spoon2000

On the safety features, I guess the feature that matters most is the collision avoidance / automatic braking that seems to be the latest legitimate feature in the line of airbags, ABS, traction control, and so forth.

The older drivers in question are both pretty competent but odd things do happen. A couple months ago, somebody backed into a post, even though the rear camera was on and the parking sensors were screaming (no serious damage done, but still). They actually love the automatic climate control, and all they want (or need) to know about is temperature control, the "auto" button, and the "sync" button. EzPass is great, too, and in some cases, it's the only way to get onto toll roads where all they have is video tolling -- better than being distracted by fumbling around for money.

1st Time Audi

I meant no disrespect...and was only speaking from my experience only. My thought is that people on this forum coupled with the fact that you drive and are passionate about this car, in my mind, puts you on the other end of the spectrum of those I've encountered, especially regarding car tech.

irenesbob

No disrespect intended by me either, but when I see drivers who seem preoccupied with talking on the phone, fussing with kids in rear baby seats, “bopping” to the music, and generally not focusing on driving they are just as likely to be in their 20’s and 30’s as in their 60’s and up. Ditto for drivers who do not seem to realize they are not the only one on the road – i.e., the ones that poke along 15 mph under the speed limit but never periodically pull over to let cars pass, as I do if I have something like a Christmas tree on the roof and need to go slow.
The one thing I cannot stand abut many of my older contemporaries is when they seem lost and slow to a crawl, hit the brakes, weave left and right, crane their necks around, squint their eyes (mouth agape of course), hit the brakes, repeat!
When stuck behind these geezers I wish I had a Buck Rogers vaporizing ray gun to get rid of them. They are as bad as the old folks in the supermarket line who slowly put items on the checkout belt and just stand there, surprised when the cashier says “that will be $23, sir” and then start fumbling for cash.

spoon2000

You left out approaching a speed camera, slowing to 10 MPH below the posted limit, maintaining that speed for half a mile, and then speeding back up (all this when it's well-known that the cameras don't issue tickets unless you're going 11 MPH or more OVER the posted limit...).

ncsurfer

I spent part of the day looking at my new purchase this week - a 2014 A6 3.0 Prestige, then thinking about which one to sell in my driveway: the 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 185,000 miles or the 2004 Volvo XC70 with 145000. I also thought about my HK pistols that I have put over 10,000 rounds through. I take good care of my things and they last. German engineering has always been the best. Now, everyone in the industry knows now how to make cars last if they want to. It has been true for over 10 years that it is far more economical to keep a car running and using it until that day comes when you absolutely can no longer stand looking at it or sitting in it. I'm thinking we spend too much time worrying about these things.

My profile picture shows my Dad sitting in his Porsche circa 1956. God rest his soul. His generation knew how to live.

ncsurfer

dudley@07726

Having just purchased a 2016 A6, I hate to read threads titles "when To sell your Audi"
I drive about 4-5 k per year and hope it lasts a long time relatively problem free.
They seem to have improved reliability wise.

Q5 Bob

The Audi brands reliability does seem to be on the upswing in recent model years. Consumer Reports recently named it their top brand using a combination of their Road Test scores and Predicted Reliability from their Owner Surveys.

I drive low miles too and don't usually keep cars beyond the factory warranty period so for me, long term reliability isn't a big concern, but it is nice for resale values.

James517

The short of it is, it would be unusual (difficult, actually) to spend more on repairs than you spend on depreciation of a new car.

The problem is, you don't get a bill every month that forces you to see how much you just lost with the car sitting there. Every month/year you keep an older car, you usually make more money than buying a new one. I have a reliable 2012 and will keep running it until the wheels fall off, it becomes generally unreliable--or it's so old that getting parts is becoming an issue.

The automatic braking on newer model cars is a plus. Every time my wife drives me in her car, I wish her car had that feature. There might be a "killer app" that might cause you to consider a different/newer car. And an older driver doesn't need to know about controls or interfaces to benefit from that feature. So, it's not unreasonable to decide that you'll switch to get that feature -- but it will cost you....probably $20-30k - when you figure selling your car and the depreciation and increased insurance and licensing costs on the new one.

Unless you have a car that is a disaster, leasing will also cost you more than buying and selling it carefully. That is why they do it. They mimic the buying and selling process, but add a percentage to make money at it. Leasing is convenient. If you are interested in a model car that you are concerned might tank and no one would want it, then leasing can be a safety net. But, like any service, it's designed to make money. Originally, the tax laws favored leasing, but the IRS changed those regulations to eliminate the advantage. Leasing can also make sense if you're just getting started, you need a car for your job and you don't have enough for a bank loan. At least you'll have wheels to get to work.

Most people buy newer cars just because they want one, not because it really pencils out. There's nothing wrong with that. But the numbers themselves support running a car as long as possible.

dudley@07726

I'll be keeping this one for a while.