nolangti

I currently own a Blk/Blk '04 Ultrasport manual, loaded A4 and love it. The AWD just kicks ass and the car sticks to the road. Wife is looking for a new car (upgrade from Civic) and we have narrowed the filed down to the TL and maybe the A4 3.0 (which is more $$ equally equipped.. sort of).

Just like to get the forums thoughts. I have a simmilar post on audiworld where I spend a lot of time and got mostly postive feedback about the TL. I know their are tranny probelms (we are getting a 6MT) and problems with *butt* marks, which appear to be fixed. No car is perfect however. My biggest complaint with the TL is the suspension and torque steer. Love the interior, german-style exterior and think the engine is great while the suspension leaves a bit to be desired.

Any insight on to how this thing is in the snow would be helpful too.

At this point we are about 90% committed to the TL. We lvoe the car, in different ways than the A4. I think the wife likes the A4 more, but two of the same car is lame IMHO.

Help push us over the edge!

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

nolangti, living in De, i no how u feel about snow and handling considering you live in an all weather state. The tl is a great car anywhere with its vsa, fwd although it has torque steer, but if you do buy it, be sure 2 get different tires. if u read in the tire and wheel section, people really do not like the bridgestone el42 turanza... but for the money, luxury, value, resale and amenties, the tl is a great buy!

04' anthricite auto wit navi
96' toyo landcrusier
03' chevy suburban Z71 offroad package w/dvd

J RIDE 81

I like both cars, I test drove an A4 and handes down picked my TL. Test drive both and see which one you feel more comfortable in. G'luck!

2K2SilverTL-S

From my experiences, the A4 is underpowered in both models (1.8T and 3.0). Also, I never liked the clutch on the A4, catches way too high, and the AWD system doesnt accept high RPM launches very well. However, handling on the A4 is on par with the TL.

IMHO, the TL is superior to the A4 in everyway except the AWD factor. Get a TL and your going to end up fighting with your wife for the keys of the TL. Oh, dont forget to get the Navigation system is the TL. Bar none, the best navi in any car, any price. Good luck.

Oh yea, the A4 is set for a redesign (B7?). I saw pics of the front of it and it looked like it was ready to eat a deer or something. Definitely lost some of the suttle elegance of the B6.

gochan

my brother had an A4, before he got hit by a Drunk dirver but that's besides the point. The A4 was a good car, fun to drive, looks great and price is great before all the options. For me the interior of the A4 feels crampy. Way under power in the 1.8. He didn't have the quattro but still handles fine. The butt print in the TL is easily fixable, the dealer is actualy taking my car right now to the upholster shop and getting more padding in there and tightening the leather cover. I personally don't feel the torque steer too much but then again I don't know too much about cars. I have the 6sp if that matters. After driving both cars I would have to say I like the TL more than the A4. I personally feel it's the best car for you buck right now. Also, I work for a rent a car company located inside an AUDI dealership and a lot of customers complain about their electrical system. Computer this and computer that. I've brought my brother's car in for him a few times.

actl

if your wife likes the A4, why don't you give the one you have to her and you get a new TL?

eazyc10

A new revision of the 05 A4 is coming out in Jan or Feb as told by the dealer. It's going to be restyle and I believe have navigation as an option. And I think they are getting rid of the 1.8 and going with 2.0 L

Oil Fighter

First of all, I love the look of the Ultra sport A4, and I was considering one when I was shopping for a new car. I ended up with the TL for its power and its superb value.

You said that your main concern is the torque steer and suspension, but will your wife notice this difference? There is always the A-Spec suspension and wheels waiting if you don’t like the stock suspension.

nauticalx1

Definitely go with the A4, or best, if you can afford it, S4. I think the TL's transmission is an inexcusable hunk of junk. It's a joke of a gearbox when compared to the Audi's, don't make a mistake, test drive both and you will see that the Audi's boxes shift smoother and quicker than Acura.

lindros2

As a former A4/S4 owner, I'd go with the TL hands down (without a question).

-josh

SlayerGTR

TL to me is nicer / has more technology incorporated into the car. Audis are jus sexy cars.

cpurick

I would consider trading you for my '04 w/ 6000 miles. Send PM if you'd consider.

cpurick

The TL is a nice drive, but it's not as well built as an 2nd gen A4. You get more *content* for your dollar, but the *quality's* nowhere near as high. (Don't flame me; I've owned both and I'm sure of this.) What can I say -- TLs are built in Ohio!

Torque steer's manageable, ride and roadholding are fine. It does not feel as stable as an Audi when hydroplaning, but with the heavier, torqier V6 in an A4 that may not be as true.

Coachwork rigidity in the TL lags Audi by a generation. Tightness/rattle factor in the TL are more like a current-model Passat or previous-model A4 (both of which used the same platform). Based on that, I'd say the A4 chassis is 40% stiffer.

A tight car (like the Audi) will stay tight forever if the suspension's compliant. So a standard A4 will probably never get rattles, while a sporty one will get looser over time as it takes a beating.

The TL is not as tight, but the suspension's pretty compliant. It's more rattly to begin with, but this is not likely to get much worse over time because the coachwork doesn't take much of a beating.

BTW, my coachwork observations do not extend to the drivetrain. Despite some minor issues with the TL transmissions, after the warranty period I would expect an Acura to require less (and less expensive) maintenance to keep it on the road.

terse

just be a baller...get two cars..another A4 and a TL...and whenever your wife decides she doesn't like one of the two...toss the other one away in the trash... ::bling bling::

SlayerGTR

no, give one to me

Republican TL

Ditto.

04RedParchTL

As a former S4, A4, and TT, I would go with the TL. I have had reliability problems with all three Audis.

SilverCL225hp

Definitely TL.

mio

U mean there is no reliability problems with 04TL? sometimes u even cannot start the engine...

and the transmission maybe locked up at anytime.

and my power windown got problems, my ceiling was fallen (the whole piece)

my memo seats didn't work, and soooooo soooooo soooooo many rattles!

and sometimes if i step on the break on a bumpiness road, it (break)shakes like hell and

I feel like the break is stuck... so i have to release the break and step on it again... ! u think this is safe?

Is this suppose happened to such a expensive car? or is this the value u r talking about?

yeh, this car is cheap, but terrorible quality!

I owned a 2002 A4 in last 2 years, there was no any problems at all.

compare to TL, A4 got better handling, quality, and there is no any rattles...

just less horsepower, think about it... oh BTW: a4 got QUATTRO! (AWD)

ps: i know i shouldn't blame my TL on TL community, but i m just telling the truth

happened to my car... I m just so pissed and want u know what may happen to u after u buy this car... anyway i still love my TL,

i take care of her very well and will get all the problems fix...

ayethetiense

i test drove the A4 before i purchased the TL. the A4 IMO drove better, the manual version. i mean cmon, cant beat AWD. but for the money and amenities you get with the TL. my decision wasn't too hard. warning, audi's are known for having electrical problems. that's one of the reasons i didn't go for it. another reason is that the inside opf the A$ looks like its back int he 80's. i mean most euro's are like that.

hope i helped

Stewie

In most recent comparison tests I've seen the A4 has come in near the bottom of the list.

The biggest complain being that it really hasn't been significantly updated in a while and feels old and underpowered compared to some of the newer competition.

The AWD is nice and I wish the TL had it, but really if you get a good set of Blizzaks for the winter you'll pretty much go through anything. Maybe not in Buffalo, but certainly in DE.

I didn't really take the A4 seriously because at the end of the day I'm not willing to pay that much for a car with questionable reliability.

But you and your wife drive them both and pick the one you like. The people here will of course be biased toward the TL, but you need to pick the one you're going to enjoy the most.

zax123

Just wanted to mention that since you'll be buying an 05 TL, the butt print problem is fixed with the new seats. The seat bottoms now have 3 sections as opposed to two:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98704

Just my .

srhewes

If you want to save a little cash, I'd take a close look at the TL's little brother TSX. Another great Acura value.

terse

audi's are "hecho in mexico"

AcuraVic

The TL

The TL is the highest-scoring car we've tested in the upscale-sedan category. It's based on the Honda Accord V6 and is a significant improvement over the previous version. The TL is among the few models in this class that provide a near-ideal blend of comfort, convenience, and sportiness--all at a reasonable price. It delivers taut, agile handling, though ultimately it's not as nimble as a BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class. The engine delivers very quick acceleration and commendable fuel economy. The TL has a taut but comfortable and quiet ride. A wide turning circle is one of the few negatives. Interior quality is impressive.

The A4
This car combines agility with style, and the interior appointments have superior attention to detail. At low speeds the firm and compliant ride becomes jiggly. The front seats are very comfortable, but the rear is cramped. The V6 is quiet and delivers readily available power; the 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder is responsive but noisy. The optional five-speed automatic shifts smoothly, as does the optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). The A4 Avant wagon is stylish but lacks spaciousness. A convertible and a muscular, V8-powered S4 are available. The S4 is very quick and capable. Reliability has improved, so we can recommend the A4.

pabound

Keep the A4 - then modify it... (Something that, right now, is not available for the TL in any great amount); then, get a new TL...

The best of both worlds...

Hands down, apples to apples, the TL is a CLEAR winner, as is eluded to in this post.

HOWEVER, if ya got the coin, then the S4 is THE WAY TO GO.

04RedParchTL

I have had no reliability problems at all with the TL. I have 3 coworkers that have nothing but problems with their Audis as well. One is a 2003 A4, a 2001 A6 2.7t, a 2003 A6 2.7t and an At 2.8. So based on this and my expierinces wih my A4, S4 and TT. Also if you look at Consumer Reports as others have listed Audi/VW predicted reliability is much worse than average. I do miss the all wheel drive in the snow, but other than that I don't miss Audi at all.

Moonwalker

I absolutely loved by 03 Cl-S 6speed. Unfortunately I got run off the road and totaled my car. I didn't want to go with another cl, so my replacement options were narrowed down to a new TL 6sp or an A4 3.0 6sp. I test drove both and loved both cars, but for different reasons.

I think the TL has one of the sweetest shifters I've ever tested (figures, since I loved the cl's shifter). Torque steer was present only when accelerating hard while the steering wheel was turned. It was a little bit more pronounced than my cl, but nothing as bad as people are making it seem. But the car seemed to dart its nose whenever I hit a bump. I didn't really notice a difference in acceleration from the cl, but compared to the A4, it was wicked fast.

The A4 had the sports package (not ultrasport). It feels like it's gliding on air, but grips through corners like glue. Quattro is a lot of fun. The shifter compares favorably to anything else I've driven, but doesn't come close to the feel from the TL. But that again may be my preference from having the CL for 2 years. There's no adrenaline rush from the accelaration, but the car feels powerful (except at 4k in the rev range). I love the interior.

For the price, TL was just a better value when buying new. I was pretty much ready to hand over the check for the TL, but changed my mind at the last second. I found a great deal on an a4 3.0 6sp fully loaded with only 11k miles priced about $6k Cheaper than the TL.

So to summarize my longwinded story. I'd get a new TL over a new A4, especially since the TL is a little cheaper. However since the A4 hasn't changed in the last 3 years, you can find some sweet deals on a slightly used A4. Prices are going down especially because the B7 A4 is coming.