first car decision!

[dreamrs4]

What's up Audizine community. I am deciding on my first car which i will be getting within the next 3 months (hopefully) and i need your opinion on which car to choose. I know im posting this on the Audi forum and the replies will mostly be bias but i want to know your reasoning for it. Now Im picking between two cars, the 2003 540i 6sp and the 2005-2006 b7 a4 6sp. The 540i comes stock with 290 hp and i believe 324 tq. The lack of power in the a4 bothers me, even with the chip i feel like its still weak. Now by no means am i trying to have the fastest car ( ) but when compared to the 540i's stock hp/tq, handling and suspension, it makes me second guess myself. The downside to the bimmer is the maintenance and reliability. So which would you choose if you were in my position as the daily driver? Why?

Thanks for the replies!

[chayden]

i would go with the audi. you get a newer car which is a + for girls and it more "up to date", a nice 4 banger which is good on gas and its all wheel drive so you have that peace of mind when you need it. and all bmw drivers have no friends.

[doughboy17]

Honestly, it comes down to a couple of items ** AWD & fuel economy. Do you want it/need it? If so, go with the Audi. If HP is the main factor, you are going to go with the BMW because the V8 will outperform the 4 or 6 cyl., even with mods. If you want to crawl into your car everyday ** rain, snow, or shine ** knowing you are not driving the same thing as everyone else and say damn this interior is elegant, you will choose the Audi. Best wishes.

[a4_matt]

what they said!

[Matt@EuropaParts]

Do you need AWD? If yes, get the Audi. If you can make due without it when it rains or snows, get the BMW. The E39 is a great chassis, and if you found a 540i/6 in good shape, then do it.

[dreamrs4]

Yeah you guys are absolutely right about the awd and the fuel consumption but im not sure i will need it as i will be living in north carolina and there is not much need for awd except for rainy days but im sure the bmw can handle that. As for maintenance and reliability, what do you guys suggest? Are b7's generally reliable? Will the audi give me a piece of mind compared to an '03 5 series? Or are they basically along the same lines in terms of reliability? I know if i get the b7, it will obviously have less miles so thats a plus but how do they handle in the 70-80k range? Ive done research on the reliability on this forum but this is a direct comparison to a bmw's reliability.

[HamidsVikes]

290 hp for your first car might be a tad much!

I know if I had 290 hp in my first car I'd be dead! lol

[chayden]

my mom has an 01 330ci ( i know its a different engine but you get the point) and its been pretty good no real problems and it has 110k on the clock. and i have a 07 a4 with 80k and its been amazing so far it really depends on the previous owners.

[A4 Centaur]

Fuel Economy, Tune-Ability, Looks, AWD. Best Bang for the buck! IMO.

[Adub-Drew]

bmw's from what i see is the most reliable out of audi, bmw, and mercedes. I mean mercedes went to complete shit after diamler chrysler took over...
Audi's were cool but recently since they have been fitting their car with extra electronics and sensors of some sort, it just causes a larger margin for error. For instance on the b7 theres the oem xenon problem, they are by far the worst oem xenons made EVER!!! The pcv valve, diverter valve, timing belt etc., engine idle, carbon issues. I mean audi's are great cars and i love the idea of a turbo 4 but audi's motor is not to my liking. Its good but very fragile imo. Bmw's on the other hand seem awesome. Looks are amazing and reliability seems pretty damn good. My friends got a e46 325i with 200,000mi on it. He drove/drifted it and it still runs no problems. Then he recently picked up a e36 m3 with 192,000mi on it and that thing runs like new. My friends dad leases all cars (hes had an audi) and has stuck to bmw ever since he started 4 years ago. That says something. Bottom line bmw is the only pure-bred if you think of it this way (Mercedes Benz=Chrysler) (Audi=hopped up/overpriced VW) (Bmw=Bmw)
Dont get me wrong the a4 is a great car, i just think it could have been alot better, Audi could have spent more time and made a quality product...

[makav3li]

bmw's from what i see is the most reliable out of audi, bmw, and mercedes. I mean mercedes went to complete shit after diamler chrysler took over...
Audi's were cool but recently since they have been fitting their car with extra electronics and sensors of some sort, it just causes a larger margin for error. For instance on the b7 theres the oem xenon problem, they are by far the worst oem xenons made EVER!!! The pcv valve, diverter valve, timing belt etc., engine idle, carbon issues. I mean audi's are great cars and i love the idea of a turbo 4 but audi's motor is not to my liking. Its good but very fragile imo. Bmw's on the other hand seem awesome. Looks are amazing and reliability seems pretty damn good. My friends got a e46 325i with 200,000mi on it. He drove/drifted it and it still runs no problems. Then he recently picked up a e36 m3 with 192,000mi on it and that thing runs like new. My friends dad leases all cars (hes had an audi) and has stuck to bmw ever since he started 4 years ago. That says something. Bottom line bmw is the only pure-bred if you think of it this way (Mercedes Benz=Chrysler) (Audi=hopped up/overpriced VW) (Bmw=Bmw)
Dont get me wrong the a4 is a great car, i just think it could have been alot better, Audi could have spent more time and made a quality product...

makes me want to drive a bmw. Although the b7's seem pretty damn reliable other than a few easy fixes like pcv, dv, cam follower (<--that 1 sucks cuz if it does go bad your lookin at a pretty penny to fix) but other than that, the b7 forum is filled with threads like "code P8234 need help!!" everywhere like i use to see in my a6 c5 forums. Given that the b7s are newer but still, there are some 120k+ milers out there chugging along. I've only known a crappy old truck to audi's and fell in love with audi's. I'd love to drive/lease/or maybe own a bmw just to see the difference in the direct competitors.

[dreamrs4]

290 hp for your first car might be a tad much!

I know if I had 290 hp in my first car I'd be dead! lol

notice i said first car not first time driving

[dreamrs4]

bmw's from what i see is the most reliable out of audi, bmw, and mercedes. I mean mercedes went to complete shit after diamler chrysler took over...
Audi's were cool but recently since they have been fitting their car with extra electronics and sensors of some sort, it just causes a larger margin for error. For instance on the b7 theres the oem xenon problem, they are by far the worst oem xenons made EVER!!! The pcv valve, diverter valve, timing belt etc., engine idle, carbon issues. I mean audi's are great cars and i love the idea of a turbo 4 but audi's motor is not to my liking. Its good but very fragile imo. Bmw's on the other hand seem awesome. Looks are amazing and reliability seems pretty damn good. My friends got a e46 325i with 200,000mi on it. He drove/drifted it and it still runs no problems. Then he recently picked up a e36 m3 with 192,000mi on it and that thing runs like new. My friends dad leases all cars (hes had an audi) and has stuck to bmw ever since he started 4 years ago. That says something. Bottom line bmw is the only pure-bred if you think of it this way (Mercedes Benz=Chrysler) (Audi=hopped up/overpriced VW) (Bmw=Bmw)
Dont get me wrong the a4 is a great car, i just think it could have been alot better, Audi could have spent more time and made a quality product...

i like the way you think

[Grada89]

and all bmw drivers have no friends.

haha

[TH85]

if you end up getting a 2007 a4 vs the 2003 beemer then the a4 is going to be several years newer.
i say go with the newest car....run into less problems and it will keep up to date longer (looks)

2003 model is getting close to being 10 years old now....

[makav3li]

if you end up getting a 2007 a4 vs the 2003 beemer then the a4 is going to be several years newer.

this is a true statement

[MCT9891]

just mod the b7 a4, it'll be decently quick, and look gorgeous.
The bmw is an older car.

[BASARAB]

if you end up getting a 2007 a4 vs the 2003 beemer then the a4 is going to be several years newer.
i say go with the newest car....run into less problems and it will keep up to date longer (looks)

2003 model is getting close to being 10 years old now....

LOL 2010-2003=7. I would say 3 years is a big difference for a car. 2003 gonna break down more simply because its older, and 540 is expensive to repair.
OP, if u dont mind me asking, how old are u?

[2007B7cabrio]

bmw's from what i see is the most reliable out of audi, bmw, and mercedes. I mean mercedes went to complete shit after diamler chrysler took over...
Audi's were cool but recently since they have been fitting their car with extra electronics and sensors of some sort, it just causes a larger margin for error. For instance on the b7 theres the oem xenon problem, they are by far the worst oem xenons made EVER!!! The pcv valve, diverter valve, timing belt etc., engine idle, carbon issues. I mean audi's are great cars and i love the idea of a turbo 4 but audi's motor is not to my liking. Its good but very fragile imo. Bmw's on the other hand seem awesome. Looks are amazing and reliability seems pretty damn good. My friends got a e46 325i with 200,000mi on it. He drove/drifted it and it still runs no problems. Then he recently picked up a e36 m3 with 192,000mi on it and that thing runs like new. My friends dad leases all cars (hes had an audi) and has stuck to bmw ever since he started 4 years ago. That says something. Bottom line bmw is the only pure-bred if you think of it this way (Mercedes Benz=Chrysler) (Audi=hopped up/overpriced VW) (Bmw=Bmw)
Dont get me wrong the a4 is a great car, i just think it could have been alot better, Audi could have spent more time and made a quality product...

Audi = VW OK, BMW=BMW OK, but MB = Chrysler no go, MB is also MB (not sure who owns main part of the stock now), Chrysler borrowed a lot from MB to keep going, e.g. the crossfire is an old model SLK, the 300 is an old model E-Class etc, but I agree rear wheel drive will at any point be better than FWD or AWD, but I still love my A4, the design is way better that BMW, they just look boring inside, and in S FL, there are no challenging roads to drive all flat and straight...

[dreamrs4]

LOL 2010-2003=7. I would say 3 years is a big difference for a car. 2003 gonna break down more simply because its older, and 540 is expensive to repair.
OP, if u dont mind me asking, how old are u?

21

[JMG]

My friend has a 540i and imho its the best looking 5 series yet. Sure, it's only 290hp, but it feels closer to my 340hp S4 because its RWD. It's going to feel a lot faster than a stock 2.0t. As far as reliability, a 2003 STOCK 540i will probably have just as many or less problems than a modified B7. Both are solid cars overall, however. The only downside for the 5 is the fuel economy and interior. You get a little more room inside afaik but it's not as pleasant to sit in as a well appointed B7 A4. The seats on the 5 , however, are much nicer than the cheap seats in the A4 unless you get the sline seats or something. Sorry, the baseline A4 seats are just crap. All in all, I don't think you will regret getting one over the other. They are both good cars.

[dreamrs4]

but I still love my A4, the design is way better that BMW, they just look boring inside, and in S FL, there are no challenging roads to drive all flat and straight...

540i's by no means have boring interiors, maybe not as elegant as an audi but definatelly not boring. maybe more masculine is the term

[Insane_Audi]

bmw's from what i see is the most reliable out of audi, bmw, and mercedes. I mean mercedes went to complete shit after diamler chrysler took over...
Audi's were cool but recently since they have been fitting their car with extra electronics and sensors of some sort, it just causes a larger margin for error. For instance on the b7 theres the oem xenon problem, they are by far the worst oem xenons made EVER!!! The pcv valve, diverter valve, timing belt etc., engine idle, carbon issues. I mean audi's are great cars and i love the idea of a turbo 4 but audi's motor is not to my liking. Its good but very fragile imo. Bmw's on the other hand seem awesome. Looks are amazing and reliability seems pretty damn good. My friends got a e46 325i with 200,000mi on it. He drove/drifted it and it still runs no problems. Then he recently picked up a e36 m3 with 192,000mi on it and that thing runs like new. My friends dad leases all cars (hes had an audi) and has stuck to bmw ever since he started 4 years ago. That says something. Bottom line bmw is the only pure-bred if you think of it this way (Mercedes Benz=Chrysler) (Audi=hopped up/overpriced VW) (Bmw=Bmw)
Dont get me wrong the a4 is a great car, i just think it could have been alot better, Audi could have spent more time and made a quality product...

lol..

you cant compare audi and bmw, theres no way, they each have their own problems and benefits..

and as for as e36 m3's go, probably one of bmw's more unreliable engines

[billyhoyle]

540i's by no means have boring interiors, maybe not as elegant as an audi but definatelly not boring. maybe more masculine is the term

Is that an old school cell phone in the armrest?? Nice looking interior...

[dreamrs4]

thats the hands free remote/phone, take that audi!

[TH85]

LOL 2010-2003=7. I would say 3 years is a big difference for a car. 2003 gonna break down more simply because its older, and 540 is expensive to repair.
OP, if u dont mind me asking, how old are u?

we are already on 2011 year models, 8 years is getting close to a decade old.

[dreamrs4]

all the newer model audis and bmw's are
but thats just my humble opinion

[deeznuts]

Ive driven a 6 speed 540. Its definitely a fun car to drive...not fuel efficient at all but its fun...rear wheel drive is always fun in manual

[JMG]

thats the hands free remote/phone, take that audi!

Not sure if the A4 has this option, but I have a cradle in the armrest as well for a cellphone. I never use it because I also have the hands free factory bluetooth. I think if the RNS-e is available in the A4, the factory bluetooth should be as well.

[doughboy17]

If reliability is a concern, you may be able to find a certified used (CPO) 2007 A4. I just bought my 2007 A4 3.2 Quattro CPO with <20,000 miles on it in July for a good price (56% of new).

[A4s-line]

I know when I was coming from my b6 ultra sport I drove a 2008 BMW 328ci 6 spd and I found the engine to be quite exciting but the interior was shit, tansy looking trim, fake leather and the controls were just awkwardly placed. I felt like my Audi threw up it's interior inside the BMW. I would recommend the Audi, despite people saying that BMW are more reliable at 70k-80k you're eventually going to run into problems and I think the Audi is going to be much easier to fix than the BMW but best of luck to you.

[2007B7cabrio]

540i's by no means have boring interiors, maybe not as elegant as an audi but definatelly not boring. maybe more masculine is the term

Every person thier own taste and preferences :)

[ShortHillsAudi]

Simply, the b7 is much MUCH better looking then any BMW besides the m3, I would get the b7 because it is just generally a better looking car.

[robh8]

You're right, we're probably a bit biased... my vote is the Audi, and I'm an A4 Avant guy. Quattro and 3.2L... Also, who really wants to be "just another BWM driver"? I like being a little different than the rest of the BWM/Mercedes crowd in my Audi.