danksy Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 OK so I need to order my company car on Monday, on balance its going to be an A4 1.9Tdi avant. What I am unsure of is as follows. Std Front wheel drive, Multitronic (FWD), or Quattro?? There is bugger all difference in price really, quattro costs about £20/mnth more because of the higher C02 emmissions. Bose ? - I've had Bose twice, once in the TT coupe, when I thought it was a waste of cash, and another in the TT roadster, when I thought it was excellent! SO whould I spend £600 on Bose or just get an after market amplifier, replacement speakers and a small sub in the tyre well? HELP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snail Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Which version you going for mate? 130? cos my 90BHP jobbie has v little torque steer, whereas a 130 i drove a while ago had loads, and was a bit of a handful, so if its a company car, and you dont have to worry about paying for tyres, go quattro... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Danksy, Had Bose in my A3 and then got it in the A4. The A4 system is way better than the A3 (which is TT era so I'm guessing similar). 10 speakers, 6 amps, 220 watts. Absolutely without doubt get this! Also, I'd suggest sport pack, but if you decide against this then whatever you do at least make sure you get "sports seats" (standard of course with sports pack). The standard seats are ok, but the sports seats are fabulous, best seats I've ever sat in in any car. On the same subject I went for heated seats cos of it being a cabrio, but in winter with the hood up I still use them all the time and miss them in the A6 I have now so I'd recommend them too, although not as essential as the sports seats. Also if not sport pack I personally prefer the sport steering wheel (no cost option) but you lose the remote control buttons for the stereo. Also if non sport there are nicer 16 inch wheels to be had for about £100 upgrade (sport has nice 17 inch wheels). Multitronic, you'd need to try it. Some people rave about it, some hate it. It is a contiuously variable system (like a moped) so you stick your foot down, the revs go up, then the "gearing" lengthens so the revs stay the same but the car accelerates. Very odd feeling apparently. Tax efficient though (emmissions and therefore company car tax normally go up with auto, not with Multitronic. Also performance same as manual) although you are putting up the initial cost of the vehicle which will affect your company car tax. I'd go for accoustic parking as it is an Avant. Not a necessity, but does make life easier. I like cruise control but think this is standard on the saloon/Avant? I also like a sunroof if not a cabrio but again a personal thing that. Only other thing, I think on the saloon you get alloy trim around the side windows if a V6 but not if a 4 cylinder engine but it is an optional upgrade and looks nice. Maybe the Avant is the same? But sport seats and Bose are your essentials. And if someone else is paying for the car and the fuel I'd have quattro, if not I wouldn't bother. Bear in mind it's not just the CO2 that goes up, but the price your company car tax is based on (list price off the car including all options). Hope that helps! Let us know what you go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 One more thing, check out the SE spec. Things like the DIS are not standard without it... Don't know how your company car scheme works, but personally I'd rather have a 2wd manual SE with all the right options than a Multitronic quattro in basic trim. Maybe you're lucky enough to get Multitronic quattro with all the right bits though, although as previously mentioned, this'll have a big effect on your company car tax. Oh one other thing I just thought of, Symphony stereo a nice option. Gives you a "double DIN" sized front panel, built in 6 CD stacker, cassette palyer and a couple of other things. Doesn't sound any better than standard Concert, just more features so get the Bose either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaunty Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Ari is spot on about the seats, the standard ones aren't brilliant and don't even have lumbar adjustment, can get a pain on very long journeys. Everything was an option on them when I bought mine, even electric back windows. On hindsite I would have gone for better seats, upgrade the radio, the Concert one was crap and electrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Thanks guys, I'm going to get the Sport model with the SE pack added on, (The SE pack gets the alloy trim) I'll prolly get the symphony/bose combo. Multitronic quattro isn't an option on the 1.9 engine, only on the 2.5 (tiptronic). I wasn't too keen on the 4WD version as it seemed VERY sluggish compared to the Golf PD150. I'm test driving a 2WD version this weekend, so it'll be interesting to see how I get on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Oops forgot to add the Quattro adds about £70 /mnth to my tax bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Right my draft spec is as follows. PD130 1.9 Avant (FWD) Sports pack £500 (BARGAIN! ) With the options I have to pay the cost of these feckers over the life of the car (36 mnths) Current thoughts... Symphony stereo £265 Bose upgrade £450 Front & Rear parking sensors £510 isofix £70 xenons £750 DIS £300 Cruise £400 Front Armrest £110. Thats over £3k of options, but we are supposed to keep the list down to 10% of the cars value £2.4k. Further questions.. Are the xenons worth the extra £750? Is the DIS really worth another £300? I really don't give a FCUK about mpg if i aint buying the fuel! HELP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitas3 Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Just a small question - do you not get the choice of a car allowance? surely this would work out better tax wise and maybe give you more flexibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 I get £600 per month before tax, (£360 after). Thing is I want hassle free motoring again. I've done the maths and a fully expensed tractor makes financial sense. (Saves me £150 /mnth when compared to my current situation, and a get a new car into the bargain!) I agree it gets marginal if i picked a car with huge emissions, but its ok like this! Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdIver Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Just ordered my Avant last week - couldn't agree more on the Bose and the parking sensors - I only went for the rear ones as my wife has a worrying tendency to back my current car into the house... (but even that has sensors. I think the music is on too loud for her to hear them.. ) I testdrove the diesels - definitely go for the 1.9 130 IMHO although the one I drove was a bit smoky under hard acceleration (That was with the multitronic which was very relaxing but made me feel like I wasn't that involved) Do you know when you can expect delivery? Mine's due 15th Dec and I'm really really hoping they don't slip into the new year!!! Enjoy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s4dreamer Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Personally, I don't think the Xenons are worth £750 extra danksy - I'd save the money (and tax). Not sure about front parking sensors - I can just about judge the front of my A4, but the rear ones would be a must in my opinion. I find judging the rear distance a real pain in the saloon. I haven't had a DIS on my car, but I like the challenge of keeping the MPG high in my wife's, so DIS would be highly desirable. I have a front armrest in my car and it is permanently parked in pointing toward the roof of the car, 'cos it just gets in the way if it's down. I just wouldn't waste my money on it (even for long journeys), but I know other people who say it's great. Go with the Symphony - it's not great, but it's a lot better than Concert. I haven't had Bose, so I can't really say yay or nay, but I would definitely have it in my next Audi, having heard it in the S4. I've never particularly liked cruise, even though I've spent a lot of time in the US. I have had occasions in the UK where I've thought it would be useful, though, like those 50mph restrictions on the M42, but for general driving, again I'd say it's not worth the extra expense (unless you have the allowance to cover it). I know views on Quattro are polarised because of the performance sapping of the 4wd, but I would definitely recommend it. It seems to give masses of grip and traction. My mate has a 1.9Tdi FWD and complains of scrabbling when launching into a roundabout. My 2.5 Quattro has never struggled for forward grip at all. I think I'd be prepared to accept the performance hit, just for that. You might want to consider getting the storage compartment option. It gives you under-seat storage (which is a good place to store your Mars bars) and more importantly, nets on the back of the front seats, so you have somewhere to stick the road atlas (which lives in the passenger footwell on my car). You might also want to get the option which gives you the straps to tie down luggage in the load area (sorry, can't remember what it was called). It'll stop the push-chair from sliding around back there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Thanks for your opinions! I reckon I'll ditch the xenon option, if i really want them I could allways get them from vagparts later Vag parts link I reckon I'll ditch the DIS as it seems to be pretty pointless seing as i) I'll know which radio or CD I'm listening to, and also the company will be paying my fuel. The storage pack option sounds like a good idea to me, as does the load area pack, and for only £110 seem to be a great idea. I'm still not sure about an extra £70/mnth for quattro though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s4dreamer Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 I think you still get the radio/cd channel stuff in the display, even without DIS. My car doesn't have the computer function (mpg, ave mph, etc) but it does display the radio station and CD/track number (as useful as that isn't). £70 a month for something you'r not sure about sounds a lot. As me ole dad used to say: "When in doubt, don't!" (although he isn't actually well known for his wisdom ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 27, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 It turns out the cost of any extras is charged to me over 48 months, so its going to make me think twice about the list! So given i am never going to own the car, the Bose & symphony upgrade is coming in at £715. Whereas what i could do is take the £715 that I would be paying over 48 months and splash out on a decent aftermarket system, which of course i'll have the benefit of owning, and can take with me when I get rid of the car! I suppose £715 would go a fairway towards a half decent audio system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18ME Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Hi Dansky, I don't think you've mentioned the seats except for sport seats which is an absolute must, but I would definately recommend the Alcantera which is cheaper than the all Leather and in my opinion better. I've had cloth sports seats in an older A4 and leather sports seats in an A6 but my current alcantera's are just superb. The aluminium interior trim really does make a big impact too. I have the Bose but if I hadn't taken advantage of a car already in the system to save a few quid I wouldn't have specced it and I didn't rate it highly in the A6 either but I did rate the Harmon Kardon in the BMW. I probably put this down to clarity, I'm not a hifi buff and only know what I like but I would say that the Bose maybe better at higher volumes than the Harmon Kardon and visa versa. The standard lights are pretty good, I don't see a hell of a difference between the zenons in the R32 and the standard in the A4. If I can think of anything else I'll let you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Posted October 28, 2003 Report Share Posted October 28, 2003 [ QUOTE ] It turns out the cost of any extras is charged to me over 48 months, so its going to make me think twice about the list! So given i am never going to own the car, the Bose & symphony upgrade is coming in at £715. Whereas what i could do is take the £715 that I would be paying over 48 months and splash out on a decent aftermarket system, which of course i'll have the benefit of owning, and can take with me when I get rid of the car! I suppose £715 would go a fairway towards a half decent audio system. [/ QUOTE ] Bose is great though, and I wonder if y'r going to move an aftermarket stereo to a new car after 48 months... Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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