Audi A4

"An Audi without Quattro* is like a day without sunshine" - the sales guy was laying it on thick, but I wasn't about to be swayed with slick banter. However, one test drive later (including an abandoned parking lot) started making me a believer too. I did my research, I had my drive and I was sold.

* Quattro is a term Audi use to describe their all-wheel drive system (which is permanently engaged) which helps provide extra grip in slippery conditions by redistributing power between all 4 wheels to keep the car on course.

7 years later and the car is still a favorite, despite some mechanical flaws and wishing for a little more acceleration from stop. The A4 is a solid car with agile handling and a quiet and comfortable ride.

Specs:
* 1.8 Turbo
* Quattro (all wheel drive)
* 4 CYLINDERS (5 valve per cylinder = 20 valves total)
* 150 HP / 162 @ 2200 RPM
* Fuel econ: 18/26 approx (city/highway)

Pros:
* Styling: good looking car, even after 7 years
* Steering: good weighted steering (not too light, not too heavy), allowing good road feedback
* Handling: this car feels solid and is very capable - handling well even at speed
* Exterior/interior: the car is well built and somewhat classy, down to the interior trim details - nice
* Luggage space: good large trunk with ample luggage space
* Safety: crash test ratings were good. Engine is designed to collapse under the driver in event of head-on collision, reducing risk of injury to front seat occupants. Front airbags. Side protection.
* Braking: Good & reliable (although I can never come to a smooth stop without a *very* small lurch - perhaps it's just my car)

Cons:
* Mechanical problems: auto/manual gearbox shifter (now slides beteen manual and automatic without 'staying' in place!), and also the computer chip (had to be replaced for $400), the A/C compression (seized, replaced for about $800 if I recall correctly, as the entire coolant system had to be flushed) and some fuel sensor (approx $200).
* Interior problems: none really except for a slight tear in driver's seat (leatherette) and a crack in plastic trim behind driver's seat belt and a slightly faded on-board computer LCD.
* Rear legroom: a bit cramped legroom for adults
* Fuel: my 1.8 turbo requires 90 octane, so I fill up on premium fuel. One tank is about $40, and lasts approx. 300 miles (I use it mostly in stop-go commuting to work and other relatively short runs).
* Lights: I replaced the original 1999 low beam bulbs as they were too dim
* Acceleration from 0: sometimes feels a little slow from a stop, however the Turbo helps provides boost acceleration at speed for quick overtaking. You can also buy aftermarket chip to boost HP by 40-45 (I didn't).


Overall I like the Audi brand and despite some mechanical problems and complaints about power, it's a fun car to drive and is very quiet and comfortable. I'd be keen to test a more recent year model to see how things have improved.

The seller of this vehicle failed to let us know that the car had apparently been wrecked. Less than 30 days after purchase, i have just picked up our new purchase from the dealership with a tab total of over $2800! The car died on us while driving! After taking one call, the seller and their establishment in Tupelo, MS refused to return our calls! I say BAN them from E-BAY.

i had rented an Audi A4 convertible and was very pleased with it. i decided to try an purchase one on ebay in my price range. i am very please with this purchase thanks

I bought the A4 thinking I could get a good deal on a car on line. I didn't mind buying a higher mileage car, and spending a touch more for quality. But, the car came with many problems that the seller didn't say anything about, and since it took the transport company more than 30 days to get it to me, I am totally screwed and out of thousands of dollars. So it is hard to blame the car, but I blame the seller as a swindler.

The best transaction I have ever had on eBay. Great communication, great car I would buy from him again.

I must say with all the dealers I have dealt with on ebay the attitude from CALIBER IMPORTS in Montrose NY has been terrible. When we first spoke, the dealer mentioned that he would back the vehicle 100% and that if needed I could get the car to you for the labor or parts. On the 2+ hr drive home my wife called and stated that the car had some power/shifting issues. I called Allen the owner. He immediately dismissed the problem as her/our driving method. He also he drove the car, but then later stated "not on the highway" (where we found an the issues to be most severe). You then say bring it to a dealer to have a diagnostic/evaluation done. He stated that he brought it to a one to have the same and there was one issue that they fixed. His dealer only hooked it up to a mcahine and never drove it to notice the issue(s) we found. He wrote several email stating that you have to learn to drive the car properly, and "there is nothing wrong with the car". I then take a 2 hr drive with it to NH and when I got to the destination smoke was billowing from the hood from the insulation that was catching fire from somewhere on the exhaust(which leaks). I then bring the car to a mechanic who specializes in Audi/VW to the tune of $100 for a diagnostics. They say the turbo is bad and that the transmission is begining to slip. I call Caliber and Allen says he won't except there diagnosis because they are not an authorized dealer. So I pay another $100 to an authorized dealr to get the exact same diagnosis and then Allen says OK I will send a new turbo up. In the meantime I leave negative feedback out of a month and a half of frustration. A week goes by and I call to see if the Turbo is in the mail and Allen says he will not send the turbo unless I remove the feedback. At this point I realize that Calbier imports and Allen are never going to help and I got ripped off.
Moral of this story, 1: Shame on me for not driving the car prior to handing you the money. My wife being anxious to get to work could have saved me/us all this grief time and money. 2: never purchase from ebay unless you are close enough to go back to the buyer for help with any problems. 3: Never pay cash, paypal would have shut his account off until I was issued a refund.

The thing I can not understand the most is, how does a dealer with a license and a shop that actually fixes vehicles misses the same issues that a normal driver and two other licensed technitions can find and notice when driving the exact same vehicle? So when I call Caliber and tell them that, they say "I sold the car as is" and "in NY the buyer has no recourse", I feel like I got ripped off. Maybe I did put negative feedback prematurely but put yourself in my shoes, I drove 2 + hrs down and 2+ home, I have spend $200 + on diagnostics, dealt with the fear for the safety of my family needing the vehicle to get them to/from daycare/work if I am a little frustrated you can see why. They wonder why I left bad feedback. Caliber should take the car back and see for themselves. I feel a honest dealer would have done that, or at the least offered to take the vehicle back until they fixed all the issues.
John, duchbrandi@aol.com

This is not a good seller to do business with. He wasn`t honest about the car. I wuoldn`t buy anything from him. Watch out for him ebay buyers.

The Audi A4 is a luxury compact executive car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1994. The first generation A4 succeeded the Audi 80.

It is available as an "Avant", Audi's name for a estate/wagon, a saloon/sedan, and a Cabriolet version.

Audi introduced a heavily revised A4 in late 2004, with the internal designation of B7. However, this new range A4 still utilised the existing Volkswagen B6 (PL46) platform, a chassis derived from the outgoing B6, but enjoyed heavily revised steering settings, suspension geometry, new engine ranges, navigation systems and chassis electronics (a new advanced Bosch 8.0 ESP system). Audi's internal platform nomenclature uses PL46 (longitudinal passenger car platform, size 4, generation 6) for both B6 and B7 chassis. The Typ 8E and 8H internal designations are also unchanged from the B6 A4.

The engine lineup received many additions. The 2005 introduction of Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) on the 2.0 TFSI and 3.2 V6 FSI petrol/gasoline engines, as well as other refinements, increased power output to 200 and 255 PS (147 and 188 kW), respectively. These engines both implement a four-valve per cylinder design. The prior 5-valve design was incompatible with the FSI direct injection system. The 2.0 TDI diesel engine now combines Pumpe Düse (PD) technology with 16 valves for the first time, while the larger 2.5 TDI was increased to 3.0 L, offering 204 PS (150 kW). quattro permanent four-wheel drive remained available on most A4 models. Audi retired its 5-speed manual transmissions in favour of a 6-speed. As before, multitronic transmission is available on front-wheel drive models, while a 6-speed Tiptronic transmission is available on quattro four-wheel drive models.

In addition to the higher-performance S4, which carried over the powertrain of the B6 S4, Audi has reintroduced the ultra-high performance RS4 (RS for RennSport) to the lineup, for the first time on the saloon/sedan and Cabriolet body and with a normally aspirated 4.2 V8 FSI engine. Another notable inclusion is the 3rd-generation Torsen T-3 quattro system, which uses a 'default' asymmetric 40:60 front-rear torque distribution (this new asymmetric centre differential was only available initially on the RS4, and later, on the S4. The remainder of the A4 range still utilised the 50:50 split diff). A limited edition variant first introduced in late 2005, named "DTM Edition", was reintroduced in 2006 as a regular option, the 2.0T FSI engine now engineered to 220 PS (162 kW) with standard quattro. The front grill assembly has changed to be a tall trapezoidal shape in the same manner as the C6 (third-generation) Audi A6.

The B7 Cabriolet model arrived later than the other two body variants, with sales beginning in February 2006. Brand new on the Cabriolet was an entry-level 2.0 TDI version, but to date this is not being offered with the Multitronic gearbox.

The Audi A4 offers many safety features, including side airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Stabilization Programme, and its optional quattro four-wheel drive. It also received the IIHS "Top Safety Pick For 2007"

I highway commute every workday, and I have never felt so safe in a car! Snow, ice, rain, the quattro keeps me glued to the road, I'll never drive "white knuckled" again. Great performance, great reliability, warranty is awesome and the Audi dealership treats me like gold (I didn't even buy from this dealership) Decent gas mileage (even at higher speeds) from a V6, very quiet, I really can't find anything wrong with this vehicle, imported it to Canada from the States, saved over ten grand, and Audi honors the warranty here. If there was a 6 out of 5 rating I'd give it that! I've owned a lot of other brand new vehicles, I bought this Audi used with 27k miles and it outclasses anything north american, the technology in this car is light years ahead and it works! There is one problem... now I have to buy one for my wife!

It is a perfect mix of power and luxury. I have been averaging 27 MPG on the highway. Yet it still has the power to go when you want to. I had been wanting an A4 for sometime, and finally broke down and bought one. I wish I had done it sooner.