OT Anyone driven both a Audi A41.8T and a Subaru WRX?

[Blackdimonds]

I know this is way off topic, but I am looking to buy a new AWD for use as a company car. I drove the Subaru WRX, and WOW, it is a great performer! The Audi A4 1.8T seems much more sedan like. It is a great car in tearms of safty and finish, but not a "fun" car to drive. I am having trouble desiding which way to go. The Subaru WRX is $26000 and the Audi is $28000. Insurance is higher for the Audi as well, but it is a better looking car. What would you do?

Paul
1981 911SC/RS

[bfranklin]

Refinement/Looks/Comfort/Amenities - Audi 1.8T, and by the way you can chip those 1.8Ts for 200 hp and GOBS of torque.

Performance/Handling/Fun - Subaru WRX, they're ugly but good, and you can modify these things to be total beasties, but you'll look like a boy racer in one.

I'd say to hell with the looks and go with the WRX

Brad

[ArchAngel]

I have owned 2 Audi A4 Quattros. The car is great. You can chip, get an air filter, a new exhaust, and be over 200 hsp. The car is great. The first I drove 50k in less than a year and a half with no problems. The second, which is my second car now has been flawless as well.


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87 911 Coupe
http://www.geocities.com/gabrielratner/

[Hellgate]

Buy the A4 and be happy. I've owned a 1998.5 for 3 years and it is the best car I've own. In bone stock form, with the 150 hp motor and quatro it will auto-X quicker that my highly modified '87 911.

The new 1.8 T's make 180 hp and with a chip and cat back exhaust you will be about 210 hp.

Buy the Audi, Buy the Audi, Buy the Audi.

Excellect car. Besides, the WRX is butt ugly.

Pete

PS: Buy the Audi.

[TargaEuro]

The A4 1.8 is a great car. I was very impressed by its power and comfort. The WRX will have more power but if thats what you want go for the S4 Audi. I vote for the Audi and not just because Im a Porsche owner....TargaEuro

[pjv911]

If you have to pay the maintanence the subaru is a much much cheaper alternative.I have personally driven both and dont like the heavy feel of the audi. Also dont get the automatic in the audi if you go that route its not very fast from 0-20 mph.
I personally would go for the subaru and simply turn up the boost to 15 psi and beat it hard. By turning up the boost(which i have done for a lucky teen who`s parents just bought him the car) the car should run low 13 sec 1/4 miles and thats 100%stock. Plus you get a warrentee,since it takes 2 minutes to lower the boost and they would never know. Cost for audi power is on the expensive side.

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69`lightweight
RS carrerra clone

[Hellgate]

pjv911

The Audi has a killer warrenty and service package, 4 years for both. All you pay for is the car, gas and insurance. I even had the wiper blade warrentied. All scheduled service is free.

The Audi is really a bargain. All they need to offer is European delivery.

Pete

[Blackdimonds]

Thanks for the advice all. I am leaning toward the Audi A4 1.8T now. I will go drive a couple tomarrow and deside. I also started thinking that the Audi would impress more people, and I may get a little more respect than I do with my (corporate leased Toyota Krapolla).

Paul
1981 911SC/RS

[emcon5]

Get the Subaru, slap some BFG All Terrain KO's on it, a grille guard and some driving lights.

Then go jump some sand dunes. WHOOOHOOOOO!

All-terrain tires are like kryptonite to rice boys.

edit: forgot to add, mud, and lots of it. Do a few WFO 4 wheel drifts through wet construction sites (or golf courses, up to you). Make sure you cut the wheel both ways to evenly distribute the mud to both sides. I guarantee you, nobody will confuse you with a ricer.

Tom

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82 911SC Coupe
98 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 (that I NEVER wash)

[This message has been edited by emcon5 (edited 10-03-2001).]

[Yargk]

FYI: a recent article in European car tested many exhausts for jetta 1.8 liter turbos. With the right exhaust, turbo downpipe, chip, and intake, they got 194 hp at the wheels as well as over 220 foot pounds of torque ($1500 investment). That turns out to be 228 horsepower and 260+ foot pounds of torque at the crank with a 15% driveline loss.

Keith
79 930

[Adam]

I've driven both cars and am a little biased toward the Subaru. I work for a Subaru Dealer and have driven the Impreza WRX on many occasions.

Compared to the one time I drove the Audi, it felt heavy, lumbering and sluggish compared to the Subaru which feels nimble, fleet-footed and secure.

Sure, the Subaru has a low-rent interior and cheaper plastics than the Audi, but you don't have to push it as hard as you do need to push the Audi. The WRX has a much lower centre of gravity and much better chassis dynamics.

The Audi whips it's ugly butt on the specifcations list, which is understandable. I mean, you can't have your cake and eat it too, not all the time!

With the availability being as poor as it is in the US, I'd go for the Subaru for the simple "Smile per mile" you'll enjoy. With this much demand for the car when it's new and dealers not haggling, you'll be sure to get good money for it when it comes time to sell!

Good Luck!

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Adam Chaplin
1976 911 2.7 Euro
My 911 Website
Pelican Gallery Page
Porsche Owners Gallery Page

[warment]

I have heard that the 1.8T in the A4 is a great engine. I have a friend though, that has a 2001 Volks GTI with the same 1.8T, and he has gone through 7 computers and a transmission within a year of owning the car. I have another friend that works at a Volks dealership in Virginia, and he has told me that the Jettas and GTIs have had many computer problems. These problems may have been sorted out by now, but I would ask the dealer about this concern before purchase.

As far as the Subaru WRX goes...sounds like a great car for the price. Subarus have pretty bad workmanship in the past though. I would lean toward the Audi.

Bill

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William Armentrout
1973 911T
2.7 carerra rs specs
www.geocities.com/william_armentrout

[joehahn]

??? I have 99 1.8T with no mods and it is a dog! Mini vans blow the doors off me. My problem is I got tiptronic though. The manual version is much better. I know I would have pussed out on chip though as there are warranty issues with the turbo. I will say this, Audi service is UNMATCHED.

[Drew_K]

I've never driven the WRX, but I've test driven the A4 1.8T extensively (I assume you're not talking about the new A4 that's about to arrive). I found the 1.8 engine with Quattro and an automatic to be a very sluggish car. It's okay with the manual though. The rear seat room is very tight, if that's a consideration. Also, there's not any legroom to the right of the gas pedal. I found my right leg hitting the center console, which bothered me.

[gslater]

I'm another A4 1.8T owner ('97). Although I'll admit that Subaru has started to produce some genuinely fun cars, I've always had a bias against them for some reason. I think it's something about the sound of the engine.

I'd recommend the A4. If you can find an '01 that you like, you may be able to get a great deal. If you're looking at '02s, then you'll spend a bit more and get extra rear seat room, which is the only real limitation in my car. If you're willing to get something a touch less sporting, how about an AWD Passat?

My A4 has been very good to me. I'm up in the Oregon mountains all the time, winter and summer, and with snow tires my quattro A4 is an unstoppable beast. Makes most SUVs look like chumps in the treacherous stuff.

I've autocrossed it a number of times, and I do about as well in it as I usually do in my SC. And since I'm in Oregon, we obviously get some rainy autocrosses, and the quattro is the way to go for that.

Just to come clean, I'll admit that I've had an air conditioning compressor, an instrument panel, a driver's side seat bottom, and a clutch master cylinder replaced over the 4+ years, all under the warranty/service arrangement. But I still love the car. It still looks great, and at a stoplight this morning, I was sitting there marveling at how smooth that little engine still is.

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Greg Slater
1980 SC
gslater@qwest.net

[CamB]

Test drive them (of course).

No-one has really mentioned the tuning potential of the WRX but they are just as, if not more, tuneable than the Audi (and more displacement). A quick web search would probably help out there.

One other comment - Audi=German (like Porsche). Subaru=flat 4 (like, well, Porsche but less cylinders)

Cam

[Fishcop]

I've also driven both and lean towards the Subaru as a drivers car. The Audi is beautiful and classy etc... The Subaru is designed for serious driving. Nearly all police forces over here have a stable of WRX's for city pursuit work.

It might also be worth considering when the last time Audi won a World Rally Championship. Subaru has been in the fore-front of this kind of racing for years and has won the makers championship several times in the last few years.

Impress friends/work collegues = Audi
Impress yourself/enjoy driving = WRX

Impress all of the above = 911



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John Forcier
69 911T

[Blackdimonds]

Well guys, I went and did it. I bought a 2001 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro this afternoon. The car is the sport silver with gray leather, and a auto/tip. It is no rocket, but it has good speed, and no real turbo lag. It has the sport suspension, xenon lights, 17 incher, and the stability management. In side, the car does everything but wipe you butt. For $4000 more than the WRX, I think I got a fun car that feels at home at an autocross, or at a nice very expensive hotel. I can drive it and feel good about driving it, but not feel as though I am showing off.

P.S. They are dealing big time on the cars. I got it at about $250 over invoice (as per a few internet sites) and I got 5.75% for 60 months from Audi credit!

Paul
1981 911SC/RS
2001 Audi A4 1.8T