Going to dealer today to check out new Avant

[MojaveA4]

Received a call from my local dealer and he said they were unloading the Avant as we spoke. He said they would clean it and have it ready today. I hope it is ready to drive. I am going to head down this afternoon to check it out and take some pictures. I will post some tonight.

[minameismud]

b7? b8? color?

[biggygo]

The new A4 Avant is the hottest thing going right now - we can't get enough of them! I'll try to take some pics wen we get another in.

[SoCalS4Avant]

YEAH - which one!

I'd like to check out a new B8 Avant...now I"m going to have to search my local dealers to see what they have.

[MojaveA4]

OK, here it is B8 Prestige package, Black, Beige interior. It is riding high still because they have not taken the shipping blocks out of it yet. So it should be a couple inches shorter.

[AvanTTix]

there is something about the C-D pillars window that i'm not liking at all... that window is too small, i wish they had kept the same dimension and shape as the B6/B7 platform... and i prefer the roof rails design of the B5/B6/B7 too...

[SoCalS4Avant]

Very nice...I hope you bought it on the spot! Are they going to let you drive her?

I haven't made it out to the dealer yet...waiting for the damn cable guy to show up at my house...hears Jim Carrey yelling "CAAAAAABLE GUUUUUUY." Yikes!

[MojaveA4]

I did not buy it on the spot. We did not drive it because it was not fully prepped. I may come back later to drive after I think on it more.

I am still on the fence about B8 Avant or B7 Avant. I love the grill of the B8 ,but the side of the B7 I like more. The rear did not have as much room as I thought. It seemed to me that the sedan's trunk had more space. Maybe just my imagination.

Another reason I am not interested is the beige interior and the Prestige package pricing is nuts. The car's sticker was $46,000.

fyi They told me residuals for leases were 57% for premium, 54% for prem plus and 52% for prestige.

[MojaveA4]

A bit more information for ya if you care . . .

the Avant suffers a penalty of 5% in the residuals. For the Premium Plus model, the residual at 36 months is 50%, versus 55% on the sedan.

[biggygo]

the Bang & Olufsen stereo in the Prestige is a FANTASTIC system! I take it that the Avant your dealer has doesn't have the Audi Drive Select &/or Nav? We have a Prestige Sedan with both here for 46 and change...I'm about to go drive it and report on the drive select and overall impression (I've driven the "regular" A4 Sedan but not an Avant yet - yes, I know this is the Avant forum, though - but we have pre-sold all of our Avants for the next several months)

[biggygo]

OK...just drove the A4 Prestige w/ Audi Drive Select option - the drive select is like getting 1 car with several different personalities: a sedate, well-mannered car; an aggressive, tight car (more along the lines of what most people on here would want, I would think - at least I like it); and one that will adapt to your particular driving style and road conditions

I think if its going to be a multi-driver vehicle (maybe you and your wife or something) and one prefers a stiffer ride and more performance while the other wants a cushier, more coddling ride, you should definitely consider this option

just my (expert) opinion

[MojaveA4]

It did have the Nav ,but I am not sure about the select drive. I will check that out when I get to drive it.

[JumboBlack1.8]

Not really liking it much......the B8 is the only platform where I'd rather have a sedan than an avant......sad, but true

[SoCalS4Avant]

Ok, I ended up going to one of my area dealerships. LOVE IT. Absolutely love it! I ended up checking out the Premium Plus...no Prestiges on the lot. One was on order, but it was sold already.

I'll give more on my impressions of fit, finish, style, and drive if people want.

[ososlow]

46!! it's way too "a4" looking for 46, and it's not even s-line! i'd rather get a left over b7 s4 for that much.

[OMEGA SUPREME]

I dont like the back end. Looks too much like bwm tails.

[SoCalS4Avant]

^ Come on - get more creative than that!

[MojaveA4]

^^ Going to get one? I am really thinking B7 S4 Avant instead or maybe just a B7 A4 Avant with some mods.

[minameismud]

there is something about the C-D pillars window that i'm not liking at all... that window is too small, i wish they had kept the same dimension and shape as the B6/B7 platform... and i prefer the roof rails design of the B5/B6/B7 too...

Take your hand and cover up the bottom half of the car (up to the top of the wheel wells). Looks like a longer, wagon version of this:


*yuk*

...tho i'd totally take the extra 11hp and the dynamic suspension...

[dubenvy]

no manual tranny available.....not happy

Looks Dope though.

[MojaveA4]

I hear ya. My dealer said one engine one tranny for the Avant. I would love to see TDI with a manual.

[SoCalS4Avant]

I'm sure we can expect more variations as time goes on, and depending on overall sales strength of this current release. Let me tell you, the dealer I went to had five on the lot, and they were all sold...with more on the way, and most of those sold. I think we can expect that we get more variants, and even the S4 sometime...at least that's my hope/thought/wish.

Mojave, I'd love to get one...really bad, especially since I've seen and driven it now. I'm considering other things though - to include the Q5 when it comes out.

[MojaveA4]

An S4 would be sweet. I have found a couple nice B7 S4 Avants and they are tempting. Not so thrilled about the mpg though.

So how does the new 2.0T compare to the B7s?

[OMEGA SUPREME]

^ Come on - get more creative than that!

OK, the rear tails remind of all the bad asian drivers out there. I dont like the little slits. I like the b5 and b6 tails much better. Very distincitve. I also dont like the lights on the hatch. Someone P shop that part out,, then tell me how much better it looks!!!!

[SoCalS4Avant]

Yeah, you definitely don't buy the S4 for fuel savings! I love my S4 Avant though - but i have the B6. I wouldn't get rid of it for the world - and I've had offers! lol

I haven't driven a B7 2.0, but the B8 was just pure smoothness. It actually reminds me a lot of the current A6 Avant - but that comes with the 3.2. The feel is really similar. I'm hoping to throw a B8 Prestige around with the drive select and see if I can make it feel a hair sportier...I think the 18's will help with that as well.

[biggygo]

the extra 11 hp isn't the story - the bump to 258 lb/ft is! That's more torque than the 3.2 gives (243)

[gods_kitchen]

46K?? No thanks, I'll pass

[JumboBlack1.8]

46K?? No thanks, I'll pass

well, they never said its "affordable"

[klee]

Not really liking it much......the B8 is the only platform where I'd rather have a sedan than an avant......sad, but true

me too, (as far as styling) I can't believe it. but i still think I'll buy the avant for the utility.

[reggaemylitis]

Come on B9!!!

B8 styling =

[ChronicTeutonic]

I went to look yesterday! The design is so much more sporty at the base level than before, esp the front end. I noticed that the cargo cover has a couple positions now, one like normal and then you can slide it up sort of like a soft trunk lid, very cool. Quad chrome tips look hot BTW