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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

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

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#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)
Replying to: shipo (Dec 11, 2006 4:06 pm) Shipo,   Thanks for the info.   Which one would you choose?   Thanks,   Nev Replies to this message: shipo (Dec 11, 2006 5:56 pm)
#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)
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)
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). Replies to this message: pat (Dec 18, 2006 4:26 am) bryan3536 (Dec 18, 2007 6:47 am) laurasdada (Dec 20, 2007 11:06 am) georgek2 (Dec 28, 2007 10:05 am) bryan3536 (Dec 28, 2007 8:40 pm)
#12 of 35 Re: A$ vs 328xi [badnews] by pat HOST Dec 18, 2006 (4:26 am)
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)
I am glad I could help
#14 of 35 reliability question by rosomax Nov 08, 2007 (3:35 pm)
Folks, I am looking at the 2003-2004 325xi or 2004-2005 1.8 A4. Both in wagon form (dogs). They both have 1) AWD 2) Manual tranny (essential)   BMW is reputed to be more reliable than Audi. But it's a lot slower (they fixed it in 2006 but it's too expensive). I realize I would have to get an extended warranty no matter what choice I make, but I would like to minimize the risk of getting stuck on, say, I-70 in the middle of Winter. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
#15 of 35 Re: A$ vs 328xi [badnews] by bryan3536 Dec 18, 2007 (6:47 am)
Replying to: badnews (Dec 17, 2006 9:00 pm) I'm glad to see there are others out there trying to make this decision. I am in need of a car with a split personality:   1) daily commuter car (i.e., decent MPG) 2) that will double as dog/kiddy transport on weekends (wagon/SUV storage), and 3) that will also be our "night on the town/adult" car, the car we'll use to go to weddings or use when we go to dinner with another couple (which means I'd like it to be a "nice" car with a decent back seat).   After finding "new" cars cost-prohibitive, I narrowed the field down to a pre-owned (2004-2006) Audi A4 or A6 Avant (wagon), a 3- or 5-Series wagon, or an x3.   For starters, I don't think the larger A6 or 5-Series are going to fit into my budget; they are hard to find to begin with, and tend to be in the $30k+ range (I'd love to stay under $25k).   I test drove a 2006 A4 Avant. I loved it. I came home from the drive humming about how that was the car for us, done deal. I even emailed 15 dealers online via Audi's website and eBay Motors, located a beauty in NJ, and drove 90 minutes to see it. Then I once again sat in the back seat, in the light of day, and realized that it was a non-starter for me - you can't ask an adult to sit back there for any length of time. I am 6' tall, and couldn't sit with my knees straight or get it without hitting my knees on the seat; my wife 5' 8" had similar troubles. Killed me because I loved the car, but it's just tiny in the back.   By comparison, I sat in the back of a 3-series (albeit the sedan model because there was no wagon in the lot) and it was actually comfortable - it's maybe 3 inches bigger, but it makes all the difference in the world.   Two things are concerning me about just going for the 3-series wagon. First, I am a city driver with little need for ground clearance or offroading capability, but at the same time we do get 3-4 weeks of snow cover a year, and I HATE bottoming-out my car doing everyday tasks - driving up my driveway or into a parking lot. Second, I will be having kids (with luck) during the life of this car, and while I have no personal experience I am told that lifting an infant in/out of an SUV is a lot easier than lifting one out of a sedan or wagon (I should add that I have a cranky back, so this is pretty important).   This brings me to the x3. I drove it and it was nice. There are plenty out there and for better prices than the 325xi (I've been looking at 05 and 06 models). I think the only things holding me back right now is that it's not great on gas (a factor that started me looking to downsize), and I kind of like the idea of being a bit "different" by having a wagon-that-can-drive-like-a-sports-sedan.   I am at a standstill right now. Thoughts? Other options? Words of encouragement? Replies to this message: laurasdada (Dec 20, 2007 11:06 am) georgek2 (Dec 28, 2007 10:05 am) bryan3536 (Dec 28, 2007 8:40 pm)
#16 of 35 Re: A$ vs 328xi [bryan3536] by laurasdada Dec 20, 2007 (11:06 am)
Replying to: bryan3536 (Dec 18, 2007 6:47 am) Just a thought, and many may find this a four letter word, but: Saab 9-5 Wagon or 9-3 Sport Combi (wagon)? Sorry, family had a couple of quirky Saab 99's in the '70s and we had a '95 900 so I've got a soft spot in my heart for Saabs. Fun and functional. And for my family at least, reliable... And I'm sure you could get a deal.
#17 of 35 Re: A$ vs 328xi [bryan3536] by georgek2 Dec 28, 2007 (10:05 am)
Replying to: bryan3536 (Dec 18, 2007 6:47 am) Bryan, I hear you brother. It sounds like you and I are searching for the same automobile. In my case it's my wife's car. Her lease is up on her Freestyle in one month. She likes the vehicle (size, cargo) but I'm indifferent. I'd prefer better gas mileage and a vehicle (with cargo) a bit smaller so as she can't keep half a garage worth of junk in it. I also think she can get by on FWD vs AWD to improve MPG. I'm driving an '07 X3. I LOVE the thing. MPG has been decent to very good. Around town I get 19-21 and avg anywhere from 24-27 hwy depending on how loaded down I am and if A/C is running. I call those very decent numbers for a very fun vehicle to drive. My bluetooth behaves wacky but otherwise it's a perfect vehicle for me. Note that prior to the X3 I had a 325xi. Great car to drive but the tires (RFTs) sucked; had 3 sets within the first 20k miles. I also found the car a tad small for me (I'm 6'2") with too small a trunk. For the wife I've been searching CPO cars for a 2004 A6 Avant or a 2004 or 2005 9-5 wagon. I really like the looks of both and think I could live with them (i.e. not tire of 'em) for several years. They both get reasonable mpg (Saab>Audi but that's FWD v AWD for you), have ample cargo, and have the feature and fun-to-drive factor. I have one child so it all works for me. The wife likes the heighth of an SUV (i.e. Saturn Vue, Taurus X) but the mpg, and lack of fun-to-drive don't entice me. Replies to this message: bryan3536 (Dec 28, 2007 8:40 pm)
#18 of 35 Re: A$ vs 328xi [georgek2] by bryan3536 Dec 28, 2007 (8:40 pm)
Replying to: georgek2 (Dec 28, 2007 10:05 am) It's been a brutal week in car-search land. We've been visiting relatives in Florida all week (I live in NY) and thought this would be a perfect week to find a car and, if we bought one, drive it home. Didn't go so good. The 2005 BMW 3-Series Wagon that I thought was the answer to my problems turned out to be a non-starter - I couldn't possibly put my 95+ lb. dog in the back of the car without the seats going down, which sort of defeats the purpose (at least for us). While the back looks long enough, it slants so severely, so quickly after the "end" of the back seats, that a tall dog can't really fit back there.   We then took a test drive in a 2005 Mercedes E-Series wagon - a car we never would have considered except that we were working with a dealership that my in-laws use (and love - for what it's worth, Mitch and Jason at Melbourne FL Mercedes/Audi/Porsche are solid guys that I recommend to anyone). We loved the car so much - so smooth, so darn nice inside - that both the wife and I were fully willing to overlook the grandma-ish styling and sat down to talk price. He handed me the Carfax and . . . for the first time I realized I was looking at a RWD wagon, not 4Matic (Mercedes' AWD). In the Northeast no one would consider such a thing; in FL, that's all they drive. So, we were back to square one. My wife, inexplicably, doesn't want a wagon - any wagon. She doesn't like the looks of the Audi A4 Avant or allroad. She thinks the Volvo V50 is lame. She thinks Suburu's are "Vermont Mommy Cars." She would "think" about a Volvo XC70, but try to get her to look at one and . . . not real motivated. For some reason, she's just not into the BMW X3, yet likes the X5. I am at a loss.   As an aside, we were at the dealership and our friend Mitch put us in a FWD Audi A4. Again, not a car I would have considered initially - we were looking for a sedan/SUV compromise in a wagon (or at least I was) - but it was just a great car to drive. The back seats are usually too tight for me (6'1") but we were finally able to figure out the front seat adjustments and it was fine (this was a 2006; I've been in a 2004 before, and I think you lose a few inches). Anyway, we loved the car and almost pulled the trigger before calmer heads prevailed and steered us back to task - buying a wagon/SUV.   At this point, I've exhausted the options in the low-end luxury field, and am back to the usual suspects - Honda and Toyota, names I hesitate to even raise on a board like this. I think we're going to opt to replace our CRV with yet another CRV, though we'll spring for the leather and heated seats. It's tremendously depressing, but I think it's the right thing to do right now.   Next car search starts in 5 months . . . Good luck all.

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