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Audi A4 Avant vs. BMW 3-Series Wagon vs. Mercedes C-Class Wagon

35 messages,  Last post on Jan 15, 2009 at 1:22 PM

You are in the Audi A4 Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Car Buying, Wagon


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#4 of 35
Re: wagons [bluetrane] by waid10
Nov 16, 2006 (7:59 am)
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Replying to: bluetrane (Nov 15, 2006 5:25 pm)

Bluetrane,
 
Thanks for your thoughts. I am a bit concerned about the cargo room available in the A4 Avant/C-class wagon/325 wagon. I need to compare these with their larger siblings.
 
Also, I am 6'3" and 215 pounds, so I need to make sure I am comfortable in the driver and passenger seats. I am comfortable in the driver seat of my 4runner for the most part, but feel cramped in the passenger seat. The wagon we pick will be our primary car for road trips so this is an important factor. Also, many of our road trips are to see family in the snow belt of northwest PA, so I need to be sure that these wagons are capable in snow. I am aware of Audi's reputation in the elements. I am not familiar with the capabilities of BMW's x-drive and Mercedes 4matic in bad weather.
#6 of 35
im in the same market by sprinkles23
Nov 17, 2006 (11:25 pm)
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I've been recently shopping for the same type of car, and had it narrowed down to those 8 as well. After test drive a few i chose the 5 series wagon, because it gets better mileage then the rest, handles better, and has the most complete options list. it just feels better to drive as well. I also like Idrive despite what most editors think. Once you learn it, you dont miss a conventional setup at all, and its capable of more. And as for winter performace, i have a quattro(audi awd system) equipped vehicle and its been great, but the new xdrive(bmw awd) is more advanced and from what i can tell is better. Edmunds reviewed the 530xi in the snow and thought it was.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=104929
test drive it and try iDrive to see if you like it. if you do, i would definelty recomemnd it.
#7 of 35
Re: Audi A4 Avant vs. BMW 3-Series Wagon vs. Mercedes C - Class Wagon [bruc by nevcool
Dec 11, 2006 (3:39 pm)
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Replying to: bruceomega (Nov 15, 2006 7:27 am)

I'm also in the market to trade in my 2001 330xi for either a 2007 328xit or a 2007 X3. i have a 4yr old and a 7 month old. I also put in some fairly long drives visiting clients for work. Does anyone have any thoughts?
 
My pro's and cons for each are as follows.
 
328xit
Pro - better Navigation system with Traffic Updates
    - Easier to Park
    - Sportier, less body roll
 
Con - Lousy cup holders
    - Cramped back seat(I'm 6 Foot and tend to keep the seat all the way back.
 
X3
pro - More storage space
    - More leg room in back
    - More Horse power
 
Con - Worse MPG
    - Older design
    - May seem more ostentatious to some.
 
I'm torn between the two. I'd appreciate an opinion on either car.
 
Thanks!
#8 of 35
Re: Audi A4 Avant vs. BMW 3-Series Wagon vs. Mercedes C - Class Wagon [bruc [nevcool] by shipo
Dec 11, 2006 (4:06 pm)
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Replying to: nevcool (Dec 11, 2006 3:39 pm)

Regarding your "Pros" for the X3, you listed "More Horse Power", however, offsetting that extra power is also extra weight, 242 pounds to be exact. In order of horsepower the X3 is indeed the most powerful (260 HP) with the 328iT and 328xiT offering only 230. The other side of the coin is the power to weight ratio which ranks the cars as 328iT (15.34:1), X3 (15.43:1) and 328xiT (16.39:1). Then there is the gearing that allows these vehicles to accelerate. The order is still the same as the power to weight (6.5, 6.9, 7.1), however, the acceleration difference is fairly insignificant between the 328xiT and the X3.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo
#9 of 35
Re: Audi A4 Avant vs. BMW 3-Series Wagon vs. Mercedes C - Class Wagon [ship by nevcool
Dec 11, 2006 (4:51 pm)
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Replying to: shipo (Dec 11, 2006 4:06 pm)

Shipo,
 
Thanks for the info.
 
Which one would you choose?
 
Thanks,
 
Nev
#10 of 35
Re: Audi A4 Avant vs. BMW 3-Series Wagon vs. Mercedes C - Class Wagon [ship [nevcool] by shipo
Dec 11, 2006 (5:56 pm)
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Replying to: nevcool (Dec 11, 2006 4:51 pm)

Easy answer. I live in southern New Hampshire and we get LOTS of snow, so what I would order (and BTW, due to a new family member in the form of a yellow Lab puppy am seriously considering it) would be a 328iT (yes, a RWD version) 6-Speed Manual, PP, SP, Premium Audio and Xenon. Then, as its first winter approaches, I'd buy a full set of winter wheels and tires and keep on trucking. For my needs, wants and desires, AWD need not apply.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo
#11 of 35
A$ vs 328xi by badnews
Dec 17, 2006 (9:00 pm)
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I don't have experience with all the vehicles, but I just passed my 2004 MDX onto my wife and was comparing the A4 Avant with the 328xi. Being a prior satisfied Audi owner, I was trying to decide between the 2.0 and the 3.2. But then I saw a comparison test between the A4 and the 328xi and decided I needed to test drive that vehicle. Back when I bought my 96 A4 the 3 series was to small for my likes, but I was surprised to find that the 2007 was a much larger vehicle. I researched the cars so closely that my wife contacted my psychiatrist to see if I should change my meds. After test driving each of the cars 3 times and contacted a dozen Audi dealers and 11 BMW dealers I found:
 
1) The Audi A4 2.0 is a wonderful car but pales in comparison to the 3.2 (both with a sport suspension of course). There is simply no comparison. Go with the 3.2 and you'll never be sorry. However, when it comes to overall performance (not just straight line thrust) the BMW was an easy pick. Even my wife understood the difference after driving the cars, and she's been known to back into mail boxes!
 
2) If you like an interior with all the bells and whistles, go with the Audi. For me, it just is not that important. The question is: does it make it a better driving car? Alright it is hard to see how heated seats make the car drive better, but here in the Northwest, but it really does.
 
3) Audi dealers are much more willing to negotiate a good price over invoice than the BMW dealers.
 
4) Both the cars are being ordered by the dealers with all the extras on them: driving up the price (above my budget). You are best to negotiate a deal with a dealer based on a specific dollar amount for a car on the lot, and then hold them to the number and special order the car you want. I even argue that they should sell it for less because there is no risk to them if I special order it, but I haven't succeed there yet.
 
Funny thing is that I found a stripped down BMW 328xi at a local dealer who matched the best offer I had so far. First time I had bought from a local dealer for 17 years.
 
As for switching back to a smaller car: my 328xi is a bigger car than my 96 A4 (and is more comfortable than a 2007 A4), and the MDX was always too big for me (5' 11" 195 lbs). The 328xi fits like a comfortable pair of shoes, not one that I hope can grow into someday, and the all wheel drive functions like it should: you don't know it's there, it just does its job. With the MDX I always knew when the AWD kicked in (after the wheels started to slip of course).
#12 of 35
Re: A$ vs 328xi [badnews] by pat HOST
Dec 18, 2006 (4:26 am)
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Replying to: badnews (Dec 17, 2006 9:00 pm)

Very helpful post, thanks.
#13 of 35
Your Welcome by badnews
Dec 27, 2006 (11:34 pm)
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I am glad I could help

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