Which new A4

[gforrow]

I am in the market for a new Audi, so looking for some advice from those that know.


I used to own an A6, 2.0TDi.

My wife currently owns an A3 cabriolet, 1.4 TFSi COD (150)

Looking at swapping out the A3 for an A4, used to own one.

So I work abroad currently so the wife will be driving it, and she doesn’t do many miles, so on that basis, we are looking at a petrol A4.

Now the 1.4 in the A3 is spritely enough, but I have been looking for a 2.0 TFSi for the A4, bigger heavier car etc, but these seem to be as common as rocking horse manure, even for a test drive. I know it comes in stronic only, which isn’t a concern for me, but the wide has never driven an auto, so I feel it is important to test drive one, proving tricky.

So is the 2.0 a sensible suggestion? How good does the 1.4 handle the A4? And if I look for a 1.4, manual or stronic etc. I am guessing for a smaller engine the manual would be better. Only 6,000 miles a year, so as above I don’t believe a diesel will work J

Spec I am looking at:

2.0TFSI Sline Saloon

Scuba Blue

Tech pack, matrix headlights, extended interior lights, hill hold, folding mirrors.


Appreciate some input/guidance before we go to the garage and get fobbed off with an alternative because that’s what they have.

Ta

 

[holly35]

take the 2 litre s tronic, i will never return to manuals again, and dont worry about mpg i have seen very little difference from our last 1.2 A3 manual.

 

[cuke2u]

I would say that the A4 isn't much of a heavier car than the A3 cab as the extra weight the cab needs to make up for it's lack of roof does blunt the performance of the 1.4 somewhat. The A3 Cab weighs 1,380kg's, the A4 1,4 weighs in at around 1395kg's so not a lot in it.. The a4 is also a more slippery body than the A3.

 

[gforrow]

So both of you have the 2.0 TFSi I presume you are happy? No regrets?

I still like the thought of the 190 as opposed to 150 for the 1.4.

Bottom line is whether I can get a test drive in the next few weeks. Local dealer (Milton Keynes) is suggesting they can't find one, even with the Audi HQ 5 minutes away. Surely some must be buying them.

I know the diesel will be the popular one, but with the low miles and current increasing tax on diesel, I'm not sure in 4 years time if owning a diesel is the ideal.

 

[Nickfrog]

I have driven both 1.4 and 2.0 and for the intended use, I actually prefer the 1.4 as cheaper, more economical. The difference in performance was surprisingly small compared to what I expected. The lighter front end helps the 1.4 handle better and give is a slightly sharper turn on, if that's important.

150kg weight difference (with the same box) is significant.

The current lease deals on 1.4 S-Line are pretty spectacular too.

 

[gforrow]

I have driven both 1.4 and 2.0 and for the intended use, I actually prefer the 1.4 as cheaper, more economical. The difference in performance was surprisingly small compared to what I expected. The lighter front end helps the 1.4 handle better and give is a slightly sharper turn on, if that's important.

150kg weight difference (with the same box) is significant.

The current lease deals on 1.4 S-Line are pretty spectacular too.

Thanks. I'm guessing 1.4 would be manual though, surely putting an s-tronic box on this would kill it?? Well certainly dull it even further?

 

[Nickfrog]

I didn't suggest an auto, I just wanted to compare weight like for like.

Not sure it's worse anyway, it has 7 ratios, I would have thought it can find one that works in most real world situations.

Having said that the 1.4 manual is 195kg lighter than the 2.0 auto, which reinforces the point for me.

 

[AlnSaz]

I didn't suggest an auto, I just wanted to compare weight like for like.

Not sure it's worse anyway, it has 7 ratios, I would have thought it can find one that works in most real world situations.

Having said that the 1.4 manual is 195kg lighter than the 2.0 auto, which reinforces the point for me.

There are a number 1.4 owners on here both manual and S-tronic. Give it time and they'll surely offer experience and advice

Mines not yet and I didn't test drive so can't help yet!

 

[cuke2u]

So both of you have the 2.0 TFSi I presume you are happy? No regrets?

I still like the thought of the 190 as opposed to 150 for the 1.4.

Bottom line is whether I can get a test drive in the next few weeks. Local dealer (Milton Keynes) is suggesting they can't find one, even with the Audi HQ 5 minutes away. Surely some must be buying them.

I know the diesel will be the popular one, but with the low miles and current increasing tax on diesel, I'm not sure in 4 years time if owning a diesel is the ideal.

Nope no regrets at all and I am not one for worrying about mpg anyway, but if I wish to I can achieve good results. I would never buy a diesel again as, because I only did short commutes, I was having to take the car for a blast once a month, which sort of defeats the mpg argument.
The 2.0tfsi is a lovely engine and very well suited to the stronic, it is powerful enough for my use, very quiet and extremely refined.
I actually had a 1.4 cod A3 saloon before the A4 and I also liked the engine in that car, but it was a manual. I have tried a A4 2.0l diesel manual and I thought, compared to the A3, the shift wasn't as good and quick and it vibrated.

 

[RaZ A4]

OK so mine is a manual but I cannot recommend the 1.4 enough, refinement and more than enough torque and very smooth and quiet. Also enjoying the warm up coming from a 2.0TDI which use to get only lukewarm on my trip to work, now I am toasty.

 

[malph]

I’m with cuke2u on this one. The 2.0 Tfsi with the Dsg box is brilliant. The engine has more than enough power and pull, and the car is probably the most comfortable and refined I’ve driven in my 48 years behind the wheel. Fuel consumption has exceeded all my expectations......a run down to Gloucester from Huntingdon and back recently returned an average of over 47 mpg at an average speed of over 60 mph, so not hanging about....and I’ve got less than 4K miles on the clock. As you might have guessed, I’m mightily impressed with the car and would wholeheartedly recommend it!

 

[NeilHD]

I'm perfectly happy with the 1.4 s-tronic I've got. I've never once felt like I needed more power, and I'm glad I went for that over the 2.0, which was a good chunk more expensive.

 

[Urban Sports]

I picked up my 2.0 BE edition yesterday, absolutely love it and after coming from some pretty quick cars in the past I'm not at all disappointed, I probably couldn't live with the 1.4 though it just genuinely wouldn't be powerful enough for me but others seem to like it.

 

[wideboybloke]

Another vote here for the 2.0 tfsi. I too had the 1.4 tfsi in an A3 and found it a very capable power unit. I didn’t test drive the 1.4 tfsi A4 as I assumed it wouldn’t be up to the job, so I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the favourable reports on the smaller engine I’ve read on here. I endorse everything cuke2u says about the 2.0 litre though - it is a wonderful combination with the s tronic box and I love driving it. Most of the time I cruise around but when I feel like a bit of excitement the engine doesn’t disappoint.

 

[Palacemads3]

How are you buying your car? Will it be brand new?

If the answer is PCP and brand new I would just look at an S4, the fuel economy isn't that much different to the 2.0 and with the deals available on an S4 it will make it cheaper to buy. That was the situation I was faced with when choosing a few months back.

 

[Nickfrog]

How are you buying your car? Will it be brand new?

If the answer is PCP and brand new I would just look at an S4, the fuel economy isn't that much different to the 2.0 and with the deals available on an S4 it will make it cheaper to buy. That was the situation I was faced with when choosing a few months back.

Yes that sounds like good advice. They must be supporting the S4 massively to make it cheaper than the 2.0 overall.

I considered it for 12 seconds while comparing lease rates but it was double the cost of a 1.4 S-Line. Probably more than double the fun too, although on the open road, not so sure.

 

[Palacemads3]

The s4 comes in cheaper largely owing to the better residual at the end of the term. Add to that the 15% discount you should be able to get and to me it became a no brainier!!

 

[cuke2u]

The S4 will take the cost of the car well over £40,000 though to get the same options and I beg to differ, the fuel consumption and running costs are quite a bit different between the 2.0 and the S4. I bet it will not have a service plan for £9.56 a month either...

 

[Nickfrog]

The s4 comes in cheaper largely owing to the better residual at the end of the term. Add to that the 15% discount you should be able to get and to me it became a no brainier!!

But surely the 2.0 does also attract discount. Are you saying the overall amortised real cost on PCP is lower ? As in the actual total cost over the term in £ (monthly payment + deposit).

 

[Paul Golding]

But surely the 2.0 does also attract discount. Are you saying the overall amortised real cost on PCP is lower ? As in the actual total cost over the term in £ (monthly payment + deposit).

It does. I got 19% discount on PCP and the S4 was a country mile away.

 

[gforrow]

I've not looked at the S4 primarily due to cost for getting the spec I want, and also the running costs. Whilst I don't sit staring at mpg or anything, I like to enjoy my driving, I would be concerned the S4 would cost a fortune.

I will though have a quick look on the configurator and see what gives.

Thanks all for the input

 

[france71]

Those recommending the 2.0tfsi are they talking about the 190bhp version or the 252bhp version?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[cuke2u]

190....

 

[malph]

190

 

[Palacemads3]

When I compared the prices I was comparing to the 252 version. Offers continuously vary so what the best deal is will be different from month to month. Make sure you look around on online brokers such drive the deal, coast2coast etc to get the best price you can.

 

[gforrow]

I'm only looking at the 190.

I am looking and sourcing prices from car-wow, which also includes my local dealer which is handy. More of a bargaining tool than anything but it all helps.

 

[gforrow]

So it seems that despite being 3,500 miles from home in the desert, my wife has visited the garage and ordered a car

She couldn't test drive an A4, but tested an A5 with same engine and gearbox and loved it. She hasn't driven an auto before, but I do all the time, so less worried about it. I am down for a test drive on Friday when I get home

So hopefully sometime in March, we should be taking delivery of an A4 sline, 2.0 TFSi in Scube Blue. Extras are tech pack, matrix headlights, extended leds, hill hold assist (useful on my A6) and folding mirrors.

I believe they more or less matched the car-wow price they themselves provided, and split the negative equity in the current A3. One thing I'm sure about though, is they haven't lost money anyway along the line.

Now starts the long wait.

 

[wideboybloke]

I’m confident you won’t be disappointed when it arrives. Great choice.

 

[cuke2u]

Agree, looking forward to some pictures when the car arrives...

 

[gforrow]

So, build week 5 arrives, the build week for the new A4. Log in to see if the date has changed, and the car is in QC already, so built early.

Have to delay delivery to the 1st March at the earliest anyway.

Checked the spec on the online tool, all seems ok, except hill hold assist is not listed anywhere. Hope it's on there. The first Audi where we have been able to check the progress, getting closer

 

[NickGun]

So, build week 5 arrives, the build week for the new A4. Log in to see if the date has changed, and the car is in QC already, so built early.

Have to delay delivery to the 1st March at the earliest anyway.

Checked the spec on the online tool, all seems ok, except hill hold assist is not listed anywhere. Hope it's on there. The first Audi where we have been able to check the progress, getting closer

Hill hold assist is now standard equipment, which may be why it's not showing as an option, might be worth checking to see if the dealer owes you the £75, maybe ask for a full tank of fuel rather than the usual small amount they supply with?

 

[Jsmills]

That’s right as S4 is just a spec level they are all discounted at the same rate...

For me looking at autos the monthly payment 2.0 (190)added roughly £50 over the 1.4 and S4 added £100 over 2.0.

There are other things that can bring the prices closer depending on spec wanted as memory seats and getting vc are seriously cheaper on the S4 compared to others. Full leather is free etc...

 

[Jsmills]

But surely the 2.0 does also attract discount. Are you saying the overall amortised real cost on PCP is lower ? As in the actual total cost over the term in £ (monthly payment + deposit).

 

[Salba87]

Hill hold assist is now standard equipment, which may be why it's not showing as an option, might be worth checking to see if the dealer owes you the £75, maybe ask for a full tank of fuel rather than the usual small amount they supply with?

Thank you for letting me know this, I ordered my car back in November but I assume if my car was being built on built week 3 and is being collected 1st March I'm well within my right to say?

As for the 1.4 TFSI (150), wonderful engine. Had one in my A3 saloon and test drove the A4 with it in (Auto). There wasn't any noticeable differences.

 

[Theonenonly]

Any of you 1.4 owners had a remap? You can get up to around 190 brake I’ve heard so wonder what the real word feel would be between the 190 native engine?

 

[Rocksteve69]

Any of you 1.4 owners had a remap? You can get up to around 190 brake I’ve heard so wonder what the real word feel would be between the 190 native engine?

I've been wanting to get this done to my 1.4 but to scared as I have mine on businesses lease and don't want to end up making the warranty invalid. I heard they can tell as its recorded with the ECU and when it's in for a service they down the log.

I believe there is a post on the forum were some members have had their 1.4s remapped and hopefully will reply.

 

[cuke2u]

Not with a tuning box, it was never detected on my A3 1.4...

 

[Nickfrog]

I certainly wouldn't remap a leased car, sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[Jsmills]

I’d take the opposite view, I’d be more likely to chip a leased car, no worries about long term damage and as soon as it’s picked up from your house at the end it ends up in an auction. Nobody in that chain would check or even care.

 

[Jsmills]

Obviously remove it for services.