Hello all, I just registered here as I've been in the mood to buy a convertible. I'm sort of all over the map on what to get, and the A4 is on my list, so I figured I'd register here and get some opinions.

A couple of questions off the bat:
1) Have any of you had experience comparing an A4 to the Saab 9-3 or BMW 3-series convertibles? What would you say are the pros/cons of each? I have no experience with any of these brands (I've owned Lexus, Toyota, Jeep, Ford, Nissan, and Mazda cars/SUVs).

2) I see that there is a B6 model A4 which goes into 2005, as well as a B7 which started in 2005. When looking at ads online, how do I know if a 2005 is a B6 or B7? And are there any advantages with a B6 or is the B7 better in every way?

3) I'm seeing a lot of posts here criticizing the CVT. Is it a generally accepted belief here, then, that I should avoid the CVT? When looking at online ads, how would I know for sure that a car doesn't have CVT (I'm guessing that just because they don't list CVT, doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't have it)? I saw a post by someone comparing CVT to Quattro, so are all Quattro's non-CVT?

4) I like the newer nose on the A4's, but I guess they just recently put that nose on the convertibles. Is it possible to get an after-market replacement nose for an older A4 and, if so, how much would I be looking at spending for the nose and the cost of someone installing/painting it?

5) How reliable are the A4 convertibles considered to be? How does maintenance cost compare to BMW, Saab, etc.?

I'll be honest, of those three cars, the Audi looks the most "pedestrian" to me, but I like the idea of having AWD here in CT with the Quattro (and even FWD would seem safer than the RWD I'd be getting with a BMW).

 

I have a 2007 A4 convertible, purchased new in October 2007, and have had no problems since then.

I was also looking at the Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70. The BMW is about $10k more, which made it not an option for me, but now with the 1 series you might want to look at that, also.

Essentially I was looking at it holistically, and I preferred the price/performance/appearance package of the Audi more than the others.

I have the CVT, and there's really nothing wrong with it. It had problems in the B6 models, and maybe problems will crop up in the B7, but nothing so far. However, CVT is always FWD, not quattro.

The A4 cabriolets usually get refreshed a bit later than the sedans/avants. So if you but a new one now, it will have the B8 appearance, but internally it's still the B7. I think 2007 is when it got the B7 internals, although the sedans/avants switched in 2005.5. The way to tell is if it's 2.0T it's B7, 1.8T is B6.

 

Don't Quote me but I think 2007 brought out the new b7 body on the convertible. I am usuallt the CVT hater but that is only becuase my other car has a DSG which is basically the fastest shifting awesomest trnny ever (lol.)

I used to love my CVT until I had bought by GTI with DSG. If this is your only car, a CVT will be fine once you are used to it. IT feels like you are riding the clutch in a manual is the best way to describe it. YOu could put your foot down to 5K RPM ond get up to a good speed while the RPM's stay at 5K. It never actually shifts. If you put it in sport mode or the manual mode, you can make it shift but you give up some economy though.

I believe CVT's are in all or at least most FWD models. AWD gets the triptronic which will shift for traditionally.

My A4 has been reliable so far but it is low milage. I would recommend buying a certified car that bumps your warranty up to 100K no problem.

My B6 2003 A4 I had before I (my wife) got it up to 100K before we traded it in on the B7. During that time I only replaced 1 CV axle and I traded it with a cooling system problem where I had to add coolent to get it to the dealer. Never chaned the timing belt on that car either.

I am an Audi guy for styling purposes mainly as I think they look better than BMW. Saab is YUK! German has a certain feel about them. I drive a VW and am very happy. Wife is a super snob and would drive nothing less than a name brand. I just had to talk her out of a Mercedes into the first Audi we had.

 

Since Saab is in limbo after GM disowned them, and looking for buyers, don't know
how it will work for a buyer if something happens to Saab.

You might want to consider this as well.

 

i looked at those 3 brands and wound up purchasing a 2006 audi a4 convertible. here are me reactions:

bmw - very good reviews but a harsh city ride and I was not wowed by the handling. i rented a couple of non-convert 3 series BMWs and was not overwhelmed. but the stiff ride is what turned me off. i live in manhattan and the streets are rough.

saab - good price and solid convert review on Consumer Reports but not great frequency of repair record and the saab bankruptcy in Sweeden and GMs issues in US gave me pause.

audi - softer ride than bmw yet still very sporty. starting with the b7 model the frequency of repair ratings were pretty good. I got quattro. whatever transmission i have, its fun. it has a "sport" setting. only have the car about 2 weeks. good luck

 

Yeah, I had forgotten about Saab's ownership by GM. I don't know about the reliability of them, but I find Saabs to be much nicer looking than just about any GM product, so I would think that someone would buy them. I'm also not sure if their bankruptcy would be a major issue if I was buying an older, out-of-warranty, vehicle anyway, though I suppose it would make getting replacement parts more difficult/expensive.

Thanks again for the advice thus far. I still don't know which way to go. I forgot to add the Mini Cooper convertible to my list. I really like that one as well, but worry that it's become more of a "girls" car, along the lines of the old VW cabriolet's. On that note, I should also add the VW EOS to my list. So, if any of you have experience/opinions on the EOS or Cooper, please let me know.

 

Hey I just got a 2006 Audi A4 cabriolet last week. So far I have been very pleased with the ride. I did compare the BMW 328 but I did not like the hard suspension too much.

I got CVT in my car. If you drive the car in normal "D" gear you will not feel the gear shift as mentioned by other ppl, but driving it in the S mode is a lot of fun. If acceleration pedal is pressed all the way the gears only shift at red line this is wht impressed me (In the S mode).

I did notice some turbo lag but once the turbo kicks in it gives a nice trust and a sweet sound.

It hugs the road as well as the BMW but the suspension is a lot softer.
Depends on what you are looking for but I was really impressed with AUDI plus I think the AUDI Cabriolet looks a lot better than the BMW

 

Drove all three of them... BMW was a little hard... on the road Saab soft drive
A$ nice smooth ride... BMW & Saab were 6cly,,A4 i.8 Turbo BMW more power but once the A4 Turbo kick in it was a winner. I like the FWD better then RWD.. Also you can up grade to the Audi with all wheel drive and that unit stick to the road very well and will good in snow... I think Audi is good looking
and a lot of extras standard were the other you had to pay more money.
So I brought the Audi A4 convertible that was the winner for me.. 94,000 miles only 1 local owner and all service work was done at my local Audi Dealership.
And I git a very god price on it. All three will cost more money for repairs and maintenance but if you take care of it the correct way you should be ok. Remember this is just my opion. Drive all three and what one you like the best.

jnc