Thoughts on new A4 Avant options

[ipslim]

Hi there,

I'm just coming up to replace my 09 A4 Avant and am pretty much sticking with the same as it's been a great car and served me well. It's a company car but I get pretty much full rein on options and have got down to the following as a probable spec:-

Sline 2.0 TDi 143 bhp
Sound Package
Technology Package High
Interior Light Pack
Pearl Paint (probably Phantom Black)
Leather/Alcantra seats
18"x8j '5-twin-spoke' wheels
Manual Rear Window Blinds
Audi Hill-hold assist

I was just interested in any comments and thoughts on this and if I've missed something glaringly obvious. Obviously there's a lot of personal opinion involved but always good to hear different views.

Thanks,

Ian

[Longdog]

Nice spec, but I'd add -

19 inch wheels - just because they look nicer.
Storage pack - standard storage is poor on the avant.
Full leather with heated fronts - just because I like leather!
Privacy glass - really suits a black avant.

[ipslim]

Thanks for the thoughts
Privacy glass has been in and out of the spec a few times - I'm not so keen but the missus is.
If we add in privacy glass the cost is only just below a Black Edition with the same options which is very tempting but not sure if I can live with the bling levels of a Phantom Black, Black Edition with Black glass, black wheels and black trim :-)
Would love to go full leather seats but am too close to my lease limit to be able to squeeze this in.
I've got the storage pack on my current A4 and didn't really find it useful. The nets on the back of the seats get used occasionally but the under seat storage is a bit of a running joke in our house.

[kite]

With rear blinds fitted you may find privacy glass a bit of an overkill.

....If only I was as smart as this bloody phone

[Longdog]

Thanks for the thoughts
Privacy glass has been in and out of the spec a few times - I'm not so keen but the missus is.
If we add in privacy glass the cost is only just below a Black Edition with the same options which is very tempting but not sure if I can live with the bling levels of a Phantom Black, Black Edition with Black glass, black wheels and black trim :-)
Would love to go full leather seats but am too close to my lease limit to be able to squeeze this in.
I've got the storage pack on my current A4 and didn't really find it useful. The nets on the back of the seats get used occasionally but the under seat storage is a bit of a running joke in our house.

I was of a similar mind to you when I was choosing the spec for my car, all of the options I wanted we're included with the black edition and once the final bill came in it actually worked out cheaper than the non-black edition car. I did want carbon inserts and the 7 spoke alloys but after taking delivery I was glad I just stuck with the rotors and black inserts as they really set the car off, if anything it's less bling than the standard car as there's no shiny chrome to be seen anywhere.
Whatever you go for you'll be happy as the facelift model looks great, as does the pre-FL!

[Longdog]

With rear blinds fitted you may find privacy glass a bit of an overkill.

....If only I was as smart as this bloody phone

Yes, I should have said privacy instead of blinds.

[dts439]

I'd also add:

- TPMS (cheap option and great for detecting slow punctures)
- Parking Plus or Advanced
- DAB

Personally I dislike privacy as it screwed up the the auto dipping rear view mirror on our B7 and in our current A1 its impossible to reverse park it at night (seemed darker glass than the B7 - both factory fit). Defintely try one out with it in the dark!

[derekm]

I have the Privacy on my new 2012 Avant and it really looks good on the Avants. Makes them look much smarter.

If it was me I would go with the Privacy over the blinds. During the day you would hardly notice the darker glass in the back. At night it is a bit darker but you can still see out ok.

[YawnGumbo]

Definitely go for the parking system plus if this is the one that includes the front parking sensors - I would be lost without them now that I've had them. Also think you can get a Technology Pack Advanced now which includes adaptive cruise control as well as the HDD sat nav, which may be useful if you do a lot of motorway miles. I couldn't spec that on my car as I have a TDIe, but its the one thing I think would have been nice if I had had the option. Folding mirrors are a nice, cheap, addition as well, as these are no longer standard on the FL version.

[ipslim]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I've got myself more confused now as was driving alongside a Black Edition A4 on the motorway yesterday and it looked very nice indeed although I am not so keen to go 19" wheels and really like the 18" twin spokes.

Now thinking about the following:-

Sline 2.0 TDi 143 bhp
Sound Package (includes DAB)
Technology Package High (includes Parking System Plus)
Black Styling Package
Interior Light Pack
Pearl Paint (probably Phantom Black)
18"x8j '5-twin-spoke' wheels
Manual Rear Window Blinds
Audi Hill-hold assist
Privacy Glass

I've had to drop back from Alcantara to Sprint Cloth seats as am right up to my lease limit. Anyone got any thoughts on the Cloth as we have Alcantara at the moment?

I'm also tempted to keep the Sun Blinds as well as the privacy glass as saw a comment a while ago that the privacy glass was OK but Sun Blinds are still handy for the summer.

I'm right at my lease limit so Tech Pack Advanced isn't an option and while I do a lot of motorway miles it's on the M4 between London and Reading which is usually fairly stop/start

Decisions, decisions....