went to local Audi showroom today

musicegbdf

Ok I know Audi drivers seem to be hated on this forum and elsewhere.
I drive an Audi and it was the first one I have owned. It is a Quattro model and I love the way it drives.
It's quick (7.9 secs) but fuel efficient (nearly 60 mpg on a run), and is good in bad weather. BUT
What are Audi playing at ? They are blinging them up and racking up prices. What happened to having power and being subtle about it?
I guess they sell... I might be going back to VW ,if only they would offer 4wd on lesser models that the loony golf R....
I know I am getting old ,but did not want to get a Jag just yet...
I am now considering a reliable run around and maybe a mk 1 TT for fun

Gassage

I simply do not get how Audi can call themselves a prestige marque and then offer predominantly front wheel drive cars.

It's like having a Custom Shop strat with Bangladeshi pick ups.

monquixote

I know loads of people who've been put off Audi by their new policy of making everything as Garyboy, blingy, dickhead jr sales exec as possible. 

As far as the FWD thing goes. We've done this before, but I couldn't give a shit how fast my car goes around corners because I have no interest in driving like that and if I did it wouldn't be in a 3 ton executive car. I've been fast in an M5 and while it's impressive that a car that big can be made to do that it's like driving a supercharged milk float next to an Elise or a Caterham.

Fretwired

I used to love Audi's but they are very bling, bling these days - just like Mercs. I recently bought a brand new BMW .. understated, no flashy external gimmicks .. it might be a bit boring. I like the look of the new Jags so I may get one of those when I next replace my car.

dindude

Sold by cunts, driven by cunts. That should be their slogan. Extra cunty points if you drive a white one.

They actually make some decent, if a little boring underneath, cars. But every time I've almost pushed the button on one the salesman pisses me off with their misjudged air of superiority. Then I look in my rear view at the blingy headlights 2 inches from my rear bumper on the motorway, even though I am keeping up with traffic in the fast lane, and decide all over again they are not for me.

Monx, I'll let you off as I know yours is pre-bling.

TTony

musicegbdf said:

BUT
What are Audi playing at ? They are blinging them up and racking up prices. What happened to having power and being subtle about it?

That's exactly,my experience and feeling.

I'd only had Audis for 20 years until last year when I sold both my A6 and the TT and bought the Merc.

Sad for us, but we're not Audi's target demographic any more.  They've become fashionable now and they're enjoying all the sales success that goes with being the fashion brand.

But fashions change ....

monquixote

dindude said:

Monx, I'll let you off as I know yours is pre-bling.

I love my 11 year old A6, but I'm not sure I'd have a new one. 

I must admit always sigh when I see the fairy lights approaching my back window. I think the reputation has spread to the degree where it's noticeable how much less likely people are to let me out when I drive my Audi than when I'm in the Skoda.

Saw a dickhead in a A4 undertake someone via a lay-by the other day!

musicegbdf

Ok mine is a white Audi ,so I guess I am the one you hate.
I enjoy driving fast ,and I spent four years as a club racer and several years as an advanced instructor and examiner on bikes.
Do I break speed limits. No . Do I tailgate No. In fact I try to be extra courteous to try to disprove a little that all Audi drivers are dicks.
They are superb vehicles , it is just the marketing has taken over. TT is right being an old fart now I am not their demographic.
I am fast approaching a significant birthday. Having spent most of money on my three girls over the last 26 years, I thought it was time for a bit of selfishness' . Mrs Music calls it my menoporche moment.

thisisguitar

My brother was put of by the salesperson at the Audi showroom he visited, so he bought a brand new Golf instead… The money all ends up in the same place though.

dindude

musicegbdf said:

Ok mine is a white Audi ,so I guess I am the one you hate.
I enjoy driving fast ,and I spent four years as a club racer and several years as an advanced instructor and examiner on bikes.
Do I break speed limits. No . Do I tailgate No. In fact I try to be extra courteous to try to disprove a little that all Audi drivers are dicks.
They are superb vehicles , it is just the marketing has taken over. TT is right being an old fart now I am not their demographic.
I am fast approaching a significant birthday. Having spent most of money on my three girls over the last 26 years, I thought it was time for a bit of selfishness' . Mrs Music calls it my menoporche moment.

Wasn't personal to you, but I'm amazed how many Audi drivers do to live up to the cliche. 

When i was looking for a new car last year, I drove up to an Audi dealership in my 2.5 year old VW Scirroco (in white, it's acceptable in a VW) ) for a part-ex, you would have thought by the salesmans reaction I rocked up in an Austin Allegro!

Anyway I took my money back to VW and bought a Golf GTD, although as @thisisguitar says, it's all the same company in the end, just makes me feel better.

TTony

musicegbdf said:

 Mrs Music calls it my menoporche moment.

F-type???

EdGrip

Must confess I've never really understood the 4-door executive sports saloon thing. Get a luxury car, or get a proper sports car.

I also feel that the purchase of such cars too often relates to impressing the other shiny-headed-Oakleys-wearing sales execs higher up the ladder. They're like the poem "Slough" by John Betjeman in car form.

To me.

In my opinion. 

stickyfiddle

If it helps, most Audi drivers in the middle east are also dicks, only here they're in Q7s rather than A4s...

Stevepage

We get plenty of dicks in Q7's too. 

It seems all the business execs have A5's in white or black now. Boring.

richardhomer

I got my first Audi in 1999. The dealership was great, the car was beautifully engineered - the whole experience was superb.

I replaced it in 2002 with another and again in 2006.

I'm not currently in an income bracket where I could buy (or certainly justify buying) another but if I were, I wouldnt.

The brand has come to epitomise aggressive people, who have an overwhelming sense of entitlement and self-importance. At the same time the dealers seem to have evolved to match these undesirable traits. My niece - who earns close to six figures - was treated like sh1te by our local dealer about 18 months ago when she wanted to part-ex a VW against a Q5.

Perhaps they could run some kind of academy to school would-be owners to the requisite level of tw4tishness to enable them to be allowed to buy one?

EricTheWeary

I live very near an Audi dealer and they aren't the best neighbours so I wouldn't buy one just for that. If I had a big win on the lottery I'd buy something else, go drive it onto their forecourt and say ' this car cost me £100k that would have been your business if your staff didn't all park inconsiderately and your mechanics use the main road like Brans Hatch whilst testing cars.' If you can't use big money to have petty victories then what's the point... :x

musicegbdf

The problem is that I like (and mrs m agrees) 4wd cars. If you don't want a diesel or some really fast beast the choice is limited.
I do like Audi cars now, but nit the image...
Dindude actually had a look at the scirroco , nice car ,but understand due an update.

monquixote

Stevepage said:

We get plenty of dicks in Q7's too. 

It seems all the business execs have A5's in white or black now. Boring.

One of the offices on the campus where I work is some kind of property finance business. Every car in their section of the carpark is an A7!

TTony

I hate the Q7.  Looking back, that was probably the car that signified Audi's departure from their old ethos and into "I'm the biggest, twattishist, most senseless thing on the road".

EdGrip

(Needless to say, I'd love an old Quattro. ^_^ )

matone

And I thought I had a twisted view of Audi owners ! Our thoughts are obviously all the same,it gives you hope!