What are the best things about an A4 B8?

[appin]

Looking at the recent messages could easily give the impression that there is a lot wrong with the A4 B8. Whilst my A4 is only 5 months old, it has done nearly 15,000kms of mainly city driving and nothing and I repeat nothing has gone wrong, not even a rattle; that is a big thing for those of us forced to drive on Sydney roads.

The best feature of my A4 is probably the 6MT as it gives the car a sporty feel driving, well that is when on the country roads. Moreover, the A4 is very quiet so using the bluetooth/ hands free telephone is a pleasure, even at high speeds.

Another feature which at first seemed to be nothing more than marketing talk, is the passive safety features. While on a highway, I scored a tyre blow-out at around 120kms per hour in busy traffice. The car remained steady under full braking and I was able to manupilate the vehicle to get off the highway without an incident. Perhaps this was due to luck than anything else, but at least the A4 gave me the confidence to take abrasive action quickly. Incidently, the blow-out wasn't the fault of the tyre, just many nails/ screws on the road.

I could go on forever about how good the A4 is, but like to hear from others about their positive experiences.

Before anyone ask, my previous cars were mainly BMWs (brought new) and my reason for buying the A4 was that I just wanted a change.

Happy and safe driving.

[ScottyUK]

Looking at the recent messages could easily give the impression that there is a lot wrong with the A4 B8.

That's just how car forums work.

It would be a bit tedious for everyone to post "no problems today. It's great"

[Hippogriff]

It looks good, from certain angles. Preferred the look of my B6 though - thought it looked more mean. Preferred the door handles on that too.

Back to good...

Steering wheel. I like that a lot.

Advanced Key, I like that. Want it to somehow work for my house too. I would like to have a "walk away and auto-lock after X seconds option", then people could turn it on or not.

MMI main dial is well built and has a good tactile feel, clicky-clicky.

Electro-mechanical handbrake.

Quieter.

Dimming mirrors (rear-view and wing) - plus folding wing - like them a lot.

Luggage netting.

Cup holders are in a better place than on the B6.

I'm struggling...

[Pauls898]

The handling is great, Quite, very!, Instrumentation Cluster is good design, I like the way the DIS handles so much data and displays it clearly, B&O sounds beter than my home system!, AMI handles all my 19.697 tracks on HDD, Mirrors, dipping & folding, Audi Drive select it's just a great well engineered & built car

[Kmacker]

How about the cool running lights...

Mind you, nearly every other company is jumping on the band wagon, and there are definately more varieties on the road now. Audi still the best. Mind you, IMO, the A5's are more distinctive than even the A4...

[swivelonit]

Detachable tow bar is great, SD card stereo, auto dimming mirrors, leg room for my children (that is important so they say) and much more, I have done 52,000 miles in it since 22 sept 08 so it can't be bad!

[pitch3110]

That's just how car forums work.

It would be a bit tedious for everyone to post "no problems today. It's great"

Not sure of that Scotty.
Spent a great deal of time on Mk5 Golf GTI forums and it is no where near as bad as the unrest with cars and dealers as there is on here.
Same can be said of B7 and BMW forums of years gone past, the odd prob but not the bashing the B8 gets.
If I were looking now a may be thinking 'steer clear and well away'.

Just my view.....

Ta

[ScottyUK]

I've formed my opionion on this after seeing a very similar thread :

when I got a Mrk I TT,

when the Mrk II was launched,

when the B6 was launched

and now with the B8.

My experience has shown this is what happens in the first year or two or launch. Some of it is due to a new model having teething issues but I think it's also the time when many people are new to the car and hence these things come up.

Could it also be as time goes on and we all become more aware and familiar with technology and software and therefore our expectations are higher? e.g. I saw a post on a US forum where a guy moaned that he had to press two buttons to get the map up. i.e. Nav then map. I'm sure a few years ago the major challenge of having to press not one but two buttons wouldn't have even got a mention.

You could be right. I dunno. It's just my interpretation of what I've witnessed happening over the last few cars I've owned.

[robtt09]

Done 9k in my B8 and only one very minor niggle.Very pleased with car better than Beemer and Merc opposition .

[rd1]

I'm with robtt09, only done 12k since having the car and its brilliant, so much so that I am beginning to regret taking on the maintenance plan!! Only been to the dealer once and that was for the annual service no warranty probs, rattles or defects. ( I did still check for the yellow transit widget though )

IMO the B8 forum does seem very negative lately but is that because there is a few regular posters having more then their share of problems ? I suppose there will always be the odd rogue car, or, (tin hat time, is it the same cars that we are constantly being told are being driven as if they were on the track on time trials or max testing the performance figures
No offence intended of course to anyone who wants to treat a good family saloon as a race car.
Still very happy with mine and its certainly the best car new,secondhand, or borrowed I have ever had.