So I recently got a 2004 allroad 2.7T. The car is nice, but the build quality seems to be significantly off when compared to the B5 S4.

I drove several 2004/2005 allroads, so I know all of them felt the same (one that I didn't buy actually felt worse than the others).

My biggest disappointment: all of the switchgear on the allroad feels inferior, from the turn signal stalk to the HVAC control buttons to the radio buttons to the door handles. They feel loose, and don't depress or rebound with the same Teutonic rigidity as on my S4. The clunk of the doors closing is also inferior on the allroad.

I've had the same experience with the B6 platform - stuff just feels inferior. OTOH, I've driven a Mk2 TT, and that car felt OK.

Does anyone else feel the same way about the build quality variation, and what accounts for this?