Drove an A4 Avant Diesel today - dissapointed!

RobinA3

RobinA3

Well-Known Member
Gold Supporter
Joined
Aug 11, 2005
Messages
2,022
Reaction score
129
Points
63
Location
Cheshire
I took an A4 Avant 140Tdi out today at work as they have them as the 'Poole' cars which we take out if we need to go to suppliers etc.

This is the first A4 i have driven, it was a 140TDi Avant Diesel and i thought it was horrid!!!

The interior was not bad but lacked alot of features that the S-Line A3's have, one thing i was suprised it didn't have was the trip computer, i am guessing its an optional extra yeah?

Even when warm the engine rattled loads and was VERY loud! I am sure the A3 diesel wasn't this bad when i test drove one.

I could feel the engine rattling through the pedals and when i was waiting to come out of junction i rev'd the engine and i could feel the engine rocking the car!!!!

I am soooooo glad i didn't go for the diesel engine in the A3.

Quite dissapointed with the A4 even though it costs loads more than the A3!
 
I had an A4 TDI Audi gave me for a month while they were sourcing me an A3. I hate big cars but I must say it was quiet. Dead quiet. When I got the A3 I thought it was loud, the breaks were *****, and the doors didn't shut with the reassuring thunk that the A4 had.
Still i'd have the A3 over the A4 anyday!
 
Might it be that its a poole car and so everyone thrashes the tits off it i know i do with our 2
 
sat1983 said:
and the doors didn't shut with the reassuring thunk that the A4 had.
Click to expand...

yeah i noticed that, the A3's door 'clunk' sounds poo!

more like a clang than a clunk
 
never driven an A4 diesel but i'd heard a few comments that the 2.0 TDI engine is better in this than the A3 for various suggested reasons such as bigger car extra sound deadening etc - apparently its quieter than in an A3 and i've definately noticed that as someone else has said the doors shut less satisfactorily on the A3s than they do on all other audis which is strange - my folks SEAT Altea has a better door thud than my A3!!!
 
I have to say, i drove the 3.0 TDI A4 when I was looking at options this time around, and was also pretty dissapointed!! All the reviews i'd read said the 3.0 was the pick of the engines!
 
RobinA3 said:
...The interior was not bad but lacked alot of features that the S-Line A3's have, one thing i was suprised it didn't have was the trip computer, i am guessing its an optional extra yeah? ...
Click to expand...
I must say you might not give the A4 fair justice. If the A4 you have driven doesn't even have trip computer, I would imagine it was quite poorly spec? It wouldn't stand a chance in comparison with the S-line A3 then?

When it comes to engine noise, the A4 is actually better in interior sound proofing than the A3, but like A3simon said, since it is a poole car it's hard to compare with your own, well taken care of, A3? :think:
 
mcmasman said:
I must say you might not give the A4 fair justice. If the A4 you have driven doesn't even have trip computer, I would imagine it was quite poorly spec? It wouldn't stand a chance in comparison with the S-line A3 then?
Click to expand...

thing is that made me wonder was the fact that the A4 was a Sline so i was thinking it would have had the same spec as the SLine A3.
 
The 140 diesel is pretty noisy, the 170 is far more refined.

As for the engine rocking the car when you revved it, that's because it's mounted longitudinally in the A4 whilst it's transverse in the A3. The orientation may also make it a bit louder in the A4 and/or affect the physical vibration.
 
Will give the 170 a go. I've heard so much conflicting info on it... Faster, no better than the 140, noisy, quieter...!
 
RobinA3 said:
thing is that made me wonder was the fact that the A4 was a Sline so i was thinking it would have had the same spec as the SLine A3.
Click to expand...
Oh I see. It wasn't clear from before if the A4 was a s-line. The trip computer comes standard on some base model, we have this terminology for base models here in Norway:
Edition, Attraction, Ambition, Ambiente (Ambition with sport chasis and lowered suspension), I don't know how they match with the UK's model: Standard, SE, Sport, S-line, Special Edition?? I would think that may be Sport and s-line based model will have trip computer as standard.
 
I am told that the A4 doors have a moor satisfying clunk because they have a double seal where the A3 doors do not.

Never looked myself.
 
I looked round an A4 Avant a few months ago when my wife and I were worried about space in our Sportback (just before our son was born). Never drove it but the A4 did seem a slight step up in quality, especially when the door was shut as already mentioned.

I'd guess the poster's experience was due to using a pool car which probably hasn't had an easy life.

Oh and it's spelt "disappointed", not "dissapointed". Might post that in the Rants & Raves forum!
 
I had an A4 S-line 170TDI Avant as a loaner from Audi and I have to say I was impressed by it. It looked really smart in silver with darkened rear windows and silver roof bars. The S-line kit looked really good in that colour too and the rear exhaust had two huge pipes, one each side. The 170TDI engine had loads of power and although not as quick as our A3 it didnt hang about at all. The interior didnt feel any better than the A3 and I didnt notice any feeling of better build quality either. The suspension setup wasnt as harsh as the A3S-line and it was really nice to drive. The best bit was with me driving it to work it was averaging about 38mpg compared to 23mpg out of our A3(I drive fairly hard and its not that far to my work).

I now know what my next car will be when the wife gets car allowance:)(Maybe even the 2.7TDI)
 
Ive got an A4 now and have had 2 A3's. A4 is much quieter in every respect, A4 rides softer but A3 handles better. Quality seems on par in both. You get a liitle more kit on a standard A3 S-line than in an A4 S- line.

I too think the pool car must be a bit of a dog, which car is best ?


Depends what you need it for, I needed the extra space so traded for an A4, I still prefer the A3 but only because I prefer the look of 3 door cars.


Try another before you make your judgement, mines fast, quiet/refined and very well put together as I'm sure most other A4 owners will agree :)
 
Funny, some people here criticise the harsh suspension of the S-Lines, I must say that my S3 has a rigid setup but I don't find it unconfortable, even in poor roads... Maybe the roads I call bad aren't as bad as those there or I'm still young not to be bothered by these suspension setup... :)

Pedro
 
Rocking is because the engine is mounted longitudinally not transverse. BMW's, Merc, Rolls Royce... they all do that!

I've had an A4 TDI and an A3 TDI. The A4 was much more refined. The A3 was much more responsive. You're comparing two totally different cars.
 
Well I brought a brand new A3 TDI s-line last year and kept it 6 months before trading it in for the A4 TDI s-line.

Which would I have...?

The A4 ( only because it suits my needs better )

I did 16K in the A3 and so far done 22K in the A4 so gave them both a good test.

The A3 was much louder from the engine and road noise.
The A3 felt like a younger persons car and felt like a better built golf.
The A4 feels more like my older BMW, this might be because of the bigger car feel and so feels like the 3 series.

You could feel the engine jugger on the pedals in the A3 and A4, but must say the A4 shakes alittle more than the A3.

The A3 felt lighter than the A4.

When I brought the A4 I was thinking it was just a A3 with a bigger boot, its totally different.
 
beerglass said:
Well I brought a brand new A3 TDI s-line last year and kept it 6 months before trading it in for the A4 TDI s-line.

Which would I have...?

The A4 ( only because it suits my needs better )

I did 16K in the A3 and so far done 22K in the A4 so gave them both a good test.

The A3 was much louder from the engine and road noise.
The A3 felt like a younger persons car and felt like a better built golf.
The A4 feels more like my older BMW, this might be because of the bigger car feel and so feels like the 3 series.

You could feel the engine jugger on the pedals in the A3 and A4, but must say the A4 shakes alittle more than the A3.

The A3 felt lighter than the A4.

When I brought the A4 I was thinking it was just a A3 with a bigger boot, its totally different.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I did 40k in my A4 TDI and 20k in my A3 SB.

A4 more refined, feels better built.

A3 more "fun", less mature.

A4 quieter.

A3 more involving.

A4 more comfortable.

A3 more practical (SportBack versus saloon anyway!).

A4 dull to look at

A3 Sporty to look at (in SB "Sport" guise anyway)

A4 better engineer'd (e.g. synchromesh on reverse even on 1.9 TDi models)
 
Plank said:
Agreed.

I did 40k in my A4 TDI and 20k in my A3 SB.

A4 more refined, feels better built.

A3 more "fun", less mature.

A4 quieter.

A3 more involving.

A4 more comfortable.

A3 more practical (SportBack versus saloon anyway!).

A4 dull to look at

A3 Sporty to look at (in SB "Sport" guise anyway)

A4 better engineer'd (e.g. synchromesh on reverse even on 1.9 TDi models)
Click to expand...


I wouldnt say the A3 sportback was more practical.
I have the A4 saloon with the drop down seats in the back and has loads of room like the A3 SB when seats are down.
But the entry into the boot is limited compared to the A3
 
beerglass said:
I wouldnt say the A3 sportback was more practical.
......But the entry into the boot is limited compared to the A3
Click to expand...

Erm... doesn't that make it less practical then? :scared2:

Try transporting a fridge in an A4 saloon.

Or a large TV.

Or a bird cage.

Also, the folding seats are (unbelievably!) an optional extra in the A4, but are standard in the A3.
 
RobinA3 said:
Even when warm the engine rattled loads and was VERY loud! I am sure the A3 diesel wasn't this bad when i test drove one.

I could feel the engine rattling through the pedals and when i was waiting to come out of junction i rev'd the engine and i could feel the engine rocking the car!!!!
Click to expand...

:confused: :confused:

have had both the A4 avant tdi and a petrol 8P A3 as courtesy cars and the first thing i noticed about the A3 was how unrefined it was. The A4 on the other hand was very smooth and refined only on start up would you know it was a diesel..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

musicegbdf
test drove an A1 today
Replies
40
Views
3K
PilotAudi
PilotAudi
F
Drove an 09 plate A3 cab today
Replies
6
Views
1K
D3mon
D3mon
DaveS3Turbo
TEST drove the 2.0TQ Today....
Replies
7
Views
1K
dm1
D
A
Test Drove a new A-class today.
Replies
3
Views
938
veeeight
veeeight
Sheikh
Drove a Black Edition S-Tronic today!
Replies
36
Views
2K
Chris93
Chris93
Top
Back