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Hippogriff
21-06-2013, 11:07 PM
It's time to refresh the car - I'm currently out there with an 59 A4 2.0 S line brilliant black with advanced key, MMI 3G, interior light pack, heated front seats and folding wing mirrors... oh, and the tyre pressure monitoring system and the parking system with the beeps and red lines.

What's changed in the 2013 version of the A4... I've seen the new LED DRLs and lights n' stuff, but most things will be things I would copy - advanced key is something you can't live without once you've specified it, heated front seats is a must, integrated sat. nav. is also a must - but I really want the Google map parts of this, if possible... do I really need to order the "Technology Pack" with "Mobile Phone Preparation - High" to get this? Is there a monthly ongoing charge for this?

Has anyone else got first-hand experience of this and is it as good as I would hope? I've always been disappointed with MMI 3G.

Are there any other options that have become available with the 2013 version of the A4 that are now an incredible deal or are something that should not be ignored?

If I could stretch to an A6, then I probably would, but I don't think I can... likewise, I don't think I can justify going quattro. But is a Black Edition something that is worth consideration?

Apologies for the wide-ranging question, here, but I've not really looked at new Audi kit for a few years. I will appreciate anyone who takes a moment to provide some of their thoughts.

Hippogriff
22-06-2013, 03:01 PM
I took a trip to Sheffield Audi today and spent some time looking at S line editions of the A4, A6 and Q3.

I then spoke to a salesman about each of them, I was disappointed to be unequivocally told that no model of Audi, apart from the A3, has 7 digit postcode entry in the satellite navigation. I confirmed this with him, because I was surprised to hear that. He was adamant.

I've taken home the brochures for each vehicle - the A4 brochure clearly mentions 7 digit postcode entry for the MMI system in a couple of places.

I will take another look - but can someone with a 2013 A4 put this to bed once and for all for me? Does the MMI system now have 7 digit postcode entry capability?

The salesman didn't know anything about Audi Connect - which I am very, very interested in... but, to his credit, he did say he would try and have someone call me tomorrow who is a reported expert. So I'm hoping to learn more then.

Since my A4 is a 2009 car, I was expecting the 2013 A4 to be so much more than my car, but it really wasn't. The salesman did say it was only a cosmetic facelift (I'd noticed things like bits of silver added to various knobs, dials and switches) and the new DRLs etc.) but I thought there might be more to it.

The A6 impressed me a little more. It felt very wide when sat in it.

I would like to find out more about the A6 MMI system, and Audi Connect etc., because I thought the MMI system that came with a numeric keypad would also have the handwriting area as well... none of the cars at Sheffield Audi had that handwriting area... is this something Audi didn't continue with? I'm going to go through the A6 brochure now. The A6 had a nice DIS... bigger (wider) than the A4's.

c.grex
22-06-2013, 03:26 PM
I can't really comment on the MMI or Sat Nav, but for the suggested spec your talking about I'm guessing this will push the price of car up. I wouldn't want to be spending that money when the new A4 is just round the corner. If it was me I would take another look at the A6, but if you want to ask anything about it you will better off over here:

Audi A6 - C7 Forum - 2011- (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?356-Audi-A6-C7-Forum-2011)

Hippogriff
22-06-2013, 03:38 PM
This is the conclusion I am slowly - reluctantly - reaching. Having had two A4s previously, I think the time might be wrong to get another A4 today. The facelift doesn't offer enough to make it attractive. The Q3 doesn't excite me and it has much higher CO2 levels. The A6 looks like something that I should be paying more attention to. The brochure for the Q3 also states 7 digit postcode recognition, so I'm becoming less confident in the salesman's claims regarding 5 digit postocdes on all Audis, bar the A3. However, doing more Googling, I've also found lots of reported issues (could be historic now, who knows?) regarding Audi Connect and having a data SIM installed in the car while having your phone connected via Bluetooth at the same time. Also, transferring destinations across to the sat. nav. seems quirky... more research needed I think.

Hammy969
23-06-2013, 10:35 AM
Hello Hippo

I can't comment regarding the sat nav, but I changed last year from the car in my profile pic to a new 143 BE Avant. The improvements I noticed:

The value for money of Black Edition is excellent. To the point I am happy with the car and no extras.
The finish of the cabin on BE is better, I think the platic ali trim around the dash on the s line looked really cheap.
The ride quality on the new car is better even though both run the same wheel, tyre and suspension set up.
The engine is more refined.
Don't expect the new car to be more efficient, the info show improved mpg, I have seen it.

Keep us posted with your decision, make a differnce if you can find a Audi sales person who knows what the spec actually means,

Good luck with your search.

Ham

A4BlackEdition
23-06-2013, 01:15 PM
I must admit i had the a6 s-line 177 diesel as a courtesy car and it felt a step up in class and more modern than my 2012 A4. To be expected i guess, but what wasnt expected was the responsive handling as well, very impressive.

Hippogriff
23-06-2013, 01:17 PM
Yup, I'm over in the A6 section, now, asking all sorts of questions. ;)

c.grex
23-06-2013, 02:44 PM
you can get massive discounts on the A6 also (I'm talking 8k-10k on most models!) so they are not as much as you think.

AGW82
24-06-2013, 09:12 AM
Hi Hippo,

To clear up your post code issue, I have a 2013 A4 Avant with Tech Pack Advanced and the Sat Nav will indeed take a full 7 digit post code. I also had a C7 A6 with Tech Pack before this and this will also accept a 7 digit post code.

For the record, I found my A6 to be a fantastic car the only reason I changed back to an A4 was because I wanted an estate with lots of toys + Quattro and I couldn't afford the A6, otherwise it would have been an A6 all the way..

Longdog
24-06-2013, 08:06 PM
I have a facelift S4 with HDD nav and it does accept 7 digit post codes.

Hippogriff
19-08-2013, 09:38 AM
I've recently had a test drive of a Jaguar XF, an Audi A6 Black Edition and a Lexus IS 300h F Sport.

I think that I'm slowly coming back around to the A4. This has surprised me, I'll admit.

At first I thought the A4 was too long-in-the-tooth and I wanted a new Audi platform. I thought the facelift B8 hadn't moved on enough. But then I started to realise that it has 7-digit postcodes, it has Audi Connect with a SIM slot, it has Stop / Start... so, yes, the A6 provides a newer platform and the new A3 Saloon an even newer platform, but what I think I would really be missing with an A4 eventually comes down to - a swish MMI screen and MMI Touch.

On top of that, the A4 still has the AMI socket in the glove compartment, where it should be. ;)

Has anyone got an A4 with Audi Connect? I am trying to figure out if the A4 has all the features of the other cars... I'm trying to figure out whether Audi Connect is the constant here, or whether different cars get different versions of Audi Connect. So, say, an A6 would get information on local fuel prices, but the A4 wouldn't. The A3 will get Facebook, but the A6 and A4 wouldn't.

Just for reference...

The XF was easy to rule out - I didn't like too much about that car.
The A6 was harder - but the road noise from the 20" wheels, the AC controls, the gear stick and various other things put me off, plus it's just too big for me.
The IS 300h F Sport - was harder to rule out, a good car, but the seats hurt my hips (not good), their "mouse" controller was awful and the boot was too small.
The A3 Saloon - not yet seen one (I suspect the boot would be too small, but I would like to see one).

Longdog
19-08-2013, 02:59 PM
Get the one that you enjoy driving. Whether a car can get Facebook or not is not a good reason to buy it.

Hippogriff
19-08-2013, 03:33 PM
I don't enjoy driving at all, really... I like the cabin being a really nice place to be, to help put me off the actual [boring] driving. Therefore, it's things like convenience, gadgetry, noise suppression and connectivity that truly matter to me more. The driving bit is secondary, for sure. No-one ever claimed Audis were a driver's car, did they? ;) Isn't that BMW?

Longdog
19-08-2013, 06:08 PM
That's just a rumour!

Boy
19-08-2013, 09:55 PM
Presumably if the A4 does not access facebook, that will swing the decision in its favour!

Longdog
20-08-2013, 09:40 AM
Presumably if the A4 does not access facebook, that will swing the decision in its favour!

Well said!

Hippogriff
20-08-2013, 09:43 AM
You guys in this A4 section are a bunch of jokers... I get a lot of serious commentary in the A6 section of the forum. :p Bah!

theskyfox
20-08-2013, 10:35 AM
I think I would take a peek at the A6 as well. Not convinced at all that going from an A4 B8 to an A4 B8 again would be worth the expense of a new car. I'd either go for an A6 or so (if you want to upgrade quickly now) or wait for the B9, whenever that will be.

And lol at the facebook updates. Would be interesting if they were automatic...e.g. "Hippogriff is currently stuck on the M25! : Feeling: Hacked off : listening to: Aqua barbie girl".


-Andrew

AGW82
20-08-2013, 12:52 PM
Hi Hippo,

I made the switch from a standard B8 2.0TDI 143 S-Line Avant to a C7 2.0TDI 177 S-Line Saloon with some extras both manual. The jump in quality was significant and the cabin IMHO was a nicer more comfortable place to be than the A4. I ran the A6 for nearly 2 years and was very happy with it, however I was starting to cover far more mileage and wanted to change the finance agreement, and get a car with some toys that would help with the long (sometimes stop/start) motorway journeys and also get back in an estate. So i changed back to an A4 Avant, this time the face lift B8.5 with the spec in my signature, and have been very happy with the swap. There's nothing in particular I've come across so far that's made me wish I had the A6 back.

However, what I would say is spec for spec if I could have afforded the A6 Avant with the same spec (or as close as possible), then I would have chosen the A6, because it feels like (and is) a higher quality car.

I think you mentioned somewhere about being an early adopter (possibly in the A6 section), and I can say that my C7 A6 was one of the first s-line variants in the UK and I had very few issues that would cause me concern, and stop from being an early adopter of the B9 platform or future C8 platform..

Hippogriff
20-08-2013, 09:27 PM
You have a current A4 with Audi Connect... what features does it have? What do you use / find useful? Do you get Album covers on your screen?

Also your folding mirrors still auto-fold on locking, right? Like mine.

Guest 2
20-08-2013, 09:30 PM
Concert hasn't really changed, you get DAB now as standard on it and its a lot faster than the older Concert. He's a nice glossy fascia too.

The below is from a A5 Sportback Facelift - Symphony only has a inbuilt cd changer but that's the only difference.

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz90/57_audi/Courtesy%20Cars/a5sportback/IMG_2090.jpg~original

Hippogriff
20-08-2013, 09:36 PM
No, not that... I always get the Technology Pack. I know, for a fact, the A6 and the A3 shows covers... I expect the facelift A4 to as well, but I've not been able to test that myself. I just noticed the MMI interface on the A4 looks just the same as the A6 and A3, so I'm hopeful.

Guest 2
20-08-2013, 09:38 PM
Ahhhhh I misread Connect as Concert! Sorry! :(

Hippogriff
20-08-2013, 09:42 PM
Figured, no worries. I would love to see a table showing how (if) Audi Connect features differ between models. I bet I never will. ;)

AGW82
20-08-2013, 09:49 PM
For me Audi connect isn't that exciting, it has weather and news, petrol prices, country info, parking info etc, I'll upload a pic of the menu tomorrow.

Yes you do get album browser which shows covers.

As for mirrors, yes they fold on lock

Hippogriff
20-08-2013, 09:59 PM
Great! This is useful confirmation for me... at least it sounds like Audi isn't holding back Audi Connect features on any platform they have. So Audi Connect is Audi Connect is Audi Connect. I like that.

P.S. - I am giving some serious consideration to Technology Pack Advanced, like you have, which adds ACC and Lane Assist. Are these options ones you're glad you went for? I've never had either feature before.

AGW82
20-08-2013, 10:12 PM
With the amount of motorway diving I do both are a god send and I wouldn't be without them now. Just bear in mind the ACC isn't stop/go like in the A6, it works from 18mph and up. Break guard is active from 18mph and lower, this is supposed to be able to stop the car completely to avoid a collision. I have tentatively tried it out but bottled it every time, the system cuts in very late and is definitely only there as as last resort..

AGW82
20-08-2013, 10:23 PM
Also you really need an auto to get the best out of ACC..

AGW82
21-08-2013, 07:48 AM
Here is the Audi Connect screen:

2202522026

Here are the Album Browser and Track Info screens:

2202722028

Hippogriff
21-08-2013, 09:11 AM
Also you really need an auto to get the best out of ACC..

Yup, I only want another multitronic, really. Thanks for the confirmation pictures.

Hippogriff
21-08-2013, 09:40 AM
Just bear in mind the ACC isn't stop/go like in the A6, it works from 18mph and up.

Another very useful tidbit of information... thanks! I'd been looking at both brochures and I'd only noticed that ACC was £900 for the A4 and £1,330 for the A6, but I'd not really noticed that they were different. Very important to understand this. ACC, for the A4, seems less enticing now (even understanding why the price is reduced) due to the lack of Stop&Go.

Hippogriff
21-08-2013, 07:57 PM
In the A4 brochure, valid from July 2013, the Black Edition on page 26 comes with AMI, B&O and Audi Parking System Plus.

On page 72, B&O has an S in the Black Edition column, meaning it is standard. Correct.
On page 73, AMI has an S in the Black Edition column, meaning it is standard. Correct.
On page 78, Audi Parking System Plus has a blob in the Black Edition column, indicating that it is an available added £325 option. Surely incorrect?

Or am I reading this in the wrong way?

AGW82
21-08-2013, 08:03 PM
If memory serves me correct, I think it's standard on the saloon and an option in the avant..

Hippogriff
21-08-2013, 08:05 PM
That is an almost savant-like knowledge.

AGW82
21-08-2013, 08:10 PM
That is an almost savant-like knowledge.

Or possibly just an obsessive compulsive nature to reading Audi brochures... :biglaugh:

Hippogriff
21-08-2013, 08:22 PM
So, in my mind, now, this raises the interesting question of how much I want 7X8 (Audi Parking System Advanced - reversing camera). If you get a Black Edition Saloon, then you get 7X4 (Audi Parking System Plus - beeps and lines) and that means you 'avoid' £325 of spend (you don't really). But there is then no differential increase to get 7X8 - like the £15 difference between the two options, because - I suppose - they need to fit a camera for you. And to get Audi Parking System Advanced you need to have a Technology Package, which would have Audi Parking System Plus (and the cost of it, too) included.

It seems to be the situation that if I'm getting a Black Edition and I can live with just beeps and lines, then I can avoid £340 of spend for a cool camera.

AGW82
21-08-2013, 08:53 PM
For me I don't think it's worth the extra money just for a camera, but at the end of the day it's your car. I would say try and get the upgrade for free out of the dealer, if not just stick with parking system plus..