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Old 15th October 2009, 08:31   #1
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Audi A4 3.0 TDI - any competitor? EDIT : Booked A4. Further EDIT : Got BMW 540i V8!

Guys,

I have pretty much decided to get an Audi A4 3.0 TDI after months of research. I dont think anything comes close in the same price range. The BMW 530d is way more expensive and the 3 series doesn't have the 330. Any thoughts on other cars which I should check out before deciding? The 3.0TDI comes to 38 lacs ex-showroom and approx 45 lacs on road (without WCI package) and 51 lacs with the package. It's steep... but what an engine for the A4.

Thanks
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Old 15th October 2009, 09:38   #2
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I'm glad you brought this up. A4 3.0 TDI is a unique proposition - excellent performance at somewhat expensive price. When I had inquired the dealer I was informed that A4 3.0 TDI is in extremely low demand and hence it is procured on an order only basis. (Gives you a hint on resale)

At the end of the day you have to decide what exactly you are looking into your car. The pros and cons that I can think of

Pros
- Compact size hence everyday use possible
- Good performance with diesel economy
- Audi build quality
- Good ride and decent handling

Cons
- Bit expensive for what you get
- Compact size so no good for rear benchers on long drives
- It's fast but remember it's no sports car
- You have to do a lot of explaining to everyone who would ask
why this - why not a practical 2.0 TDI
- resale value

If there are 2-3 lakhs discounts available on this car then it makes for a
good buy.
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Old 15th October 2009, 09:56   #3
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Isnt the 520d almost as quick as the a4 3.0tdi ? Plus i am sure you will get a better resale value with the bimmer. a4 is a heart decision while the 520d is a brain decision IMO. Plus where are you going to use all that power ?

Last edited by cooldude1988765 : 15th October 2009 at 10:01.
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Old 15th October 2009, 11:30   #4
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Sobo the others cars you could look at in the 50 lakhs bracket would be the E350 (tad more expensive) and the Bmw 530d. These cars catapolt you to a higher segment and also would have better resale value. Since the Audi has poor resale for now, it has to be a heart dicision taken by you. The car undoubtedly is very good and the end use is only known to you. The other car if you want something in the same category is the Bmw 325i. Besides like mentioned by cooldude, we do not require the power in Bombay as we hardly get a run hard enough to use optimum power.

Last edited by speedy : 15th October 2009 at 11:33.
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Old 15th October 2009, 11:43   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cooldude1988765 View Post
Isnt the 520d almost as quick as the a4 3.0tdi ? Plus i am sure you will get a better resale value with the bimmer. a4 is a heart decision while the 520d is a brain decision IMO. Plus where are you going to use all that power ?
The 520d will not be as quick as the A4 3.0 TDi. Although with a good remap/power box it could come close.

If you want out & out performance then the A4 3.0 TDi is the way to go and if you remap that you are going to land up with a serious rocket!!

As an overall package, the 520d wins. It has good amount of power (0 to 100 in 8.5 seconds or so) 350nM of torque. More interior space,better quality interiors,better handling and cheaper/stress free to maintain thanks to the BSI packages. Basically more bang for the buck.

@Speedy- There is never enough power Yes are roads aren't the best around and you cannot exploit even the power of a Altis during your daily run. But come night time, select your better roads such as sea-link,worli sea face,marine drive(to an extent) basically a bandra to town run minus traffic can be great fun to exploit some explosive power. I have begun enjoying my cars so much more after the sea-link opened up, I wish it were longer though. I must confess what I did was very risky and against the law but in the wee hours of the night I was lucky to get the sea link completly empty, not a single car, gunned the 525d and managed to hit the limiter at 250km/hr ! Now who would ever imagine reaching such speeds in bombay. I wouldnt advice doing it nor am I proud of it by any sort but sometimes the racer boy inside gets carried away.

Last edited by Sahil : 15th October 2009 at 12:02.
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Old 15th October 2009, 11:49   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cooldude1988765 View Post
Isnt the 520d almost as quick as the a4 3.0tdi ? Plus i am sure you will get a better resale value with the bimmer. a4 is a heart decision while the 520d is a brain decision IMO. Plus where are you going to use all that power ?
Forget 520d. A4 3.0 TDI is faster than 530d as per ACI and several other sources. Read the July/09 ACI and as I can recall it roughly mentioned that A4 3.0 TDI can eat this/that for breakfast/lunch etc and have 530d (not 520d) as dessert.
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Old 15th October 2009, 12:11   #7
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Thanks so much for all the valuable responses guys. Here's the deal. This is a car for me to DRIVE and not be driven in, I already have an Accord and a Skoda Superb to do that job. Secondly, as far as resale value, these cars are usually from one "heart decision maker" to another, and I dont think i would need to sell it in a hurry.

More importantly, I drive 700 km at a stretch to and from my factory every 2 weeks, I also make trips to Pune and Mahabi every so often. I currently drive the Accord 3.0 V6 and I love it, but Im ready for a bit more. I have driven my Accord for 65,000 km in just over 3 years, so I do a lot of highway driving.

Also, I know it might not be the perfect sports car, but in that price range, 50lac ON ROAD, there is really nothing else that is practical, solid and fast is there? Plus, anything that matches that smooth Audi ride on rough roads? the Quattro is just a bonus, but could come in use on semi-urban Maharashtra roads.

What do you guys think?
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Old 15th October 2009, 12:41   #8
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I would also like to add, that the A4 3.0 TDI without the WCI package is 38 lac ex showroom and 45 on road. The 520d is 44 ex showroom, the 530d is 51 ex showroom and the E350 is even more. Only the 520d is in the same price range but I dont think it it qualifies as a competitor. Driver being the most important and space at the back being secondary. Thanks
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Old 15th October 2009, 13:46   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SOBOSpeedster View Post
I would also like to add, that the A4 3.0 TDI without the WCI package is 38 lac ex showroom and 45 on road. The 520d is 44 ex showroom, the 530d is 51 ex showroom and the E350 is even more. Only the 520d is in the same price range but I dont think it it qualifies as a competitor. Driver being the most important and space at the back being secondary. Thanks
The 520d was 37 ex-showroom thane when i bought one in march! They couldn't possibly hike it all that much so quick? I paid 42 ex-showroom for the 525d mid 2007 which was later replaced by the 530d but price was hiked marginally only, not by 9 lakhs!

Since the 3.0TDi is a slow mover off the showroom floor means it has potential for good discounts. Bargain hard !

Last edited by Sahil : 15th October 2009 at 13:49.
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Old 15th October 2009, 14:31   #10
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Ok so this is a heart thingy

3 words ... GO FOR IT !!
(few more words - chip it and enjoy it even more)
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Old 15th October 2009, 14:35   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by entropy View Post
Ok so this is a heart thingy

3 words ... GO FOR IT !!
(few more words - chip it and enjoy it even more)
entropy, thanks for the advice. However, chipping it will be a risky affair for the first few years since the warranty will go for a mighty toss. any advice on chips?
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Old 15th October 2009, 23:07   #12
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I love the concept of that monster of an Engine in the A4. It is a no brainer. 3.0 TDI Quattro . Nuff said. Forget the frills get it without the WCI.

Mind you. It's going to be at least a 4-6 month wait. I still say go for it if you are thinking long term.
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Old 15th October 2009, 23:15   #13
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Okay, this is one of those times (lucky times) that you think with the heart, and not with the head. Your ONLY options :

1. A4 3.0 TDi : What an engine, what a car!

2. A4 3.2 FSI : Nothing quite like revving that maniac of an engine. Definitely more pleasurable than an oil burner. But the 3.0 TDi is as quick and way more practical.

3. 530d : Please price-check again with another dealer. The quotes you've gotten are way off the mark. The 530d (NOT highline version) is about 42 - 43 ex-showroom Mumbai. Believe me, this car is as outstanding a sedan as they come.

Test all three for 60 minutes EACH before deciding. You can't go wrong with any of the three options. Look forward to your updates.
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Old 15th October 2009, 23:20   #14
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I don't think the 3.0 Is available for a test drive. Anyways i propose you stick to the BMW.
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Old 16th October 2009, 07:27   #15
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redeff, I kind of agree with you. The idea of a 3.0 liter in an A4 is amazing. Becuase its a CBU though, the pricing is kinda off.

Taking the 530d highline for a test drive today. Yeah, I was a bit off on the pricing. the 530d (not highline) is about 48 lacs on road. I definitely cannot manage to get a test drive on the A4 3.0.

The other interesting thing that comes to mind is that now a days, the 5 series is almost as common as the E class. And the Audi A4 3.0 liter might be a breath of fresh air. Also I'm sure the Audi ride and the QUATTRO will help in the long trips around the state. All the reviews say that the BMWs run-flats cause a bit of a backache.

Luckily, I have some decent connections at Audi and so the delivery time might get reduced. Anyway, at this point, the only thing that would deter me is a BMW 335 and they are not here or coming. Know anyone with a second-hand one?
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