2009 Audi A4: What's It Like to Live With?
Read the latest updates in our long-term road test of the 2009 Audi A4 as our editors live with this car for a year.
Took my first drive in long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant last night and right away I was impressed by the ease of getting in and starting the drive. Our car doesn't have keyless start, but like the current-generation 3 Series, it has a fob without a metal key on it (probably has one within, though) that you stick into a slot to the right of the steering wheel.
But, you don't have to go through the awkward motion of also pressing an extraneous start button. As long as you have your foot on the brake pedal, the A4 starts right up when you put the fob in its slot. It's quick and satisfying.
Took the A4 to Vegas to cover the SEMA show. Could have driven the R8 instead or even the GT-R, but I went practical and never regretted it. The seats are comfortable, the interior is well-laid out and it feels big inside. Even with the larger wheels and tires, it rides smoothly and the wind and road noise is minimal. The steering, brakes and throttle response all feel dead on and I got 27.0 mpg even though I averaged roughly 80mph through the desert. Strangely enough, the prior tank only returned 17.3 mpg, so the mileage varies quite a bit depending on driving conditions. That said, I could deal the big swings as this car just feels right. Who knows, maybe I'll get tired of it in six months, but right now I wouldn't hesitate for a second to buy this car for myself.
I've always enjoyed wagons, but last night our 2009 Audi A4 Avant long termer proved pleasantly useful. The hatch lifts high and out of the way of my head, while the low lift-over height not only makes loading stuff easier than an SUV, but it's also pretty good for tying one's baseball shoes. The trunk itself is well lit with two lights on both sides along with a light in the hatch that shines downward providing plenty of illumination for changing out of one's baseball pants post game. The cargo cover that slides upwards is also a nice touch. Of the many vehicles I've driven to softball, the Avant made my pre- and post-game rituals the easiest. Plus, I think it looks pretty darn cool.
In a sorta related note, the Edmunds softball team clinched first place in our league and we're presently undefeated with two games left. We rule!
It's me. I'm the one you're mad at. I'm the reason for the lack of recent posts on our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant. You see I went on vacation, and I took the A4 with me. And I did this for two reasons:
1) It's a really nice car and it fits my kids and my dog and my wife and I like driving it, so what would you have done? Taken the Focus? Didn't think so.
2) I've owned (well leased) that blue VW Passat wagon for the last 2.5 years. It's my wife's daily driver, and I thought it would be cool to see how the new Audi stacks up against my old VW during 10 days of life at the Oldhams.
It's a good comparison, my wife's front-wheel drive wagon packs the old version of the 2.0T engine (200 hp) and 6-speed automatic transmission, while the Audi packs the new 2.0T (211 hp), the same 6-speed automatic and quattro all-wheel drive.
Turns out the cars aren't that different. Sure the Audi is so beautiful it makes the Passat look like the box it came in, but hop out of the much newer and more expensive A4 and the Passat holds up. Even with 25,000 miles on its odometer, the Passat still feels solid, and its combination of refinement and athleticism feels just right.
Don't get me wrong, with its firmer suspension, more aggressive Bridgestones and all-wheel drive the Audi will run circles around my Passat, and my wife says the A4 feels quicker off the line. But my conclusion is that the A4, although larger than before, is still too small for real family duty, and the Passat holds up nicely when it's put forehead to forehead against its swankier sibling.
Oh and get this; our Audi stickered for $44,150. My Passat cost just $30,030 and the only feature it seems to lack compared to the A4 are navigation, paddle shifters and Xenon headlights. Plus my car has a power lift and close tailgate, which the Audi does not.
I will admit that I wish my Passat looked better (I still prefer the look of the previous generation), but the Audi's additional $14,000 cost is looking pretty hard to justify.
Tune in tomorrow for a mileage report.
Averaging 21.5 mpg
Our 2009 Audi A4 wagon is powered by the standard 211 hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, 6-speed automatic and quattro all-wheel drive. The EPA rates it at 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
So far our best recoreded mileage was an all highway run from LA to Las Vegas at 27 mpg. Although most fillups are averaging in the 21-23 mpg range, we have had more than a few below 19 mpg, including one at a very thirsty 16.9 mpg. Overall we're averaging 21.5 mpg during the cars first 4,000 miles.
This morning while I was carefully crafting my post about the fuel mileage of our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant I dug up the car's window sticker and it gave me quite a chuckle.
Look what it says between the Audi's EPA city and highway numbers: Estimated Annual Fuel Cost $2,806 based on 15,000 miles at $4.30 per gallon.
$4.30? Remember that? That was like way back in September or something. You know, the olden days. I just paid $1.92 for the A4's required premium. Happy days are here again. Somebody better alert the Audi peeps.
Drive an Audi, praise an Audi. I've followed this mantra in this space many times, stroking the egos of the men behind our previous long-term Audi A4, our long-gone Audi Q7 and our present fleet favorite, our long-term Audi R8.
But there has been an exception to my compliments: Audi's lazy automatic transmissions. I've complained about the slow response of the slushboxes in both the Q7 and the R8, and now I must whine about the 6-speed automatic in our new long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant.
The tranny has three modes, Normal, Sport and Manual, but for me it only has one: Manual. It's the only way to get any response from the wagon's turbocharged 2.0-liter, which really comes alive above 3,000 rpm. Leave the shifting to the car's computer and the engine is never really allowed to spend any time in its sweet spot. In Normal the transmission is always two gears too high ( 5th when I want 3rd, 4th when I want 2nd, etc.) and in Sport it's always one gear too high. And getting it to downshift in either really requires a wack of the throttle.
Shameful really, as the transmission's refusal to play sucks much of the sporty feel from the A4.
I assume this lack of aggression in the transmission's mapping is to improve fuel economy, but it's out of sync with the rest of the car which is tuned for sharp response and driving enjoyment. Incredibly, the auto in my wife's Passat is more aggressive (I rarely use manual mode when I drive it) while the rest of her car is certainly less sporty.
Hey, Audi, I think it's time to fire ol' Wolfgang in the transmission tuning department. Send the struedel packing; maybe Skoda has an opening.
A great President of the modern era once said, "Fool me once: Shame on you. Fool me twice: We won't get fooled again." And so it is with the Audi A4 wagon: I was fooled the first time (or three), but won't be fooled again. You see, when I first attempted to enter the A4, I saw the door handle with the smart key switch shown in the photo. All of these systems are similar, but with some you have to press the switch to unlock (with the key conveniently in your pocket); others you just pull the handle to open. I tried it both ways with the A4. Fool!!
Upon closer inspection, I saw that there is no button on the handle — it's a switch blank. There is no smart key. These switch blanks are common inside many vehicles as placeholders for optional equipment that's not on that specific vehicle, but I've never seen such a thing on the door handle or anywhere on the exterior of a vehicle. Apparently, our A4 wagon shares its door handles with a fancier A4 or a high end Audi model. But for $44K, couldn't this vehicle have its own door handles without the switch blank? Audi rubs it in by putting these switch blanks on all four door handles.
Hopefully Audi will address this issue instead of ducking metaphorical shoes thrown by this crazed journalist.
You and I think a lot alike. Another Oregon holiday trip candidate I've had my eye on is our 2009 Audi A4 Avant. But I reluctantly had to dismiss this one even before the FX50's arrival. And the reasons are the same.
Rear cargo space with 4 aboard? Not good enough for 10-day, 2,000 mile trip with luggage and presents aboard. Only 17.3 cubic feet are available here — less than the FX50 by a fair margin. Heck, the trunk of the Pontiac G8 GT sedan is fractionally larger at 17.5 cubic feet. This isn't a big wagon.
And like the FX50, our A4 wears summer tires in the form of the Bridgestone RE050A. They're damn good tires in the dry and wet, but they aren't intended for snow-covered roads. Even quattro can't save you if the tires don't have good snow traction.
It's a pity, I know. I really like wheeling this one around town and I'd like to stretch its legs on a road trip.
Just not this road trip.
Don't expect many blog entries for the Audi A4 Avant this week. It's on a road trip to Las Vegas for the holidays. Check back when it returns next week.
You had to see the look on the guy's face when I asked him to tie that 10-foot tall Christmas tree to the roof of my brand-new 2009 Audi A4 Avant. He couldn't believe it. It was like I asked him to eat worms.
"You sure," he said to me, his eyes admiring the Audi's fresh gray paint.
"Sure guy," I replied. "Just throw it up there."
Sometimes driving somebody elses $44,000 sport wagon has its moments, but seriously, the little A4 handled this big-SUV-type job without a wimper.
And yes, I hosed off all the pine needles. I might be careless, but I'm not cruel.
2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0 Quattro
Acceleration
0-30: 2.2
0-45: 3.9
0-60: 6.4
0-60 (with 1 foot of rollout like on a dragstrip): 6.0
0-75: 9.6
1/4 mile (ET / MPH): 14.6 @ 91.3
Comments: The A4 doesn't approve of brake / throttle overlap for more than a fraction of a second, limiting an aggressive launch technique. Also, it seems to be short shifting by about 500rpm shy of indicated redline. Finally, manual-shift mode still upshifts automatically — again shy of redline. Remarkably linear power delivery for a small displacement turbo engine.
Braking
60-0: 103 feet
30-0: 26 feet
Comments: WOW doest this wagon have brakes and the right tires to use them! Dramatic power, near-zero dive and no flutter or hum. Pedal effort was moderate to high.
Skid Pad
.90g
Comments: Awesome grip from both the front and rear of the A4 which indicates they've really banished the oh-so-Audi understeer somehow. Only throttle adjustments were required to steer the A4 around the circle. Steering effort was spot on.
Slalom
69.3 mph
Very good balance combined with crisp turn-in made the A4 a thrilling car in the slalom. While the AWD-effect wasn't pronounced mid-run, it was evident on the exit where I could lift to rotate, and floor it for the expected bite from the front. Nicely done and it appears Audi has cracked the code and made their AWD a performance enhancement as well as a foul-weather enhancement.
Tires: Bridgestone Potenza REO50A 245/40R18 93Y
Weight: 3,860 lbs
Darn good handling numbers.
Portions of Interstate 15 were closed due to snowfall just days prior to our planned run out to Las Vegas in the Audi A4. Roads were clear when we passed through but there was still enough white stuff on the ground to excite snow-deprived Southern Californians.
We won some, lost some, filled countless buffet plates and were ready to leave four days later. But our plan to skip breakfast and make good time home backfired when we ran into road construction traffic... stuck behind this Twinkie truck.
Trip totals: 800 miles, 25 mpg
Over the holiday weekend, I took our long term A4 to Lake Gregory, a small community in the mountains Northeast of Los Angeles. After spending about a week with the car here are a few observations:
I don't need shift paddles or 18 inch wheels - save $1,450 and skip the sport package. Acceleration is more than adequate even at 6,000 ft above sea level. The new A4 feels wider than before but rear seat leg room is lacking especially if you're using child seats that sort of force little kid's feet up and forward. Cargo space in the rear is generous - stuff for 2 adults and 2 kids fit with room to spare. The extended thigh support feature for the driver's seat is awesome - a must have on any car. Excellent wipers - mud, snow, pine needles and water are no match. The automatic smart key release is too finicky - if you don't press hard enough when shutting the car off, the key won't release. On one leg of the trip, I averaged 26 miles per gallon in combined highway and mountain driving. I love MMI - it does what I want without having to think too much; it's intuitive. Finally, this is probably the best looking wagon on the market - it's just a great looking car.
We eclipsed the 5,000-mile landmark in our A4 Avant over the weekend. So Monday morning we called our buddies at Santa Monica Audi to schedule an appointment. They accepted the car in the morning, changed the oil and filter, performed their routine inspections and returned it to us later that afternoon. Based on past experience with this dealer, that is fast.
Our conversation with the cashier at pick-up was just as quick. "No charge for your first scheduled maintenance appointment, sir. Sign here, please. Have a nice day."
Now we haven't forgot about their failure to order Q7 parts in a timely manner. Or the time they forgot to tell us our R8 was ready for pick up. Or that day they left a pair of channel locks in the engine bay. But this is the most pleasant experience we've had at this dealership in the past 3 years. Could it be a sign of things to come? I'm skeptical.
Cost: $0
Days out of service: 0
While driving our long-term A4 Avant home at dusk the other night, I passed another '09 A4 headed in the opposite direction. The new LED eyelids really stood out, and when combined with the HID nozzles, give the new A4 a Transformers-esque visage: Are the Autobots cached among us as Audis? The radio never tuned itself to scene appropriate stations (though thanks to satellite radio, this is a manual option), and no one even partially resembling Megan Fox needed a lift on my route.
On the A4, the LED brows work well, throwing a cool even spread of bright light, but our left HID cannon always seems to run a little hot and high. As wild as Audi could have gone with the styling of the new LED beamers, they get a little credit for keeping things in check with just a mild bit of curvy whimsy. Did the little LED string need to hook under the HID beams in an inverted and slightly arched brow? Probably not, but this is Audi, who's set the bar of late for classy and understated design. What happens when the rest of the automotive world gets a hold of this stuff?
Once these slick LED lights work their way into the regular automotive supply chain, how long before designers start stringing up their cars like Christmas trees? We're likely to see headlights formed into illuminated logos, grilles outlined marquee style, or perhaps an option to have your name spelled out in the taillights ("Whoa" on the left, "Trixie" on the right). As LED technology advances, how long before we've got Lite Brite on wheels, with each corner of the car customizable from an in-dash display (if a Toyota, you'll have to be stationary, with the car in Park of course).
LED lights are likely to only get smaller and brighter, opening up an entirely new palette for car designers, and of course, marketing input. Making cars safer and more visible would be a nice perk, but how do you see this lightshow evolving?
Whenever it rains is SoCal, driving is usually a chore. Because we don't get much precipitation, the streets get slick with oil. And to be frank, a lot of drivers don't take any caution in the wet weather.
But my morning commute was no bother. I was driving the Audi A4 and except for the pit-pat of raindrops on the roof, you wouldn't even know it was raining. This AWD car felt just as sure-footed as always. No slips. No hydroplaning. Raindrops barely touched the windshield. They just rolled right off. The rain-sensing wipers are quiet and unobtrusive.
This is a great weather car.
Next time, I'll tell you about the A4's weird speedometer.
(My camera is down, so no rainy photo. I went artisic instead.)
See the problem here? The sidewall of our longterm 2009 Audi A4's front tire has a growth. It's audible too, producing a subtle thubthubthub at low speeds.
It's the result of either a particularly nasty pothole or a parking job gone horribly wrong. In either case, we're parking the A4 until the tire can be replaced.
Tirerack.com lists the A4's Bridgestone RE050A in 245/40/R18 at $239.
Our 2009 Audi A4 has a rearview camera. I really do like rearview cameras in general, as they make backing out of crowded park spaces and driveways less worrisome. This is true even on our A4, which actually has decent outward rear visibility.
I've noticed that our A4's display screen, in particular, is high resolution — the view is crisper and more detailed than most other backup displays I've encountered. Is it the camera or the display that makes it look better? Not sure.
Like on our departed Q7, the screen's yellow lines bend as you turn the wheel to help show your intended path as you backup. The camera comes bundled with the navigation system, though, so the privilege of seeing more will cost you $2,500. Our A4 doesn't have the ability to play DVDs though its screen, either, though our own Al Austria tells me the new Q5's MMI will allow DVD playback.
In a belated announcement, our A4's It's Not A Tumor tire (for the Govenator version, click here) was replaced last week. Cost us $306.12 ($256 parts, $25 labor) at our favored tire shop, Stokes Tires Pros in Santa Monica.
I really like our 2009 Audi A4 Avant's interior. Here's why: 1) Even though our car's interior is trimmed in black, it's welcoming and premium in appearance. The wood highlights are tasteful and not overdone. 2) The control layout — including MMI — is pleasing, sophisticated and largely intuitive (some of my coworkers might disagree with me here). 3) Overall material quality, though not as superior as Audi's interiors once were, is still very high.
In short, our A4's interior looks and feels like an entry-level luxury car's should. It's one of the top reasons why someone would want to buy a new A4.
Front Seats
Since Scott outed me as an Audi A4 seat hater, I thought I would explain myself.
Let me give you a little back story. When I was growing up my father had a sandwich shop and also sold things like soda, milk, etc. When I was little, he would create a makeshift chair for me out of a milk case. They were made of metal and he would put a cardboard box over it so I could sit down and hang with him in the store. After driving the A4 Avant for the first time, I came into the office complaining that the seat cushions were so flat and unpadded, it was like sitting on a milk crate. Kevin and Scott both looked at me like I was nuts. They find nothing wrong with the seats.
OK, fast forward to this week. I drove the Audi A4 Avant home again and tried to figure out why I dislike the seats so much. I usually like sport seats. I like bolsters. I like feeling secure in the seat. The center of the seat cushion is rather flat. But that's not what bothers me so much. It's the length of the cushion. I'm only 5'4" tall, so the seat bottom is too long for me. It uncomfortably extends under my knee. And although I can adjust the seat in many ways with the power controls, I can never get it to not dig into the back of my knee. So, there you have it. I'm not a seat hater. I'm just too short for this particular Audi.
I have a small beef with the instrument panel of our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant. The gear readout is much too small. Look at it down there looking tiny in the lower left hand corner of the info box (M1). Try giving that a quick glance when you're making time.
I find it hard to believe, but there's obviously some dope at Audi who thinks the transmission gear is of equal importance as the outside temperature and far less important than today's date. Fool probably rides the train to work.
Station Wagons rule. They're so convenient. I don't know why more manufacturers don't make them.
I just asked my cubicle mate, Michael Jordan, why are wagons called "station" wagons? He says it's because back in the 1930s and 1940s, people used their wagons to pick up people from the train station.
So simple.
One of our Contributors, Ken Gross, restored an 1942 Ford Super DeLuxe Wagon back to its woodie glory.
Thankfully, our Audi A4 Avant has many more safety features than a WWII-era woodie. Being built of metal has its advantages. And gotta love those airbags. As Ken Gross wrote, "A woodie was fragile, as a fender-bender that would simply bang up a metal car body would reduce a hapless woodie to matchsticks."
All hail modern technology. Welcome to the car of the week, the 2009 Audi A4 Avant.
What do you think of wagons?
I got to drive it up to Sonoma for the GT500 test we recently posted. I loved driving this vehicle. Besides, it became my latest photo sherpa. It allowed me to take this shot out the back:
Hot Lap - Sears Point
As I mentioned before, we went up to Sears Point to shoot the GT00. Thankfully we took the Avant as our photo/video vehicle. Yeah, by the way, I'm calling it Sears Point. I don't care that some German company paid for the name.
During our shoot we were left alone by the Ford PR folks for a very brief period of time. Don't think we didn't take advantage of such a beautiful piece of track.
While the 2.0 isn't as powerful as the GT500, it was respectable in the straights and plenty of fun in the curves. It didn't help that some of our gear sloshed from side to side in the back.
Our Audi A4 Avant is equipped with the Multi Media Interface (MMI) driver command center.
The best part for me is the way it works with my iPod. It plugs into the adapter in the glovebox and tucks away neatly into the handy spot pictured above. Unlike the Focus, which leaves your iPod out in plain site with a lengthy cord dangling.
With my iPod out of the way and not taking up any of the cupholders, I can still control my music from the center console. I get all the sorting choices I would on my iPod, like artist, albumn, genre, etc.
Nice.
I left my iPod sticking out a little so you could see it in the photo, but it does fit all the way into that spot.
Questions? Comments?
What do you want to know about the Audi A4 Avant?
Or do you have a review of your own? Post it here.
I disagree with Scott Oldham's recent complaint about the 2009 Audi A4 Avant's instrument panel.
I look at the compact screen between the tachometer and speedometer and think what a great job Audi did putting eight separate pieces of information into such a small space, while making it look uncluttered and totally readable.
In one glance I know how many miles I've traveled, how much fuel I have left, time, date, ambient temp, odometer and trip miles, plus selected gear and radio station.
And all without pushing a single button.
Perhaps our editor in chief needs some new specs.
What's the secret of the appeal of the Audi control layout?
Could it be a sound driving position, instruments that combine clarity with style, useful control stalks on the steering wheel, a comprehensive selection of readouts, soft-touch buttons, a proper interplay between analog controls and digital readouts, discrete adjustments for ventilation source, temperature and fan speed, a red night-vision light for every control touch point, and the best of the remote-control interfaces for the navigation and entertainment system?
Or could it be that the layout never really changes? Not from car to car, and not from year to year. As much as we like to talk about the human-factor goodness of the Audi control layout, much of the appeal comes from the fact that it rarely changes, so it's easy to use.
Sometimes the science of control placement can be just as simple as resisting the impulse to change the design just for the sake of newness. To experience the confusion of a BMW or Mercedes-Benz cabin is to appreciate once again the smart design strategy from Audi.
I like the roller knob on the steering wheel that lets me quickly run up and down my presets (which are displayed in the center display once you move the roller) and pick what suits my mood. I don't like the back a**wards orientation of the power lock buttons, where up equals lock and down equals unlock. That's the opposite of what you'd expect — for as long as I can remember, those old-school plunger door locks (yes, there are still cars with them) are up for unlocked and down for locked.
I dreaded being saddled with Car of the Week, our 2009 Audi A4 Avant after my last tangle with its ignition. But thanks to you commenters I was finally able to master this secret art (OK, not-so-secret art) of taking the key out of the ignition.
As commenter quattro_baby suggested: "When leaving just push it like a button instead of pulling on it immediately after pushing it in. You'll hear a clicking sound when you push it like a button. Pull the key out and you're good to go." And it worked! So easy after all! OK, yes, I still struggled a bit in the video but like any skill, it takes practice. Heh.
While I normally enjoy the steering feedback provided by modern Audi models, there's something wrong with our long-term A4 Avant's steering system.
At first I thought the subtle vibration in the steering wheel was just another case of front-wheel balance upset by a thrown wheel weight. But then I realized the inconsistent tugging is even more pronounced when stationary, particularly when cranking the wheel left or right during parking-lot maneuvers. It reminds me of the old cars I've driven with a loose power steering belt and/or a dying power steering pump.
And it seems to be getting worse (though it could be I'm just more focused on it after spending several days with the car). Regardless, we'll be getting it checked out soon.
What I found was something I wasn't thinking of. The long drive was very uncomfortable for my girlfriends 6ft brother sitting in the back. The cramp leg room was too much for him over the six hour drive. My girlfriend gets car sick very easily so she had to sit up front. It wasn't a pretty situation.
The brother had to sit side saddle for a long portion of the way up, but the boxes of childhood memorabilia his parents made him take back to LA meant that he was again confined to sitting in a "normal" position on the way back. Several stops on the way back were needed to stretch and relax. I felt bad that my car was making him so uncomfortable.
I love the stance of our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant — it looks so low, so sleek and so sporty for a wagon. Even compared to previous A4 Avants (which I've always found attractive), it's a level up in fashion.
Until last night, though, I'd been admiring it from afar, though, as the A4 and I never seem to be free on the same night. After 50 miles on LA freeways, I came away a little disappointed.
Much as Brent noted, this car does not ride well. The ride is busy and loud over the rain-grooved, concrete slabs and, if you hit broken pavement, you feel the trauma in the cabin. If this was an Evo we were talking about, I'd be more forgiving, but this is a station wagon with a cargo bay and an automatic transmission and a sub-70-mph slalom speed. Honestly, it doesn't feel any better than our old 2002 A4 sedan in this department.
I guess the 18-inch wheels and Bridgestone Potenza RE050A 245/40R18 93Y tires are to blame. They look so nice, but I couldn't live with this setup, so it would be the standard 225/50R17 94H all-season tires for me.
Here at Edmunds, we make an effort to give back to the community in our home base, which is located in Santa Monica.
Today, we volunteered with Meals on Wheels. We have the wheels so we want to use them for good. We took along the Audi A4, the Ford Flex and the Honda Fit.
I was driving the A4 wagon. It had plenty of room for the multiple containers of food and a cover to protect them from the sun. Most of the meals were in temperature-safe bags. But we also had fruit and milk.
We realized the Audi A4 doesn't have the easiest hatch to operate. It opens very high above our heads and is heavy to close. Of course, you wouldn't normally open and close the back repeatedly in such a short amount of time. With normal use it wouldn't be a problem. After 10 houses, it gets a little tiring.
We were grateful for the navigation system, however. Finding our way around the streets of Santa Monica was a breeze. The nav lady always told us we were at our destination about a block away but the map itself was much more accurate.
The best part of the day, we met a lot of nice people. We encourage you to volunteer in your own community. It only takes a few hours to make a difference.
A speed warning chime is just dumb. A speed warning chime you can set at 150 mph? Well, that's just cool.
Thing is, I'm pretty sure our A4 Avant 2.0T couldn't reach a buck fifty if it were driven by Helio Castroneves off the top of the Empire State Building. I haven't driven the car faster than 110 mph, but I'd bet this is a 135 mph car, tops. And that's downhill with a tailwind. Yeah, I know it has a 180 mph speedometer, but that's just fantasy.
Anybody out there know what this car's top speed is? If not, I may just have to find out for myself the fun way.
I was pretty heartless when I laid into our Sport-package-equipped 2009 Audi A4 Avant for its harsh ride on LA freeways. Today I got the wagon on a back road to see if I liked the tradeoff in handling. And I really do.
Considering it weighs nearly 3,900 pounds, our A4 Avant really changes directions quickly, even on roads with very tight corners where I would expect it to understeer at least a little. Now I understand that 69.3-mph slalom speed. The A4's steering usually feels pretty vacant to me (and that's unrelated to our repair concern), but it weights up nicely off-center in these situations and I didn't mind the lack of feedback (much). And the brakes feel good.
This car is fun. And both the seating position and seat design are spot-on for this kind of driving. I'll be requesting our Audi A4 the next time I take a road trip... which will be carefully plotted to avoid the interstate.
I'm often amazed by how many different cars can swallow a mountain bike. Seems like Jacquot can fit one inside just about anything larger than a Smart. Given my less advanced bike assembly skills, I prefer a vehicle that can swallow them whole.
As you can see, our A4 fits that bill. Often criticized for being too small for a wagon, it's still capable of carrying a decent amount of cargo, even if it's all awkward like this bike. Sure, I had to take the front wheel off and use the larger side of 60/40 split rear seat, but I wasn't going far.
I imagine there are plenty of people out there who think they need an SUV to do this kind of chore, but even the diminutive A4 is more than capable of taking care of the job. Gets way better mileage too.
Math majors relax, values we've assigned to numerals haven't changed, I'm talking Audi's. Specifically, the A4's clear superiority to the the S5 (though this does apply, in part, to the A5, one of which we do not have in our Long Term fleet.)
The board came 'round last night and there were two new Audis available, it took less than a fraction of a second for me to put a big "MM" next to the A4. I've fretted longer deciding between the Smart and the Nissan 370Z. Now, this wasn't an easy decision because I had hauling to do, or because I was heading out with a group of people and four-doors is preferable to two. No, this is was an easy pick for me because the S5 is one of my least favorite cars.
Want to read why? Or skip all of that and go straight to the comments to tell me off? Either way, follow the jump.
I've been in a list kinda mood lately, so let's run with it.
(1) The A4 is more functional (obviously)
(2) The A4's automatic transmission doesn't suffer from the same foolish, rubbery clutch our S5 has. It shifts smoothly and pleasantly.
(3) The A4's ride can get crashy sometimes, but it's not as wollowy and sluggish as the S5
(4) The S5 has one of the best motors in the world, and when flogged hard at the track, makes some nice numbers. But as Ed posted before, you just don't feel that in the real world. It's not like an AMG car where you don't feel the speed and you're doing 146, the S5 just doesn't go that fast without willful and malicious provocation.
(5) The 2009 Audi S5 — and here's where it gets fun — is ugly. It looks like a bar of soap that's been partially used. It's got some pretty elements, sure. As a whole it's kind of bland. I once heard that Chris Bangle described it as looking like a deflated balloon, I've yet to corroborate that as true, but I'd buy it. The S5 does look like a deflated balloon.
Late last week our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant quitely rolled past the 15,000-mile mark with little fanfare.
A 6-second 0-60 time makes this wagon one heavenly hauler.
Let the celebration begin.
Everytime I step on the A4's gas pedal, my stomach growls with hunger. Wait - no, that's the engine. I don't recall the previous A4 being so noisy.
Maybe you're not supposed to drive a station wagon to places where designers hang out, but over the last few days, the 2009 Audi A4 Avant has been to the Art Center College of Design's Car Classic (Burt Rutan was the celebrity guest this year), a tour of Ford's California design studio by Freeman Thomas, Director, Strategic Design (it's huge; seven surface plates!), and dinner with the jury for Michelin Challenge Design.
The Audi A4 Avant proved to be a hit everywhere. And the reason lies in its utility, not just its stylistic grace.
Stewart Reed, Chair of the Transportation Design Department at Art Center, reminded me that great design comes from expressing utility with style. Pure style is no more than a bubble on a mechanical device. It's only when there's a connection between an object's appearance and its potential use that a design really strikes us. Maybe it's no surprise that Reed drives an Audi S6 Avant himself.
Meanwhile Geza Loczi, Director of Design, Volvo Monitoring Concept Center, points out that the Audi A4 Avant incorporates some of the concave surfacing that designer Chris Bangle developed for BMW. Though this surfacing technique caused much controversy at the time, it's interesting to see elements incorporated into so many car designs from other companies these days. And it's even more interesting that we've come to accept them, not only for their aesthetic value but also for the way in which they can reduce weight and improve aerodynamics. For me, the final irony is Bangle's decision to leave BMW in the wake of the company's return to its former strategy of making one kind of stylistic sausage for the whole company, only cutting it into different lengths.
Who would have thought that a station wagon could teach us about great design?
As soon as I got into the Audi A4 Avant last night I thought, "I could own this car."
The night before I was in the Nissan GT-R. While I love the GT-R for its bad-boy sensibilities, the ride is so stiff that I'm afraid I will lose fillings by the time I get home.
The Audi A4's ride is comfortable and keeps the road bumps from shaking me silly. It manages to do this without flopping around in corners. It's a nice balance between comfort and sport.
It's a pretty car. Audi design is classic without being boring. There is nothing in-your-face about the way it looks. It quietly conveys luxury.
Having a wagon that offers a maximum cargo capacity of 51 cubic feet is convenient for all sorts of weekend errands.
For fun, the Audi offers plenty of entertainment features and niceties. I need a good air conditioner. I adore heated seats. I'm not a big fan of radio or even satellite radio, so I need an iPod connection. I've gotten so used to having a navigation system, that I would definitely want one. I need a certain amount of power. Fuel economy doesn't factor into my equation but the Audi A4 performs better than half the cars in our fleet. These are just my personal preferences.
If I were in the market, these are the things I'd be looking for in my car. And they all seem to be wrapped up in this Audi A4 Avant.
Tell us what features are a must for your next car purchase.
P.S. Everyone seemed so offended that Scott went to Del Taco, so I took a picture in front of an authentic Mexican restaurant. Maria's in Torrance is one of my favorites.
When I was a kid, my parents called the family station wagon a "beach wagon". Whether this is a New England colloquialism, I'm not sure. But yesterday, the A4 Avant pulled beach wagon duty as the girlfriend and I went off in search of some ocean-side tranquility. We went about 40 miles up the PCH (the first half of which was horrid traffic), past Santa Monica and Malibu's popular beaches and pulled over at a small, uncrowded beach a few miles south of Point Mugu...
After enjoying the sun and surf, we decided to hit the Camarillo outlets and then take the 101 freeway south back to Santa Monica (Google traffic on the Blueberry still showed some nasty red lines going south through Malibu). The 101 sucked so we bailed at the Los Virgenes road exit, whereupon I subsequently enjoyed the Avant's adroit handling throughout the twists and turns of the canyon roads back to the PCH.
A few random observations:
— The 2.0T is plenty of motor, even in a pudgy (3,900-pound) wagon. Off the line dig and passing power are both impressive and the tranny clicks off quick, lag-free down- (and up-)shifts in Sport mode.
— We're averaging about 22 mpg thus far. I imagine those who don't live in the traffic capital of the U.S. and who don't drive as hard as automotive journalists will probably average 2 or 3 mpg better.
— Great sport seats (well shaped and with 4-way power lumbar) and powerful A/C — both key when you're in the saddle for hours on a hot, sunny day.
— Sometimes annoying navigation system. Instead of P.O.I. (Points of Interest) it has "Special Destinations". So you select that, and then, for example, "Nearest to Position". But then the system goes to a "Category" screen, where you must scroll through a bunch of categories, select one (e.g. "restaurants") and either scroll through dozens of various restaurants or input the name of the one you want. That's okay if you don't have a particular place in mind. But when you do, why doesn't it allow the option of just inputting the name of the P.O.I straight away without requiring you to slog through the Category list first?
I really do like our A4 wagon, I swear, so allow me to get picky for a moment. See all those various buttons and switches clustered around the door handle? There's quite a few of them. A few too many in my estimation, like a Pontiac Grand Am or something.
Obviously you can't do much about the window switches, but those memory buttons for the seat could be hidden away a little better. Easy for me to say though, I never use them.
And whatever happened to a simple rotary knob for the lights? I mean, I stick the thing on auto and never touch it again 99% of the time, does it really need all the extra stuff around it?
Could probably get rid of that door lock rocker switch too. Just make the doors unlock when you pull the lever no?
Whenever I look at our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant, I think, "Well, that's it, no one else should ever bother trying to build a wagon, because it will never look this good."
The styling of the A4 wagon pulls me in every time I get the key to it. I don't quite care for the driving experience, you see. Although I like the way the car grips through corners, the combination of the 2.0T engine and six-speed automatic is fairly uninspiring in normal traffic (acceleration is fine, but a tabletop torque band can only keep you interested for so long). So whatever excitement I'm feeling about the bodywork begins to dissipate as soon I'm in the Audi.
But as soon as I get out, I'm bubbling over with enthusiasm once again. Is there a better looking wagon out there? I think not.
With most cars, the sunshade will automatically roll back when you open the sunroof. Not so with the A4 Avant's panoramic sunroof, which is actually open in the above photo. I guess this is to facilitate extra airflow through the A/C vents, more than would be accomplished by simply tilting the sunroof. Or perhaps it's to provide that open feeling without the sun being on your head. Or maybe because people like wind noise without the added bonus of wind.
Actually, I have no idea why it does this, but it can. Now here's a video.
My Blackberry had been acting up lately, so this week I threw myself on the mercy of IL's IT department, preparing my case for a new phone.
Turns out, pleading wasn't necessary. Charles took one look at my worn 8700g and said, "Give me that. I'll bring you a new one later this afternoon."
Two days into my new Curve and feelin' very techy, I put away my single ear-bud hands-free "device" with a renewed interest in Bluetooth.
Audi has a super simple Bluetooth interface, and connecting the Curve to both our long-term 2009 A4 Avant and 2009 S5 took about five seconds each.
Share your Bluetooth pairing experiences. And make sure to dumb 'em down for the likes of me.
This weekend, I drove our 2009 Audi A4 Avant up north to catch some of the annual car events on the Monterey Peninsula.
From Carmel to Seaside, hotel rooms will cost you an arm and a leg, so I resigned myself to booking a pretty low-level motel.
Judging by the company that the Avant was keeping in the parking lot, I wasn't the only spectator who was just happy to find an available room with running water.
No, our long-term Audi A4 Avant wasn't actually running on Laguna Seca Raceway. Instead, it was perched on the hill behind the Turn 4 grandstand with a few hundered other spectators overlooking last weekend's Monterey Historics.
Even as a wagon, the 211-horsepower Audi A4 2.0T quattro is so much fun to drive, a quick lap on the track would have been worth the price of admission.
After a full weekend of fun and games in Monterey, I headed south to L.A. on the 101 freeway in our Audi A4 Avant. Two hundred miles in and anxious to get home, I took the California SR 154 (Chumash Highway) shortcut to lop off the 101 from Los Olivos to Santa Barbara.
I must have passed six Deer Crossing warning signs, and had just three miles to go before reentering the freeway, when the little fawn stepped into my path.
Horrified by the noise and sight of the deer spinning off the road, I immediately pulled off onto the right shoulder. I knew by the size of the deer and the fact that the engine was still running that the damage to the car was minimal. But I feared for the deer.
I took several deep breaths and got out to survey the scene. Bent front license plate, cracked lower fascia, cracked grille, missing air vent, no deer in sight.
Few more deep breaths of relief, and I was back on my way.
The A4 was delivered to the bodyshop this morning. Initial estimate is $600. We'll let you know if there was any hidden damage, and the final cost of repair.
Nearly two weeks ago, our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant accidentally met a deer on a two-lane California highway. A few days later, we delivered the car to the body shop and received a $600 repair estimate.
Many of you scoffed at the idea of such a cheap fix for the Avant, and we were a little unsure ourselves, not knowing the extent of the damage underneath the front bumper and grille. Turns out, we got off easy, and the final repair bill actually came in under estimate at $554.47.
We paid $391.50 for the replacement parts and $124.80 for labor. Parts included the a new center grille with quattro nameplate, front license plate bracket, a lower grille vent and miscellaneous clips and rivets.
The fix would've been much quicker, but the body shop first received a European front plate bracket, so we had to wait for the re-order.
The Scream, Edvard Munch 1893
Steering Wheel, Audi A4 2009
On Tuesday I posted praise upon the steering wheel in our long-term Jetta TDI. Those of you that disagreed with that praise called the Jetta's wheel boring. Well, check out the wheel in our long-term Audi A4 Avant. It's just as perfectly shaped and sized as the Jetta's, but Audi's designers were able to add a touch of flair without screwing up its comfort or function. It feels right and it looks right.
Sure it makes me think of Munch's The Scream (Anybody else see it?), but you can't call it boring.
Last Thursday I complained that the DSG transmission in our long-term Jetta TDI upshifts itself even in Manual Mode.
On that post "haub" commented that his Audi does the same thing. Which got me thinking: Does our Audi do the same thing?
The answer is yes it does. I tried it yesterday.
In Manual Mode the 6-speed automatic transmission (unlike the VW's DSG the Audi has a torque converter) in our long-term Audi A4 Avant upshifts itself at redline (actually a few hundred rpm shy of redline which makes it worse). Of course these upshifts completely negate the manual control of Manual Mode, which I thought was the point.
This makes no sense to me. If the M stands for Manual Mode, why does the transmission shift itself?
Spent Sunday at the in-laws out in San Bernardino. How do you get there? Well, you head due east from our Santa Monica office. Travel about 70 miles. When you reach the surface of the sun hang a left and you're there.
Yeah, it's hot in Berdo. But we lucked out. Caught it on a cool day. It was just 100 degrees F when we got there at 1 pm.
But the good news is that the air conditioning in our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant was up to the challenge. Even if we heat soaked the wagon for hours and got its black interior really smokin', the a/c cooled it down quickly. My 60 lbs. canine riding back in the cargo area really appreciated it since he can't take off his fur coat.
You can get V6 versions of the 2009 Audi A4 sedan and convertible but the wagon only comes with the 4-cylinder.
Audi's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 is an excellent engine. When driving the A4 Avant I've never felt the need for more.
And, actually, the V6, which has about 50 more horsepower than the 4-cylinder 2.0T, is somewhat disappointing. The 2.0T actually outrun the V6 in our zero-to-60-mph testing — a likely reason why the V6 will not be available for 2010.
With the 2.0T as its sole engine for 2010, do you think the Audi A4 can keep up with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class?
"So what are you in for?"
"Full Test. You?"
"Long-term. They bought me."
"Really, I'm only here for a week. But two of those guys, Ed and Dan I think, just drove me all over the place. We ran over a rabbit. They even took me to a dragstrip on grudge night. The Ed guy can sure throw gears."
"Sounds fun. I don't get to have much fun. I'm a wagon. I drop the kids off at school. And that Scott guy keeps putting his messy kids and shedding dog in me."
"That sucks. They just track tested me. I'm not as quick as that white GT-R over there but I'm close. You ever been track tested?"
"Yeah, but you know, it's not really my thing. Then I had this problem with my steering. The same problem as the red S5. Have you guys met?"
"Yeah, I was parked next to him yesterday. Good guy. But he seemed a little conceited. Like he loves himself or something. Maybe it's just all that color."
"I know what you mean. We don't hang out much, but we did both get to go "to Pebble Beach this year. Kelly took me, but on the way home she hit a deer, which hurt. Have you been to Pebble?"
"No, but I did just do some lapping at Sears Point...I mean Infineon Raceway. I always do that."
"Me too. Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca. Give me a break. It's Laguna Seca and it always will be."
"Have you done a photo shoot yet?"
"Tonight, but I did do video."
"Ah, those video shoots take forever."
"I know, and we started at 6 am. Anything I need to know about the photo shoot?"
"Who's doing it? Kurt? Or Jacobs?"
"Jacobs."
"He's good, but don't let him take you to GMR. He has shot all of us at GMR. You deserve something fresh. I mean you're the new R8 V10 for goodness sake."
"Thanks."
"Hell, here comes that Scott guy. His dog must have to go to the vet. Have fun tonight."
"See ya. Don't let that dog get to you. Keep your grille up."
Thanks to ergsum for this week's favorite caption. I scalped it a little for length.
This was not the most PC of weeks. But it's all in good fun.
Here are the honorables:
As we drive through Madonna Pass...(ergsum)
No, I said to park it between the *TT's*... (ahightower)
Tee-pee or not tee-pee, that is the question (creeper)
How a Native American kid Tee-Pees a car (gooney911)
Keeping up with the Sitting Bulls. (lowmilelude)
Save A Horse, Ride An Audi (ergsum)
Circle the Avants, there's engine trouble! (ergsum)
Dances with Quattro. (thejohnp)
The latest in A4-dable housing. (rick8365)
Retro Avant-garde! (ergsum)
Through the cones, you'll swear it was a much smaller car. (zc1)
Relax man, you're two tents! (sherief)
Chief Aging Bull failed to notice driving the last five miles home with his left Smoke Signal on.(ergsum)
You bought this because they killed Pontiac? (mnorm1)
What was your favorite?
Chief Scott took this photo of our 2009 Audi A4 Avant at his new home.
We suggest: Audi Partner
Or how about this joke from when I was a kid: What do Indians make for dinner? Reservations.
Heh.
What's your caption?
We'll post our favorite at 4:00 PM our time.
Since so many of you participated in the caption contest yesterday I thought you might be interested where I took that photo of our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant sitting between two giant TeePees.
The Wigwam Motel is a landmark on old Route 66 in Rialto, California. It's been there since 1949 and was originally part of a chain of seven such establishments. Three survive today and remain open for business; this Riato location along with facilities in Cave City, Kentucky and Holbrook, Arizona.
I didn't actually go inside one of the TeePees, but I did peak inside one (the door was open for the maid) and was amazed at how large it was. It was also very clean, as was the motel's pool.
What a great piece of Americana. I hope it's there in another 50 years.
I was rummaging through our box of long-term car spares and found the set to our 2009 Audi A4 Avant. Not only is there a spare key fob (left) but also a plastic emergency key fob (right). Both plug into the dash and operate like the standard fob.
The emergency key separates into two pieces, a holster and key. Both must be fit together for it to work. There is a specialized sleeve in the glovebox to store the holster, and ideally, the key portion is stored elsewhere. It's fancy. But is this a good idea? Is it spare key overkill?
When leaving a signal or a stop sign in our long-term 2009 Audi A4, things don't happen instantaneously.
First, the intial tip-in response of the throttle is too soft. Then the revs climb high and hold as the torque converter tries to let the engine build boost. It makes for dignified, though not particularly hasty, departures.
Once you're underway and the torque converter is fully locked up, there's ample sauce underfoot.
This throttle lag/softness has me two-pedaling the Audi as I approach empty four-way stop intersections. Left foot brake as a stop sign approaches, and apply throttle just before it reaches a standstill.
I suppose a partial solution to this minor irritation is the 'Dynamic' mode of the Drive Select system found on our longterm S5.
Recently, our long-term Audi A4 Avant crossed the 20,000-mile mark. I was surprised to discover that it's already been here for more than a year (we introduced it back in November 2008). Maybe it's because I've only driven it a few times, but I still think of the A4 as one of the newer cars in the fleet.
Happy Birthday, Triple A.
We bought our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant 13 months ago. In that time it has been driven over 20,000 miles. I thought you might like to see how its 18-inch Bridgestone Potenza summer tires (Remember our car is equipped with the optional Sport Package.) are holding up. I think the answer is remarkable well.
In fact, I drove the car in the rain this week and it's as sure footed as you'd expect an all-wheel drive Audi with massive perfomance tires to be.
A rainy night in the heart of Beverly Hills. I park our long-term 2009 Audi A4 just west of Rodeo Drive, the world's richest street and pop into my favorite pizza joint for a slice.
This is where money comes to breed. In this neighborhood millionaire doesn't mean much. In this neighborhood the maids drive BMW 3 Series convertibles, high school kids cruise around in M5s and a Bentley Continental GT ain't nothing if it ain't a Speed. In this neighborhood a stock Ferrari is no big deal.
In this neighborhood our A4 Avant is a hit, proving once again that this is one of the world's best looking wagons.
On this night our little German wagon gets a thumbs up from a guy driving a Rolls Royce Phantom and an "I like your car" from a women driving a Aston Martin V8 Vantage convertible. Then, just when I thought it can't get any weider, I'm pretty sure I spot Gene Simmons from KISS driving by in a black Escalade on very large chrome wheels. He doesn't acknowledge our A4 Avant, but it's a cool celebrity sighting anyway. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.
Merry KISSmas Gene. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
I just spent the better part of a week (except for the few day detour to Abu Dhabi) driving our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant, which is equipped with the optional Sport Package, although I wish it wasn't.
This little wagon just rides too firmly for me. Fact is, I think it's sprung stiffer than our S5, yet it doesn't really have the engine or the high-performance vibe that makes such a sacrifice in ride acceptable. Instead it just feels like a wagon with a small engine that is sprung too stiffly and insists on crashing over even the smallest road imperfection. No point except discomfort, which is no point at all.
But there's an easy fix for this. Don't pay for the Sport Package. I've driven 2.0T-powered A4's without it and they ride wonderfully.
Scott's getting old and soft. The ride quality in our longterm 2009 Audi A4 Avant is fine. It's firm, but never harsh and definitely doesn't have bump sensitivity. I'd rock this thing across the country without thinking twice.
Then again, I drove our old Audi R8 from LA to Seattle and back in the span of three days.
With that said, Scott does make a valid point. This autobox-equipped, indifferent steering-havin' A4 otherwise doesn't have the sporting chops to fully realize the promise of the ride's taut control. Ah, to have a manual gearbox...
The seat heaters in the Audi A4 Avant have six intensity settings.
I find 3, 4 and 5 to be acceptable. 1 and 2 are too subtle for me. And 6 is even too hot for my tastes. Wow, 6 gets hot. Good thing I wasn't wearing a skirt.
This morning as I started the Audi A4 Avant's engine and the beautiful display screen lit up with Coldplay's "Viva la Vida," I remembered how much I love this car.
I haven't driven the Audi in weeks, but after a quick flash of the wagon's brilliant red cabin lights, I quickly forgot it was just 6 a.m. and I hadn't had any coffee yet.
I even let go of the grudge that I was headed to the office to edit Geneva auto show news instead of sipping espresso in the press room at the actual Geneva show.
As I sped past a new Honda Accord on the freeway entrance ramp, I was reminded once again that the A4 Avant is the absolute perfect car for me.
The A4 Avant is one of, if not my favorite car that we have in our long-term fleet, so naturally I was pretty excited when I was offered the keys for the weekend. I could gush about how I like the way it looks, the way it drives, or that I like the added utility one gets with the wagon; but what stuck out to me the most this weekend was what I don't like about the car. Every time I drive an Audi I have to teach myself how to use a stereo again, and where all the controls are located. I wouldn't say that any of the controls are hard to use, but I also wouldn't say that any of them are intuitive either.
The two controls that constantly reminded me I was driving an Audi (and not in a good way) were the cruise control, and the dial on the center console that operates pretty much everything. The cruise control comes off the steering column, which inherently is not a problem however because of where it is placed it can't be seen from the driver's seat. If you look at the picture you can see the controls for the blinkers and the windshield wipers, but what you can't see is the third set of controls that is blocked by the spoke of the steering wheel. Unfortunately your view of these controls is blocked even when seated in the driver's seat.
My second complaint and I'll admit it's a small one, is the direction the user has to turn the main dial in relationship to the direction the curser moves on the main screen. If you twist the dial clockwise the curser moves up the list, and if you twist it counter clockwise the curser moves down the list. This seems backwards to me. To be perfectly honest I don't have a good reason as to why it seems backwards, however with no prompting from me my brother said the same thing while operating the radio from the passenger seat.
After a weekend in our Audi, even though the controls aren't as intuitive as some other brands, our A4 Avant is still one of my favorite long term test cars.
I can't remember ever backing into something. Well, there was that motorbike in Mexico a few years back. But that was the owner's fault for parking it behind my '84 Chevy Blazer, where I couldn't see it.
If the Blazer had a backup camera like our Audi A4 Avant, the owner of the motorcycle would have saved his turn signal. And I would have saved the 200 pesos I paid him for the damage. Fortunately, my beater Baja Blazer was none the worse for it.
I was glad the A4 has Audi's Parking System when I backed out of a buddy's long narrow driveway this morning, threading the wagon between the stucco exterior of his house and the cinder block wall of his next-door neighbor.
Call me old fashioned, but I still like to look behind me when backing up rather than forward at an in-dash screen, although in this case the Audi Parking System's orientation lines help keep me on track. And the screen gives the warning: "Look! Safe to Move?"
Even more useful were the ultrasonic sensors in the rear bumper that warned me when I was too close to something with a series of escalating beeps. Without them I may not have noticed that the driver's-side rear corner of the A4 was only inches away from scraping against stucco.
And I'm sure that would have cost much more than 200 pesos to repair.
As you can see, our A4 needed a little more grease in the crankcase this weekend. I like how the display warns gives you a warning without making it look like the engine is going to explode any minute. Probably a good method given the average driver's meager knowledge of oil consumption.
Adding oil was a snap as the crankcase cap is top dead center. Doesn't get much easier than that. And before you get too concerned that I took the path of least resistance when it came to finding a quart of oil, the A4 is due for a real service this week. I'm pretty sure it can endure a few days of Shell's finest until then.
1. excellent turbocharged 2.0-liter inline 4
2. strong brakes (60-0 in 103 feet)
3. six-level seat heaters (a warmth setting to suit everyone)
4. well-positioned A/C vents
5. roller balls for audio controls on steering wheel (this is the best design)
6. easy-to-fold rear seats
7. non-glare navigation screen
8. easy-to-read instrument panel
9. prescient automatic windshield wipers
10. elegant good looks
Care to add anything to my list?
Ed mentioned that our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant is due for service. I like the messaging for "Service Due!" in this car. You of course see the message for a few seconds right after you start the engine. Then, you see it again right after you shut off the engine — you know, in case you got wrapped up in your hour-long commute and forgot that you needed to call the Audi dealer. Good idea.
I put about 200 freeway miles on our long-term 2009 Audi A4 wagon over the weekend, and unusual for me, I didn't fret about the car's overly stiff ride. I'm a fretter, you see, and as mentioned here before, our sport-package A4 can feel pretty brittle on LA freeways as its 245/40R18 93Y Bridgestone Potenza RE050As slap against the pavement.
But this time the ride didn't bug me. I was quite taken with the rest of the car. The driving position is just so spot-on. The visibility is excellent, with good sightlines and a low-cowl feel (plus a rear camera watching your back). The wagon's turn-in response is sharp and, as expected, the RE050As grip like crazy. The torque band is accessible, if not exciting, and the six-speed automatic mostly stays out of my way. The steering has a comfortable dead spot on center and good weighting off center.
I still get a little annoyed about the inconsistent power steering assist (via the electric motor that drives the pump) at parking speeds, but I ended the weekend feeling quite enthusiastic about our Audi wagon. This is a good package for commuting, and those sticky tires give you some capability on back roads. This wagon could work for someone with a lot of interests who can only afford one car.
It wasn't until I got home this weekend that I realized I had gone two weeks without driving a car.
Oh, I was driven around plenty, first by taxicabs during the New York auto show, and then by my mother's 2000 Oldsmobile Alero (don't ask) while I was vacationing in Detroit (again, best not to ask).
Imagine my delight when I returned to Southern California and found the Audi A4 Avant waiting for me.
Happy 25,000 miles, A4. I've missed you so.
Drove the Audi A4 Avant this weekend to a concert at the Staples Center.
Guess who we saw?
Many years ago I was derided for falling in love with an Audi Avant. I'm talking the B5 generation. I got brochures. I dreamed of taking my camping gear or a bike out for the weekend. People thought I was dumb for liking a station wagon.
"Why would a single late 20-something want a station wagon," they all wondered aloud. "You're weird."
I got older. I ran out of cash. I bought an old Honda Accord to get me around. I lovingly named the Accord the P.O.S.. I still longed for the Audi, but at that stage in my life I just couldn't afford one. Audi's aren't exactly cheap and I don't believe in leasing.
I bought a Mazda 3 hatchback when the deals got really sweet. I loved the 3 because it reminded me of an Audi, just cheaper. Nice interior, fun, practical and stylish. I bought a previous generation, I'd like to add. Not the freakish Steven Tyler grille generation.
Last night I drove our '09 Avant. Oh it brought me back many years. It's luxurious interior, great handling and Euro cache really put the spell on me. I only drove it the short distance home and back, but I'm ashamed to admit I looked at prices on the internet when I got into the office. My lady's car is getting old and she's thought about replacing it. This might be a nice step up from her Jetta?
The current Avant is about seven inches longer, has more cargo capacity and frankly looks better in my opinion. It's no race car, but it moves when you ask it and sounds great doing it. By any measure this car is an improvement over the previous generations. It's a nice car, I don't think there is any debate on that point. But I have to come back to the question of would I really need this car over wanting it? Temptation is rough.
I think I have to let go of the past and wait for something I need.
There we were, sitting at a red light in our 2009 Audi A4 Avant. And shortly afterwards there we were, standing on the side of the road exchanging insurance information. We were rear-ended.
So now it's off to our local body shop, the Golden Hammer, for an estimate to repair minor rear bumper damage. With insurance involved it isn't likely the process will be quick. But we will keep our fingers crossed and let you know how it goes.
Finally! I have my first real complaint against the 2009 Audi A4 Avant. Well, really more like a whiney, little grumble than an actual complaint.
I drove the A4 wagon to run some errands which caused me to open the rear cargo door several times in one day. Every single time I slammed the hatch closed and got behind the wheel the dash light warned me that the door wasn't completely latched.
It sounded like it was closed, it looked like it was closed, but it wasn't closed.
Kinda annoying.
Edmunds Maintenance Calculator estimates that the 25,000 mile service on a 2009 Audi A4 Avant should run $112.11 and include engine oil ($13.58), oil filter ($6.97), and then an additional $57.04 of labor for checks and stuff.
What did it cost at Santa Monica Audi? Follow the jump for that and a bonus story of a crazy Audi driver waiting for parts!
$231.96 inc tax. Dollars. US dollars.
Here's how it breaks down: Oil filter ($20.02), Engine oil ($28.32), Oil disposal ($2.67), Parts Wash ($5.45) and labor....one hour....($170).
Welcome to the West Side, kids!
And here's what happened when I was waiting to pay:
Lady in line ahead of me to cashier: "I can't believe I forgot the air filter!"
Cashier: "Good thing you came back!"
Lady: "I just don't know what I'd've done if I hadn't remembered. I was three blocks away."
Lady: "Oh, wait, this says it's made in Slovenia (ed: Not sure if it was Slovenia or Slovakia, either way, the story continues the same way.), but my oil filter, I think, is made in Germany. Don't they have an air filter made in Germany?"
Cashier, very concerned: "Oh, I don't know. That's something you should ask. I'd certainly ask."
Lady: "Will this one even work? It's not made in Germany."
Cashier: "I'd go back to the parts guy and ask."
Lady: "I will!"
Five minutes later — they lost my paperwork — I come outside to see the lady leaving the parts dept with the same filter in hand and a cell phone in the other....presumably calling someone to see if her Slovenian air filter will, in fact, filter air despite its non-German heritage.
Welcome to the West Side, kids!
The first step is to admit you have a problem, right? Ok, I admit it. I'm an Avant Junkie. Recently I got a tour behind the wheel. When I was presented with the chance to drive it again, I greedily grabbed the keys. I'm hooked.
My lady rode around in it as we did the standard couple weekend stuff. She loved the car. "Scott," she said to me as we drove to buy lottery tickets, "you should have just bought this instead of your (Mazda) 3." Slightly deflated from the confirmation, I replied "I know."
Currently the California lottery is over $260 million. We pondered what we'd do with that kind of money of we won. In all honestly, the Avant would probably be the most car I'd want (with perhaps the exception of an S6 Avant, or a nice Mercedes-Benz E63 Wagon). I feel, for me, this car is just that nice.
There are three things I love about this car: the versatility, the interior, and the engine. I drooled over the first two things the last time I drove this. This time I really enjoyed the engine and how growled when entering the freeway. The Avant's 2.0 Turbo has got plenty of power for my every day needs. It cranks out 211hp from it's smallish displacement with plenty of help from that turbo, making my Mazda's 2.3 I4 feel pretty anemic.
You might think I'm crazy for thinking this is my "it" car. I enjoy the Avant that much. If I hit the lottery, I would trade my 3 in for one of these in a heart beat. Then buy a truck, too.
This must have happened at a car wash. The cap on the end of our rear wiper is missing. I couldn't get it to stick back together. But Mike Schmidt did some magical maneuvering. He took the cap off the other side and put it on the more important end. It should hold us for a while. Or at least until the next car wash.
Our Audi A4 Avant has a button for the electronic parking brake right next to the gear shifter. Pull up to engage, push down to release. Only one finger needed.
I don't mind it. But it's not very satisfying. Sure, it's conveniently located and saves space. But I prefer a lever in between the seats that you pull up with your hand. You feel like you're fixing the car in place. I'm old school, I guess. I even prefer the parking brake pedals you operate with your foot.
There are some old-school features I miss in cars. I miss automatic gear shifters that were mounted on the steering column. And I loved the front bench seat in my Caprice. You could fit three people up there. Did you ever drive a car that had the windshield fluid button in the footwell?
What old-school features do you miss in modern cars?
Clogged sunroof plenums everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief today. Well, at least those in the above stated Audi models. A settlement was reached in the class-action suit they fought so tirelessly to win. What did our 2009 Audi A4 Avant get for falling into the Settlement Class? You're looking at it. A supplemental page for the owner's manual.
Monetary compensation is also available through the settlement. Those eligible for a piece of the $8 million reimbursement fund must submit their claim by July 23, 2010. But none of this hard earned cash will find its way to our pockets. We are yet to experience any drain issues, and as a result, have nothing to claim. Back to business as usual.
I know other editors have had a problem removing the key from the Audi A4 but I've never had it happen to me before. I've been driving the Audi over the last few days and it has stumped me three times. I can't see that I'm doing anything differently than when it pops out easily.
So, I asked Dan, resident smart guy. He said you have to have your foot on the brake just so. Well, I don't know. It seems awfully finicky to me. The problem is, you have to press the key in to make it pop out. So, if you have your foot on the brake, it restarts the car. Very strange.
OK, so in honor of the Tony Awards the other day, what Broadway Show does my title reference?
I've put plenty of miles on our A4 Avant and I've rarely found use for its steering-wheel mounted shift paddles. In fact, I actually forgot they were there until last night.
The transmission shifts plenty quick for me and it's not like the car is all that fast anyway. Don't get me wrong, I think the 2.0T engine is one of the best four-cylinders on the planet, but it doesn't wind up so quick that you're afraid to reach over and bump the shifter to change gears.
No, I'm not talking about the Audi. The moon and Venus were lined up beautifully, so I snapped a shot.
What did I learn? It's really difficult to take a picture of the moon with a Nikon Coolpix.
Our A4 Avant has nearly 30,000 miles on it and the seats are holding up fairly well. There's some obvious wear on the outside corner, but they feel solid when you're sitting in them.
In fact, the whole interior looks pretty good. Nothing appears weathered or even the least bit worn out. Guess you should expect that for a car that costs this much.
Yesterday I proved that our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant can be driven atleast 22 miles with zero range. No, I'm not proud of it, but it was fun living on the edge.
By the way, after 22 miles I wimped out and zipped into some no name gas station. I wonder how far it could have gone.
I was gassing up our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant at a low-rent, off-brand gas station on world famous Sunset Blvd. across from the legendary Whisky a Go Go night club (the red building in the background) when I had the moment of clarity.
Audi, I realized, makes the world's best looking station wagon sold in America. But the Alfa 159 is even prettier.
That is all.
Sometimes test cars are left at the airport while staff members fly in and out to attend one- or two-day press events in distant locations.
Sure, we prefer to drive when possible, but a Los Angeles-to-Detroit round-trip is kinda difficult to squeeze into two days.
As we approach the 30K mile mark in our Audi A4 Avant, it appears as though our brakes are in need of attention. At least that's what the computer says.
From the driver's seat, I detected no immediate need for new pads or resurfaced rotors. The brakes still grab firmly and there's no wobbling or squeaking. We'll take it to the dealer and see what they recommend. Then we'll step back and take a reality check to see if it's reasonable. We'll keep you posted.
Ok, pencils down. All answers are in. Yesterday, Ed asked what you thought the brake service on our 2009 Audi A4 Avant would cost. Drumroll, please...
$672.32 (hambone72 came awfully close)
We spent $210 for labor and the rest on materials, including two new front rotors. A brake change is a relatively simple undertaking, even for a novice. But this blog is about trying to represent the typical ownership experience. Most A4 owners aren't going to jack up their car in the driveway. They are going to the dealer just like we did. And they can expect to get hosed there, just like we did.
So, either transfer some extra cash into the checking account to pay for new brakes, or learn to change them yourself.
Our Audi A4 Avant passed the 30,000-mile mark this week. It's still one of my favorite cars in the fleet.
If you need to chill out after a long hard day or if you've got a groggy morning face, the A4 can be chill right with you. And if you want to kick it out a little after a long hard day or need to wipe the groggy off your face in the morning, the A4 will gladly comply.
Its steering is spot on. Its transmission is quick. Give it some throttle and it responds without hesitation. Or sit in traffic and be comfy with your first class seat heaters and satellite radio.
Oh, and the new brakes feel great, too.
Thanks to rayray633 for this week's winner.
And here are the other honorable mentions:
Relaxed In Sixty Seconds (ergsum)
A-Road-A-Therapy Massage with essential engine oils. (ergsum)
Pleasure Wagons. Take your pick. (stephen987)
Oh, sorry. I was looking for the Swedish Volvo (rayray633)
Additional charge for winding your turbo. (rayray633)
BMW Exec: "No, I said 'message'! Send a MESSAGE to Audi!" (sherief)
Pass. The Econoline has always rubbed me the wrong way. (actualsize)
You should see their Ford Escort. (actualsize)
Watch out for the Ford Probe (cello_one)
CalA4nication (festus67)
What was your favorite?
Vehicle Testing Manager Mike Schmidt sent met this photo of our Audi A4 parked next to an emergency services vehicle. If they use their siren, are we required to pull over and let them pass?
What's your caption?
We'll post our favorite this afternoon.
I've just spent almost an entire week with our Audi A4 wagon. And while I was just back and forth to work and doing my normal weekend things, I got to thinking about what a great road trip car this would be. I've been itching to drive across the country and think a lot about what I would drive.
Here are some of the A4 Avant's travel-ready features:
* storage (plenty of cargo space with a pull-over cover to protect your goodies from the sun and wandering eyes)
* more storage (lots of little cubby holes and cupholders inside the A4, too)
* Decent fuel mileage (EPA estimates 23 MPG combined. We're averaging a little over 21)
* power (It gets a lot out of its turbocharged 2.0-liter inline 4 and never struggles. No one wants to be toiling along in a vehicle full of passengers and gear wondering if they're going to make it up that hill.)
* entertainment (good-quality audio, satellite radio, the best steering wheel controls)
* non-glare nav screen (so you can see how lost you are)
The only thing that might get old:
* hard seats (the driver seat may be heated and power adjustable but the cushions are not comfortable)
What do you look for in a road trip car?
Avant? I had to look it up. According to Merriam-Webster online:
Function: adjective
Etymology: French avant- fore-, front, from avant before, from Latin abante
Date: 1965
Definition: culturally or stylistically advanced
So there you go. Our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant is stylistically advanced, and is perhaps the best small wagon out there. However, it isn't called a wagon because vehicles marketed as such in the U.S disintegrate slowly on the sales floor.
I like our A4 Avant, but prefer the sedan version myself.
Car lovers love wagons. Non car lovers hate wagons. I can understand wanting a comfortable ride over sports car handling or not wanting to slog through traffic with a clutch, but this disconnect between enthusiasts and regular folks keeps me baffled. I just don't get it. Are people actually confusing an A4 Avant for a Country Squire? Are people actually concerned that people will confuse their A4 Avant for a Country Squire? Because thus far, that's the only reason I'm getting.
I just don't get it, especially since I think the Avant looks better than the A4 sedan. That trunk lip that works so well on the wide A5 just looks contrived on the A4 and kinda like this guy's hair. More so, the Avant's tapering roofline better compliments the A4's arching, downward cutline. They're harmonious and the car is consequently quite elegant. Not all wagons are like this, mind, but many at least look pretty darn cool (Exhibit A, Exhibit B).
So what say you? A4 Sedan or A4 Avant? And does the latter just remind you too much of this?
I like the steering wheel in our Audi A4 Avant. It is perfectly sized to the car, fits nicely in the hand, and has well-designed controls. I like the slightly flat indentation in the bottom. The leather is sticky without feeling gross.
It feels good when I make a turn.
Yesterday I posted about our long-term Camaro's high-quality audio system (relatively speaking, of course; it won't put Mark Levinson out of business or anything). That system also has a fully-functional graphic interface, impressive given it accomplishes this with a simple, non-navigation-capable, non-touchscreen display.
But if we're talking best graphic interface (versus the Camaro's very good, all things considered) then my vote goes to Audi's MMI.
I remember when I first used this system in an A8 several years ago. It was intuitive, so the learning curve was much gentler than some competing systems (cough-i-Drive-cough). But what really got me wasn't just MMI's ease of use but the slick animations and clear display templates. Somebody obviously put a lot of thought into the design.
There's no need for a cool, "swooshy" transition between audio information and navigation functions, but MMI has one. It's also got color coding for different functions, and the above graphic recreation of a physical set of buttons to skip tracks or play a song list randomly. Very cool.
Early indications suggest the new MyFord Touch system is better still, but I haven't had enough quality time with said system, so I'm reserving judgment. Hmm...a long-term 2011 Ford Explorer would probably resolve the issue, in case anyone at Ford is reading this...
The 2.0T in our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant continues to use oil, although not at an alarming rate. In April the Audi recieved an oil change at 26,739 miles. That was 5,000 miles ago.
I've had worse Sundays. That's my daughters and our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant during our outing this past weekend to the beaches of Malibu, California. Obviously the weather was ideal for testing the Audi's legendary Quattro system. Yuck, yuck.
Seriously, the A4 remains one of my favorite long-term cars ever. I never turn down a chance to drive it. And I've never regretted grabbing its key. It's one of those car that does everything well. Plus, it remarkably feels like just the right vehicle for every occasion. Opening night at the opera? Lets take the A4 Avant. Surf safari? A4 Avant. Run to the recycle center? Well, you get the idea.
And it doesn't seem to age. After more than 30,000 miles our Audi still feels new and its just as beautiful to look at and to drive as the day we got it.
I think I'll take it home again tonight. Maybe I can get the kids to vacuum up the piles of sand they left in it.
The other day I posted about how fresh our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant feels after more than 30,000 miles and the abuse of 25 editors. Some of you asked me for any example, so I'm back with a photo of the A4's driver's seat.
Check it out, even the bolster looks new.
I think I've discovered the best feature of our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant:
Its twin cupholders in the center console (one large, one small) are perfectly sized to hold one In-N-Out lemonade and one In-N-Out neopolitan shake.
Forget the interior materials or all-wheel drive; this is a reason to buy!
There are actually far more than three faces of Audi's Driver Information Center, depending on how you set it up, but here are just three shots from our long-term Audi A4 Avant. These images show how effectively the D.I.C. is at displaying multiple forms of vehicle information on a diminutive 3-by-6-inch screen.
Let's take a quick tour of all the information that's provided:
Left Screen: This is my default setting, as I like the large digital speedometer along with the Sirius satellite station information (Classic Rewind in this case) and distance-to-empty number. Of course this screen also includes odometer, trip meter, transmission gear and outside temperature information. Pretty informative if you ask me.
Center Screen: This is a great screen for scrolling radio stations. With the information available right between the primary gauges, along with the steering-wheel-mounted thumbwheel, it's easy to browse stations without taking your eyes off the road or hands off the wheel.
Right Screen: The telephone screen also works with the thumbwheel, making it easy to browse your phonebook, dialed calls, received calls, etc. Plenty of people think you should never make a phone call from behind the wheel, but Audi's interface is an example of how that argument doesn't hold up. It's just not a distracting (or dangerous) process folks.
Of course I haven't even touched on how effectively this screen coordinates navigation information or engine warnings or a dozen other uses. Fodder for another blog post I guess. In the meantime, suffice to say Audi's D.I.C. is the SH.IZ.LE.
With over 30,000 miles on its odometer, 164 blog posts, and still a perennial favorite of our staff, our 2009 Audi A4 Avant has proven itself a reliable and capable sports wagon as well as an awesome family or cargo hauler that achieves uncanny fuel economy (30 mpg best observed tank). I really had my doubts about how well this car would fare in our hands, but I am impressed and have already recommended it to several friends.
Of course that still doesn't keep the sun from sneaking around the visors. Uncanny how that happens so often. "Sorry, Hon. You're just going to have to slouch, or squint, or wait for the road to turn."
It joined our fleet officially in November 2008 (I know, I couldn't believe it's been that long either), so it won't be long when we post the Wrap Up story. Is there anything we've missed?
Following up on the previous post where readers asked for our out-of-pocket expenses on the 2009 Audi A4 Avant, here's our running total of maintenance/repair costs thus far:
Scheduled Costs
- 5K Service: $0
- 15K Service: $387.62 (including tire rotation)
- 25K Service: $231.96 (recommending front brake pad/rotor replacement)
Unscheduled Service
- 15K Servotronic Steering TSB: $0
- 17K Body Shop (due to deer strike): $554.47
- 30K Front brake pad/rotor replacement: $672.32
Total Cost: $1,846.37
According to a recent survey, this warning light is a mystery to many motorists. It could mean just about anything in their eyes. Low oil, a broken transmission, insufficient blinker fluid.
So Imagine the pride I felt when I instantly identified this as a warning that one of my tires was low. "I've got a flat!" I yelled excitedly to the puzzled driver next to me.
The elation quickly wore off, however, once I realized that I did indeed have an injured tire. It was only about 8 pounds low so I could drive on it, but it would require a patch at the soonest opportunity. As you can see, an average sized nail was the culprit, should be an easy fix. The rest of the car is fine, especially for one that has 31,000 miles on it.
I learned the hard way that our A4 is missing its rear wiper. Turned it on during a recent rain shower (that's about all we get around these parts) and I got nothing but a shrill scraping sound out back.
No one seems to know what happened to the wiper. Torn off in a car wash? Stolen by rubber thieves? It's a mystery. Just went to the dealer though as picked up a new one for a not surprising $17. Looks like it just snaps right in, we'll see. Oh, and we're working on new tires, that post will be coming shortly.
Last weekend the A4 picked up a nail in its right rear tire. It oozed air slowly until the pressure monitoring system posted a warning. At first it looked like it might be patchable, but we soon realized that it was too close to the sidewall for such a fix.
So a new tire was in order and as long as we were going to replace one, we figured the other side might as well get one too. The tires did have a little over 30,000 miles on them anyway, so they were due for replacement soon anyway. Once on a lift, closer inspection of the front tires revealed they were pretty much shot too.
We had Stokes Tire order up a new set of original equipment tires, in this case Bridgestone RE050s size 245/40R18. As you might expect, they were not cheap — $268 a pop. When all was said and done, the total came to $1192 for the tires, mounting and balancing.
Oh, and in the process we also realized that there was no wheel lock key in the A4. This had been brought up before with no resolution. We went to the Audi dealer to get a replacement and they said it would take awhile to get that exact key. Instead, we just bought a new set of locking lug nuts for $70. Glad we didn't have to figure out that little detail on the side of the highway.
A bit expensive eh? Yes, but are you seeing how perfectly wiped the rear window is? I mean, it's like a swinging squeegee.
Would a $3 wiper have done the job that well? Probably, but given that Audi uses some kind of proprietary attachment system you don't really have a choice in the matter. No trips to Autozone for this wagon, it's the dealer wiper or nothing. Welcome to luxury car ownership.
We record each and every fill-up on our long-term and short-term test cars, and of course the 2009 Audi A4 Avant is no exception. In addition to the number of gallons added, we must record the date, the odometer reading and the mileage on the trip counter, and then hit the reset button.
On most cars, our drivers must poke and prod one or more buttons associated with the trip computer. We may have to scroll through a menu or three. Resetting the trip meter(s) isn't always obvious or straightforward, either. The button may be hidden and the screen itself can be buried within the menu structure.
Oftentimes we have to reinsert the key (which we removed because we're at a gas station) to bring the menus to life so we can make the required notes. This last bit is a pain even if we have the car memorized.
This 2009 Audi is made for folks like us. The screen above is what we get when we open the door with the engine off and the key in our pocket.
It's all there, and more: date, time, odometer, trip meter, outside temperature. And the "0.0" reset button for the trip meter is right there. No searching, no scrolling. Just look, read and write.
OK, it's a small thing. But for folks who follow their fuel economy rigorously, it's a big convenience. It's also a sign that somebody, somewhere really thought about it.
Our A4 has almost 32,000 miles on the clock as of last night. So I was pleased to notice that its leather seats look as good as new. Readers who've been around for a while will remember that our long-term M3's driver's seat was showing its age at less than half this mileage.
Sure, the A4's bolsters aren't quite as big, but we've been dragging our butts across this bolster for 23 months and it shows little, if any, wear.
How To Remove an Ignition Key Redux
It's been over a year since I first posted the above video on how to remove the seemingly stuck key from our 2009 Audi A4 Avant's ignition after editor Chris Walton and I blogged about our ordeals just trying to exit the vehicle. And I STILL get messages on YouTube asking me how I did it as, apparently, Googling an answer is no help and I couldn't find anything about it on our Edmunds forums. So just for the Audi A4 Avant owners who missed it the first time:
When you want to take the key out, push it in like a button. When you hear a clicking sound, pull the key out. Ta-da!
I also made sure to post this in the caption for the video on YouTube.
There should be a small piece of plastic that the vanity mirror / sunshade snaps into. It's gray and curved. I know this because I found it in the cupholder.
So far, no confessions, but regardless, we'll need to get this fixed. Until then, it'll flop around wherever/whenever it wants.
I've been thinking a lot lately about selling my Acura Integra and getting something more adult.
Driving the Audi A4 doesn't help keep those feelings in check. I really don't drive my own car that often, so I can't justify the cost. But now that I'm ten years older (my Integra is a model year 2000) I enjoy the comfort and practicality of the Audi A4 Avant.
I love the excellent 2.0T engine that keeps it from being a stuffy old wagon. I'm used to the gadgetry that controls all of the accessories. And I like the way it looks.
Somebody talk me out of it.
Last night I scored our 2009 Audi A4 Avant and drove it from Santa Monica to West Hollywood to East Hollywood to downtown LA. And I just fell in love with it. So comfortable, smooth and powerful. And its steering wheel feels so good to hold — its size, material and the shape where I can rest the meat of my thumbs. Plus, like chief Scott said, it does feel like the right car for any occasion as well as any environment. In my case, whether that be valeting it at a swank restaurant in West Hollywood or negotiating the tight streets of East Hollywood and the congested freeways.
I can understand why Donna and photographer Scott really want one. In fact, I'd put it on my car wish list behind the Evo and Mini S. Oh no, does this make me a grownup?
Our long-term 2009 Audi A4 wagon has consumed some oil since it was last serviced at 25K. I checked the book and it asked for SAE 5W-40, preferably synthetic. The book said you may also use 5W-30 or 0W-40 if it meets Audi oil quality standard VW 502 00 specifications. Yeah, whatever.
I was able to find some Pennzoil full syn 5W-40, so I dumped in 2/3 of a quart because that was all that was left. I tried to check the level but couldn't find the dipstick.
Anyway, the warning message went out, but it would have been nice if I could verify the oil level myself.
This sunset lasted about 60 seconds, then poof, it was gone.
But the good looks of our Audi A4 Avant have held up after more than a year of being in our fleet. And you know we're not delicate with our vehicles. Inside and out, our Audi still looks fresh.
Our 2009 Audi A4 Avant is the second most blogged about car in our current long-term fleet with 179 posts. Of course the most blogged about of all time is the Ford Flex, coming in at 292 posts, but that shouldn't be a surprise. Both these cars have proven indispensable to our staff. We use them to transport everything from furniture to family. What are we going to do once they leave the fleet? Shudder! I don't want to even think about it.
The Audi is one of my favorite weekend cars as it fits all my needs whether I'm just running around doing errands, picking up furniture or going on a road trip. But enough gushing.
So what are the top 5 most blogged about long-term cars of all time (not counting the A4 and Flex) — at least since the beginning of the Long-Term Blog? Sure you can just scan the sidebar to find out OR you can hit the jump.
1. 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS (203)
2. 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T (200) and 2009 Nissan GT-R (200) — tied
3. 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 (162)
4. 2008 Pontiac G8 GT (159)
What's interesting is that the top five are enthusiast cars while the Flex and A4 are the more practical, everyday sort. And I'm really surprised that the Camaro has more posts than the GT-R, sure it was only 3 more but still. Thinking about the GT-R still brings a tear to my eye.
I nearly always fail to remember that our long-term 2009 Audi A4 wagon has paddle shifters. I forget because one normally wouldn't find paddle shifters in a wagon. But our A4 is quite sporty, so it has them. Another reason they're overlooked is that they are tiny. You can feel them behind the steering wheel, but don't see them unless you're looking (Euro spec car pictured.)
They work fine and shift quickly, although the transmission defaults too quickly back to Auto if there are no inputs.
And they are too plasticky. I would expect metal paddles in a car that costs $44K.
The best feature on our Audi A4 Avant is the revenge squirters. The windshield sprayers shoot straight out sideways. Perfect for getting drivers back who do stupid things near you. Or to wake up texters who are next to you at a red light.
Seriously though, somehow these got misdirected and make cleaning the windshield difficult. I tried to readjust them by hand but I couldn't see into the well below the window. I'll let Mike know so we can get them looked at during its next service visit.
Cars & Coffee
Saturday we had a Tweetup/Meet Up/Gathering whatever you want to call it at Cars & Coffee. We brought the new 2011 Ford Explorer and a few of our long-term cars.
I was driving the Audi A4 Avant, Dan brought the Raptor and you'll catch a glimpse of one of our new cars in this short video from the event.
It was great meeting some of our readers. Hopefully, we'll do this again soon.
As much as I love living in L.A. I detest its omnipresent traffic. So whenever I have an event to go to across town, I always make sure to pick a long-term car that will make that stressful situation a bit more bearable. And out of the cars in our current fleet, I'd have to say that our Mitsubishi Outlander (the big one) is my favorite for these reasons: 1) Seat heaters, 2) paddle shifters, 3) Sirius First Wave.
And yes, our 2009 Audi A4 Avant has all of those, too. By the way, I realize that most people wouldn't cross-shop these. (The A4 is a $27K wagon while the Outlander is a $20K crossover SUV.) These are just my picks out of the variety of cars in our fleet for the particular purpose of dealing with rush-hour traffic.
Anyway, the reason the A4 comes in 2nd for me is that even though it has really excellent steering, its paddle shifters aren't as responsive as the Mitsu's. Most folks may appreciate the A4's refined, smooth shifting and call me crazy for liking the Outlander's loud and rough downshifts. But downshifting slows the car down quicker compared to the A4 so I'm more apt to use it than the Audi's during stop-and-go traffic.
With the A4, I have a minor panic attack as I quickly downshift to slow down, while the Mitsu instantly drops in speed.
But other than that, I love them both for making that hectic daily L.A. ritual a bit less aggravating. Just fire up the seat heaters, turn up The Cure and sit back and relax.
Just because I'm sure you have nothing better to do with your day. Here's a video of my waiting for the lights of our 2009 Audi A4 Avant to go off. You don't really have to watch it as it's just to show that it takes about 30 seconds for the lights to go off after you lock the car. (You can see that I hit the lock button twice on the key fob as the taillights flash.) This may not bother you but for a worrywart like myself, it drives me crazy. Case in point, the other night when I locked the Audi in my garage and could still see the lights through the crack in the door. "Did I forget to turn off the lights?"
It's not very often you can justify the extra cost of all-wheel drive in Los Angeles. But over the past two weeks we've had more rainfall in the City of Angeles than we typically get during an entire winter.
That's meant road closures, even worse potholes and plenty of scared Angelenos behind the wheel.
Too bad they can't all enjoy the confidence that comes with driving our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant with quattro. Other than the hissing road noise and the water on the windshield I can't even tell it's raining when I drive this car.
Like a Good Housekeeing-approved appliance, the long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant offers several settings for toasting your buns.
Most cars have at least two seat-heater settings (often dubbed "Hi" and "Lo"), and it's not uncommon for premium cars to offer at three settings (usually a "Medium" stuck in between).
Four or five settings would easily impress me, so you can imagine my suprise when I saw SIX seat heater settings on the A4 Avant's LCD screen. That borders on ridiculous, though when charging premium prices and displaying a premium badge it's probably smart to overdeliver.
Why would I even be accessing the A4's seat heater settings in Los Angeles? Because it was like 51 degrees when I got in the car this morning, that's why.
It took me a long time to warm up to our long-term 2009 Audi A4 Avant, and now that it's about to leave the test fleet, I'm borderline downright sad to see it go. Never fails, does it? You always want stuff you can't have.
More seriously, though, this wagon really does handle well. Never mind the electric-assist power steering that still feels a little off, this A4 wagon corners hard — and it does so in a way that you are entertained even if you're just making a decisive left turn at some intersection. Last night, our Audi reminded me a little of an old favorite, the 2005-'09 Subaru Legacy GT.
That Subaru just happens to be on my used car shopping list. Perhaps I should add the A4 as well.
There is one thing about our 2009 A4 Avant that I've always had mixed feelings about. The lugnut covers. Every time you need to access the lugs these silly caps have to be removed first. Part of me likes them for the clean, cosmetic touch. But the rest of me despises them, hoping I never get stuck on the side of road with a flat.
We use pliers to remove them now that the special hook-tool supplied by Audi has gone missing. I'd wager the small tool will disappear from most owner's cars over time. So what do you think? Are these caps worth the trouble? What would you do about it if this was your car?
When we offer one of our long term cars for sale, it's always tough to set the right price. Sometimes, we schlep it down to CarMax and see what they offer us. If they offer "strong money" (as a car salesman might say) we cash out. If it's a lukewarm price we might put it up on Craigslist for a few grand more and see if we can get a quick sale.
The 2009 Audi A4 Avant falls into a different category. First of all, it didn't seem like a CarMax kind of vehicle and their offer of $23,000, confirmed that. We looked at our True Market Value, and similar cars for sale in our area (not many of them) and decided to list it for $29,500. We knew that listing it at $30,000 or above would likely bring a lot of silence. At $29,500, we would get calls. Or, in this new era of used car buying and selling, we might get e-mails or text messages.
Sure enough, after only two days on AutoTrader, we had two emails asking if it was still for sale. No test drives yet, but early interest is always a good sign.
Meanwhile, we created this simple YouTube video. We put the link in our Craigslist ad.
Automotive Editor James Riswick sent me this photo of our Audi wagon from the Heavy Duty Truck Comparison Test. Get that trailer Audi here.
What is your caption?
We'll post our favorite this afternoon.
The 2009 Audi A4 Avant has been up for sale for a week and we've been contacted by some scammers and some real people. One call, which I almost didn't return, was from Canada. I checked the number and it looked like it came from a real person so I called back. Turned out there is a guy from Calgary who travels to Los Angeles. He figured he could buy an all-wheel-drive car here for less than in Canada since no one really needs it here, at least on a regular basis.
The Calgary guy asked for more pictures of the interior so, rather than bog down an e-mail, I decided to put the pictures up on the web in a Picassa Album. This is a good tool for people selling their cars since Craigslist limits the number of photos to four and AutoTrader makes you pay for extra pictures.
I've learned a lot by selling the vehicles in the Edmunds.com long term fleet. For example, I learned that people from Canada don't always look like they are from the Great White North. These three women are not from Rodeo Drive, in Beverly Hills, but Calgary, Canada. In case you don't know, that's about four hours drive north of the U.S. border in Montana.
I've been communicating with a buyer from Calgary, Canada, for the 2009 Audi A4 Avant and he asked if he could send a friend over to inspect it. No problem, I said, picturing perhaps some screaming cliche of a Canadian of a hockey player with missing teeth. Instead, I looked out my window to see a black Porsche Cayenne pull to the curb with low profile tires. Out popped these three "Canadians."
On the test drive I asked them where their accents were? "Oh, should we end every sentence with, 'eh?'" I said yes, that would make me feel a little more comfortable. Otherwise, I felt they might be ready to pull off some diabolical online fraud, posing as Calgaryians and then driving off in the A4. But then they referred to the temperature in Canada in Celsius and I knew they must be for real. We don’t do metric here.
Meanwhile, I'm working out the details with the buyer who will be wiring the money soon and then flying down to pick up the car. We have negotiated a price of $28,000, which is $5,000 more than we were offered by CarMax. I could have probably gotten more for it since, after the fateful call from Canada, I've had many other calls from interested parties who are much closer. But our Canadian buyer jumped on the car because, with the exchange rate, it’s a deal for him.
By the way, the buyer, who will be driving it all the way back to Calgary, had the foresight to ask what kind of tires are on it. When he learned that we had recently bought performance tires for it, he decided to buy some winter tires online and have them shipped to a local installer. Good move.
We'll let you know when this deal finally goes through, eh?
As I write this the 2009 Audi A4 Avant is somewhere between Los Angeles and Calgary, Canada. Part of me is happy that it will finally be used for the purpose it was designed, namely driving surefootedly in snow and cold. But the Southern Californian in me shudders at the thought of this handsome car caked with cruddy, frozen slush. I grew up in New England and I know what winter does to cars.
Our buyer, Alex Roudinski, had wired us the $28,000 purchase price and flew in Tuesday night. I picked up him and his buddy, Doug, at the airport. The backseat and trunk were filled with the performance tires that had been removed and replaced with winter tires for the long drive north. Turned out these two Canadians-on-the-loose weren't exactly in a hurry to get back home. In fact they were detouring through Las Vegas for a stay of uncertain length. Road trip!
Roudinski had contacted me after finding the A4 on Autotrader and reviewing our blog carefully. On the drive from the airport to my house he commented that it was handy to be able to read everything about a car before he bought it. If you could read my mind at that moment, I was thinking, "Well… Not absolutely everything…" Still, Roudinski had done more due diligence than any other buyer I've dealt with. While we made the deal nearly three weeks ago, barely a day passed without an e-mail from him beginning, "Just one more question…"
Prior to Roudinski's arrival, I ran the A4 through the car wash and parked by the water for one last photo. As the sun began to dip below the horizon I noticed that the quartz gray paint reflected a palate of colors from the sky. And, as I said, I cringed to think of what lay ahead for this guy.
Roudinski had said he will check in with a blog or two as he heads north. But he was back pedaling a bit saying he'd see what he could do once he got back home. But with stop offs in Las Vegas, and a lot of ground to cover, I wouldn't hold your breath.