that lives across the road from me has an ordeal with an A6 every morning pulling out if the drive. I suppose you could say the same about mercs but I would minus points for that too.

It is an issue with a big car, not an Audi as such.

ShadowHearth

colm_mcm wrote: »

Isn’t a Lexus just an expensive Toyota though?

At least its a nice expensive Toyota.

AlfaZen

rob316 wrote: »

I love their bigger cars, RS models and the Q7 but A3/A4 even A6 are fairly plain vehicles, I'd honestly just buy a VW instead. A few years ago I had narrowed down I wanted a 170 GT Vw CC or an audi A6, after driving both I realized the CC was ridiculous value in comparison so went with the CC.

Would the VW CC not be closer to the A5 sportback than the A6?

MICKEYG

The cabin in the new A6 is, in my view, streets ahead of anything else out there at the moment.
No screens sticking proud of the dash ( why do all cars have this now?) Just a beautiful driver focused cabin.

Hogzy

MICKEYG wrote: »

The cabin in the new A6 is, in my view, streets ahead of anything else out there at the moment.
No screens sticking proud of the dash ( why do all cars have this now?) Just a beautiful driver focused cabin.

I personally think the A6 would come last in terms of interior over the E Class and the 5 series. The digital dash is good in the A6 if you have the tech pack and defo beats the offering from BMW and Mercedes but thats where the superiority ends for me. I think the build quality in the 5 series is the best of the 3 and the aesthics of the E class is the best of the 3. The climate control screen in the A6 looks cool, but its not as enjoyable to live with over the climate control buttons you get in the E Class or the 5 Series. This is all personal opinion of course.

Volvo is where its at these days, theyre modern offerings are excellent and very well equipped, but people looking for a more premium badge dont seem to go near them unless theyre buying the XC90. The v60 and v90 are incredible cars.

whomitconcerns

I had a 2012 A6 and for last 5 years a 2013 a5 3l quattro Sportsback.

I can tell you now, it's still one of the nicest cars I see when I'm out and about, it's still a very fun drive, it's fast and it has an interior that is anything but boring, and a stereo that could sustain a concert, I love it.

Was it expensive when I bought it, sure, but it hasn't aged a day in looks or kit.

Manic Moran

It very much depends on which Audi you're looking at. I hate to say it, but a base 1.8 A3 and a full spec Prestige level A6 are night and day (as are the costs). I never realised how much until I turned in my S4 for service and got a loaner A4 from the dealer. I also owned a mid-range A6 estate for a few years. OK interior, but fantastically comfortable seats and ride quality.

I'm an equal-opportunity driver. I own an Audi, Merc and BMW, none are low-spec models. I looked at replacing one with a Cadillac recently, but though Caddy give a hell of a good driver's car for a fantastic price with a better interior than a Toyota (CT6-V in this case), it quite simply was not up to par with the Germans. Audis may not be visually exciting on the outside, and they may not lap the Nurburgring as fast as a Panamera, but I spend most of my time on the inside, and not driving race tracks.