Help.......A4 vs A4 All Road vs Q5?

[huggis]

Looking to replace my 4 year old A6 Avant very soon. Shortlisted

1. A4 Avant Technik 3.0 TDi with Quattro sports dif and Drive Select / Adjustable Dampers
2. A4 Allroad 2.0 TDi
3. Q5 SE 2.0TDi with Drive Select / Adjustable Dampers

Looking for any opinnions on the ride and handling of these cars as with these specs. Have driven a 3.0TDi Allroad, impressive handling but felt very heavy and not sure wifey would enjoy. Impressed by Q5 but felt a bit unsettled and fidgety on anything but glass smooth tarmac....

Anyone experience of the adjustable dampers or quattro sports dif????

 

[johnnythepie]

How come the big diff between 1 and 2? No contest if you choose the allroad 3.0tdi

 

[huggis]

price; can't afford 3.O TDi Allroad....

Have just been test driving again; going with Q5. Just need to decide on whether to get the Drive Select package....

 

[Scotty]

Huggis - check out the various posts on suspension and you'll find my comments about dynamic shocks.

I won't repeat it all but basically I had an A4 Avant S-line with Sports Suspension for 6 months when my dealer missed off the quattro. When I was re-ordering I added the dynamic dampers.

I have the 19" wheels and Comfort mode makes it very compliant where as Dynamic makes it much stiffer that the Sports Suspension. It's the best of both worlds as long as [1] you're happy to spend the extra and [2] you don't intend to add 3rd party suspension at some point in the future.

p.s. I found my test drive in the 3.0TDI Avant made it feel really heavy. I'm not sure if it is the weight or wether the throttle or engine just needs more revs before it picks up. Once going it's a superb engine but I found it wanting at lower revs i.e. through towns/pulling away etc. It shouldn't be due to the torque etc but that's how I found it.

[edit] Just noticed you're going with the soft roader so I've no idea if the dynamic shocks ride differently. I'd expect so.

 

[huggis]

Hey scoTTy thanks for the feedback. Seems I'm going for a q5 s-line if the numbers work out with dealer tomorrow. With dynamic dampers. Might help stop the wee ones getting car sick!

 

[VRStu]

Not sure if it's too late or if it well help but Crawley Audi were offering 10% off new Q5 this weekend.

Apparently they are in quite short supply as well.

 

[huggis]

Stu- thanks for heads up on that; will give them a shout if my local dealer dosen't come through today

 

[VRStu]

i may have another ace up, my sleeve if you don't get any luck there. PM me if you need to.