Thinking about trading in..

[a4dc89]

I'm thinking about trading in my 2.0t for a 2006 BMW 330i. Any thoughts? I am just kinda sick and fed up with some of the problems my car has. I plan on keeping cars about 100,000 miles and it does not look like i will be able to do this without significant problems. I currently have 31k miles.

I have been unable to resolve: cold start issue, squealing noise at high rpm, very weak engine off idle/vibration at low rpm, the potential and serious problem of the fuel pump/cam failing after the warranty is up (btw this seems like a design flaw and something that cannot be fixed permanently), also it is my understanding that the clutches are weak in these cars and will also go prematurely (a relatively expensive fix).

I am sad that i am even thinking about this because this car looks incredible and has great fit and finish. But, i would rather have a more solid car for a DD

[Blarg]

Sorry to hear you're bummed about the car. I worry sometimes about my car, no problems yet, but could be expensive later. But those worries don't last long because I just love this car and got it because it was the best I could get for the money and wouldn't be happy with anything else. You have to make a decision that you'll be happy with but I hope you keep your car!

[speedydragon]

maybe you own a lemon. Research on lemon law, my mom's bf purchased a lemon from GM and after going through lemon law, he was able to get ALL of his money back after driving 30k miles.

edit: lemon law is free if your case loses, if you win, I believe you have to give them 10% of the money you get back.

[{PMS}fishy]

I'm not sure what the deal is with the cold start and these cars. Neither is the dealer. I just traded in my 06 for an 07, and strangely enough the 07 has no issues with cold starts. I'm with you on these cars being iffy for long term reliability, which is why I got the 07 as a CPO car.

I don't know that an 06 330 is the answer though. I tossed around the idea of a 135i, but didn't want to give up the AWD. If you want something you know you never have to worry about, get a Honda/Acura, I really like the blue TSX.

[IceMole]

If you turn your key to the on position and listen for the fuel system to prime (2-3seconds) then try to start it, does start faster?

[RedS-line]

If youre under warranty then id try a new dealer and keep complaining. bmw's are nice but they have their problems too. The thing is if you go bimmer its 335 or nothing. The 330 just doesnt have the torque of a chipped 2.0t

[golfvdude]

I'm thinking about trading in my 2.0t for a 2006 BMW 330i. Any thoughts? I am just kinda sick and fed up with some of the problems my car has. I plan on keeping cars about 100,000 miles and it does not look like i will be able to do this without significant problems. I currently have 31k miles.

I have been unable to resolve: cold start issue, squealing noise at high rpm, very weak engine off idle/vibration at low rpm, the potential and serious problem of the fuel pump/cam failing after the warranty is up (btw this seems like a design flaw and something that cannot be fixed permanently), also it is my understanding that the clutches are weak in these cars and will also go prematurely (a relatively expensive fix).

I am sad that i am even thinking about this because this car looks incredible and has great fit and finish. But, i would rather have a more solid car for a DD

Funny, I also get the cold start issues and the weak engine off idle/vibration at low rpm. I'm gonna purchase aftermarket warranty after my factory warranty is over and pay a little more for coverage on wear and tear items like clutch and such. Sorry to hear about the possible trade. But make damn sure you're gonna be satisfied with the next vehicle. RESEARCH till your eyes bleed!

[golfvdude]

If you turn your key to the on position and listen for the fuel system to prime (2-3seconds) then try to start it, does start faster?

It doesn't work for me. I just turn the key off and turn it on again to start. It doesn't happen all the time so it's not annoying(yet).

[SGVA4]

the 330i has a good engine. go for it

[jimmya4]

im with you man i love my audi but if i had the choice again i probably would have either gone asian or american. i dont think a 330 is the answer they have their own problems. the engine is more reliable considering its a natural aspiration. its all about your taste but you can get an asian car going alot faster for alot less but if you need the luxury and looks while still having power i would have to say go with the 135 or 335 and just go more mileage or older car to find the right price. the engine is proven and it puts great power and the car is still racey while being very luxurious. after this car im probably done with audi even though its been fun

[Turn10]

if your looking for another fun car, then why not try the A3. If you have to go elsewhere try the mini cooper s. That is a super fun car to drive.

[a4dc89]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, any others? I think the 330 is the ticket but maybe something else?

[Grishbok]

I have thought about what car i would get if i had to part with the audi and i have to say theres not alot out there. BMW's are too heavy and the X-drive system is costly maintenance as its a second clutch and will inevitably fail. Asian imports are lightweight and fun, but lack the power.

IS250 RWD - good looking from the front, and RWD fun. Still on the heavy side.. stock for stock comparable to the a4 2.0t, but a chipped a4 is vastly superior.

[Glassnpowder98]

I will definitely be going BMW for my next car after being royally screwed by the AoA warranty department. It would have been nice to upgrade to a B8 S4, but I will never purchase another Audi because of the dealerships in my area and how I was treated by AoA. The A4 is fun and the interiors are really nice, but I think it would be much more fun to have two turbo's, RWD, and a company that hopefully supports their product a little better.

[elwigglero]

If you're upset about too much maintenance on the audi, a BMW might not be the way to go. These cars are just as, if not more problematic than ours. A coworker had a 2005 330i and had a loaner from BMW literally every other week. He traded it in for an new X5 which has been only slightly better. I liked the 330i though.

Try a Lexus IS250 for reliability.

[Sharkfin]

If you are looking for reliability (seems like you are), I don't think you will be happy with a used 330i either. If you want a BMW, get it new so it has a warranty (or a CPO). Otherwise get a Lexus/Infinity/Acura

[06B7audiA4]

Lexus does have a pretty good customer service base, itleast from my familys experience for the past 10 yrs. They get there car washed for FREE every saturday, haha and the service is ussuallly on par..

Still say get another AUDI but understable if the service sucks by you..Dont go acura tho, they suck and are ugly..lol yOU dont want to downgrade from the audi.

[RedS-line]

IS250 has zero torque. the IS350 i could understand. id rather have an old IS300 and slap a turbo on that b*tch than a puny 250.

[cab7a4]

335i is the way to go if you are a bmw fan...if u want extreme reliability and great power ect....go with the tl as someone previouly said

[Grishbok]

When i drove the TL i had ZERO fun with it. mid level hp with fwd kills the fun factor significantly. Not only that but the TL looks like the titanic and has the same roll factor. stay away from acura.

[Glassnpowder98]

I'll give the reliability factor to Acura, but I'm not a fan of their design nor will I ever purchase a FWD car. I like to have fun while driving sometimes. FWD and fun may start with the same letter, but they're not synonymous. Although, I guess I did have some fun with the e-brake in the rain last week when I had an A3 loaner and had wheel spin through second gear... Thanks full insurance coverage.

[p1nk50ck]

IS250 has zero torque. the IS350 i could understand. id rather have an old IS300 and slap a turbo on that b*tch than a puny 250.

i'm selling an is300 and a turbo kit

my mom has an is250 AWD, and i agree that it's pretty weak. but the car itself is VERY nice. my dad has a rx400h, and it's quite fun for an suv, but the design is boring in my opinion. is350 or one of the GS460 would definitely be the way to go if you want some oomf with great reliability.

i've owned toyotas my whole life, and decided to take a chance with the german car scene with this car. so far i'm happy, but i am worried about potential reliability issues down the road. i figure with good care, timely maintenance, and an extended warranty, it shouldn't be too bad.

[Bmeister]

I will definitely be going BMW for my next car after being royally screwed by the AoA warranty department. It would have been nice to upgrade to a B8 S4, but I will never purchase another Audi because of the dealerships in my area and how I was treated by AoA. The A4 is fun and the interiors are really nice, but I think it would be much more fun to have two turbo's, RWD, and a company that hopefully supports their product a little better.

You really think so? When you switch, make sure to get an extra large jar of vaseline and become friends with a good chiropractor...you'll be bending over with greater intensity and higher frequency than you think when you go down that road. I've been there, completely stock, and still grimace when I pass any BMW dealership. There's a very good chance you'll be saying the same thing later on about BMW. The "grass is always greener on the other side" (but it's not) applies here.

[quattro.it]

I definitely do not have any plans in my future for a BMW indefinitely. I've had an X3, X5, M3, and the brand just does nothing for me. The ony asian car I would consider is a 2006/7 Subaru WRX STi. Other than that I can't stand asian cars. For a fairly reasonable amount of $ the STi can be increased to 430+hp. I think the new S4 is going to be awesome. But I'll probably just keep my 2007 A4 because I haven't had any issues with it other than the usual items (coil packs, PCV) that were covered under factory warranty. I'm even considering buying it off lease and having it CPO'd.

[Glassnpowder98]

You really think so? When you switch, make sure to get an extra large jar of vaseline and become friends with a good chiropractor...you'll be bending over with greater intensity and higher frequency than you think when you go down that road. I've been there, completely stock, and still grimace when I pass any BMW dealership. There's a very good chance you'll be saying the same thing later on about BMW. The "grass is always greener on the other side" (but it's not) applies here.

Shitty... I'd really like to stick with at least a German made car, but it seems like they all have their problems. I realize you have to pay to play, but the package should come with at least a little bit of customer service. If I was going to purchase another Audi, I would have to be out of this area and would do far greater research into the dealerships where I relocate to. However, I still don't think I can get over Audi of America royally screwing me over. I mean, what it came down to for them to void my warranty was me missing a screw on my ECU cover and that was proof enough for them to say I chipped my car. When in reality, I removed the ECU cover to gain access through the firewall and it was dark and late when I put the ECU cover back on and couldn't really reach the last screw. For the past four months, they have given me the run around and have come up with countless "reasons" why they won't cover my warranty claim.

I guess I might just have to throw my money at American manufaturers and pray that they are still around in a few years to fix my car... Haha, the whole auto industry is a joke to me right now.

[Grishbok]

they didnt scan your ecu? and the same shop that denied you the first time and started all this was allowed to do the inspection?

[Audi007]

defiantly visit another dealer and explain your situation with the car


if you decide to trade go for a lexus IS or acura tsx which has probably the best manual tranny... a bmw has same or more problems then audi, i'm on e90post a lot and i constantly hear problems with starting, limp mode, stalling, fuel pump, and etc.

just my .02

[Zebman]

I have been unable to resolve: cold start issue, squealing noise at high rpm, very weak engine off idle/vibration at low rpm, the potential and serious problem of the fuel pump/cam failing after the warranty is up (btw this seems like a design flaw and something that cannot be fixed permanently), also it is my understanding that the clutches are weak in these cars and will also go prematurely (a relatively expensive fix).

Are rough cold starts really that bad to trade in the losing investment that is a car? Seriously, it's 5 extra seconds out of your time to crank it over a few more times than what is expected. And being direct injected, I find the time pretty damn reasonable.

Weak engine off idle? What do you mean? And i have a snub mount. I don't really get any vibrations; at least nothing I would trade the car in for.

The clutch is fine in this car. It's just that people like me drive hard, and heat the transmission up, which causes it to lose grip. Then we come on AZ and bitch without educating ourselves.

The cam/follower are big issues though. I understand that, but you can potentially take that risk on any car with weaker than usual components breaking. Example off the top of my head, MS3s have toothpicks for rods that can fail on stock cars. They face the same dilemna of being out of warranty when shit hits the fan.

I'm curious if you're out for sheer reliability, or what you're looking for in a car. My mom's 06 530i has treated us great and it drives amazing. But if your Audi's doors aren't falling off, i'd look through the what-if and wait for something that will really make you want to drop it.

[80sGuy]

Shitty... I'd really like to stick with at least a German made car, but it seems like they all have their problems. I realize you have to pay to play, but the package should come with at least a little bit of customer service. If I was going to purchase another Audi, I would have to be out of this area and would do far greater research into the dealerships where I relocate to. However, I still don't think I can get over Audi of America royally screwing me over. I mean, what it came down to for them to void my warranty was me missing a screw on my ECU cover and that was proof enough for them to say I chipped my car. When in reality, I removed the ECU cover to gain access through the firewall and it was dark and late when I put the ECU cover back on and couldn't really reach the last screw. For the past four months, they have given me the run around and have come up with countless "reasons" why they won't cover my warranty claim.

I guess I might just have to throw my money at American manufaturers and pray that they are still around in a few years to fix my car... Haha, the whole auto industry is a joke to me right now.

And to the original OP: BMWs are not like what you think, as mentioned; they have their little problems too - I know because I had a 325i convertible, the car was nice but I was sick of going in to the service department.
If you want a European car similar to the Germans, why not check out the new Volvos? They're pretty reliable and very safe, at least that's what I hear from the people I know that owns them.

[Grishbok]

OMG the volvo c60 in line 5cyl turbo! YES PLEASE! (aesthetically no but i want that engine!!!!)

[80sGuy]

^^Why Not?

[Grishbok]

i was refering to the hatchback that was released

[80sGuy]

Yeah, I kinda thought you might meant that, but here's another...nice turn signal LEDs.

[Grishbok]

thats a good looking car, but I like the A6 just a tad better. The bulbous fender flares keep it on the feminine side for the volvo.

[QuadRings]

I've been in the same boat, probably gonna trade in the Audi once winter is over, the AWD can't be beat for the winter, but I'm putting a lot more miles on than I thought I would be (transfered a few months after I bought the car). I know FWD sucks but I was thinking TL too, preferably type S. My other idea is G35, then get a garbage beater when winter rolls around next year. Need reliability, but don't want to step down too much in class. I was thinking about the Volvos too, some of them are really nice.

[Auditude2.0T]

B8 A4

[cgmiller63]

Glassnpowder98s experiance with AoA left a bad taste in my mouth. I too will not be purchasing another Audi. My next car will most likely be a Lexus. Lexus/Toyota customer service is awesome and their reliability is great.

[BriAnders]

don't have any experiences with them myself, but maybe look into a legacy? not quite on the same level as an A4 but much more grown-up than a WRX/Sti.