is Audi same as VW?

[concretejungle]

BMAN, great info, thanks.

i guess i should mention that i really don't want to spend over $25,000, more like $18,000 is what i want to spend.

 

[srplus]

one more option

the nissan maxima / infiniti (same basic car) are great cars... wifey bought a fabulous maxima off lease and got a really good deal on a low mileage car... - (within your price range) - we had known who leased the car (she died of cancer). it was returned in the second year of a 4 year lease with 4K miles on it. one of the reasons for the great deal on the used maxima is they do not hold their value over time as well as the audi, vw, toyota or the other high end rice burners... we will drive it 'til it dies so resale does not matter to us.

it is at least as good as or better than the other 'axis' cars. the comfort and ride make even the highest end toyotas and hondas seem like Tonka toys. we test drove three avalon's and they all had rattles and squeaks. when i mentioned that, the salesman said not to worry, it would be fixed before we bought the car. i told him no problem, they would have plenty of time!

of course the datsun is the luxury edition. i never dreamed i would be blowing the horn for a 'datsun' but this is a very good and sound car. also, i would recommend if you are going to be chauffeuring a lot of clients around to look at the world from their point of view. have wife or friend test drive the car with a few people in it while you are riding in the back seat behind the passenger with his seat pushed all the way back. it will give you a totally different perspective than sitting behind the steering wheel.

 

[Trollhole]

IMHO VW/Audi have some cool cars, however they are not known for their reliability. If that is important to you, and you will keep it much past the warranty, stick with Toyota/Lexus.

x2

 

[Blue Bomber]

Audi service & general rant

As stated above, very similar. In my experience, the Audi is a much better ride for the increase in price.

I had a '98 GTI VR6 that I loved and put on 100k with zero problems. None. Oil changes with synth, plugs, wires, belt...that's it. The kicker for me was that Audi service appeared to be way better than VW service. Two weeks to get an appointment for them to take my VW with CEL, but when my boss had CEL in her Audi, they came out and got it...same dealer, same week. WTF?

Not to hijack, but the real problem with VW/Audi is that their product plans are totally jacked. Why did they kill the 1.8T? Why kill the VR6? Why not bring over more R32s? Give people what they want, or at least have some logic behind these decisions. My GTI was fast, reliable and got great mpg, as was my wife's turbo new beetle. Those engines are no longer available. Anyone know why?

We used to own 3 VWs. I don't know if I'll go back.

 

[BMAN]

BMAN, great info, thanks.

i guess i should mention that i really don't want to spend over $25,000, more like $18,000 is what i want to spend.

Are you looking for new or used? My 02 A6 is for sale right now for $20 with warranty but we could work something out if you're interested. The only reason I'm selling is because the wife is pregnant with #3 and we can't put 3 kids in the back comfrotably so we're looking fo another gas guzzler 100 series.

Traded in the Sequoia for it last year and have been crazy happy and wouldn't get rid of it otherwise.

A new A6 will run ya around $45-$50k. A new Passat will run around $25-$30k.

Time to weigh the options.

 

[crushr]

If you want want something new, reliable and 4 doors in that price range, you should be looking at a camry or (god forbid) a V6 accord.

 

[BMAN]

As stated above, very similar. In my experience, the Audi is a much better ride for the increase in price.

I had a '98 GTI VR6 that I loved and put on 100k with zero problems. None. Oil changes with synth, plugs, wires, belt...that's it. The kicker for me was that Audi service appeared to be way better than VW service. Two weeks to get an appointment for them to take my VW with CEL, but when my boss had CEL in her Audi, they came out and got it...same dealer, same week. WTF?

Not to hijack, but the real problem with VW/Audi is that their product plans are totally jacked. Why did they kill the 1.8T? Why kill the VR6? Why not bring over more R32s? Give people what they want, or at least have some logic behind these decisions. My GTI was fast, reliable and got great mpg, as was my wife's turbo new beetle. Those engines are no longer available. Anyone know why?

We used to own 3 VWs. I don't know if I'll go back.

That 2.0t is the new and improved 1.8t. It's supposed to be a work horse, much like the 1.8t. The 1.8t is VW's small block. They put them in everything, aftermarket support is amazing, you can buy parts for them at 7-11 and they run forever when properly maintained.

The 2.0 is just the evolutionary progression to that motor. I have a friend that specializes in VAG/Porsche performance tuning and he swears that the 2.0 will be everything that the 1.8 has been for VW. I trust him when he says this and after having a 2.0t 6speed tiptronic quattro A4 as a loaner I was impressed with the feel and responsiveness to say the least.

The R32 thing is all a marketing ploy. Plain and simple, feed a few in and cause the demand then flood the market. Unfortunately for us they blew it by releasing the MkV in the middle of our fun. VW's never really been good at going to market. Audi on the other hand has an entirely different take on going to market and it's worked very well for them as of late. I'm hoping to get my hands on an imported rs6 Avant next year locally when the owner upgrades to a new A8. Nothing like a 480 horse twin turbo V8 station wagon to take ya by surprise in your vette.

 

[concretejungle]

tell me if i should stay away from the turbo motors in the A6 model years 2003-2004?

 

[DSRTRDR]

Ich call it das VW "Pissant".

VW ist Hitler's revenge.

Der Fuhrerr VW der are, der better.

Gesundheit!

true, Hitler invented the "Volkswagen"

after WWII, there was a savings program available for everyone - you would put x amount of Marks into an account monthly for a number of years, and that would eventually give you a discount towards the car - what an ingenious way of gauging interest - basically guaranteed orders years in advance (of course, this worked only as long as buying on credit didn't yet exist)

these days, Porsche owns 25% of VW - that was BIG news in Germany

 

[DSRTRDR]

What about vw and porsche (i.e. Taureg/Cayenne link)? I know their all part of AutoUnion, which is where Audi's four rings come from. Anyone know anything extra?

AutoUnion doesn't exist anymore since the 60s or so

Porsche is semi-independent of VW, Audi a much closer part of the conglomerate (I don't think Audi is listed on the stock market, but VW and Porsche are independent stock)

 

[DSRTRDR]

what about the "new" rabbit, $15k is kind of cheap. I wonder if the new diesel rabbit will be as slow as the original?

Michael just drove the TDI rabbit in Germany - pocketrocket

 

[concretejungle]

what about my question?

 

[jts560]

VW also owns Lamborghini. I believe the V-10's in the new audi's are detuned Lambo engines from the Gallardo.

 

[Gumby]

true, Hitler invented the "Volkswagen"

after WWII, there was a savings program available for everyone - you would put x amount of Marks into an account monthly for a number of years, and that would eventually give you a discount towards the car - what an ingenious way of gauging interest - basically guaranteed orders years in advance (of course, this worked only as long as buying on credit didn't yet exist)

I had read they had that plan before WWII. They sold stamps that could be redeemed for KdFwagons.

Most people did not get their KdFWagon because all of the production went to the war machine.

 

[Gumby]

What about vw and porsche (i.e. Taureg/Cayenne link)? I know their all part of AutoUnion, which is where Audi's four rings come from. Anyone know anything extra?

The four rings is right, but it was three other companies, not VW or Porsche that made up the company that would later become Audi.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/art-four-rings-1.htm


Porsche is independant of VW, or was until recently anyway. They do development work for VW (Taureg) and other companies (HD V-Rod)

 

[Gumby]

VW also owns Lamborghini. I believe the V-10's in the new audi's are detuned Lambo engines from the Gallardo.

I think technically Audi owns Lambo, although that would be like saying Lincoln owns Jaguar.

VW owns Bently and Bugatti.

All part of the Ferdinand Piech legacy (Grandson of Ferdinand Porsche) Piech couldn't work at Porsche in management because of the company rules forbidding owners from working in management, so he worked at Audi and then VW.


I would say that Audi is to VW as Lincoln is to Ford or Buick is to GM more than the Japanese big three comparisons. They were established brands bought to expand the companies holdings.

Infiniti, Lexus and Acura are, or were, North American only brands designed to sell luxury cars to Americans who couldn't deal with one brand selling both cheap and luxury nameplates. They were created as a marketing tool.

 

[FirstToy]

Porsche is independant of VW, or was until recently anyway. They do development work for VW (Taureg) and other companies (HD V-Rod)

..and Infinity G35

 

[re_guderian]

BMAN, great info, thanks.

i guess i should mention that i really don't want to spend over $25,000, more like $18,000 is what i want to spend.

3-4 year old Toyota Avalon. Great MPG, TONS of rear seat room for your clients, tons of features on the XLS version, and of course, Toyota reliability. Not so sporty as an Audi, but if its a work car...

 

[BOUNDER]

Kidding right? VW owns Audi - and is a close cousin of Porsche (do the research). That said, VW really went down hill in the late 90's and 00's - the Jetta became bloated and all made in Mexico - may still be the case. C'mon kids -do a little homework, show a little effort = of course VW/Audi are the same blood line.

 

[BMAN]

tell me if i should stay away from the turbo motors in the A6 model years 2003-2004?

NO... as a matter of fact the 2.7bi turbo is one bad assed motor! If I were to be looking for another B5 A6 it would be a 2.7twin for sure.