What vehicle do you drive?

Frenzied Wombat

Potato del Grande
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Just picked it up yesterday. 2014 S4 Premium + in Estoril Blue Crystal. So far beats my old 335 and Z4 in pretty much every category except for maybe looks. Interior build and material quality in particular make my old BMW's seem like Yugos.

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Cad

scientia potentia est
<Bronze Donator>
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I'm in Dallas and have a 335, lets meet up and see how fast that pig is. I'm betting there's at least one more category it can't beat a 335 in: performance
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Dashel

Blackwing Lair Raider
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2,931
Just picked it up yesterday. 2014 S4 Premium + in Estoril Blue Crystal. So far beats my old 335 and Z4 in pretty much every category except for maybe looks. Interior build and material quality in particular make my old BMW's seem like Yugos.
Nice I'm jealous. Is there a difference between that and the A4 as far as the interior goes? I looked at an A4 last week and loved the interior. Love the color too, good luck with it.
 

Frenzied Wombat

Potato del Grande
14,730
31,802
I'm in Dallas and have a 335, lets meet up and see how fast that pig is. I'm betting there's at least one more category it can't beat a 335 in: performance
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I would but then you'd be all sad that you want to trade your 335 for an S4
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Really though, having owned a 335 just a few years ago and an Z4 up until last week, the Audi is just an all around better car. I swear BMW has been slipping for years because you just can't compare the interior build quality of a BMW to an Audi anymore. The fit, finish, plastic quality, and ergonomics between the two are like night and day. Don't even get me started on the quality of the nav computer or the endless plastic creaks both my Z4 and 335 had from the day I drove them off the lot.

Happy to let you take it for a spin and refer you to my Audi salesperson
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Cad

scientia potentia est
<Bronze Donator>
24,521
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I would but then you'd be all sad that you want to trade your 335 for an S4
wink.png
.

Really though, having owned a 335 just a few years ago and an Z4 up until last week, the Audi is just an all around better car. I swear BMW has been slipping for years because you just can't compare the interior build quality of a BMW to an Audi anymore. The fit, finish, plastic quality, and ergonomics between the two are like night and day. Don't even get me started on the quality of the nav computer or the endless plastic creaks both my Z4 and 335 had from the day I drove them off the lot.

Happy to let you take it for a spin and refer you to my Audi salesperson
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I have an LS460 I drive when I want a luxury car. I won't argue the interior fit and finish, Audis are usually really nice on that. I will argue that your car is far slower around a racetrack than mine.
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Frenzied Wombat

Potato del Grande
14,730
31,802
Nice I'm jealous. Is there a difference between that and the A4 as far as the interior goes? I looked at an A4 last week and loved the interior. Love the color too, good luck with it.
Yes, except for the body an A4 and an S4 are totally different cars. The interior on the S4 is a mix of leather/alcantara, each in different colors (mine is silver/black), and you can pay to upgrade it to leather/leather also in two tones.. Also, the S4's have unique trim to choose from like carbon fiber, stamped steel, and layered wood/aluminum (what I got). Also the S4's have different gauges, sports seats, stitching, and a unique steering wheel with a flat bottom. External differences are spoiler, rear diffuser, badges, rims, and painted/decaled break calipers.

Go to the audiusa website and you can configure one and see the inside. I'll post pics of mine later
 

Soygen

The Dirty Dozen For the Price of One
<Nazi Janitors>
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I'd rather have an M3 over the Audi but would take the Audi over a 335.
 
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I would but then you'd be all sad that you want to trade your 335 for an S4
wink.png
.

Really though, having owned a 335 just a few years ago and an Z4 up until last week, the Audi is just an all around better car. I swear BMW has been slipping for years because you just can't compare the interior build quality of a BMW to an Audi anymore. The fit, finish, plastic quality, and ergonomics between the two are like night and day. Don't even get me started on the quality of the nav computer or the endless plastic creaks both my Z4 and 335 had from the day I drove them off the lot.

Happy to let you take it for a spin and refer you to my Audi salesperson
wink.png
Sweet, bros! I'm in Dallas too, lets all meet up and see who is the fastest. I live in Oak Cliff! We can meet at the Wal-mart there...

You can race all around this side of town, for the cops are busy with.... other things....
 

Obsidian

<Bronze Donator>
749
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I would but then you'd be all sad that you want to trade your 335 for an S4
wink.png
.

Really though, having owned a 335 just a few years ago and an Z4 up until last week, the Audi is just an all around better car. I swear BMW has been slipping for years because you just can't compare the interior build quality of a BMW to an Audi anymore. The fit, finish, plastic quality, and ergonomics between the two are like night and day. Don't even get me started on the quality of the nav computer or the endless plastic creaks both my Z4 and 335 had from the day I drove them off the lot.

Happy to let you take it for a spin and refer you to my Audi salesperson
wink.png
I have a 335i convertible and I had a B7 S4. The only part of the Audi that was "better" was the trim, the Carbon Atlas I had was better than anything available in a comparable 3 series (except for maybe the Carbon Leather in the M3, but the RS4 competes with the M3, not the S4). I had the two tone seats (black leather with platinum alcantra) and the 3 series sport seats are better (mostly due to the adjustable side bolsters). Also the S4 ticked and creaked like a mother, but the BMW does too so I think it's a wash there. Neither did it when Iboughtthem, they both did it starting around 20k miles. Now granted you have a B8 S4 and mine was a B7, but I later traded the S4 for an S5 and still wouldn't say it was much better interior wise or build quality wise than my BMW. In January I sold the S5 and got a Merc E550 4Matic; this car is substantially better built than either of the Audis or the BMW. 4Matic, however,suckscompared to Quattro.
 

Burren

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
4,091
5,410
Hope all of you guys with German cars have awesome warranties and lots of free time for trips to the dealer!!
 

Vinen

God is dead
2,783
490
Hope all of you guys with German cars have awesome warranties and lots of free time for trips to the dealer!!
GG.

Coworker spends half of her days working from the Audi dealership. Her S4 has more problems then gamer gurlz.
 

Frenzied Wombat

Potato del Grande
14,730
31,802
I have a 335i convertible and I had a B7 S4. The only part of the Audi that was "better" was the trim, the Carbon Atlas I had was better than anything available in a comparable 3 series (except for maybe the Carbon Leather in the M3, but the RS4 competes with the M3, not the S4). I had the two tone seats (black leather with platinum alcantra) and the 3 series sport seats are better (mostly due to the adjustable side bolsters). Also the S4 ticked and creaked like a mother, but the BMW does too so I think it's a wash there. Neither did it when Iboughtthem, they both did it starting around 20k miles. Now granted you have a B8 S4 and mine was a B7, but I later traded the S4 for an S5 and still wouldn't say it was much better interior wise or build quality wise than my BMW. In January I sold the S5 and got a Merc E550 4Matic; this car is substantially better built than either of the Audis or the BMW. 4Matic, however,suckscompared to Quattro.
Well, everything is subjective otherwise everybody would own the same car, but these are the specific things I like more on my S4 vs my old 335:

1) Interior plastic on the Audi is "spongy" and has low acoustic properties. My BMW had HARD plastic that would creak just by putting my hand on it
2) No run flat tires on the Audi. Sure, you can swap the RFT's out on your BMW, but why the extra expense?
3) Nav computer is fast and so much more detailed than my BMW. On my BMW the nav would frequently "lag" while entering data
4) The adaptive suspension is soooo much better than the "sport/sport+" modes on my BMW.
5) The exhaust note is louder/meaner on my S4 vs the 335
6) Throws on my shifter in the S4 are much shorter than my 335
7) Voice control on the S4 makes my 335 voice commands seem as accurate as Dragon Naturally speaking circa 1995
8) Car has built in Wi-Fi hotspot
9) Alarm system standard
10) Painted/decaled break calipers. At least both my 335 and Z4 just had fugly calipers that I had to get painted
11) My S4 turns on a dime. My 335 coupe with M sport package felt like it had a lot of body roll.
12) Numerous small touches like more tactile buttons, paint job under the hood, etc.

To me, the perfect car would be the 2011 BMW 1M with the S4 interior. Again, I love BMW's looks and have exclusively owned BMW's since 2006. IMHO they make amazing engines and the best looking cars on the market, I just think in recent years they've been cutting corners.

EDIT: I test drove the merc's and the E550 was gorgeous but it felt like an old man's car. Numb steering, slow throttle response, cushy suspension. Same with the C350 I also test drove, except that the interior on the C350 was Honda Accord quality.. E550 is a beautiful car and can see myself getting a merc in 10 years or so when performance isn't as important to me.
 

Jysin

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
6,286
4,050
Hope all of you guys with German cars have awesome warranties and lots of free time for trips to the dealer!!
My last 3 cars have been BMW. One was a 2006 that I owned for 5 years and the only thing thing I had to replace were a couple of wheel bearings (normal wear and tear). Hell, they replaced the disks and pads multiple times under their Service Plan. It was honestly the best car I ever owned.

I just rolled 10k kilometers on my Land Rover and if I am worried about any vehicle, it's that one. They dont have the best of reputations.
 

Eomer

Trakanon Raider
5,472
272
Hope all of you guys with German cars have awesome warranties and lots of free time for trips to the dealer!!
Been driving a BMW for 10 years, over half of that out of warranty, and the only repair I've had to do outside of basic maintenance was a water pump with a cracked impeller. Otherwise they've been bulletproof. Dad and bro along with their spouses only drive BMWs and Audis, and it's much the same there. I have no idea why anyone thinks that they're bad for maintenance. Are they Toyotas? No, but they're not 1980's Jaguars either.

And why anyone would take a "trip to the dealer" with a car outside of warranty, regardless of manufacturer, I have no idea. You might have to be a bit more selective than taking it to just any independent mechanic, but virtually any medium sized city is going to have a mechanic who specializes on German cars and is half the price of the dealer.
 
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And why anyone would take a "trip to the dealer" with a car outside of warranty, regardless of manufacturer, I have no idea. You might have to be a bit more selective than taking it to just any independent mechanic, but virtually any medium sized city is going to have a mechanic who specializes on German cars and is half the price of the dealer.
Exactly! Dealers have a hard time holding on to top experienced mechs, many open independent shops, that in turn, do better quality work. You just need to find them, generally, through enthusiast web sites, or car clubs.

On an related note, found a UK aftermarket warranty company that purportedly uses its 50,000 some policies to make a reliability index. The subsections are more interesting. The general rating takes into the cost of parts, labor and gas. Broken down by the area of the car, gives a percent of claims filed.

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer/Engine

Also consumer reports graph:
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