hey all. new to the forums and new to audi. lemme just get right into it. im actually looking for the car for my girlfriend. she currently drive a 2004 suzuki aerio. silly little fwd 4 cyl. nothing cool about it at all. we've been having a tough winter here in NJ this year and we just started snowboarding so we go to vermont and other snowy areas often. she wants to get an awd car. she also wants it to have decent mpg. i think her car is rated at 24 average. she's also always wanted a convertible but never had the guts to go for it. thus bringing me to the audi a4 cabriolet quattro. now i've been poking around and i can find 2007s for around $16000 with around 60k miles. thats pretty much the top of our budget. im just kind of looking for some input on this decision. the only other car we're looking at is a subaru impreza or legacy. but that would take the convertible away. also, she needs an automatic.

facts/myths i've found/heard:

1) the 2.0T gives her the same mpg she has now and the 3.2 will be less but more fun for sure. are either of these engines more mechanically sound than the other?

2) i understand the subaru will be cheaper to maintain but is it really that bad? i have a mechanic i trust and a friend who is a mechanic by hobby and knows what hes doing. ive driven 90s ford f150/broncos for 11 years. im not new to doing things myself or having crazy problems sneak up on me. i understand the timing belt needs to be replaced every 50k miles. thats not a big issue, it is what it is. im more curious about how often random problems pop up and their costs, not routine costs.

3) hows the top gonna hold up to snow? the car will not be garaged but if i need to run out every few hours in a snow storm to knock snow off i can do that.

thanks for reading my lengthy post and thanks for any comments you might leave.

 

#1. Either engine is fine. The 6 cyc will get slightly worse gas mileage (I would guess 2 to 3 mpg). The 6cyc also does not require a timing belt change as often as the 2.0T. I changes my timing belt at 105K miles. It is to be changes every 115k. SOme on here will tell you to change it every 50 to 60K. I think that is over kill myself. Most will tell you the 2.0T is a funnier car to drive than the 6 cyc.

#2. With the exception of the timing belt (runs $800 to $1500 depending where you get the work done) the maintiance hasn't been expensive to me. I have spent about $300 in parts and labor in the 3+ years I have had my car. That doesn't include oil chnages that run about $75 each time.

#3. Don't have a convert so maybe someone else can anwser this.