I'm toying with the notion of buying an Audi A4

[Arjimlad]

Ahh but have you done the maths and worked out the percentages to makes on the road?!

No, but do feel free !

 

[Globalti]

Instead of an Audi why not go for a VW Passat? There's a reason why it's the best selling mid sized saloon of all time. I can fit 3 bikes and 3 adults easily inside my Passat estate and it goes without the embarrassment of being a BMW, Audi or Merc.

More spacious in front than the A4 too and with a better view of the road.

 

[biggs682]

Am I OK with an ancient Merc?

Only just if pre 1980

What about a Mercedes-Benz, which would be top of my list if I could stretch to it?

As above reply

 

[Dec66]

I'm at the dealer.

Car not here yet.

Never mind, I'll pass the Mercedes Benz showroom on the way back to mine

 

[DCBassman]

Only just if pre 1980



As above reply

Ah... it's not that old.

 

[vickster]

An Audi knocked me off in 2014. I’d not have one.
I have had a Skoda Fabia 1.4 tsi vrs dsg estate for over 5 years though. Cracking car. In your position, I’d get the Octavia

 

[Mrs M]

A 1.4 TFSI Sport Estate, to be exact.

However, being a cyclist, it's a bit of a dilemma. Especially given that 8/10 of the near misses I have whilst cycling involve Audis.

It's difficult for me to get past the "c**k rings" thing. What say the good people of CycleChat?

Go for it if that’s what you want
Never mind what anyone else thinks.
My close passes were with a Renault and a Merc
Mr M loves his latest A4

 

[vickster]

View attachment 462857
Go for it if that’s what you want
Never mind what anyone else thinks.
My close passes were with a Renault and a Merc
Mr M loves his latest A4

Indeed it was a red one that knocked me off

 

[Mrs M]

Indeed it was a red one that knocked me off

Oops, not guilty

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A 1.4 TFSI Sport Estate, to be exact.

However, being a cyclist, it's a bit of a dilemma. Especially given that 8/10 of the near misses I have whilst cycling involve Audis.

It's difficult for me to get past the "c**k rings" thing. What say the good people of CycleChat?

Notion begins with a No!

 

[Levo-Lon]

View attachment 462857
Go for it if that’s what you want
Never mind what anyone else thinks.
My close passes were with a Renault and a Merc
Mr M loves his latest A4

Stunner, great cars

 

[Dec66]

An Audi knocked me off in 2014. I’d not have one.
I have had a Skoda Fabia 1.4 tsi vrs dsg estate for over 5 years though. Cracking car. In your position, I’d get the Octavia

Or a Superb, perhaps?

 

[Dec66]

Tell you what... Heading down Southwark Bridge Road on the way home tonight, and guess what pulled out from a side road in front of me, from the left turning right, with the driver looking to his left and not at me?

Yep... 66-plate Audi A4 estate in a crimson metallic. And no, I haven't made this up.

I'm not counting it as a near miss though, as I anticipated he'd do it and feathered the brake to compensate.

 

[vickster]

Or a Superb, perhaps?

Yep. If you want something voluminous!

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I've recently had two German company cars. I've came from Japanese cars most of my life, so I'm slightly underwhelmed by them. Prior to having these I owned a Mitsubishi Colt and a mint 2006 MX5 2.0 litre sport. The biggest disappointment was a 2017 Mercedes Benz E220D AMG Line estate. It was a nice place to be I guess, the seats were fantastic, and that is a main part of a car. But I had the use of 2017 Nissan Navara prior to this and this had fantastic seats also, with superb lumbar support. The Mercedes is a nice looking car, it was huge, too big. Pretty dull to drive, not that quick, it handled pretty well for a big car, but you were totally disconnected from it. It also had a terrible squeak from the rear parcel cover. I rectified this by stuffing a piece of packaging foam between the parcel cover and it's mounting, I had to put it back in every time I removed this. Everybody to their own, I just didn't get it at all. It was like driving around in an armchair all the time. If I was buying this type of car I'd buy a Skoda Superb, I'm sure it would be better, the 2.0 litre VAG CR Diesel engine is superb. The rear run-flat Pirelli tyres were £265 a corner on the E-Class, they lasted 11,000 miles and I didn't drive it hard. I think I was expecting something amazing, more so driving a Mitsubishi Colt. What a huge anti-climax that car was, the badge means nothing at all to me with cars.

My current car is a 2018 VW Golf GTD. It's a lot better car in every respect. It's well built, goes really well for a diesel and handles very well. It's still a slightly vague/disconnected driving experience coming from an MX5, but that's to be expected. The engine is a belter, I don't know how reliable it is and I don't care because it's not mine. It's not as good on fuel as the 9 speed Merc was, but then again it's a way better drivers car, Audi/VW are nice cars, but overpriced. But then again it will retain more if you sell it. The Golf GTD is a Skoda Octavia VRS as far as I can tell, minus the boot, that's what I'd buy if it was my own.

I personally wouldn't buy a Mercedes, I think VAG are better cars. That's just from what I've owned and being a passenger in. I'm sure a 3 Series BMW Tourer would be a better drive than an A4 Avant though. Just depends what you look for in a car. I don't know what's the most reliable. I've read some bad things about German cars. I've never had any issues with Japanese cars.

The closest pass I've ever had on a bike was from a BMW 3 Series, probably coincidence though... I certainly don't think German car drivers are any worse than others..

If you've got the cash buy what you want. I just think it's a total fallacy that German cars are superior to other brands. Ford's impress me these days, as does my mother's Hyundai I10, what a cracking well built, excellent drive that is...