BMW or Audi

motorguy

TradePro wrote: »

People rarely put reliabity high up on their list of priorities, and I'll never understand that, even if I live to be 100.

These same people though can always be found on forums, complaining that they should get their money back, that the garage ripped them off, that they have had no car for 4 weeks etc etc.

I'll say it again as I have in other threads, they should be buying reliable (Japanese or perhaps Korean cars), living with the slightly lesser image, but having a much more pleasant and cost-effective ownership experience.

I don't understand why perceived image is always the number 1 priority - however 'flash' you think your car is, there is always a better one in the car park...

So instead of buying the car you want, be a boring fart?

I like BMW's because they're a good car. Well, the models i like are.

Lifes too short to want, say, an X5, but buy a Skoda Fabia or Toyota Yaris because its the sensible choice.

neilmcl

in_the_Cotswolds wrote: »

Audi every time. I've owned 3 Audis will never have a BMW even if it's the last car on earth.

Have you ever owned a BMW?

motorguy

neilmcl wrote: »

Have you ever owned a BMW?

Evidently not

gord115

forgotmyname wrote: »

Why a BMW or Audi?

If its build quality and reliability you want you need a Skoda.

I owned 3 Skodas before my Audi.

Your're right about the reliability,they are fantastic,
but the Audi is light years ahead on build quality.

steve-L

Both Audi and BMW make some fantastic cars....
As many have already said, on the offchance it snows stick winter tyres on.

If you (not the OP) don't get it, that's fine.

My brother has owned quite a few supercars from TVR's to AMG SLK's just as my point of reference.

I've driven quite a few Audi's (friends and family), but non of the top end ones. They are nice and the trim is nicer than a 3 series (like for like).

I've driven a few BMW's, including M's.
I've had my share of hot hatches and even a heavily modified (added Turbo) hot hatch.
I currently own a 3 series (56plate 330D, SE trim).
I also own a Honda Accord TDCI Exec.

So far no difference in reliability ... obviously the BMW can eat tyres faster than the Honda as it has double the BHP.

All cars need tyres, brakes and at some point a clutch... you also need to put in petrol/diesel, washer fluid and have other fluids changed. This applies to either petrol or diesel, BMW, Audi or Skoda or Honda.

All makes can produce a lemon.
My brother had a Jag that had a rattle... nothing Jag could do to fix it. They eventually just gave him another.

Despite having driven a whole load of cars in 20+ years my 330D is by far the best car in terms of me loving it.

I considered a A4 at the time... and on my pricepoint and chosen spec the Audi won on trim, the BMW won easily on engine (the 3.0D was years ahead of VAG's 3L Dat the time). (M57TU2D30)

I wanted either with leather.

In the end I bought the bimmer for the engine and drive experience.
I spent £600 to upgrade the non-sports cloth to M-sport leather.

The trim is still not s-line but its IMHO made up for by the engine and driving experience. The OP's should try, rest assured both are fine cars to drive. The trim is solid... its just not so detailed as an Audi S-line.

The drive is from my tests nicer....
Even without a top gear extended slide ... you can really feel the difference in RWD (an Audi owning friend tried and is looking at a bimmer next)

The OP needs to decide what they want...
For me the engine was the deciding factor. Both make fine performance engines... but the OP needs to decide on their engine...

I knew my criteria .... and that drove me to a very specific version of BMW's 3.0D block.... I would not have bought an early 05 because I specifically wanted the M57TU2D30 ... as I couldn't go into the price bracket for the N57D30O0 that would have meant a 2008 car.

If the OP wants to do the research the answer may become clear.....as it did for me. I had a budget, I wanted good MPG ruling out a M series.... and the 330D with M57TU2D30 fits that bill for me.

motorguy

TradePro wrote: »

People rarely put reliabity high up on their list of priorities, and I'll never understand that, even if I live to be 100.

These same people though can always be found on forums, complaining that they should get their money back, that the garage ripped them off, that they have had no car for 4 weeks etc etc.

I'll say it again as I have in other threads, they should be buying reliable (Japanese or perhaps Korean cars), living with the slightly lesser image, but having a much more pleasant and cost-effective ownership experience.

I don't understand why perceived image is always the number 1 priority - however 'flash' you think your car is, there is always a better one in the car park...

Sorry but this is nonsense.

You're saying that everyone who asks about buying a premium german car always ends of coming on here complaining and looking their money back and they really should have bought some bland japbox instead??

Nonsense.

motorguy

TradePro wrote: »

I don't understand why perceived image is always the number 1 priority - however 'flash' you think your car is, there is always a better one in the car park...

Could it not maybe be that people have a mind of their own and actually LIKE the cars they buy as opposed to buying them because it might impress someone else???

For someone who professes 25 years in the motor trade, it stuns me how banal your whole post there is, to the point of it being ridiculous.

My wife has a really good job. She works hard, has maybe 500 people working for her, and gets well paid. She also enjoys a nice car. Her latest in a long string of fast / sports cars she has bought new is a brand new BMW z4 in black with black leather, 19 inch alloys and pretty much all the toys. Like her previous z4 3.0Si Coupe, it has never been back to the dealership for anything other than routine servicing.

BUT according to you, she should actually have maybe went out and got herself a nice little Yaris or maybe a Hyundai i10 instead? Or she could push the boat out and buy a nice 'safe' Avensis?

I'll pass your pearls of wisdom on.

TradePro

motorguy wrote: »

Could it not maybe be that people have a mind of their own and actually LIKE the cars they buy as opposed to buying them because it might impress someone else???

For someone who professes 25 years in the motor trade, it stuns me how banal your whole post there is, to the point of it being ridiculous.

My wife has a really good job. She works hard, has maybe 500 people working for her, and gets well paid. She also enjoys a nice car. Her latest in a long string of fast / sports cars she has bought new is a brand new BMW z4 in black with black leather, 19 inch alloys and pretty much all the toys. Like her previous z4 3.0Si Coupe, it has never been back to the dealership for anything other than routine servicing.

BUT according to you, she should actually have maybe went out and got herself a nice little Yaris or maybe a Hyundai i10 instead? Or she could push the boat out and buy a nice 'safe' Avensis?

I'll pass your pearls of wisdom on.

Unfortunately Paul, the vast majority of people buying their cars do hope to impress others, and I was trying to say how futile the idea is.

I can assure you that I do have 25 years experience, and it is varied experience in that I have been a 'parts junior' through to an Aftersales Manager, and a Sales Exec through to a Sales Manager. I have worked with the Nissan, Fiat, VW (and to some degree Audi alongside), Mazda, Jaguar, Volvo and most recently, Kia brands (you'll probably scoff at this, but it's Europe's fastest growing car brand and a fabulous product to work with). I have also owned a leasing business where we dealt with everything from 'Fiat to Ferrari'. Whether you like what I am about to say or not, you truly haven't met anyone with knowledge to compete with mine, sincere apologies that I have had to sound so arrogant.

You have attempted to impress with details or how wealthy and 'great at choosing cars' your wife is (and I am not disrespecting her in any way) but the Z4 at £299 per month isn't that impressive (I know people spending that much on a Focus), but be honest, she has chosen that car EXACTLY for image reasons (p.s. you didn't need to tell us that it had leather and 19" wheels, unless of course you were hoping to impress?).

When I worked at the Mazda dealer, we had a line up of used MX-5's (around 9 or 10 at a time) and one Z3 in stock for a little while (it was prior to the Z4 being launched) that was almost double the price of the MX-5's - everytime it rained, guess which one was like a paddling pool??!!

Here is a current thread about how good Audi's are;

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3974841

Here is a report confirming that your belief in BMW's and Audi's is utterly wrong;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/62383/german-cars-among-worst-engine-failures

And here is the fabulous Z4 sitting at number 57 in the charts;

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-power-survey-2012/the-results/263078

Of course I wouldn't expect your wife to choose an I10 (although it would probably prove to be the best car she had owned, in some respects), but how about a Lexus of some kind, a Nissan 370Z, or something like that.

I don't want to argue and go around in circles Paul, but if you want me to keep on firing these links to dismantle your argument, there are literally millions of similar ones I can post.

TradePro

motorguy wrote: »

Sorry but this is nonsense.

You're saying that everyone who asks about buying a premium(?) german car always ends of coming on here complaining and looking their money back and they really should have bought some bland japbox instead??

Nonsense.

Not neccesarily here, I meant forums generally.

Define 'bland'

If any of these weren't from a 'premium German brand', you wouldn't be able to give them away;





And the utterly ridiculous;

TradePro

One final example, and then I'll move on;

Renault Koleos, launched in UK in 2008. Decent and capable car under the skin (essentially a re-bodied Nissan X-Trail), didn't sell due to being 'ugly', and withdrawn from UK market;



Audi Q3, launched 2010 - still subject to a 'waiting list';