Vs BMW 340i Vs. Audi A4 2.0TFSI Quattro

[Mr. Mercedes]

Hey guys, so I'm back again asking for some car advice...

With our first baby due in April, I decided to get a bigger car to replace the S3 to sit alongside the A1. My first reaction was to buy an SUV, and I've got a GLC250 earmarked for February if we want it. But the more I think about it the more I'm second guessing the SUV selection on the basis of performance and driving enjoyment. While I LOVE the Porsche Macan, it is sadly out of budget, and from the X4's and Q5's I've driven over the past month or so, I don't think the GLC250 is going to provide the driving experience I'm after when the baby is not on board. While I haven't totally ruled the X4 35d out (boy does that thing go!) I'm leaning towards the new Audi A4 2.0TFSI or BMW 340i. I've done some pro's and con's on each:

Audi
+ Traffic jam assist
+ Apple car play integration
+ Virtual cockpit
+ All new model
+ Cabin style and quality
+ Active lane keeping assistance

- Massive expenditure on options to get the car specified as I would like, almost 20% above the base vehicle price. This would literally be money down the drain if I don't keep the car for more than 3 years.
- less performance compared to the 340i (though not a massive issue)
- Slightly conservative looks
- Limited interior colour options with S-line

Basically the A4 ticks ALL the boxes, with a pretty hefty financial penalty.

BMW
+ Proven vehicle now it's in it's 4th production year
+ Classic BMW style
+ Very well priced and not a lot of options required
+ Massive improvement in perceived interior quality with the extended leather package

- No virtual cockpit
- No traffic jam assist
- No apple car play
- Less refined than the Audi
- Higher fuel consumption
- Passive lane keeping assistance only

In summary the BMW misses out on a few of they key technology features which I find very desirable, but it seems to make more financial sense.

I'm going to test drive the BMW sometime in the next week, but sadly won't even get to see an A4 until February, and waiting until then for a back to back driving comparison to make a decision is not going to be possible given order times etc.

Any advice/thoughts you guys would be able to offer would be much appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[klier]

2.0 TFSI vs 340i? Is this a joke or something?

If you want joy, a 320i is enough to beat the Audi, if you badly want those things not available on the older Bimmer, then yea, go for the Audi.

All the best either way!

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

No it's not a joke Klier.

The 2.0TFSI does 0-100 in 5.8s. The 340i does it in 5.2s. Both would offer ample performance for my needs. Judging from the youtube clips though, the 340i sounds fantastic, and as you know BMW inline 6's are sublime.

 

[RS2000 4X4]

Hmmm, if I can read decently your mind has decided the Audi but the heart says the BMW ?

Performance wise both are indeed great and sufficient enough. Allthough if you aim for the pleasure of driving itself BMW will come on top. The engine of the BMW in 5 leaugues above the Audi whereas the Audi is 5 leagues above the BMW when you only count technology.

For me I would chose the best driving experience.

Which would I buy? None of both

 

[Mr Robert]

What is this? "traffic jam assist"?

 

[klier]

No it's not a joke Klier.

The 2.0TFSI does 0-100 in 5.8s. The 340i does it in 5.2s.

It's a big joke. And after your beloved 0-100 km/h the Audi will get utterly destroyed. And for in between sprints as well.

Comparing a 2.0 TFSI against a 340i is crazy, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

 

[Zafiro]

This 340i makes the BMW a bargain and Audi overcharged.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Hmm, imo this is quite an unusual pairing: a 4 cylinder Audi A4 and a straight 6 cylinder BMW 3er.

If fuel consumption is an item, why not compare the A4 3.0 TDI and a BMW 330d/335d? They both are fast and have tremendous torque but acceptable fuel figures. Besides, what's your annual mileage?

+Traffic jam assist: is nice. You use it every now and then, but I could easily live without it.
+Virtual cockpit: is this realy of any importance? I don't get what the advantage is and would never pay an extra € 550 (german price) for it.
+ All new model: is an advantage selling it later on. Risk of "first adopter" problems.
+ Active/passive lane keeping assistant: I've got this and turned it of because it nervs.

More important option that I would advice anybody is blindspot assist.

What I'm trying to say, is that mentioned modern assists shouldn't be a main buying criterium.

I'd go for the BMW 340i (alternative 330d/335d). It's a proven vehicle, LCI allready took place, according to ams it's roomier in the back than an A4 (baby on the way). Besides, you'll have lots of more fun driving a 6 cylinder, rear driven 3er.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

it

What is this? "traffic jam assist"?

It's sort of like the Stop and Go pilot Mercedes-Benz is offering (as well as BMW).

 

[klier]

Traffic jam assistant.

Traffic jam assistant eases the burden on the driver on motorways and in other monotonous traffic situations. At speeds of up to 60 km/h, the system lets the car simply "glide along" with the other cars in dense traffic situations, making traffic jams less stressful.

What I'm trying to say, is that mentioned modern assists shouldn't be a main buying criterium.

Agreed big time. It's different for everybody clearly, but I would never let something minor as Apple car play be more important than the driving characteristics of a car.

The I6 in the BMW alone is more important than all options in the Audi combined, imo.

 

[Zafiro]

It's something bad for unsecure drivers to use

 

[Centurion]

Have you driven the out-going A4 or A6 to get an idea of how the new A4 might drive like? I would caution against ordering a brand new car before having driven one.

 

[Mr Robert]

it

It's sort of like the Stop and Go pilot Mercedes-Benz is offering (as well as BMW).

So, I guess they don't get that in Mr's market then? That has been here for years with both BMW and Mercedes.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Thank you all for the feedback! Much appreciated and food for thought.

Hmmm, if I can read decently your mind has decided the Audi but the heart says the BMW ?

Performance wise both are indeed great and sufficient enough. Allthough if you aim for the pleasure of driving itself BMW will come on top. The engine of the BMW in 5 leaugues above the Audi whereas the Audi is 5 leagues above the BMW when you only count technology.

For me I would chose the best driving experience.

Which would I buy? None of both

It's actually the head that is saying BMW and the heart that is saying Audi. The BMW just makes more financial sense because I'm not spending a fortune on options. I unfortunately won't have an opportunity to drive the Audi before buying.

It's a big joke. And after your beloved 0-100 km/h the Audi will get utterly destroyed. And for in between sprints as well.

Comparing a 2.0 TFSI against a 340i is crazy, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

I'm not shoehorning these two vehicles into a comparison Klier. It's just how Audi and BMW have now priced the vehicles that results in this comparison. The 2.0TFSI is currently the most powerful and best equipped A4 they are offering us. There is certainly no comparison in terms of the engines.

This 340i makes the BMW a bargain and Audi overcharged.

Yes it does somewhat. BMW have really sharpens 3-series pricing as the C-class has been killing it.

Hmm, imo this is quite an unusual pairing: a 4 cylinder Audi A4 and a straight 6 cylinder BMW 3er.

If fuel consumption is an item, why not compare the A4 3.0 TDI and a BMW 330d/335d? They both are fast and have tremendous torque but acceptable fuel figures. Besides, what's your annual mileage?

+Traffic jam assist: is nice. You use it every now and then, but I could easily live without it.
+Virtual cockpit: is this realy of any importance? I don't get what the advantage is and would never pay an extra € 550 (german price) for it.
+ All new model: is an advantage selling it later on. Risk of "first adopter" problems.
+ Active/passive lane keeping assistant: I've got this and turned it of because it nervs.

More important option that I would advice anybody is blindspot assist.

What I'm trying to say, is that mentioned modern assists shouldn't be a main buying criterium.

I'd go for the BMW 340i (alternative 330d/335d). It's a proven vehicle, LCI allready took place, according to ams it's roomier in the back than an A4 (baby on the way). Besides, you'll have lots of more fun driving a 6 cylinder, rear driven 3er.

Thank you for the detailed response Mick. Some very valid points. Unfortunately we are not getting the 3.0TDI just yet. So the 2.0TFSI is my best bet in terms of performance and equipment. And in terms of equipment the 340i makes the most sense for me out of the 3-series range.

I think I really will need to go for a test drive of the 340i and it will probably win me over.

I agree with you, traffic jam assist is not a must have, but blind spot assistance is fantastic. I also really did like the active lane assist in my S3 and think I might miss this in the 3-series.

Have you driven the out-going A4 or A6 to get an idea of how the new A4 might drive like? I would caution against ordering a brand new car before having driven one.

I don't think the current A4 is a valid basis for comparison Luw. Just as the old A3 wasn't a good basis to judge the new A3 It's an entirely new platform. I did test drive the Q7 to get some idea about how the A4 would advance over the current model, as the new Q7 and A4 share platforms.

So, I guess they don't get that in Mr's market then? That has been here for years with both BMW and Mercedes.

The Audi system takes things a step further integrating steering assistance. It's actually not a big deal as you don't even have to steer much in a traffic jam.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

BMW 340i 40th Anniversary Mineral White

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

BMW 340i 40th Anniversary Tanzanite Blue. I LOVE this version, but I doubt the white interior is a good idea with kids.

 

[martinbo]

First questions first...

What car does your wife have / will have when the little one arrives? [Belated congrats by the way and I wish your wife a healthy, happy pregnancy]
What is it about a car that you really like? You talk of dynamics but I'm not getting that you're a cornering junkie - I perceive that you're more interested in thrust.
What car-seat-push-chair systems are you evaluating for the baby? There are some lovely systems out there but you need to be certain of how they fit (size-wise) and integrate (isofix) into the back (seat and boot) of the vehicle.
For getting a new car as a result of a little one's arrival how do you perceive that buying a 340i M-Sport would be that materially different from your S3?

For perspective sake - let me leave you with this thought: I went from a Golf GTI to a 2nd gen Subaru Forester. Not sexy. At all. But parenthood isn't sexy and practicality is the order of the day for the next 5 to 9 years in your child's life. Space is a key criteria, trust me; babies come with tons of shit - literally and figuratively.

If I were you I would not buy the brand new A4 in its first year - it's a golden rule of mine. The best spent money always lies in a good deal (i.e. either heavily discounted new or a good demo/nearly new)

 

[Sunny]

Don't listen to Martin, listen to this guy -

j/k ing... congrats on the baby!!

 

[martinbo]

F$ck you man. I'm not talking to you.

GT4.

Sheeeeeesh.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

First questions first...

What car does your wife have / will have when the little one arrives? [Belated congrats by the way and I wish your wife a healthy, happy pregnancy]
What is it about a car that you really like? You talk of dynamics but I'm not getting that you're a cornering junkie - I perceive that you're more interested in thrust.
What car-seat-push-chair systems are you evaluating for the baby? There are some lovely systems out there but you need to be certain of how they fit (size-wise) and integrate (isofix) into the back (seat and boot) of the vehicle.
For getting a new car as a result of a little one's arrival how do you perceive that buying a 340i M-Sport would be that materially different from your S3?

For perspective sake - let me leave you with this thought: I went from a Golf GTI to a 2nd gen Subaru Forester. Not sexy. At all. But parenthood isn't sexy and practicality is the order of the day for the next 5 to 9 years in your child's life. Space is a key criteria, trust me; babies come with tons of shit - literally and figuratively.

If I were you I would not buy the brand new A4 in its first year - it's a golden rule of mine. The best spent money always lies in a good deal (i.e. either heavily discounted new or a good demo/nearly new)

Firstly, thank you for the kind words Martin. Very exciting times ahead indeed.

Your are on to me Martin! You've distilled my thought process pretty accurately.

What is it about a car that I really like? Tactile and perceived quality, thrust, gadgets and style. The 340i ticks most of those boxes. A bit behind on the tech front compared to the Audi (lane guidance is not active and apple car play is not yet available), but ozbound 340i's have leather covering almost every contactable surface. They feel absolutely fabulous inside.

The S3 was far too small in terms of boot space and rear seat space to be practical. So I figured a slightly larger sedan would be a better bet. It's obviously not going to touch an SUV for practicality though.

I would jump into a Macan in a heartbeat, however unfortunately that's not feasible. The X4 is still on my mind, and a dealer just called me up today with an X435i M-sport that sounds very tempting. It would price up identically to a 340i. I'm just waiting to hear back from him about some specification details. That said I just can't love the X4 interior. Build is fine, but the design is severely lacking.

It doesn't look like the Audi dealerships wants to entertain negotiations, saying why should they discount a car that hasn't been released yet, which is making the price a bit hard to swallow. Pricing on a 2.0TFSI quattro is line ball with a 340i. And besides they'll be discounting by $5-$10K within 12 months, so why should I be penalized for being a loyal customer and early adopter?

The upcoming GLC is also very tempting, but lacking on the power front.

Isofix is approved for Australia finally, so there are a lot of seat and pram options. We are looking at initially using a capsule the clips straight off the pram into the car and the pram we have selected fits into the 3-series boot comfortably, leaving about 50% of the floor space for other items.