keithl

I am sure I'll get flamed for this, but my answer would be it depends. What has she been driving in term of brands, is she used to highly reliable Japanese cars? Is she the kind that when the dealer tries to sell her all the uplift services she'll be naive enough to take them? While I am a new Audi owner I come from a long line of Japanese bullet proof sedans and I am not sure if my grand mother were still around that I would be recommending anything other than a Japanese car for her in retirement. While the A6 reliability ratings are promising and not all Japanese cars are very reliable I think it depends on what her expectations from the car are. I'm not knocking Audi as I am loving my new A6, but I would want to know more about her goals and expectation of the car.

snagitseven

To the OP: FWIW, keep in mind that for every complaint posted on a forum of this type, there are many more folks who don't experience all (or any) of the reported issues. For example, on my latest Audi, except for a couple of software updates, I've only had two or three minor problems which were corrected by the dealer. People tend to post problems they're having more so than praise - check any other brand car forum and you can see that it's universal. Also, we folks who contribute to the forums at AudiWorld and other Audi/BMW/etc. forums are generally enthusiasts whose level of expectation is pretty high. Finally, on any individual car, regardless of who makes it, sometimes it's simply the luck of the draw. I've had my share of American, Japanese and European brands over the years and I can report my experiences have been both good and bad on all of the brands.

keithl

Very true, as I said not trying to dis Audi. I am actually loving my A6 more everyday. The power train amazes me how silky smooth and refined it is. I will be writing up my opinion and review in about another week. I also love the tech.

irenesbob

Is the feeling mutual? I mean, how does she feel about the Audi? lol

Maverick61

Unless she has historically driven European cars, I would say no.

now that is not to dis the A6 - I would recommend it to a lot of folks, but to a woman of retirement age, who probably does not drive aggressively or is not an Audi true blue fan, there are better options for her.

Without knowing more about her needs, financial situation and what she wants in a vehicle, that is the best answer I can give you

GermanGarage

Just to be clear, your experience(s) are not representative of the larger A6/S6/Audi owner population. Have had two Audis, my last for seven years. No issues. Just routine maintenance.

My S6 is a rock.

gtab55

Wow thanks for all the responses! What a community this is. To clarify a bit, she is turning 60 soon and will still be driving quite a bit. She previously drove a Chevy suburban as a grandkid/haul all vehicle but it is getting old and frankly too expensive for fuel. Plus there is not really a need anymore for such a large vehicle. Mercedes is not an option and neither is BMW as some family own these brands and complain about the repairs etc. The Japanese have nice selections too, though we know nearly no one who drives one (of luxury). I own a Jetta TDI and absolutely love it, thus why she is considering an Audi (Volkswagen) product.

irenesbob

An A4 or a Passat sound like reasonable alternatives to the A6. The A4 is quite roomy for being in a smaller segment than the A6 and the Passsat is cavernous and very Teutonic in its own way.

keithl

I have driven Japanese luxury cars for over a decade. Lexus will be more a cushy drive, Infiniti will be more sporty and Acura is in in the middle. In general Lexus and Acura will be more reliable than Infiniti. Lexus will be more luxurious of the bunch. Ideally she should go try a few to see what of anything she likes. I hope my A6 is as reliable as any of my Japanese cars and I will be an Audi convert.

snagitseven

To some of the other posters I would say that assuming his mother in law couldn't appreciate or afford an A6 simply because she's 60 and heading into retirement could be a completely erroneous assumption. My soon to retire 64 year old wife (who is in far better shape than me, btw) while no gadget aficionado, loves her 2002 allroad and also really enjoys the A6 as well. Any time we fly to somewhere on a trip where we have to rent your typical slushbox, she invariably comments on what a "piece of crap" it is compared to our Audis.

The OP doesn't say, but his MIL could be a healthy, spry, intelligent woman who can afford and appreciate quality things, just like most of us here. It's not up to us to automatically categorize someone who is 60 and female as needing something less that we ourselves would prefer not to own vs an A6.

In any case, I took the OPs start post as asking about an A6 and if it was a good car, not necessarily asking if it would be appropriate for his MIL. Of course, he can speak for himself (and his MIL). I would suggest she drive an A6 and if considering other brands and models, drive them as well. She will either appreciate the A6 differences and value or not. Just like any other potential buyer.

Rant completed.