Likes/dislikes

[Black RATT]

I was wondering what people liked and disliked most about their A6. It looks the part but does it stand up to the very high standards on this forum?
Has it lived up to expectation?

[a8toa6convert]

Biggest pluses: (i) much better ride/handling balance than expected, in S-Line trim, (ii) effortless shove from the 3.0tdi quattro but still gives 40+mpg average

Biggest minuses: (i) road noise on poor surfaces is worse than a £20k Focus; (ii) no sensible sound system upgrades: Bose is cr*p, B&O is ridiculously priced and no better than a £1k-1.5k aftermarket setup.

[Matt482]

Likes: styling, standard leather and sat nav, love tech pack and seating position is as central as it could be car is responsive and average 40+. Ride is firm but responsive yes you feel each and every bump but with 20" rotors I didn't expect anything else.

Dislikes: arm rest does not move forward only up/down, mmi screen can not be adjusted not to raise an use the panel in front of you on instrument cluster, 2 zone climate, cost of all extras - cant believe some of the basics you still have to pay for And don't for get the iPhone issues. Voice control is crap

[Timothy Nathan]

Love the ride, comfort, quietness, ease of driving, load space (Avant) and gizmos (particularly ACC and HUD). I still hold that the best comfort, ride and noise is to be got from the SE with 17" wheels.

Consider much of the MMI, particularly the dreadful connectivity, really awful, almost an insult.

But the worst of the lot is the attitude of Audi UK. They treat me like something they have scraped off their shoes. However much I like the car (and I mostly love it) I wouldn't buy another Audi, or recommend it to anyone, because Audi UK is so dismissive and unresponsive.

[BiTDI]

Love the ride, comfort, quietness, ease of driving, load space (Avant) and gizmos (particularly ACC and HUD). I still hold that the best comfort, ride and noise is to be got from the SE with 17" wheels.

Consider much of the MMI, particularly the dreadful connectivity, really awful, almost an insult.

But the worst of the lot is the attitude of Audi UK. They treat me like something they have scraped off their shoes. However much I like the car (and I mostly love it) I wouldn't buy another Audi, or recommend it to anyone, because Audi UK is so dismissive and unresponsive.

For me the solution is buy the dealer first, then the brand. I sold my Porsche because Porsche Edinburgh treated me like a sucker with money to burn. It so happens Perth Audi are really good at customer service, and you feel like you matter to them, otherwise I wouldn't be getting another Audi. The only other Audi dealer I have experience of, in Stirling, almost put me off Audis for life.

I bought a Suzuki for my wife and my daughter because the dealer is almost next door and wants the business, and Ford or VW aren't and don't!

[Timothy Nathan]

My Dealer, Epsom Audi, is great; no complaints at all.

It Audi UK who are rubbish, and changing dealer doesn't change them!

It's a month since my last conversation with them, when they said they'd get right back to me.

[DR_A6]

Only had mine a few days but:

Pro's; 44mpg from the start in a 3ltr multitronic only 160 miles on the clock!, interior is a really nice place to be, ride is really good and supple with sports suspension and 18's - much better than a 2.7 tdi C6 lemans, panoramic roof is really good and totally changes the interior, exterior looks great and the adaptive lights are excellent, (much better than the BMW525 i borrowed overnight!)

Cons; phone stuff is frustrating but i just reconciled to getting a nokia handset, tyres i got on my SE were good year i think - not that grippy round the corners compared to an S line with pirellis i seem to recall.

[ricky_s]

Pros: Nice to drive and lots of cool kit as standard.

Cons: Feels a bit fragile with bits that stop working/rattles common. Not the most exciting looking exec saloon.

[PhilR]

My Dealer, Epsom Audi, is great; no complaints at all.

It Audi UK who are rubbish, and changing dealer doesn't change them!

It's a month since my last conversation with them, when they said they'd get right back to me.

Dig out the CEOs email address and email him directly. You'll get a response sharpish (probably a phone call from a senior manager). I had some issues with Audi UK not responding a few years ago (on top of issues with the car). They gave me a free service and £2k off any new car when I got round to changing (over and above any deal I could negotiate for myself).

I've long given up with dealing with unresponsive people - emails to CEOs always get the response required.

[DR_A6]

CEO is a really good idea! I had issues with my C6 lemans estate tow bar mentioned on this forum a couple of years ago, given £2k off a new Audi on top of the local deal i had. Once you get escalated things seem to happen. I was advised by an ex colleague now working at audi AG in inglestadt in their snr management team that its best to actually write in addressed to their mgt team.

[robbyg]

i may come back and edit this after a few thousand miles but:

Pros: mid 40s mpg on the motorway even before engine run in. comfortable (Sline) seats. performance. fantastic gearbox. fantastic tech pack gadgets. Jekyll/Hyde setup options.

cons: more tyre noise than i hoped. satnav is not particularly user friendly. expensive options. audis current image (topgear opinion). brakes not very inspiring.

[Black RATT]

Guys,
thanks for the replies so far. Seems the theme is fairly consistent and supports my reason for buying the Avant. Have been told it is build week 25 which I think is around now. The dealership has been told they will have to babysit until September...... A difficult decision!!
On the subject of dealerships, I'm sorry to hear of the bad experience some of you have had. Mine has always been very accomodating, in fact the TT is with them whilst they try to trace an elusive rattle. They have expressed sincere disappointment at not sorting it first time round and are determined to sort it for me. I have also enjoyed the buying experience with them despite negotiating some good discounts. The Avant will be the third vehicle I have bought from them, they understand the need for repeat business!

[Timothy Nathan]

I've long given up with dealing with unresponsive people - .
Funnily enough, I have called Audi UK back and, it turns out, their phone calls to me have not been answered, their texts to me have gone missing and their letter to me was lost in the post, so it has just been bad luck rather than poor communication.

My bad.

They are going to call tomorrow.

Oh, and they monitor this forum.

[jbanfie]

I find it no surprise to hear that Audi UK monitor this website, I would if it was my business / salary on the line!

I bet they are absolutely ****ing livid that their "all singing, dancing, make a cup of tea and offer sexual favours" MMI Navigation Plus system is just a bag of spanners and mainly through no fault of their own!

Like - Big engine, economy and quattro - A7 styling
Dislike - Endless option lists - towbar for a grand????? MMI rSAP etc

In all seriousness, if I hadn't ordered my car already and hearing of all the talk of Siri Integration with cars etc that's been announced, I'd wait for the next generation of all this stuff before ordering an Audi - not that I'm a fan of Siri, but I'd like to think the integration would be better than what is available today.

[ti rich]

Love
- Remote boot opening, so useful!
- Ride comfort on 19's, very impressive
- Bose sound system, best 1K i have spent.

Hate
- Poor real world MPG, should have had a 3.0TDi
- A bit boring???

[robbyg]

i may come back and edit this after a few thousand miles but:

Pros: mid 40s mpg on the motorway even before engine run in. comfortable (Sline) seats. performance. fantastic gearbox. fantastic tech pack gadgets. Jekyll/Hyde setup options.

cons: more tyre noise than i hoped. satnav is not particularly user friendly. expensive options. audis current image (topgear opinion). brakes not very inspiring

UPDATE after a week from southeast to scotland and northumberland, (another week still to go - Hoorah)

All of the above still stand.
New cons:
The sat nav google maps keeps turning off and reverting to standard maps for no obvious reason then coming back. Seems independent of phone reception.
The fuel gauge is digital and only has 8 bars. when you are down to say 3/8ths is a bit scary when it suddenly drops to a quarter, i know there is a mileage left display but its still annoying.
It needs alot of revving in reverse to go anywhere, esp up hill. (sound like a pensioner in a manual gearbox fiesta trying to set off.....)
Easy to hit 90mph plus without meaning to (not really a con, just needs concentration)
Start stop it annoying at times eg at a busy junction when you want to nip into a gap

Pros:
Low and mid range performance - awesome
Motorway comfort
A road comfort, shove and ease
the 8 speed gbox it mapped and controlled to almost perfection, really very very good, fast or slow, gentle or aggressive driving, it just gets it right.
still getting 40mpg plus

[Timothy Nathan]

I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than watch Jeremy Clarkson's unmitigated onanism.

What is the TG opinion of Audi?

[5678]

Clarkson is not to be taken seriously in anyway! He does what he does well, it's a long time since he was a Motoring Journalist though!

For me,

Pros:
- Very comfortable both in ride and the excellent S- Line seats
- Handling is surprisingly OK for a car of this size.
- Load & passenger space is excellent.
- Remote/powered boot opening, it's as useful as I hoped it would be!

Cons:
- Drive select is a total gimmick, pointless IMO.
- MMI has to be the most user UN friendly system I've used.
- Too many buttons required for use of the MMI
- I should have specced electric memory seats and the comfort access key.

[Hawthorn37]

After the first 7000 miles, with S-line 2ltr TDi Avant, Auto box, lighting pack, storage, heated seats:

LIKES
Better ride than expected from the s-line
Seat comfort - very nice!
Good acceleration, but also decent economy (not yet achieved spec though)
Looks great, headlamps, tail lights nice
headlamp swivel adjustment for continental driving... at last!!
Satnav now takes full postcodes, and doesn't put in an extra turn on roundabouts like C6 satnav high: "now take the Second turn left"
Simple connectivity to Blackberry for phone, addresses etc., and also transferred nav addresses from previous car using SD card
Friendly service from Derby Audi, even after a hard negotiation

DISLIKES
Pedals are slightly offset from seat (find I'm sitting on the outer seat ridge) ... Very minor
Water leak on front doors .. C6 owned for 3 years, zero faults... So a fault in month 1, still unresolved in month 3, is not good
Roof rails are spaced wider at front by 20mm ...and this is just enough to make my £180 Audi bars bought for a C6 useless
Standard satnav is a bit slow giving directions, and phone (voice) quality not as good as with c6 with satnav high system

On balance, very happy with the choice, even better when they fix the leaks.

[dandam]

I love the car, have been really impressed with it though feel that in some places the fit and finish isn't quite as good as my previous C6 model.

My biggest gripe is Birmingham Audi, in Shirley. The car went in for a service last friday with 3 issues mentioned. They apparently 'fixed' the first and couldn't discover the other two, but of course they don't bother to call and check, they just send the car back. I phoned (as did the delivery driver) to the service team and they were going to call me straight back away and arrange to get it back but obviously no one has called me yet.

I have had concerns with the service from Birmingham Audi previously with my last A6, plus some of our Audi's that we have on our fleet here at work. Just on the off chance that anyone from Audi UK or Birmingham Audi do look at this I would be delighted to speak to them, my registration number is BF61 UVE, I am sure they can find me on their system - but I am not holding my breath.... :zx11:

[Timothy Nathan]

There must be more than one dealer in Birmingham?

[JimC64]

I love my car, although I've had my fair share of issues it drives like a dream

Positives
Looks great, is planted on the road and very confortable, just like a big armchair
Even on 19's with 35 profile tyre and the SE suspension she still soaks up the bumps
No real creaks / groans or rattles to speak of even after 95k miles and 5 years
Great stopping power even with the OEM setup
Quality of fit n finish
MMI - for me is great especially with the integrated phone / Nav setup
MPG not bad for such a big heavycar, had 52mpg on a long run fully loaded, DIS stated 915 miles to empty when refuelled.
Dealer - for me, Stirling Audi are fantastic and have looked after the car since new, service / sales and parts / warranty all excellent. Absolutely NO quibbles on that score as they've jumped through numerous hoops to ensure I'm as happy as can be.
Pleasantly surprised at the cost of some OEM replacement parts...much cheaper than I would've imagined.

Negatives
Rear light cluster - Audi's refusal to resolve such a basic issue as rear light clusters filling with condensation / water - UNBELIEVABLE!
9 sets replaced under warranty / goodwill and STILL the issue remains and wastes an otherwise beautiful looking car.
Chrome trim - in fact plastic with chrome effect that turns milky - 4 sets replaced under warranty and still the issue remains.
Sat Nav - only 4 figure postcode, not the best
Should've held out for the 3.0 tdi as the 2.0 is underpowered, especially in 1st gear, A remap sorted that out but should've been like that from new, hence the 170 models that came later.

I'm sure I could probably add more on both accounts, but that about sums it up for me

[Blackmore Spur]

6 months, 7000 miles 2.0 TDi SLine on 20" rotors from new

LIKE....
Interior quality finish
Beautiful, smooth drive, particularly on motorway or long run
Everything works"as it says on tin", only minor Sat Nav upgrade so far
Comfortable luxurious seats
Value for money with extras thrown in
Sat Nav; reliable full post code functionality, easy to use

GRIPES.....
Rattling fillings over every tiny bump: would not get S Line on 20's again
MPG in real time nowhere near quoted figures
Bluetooth great but IPod connection bit hit and miss
Bit big for London commute and throwing around and parking in tiny old narrow streets

IN SUMMARY OVERALL....
First Audi experience; overall very satisfied with car, quality and dealer. Maybe with hindsight .... Deep breath here before you all lynch me.... A6 not ideal choice for largely urban daily commute into London and will go more compact next time ... But will be an Audi of course!

[Hawthorn37]

I love the car, have been really impressed with it though feel that in some places the fit and finish isn't quite as good as my previous C6 model.

My biggest gripe is Birmingham Audi, in Shirley. The car went in for a service last friday with 3 issues mentioned. They apparently 'fixed' the first and couldn't discover the other two, but of course they don't bother to call and check, they just send the car back. I phoned (as did the delivery driver) to the service team and they were going to call me straight back away and arrange to get it back but obviously no one has called me yet.

I have had concerns with the service from Birmingham Audi previously with my last A6, plus some of our Audi's that we have on our fleet here at work. Just on the off chance that anyone from Audi UK or Birmingham Audi do look at this I would be delighted to speak to them, my registration number is BF61 UVE, I am sure they can find me on their system - but I am not holding my breath.... :zx11:
If you can take the journey down A38, Derby Audi team are First Class on comms and support. A friend has had 6 cars through them, and I am on my second.

[dandam]

There must be more than one dealer in Birmingham?

There are a few around the area, but almost all are the Listers group. I have tried Halesowen Audi in the past and I might try them again.

It is just such as shame, a great product spoiled by the after sales service that makes the average burger joint look like the Ritz

[dandam]

If you can take the journey down A38, Derby Audi team are First Class on comms and support. A friend has had 6 cars through them, and I am on my second.

Thanks for the advice, I might give them a try - also thinking about trying the dealer in Plymouth when I am down there (my parents live nearby and I try to visit at least once per month).

I love the car, it is my third A6 and my fifth Audi - I just find independant specialists and even my local Hi Q tyre depot provide me with so much better service and make me want to go back rather than resenting giving them the business.

[robob123]

I bought my a6 from Stratford Audi, who were so so much better to deal with than Coventry or birmingham, all lister, but only one would do a keen deal, and only one seems interested in customer service. I really don't understand how some car dealers think arrogance will help sell cars.

[dandam]

I genuinely love the car, I think the performance out of the 2.0TDi is great, it is very refined on the motorway and rides much better than the C6 A6, and the standard equipment level on even the 'basic' SE is very good.
I'm not the average company car driver, I look after my car, am careful where I park it, don't kerb wheels, ensure that it is warmed up before I push it, clean and polish it on a regular basis, treat the leather, etc - it is just so frustrating when the dealer of a prestige make has absolutely no interest in customer service, dealing with issues that you have, or bothering to treat you with any respect.

Sorry if I have gone off on a tangent on this thread, I'll get back off my soap box now... :Blush2:

[Black RATT]

Dandam, I don't think you are 'off topic'. The fact is, the product is an exclusive one and the dealership engagement is part of the ownership experience. My local seems to understand this, I have had nothing but polite and attentive service from both sales and service. The staff believe in the product but understand the need for repeat custom.
Sorry to hear this is not the same everywhere.

[prasadm]

I had an A4 Avant as a comany car and used to be serviced by Nottingham Audi. Absolutely brilliant. So much so, when I opted for my next car I went for an A6 SE from them. The support and experience you get there is amazing, makes you feel special. As for the car itself, have nothing much to complain about. The only thing that annoys me a little bit is the inability of the side mirrors to be folded manually especially when parking in tight spots.. The A4 could do it...not this one..

[Blackmore Spur]

Sorry totally off topic.... curious that your SE won't let you food mirrors in manually. On my S Line you can do it, just feels tight when you first do it but presuming mirrors same on both so reckon you'll able to do with gentle coaxing