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A4 Cabrio

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:47 pm
by Mr Kleen
I rented an A4 Cabrio this week and I give it good marks but also have some negative things to report.

- the brakes stop well enough but are near impossible to modulate and come to a smooth stop.
- the automatic transmission doesn't make smooth starts easy, you either have to floor it or creep away.
- lots of shudders and shakes (but it is a convertible)
- HUGE blind spots with the top up (again, it's a convertible)

+ the exhaust note is fantastic under WOT.
+ the power is very acceptable for a car of it's heft.
+ the adaptive xenon headlights are really cool (but damn I'd hate to pay to replace one)
+ great "German" handling (not sure if the tires should be this aggressive on a convertible model, but I don't mind)
+ great steering wheel and seats
+ has all the bells and whistles

all the negatives other than the brakes would be remedied by ordering a fixed roof manual model. my new object of lust is officially an S4. :mrgreen:
I'd do a better write up but my laptop battery is dying and I don't posses the literary skill of our resident reviewer legasleeper. :wink:

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:45 pm
by GaToR
Mr Kleen wrote:I rented an A4 Cabrio this week and I give it good marks but also have some negative things to report.

- the brakes stop well enough but are near impossible to modulate and come to a smooth stop.
- the automatic transmission doesn't make smooth starts easy, you either have to floor it or creep away.
- lots of shudders and shakes (but it is a convertible)
- HUGE blind spots with the top up (again, it's a convertible)

+ the exhaust note is fantastic under WOT.
+ the power is very acceptable for a car of it's heft.
+ the adaptive xenon headlights are really cool (but damn I'd hate to pay to replace one)
+ great "German" handling (not sure if the tires should be this aggressive on a convertible model, but I don't mind)
+ great steering wheel and seats
+ has all the bells and whistles

all the negatives other than the brakes would be remedied by ordering a fixed roof manual model. my new object of lust is officially an S4. :mrgreen:
I'd do a better write up but my laptop battery is dying and I don't posses the literary skill of our resident reviewer legasleeper. :wink:
You said what needs to be said. :)

Is that the 2.0T or 3.2?

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:09 pm
by complacent
Nice review :)

I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to pass it up. Enjoy it out there!

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:27 pm
by Sabre
I've been dying for a ride in a RS4. I heard/saw one not too long ago and loved it at first site... but I DON'T like the price tag...

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:00 pm
by GaToR
Sabre wrote:I've been dying for a ride in a RS4. I heard/saw one not too long ago and loved it at first site... but I DON'T like the price tag...
I got to ride in a coworker's yellow RS4. Smooths out corners like they don't exist.

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:41 pm
by Sabre
:cry:

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:39 pm
by complacent
legasleeper wrote:
I got to ride in a coworker's yellow RS4. Smooths out corners like they don't exist.


Stop it! You stop it this minute!!!


8)

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:25 am
by Mr Kleen
I think it's the 3.2 but I'll need to check to be sure. I know it's a Quatro.

I think the RS4 is just way to expensive for what you get but the S4 can make a strong case for itself... :mrgreen:

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:58 am
by GaToR
complacent wrote:
legasleeper wrote:
I got to ride in a coworker's yellow RS4. Smooths out corners like they don't exist.
Stop it! You stop it this minute!!!

8)

<------ Has an addiction to comfy cars that are fast. :oops:

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:08 pm
by Mr Kleen
it's the 3.2

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:24 am
by ElZorro
Mr Kleen wrote:I know it's a Quatro.
There? For what, just in case a pineapple truck goes upside down?

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:29 am
by GaToR
ElZorro wrote:
Mr Kleen wrote:I know it's a Quatro.
There? For what, just in case a pineapple truck goes upside down?
When I was there it would rain really hard every hour for like 5 minutes.

Driving in the sun... sun... sun... thunderstorm... sun...

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:50 am
by ElZorro
Ok, I can see that, if they actually put some decent tires on it. I've seen plenty of 4x4 or AWD rentals with craptacular tires on them :-/

Re: A4 Cabrio

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:46 am
by Mr Kleen
it will put all the power it has down on the road, that's for sure. speed limits are low here but the occasional on-ramp has been fun. :-)

there are a lot of new style Impreza rental cars around here. not sure what that's all about. I would think a Forrester more suitable for Hawaii duty (roof rack for your surfing or boating gear, ground clearance for beach parking, room for gear in the back).