Help needed ... I think I'm going to buy an Audi or a BMW

[derrick]

This may possibly need to be part of the Personal Problems section.

We are looking to replace out trusty old Mercedes R Class - 10 years old, 130,000 on the clock. Looking around at the alternatives, the car which seems to tick most of the boxes is either a A4 Avent Quattro or a 3 series Tourer x drive.

As a cyclist I appreciate that Audi and BMW drivers are sworn enemies, how do I square this particular circle ?

In the interest of balance this is strictly a light hearted thread, I don't want any Audi or BMW owners to take offence !

If you can drive one properly its not a problem. Its the ones that do not now how to drive. They are the problem.

 

[mustang1]

Winter tyres and FWD is also very good, and doesn't cost extra every mile. That said, I quite fancy AWD myself now we use the car so much less.

I thought winter tyres have more friction therefore do cost more per mile?

 

[DRM]

Buy whatever suits your needs now, generally the standard of driving in Audi’s BMW’s & now the Merc A class is down to a serious fault with the nut holding the wheel, combined with the vehicle being on lease to a company.
However don’t discount other vehicles mentioned, the Skoda’s do seem highly regarded, personally i’d Be looking for more for my money then any German car gives, Japanese would be good to, as for 4x4, to me it’s pointless on a road going car, if you are going somewhere with difficult terrain you are really looking at proper off roaders with a minimum of All Terrain tyres fitted, anything else just gets you stuck further away from possible help.
Equally any one who buys a real off roader and fits road tread tyres, is like buying a prime breeding bull, then having it castrated!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I thought winter tyres have more friction therefore do cost more per mile?

Cost less per mile in the winter but more in the summer. So as long as you use the right tyres for the right temps you get the best of both seasons.

 

[gavroche]

I think you are the victim of watching too many Top Gear / The Grand Tour where only German cars matters. Take a holiday and refresh your mind, there are other car manufacturers out there and most more reliable than German ones.

 

[tyred]

If you must have a BMW, get one from when they built cars with character.

 

[KneesUp]

I thought winter tyres have more friction therefore do cost more per mile?

As @YukonBoy says, they're not fitted to the car in the summer, so they don't cost extra "every mile" as per my post - they do make the handling and braking much, much better when it's cold though. I'd recommend them to anyone, regardless of the car, because AWD is of no benefit for braking, for example.

 

[Goldenretriever]

Very personal choice is a car. Once test drove a BMW, waited till my wife was abroad on a school trip. The grief she gave me when she found out, along the lines of and all the things you've said over the years! I was totally underwhelmed didn't like the gearbox if I remember rightly. Not a patch on Honda in my opinion. Then ended up at the main Audi dealer in Norwich and wife says you always choose the cars I like that one, so we ended up with a 2.0 litre petrol 4wd avant. Can't deny it was a nice car to drive and reasonable fuel consumption as well. But every time it went near the main dealer there was something wrong with it, even taking it to smaller garages, always something to pay out. Been back with a Honda for last four years and no bills except tyres and servicing, smae with my S2000 which I sold in january for a profit. So to summarise I think I will stick with Japanese as I think German cars are overpriced.

 

[rugby bloke]

Thanks for all the comments and advice. In the end we stuck with Mercedes, this time a GLA, 2 years old, 20,000 on the clock, £24k. Top of the range, with every toy you could imagine. What amazes me is that somebody bought the car with this spec, paid around £40k for it and then sold it after 2 years. Just got to get the old tank through its final MOT. Looking forward to driving something considerably easier to park and which returns considerably more miles to the gallon.

 

[DCBassman]

Thanks for all the comments and advice. In the end we stuck with Mercedes, this time a GLA, 2 years old, 20,000 on the clock, £24k. Top of the range, with every toy you could imagine. What amazes me is that somebody bought the car with this spec, paid around £40k for it and then sold it after 2 years. Just got to get the old tank through its final MOT. Looking forward to driving something considerably easier to park and which returns considerably more miles to the gallon.

Was tasked with delivering an early GLA, 2015 maybe? About 10 miles out from Exeter the glass roof exploded, filling the car with tiny cubes of glass. Called it in, then drove sedately on to Cullompton, round the roundabout , and back to the yard. The glass had been fractionally mis-fitted and temperature changes had done the rest.
Nice car otherwise!