2000 Audi A4 t review from North America

Delivered with a fine scratch on the interior of the windshield. I didn't notice it until a week after delivery.

LED light went out on the radio display.

Retractable cigarette lighter thingy has broken twice.

Clutch needed to be replaced after 29500 miles.

Despite some problems with my A4, I am satisfied overall with my experience thus far. The car handles well, has decent acceleration, and offers a smooth ride. The car is whisper quiet even when travelling in the neighborhood of 100 MPH (I don't go in that neighborhood very often). Finally, my Audi helps me to overcome personal insecurities, since it is perceived as being a status symbol.

I am the most impressed by the A4's Quattro and traction control. Last winter we got a ton of snow, it was really cold, and my Seasonally Affective Depression Disorder really acted up, but my Audi with its stock 15" tires with the Quattro, seemed to go through any amount of snow without getting stuck. Last February, there was a 3-foot snow bank (I measured) left by the snowplow in my driveway. I wanted to see if I would get stuck if I tried to go through it.

Well I did.

But then I remembered to turn my front wheels back and forth to help clear some of the snow. Then I was able to get through the snow bank without problem. Also when the A4 hits glare ice, I found that the car corrected itself. I had to learn to ignore my defensive driving habits and have faith in the Audi traction control. Not even my over-priced Jeep Wrangler performed that well on ice (I once spun out on the Highway in 4-wheel drive).

I had a great buying experience from my dealer, Maplewood Imports. My salesman was up front, honest, and enthusiastic. I never felt like I was being "sold" a car. It was actually a lot of fun. They also had cookies and a refrigerator full of complimentary beverages. (I had two bottles of Evian).

There have been some rocky moments in my relationship with the dealer. I didn't notice it at first, but there was a hairline scratch on the interior of the windshield. I saw it a couple weeks later when the sun illuminated the scratch. The dealer said it wouldn't be covered because Audi wouldn't have installed a scratched windshield. Then they inferred that I might have scratched it when cleaning off the dash or something. After telling the service manager that Adolf Hitler is rolling in his grave knowing that a customer of a subsidiary of the company he started is receiving such blatantly unfair treatment, I was given the name of the Audi representative so I could plead my case. It all worked out in the end because the next day a rock cracked my windshield and my insurance company fully covered the windshield replacement (I even got a $35 rebate from the MidAmerica Autoglass).

Another item of note is that my clutch needed to be replaced at 29,500 miles. The service manager said that this was very unusual. While this could be a genuine defect, it could also be because this is the first manual transmission car that I have owned. I haven't driven a stick in 10 years. I may have blown out the clutch while getting used it (Someone explained that I should avoid having my car make grinding noises and smoke when I shift, and this helped my shifting a lot).

Another complaint I have is that the seats aren't all that comfortable. Perhaps I should have gotten the optional sport front seats because my back and neck start hurting after long drives.

In conclusion, the Audi A4 is a fine vehicle. I like the dealership, and I would consider buying another Audi. Maybe the S4, no make it a TT Roadster, yeah a TT Roadster would be nice.