Post 774051 by Bones on 2015-05-25 07:11:37
This weekend just gone I've just done just over 1k miles in me Dads new A3 TDI. Aberdeen-Liverpool-driving around down there-Edinburgh-aberdeen.
Now don't get me wrong, it handles well and does 50mpg but I don't see the appea of every Tom, dick and Harry deciding they want a bloody Audi!
The seats look nice with the alcantara trim and s-line in them but my god are they uncomfortable! I've never had such a numb backside from any car!
Got back to theirs and jumped in the T5 to come home and straight away the difference was night and day! Obviously mine feels a bit more boat like because mine has 140k more miles and there's a few suspension bits need changing but it still felt like I'd just bombed off the top 10m diving board into a pool of clotted cream! Even the build quality felt so much better! Not to mention more power and better brakes! But give me a choice of a 30odd k brand new diesel audi or my nearly 15 year old volvo and the Volvo would come out on top everytime!
I think I've just fallen in love with my volvo all over again! The Audi might be a laugh around the twisties but it's certainly not a motorway cruiser!
Post 774054 by MIKESC70T5 on 2015-05-25 09:01:53
Are you serious? Build quality better in your s60!!!!! The Germans are renowned for top quality. We had an A3 s-line for 6 years and not a single creak or rattle and that was a 2008 model. The s-lines do have 18" wheels so I agree with the low profile tyres the ride can be harsh. Ours had the full leather interior and it was very comfortable.
Post 774055 by Ettienne on 2015-05-25 09:41:29
I have not experienced much top quality anything with vag cars other than good customer service. They are plagued with issue and seem to play off a reputation earned a while back, there was a recent thread on voc which highlighted issues.
I don't mind the cars looks, drive etc, just wish reliability was better, used car reliability index thingy has quite a few of them at the bottom.
Post 774056 by Ettienne on 2015-05-25 09:43:38
We never really thought to check on issues with the touran, just assuming a new vw or any new car should be reasonably reliable.
But the below link does make sense after owning one.
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/408
Post 774057 by volvokid on 2015-05-25 09:54:31
I'm not a fan of A3 or Q5 seats, my mate has had both and they Can't compete with volvos. The RS5 has ace seats buy not sure how they would fair up in a long journey. As for rattles my 120k D5 is silent inside same with my dad's S60R . I wish the same could be said about my R, bloddy estate cars haha
Post 774060 by Bones on 2015-05-25 10:17:46
Mike im not on about all German stuff. I've been predominantly BM's for nearly 10 years and yes they've got theyre issues but the build quality is bloody good. But the Vag stuff, of which I've had countless VW's too the build quality isn't fantastic but I expected better from Audi!
I'm like martyn, the S60 with just short of 150k only has a rattly speaker in the passenger door and the top mounts starting to rattle but the whole car feels a lot more solid than the A3. Which essentiall is a golf in a mini skirt and stripper heels! So many people have them because the four rings acts like a posing pouch with a football sock stuffed in it!
In my opinion they're definateley not worth the money, definateley not brand new at least!
Post 774100 by MIKESC70T5 on 2015-05-25 17:00:24
[QUOTE=Ettienne;774055]I have not experienced much top quality anything with vag cars other than good customer service. They are plagued with issue and seem to play off a reputation earned a while back, there was a recent thread on voc which highlighted issues.
I don't mind the cars looks, drive etc, just wish reliability was better, used car reliability index thingy has quite a few of them at the bottom.[/QUOTE]
Very strange, the six years we had the Audi, not a thing went wrong with it.
[QUOTE=Bones;774060]Mike im not on about all German stuff. I've been predominantly BM's for nearly 10 years and yes they've got theyre issues but the build quality is bloody good. But the Vag stuff, of which I've had countless VW's too the build quality isn't fantastic but I expected better from Audi!
I'm like martyn, the S60 with just short of 150k only has a rattly speaker in the passenger door and the top mounts starting to rattle but the whole car feels a lot more solid than the A3. Which essentiall is a golf in a mini skirt and stripper heels! So many people have them because the four rings acts like a posing pouch with a football sock stuffed in it!
In my opinion they're definateley not worth the money, definateley not brand new at least![/QUOTE]
Lol. We part exchanged the Audi in for the latest Golf diesel last August so I've gone down market lol.
Post 774103 by The Flying Banana on 2015-05-25 17:22:17
had an A3 hire car for a long journey ..was awful, probably reliable but boring , plasticky and uncomfortable
Post 774113 by Ettienne on 2015-05-25 18:37:59
[QUOTE=MIKESC70T5;774100]Very strange, the six years we had the Audi, not a thing went wrong with it.
Lol. We part exchanged the Audi in for the latest Golf diesel last August so I've gone down market lol.[/QUOTE]
Possibly some pot luck to it as well and how is used and driven, a friend of ours has had a 2.0tdi a4 since new and just turned 102k (2008 model) and oil pump seized causing engine damage.
I've seen them on 300k + also, I had a passat tdi (red I) and that was brilliant on 225k
Post 774130 by Santa on 2015-05-25 19:22:52
I've had some great experiences with VW's (ok they aren't quite Audi's but close enough) and the reliability of them has been better than the Volvo's I've had.
Saying that though, the perception of "build quality" is rarely as tangible as reliability, its more feeling and observation. Comparing the B5 Passat estate to the V40 estate which we both owned, were roughly the same age and purchased for the same type of use, the Passat was superior in every single way. The S60R unlike the V40 is actually a really nice place to be, the seats are great and when its not moving it feels like it has brilliant build quality..........but heated seat elements which try to burn through the seat, shock absorbers/ball joints/wheel bearings which are like consumables detract from the feeling of build quality.
As for motorway driving, both my CC and Golf R are great on the motorway, comfortable and I'm sure the damping is better on the Golf than the S60R but the Volvo seats are still better.
Like most things, each to their own :) I like both
Just to add, as it is the title of this thread, I love getting the chance to jump in the Volvo, I also love getting the chance to jump in the Golf
Post 774137 by Ettienne on 2015-05-25 19:59:29
Comparing with Volvos, other than maintenance I've never had a major failure whilst owning one I.e clutch, Cambelt, etc.
The 850s I've gone through number plate to number plate and the p2r doesn't require much more maintenance.