Looking to buy my first car: Get a used Audi A4 or a brand new Virtus?

The Audi A4 from 2018-2019 comes with a significantly higher price tag compared to the Virtus.

BHPian madki recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I hope this message finds you all in high spirits. I am thrilled to be part of this passionate community and excited to seek your expert advice for my very first post. I find myself at a crossroads, and I humbly request your guidance in making the best decision between two enticing options: a used 2018-2019 Audi A4 and the Virtus 1.5.

To ensure that my post complies with the guidelines and expectations set by the moderators, I have carefully crafted the following details:

Price: The Audi A4 from 2018-2019 comes with a significantly higher price tag compared to the Virtus. I am keen to know at what price point the Audi truly justifies the premium over the Virtus.

Interiors: The Audi boasts luxurious interiors that are simply drool-worthy. With its whisper-quiet drive, heavenly lumbar support, and those satisfying physical AC buttons, it exudes sophistication. Conversely, the Virtus offers a sportier drive but falls slightly short in terms of cabin noise and interior quality. I must confess, my long-standing fascination with the Audi brand might be influencing my judgment here.

Test Drive Impressions: During my recent test drive, I found the 1.4 engine variant of the Audi A4 to be quite satisfactory. It met my expectations and left me with a smile on my face. However, I am eager to learn about any long-term experiences and potential issues related to this particular engine option.

Warranty: While the Audi comes with a 1-2 year warranty, the Virtus offers a more generous 3-4 year warranty. Since my plan is to keep the car for approximately 3-4 years, the warranty discrepancy raises concerns about maintenance costs and potential issues specific to each vehicle.

With these factors in mind, I kindly request your esteemed advice on the following:

Price Comparison: Based on your vast experiences and knowledge, could you provide insights on the price point at which the 2018-2019 Audi A4 becomes a compelling choice over the Virtus 1.5? I am eager to understand the optimal balance between value and investment.

Maintenance and Gotchas: As a first-time car owner, I would greatly appreciate any information regarding common maintenance issues and potential gotchas that I should be mindful of for both the Audi A4 and the Virtus. Ensuring a hassle-free ownership experience is of utmost importance to me.

I am more than willing to provide any additional details or answer any questions that will aid in a comprehensive understanding of my requirements and preferences. Your invaluable expertise will undoubtedly guide me in making an informed decision.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Even with the 1.4L engine, the Audi A4 is a vastly superior car to the Virtus. The A4 is a global model sold in developed countries & built to very high standards, while the Virtus indisputably has some cost-cutting in it. The A4 is a 50-lakh car while the Virtus is a 20-lakh car.

Still, because it's your first car, I would recommend the VW Virtus. Take the extended warranty. It's one of the most fun-to-drive cars for 20-lakhs, all-rounded in nature and a much safer bet. The Virtus is a heck of a sedan and a far superior 1st car than what most of us had as our 1st .

If you do go for the Audi, first answer these questions:

• It's your first car. Hope you are not overstretching on the loan bit?
• What is your driving experience? Are you expert enough to handle a luxury car? An Audi isn't the best car for someone with fresh driving skills. Body parts are very expensive.
• It's a 5 year old car, so odds are, things will go wrong from time to time. Are you okay with that?
• Are you fine with big maintenance bills in 2 years, once the car is 6 - 7 years old?
• You will have to eventually go to an independent mechanic because the dealership costs will be 3X as high. Are you okay with that?
• Do you want to take care of the car yourself (A4) or would you rather have the might of VW taking care of the car for you (i.e. Virtus with extended warranty)?

Personally I would avoid any of the VAGs that come with the DQ200 gearbox - that means no 1.4, 1.5, 1.8 TSi at all!

That aside, buying a used German - even under warranty would have wear and tear. Does your budget allow for the same should something go wrong because repairs are expensive! So if your budget is 20 and you're stretching to 25 for the Audi - AVOID! If your budget is 30 and you're getting the Audi for 25 - it makes sense.

Also, I would look around for an Octavia 2.0TSi that is within manufacturer warranty - which can be extended. It would be a newer and more reliable engine / gearbox combo while not as luxurious as the A4 - is again miles ahead of the Virtus.

Other options to consider would be the Honda Civic (if you're ok with the performance).

Here's what BHPian arighna.dutta had to say on the matter:

You have mentioned "Ensuring a hassle-free ownership experience is of utmost importance to me"

• Given that the definition of "hassle-free ownership" is relative for different car owners; still probability is high that an used 5-6 years old car, mostly going out of warranty, possibly reaching out few major milestones w.r.t periodic maintenance, that too from VAG group mostly won't get you the experience which is of highest importance to you. Especially for a first time car owner.
• I'll recommend you to go for the brand new Virtus - experience what all issues a new car itself has to offer from the VAG group, while observing and keeping a note on what issues others owning a 5 years old A4 is experiencing and decide in coming years if its for you or not.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

Don’t bother with the Audi. The 1.4 engine in the A4 was one of the major reason behind the brand’s decline in India. It is not E20 compliant either, which is a problem from a long term ownership point of view.

Here's what BHPian vattyboy had to say on the matter:

1. I think you are just comparing them based on the Performance otherwise literally there is no comparison between Audi and Vw as GTO said one is a 50 lakh car and the other is a 20 lakh car.

2. From a performance point of view, go and check out Pratham Shokeen's YT channel where he did a drag race between his VW Virtus 1.5 dsg with AUDI A3 1.4 TSI Cabriolet. Talking about the result - the Virtus smokes the A3 1.4 TSI with ease. Keeping in mind that the A4 curb weight is more than A3, it will offer less performance than A3. So look for A4 2.0 Tsi for performance.

3. A4 1.4 tsi will give you a Badge value and Respect in the market and your friend circle that vw can't give at the cost of higher maintenance like-

Insurance- 60-80k per year

Service cost- 35-40k per year for basic service

4. Now the choice is yours if you can spend 1- 1.5 every year then go for the Luxury german car.

5. I suggest you pass this A4 1.4 Tsi and look for a preowned A4 2.0 Tsi or Mercedes CLA 200 or Bmw 330i, Jaguar XE, etc.( all are 0-100 in around 7-8 sec) Which will satisfy the thirst for performance + provide its luxury badge value or that preowned fast Octavia 2.0 tsi  which will cost the same as the new Virtus but it will be a lot more car for that money.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.