my buddy's deciding between the two and i think i speak for most people on the board here that the max is the way to go for performance, but he's also considering the build quality of the audi. especially after hearing me rail on about our paint and windshields.
does anyone know of a good audi board where we can get some opinions about their chief complaints/praises?

 

audiworld.com - when i was shopping for a car, i was thinking of the A4...hung out a bit at their forum.

 

Without even reading this thread what kind of answer are you expecting in here?
l8tr -- SS

 

i dont know which audi your friend is looking at, but since i considered an A4 during my shopping, i'll write my impressions. I looked primarily at the 1.8T CVT, although i did test drive the 3.0 quattro/tip as well. both the max and the audi are excellent cars, but each in their own right. IMO, the audi with sport package handled a lot better than the SE max. it's also a smaller car, so it has this advantage. the sport suspension was not as harsh as i had feared either...if you live in a city with particularly bad roads, you may want to consider not getting the sport package, but other than that, the suspension was very pleasing (this is coming from someone who opted for the GLE over the SE).

like i said before though, the audi is smaller, and significantly so. while it did get a little bigger for 2002, the a4 is still considered a compact sedan. fit and finish, however, are easily a couple steps above the maxima. i loved the interior of the a4, in both aluminum and wood grain trims. while it's not like a big mercedes sedan, the a4 did feel like a vault in comparison to even the rather solidly built maxima.

engine performance obviously goes to the max. i really felt that the audi was very weak down low. in the max, i normally launch in the low 2000's range from a stop light. if i rev to 2500, i'll launch quicker than just about anyone. in the 1.8T, revving to 3000 was necessary just to KEEP UP. the 3.0 audi was a little better, but not by much. i understand how fun it can be to run a car hard when you drive, but intuition tells me that the maxima's engine will last longer because it's not working as hard in everyday mode. when pushed hard, no a4, regardless of engine size or transmission will keep up with even an auto 2002 max. manual maximas will blow any a4 out of the water (stock to stock comparison, of course).

other minor things - the audi had very little windnoise at highway speeds whereas windnoise seems to be a problem for many max owners...turning radius is much tighter in an a4, though not as tight as a volvo or the IS300...the max will be cheaper with the same options...audi service is much better, i hear...oh, i can't believe i forgot the quattro...this all wheel drive system is arguably the best available. during my test drive, from a stop light, i floored it around a 90 degree turn in rainy weather and summer tires, and i got not even the slightest hint of wheelspin - quattro is flat out impressive.

this post is way longer than i had intended it to be, but i hope that it helps. max/a4 was a tough choice for me, but i went with the max because of the power, the room, better value, and what i perceived to be a car that would outlast the a4. unfortunately, the a4/max quandary is not one in which you can have your cake and eat it too.

 

thanks young. you echoed my friend's impressions as well. he's actually looking for an s4 to test drive precisely because of those engine lackings, tho i don't know if it's really in his range.

i'll check out audiworld.com and see what their complaints seem to be. i wanna be able to give him a realistic recommendation and i can only speak for the max.. obviously.

 

ok, good luck!!

 

I did the same thing...and look where I ended up too. Enough said.

 

Well as an owner of an a6 quattro and a 3rd gen max I can say that yes the maxima will launch on the audi at the light however all german(most)cars have high end torque rather than low end. once in 3rd gear(@45mph) the car seems like its taking off. I've come out of 3rd with my auto stick at 105mph. So, So , SO much fun!!!! However the one thing that i don't like about my a6 is the suspension. If you've been driving with aftermarket shocks and springs on your max , then the audi feels a little soft riding., but will hold corners my max never would because of the quattro. The qquattro in the snow is unbelievable. The s4 , especially if its the new one is a pretty car! i wish they made the a6 look exactly like it just a little larger. Originally iwanted an a4 but it was just too small so i opted for the a6. The max is a great car and i hopefully will be getting an 02 in a couple of weeks. but the audi just ..... man the looks you get from people like wow nice car and why is he driving that car, can really make you feel good. I had a lady chase me down the highway the other day roll her window down and yell Nice Car! and theres nothing like a modded a6 people really can't stand you then!

In all honesty the max and a4 are not in the same class nor size but people tend to compare them with each other because of the closeness in price. the a4 would really cbe compared to an altima and the a6 compared to the max. The max has alot of features and the a6 as well. but the audi has more features, like auto stick, automatic sunshade, auto dimming rear view mirror and quite a few more. I'm a maxima fanatic but the truth is the truth

 

Serin...I just thought I'd throw in my two cents. Before I bought my Maxima I was looking at a used '01 S4 6speed with all options including the Alcantera interior. My observations were that the Audi seems almost as powerful as the Maxima, and perhaps a bit smoother. The stereo is definitely superior to the Bose unit in the Max; also the S4 is much quieter on the highway and feels better put together. I won't even get into the S4's traction and suspension triumphs, because we'd be here all day. I decided on my Max 6speed because I could not get past the feeling I was driving a REALLY nice Jetta while in the s4; and how tight the cockpit felt with just two adults in it. Bottom line, these are two very different cars. If your friend wants handling, stereo, and a more "sportier" feel out of the box...I'd say go for the Audi. However, if you want a more luxury feel, space, and comofort I'd say go with the Maxima. Also, with the extra approx $10-12k he'd spend on the S4, a LOT of suspension/performance goodies can be put on the Max; whereas it's pretty hard to change the basic size/shape of the Audi. Sorry this was so long, but hope it helps!