[sameerg001]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

My vote goes to A6 purely because of Quattro. 530d with its RWD can not match the grip and fun of Quattro. Also, A6 feels much more premium than 5 series from inside.

I think that 3 series is the one you should buy if you are looking for beemer fun. I don't find anything exciting about 5 series even though it is BMW.

Don't know much about the new E except that it's an awesome looking car.

Have you TDed all three?

I whole heartily disagree, rwd is much more fun and drama, compared to quattro.

The 530d is such an awesome piece of machinery, it goes bonkers in sports mode.

If its going to be mostly self driven and fun to drive is what you're looking forward to, then get the 5 eyes closed. If a comfortable car which is good to drive is your need, then get the a6.

Also, with bmw you need not worry regarding hassles of maintaining and service cost, all thanks to bsi, even audi have service packages but then they don't cover the parts and replacements other then regular service, do keep this in mind, if you're going to keep the car for long term.

All the best
Sameer

[PlatzdaTurbo]

I dont understand why people are specifying the 530d to be very quick since its not a stand out point here. Both are 3 litre diesels and make no mistake the A6 3.0 TDi is brutally, brutally quick. Infact it was quicker than the BMW up until the most recent facelift of the 5 came along. Even now maybe they are on par (have not checked).

The difference though is Quattro vs RWD. I drive a Quattro Audi and yes though the grip is insane you cannot have fun with it as it doesn't give you the liberties a BMW will in sport +. Also NON-RS Audis generally do not have an active differential which means there will be understeer. Fighting it or trying to negate it is not easy! The advantage is you can exit a corner at truly insane speeds thanks to the Quattro which you perhaps cannot in a BMW.

Comfort-wise i find Audis generally to be lacking in under-thigh support. I believe the leg space in both cars might be more or less the same but the 5 might have a better contoured rear-seat as IIRC it provided better under-thigh support. I did find the 5 to be slightly claustrophobic in the rear though due to those huge front seats but again that was pre-facelift. No such issues in the A6. The A6 also has genuine 4-zone climate control. Not on the 5 IIRC. As far as interiors are concerned its no competition IMO, the A6 interiors seem to be better executed and of an over all better quality.

Both are safe looking cars. Neither would WOW anyone nor would anyone find them ugly IMO. The 5 looks pleasing but i would choose the previous gen-E60 any day over the looks of the current car which has tamed down quite a bit. The A6 has actually improved in looks over the previous gen A6. It has a good face but Audi really needs to do something about the rears of its sedans. My god !......so bland, so so boring !

I personally like the A6 better but i do agree that it would be very difficult to choose between the 2. But as a Quattro Audi owner let me tell you , if you want drama when you pin down the throttle go for the 530d because in the A6 you wont have time to laugh. Before you know it youl be pushed back into your seat and tearing into the horizon. You WILL be grinning though, trust me. Just like that >>
Good Luck !

[#enzowho]

Originally Posted by Sahil

@ #enzowho: the a6 will give you more usable power thanks to the Quattro pinning the power perfectly to the road. The 530d like you said is more drama so the choice is purely on your driving style. A rear wheel drive needs a bit more skill to use the power well.
However the BMW is more hassle free to maintain thanks for the BSI plans. The Audi Audi has air suspension which makes it more comfortable on bad roads especially if you are going to be in the back seat often enough. The Beamer feels more special inside thanks to the suede headlining and sports steering&seats.
I might have only added to your confusion :P but these are points you should consider to make the right choice.

Yes Sir, You did add to my Confusion :P. True , The Audi has more usable power when compared with the beemer and yes the Traction is just brilliant in it. The Air Suspension is a boon but about reliability , I don't have much first hand information.
The Interiors are much better in the Audi than the Beemer and the feel special too.
It's just the Gadgetry and the Driving Feel that is pulling me towards the Beemer.

Originally Posted by surgvij

#enzowho I think the most significant difference between the a6 and the 530d is the RFT and absence of spare tyre / space saver in the Beemer. If u can live with it then the 530d is the better option. My 2 cents.

There's a lot more to it than the RFT's and when your buying a Beemer the point of it having a harsh ride is moot because it's pretty obvious :P

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

My vote goes to A6 purely because of Quattro. 530d with its RWD can not match the grip and fun of Quattro. Also, A6 feels much more premium than 5 series from inside.

I think that 3 series is the one you should buy if you are looking for beemer fun. I don't find anything exciting about 5 series even though it is BMW.

Don't know much about the new E except that it's an awesome looking car.

Have you TDed all three?

Agree, The Audi does look Premium on the inside but all the good things like the Bose, Navigation, Reverse Sensors and The LED's come at a Premium too
But then it's worth it.
I don't wanna spend a lot on the Audi cause I change cars frequently say 1 - 1.2 years.

Yes , I did TD all the Three was impressed by the Audi and The BMW but the Mercedes.
The Mercedes People were trying to Push off the E with Discounts going upto 5 lakhs

Originally Posted by drmohitg

What were your reasons to rule out the E class?

Sir, E looks good but then it is low on power when compared with the other two, the audio system is below average and the cabin noise is on the higher side but it did provide a comfortable ride.
It lacked the Reversing Camera too which I feel is necessary for a car of that size.

Originally Posted by sameerg001

I whole heartily disagree, rwd is much more fun and drama, compared to quattro.

The 530d is such an awesome piece of machinery, it goes bonkers in sports mode.

If its going to be mostly self driven and fun to drive is what you're looking forward to, then get the 5 eyes closed. If a comfortable car which is good to drive is your need, then get the a6.

Also, with bmw you need not worry regarding hassles of maintaining and service cost, all thanks to bsi, even audi have service packages but then they don't cover the parts and replacements other then regular service, do keep this in mind, if you're going to keep the car for long term.

All the best
Sameer

Yes, It's going to self driven completely (I don't let anyone else drive my car).Yes it's just the driving pleasure and the looks I'm looking for with good Service Support which is better with the BMW with BSI, even the Audi has something like that just that it's expensive than the BSI.

Originally Posted by PlatzdaTurbo

I dont understand why people are specifying the 530d to be very quick since its not a stand out point here. Both are 3 litre diesels and make no mistake the A6 3.0 TDi is brutally, brutally quick. Infact it was quicker than the BMW up until the most recent facelift of the 5 came along. Even now maybe they are on par (have not checked).

The difference though is Quattro vs RWD. I drive a Quattro Audi and yes though the grip is insane you cannot have fun with it as it doesn't give you the liberties a BMW will in sport +. Also NON-RS Audis generally do not have an active differential which means there will be understeer. Fighting it or trying to negate it is not easy! The advantage is you can exit a corner at truly insane speeds thanks to the Quattro which you perhaps cannot in a BMW.

Comfort-wise i find Audis generally to be lacking in under-thigh support. I believe the leg space in both cars might be more or less the same but the 5 might have a better contoured rear-seat as IIRC it provided better under-thigh support. I did find the 5 to be slightly claustrophobic in the rear though due to those huge front seats but again that was pre-facelift. No such issues in the A6. The A6 also has genuine 4-zone climate control. Not on the 5 IIRC. As far as interiors are concerned its no competition IMO, the A6 interiors seem to be better executed and of an over all better quality.

Both are safe looking cars. Neither would WOW anyone nor would anyone find them ugly IMO. The 5 looks pleasing but i would choose the previous gen-E60 any day over the looks of the current car which has tamed down quite a bit. The A6 has actually improved in looks over the previous gen A6. It has a good face but Audi really needs to do something about the rears of its sedans. My god !......so bland, so so boring !

I personally like the A6 better but i do agree that it would be very difficult to choose between the 2. But as a Quattro Audi owner let me tell you , if you want drama when you pin down the throttle go for the 530d because in the A6 you wont have time to laugh. Before you know it youl be pushed back into your seat and tearing into the horizon. You WILL be grinning though, trust me. Just like that >>
Good Luck !

Sir, The BMW infact is quicker than the A6, don't know about the previous generations though. But 0-100 timings hold important only if the cars are meant for track use or such.

Yes, I did feel that the Audi had more grip than the BMW but what I felt about them was that the BMW was a lot more fun to Drive with the lesser traction due to lack of an all wheel drive when floored and the rear wheel drive was fun to drive then the A6.
I'm used to driving my dads Q7 so didn't feel any difference in Handling and the Traction the Quattro System offers.

Comfort wise The Audi has better back seats and also legroom but the BMW has much better Front Seats with adjustable thigh support because of the Sports Seats but the Rear of the BMW is strictly for two and is lesser on the legroom and yes, it does feel claustrophobic.
With the Interiors the Audi wins it there cause they are very good at making interiors in fact the Plastic Dash in the BMW does feel cheap for a car of such Caliber.

I Feel both Cars look good in their own way so can't really judge.

Yes, Now it is very hard to Choose . I'll finalize what to buy by next week but the thing with BMW is, it is not available with Black Interiors which is the only color I want.
I even looked at Jag, RR Evoque and Volvo.

P.S I'm a big fan of Audi's.

[316kmph]

No confusion here.

What's that u want?

1. Nice interiors, feel good about yourself, easy driving, ride quality - then buy the Audi A6

2. Usable power, 0-100, fastest to the 1/4 mile, fastest around the nurburgring, all such irrelevant things...data a BMW user seldom bothers about
- then buy the A6

3. A big smile plastered on your face while driving -...a thing Audi fans never valued or experienced or willing to overlook - stop reading this and call ur BMW DEALER.

My experience RFT...I have had 4 beemers in 6 years over 60000 km, had 2 punctures, fixed by a popular tyre dealer in Chennai (Lal) for a couple of 1000 bucks. No serious issues.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by 316kmph

My experience RFT...I have had 4 beemers in 6 years over 60000 km, had 2 punctures, fixed by a popular tyre dealer in Chennai (Lal) for a couple of 1000 bucks. No serious issues.

Couple of thousands for a puncture repair?
In Delhi you can get it repaired for as less as Rs 50. And thats for the BMW 3 series with RFTs.

[surgvij]

When I was car shopping two years back the RFT's were one of the main reasons for ignoring the Beemer and buying the A6. When I suffered a couple of punctures in the middle of nowhere on the highways I was glad I bought the Audi. I live in a small town by the way and the nearest dealer for any vehicle is about 60 km away.

[vkiran_2000]

Got A6 aftr a lot of study and agonizing over what will be a good fit for me. Its been nearly 2 months and 2000kms later, I'm loving it....

[apurva512]

Hi, you mentioned that you only want 6 cylinder engine options. Did you test drive the e350cdi? the e250 cdi is a 4 cylinder 2.2ltr engine, and will definitely not give you the same driving feel as the audi and beemer 3 litre engines. That said, you said you looked at the Jags, with the new price correction due to local assembly, it should become a lot more viable(the local assembly might only be the 2ltr variant, but it should still help you get a better discount on the bigger brother). I would advise you to seriously consider it as it will have the added benefit of novelty factor. The XF is a beautifully engineered car, and if the budget permits, should definitely be a better option for you than either the Audi or Beemer. That said, out of all the cars you have listed etc, I would hands down go for the evoque if I could afford it. Do keep us updated on what you chose and your final reasons, as well as a Ownership report once you get it. Regardless of which of these cars you select, you are guaranteed a fun drive.

Cheers,
Apurva

Originally Posted by #enzowho

Hello,

I'm in a Dilemma to choose between the A6 3.0 TDI or Merc E250 CDI or BMW 530d.
I'm only interested in the Six Cylinder Models and after Test drives of all the three, The Merc was ruled out due to various reasons. So, I'm Stuck between the Audi and the BMW.
So please give me your inputs to choose between the two cause I love the Audi for the Design, Comfort and Build Quality while the Beemer for the Drive, Power Delivery.

Regards,
PS

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by apurva512

Hi, you mentioned that you only want 6 cylinder engine options. Did you test drive the e350cdi? the e250 cdi is a 4 cylinder 2.2ltr engine, and will definitely not give you the same driving feel as the audi and beemer 3 litre engines. That said, you said you looked at the Jags, with the new price correction due to local assembly, it should become a lot more viable(the local assembly might only be the 2ltr variant, but it should still help you get a better discount on the bigger brother). .

The E350 CDI is currently not on sale in the new avatar although it might come back later this new.

The 6 cyl XF's come fully imported. Only the four pots come locally assembled.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by ajmat

The E350 CDI is currently not on sale in the new avatar although it might come back later this new.

I too did read earlier that the facelift E-class does not have an E350Cdi version for India. However I was suprised to see one last week in Bombay, it was brand new and had a 350 Cdi badge. It could be rebadge but I doubt it.

[#enzowho]

Originally Posted by apurva512

Hi, you mentioned that you only want 6 cylinder engine options. Did you test drive the e350cdi? the e250 cdi is a 4 cylinder 2.2ltr engine, and will definitely not give you the same driving feel as the audi and beemer 3 litre engines. That said, you said you looked at the Jags, with the new price correction due to local assembly, it should become a lot more viable(the local assembly might only be the 2ltr variant, but it should still help you get a better discount on the bigger brother). I would advise you to seriously consider it as it will have the added benefit of novelty factor. The XF is a beautifully engineered car, and if the budget permits, should definitely be a better option for you than either the Audi or Beemer. That said, out of all the cars you have listed etc, I would hands down go for the evoque if I could afford it. Do keep us updated on what you chose and your final reasons, as well as a Ownership report once you get it. Regardless of which of these cars you select, you are guaranteed a fun drive.

Cheers,
Apurva

There's no E350 CDI as pointed by the others. Yes, the Jag was considered but the car was not as responsive as the other BMW or the Audi and the equipment and the Interiors didn't feel special with very limited legroom in the back.
Ah, the Evoque beautiful machine, but SUV's are not for my liking.

Regards
PS

Originally Posted by Sahil

I too did read earlier that the facelift E-class does not have an E350Cdi version for India. However I was suprised to see one last week in Bombay, it was brand new and had a 350 Cdi badge. It could be rebadge but I doubt it.

Yes, The 350 CDI is not available but the dealership people were suggesting that it would be launched pretty soon.

Regards
PS

[PPS]

Shootout by Motorbeam between the big 4 !

http://www.motorbeam.com/cars/merced...ootout-review/

[madhav14]

The report says BMW 520d has bounciness in high speeds and also a stiffer ride. How is that possible? It should have either one of them right?

Also, I guess it comes with adaptive dampers, in which case the firmness can be adjusted for high speeds.

Is it their report that missed out something or am I the one who is missing something here?