There must be some owners here, – its STW.

Ok, current car is falling apart around me and its time for another.

Locally (as in, we know the owners) there is an 2009 A4 S Line being sold. It’s on our list. The price is about right.

Talk to me about these – any good to drive? what goes wrong? what did audi get right on them? mahoosively expensive to run or actually not that bad? can I fit kids in the back and a dog on the roof with a bike in the boot and a woodburner in the passenger seat?

S-line is just the trim level

Engine details would be a better start for advice really.

current S Line’s are often slated for the ride, as suspension is stiff and low profile tyres. I went for SE spec which is softer.

Good point. It’s a 2009 (possibly 2008) 2.0T.

edit: estate

edit: you’ve probably guessed I’m not that clued up on Audis…

any good to drive?

No they are VAG group so dull.

what did audi get right on them?

Bling if you like bling.

can I fit kids in the back and a dog on the roof with a bike in the boot and a woodburner in the passenger seat?

Like many Audi’s they are good at looking big outside yet being small inside.

Posted this in another car thread:

JD Power UK: best manufacturers

The most recent JD Power UK Vehicle Dependability Survey was published in July last year. Skoda was named the most reliable manufacturer, with 66 problems reported per 100 vehicles in the survey, followed by Suzuki (79 problems) and Kia (80). Vauxhall was fourth with 90 problems. Peugeot and Volkswagen tied for fifth, with 92 problems per 100 vehicles.

The average car had 113 problems, which could range from a small squeak to a total engine failure. In last place was Land Rover with 197 problems per 100 cars.

The budget brand Dacia also had a poor showing, with 174 issues per 100 cars and the premium German manufacturers also scored poorly. Audi owners reported 170 problems, those with BMWs had 156 and Mercedes owners had 154 issues.

To summarize:

Audi. As shit as Dacia. 😆

Not an A4, but had to take the company A6 S-Line on a trip recently.
Nothing ‘wrong’ with it as such, but I was unimpressed.
Very little ‘feel’ fed back to the driver through the wheel – when you turned it turned sure enough, but it wasn’t a rewarding driving experience.
And the S-Line wheels/tyres also killed its credentials as a motorway cruiser as it was a bit harsh and noisy.

Would it stop me buying one at the right price second hand – probably not.
Would it stop me buying one new – absolutely.

S-Line for the Company Car owners who think they’re worth more than that actually are?

Perrrrapz.

I have an A6 and was recently quoted £1,600.00 (IIRC) just to replace a faulty coolant level sensor (and a further £300 to replace something in the locking mechanism for the fuel filler cap despite it working – it just makes a little noise on operating the central locking). It goes back to the lease company next month and there is no way on earth would I consider buying it (or another Audi) at those sorts of costs for repairs.

sbob, I can’t help noticing that Skoda and VW and Audi are the same company and at opposite ends of the results, which seems, how can I say, a little bit odd.

Also, in my massive survey size of 3, I have a Golf, it is falling to pieces, whereas a previous Golf and Jetta have both been solid in old age… the usual pot luck.

Bling if you like bling.

Audi
All 4 Show Line

😛

S-line spec is awful IME, way too harsh. It looks great and sporty on the forecourt but becomes miserable after a while. We dumped out A3 S-line early as it was so uncomfortable. However, take it for a test drive though and see what you think.

I can’t help noticing that Skoda and VW and Audi are the same company and at opposite ends of the results, which seems, how can I say, a little bit odd.

Made in different factories though, so depends on the local management and workers attitude.

Didn’t Kryton want one?

Do get these wheels and lower it too..

Made in different factories though, so depends on the local management and workers attitude.

Fair enough.

I went for SE spec which is softer.

And looks Knobby!

Basically S Line stands for sport, so the suspension is lower, the ride firmer, the wheels bigger and tyres slimmer, so you get better handling and looks, set against worse ride. Simples!

You pays your money and takes your choice.

Apart from that, I would always recommend Audi’s, possibly because Ive been driving them since 1997 and like them.

mrmonkfinger – Member

sbob, I can’t help noticing that Skoda and VW and Audi are the same company and at opposite ends of the results, which seems, how can I say, a little bit odd.

Different manufacturing plants?

I remember Honda topping the reliability charts, but it was specifically the ones built in Swindon that were best.

Link to above quote

so you get better handling

That’s questionable on British roads.

And looks Knobby!

I think it looks fine, and I’d rather comfort over lower profile tyres any day.

Skoda and VW and Audi are the same company and at opposite ends of the results, which seems, how can I say, a little bit odd.

Skoda owners presenting a wildly optomistic view in a desperate bid to pretend “it’s really just a VW / Audi with a different badge”

Audi owners complain about everything, no matter how trivial. It’s just how they are. It comes free with the massive sense of entitlement.

True picture of reliability is probably the VW one. 😉

sbob, I can’t help noticing that Skoda and VW and Audi are the same company and at opposite ends of the results, which seems, how can I say, a little bit odd.

Audi seen as premium so people more likely to complain about minor issues? They expect more perhaps?

General view of the premium German brands for years seems to be Audi are the nicest to sit in but worst to drive, BMW nicest to drive but a bit small and run flats make the ride worse and Mercedes are somewhere in the middle with more emphasis on comfort. The sporty looking ones, s-line, m sport etc look nice but are less comfortable.

The 2.0 petrol engines can drink oil as well.
The later 2009 onwards model has a known issue with this but some of the earlier models also suffer with it.

Made in different factories though, so depends on the local management and workers attitude.

And the buyers’ expectations.
PP has it!

*Never understood the love for Audi.
They’re expensive without being reliable, dull to drive, not as comfy as a Jag or Merc, and so conservatively styled they look really dated really quickly. People say the interiors look nice but you can’t see interiors from outside, and when you’re inside the last thing you should be looking at is the interior!

Apologies if I’ve just offended 80% of STW, but they’re just cars. 😀

*Hosted a conference for Audi UK once, neither could the boss! 😆

I recently got rid of a 15 plate A4 Sline due to the suspension being too harsh.

The 2.0 petrol as above will drink oil so be careful of that. Make sure it’s been properly serviced as well, preferably by a specialist after warranty.

Hmm, oil drinking issue sounds like one to watch, thanks chaps – just looked it up. Presumably if the car has had the rings done or a recon engine fitted then its good to go.

It’s worth checking which year it is – 2009 was the year they changed from the B7 to the B8 and the B8 is bigger.

My Exeo shares the same shell and interior and about 90% of the other bits (bar mine’s a diesel) with the B7

They’re well made, both inside and out, the boot is tiny for an estate – it’s a ‘lifestyle’ estate which means it’s meant to look like an estate without being a mile long and it’s got a more usefull door for getting stuff into and out but it’s actually slightly smaller than the saloon boot in terms of litres.

There’s not much room in the back either, whilst the A4 was sold as a premium saloon, it’s quite a bit smaller than the Passat which many people assumed was related (because of the way VW Group like to make lots of versions of the same thing) but that A4 was unique (or at least it was until it pensioned off the production line to Seat) It’s about the same size as a Golf really.

Have you got the reg number? I can find out a bit more from that?

Audi seen as premium so people more likely to complain about minor issues? They expect more perhaps?

Yeah my colleagues S line Q7 has had a few issues over the 6 years he’s had it. Just had a new engine put in, £16k of which Audi paid £5k. Add this to what he’s spent already and you could have a new Yeti better than mine, which has had no problems.

People say the interiors look nice but you can’t see interiors from outside

Conversely if you own a car you spend much more time sat in it than stood looking at it and I, for one, don’t choose my cars based on what other people think of the styling.

And BTW, I had a previous generation A6 S-Line before my current car (on 17 inch rims) and the current one (on 19 inch rims) has a vastly improved ride – I have never found it to be uncomfortable whereas the last one could be a bit bang and smashy.

I’ve never really understood why there exists an A4 and an A3 saloon. Very little to pick between the two.

Made in different factories though, so depends on the local management and workers attitude.

The real reason Skoda’s might be more reliable than an Audi is that they are based on the previous model so all the reliability niggles have been dealt with in the first generation VW/Audi variants of the car.

Also Skoda drivers will undoubtedly be ‘happier’ with their cars because they’ve spend less on them and their expectations are lower than an Audi owner who’s paid a substantial premium and thinks they’re buying a premium product and has higher expectations, so likely to be less tolerant of anything they’re not completely happy with.

I had an A3 S line for a few months; first few weeks I spent checking tyre pressures, convinced I had a flat. Horrid.

dragon – Member

I’ve never really understood why there exists an A4 and an A3 saloon. Very little to pick between the two

They made the A4 a lot bigger about the same time as they made the A3 saloon, but even so it looks like on paper they’re the same thing but ones a little bit bigger and costs a lot more.

But there’s a load of other differences – the A3 is really a fancy Golf – the Golf came first and it’s cousins are variants of it, Leon, Octavia, A3 and others – this is really geeky but it means it’s got a transversely mounted engine (cylinders run left to right) the A4 (and bigger Audis) have a longitude mounted engine so they run front to back, this gives it a better balance and better handling, even for a predominately front wheel drive car.

Also the A4 will have more, better toys – the A4 will be typically a generation behind for this like virtual dash and all that.

More than all that, it’s also the way the market it going – again because of it’s famous use of ‘platform sharing’ they can push out loads of models so that can offer the exact thing consumers are after, even setting aside the other brands in VW, Audi offer A1, A3 in sort of estate, saloon and hatch, A4 in saloon and hatch, A5 which is an A4 coupe, A6 saloon and hatch, A7 which is a A6 Coupe, A8 saloon plus Q versions of most of them, the TT and the R8. 17 different models, I think, I might have missed one – they used to make 4 or 5.

A4 in saloon and hatch, A5 which is an A4 coupe

I think I see why they do that, it makes the coupe one better than the hatch.

I’m sure for a time they sold both an A4 Coupe and an A5, how to tell them is anyone’s guess.

sbob, I can’t help noticing that Skoda and VW and Audi are the same company and at opposite ends of the results, which seems, how can I say, a little bit odd.

Also more gadgets to go wrong on an Audi

The real reason Skoda’s might be more reliable than an Audi is that they are based on the previous model so all the reliability niggles have been dealt with in the first generation VW/Audi variants of the car.

This.

I’ve got a 2006 S Line A4.

Replaced a 325 BMW which was a crock of turd – so maybe a low base against which to compare.

I’m very happy with it. 3 years- a turbo replaced (dealer helped cover if)…. other than that, no issues. Contrary to other people’s posts in here, it’s a nice drive too, IMO.

It has roof rails and a decent boot. Essential for the odd sojourns to Wales for a biking weekend.

Doesn’t drink oil either.

Take whatever your budget was for the Audi,and start looking for a Skoda Octavia Est for the same money. Simples.

Had an Audi hire car conk out on the motorway – The recovery driver said that he’d not touch an Audi with a barge pole due to the ammount of them he had to tow – Anecdotal of course – but this somewhat corroborates with my Sister’s company Audi – Which she estimated needed about 4k’s worth of work doing on it over 18 months .

Brand new 2017 a4 s-line as a courtesy car before my passat arived. Did 1000 miles in a week with work. Ride so hard it jiggled tits I didn’t know I had. Why anyone would pay money to be uncomfortable is beyond me (im 27 so not an old fart).

No one in my company drives them, take a passat or skoda. Even better avoid out of warranty VAG.