krava

I might be looking to buy a new car, EVERY car I have ever bought I never got to test drive, which include eagle talon (new), 99 corvette (new), acura NSX supercharged widebody (never titled and didn't know how to drive a stick when I bought it), 2gs, 3gs. Seems that ever good car out there the dealer doesn't want you to drive it at all and just buy it. I have a 06 3gs right now and trying to figure out what to buy. I am looking at a 4gs (maybe the 450h as I plan on keeping 10 years and gas keeps going up), or maybe the audi TDI or a6. The most important quality is reliability which I don't want to be spending money on repairs and probably drive it until it breaks down and the transmission goes out. Interiior quality is more important then exterior since I will be in it all the time and I think audi beats everyone in that group (I am not sure why that is), I know my 3gs interior is just nothing by vinyl all over and I don't want another lexus that has defects that the dealer can't ever fix such as the 3gs 300 awd engine issue and I think audi has one of the best engines there is. but my last 2 good cars was the 2gs and the 3gs, I didn't get to keep my 2gs but a few months before It was taken from me. There is also the acura RLX with 377HP and 30MPG combined with the hybrid. I went to dallas in 09 to buy the RL. I saw it didn't like the color of it but stayed in the hotel and then looked on the computer at ebay and found a 3gs red at the same price and bought it on the spot. I don't know if what I did was good or not since that 3gs has issues like that. I have heard the 4gs car is completely different then the 3gs and in most of the comparisons the audi a6 beats the gs but in 1 article the gs is best so I don't know what to believe. the only thing I hate is that volkswagon makes the audi and I have a 1999 beater past 1.8T and I bought that thing in 2005 6K 78K miles and I have spent 6K in repairs since then but have 200K miles on it and that is the slowest POS there is. I don't think the turbo works and I might have 80HP.

AL13NV8D3R

Wow, thats a really long post. How is it possible that no dealers allowed you to test drive any of those cars? I test drove and bought a 2001 corvette with a stick shift no problems from dealer. I test drove my 2014 Lexus GS350 before I made the purchase. I can understand dealers not letting you test drive a NSX but only of it were new maby?

The 4GS is better than 2GS and 3GS in terms of quality and performance and driving dynamics. I test drove 2GS and 3GS when they both were new and was never impressed by them. The interior on both 2gs and 3gs was so boring and low quality and I ended up buying a 2006 LS430 Ultra Luxury instead. So I am comeing from a LS to a 4GS because the 4GS is also better than even a 2014 LS in terms of driving dynamic and design. Interior quality is about the same on both except for the seats because the 4GS has 16 - 18 way seats while the 14 LS has maby 10 way? The only advantage the LS has over the 4GS is its a bigger engine that has more power. Both cars are very quite and smooth. 4GS can carve canyons. I have taken my 4GS to both a race track and the dragon and it ate up the track and took the canyon no problem, felt like a smaller car than it really is.

I test drove the Audi A6 and was not impressed by it even though it was a quattro. Its too front heavy and you can feel it 8n the turns if to drive aggressively. The only thing I like about the new Audi was the engine. Audi has lots of power especially if you get the RS versions of those audis.

I say you should go out there and test drive some of the cars you are looking for amd if they refuse to let you test drive flash them your money and tell them you arebtaking that money to your nearest compeditor and given thwm your business. I wont buy any cars I can test drive. I hope this info helps you. Good luck.

rayaans

I agree. The A6 is nose heavy and its certain that a spec for spec Audi will be more expensive than the GS. The A6 is also somewhat of a boring vehicle to look at, even in the S-Line trim, whereas the GS F-Sport blows it away in the looks department.

Interior wise, they are both the same. After sitting in both vehicles, (brother in law has an A6 and I was considering getting the GS450h F Sport before the RX450h F Sport came out) it feels as if the Audi is too "functional" and "business class". Its like visiting a hotel, you wouldn't want to stay there for the rest of your life, you'd prefer to be at home and the GS F-Sport especially with the red/flaxen leather makes you feel right at home.

You cant mess with a V6 petrol under the hood either, its just a more satisfying experience compared to a diesel. Id always go hybrid before I go diesel!

SW17LS

The 4GS is heads and shoulders a better car all around than the 3GS. Interior is much better, chassis is much tighter and more rigid, handling is better, all in all the car is much more solid. I looked at the 2GS in 2003 and wound up with an ES mainly for money reasons, and I looked at the 3GS in 2010 and wound up in an ES because the GS didn't feel $15,000 better than the ES at that time. Shopped the ES and the GS this time and it was a no brainer to get the GS. It REALLY is a great car.

With that said, I also liked the A6 very much, and in some ways liked it better than the GS. In the end it was between the A6 and the GS, but the GS was a little cheaper and Lexus' lease was much better, so I got the GS. I think the A6 is a great looking car though, and its a great drive. The GS has a better interior.

BUT, you have to test drive these cars. I can't imagine buying a car without test driving one first...

neegroy

iTrader: (19)

I actually almost went with the a6 myself well i was looking at the s6 honestly. but i was in the market to buy the car.

honestly i havent had any huge problems with adui ( granted that i also own a Q7 lease) i still ended up choosing the gs because japannese cars are built to last and not break down and be a attention *****

Rexus300

iTrader: (1)

Forgive me but I have never bought a car without thoroughly test driving it to make sure I am getting my moneys worth. Isn't that the point of getting a good car that you are happy with and not complain about once you throw down all that money?? Please do test drive the 4GS and decide. You will be happy.

krava

the nsx had 2,800 miles on it, it was john eagle acura it was a 1998 model and I bought it in 2000. it was upgraded by the owner there and had every comptech option done to it. The sticker price on it was $136K, and when I got there they wanted $107K but I was walking off the lot and he knocked it down to $97K and I got it and I had him drive me around in it and it took me a few days to learn to drive a stick shift and even though that thing looked nice, it was the worst driving car I ever had. I even ripped the back bumper almost off after getting into the car at treasures in Houston when the valet stopped on a very small pop hole it was so low. The corvette was brand new and they had 2 but they didn't want anyone test driving it. The 2gs I didn't even ask to test drive because I drove 13 hours in a bus to pick it up in 3 states away. The 3gs I was in dallas and basically the same thing there but I don't think they let you test drive them because they are in the showroom and waxed and everything.

SW17LS

What?!? The dealer has inventory. You don't have to drive the one on the showroom floor...

BRJACKET

I had an A6 (2004). It was great to drive and an incredible engine (8 cylinder) but I had constant problems with sensors malfunctioning. It didn't affect the car but I hated driving around with a warning light constantly on. When the warranty was up, I traded it for a Lexus. Also, I enjoyed it but my wife said the passenger seat was hard as a board so test that out too.

I don't have one yet(waiting until the 2015's come out) but I like the interior of the current GS350 way better than the A6. My opinion only though.

SW17LS

Audi has come a LONG way in the quality and reliability department since 2004.

BRJACKET

Sorry. I don't mean to slam Audi. My A6 was one of the most fun cars to drive I have had. My experience was just one car. I don't know anything about the current crop. The service department was top notch (of course they all knew me by name by the time I traded). Also, my problems were nuisance problems that did not affect the drive. It was a great car for mountain roads and I still miss it. But I have owned 3 Lexus LS models and just have come to believe in their reliability, that is my experience.

steverhode

I have owned a 2gs, 3GS and 4gs which is my current car. Each was an improvement EXCEPT the quality of the speakers when using the phone. Both the 2gs and the 3GS were very clear. The 2014 I drive sounds like crap, like it is made from tin cans, and is close unintelligible when trying to hear the other person.

Christobol

Sorry for the long response...

First of all, NEVER buy a car without first test driving it, especially one with more than 5 miles on it. Sellers always want to hide problems with their cars, and the best way to do that is to limit or prevent you from test driving the car. The one time I've been told I can't test drive a car was when the STI was just released, and in the first week two dumb asses crashed the new car, and the dealership realized they didn't have the insurance to cover them, and they didn't make enough money to afford the car.

Second, I VERY seriously considered both the A6 3.0 and the TDI. I had made up my mind to risk buying the Audi until I was swayed otherwise by my mechanic. I know that Audi's reliability is about three times worse than Lexus, and that's just in the first 50,000 miles. Beyond that their reliability drops off even more, but I thought that with the new model (2012+) they might be worth considering.

The A6 3.0 Sport handles better than our GS F-Sport, but after driving my GS and allowing it to brake in (when test driving various GSs I never floored it, but I did roll the tires on multiple times) I have to say that it's awfully close to the A6 3.0 Sport, we just need better tires. The A6 definitely has a better power plant with tons of power on tap and less body roll, but you feel less connected with the road than you do with the GS.

The TDI doesn't feel like it's as sporty as the GS, but the high torque does make the car fun, it's just so quite that you don't get the 'wow' factor that you do with a GS. On the plus side, most people get 30+ mpg with aggressive street driving mixed with highway driving. The mileage is fantastic, and when I did the calc on buying the car I found that I would say $100/month on gas which made up for the difference in price over 5 years. Oh and the GS's interior is more luxurious and plush.

What changed my mind was talking to my mechanic. I called him to get the maintenance records on my old car and told him I was about to buy an A6. He said his guys call them the 'rich man's car' because you have to be ready and willing to pay out of the nose for heavy maintenance costs over the first 75,000 miles. He said I should just lease it while it has a warranty rather than risk buying one and keeping it past 100k.

Test drive each car, and if a dealer says no, tell them you won't buy a car that you haven't thoroughly test driven and walk away to find another dealer. What you appreciate the most might be totally different than what I like, or anyone else on here. If the A6 3.0 had the same reliability as the GS I would have gone with the A6.

SW17LS

There is some difference in the quality of the bluetooth phone playback I agree. I have gotten used to it and it no longer bothers me, but sound quality was much better in my 2010 ES.

blacksun

If long-term reliability is most important get the Lexus. Audi's engines and transmissions have improved over the years, but other small issues will eat away at your pocketbook and time.

On interior quality, I'd suggest you visit a dealer and sit in the new 4GS. Pictures online will show you how an interior looks, but they truly can't convey how something feels. The 4GS is miles ahead of the 3GS in terms of interior material quality and on par with the current benchmark Audi A6 (which pretty crushed everything else out there when it debuted).