I would appreciate the response of A4 owners who have had their vehicles long enough to accumulate at least 20M miles on the odometer to respond to the following question. What is your honest opinion of the build quality of the A4? In the 70's I owned two German autos (BMW & VW). In both cases the cars were entertaining to drive, but neither would live up the build quality standards that the Japanese auto industry has made so common place today. My impression (rightly or wrongly) is that in years past (before the A4 was introduced) Audi automobiles were not the highest quality cars when it came to everyday reliablility and assembly quality.<p>After owning Japanese cars for the last 13 years, I have recently ordered a '99 A4 2.8QMS, in no small part, due to the positive comments of A4 owners on this Forum regarding their pride of ownership and enjoyment in driving their cars. Even at my advanced age (I was taking my noon-time bottle when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor), I still remember with great affection, my time driving my 2.8 liter BMW on the Autobahn in Germany and I wished to again own a finely engineered perfomance car. BUT, I have become very accustomed to owning cars that are mechanically and electically very reliable, that don't rattle, clunk, squeek, or in other ways remind me that they are not screwed together very well.<p>This brings me to my question for "seasoned" A4 owners. Does your experience with your car indicate that I should expect lower build quality in the A4 as the price I must be willing to pay to enjoy the other high quality performance attributes of this automobile. Or, can I reasonably expect the type of long-term build quality to which I have become accustomed to in lesser Japanese brands.<p>The answer to this question is important to my peace of mind. The A4 that I have ordered is by far the most expensive automobile I will have ever purchased and I would feel very foolish and disappointed if I had to constantly be concerned about having to repeatedly travel the 150-mile round trip to my closest Audi dealer to get a never-ending series of mechanical or electrical gremlins corrected.<p>Thanks in advance to those of you kind enough to share your experience and opinions with me.

I have had my A4 since July 97....and now have 26K miles on it. This is also the most expensive car I have purchased. I would have to say that the car definitely exceeds my expectations in terms of build quality. Other than a faulty arm rest cover joint...and a seat the sometimes clicks when I stop fast...I have not had any strange fit and finish problems on this car. I have purchase d a number of new cars in my life (btw, my Dad was in Korea, so I am not young either) and am very impressed with this car. I would say that you will be satisfied with the car. There will always be people that have varying experience with a certain car manufacturer, but I think you are pretty safe with the A4. I have owned the following:<p>84 VW GTI<br>85 Golf GTI<br>89 Jetta GLi 16V<br>84 BMW 318i<br>87 BMW 325iS<br>87 Ford Mustang GT<p>plus a bunch of other cars....<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM (the other Steve S)<br>

I only have 10K miles on my A4, but it feels as tight as the day I got it. I've been underneath the car and looked underneath the dash and in various other places. I'm thoroughly impressed. Build quality is 100 times better than my old Nissan SE-R(fun to drive but a POS).<p>I don't know where you live. I'm near Boston where Audis have always been popular. I see a lot of older Audis and they are all in good shape. Whenever I see an older one in a parking lot, I try to look at the rocker panels and around the wheel wells. I never see any rust so Audi must have a good galvanizing process. I do see older Japanese cars as well as Beemers and they are often rusty. A guy I work with just bought a new A4. His previous car was an '87 Audi Coupe with 275K. He had hardly any problems with it and it looked good.<p>Where the Germans seemed to not be doing well for a long time was electrical systems. Audi's reputation here wasn't great, VW's used to be horrible(have you ever seen the fuses they used in the Rabbit?) and Beemers weren't much better(I worked at a BMW/MB dealer). Mercedes was probably the only good one here.<p>Another thing to consider is what happened to Audi's reputation due to the unintended acceleration thing. It was, of course, total BS. However, it meant that to recover, Audi had to produce great cars and price them very competitively. The A4 is(or at least was) significantly cheaper than the competition so they could get their market share back. To keep the market share, Audi had to make sure the cars were reliable. <p>In any event, I still think the Japanese cars are, statistically, slightly more reliable. I'm sure they're not as durable though.

I will try to speak to this. Like you, I was driving German cars 30 years ago (2002, Scirocco), then went Japanese (CRX, 626, Accord), and have now come back to the fold (96 A4 QM with 37K). <p>I love my A4, but my experience has been decidedly mixed. I've had quite a few problems, frankly. Brakes, power steering pump, oxygen sensor, cruise control, dashboard, and a few more. Luckily, none has been disabling, but they are annoying, particularly in a $30K car. By contrast, my Accord was utterly bulletproof (2 headlights in 5 years), and my other Japanese cars were close behind. In terms of reliability, there is no comparison, to be honest. Whether or not that reflects build quality is something else maybe, or at least something additional. I think my Audi has been engineered better, is more solid, and uses better materials that will last longer. And, of course, the driving experience is superior. But it may require more fixes along the way. On the other hand, maybe all of my problems are out of the way by now. Judging from this forum, I'd say my experience, if not atypical, is at least somewhat below the norm. You may do better. Luckily, the warranty is great, as you know.<p>Finally, it's worth remembering how much better and more reliable all cars are now than 30 years ago, thanks mainly to the Japanese manufacturers' raising the bar. I loved my BMW and VW, but let's just say I got to know my mechanics way too well. And rust, forget about it!

I have a rule of thumb about buying a new car: Wait through at least two production years for the manufacturer to work out the kinks, then buy. Your experience sounds like it might fit in that category (Car & Driver's long-term '96 required a transmission transplant to 36K miles.)<p>I should note that I broke my own rule when I purchased a 1994 Integra GS-R sedan, the first year for its most recent version. But it's Japanese and ran with the reliability of a heart-lung machine.<p>I have only 8,000 miles on my Avant so far (I'll add another 1,000 this weekend) and have no complaints whatsoever. Rock-solid build quality throughout. I had a small noise in my portside B pillar on really bumpy roads, but that has disappeared.

i have 15,ooo. on my car and am happy with it, with just a few gremlin problems to sort through. <br>that's not a problem for me, if i keep having little rattles and fixes then this will be the last audi i buy, and will trade my car at the end of the warrenty period. my jap cars honda subaru ran flawlessly, but audi is more solid and in adifferent legue, so i accept some little problems.<br>i'm sure you will not be dissapointed with your audi it's a great car.<p>wc 2.8qms 98.5

Steve,<p>My '97 A4 has over 30,000 miles on it. It has been trouble free, more reliable than anything I've ever owned, including Japanese, Swedish and American cars.<p>I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.<p>Dan Wyman<br>

i have 15,ooo. on my car and am happy with it, with just a few gremlin problems to sort through. <br>that's not a problem for me, if i keep having little rattles and fixes then this will be the last audi i buy, and will trade my car at the end of the warranty period. my jap cars honda subaru ran flawlessly, but audi is more solid and in a different legue, so i accept some little problems.<br>i'm sure you will not be dissapointed with your audi it's a great car.<p>wc 2.8qms 98.5

I currently drive a 1.8T, logged around 20K, so not a huge number of miles on it, but it's been pretty flawless, though the bad roads here I'm sure have taken their toll. <p>Prior to this Audi, my dad had 2 prevoius ones, a late 70s Audi 100CD, and in another 100CD in 1983. Both ran fine, but at that time, those models had problems with fuel pumps. Once replaced though, they ran for many more years. I learnt how to drive in the 1983 car, and drove it until just a few years ago, when someone rammed me at a 45% angle, pretty much wrecking the chassis. Was repaired, but was never the same again so we sold it last year.<p>Overall, my family are huge Audi fans. B4 anyone accuses us of being blinkered <G> we also have a 1988 Jag (total TOTAL waste of time reliability-wise), a MB E420, a VW Golf GTI VR6 (mine...WOOHOOO), and a Honda Civic EX (my bro's). <p>My Dad just mentioned the other day his desire to add an A6 to the fold :) I'm pushing for the TT but I'll probably wait a few model years before committing to that. <br>So anyway, I think I just wrote a glowing testimonial, if a bit rambling :)<p>Adrian

First, I have had a BMW and it gave me a lot of problems, and my brother's '94 Toyota Camry with 160K miles on it (yes my family drives a lot) didn't have any problems. But when you step back and look at it, is it a fair question to ask about reliability of German cars vs. Jap? No. Why?<p>Look at how you drive your Audi. Then look at how you drive a Camry. Look at how you drive a BMW, and then look at how you drive a Honda. I know when I was behind my BMW, I nailed it every change I could get. The Camry with it's floaty suspension, staying on the road was enough worries for me. If you drove a Honda the way most of us would drive a BMW, it would DIE. Also, German built cars are a lot tighter, so when things break, or show signs of breaking, you notice quickly. Jap cars have a higher level of tolerance... I look at the fit and finish and it's a HUGE difference. Look at the gaps between the doors etc... We would notice if my Audi doors had been off by a little bit. But on a Honda, and especially a Subaru, they do a sloppy job to add tolerance... Just slam the doors and you HEAR the difference. <p>Also, philosophy.. Japs want to build you a box with 4 wheels that gets you from point A to point B every time reliably. Germans build you a car that you accelerate in when you see the sign that shows the twisties coming up.<p>Albert

You will not be dissapointed with your purchase. My A4 is the most expensive car I have ever purchased as well. As a past Audi owner, I can say the quality has improved (I do not believe the quality on my other models was bad either - I have had reliable Audi in the past {84 Coupe, 86 Coupe GT, 88 90 Sedan}). I have about 16,800 miles on the Audi and NOTHING has gone wrong with it. I have been at the dealership for scheduled maintenance only. My dealearship is 100 miles away as well. I think you should not worry about it and enjoy your new purchase.<p>Congrats,<p>Oscar<br>Black 97.5 1.8TQM

One of the things that is apparent upon reading this board and people who own nice cars is the desire to keep the vehicle in perfect condition. I believe some of the reports of problems are caused by this. Say someone has a minor squeek or rattle in thier Honda. The "average" honda driver will maybe notice the noise,but will most likely ignore it. Hey if the motor is still running it must be ok. Lets face it, Honda's and such are "transportation". I am not saying this is bad, I owned two of them, and they are great transportation. I bet you don't see many Honda owners taking the cars in to get the doors re aligned because of wind noise. Am I making my point here? When referring to Honda's I mean any car in that category. Owners of fine German and other auto's pay ALOT of attention to their vehicle....................oh hell, I'm rambling, A4's are reliable, did any one get what I said?

I have just over 20,000miles and have had the car since May 97. It has exceeded build quality for any car I or my family have owned. This includes Late 80's BMW, 90, 93, 96 Honda Accords, and a 96 Prelude, 89 Integra, 95 Volvo 850. I frequently get comments about how new the car feels and this is mainly because, structurally, it hasn't changed since day one.<p>The only nagging thing is a buzz from 3200-3400 rpm out of the right sidewindow defroster vent. A minor buzz at that. (Can't even be heard if window or radio is open or on). <p>You'll be pleasantly surprised I think by the many different ways the A4 will please you.<p>-Micah<br>'97 1.8Tqm, Neuspeed

since all we really know is our own experience.<p>Having said that, my experience is that a Japanese car is almost utterly reliable, and almost utterly boring (don't bother flaming with posts about the NSX or Type R or rally Subarus, they are the exception). German cars are much more interesting to drive and are not quite as meticulously built. There's a big difference between how well a car is designed and how it is built; just look at Chrysler! Audis and BMWs are very well engineered and designed, but not always the best built. As with most things in life, it's the luck of the draw.<p>I've had no problems in 6 mos with my A4. I've had semi-minor and nagging problems with my 1993 BMW E36. Before that, I had semi-minor and nagging problems with a VW Cabriolet and a Porsche 944. It goes with the territory. Don't forget that a 4 year warranty will more than cover any build problems.<p>You have to buy an A4 or a BMW because it appeals to your non-rational, like to drive side. Otherwise, don't bother to spend the extra money over a Toyota, you won't get your money's worth in added enjoyment.

33K on my A4 so far. I have experienced no problems that keep me from buying another Audi or highly recommending one. If I count my parents' cars, too (all domestic, plus a US-made VW), my A4 was by far the most flawless car I have seen at delivery - aside from an armrest upholstery bubble (that should have been caught), every piece, inside and out, was perfectly placed. More importantly, I have had no failures, no unexpected downtime so far - no gremlins here.<p><br>I have had some rattles along the way, but I see them more as the result of VW-Audi responding to the exigencies of manufacturing efficiency (where the German makers were behind and probably still are)than poor quality. For example, my B-pillar rattles, the most vexing of the bunch but now almost completely muted, are really the result of poor design intended to provide good appearance and easy assembly, rather than poor execution. I know you'll enjoy the car, but if this is the stuff that bothers you (it does me), you'll have to be agressive with your service dept. to make the most of each trip.<p>Peter<br>97 1.8tqms

They started selling A4's in Europe in 95, so I don't think this applies in the normal manner.<p>Also, just for the record, my Honda CRX was one of the first out of the factory (late 83), and I had no problems at all.<p>Your point is well taken, though.

As of today, 10/28/98, I have had posession of my 98 A4 2.8QM for exactly one year.<br>It's as tight as can be, and I've had nothing to complain about. More importantly,<br>I love to drive the car. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling every time I get in. When it's cold<br>out and I have the heated seats on, I think, "Can it get any better than this?" <p>In short, I'd do it again in a heart beat. My last car, a 1990 Nissan Maxima, was a<br>nice car too. But it just pales in comparison to the Audi. I'd say go for it. <p>Keith

I used to have a '78 Audi 100 in Europe, back in 1991, with the carburated 1.6L VW engine. Aside from the occasional old part (break pads, muffler and valve gasket) and a scary moment when the throttle body got stuck fully opened (a quick hand trick brought it back), the car was very reliable (the odometer had broken at 160K...). This seems to point that Audis are indeed very DURABLE (not the same as reliable). They age really well. Oh, and there was no rust.<p>My second Audi, a 88 5000S here in the states was less so - bought it at 66K and had to replace the climate control unit and power steering pump at 95K - very expensive and in my opinion unwaranted in a luxury car. Also had many small, annoying breakdowns (wouldn't start, oxigen sensor etc.).<p>Now I'm about to get a 99 A4 1.8TSM and in my mind I hope they have fixed all the annoying problems in the meantime (my heart was sold in the first test drive). If this is not a reliable car, it will definitely be my last Audi ever.<p>I seem to vaguely remember that Audi in some way pioneered galvanizing the body, or at least started offering 10-year rust warranties in Europe in the late 70s or early 80s - which seems to agree with your experience and observations.

While our '96s may have been relatively new design in many ways('95 in Europe) the engine, 12v was older technology.<br>-C.

I've had several Japanese cars (Toyota, Mazda) and previously had an Audi 4000S of 1984 vintage.<p>The Audi was definitely not as reliable as the Japanese cars. The Japanese ones didn't break down. The Audi broke down a couple of times.<p>However I got rid of the trouble-free Mazda at 60K miles and kept the Audi with 100K miles. The 1990 Mazda at 60K miles definitely didn't feel as solid as the 1984 Audi with 100K miles. It never broke down, but it was no fun to drive.<p>So now I am back with an Audi. And I think Audi's are doing better these days with quality/reliablity like everybody else (urhh except Chrysler?).

I've had my 98 2.8 since November '97. I bought it used with about 5,000 miles on it. The original owner (a 70 year old judge) traded it in for an A6. The car will turn 20,000 miles next week.<br>I have had an ongoing relationship with several dealers in the area, the closest over 80 miles from here. I probably make the trip at least once a month. If the part, whatever it might be, isn't in stock, make that twice a month. I've NEVER had a car that has had so many nit**** but extremely annoying problems.<p>1) Smell of gasoline in car for a few minutes only when starting at temperature under 32 degrees (F.). Dealer couldn't duplicate problem since I live in the mountains (3700') and they are in a more temperate climate at 700'. After 3 or 4 round trips and a motel bill, they finally found the problem. Fuel leaking around a defective injector that sealed itself after the engine started warming up.<br>2) Car is on it's 4th instrument cluster due to chime malfunctions. Latest cluster has been in less than 2 weeks and chimes just failed earlier today. <br>3) Loud whine at 48 and 68 mph. AoA factory guy acknowledges problem in transmission, says it's normal, and there's no fix for it.<br>4) Driver's side heated mirror failed and was replaced last week. Now passenger side mirror is not heating.<br>5) Defective spark plug wire causing engine to skip. Dealer didn't have wire in stock, had to order it.<br>6) Cable that connects inside door handle to opening mechanism broke. Driver's door couldn't be opened from the inside for a week while part was ordered.<br>7) Tip has gone into "fail-safe" mode twice. The first time took a slice out of our vacation while dealer in Orlando took 1 1/2 days to reprogram TCU. It happened again last week but seems to have fixed itself.<br>8) Instrument lights, only in the two climate control windows, flash sporadically as if there is some sort of power surge. Climate control head replaced and the lights still flash. I've given up on that one.<br>9) Delta radio. Need I say more? Terrible sound quality and reception, especially here in the mountains. <p>That's all I can think of right now but I'm sure there's more. It wasn't my original intention, but I have decided to sell the car before the warranty expires. <br>Would I buy another one? Probably not, especially if the Japanese come out with a luxury AWD sedan.<br>You said you wanted to avoid a "never-ending series of mechanical or electrical gremlins." That's exactly what I seem to be encountering!

I can relate to your issues. Having owned two Hondas, they are relatively low maintenance.<br>FWIW, one Honda I bought new in '89 did rattle, had tin-like doors, had three defective-parts recalls, broke down on the highway when an igniter blew, and although I was anal about it's maintenance and cleaning it still began rusting. Finally, it was like driving an appliance....boring and not tight.<br>I am very picky and notice every minor flaw in a car. <br>In my 57,500 miles of owning this A4 of mine, it is still as tight and wonderful as day one. I am VERY demanding on it and have attended 10 track events in this car since I bought it. Problems have been occasional, never disabling and although inconvenient, I wouldn't give it up even though I get very frustrated with the dealer. <br>There is just no comparing this car to the Japanese cars.<br>A car is more than a means of transportation to me so I have accepted the fact that if I am to really enjoy my driving experience, then I have to put up with a little more aggravation and cost.<br>-Cathleen '96 A4 2.8qm + modified and keeping it for a very long time ;)<br>

Everyone should own at least one of these cars. After a number of German cars, WV's, Porsche, BMW a Audi 5000S and now a A4, it is by far the best car we have ever owned. I would purchase another in a heartbeat and may due so in leau of a Boxster to replace my 944. These are great fun to drive cars.<p>LouisE

I have almost decided to order the A4 1.8tqm.I will be returning my leased 1996 Infiniti I-30 with 45,000 rough and tough miles.Ihave driven japanese cars since 1992 when I traded my 1988 90 quattro.I will agree japanese cars are just about bullet proof.I have not taken care of the infiniti changing the oil at the dealer only when i needed a free car wash.But they are not a german engineered automobile and do not have the german feel.So take the risk.

I just posted one above. Also, I posted on of the car on the track and one of the rear of the car at the concours. Look in the picture poster, they start under "RA....". <br>The pictures of "us" at the track were hard to see so I didn't scan them. <br>-Cathleen :)

I've had my A4 since June. And I also own a Toyota Celica.<p>I love both cars. But I'm so much more particular about my A4. The smallest thing causes me to get on this site so that I can inquire if others have the same "problem."<p>A simlar problem on my Toyota may be noticed, but I tend to ignore and forget about it.<p>I still think Japanese cars are more reliable, but I'd still rather own an Audi.

Well, the exception proves the rule

My '91 GTI had way more problems than my brother's '86 (the second model year). VW added more and more feature (power steering, AC, new bumbers) that all seemed to create new problems because they weren't engineered into the car in the first place. The power steering belts slipped in the rain b/c they were exposed to the front right wheel. Add to that a lot of other problems in the first 50K miles.<p>The point is that early model years may be better or worse depending on how the car evolves.<p>I want an A4 Avant, but the my horrible VW experience has scared me away from VW/Audi. I love the designs and the drivability, though.

Since I owned 2 VR6 Jettas lately (and am currently waiting for my A4), I think my experiences may be of value.<p>My first Jetta (built in Germany) was flawless during the first 3 years/50K miles. No problems whatsoever. Then I got hit by a guy and my car was totalled (walked out without a scratch). So, trusting the "new" VW image, I purchased a used Jetta VR6. Guess what? Total piece of crap.<p>So what's the morale of the story? I think German cars are definitely not as reliable as Japanese cars; some people are lucky and get a flawless model, others get a bad one.<p>So Alex, now you know why the judge sold you the car :)<br>Better luck next time. Maybe ;)

If a car is going to rust, Boston is the place it would happen. They use large amounts of salt around here to combat the snow and ice storms. In case you're not familiar with them, an ice storm around here coats everything with between 1/4" and 1" of solid ice. They're a lot of fun.

...maybe that's why I haven't had any engine problems (unless you count the oxygen sensor).<p>Saw the pic of your car, BTW. It looks great.<p>

Steve,<br> Just to let you know that you are not alone.Tomorrow I pick up my 2.8Q and return my 1997 Sub.Outback with 100,000miles.This car has been totally trouble-free.I drive approx.60K miles a year so I will quickly develop an opinion of the A4's reliability and will post to this board.Considerable research convinces me that the odds are reasonable that I will be satisfied.We'll see!Good luck

Murray: What factors made you decide to sell the AWD Subaru since it is trouble free? <br>What are you looking for in the A4 that you didn't get with the AWD Subaru? (I assume you got the quattro option, right?)<br>-Cathleen<br> <br>

I got my 1996 A4 2.8Q (12v) in august 1997 used, it had 18,000KM on it (about 9000 miles).<p>Now it has 56,000km on it (about 28,000miles).<p>Now I live near Montreal, it snows here, and we use TONS of salt on the roads. Last January almost all of Quebec was without electrical power. Me (Chateauguay, Quebec) for 7 days.<p>I have to agree with Albert's comments. I drive this car a little bit more agressively than I should. Got my very first speeding ticket with this car. I've been driving for 12 years.<p>So far the dealer has had to replace due to wear:<p>The Largest metal piece on the front suspension passanger side (it was squiking!)<p>front and rear brake pads<p>Sport stering wheel (unbelievable but it got used - so they changed it - I gotta find some leather conditioner!!)<p>the windshield wipers<p>Tie rod end front driver side (next week).<p>BY next summer I'll be desperate for 4 new tires.<p>Due to wear, that's it. Everything was replaced free of charge, the tie rod end will be also. <p>I'm getting used to this AUDI guarantee I'll ask about the tires next year! :)<p>My dealer has been happy to do all the work When I've asked they loan me the 1995 VW golf - always very generous!<p>My only complaint: they never have any parts in stock. No matter what the prob it has to be ordered, at the exception of oil filters of course! :)<br>

Cathleen,<br> In am a CAR NUT!I fell for the A4 the first time I saw one 4 years ago.I decided to wait and see how they proved out before jumping.The Sub.satisfied in all ways except handling.Even at that it was pretty good but certainly not comparable to an A4.And yes it's a quattro.Once you've had AWD it's somewhat depressing to consider returning to 2WD no matter how nice the vehicle.

I've had my A4 for 3 months (3k) and I already have 2 problems. The heating elements on my mirrors stopped working, and lots of squeaking coming from the center armrest. Hopefully this isn't the start of a string of problems. But the driving feel of the A4 is amazing. Not even close to the Japanese cars.

You want to hear from any A4 owner with at least 20K miles. How about only 2K? I have a 98.5 A4 2.8. The quality of materials is high but are assemblied poorly. I didn't see the "3mm gap" that Audi proudly advertises. Wind noise, road noise, engine noise, rattles at windows and back seats. Worst of all: AoA and Audi dealer. They don't care about you after the sale is done. The only BEST thing with my A4 is the traditionally excellent German driving feeling. Other posts compare a low cost Japanese cars with the +30K German car...and it's unfair. Besides, I thought we stopped using the word "Japs" after the WWII. Conclusion, I'm not happy with my A4. Below is the list of the cars I've owned (all bought brand new):<br>79 Honda Accord (120K miles and happy)<br>81 Mercedes 380SLC (99K miles and happy)<br>84 BMW 318i (187K miles and happy)<br>89 Mercedes 560SEC (100K and very happy)<br>98 Audi 2.8 (2K and unhappy)<br>If you can put up with "minor" problems at start and have enough patience with AoA/Audi dealer then please buy the A4.

I think a lot of people here have expressed their view and it seems that the conclusion is that German is not as reliable as Japanese. However, IMO these are random events. For example, I have owned more than 10 cars so far, including 1 Honda, 3 Mazda, 2 BMW, 4 Mercedes, 2 Audi, 1 Volvo and a RR. The A4 so far it is one of the least trouble GERMAN car that I've owned. I say this because I've had various problems with all the Benz and BMW. Not to mentioned the Volvo and the Rolls. But I wasn't totally trouble free with Japanese as well. For example, I had my whole transmission replaced with the Honda Prelude when it is only 2 years old.<br>THe point I'm trying to make is, there is a chance of picking up a lemon with whatever make and model, disregarding its origin. So good luck and I hope you'll enjoy the A4 so much as the majority of most of us here.

Here we go again (sorry old timers),<p>In early 96 I was driving my 95 Audi S6 (which was judged the safest car in the world that year) down a winding road on a stormy night. I woke up out of a coma seven weeks later. My car had been T-boned at highway speeds by a Ford Escort Wagon. That Audi saved my life. I very seriously doubt a Japanese car would have. I doubt a Volvo would have either. Case closed.<p>Rick<br>

Why don't you think the Volvo would have protected you? Saab and Volvo actualy<br>would Lower my insurance from a lowly $14k Chev. Prizm , the Audi doesn't.<br>

I'll never forget one day driving down to Paris from Brussel, in my '85 3 series. I saw a circa '93 3 series on the other side. I estimate speeds in excess of 100 mph by the rubber (tires lay rubber with lateral movement, regardless of ABS!). The BMW took out part of a guard rail, a light pole, and was hit by traffic on the other side (after it crossed the 5 m wide median). The passenger compartment was fully intact. One person on a stretcher, one walking. The person on the stretcher was fully conscious and had movement. The front end was almost completely gone as was the backend. That day, I gained a higher level of respect for German engineering. Brussels to Frankfurt in 4 hours flat - anybody wish to calculate the average the average mph? Too bad about Di, I remember going 100 mph in the tunnels.... they were probably going much faster.

I think most people buy A4 for its driving experience rather than build quality and<br>reliability. My experience with my 1-year old A4 is that it's not as well built as my<br>'89 Toyota Cressida. I had problem with radio and leaking transmission oil.<br>Besides, the service dept of Audi dealers are not up to the standard of other luxury<br>car dealers. It's be nice to have a Japanese car as a second car though.<p>Steve C

......the expense of repairing German cars offsets the reduction in injuries and fatalities for insurance purposes. If you damage the bumper of a BMW, for instance, it's very expensive. But, I'd rather be in a BMW than a Honda in a crash!<p>I barely survived my crash as it was. The quattro, plus the side impact beams, plus the self-tensioning seat belts, plus the air bags all worked together to save me. <p> I don't think Volvos have self-tensioning seat belts (they might), I know they don't have quattro, and I doubt they're build as solidly as an Audi. Plus, both Volvo and the Saab are pretty ugly to me. Driving an Audi is like driving a work of art.<p>Twelve inches was all that separated me from eternity. Just twelve inches. The 95 Audi A6/S6 was ranked above *any* Volvo or Saab, period. I don't know about you guys, but I were to do it over again - I'd take my chances with Audi.<p>The Audi A8/S8 is ranked #1in the world now.......this side of a Hummer that is........ :-)<p>Rick

I bought my A4 because of my 86 5000S.<p>For a car of that vintage it had fewer rattles and such than our then 93 Sable wagon. I figured that if the Audi could hold together and be as solid at 11-12 years of age who was I to argue.<p>Yes I did replace some parts on the car, but it had some miles on it and hey things wear out.<p>The ultimate question one should ask is whether you would buy the same marque again based on ones current expeirence. My answer after 13,000 miles is yes. When the sprit moves me to buy another car another Audi is definately on the shopping list.<p>There is just something about European cars that stirs the senses. <p>-randy<br>

I didn't think repairing a Saab or Volvo were any cheaper to repair?<p>as far as the insurance ratings go , its hard to make any sense of them...<p>I saw where the the '96 A6 did great..but so did the Chevrolet Lumina!?<p>We're all at a much greater risk now with all th SUVs on the road...<br>Once a Lincoln Navigator broadsides an A8, that safety rating won't mean<br>a thing.

I don't want to start another Audi vs Saab/Volvo safety debate. But personally, all of them are all safe cars to drive. At least two Swedish automakers save my family members' life. I totally agree Audi is currently the safest automobile on the market and on the governent crash test (no less than 4 stars). But here are two examples that if there wasn't a Volvo a decade ago (when I was young and no licence yet!!!), I will not be writing this message and a month ago without a Saab, I would probably lose my sister on a head-on crash. Here are two examples that I prove Swedish still makes one of the safest car on the planet:<br>1) Decade ago when my dad was driving me to school in HK. When we reached the expressway off-ramp at about 90km/h on the slow lane ready to cut left to exit into service street, a big cement truck suddently accelerated through the on-ramp into the expressway and cut up side impact into the barrel of the middle of the expressway. 10 years ago, Volvo still didn't invented the SIPS and side airbags and side curtains. Believe it or not, all of us survive by walking out of the car to argue with the truck driver and the car was a totally lost. Vehicle: Dutch-built Volvo 345DL liftback<br>2) A month ago, my sister was driving my parent's 92 Classic Saab 900S travelling 80 km/h on the quiet service street at an evening in order to meet us for midnight buffet. At the intersection, a bloody idiot who drove the Ford Tempo couldn't see her and hit her head-on (that idiot told the police a minivan blocked her sight as an excuse). The car completely wrecked, but my sister suffered from a minor injury because of the deployment of airbag and seatbelt pretensioner system. If both of them were a Mazda or Mitsubishi, the tragic result would happened.<br>Even though Saab and Volvo maybe an ugly or troublesome automobiles, both they should be given credit to their safety research (same apply to Audi, Mercedes, BMW either).<br>After such serious accidents happened, my parents origianlly wanted to purchase a new Acura TL as a replacement vehicle for Saab. We decided to get another safest auto in the world (Audi A4) and have another German car to replace my point A-to-B travel machine to replace the 3 stars crash test rating Toyota RAV4 earler next year when the new A4 Golf arrives.<br>Thanks for having patient for this long rambling of classic example of European automobile safety<br>Tom (who highly respected for Swedish/German engineering)<br>97 A4 1.8TQM

I've had my '96 A4 2.8QM for 57,500 miles. <br>I have a list of minor problems that have been inconvenient for sure, but I also have learned to accept that this is a different animal. The trade off is there but the car is still solid & incredible fun to drive! <br>Yes, parts and labor will be expensive now that I'm out of warranty and it's going to need basic replacement stuff. Still, I know pwople who have Audis with 250K and more. They are built like battleships! They have their gremlins for sure but I don't know many other cars that last so long and are still so very solid! <br>Even with the annoyances I have had with mine, there is no way I plan to trade this car for going back to the safe, reliable Japanese cars. My car IS my hobby and I just can't see me giving up the fun of driving it on the track. I am VERY demanding on it but take very good care of it.<br>So, as long as you are aware of what you are getting in to and don't get bummed about it...just keep up with fixing any problems under warranty and accept that you may experience frustrations with the Audi dealers. I think many of us A4/Audi owners feel this way and we just accept the good with the bad....gee sounds like the average marriage doesn't it?<br>-Cathleen <p>

I've had more problems with this car than my previous Japanese cars. I think you will be going to the dealer to get small things fixed more often than other cars. Overall though the car has been pretty good. Service Dept. has fixed everything without me having to twist their arms. The build quality is excellent. I'm still on the fence as to whether I would buy another. If 5 years from now I've only had to do brakes,clutch,tune-ups,exhaust and normal stuff like that I'll be happy. If, however, I'm replacing dashboards,Air conditioners,fans, and interior hardware I'll be turned off. <p>Bill

My brother, Sreve, just got a Lincoln Navigator. I gave him a VERY hard time about it. But he's also buying a BMW 540i, so he's partially redeemed himself.<p>However, I fear that these big monster SUV will be the end of not just sports cars, but compact sports sedans as well........ :-(<p>Rick<br>

Good points! My mother had a 1988 Honda civic LX<br>4dr and you would hear radles in that car especially around the stereo.Her steering wheel<br>would shake at every stop it was an automatic this may be why but this was a brand new car. It bothered me but not her. My brother now has the<br>car, still the same. One really good think is that car has never needed any major work other than<br>brakes,cv joints,tires,and a muffler. the car has<br>210,000 Km.

argueing which one is safest is a waste....you can't make a bad choice out of the<br>group as far as safety is concerned....but the SUV situation changes the picture<br>for everyone...i was wanting A4 but am now thinking 740i due to its size.

this is what i can't figure out....how the heck do you go frome a 540i into a pig like navigator?<p>you have to work on him here.... show him the error of his ways...don't let up!<br>make him feel so guilty that he gets rid of it...I'll even make you up a pipe bomb<br>for it ! :)