Team-BHP - An Enjoyable Conundrum - What Car in Germany?

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Originally Posted by Zed (Post 2846061)

Have to apologize for the fact that the final spec sheet is in Deutsch.
Not a problem for you AK - since im sure your german is better than mine, Ich denke.

Thanks!! Of course, not an issue if its in German. Nice buy, congrats. Happy miles. By the way is your the quattro? why is got the "Sperrdifferetial"? or Do even the front wheel drive Audi's come with Limited Slip Diff's?

Looks great in white, I have never or rarely seen one in white. I always liked the monolithic grey or that brass sort of colour that all the German manufacturers offer. But never knew, white could look so good.

So how is the adaptive lighting? Did you do some night driving? can you post some/any videos of it working? I guess you can try this out in your company parking lot easily.

Noted it just now, Alloys are looking great! 16.5" rims? I am seeing this for the first time!

PS: Other members: Sperrdifferential -> Limited Slip Differential

OT: Saw your PM now, thanks. Thats nice of Audi to give LSD as standard across all cars. How much is the price difference between a Quattro and this? I believe a quattro will loose out a bit on the emission class to correct?

Thanks AK - All front wheel drive A4s sold these days feature LSD's. Ive never really considered white cars in the past but somehow find the current crop of Audi's really appealing in white. The alloys are 19"..im a fan of chrome-free, non-shiny alloys.

Adaptive lighting is one of those addictive features that you dont feel like letting go of once you've experienced it. My older wagon had it too. The cornering lights function can be a real life saver in city driving \ parking. The whole terminator-esque song and dance routine by the lights each time I fire up (in low light conditions) is a pretty cool sight from within and outside the car.

Today is my last day with the A4 (2 ltr diesel). Ive enjoyed an almost flawless ownership experience since registering the car in Mid 2012 and clocking 90k kms since. The only niggles that come to mind are (a) frequent incorrect error mesages from the TMPS (b) Windsreen washer liquid requiring frequent top ups

Its at proper Autobahn speeds that the car really comes alive. Although the 3 Series is the segment benchmark for handling and performance I didnt really feel the need for better roadgrip, (steering)control or braking for my driving style. The only real downsides - limited boot space and rear seat comfort. Both generic issue for this category of sedan. Which is pretty much why I am moving to a slower but siginifcantly more spacious SUV.

I wanted to pen a slightly more comprehansive ownership review with photographs but, unfortunately, couldnt find the time. In my defense I have two boys - 2.5 yrs and 3 months respectively so I guess ive earned my right to say that time is my enemy :)
In summary : A fantastic car for signles or couples without offspring. And Ive been given to understand that the 2016 version is even better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mxh (Post 3924797)

Ok, but life is too short to worry about what others think of your car. Do you really want to buy something else just to appease your bosses. Just buy the car you have your heart set on, every time you drive it you'll be happy and nothing else will matter. Even if some people are not pleased it is not going to last long.

The post that youve replied to was from 2012 - when I was mulling over what car to buy. And my last post (earlier today) revided this old thread to bring it to its last chapter as I am letting go of the car I finally chose in 2012.

I guess you missed the part where I mentioned company car :)
Well if one decides to join the corporate rat race, then one ought to play by the rules. That said the A4 was part of my final short list so wasnt really a compromise.

Hi Guys,

I am in the market to buy a used car in Germany. I would like to spend up to 12,000 Euros for this car. I want a car that is very comfortable, has some power to it, and is low on maintenance.

I have searched through on various websites like autoscout24.de and mobile.de, and there are a lot of BMWs, VWs, and Audis available, but I don't know what model in particular to look into. German cars have a bad reputation around here and are said to be unreliable.

Should I be looking into Japanese options? Should I increase my budget? What should I consider before taking the plunge?

I have absolutely no experince in buying a second hand car in Germany. So all of the information I am providing is based on what Ive heard. To begin with its hard to asses your requirment without knowing..

a) Usage - city / b-roads / A-bahn
b) Number of occupants
c) How long you plan to retain the car and if re-sale value is important to you
d) If running cost is an important consideration

Answers to a and c should guide you in the German V Jap discussion. And your answer to b will guide your choice of models. And d should be considered for the Diesel Vs gasoline option.
If you will be spending time on the autobahn thats a strong case for a German brand. 'German cars have a bad reputation around here' - hmm. High maintenece costs in relative terms - possibly. Bad reputation - not that I am aware of. In general Italian and french cars are not considered benchmarks for reliability (this is the perception and I dont know if its backed by facts) and you will find peugeots, citroens & Fiats with higher levels of trim and lower numbers on the odometer within your current budget.

If you strech your budget by about €4-5k you'll find more options for sure. The safest bet is to look at used cars from an OEM dealer compared to a private seller or a multi-brand used car showroom. You may end up paying a slight premium but its worth it for the peace of mind and the warranty it brings with it

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arihant.EXE (Post 4085104)

If your HEAD rules:
Based on my personal experience it is better to go for Japanese if you're around that budget. A Totoya Yaris or something similar would definitely fulfill all your commuting needs within the city and on Autobahns.

Rather than stretching on your budget you can invest some on ADAC(comes handy before every season change). And then there is always SIXT if you get an urge to rip on A1,A3 or A5 with their range of cars for a good price.

If your HEART rules
That being said, your heart has always precedence over what everyone of us has to say here. Own something you always dreamt to own it.

Thanks for your input guys.

@Zed, my usage will be usual city commutes, some intercity travel every week (2-250 kms), and some long road trips once or twice a year.

Number of occupants, well, I live by myself but I can occasionally have a couple more people in the car.

I want to keep the car for a good 5-6 years if possible. Good re-sale value will be welcome, but not a deal breaker.

Running cost is definitely a consideration and that's why I am sorta inclined towards diesels.

I see that you live in Germany. Would you have any pointers on as to what my warranty options etc are on used cars? In the US they have a lot of bumper to bumper warranties, but I am not sure about Europe yet.

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Originally Posted by Zed (Post 4085143)

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Originally Posted by srivatsahg (Post 4085194)

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Originally Posted by Arihant.EXE (Post 4085446)

I see that you live in Germany. Would you have any pointers on as to what my warranty options etc are on used cars? In the US they have a lot of bumper to bumper warranties, but I am not sure about Europe yet.

The safest bet is to buy a used car from OE showroom. Almost every dealership will have a small 'used car' lot and some also feature used cars in their homepages. As long a used car is sold by a dealer they have to (as far as I am aware) offer you a minimum of 1 year warranty. Its not a comprehensive bumper-to-bumper deal but offers reasonable coverage and they also chip in a certain % for labor. Its labor rates that makes any type of repair really expensive. YOu can also pay extra for a extended warranty either with the dealer or with an isurance company. Stay away from small time used car dealerships. Berlin and a couple of other cities have a bad rep when it comes to dealers. Stuttgart & Munich are relatively better. I know thats not very detailed but I do wish you luck with your search. feel free to PM me if you need any further inputs