OK A4 boarders, here's your chance. I will be in the market for a wagon in the next month and I have whittled down to a new Volvo V40 or a used A4. Is the Audi hands down better? Should I look strongly at a new A4 even though it would be more money? Thanks :-)

nt

Having been in slightly the same boat as you are (even though at the time of my purchase the V40 was not available)I will give you my take on the issue.

First, You should ask yourself the following question: 4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive. Do you live where it snows, if so A4. do you prefer the added safety that 4 wheel drive will give you under all conditions, again A4.

Second, Is the price difference between an A4 Avant 2.8 (used) an A4 Avant 1.8T (new) and the Volvo V40 (new) that much over time (I'm assuming you will finance your purchase).

Third, and the most important. Go test drive the A4 Avant-in either 1.8 or 2.8 and a V40. Which do you like better? I'm putting my money on the A4 Avant.

In an attempt to keep this short, I'll give you my responses to the 3 aforementioned questions
1)A4 Avant 1.8T
2)A4 Avant 1.8T
3)A4 Avant 1.8T


Now, go answer the 3 questions yourself!


Please note: I am a little biased towards the A4 Avant 1.8T -thats because I drive one and love every minute of it. Further, you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal for a car of this quality anywhere. I couldn't recommend a better car for the $. Plus, with a chip, the Avant 1.8T really come alive.


Just my $0.02 Hope this helps,


Peter Brennan
'99 A4 Avant 1.8T QMS

...to simply test drive both cars and decide for yourself. When it comes right down to it, the selection of the "right" car is a highly subjective thing. There is no easy answer, and no substitute for doing your own research according to your own unique priorities. Learn as much as you can about the cars you are interested in, talk with people who already own them, test drive each a couple of times at your local dealers, and make up your own mind. End of lecture.

As far as comparisons of the V40 and A4 go, I have not driven the Volvo, but I suspect that the A4 would be noticeably more sporty and performance oriented than the Volvo. I have driven a Volvo V70R AWD, which is Volvo's top "sports" wagon, and in my opinion, according to my priorities, the smaller A4 is by far the better car, with much better handling, road feel, and similar performance. I also suspect that the Volvo may not be quite as reliable as the Audi, but I have absolutely no defensible information to back that up, and I could be entirely off base.

You might also want to be aware that the wagon version of BMWs 3-series is supposed to be available stateside within the year. BMWs tend to be a little more expensive than Audis for comparable models/features though.

A4.org is a great source of information on the A4, but probably not so much so for the V40. You should also check out edmunds.com, caranddriver.com, carpoint.msn.com, etc., etc.

...the sister model is called mitsubishi carisma and both cars share allot of their components.
If that is fine with you, why not? I, of course, would take the Avant since it looks much nicer (to me) and you get quattro and can have a stick if you like it!

Patrik 99.5 1.8TQMS

Was between the automatic (which I've never owned and never really liked) and the five speed when I bought my Avant two months ago. Can't speak to the big motor, but, in the 1.8, the five speed was really the only choice for me. Drive both. And remember, the Quatro is not just for snow --- the difference AWD gives in dry conditions is a major benefit, too.

Jack

...how many people either do not seem to realize the importance of first hand experience or are reluctant to go to a dealer and take a test drive.

To some extent, I can sympathize with being reluctant to go to a dealer, as one never knows when one is going to end up on the receiving end of high pressure sales tactics, various forms of snobbery, or other unpleasantries, and that's no fun. But I also think that some people get so used to getting opinions from other people and doing research on the internet and in magazines that they forget the importance of a hands-on, first hand, in the flesh, evaluation and test drive.

I hope you did read the entirety of my previous post, I did try to provide some insight to help you compare the V40 and A4. Good luck with your research and the car shopping. I hope you are happy with your choice (I would probably recommend the A4.)

P.S. At the risk of coming off like a complete a**-hole, your post title should read "You're RIGHT!..." The word "your" implies procession or relationship (i.e. your car, your hand, your sister), while "you're" is a contraction for "you are" (i.e. you're correct, you're nitpicking, etc.) Sorry, to single you out. That's one of my pet peeves, and I seem to see it a lot on this board for some reason. And yes, I make my share of mistakes too; do feel free to point them out if you like.

Yes, I see. You ARE correct! Typing at work in a rushed, haried environment is not conducive to correct grammer!

On the car note: Please don't assume that I or other people asking for opinions are using you as their sole advisor. I have been down to Volvo, and driven an S40 (no V40's at the time) and will go down to the dealer I bought by Boxster from this weekend to drive the Audi. But under the assumption that you can never have too much knowledge, I am soliciting opions from the people who know the Audi the best - you boarders!

So I do express my gratitude for getting all your opinions before I make up my own mind and spend large chunks of very hard earned cash!

Check out Ford's web site, it has a list of all the car companies they either own or have a stake in.

Personally, I'd rather have VW as a parent company then Ford.<ul><li><a href="http://www.ford.com/default.asp?pageid=1">FoMoCo Web Site</a></li></ul>

Sounds like you are doing your homework. It seems like some people don't, and I think often make bad decisions as a result. I also realize that no one is likely foolish enough to use me, or anyone, as a sole advisor. I would hope that no one is quite that naive. I do like your assertion that knowledge is power, so carry on, and good luck with the car and all. Have fun driving the A4, I suspect you'll really like it.

unless space is a concern, I really can't see a reason to go with the v40.......
other than styling preferences, of course........

The parent company is significant to you? Why? Ford owns Jaguar too, and if I were in the market for a midsize to large luxury car Jag would definitely be considered. From what I've read here the S40/V40 are excellent cars and have a lot going for them. A buddy of mine is considering one. Since the prices are so close, I'm going to have him look at the A4 as well, and let him drive mine before and after chipping. I will also try to test drive the Volvo myself to see what all the fuss is about. My point here is that it is unwise to dismiss a car based on the manufacturer, let alone the parent company, the proof is in the driving; not to mention the fact that different people have different tastes and priorities, thus no car is right for everyone.

Regards,
Rodney

'99 A4 1.8tqms

I went to an auto show last sunday and checked closely the V40 because my brother is thinking about buying it.
I own a 3 weeks old '00 Avant. Here are my subjective observations.
Size and space: identical.
Quality of interior execution: the A4 is in a league above Volvo.
Price: with similar options the Volvo seems more expensive to me.
I never drove the car though.
I've also seen last week AutoWeek's test of the car on Speedvision and they said that handling is only OK. Same conclusion by CarAndDriver.
Go and drive both. It's your money, your decision...

This goes back to '97, when we were shopping for a wagon and the V70 AWD had just arrived at dealers. The Volvo was quicker, and not just by a little (this was the last year of Audi's old 2.8 172 HP engine). The Volvo had a tighter suspension too, which translated into more road feel. And it had more storage room in the back. Yet we bought the Audi, for several reasons, some of which may not apply to you but others of which may:

1. Handling: The difference in handling in the two AWD systems was quite apparent even on dry pavement. The Volvo drove like a FWD car, since it was and is a 90/10 front/rear system until needed in snow, ice, etc. Take the two cars through a sharp turn in low gear and the benefit of quattro becomes immediately apparent. The salesman did exactly that during my A6 wagon test drive, urging me to give it more gas through a tight turn. I had never experienced such a sense of control in a sedan -- and in a wagon of all things. Since you're looking at a V40 that doesn't even have AWD available, you must decide whether you consider quattro desireable and where it goes on your list of priorities. Before you make that decision, however, I strongly recommend that you take out an A4 Avant, and see for yourself what a difference quattro can make. Advantage: Audi.

2. Ride: The Volvo was indeed a stiff ride. The Audi had what I still consider to be a fairly remarkable combination of tight control and quiet, smooth ride. Overall the Audi was simply more luxurious -- without loss of spirit. Since this was to be the family car driven mostly by my wife but also by me on weekends when out with the kids, I considered this to be a very winning combination. Advantage: Audi.

3. Quality: The Audi's fit and finish was superior. It looked beter, it felt better -- from the texture of the dash to the operation of the interior controls. And in my case the Volvo dealer stupidly used as a demo a car whose outside mirrors weren't responding to the controls. Advantage: Audi.

4. The Volvo had a lower base price, but by the time one added in all the options (some of which were standard on the Audi), the prices of the two were roughly equal. Tie.

5. Appearance: Let's face it, the Volvo V70 was and is a generic box. Our '97 A6 wagon still looks good, and won hands-down on styling back then. Besides, where I live there are so many Volvos on the road even my wife felt like she'd "see herself coming and going" wherever she went. Advantage: Audi.

6. Warranty/Maintenance: 3 years/50K miles of free scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance? 'Nuff said. Advantage: Audi.

So yes, the Volvo was faster and had a tad more storage space. But those, in the end, were its only real advantages as we saw them. Everything else pointed to the Audi. We've never regretted the decision. And having just purchased an A4 1.8TQMS this past summer for myself, I've given Audi a second vote of customer satisfaction. The V40 got a nice write-up in the latest Car & Driver. But wait until the A4 Avant / V40 comparo. There's no doubt in my mind which will come out on top. Ultimately, however, as others have said, you're really the best judge of which is better for YOU. Have fun!

Rick

All Saab owners seem to think that the pre-GM Saabs are way better than the newer ones in, say, EVERY ASPECT!

on or the shift was in winter mode Niether was the case so either the car was defective or that's the way it is. I was expecting it to be slightly faster than my 1.8 TQMS due to the 1.9 turbo. It reminded me of an old 240 D Mercedes diesel. Slooooow.

according top Automobile mag.

There is no comparison. Open the tailgate of the Volvo and look at the seams. Look at the fit and finish. Now do the same with the Avant. The way the Audi is put together is superb. The Volvo is sorely lacking.

99.5 Avant 2.8 QTipS

How you can't get to the window switch on the door on a V40 (just
sit in a V40 and try it).

V40 only has one-touch down (not up) windows and only on the drivers side.

Try pulling the seatbelt out at a downward angle, the way I always
do in my Avant, it gets caught on the plastic in the b-pillar (try it).

Lots of glare in the windshield from the defroster vent.

V40 does have a killer cup holder, you could put a Super Big Gulp
in that thing (but come to thing of it, it dosn't pop out in a
nice smooth motion like the one in my Avant, it pops out a little
and then you have to pull it out the rest of the way).

No grab handle on the drivers side, besides they are made out of hard
rubber.

The hole in the floor to get to the spare tire.

I noticed all these things on 5 minuete drive at lunch on Monday.

Audi has it hands down in ergonomics over Volvo.

Just my $.02