webra

There was a time reliability was enough to help a brand to success. But reliability at the expense of performance is also a compromise, and to me, a long time Lexus owner, no longer good enough.

dseag2

Nice to see so much love for the A4. I owned a '13 GS F Sport, which was a fantastic car in so many respects, and I traded it for a '15 Audi S5. I just liked the "coupe looks" and the amazing, raw performance of the S5. I just traded the S5 for a '17 A4 and I couldn't be happier. It certainly isn't as eye-catching as the IS, but the interior is amazing, especially with the "virtual cockpit", and the car drives great. Lots of power in any gear and very neutral handling. It feels like a "grown up" sedan, like my GS F Sport, and does everything well. Fast, beautiful interior, great technology, amazing B&O sound system. I would highly recommend it. You need a non-Lexus biased opinion? You got it.

And BTW, I owned 3 S5's (Cabriolet/Coupe) and had no reliability issues with any.

mb88

Great to hear! Thank you! Yes--it does feel "grown up," but still fun. Nice balance.

UngBuck

iTrader: (1)

i would pick A4 in a heart beat if you didn't care about the price. better technology and features.

yardie876

Didn't know you picked up an A4! Was wondering what your next move was going to be. You have an impressions thread floating around somewhere?

corradoMR2

IS 200t vs A4. Putting aside my affinity to Lexus, I'd pick the A4 if the deal is similar thanks to the latest tech and more refined interior.

We got lots of fair-minded folks in this forum.

mb88

Thank you! And thanks to everyone who's responded so far. Lots of very helpful and objective opinions.

Between this his thread and some others I've found, it looks like the 200t isn't going to be the right match with what I'm looking for. The 350 might be, but then there are price considerations. The A4 is probably better for me overall, even if the Lexus excels in specific categories.

wordsworth

A4 hands down. The more appropriate comparison model, IS350, pales in comparison. The only strengths the IS350 has over the A4 is reliability and possibly handling for spirited driving. The A4's dual clutch transmission and virtual cockpit makes the commuting experience a special event each time.

Obscene14

I made the switch. My A4 arrives from Germany in November. APR tune and tint will be done the week I receive it.

link13

I am a Toyota guy and a Lexus guy. I speak German fluently and went to college (Uni) there a long time ago. I don't really care for their cars and never considered a BMW or an Audi when I got either of my IS sedans. Their tech, from a software engineering standpoint and from U/E testing, is about the same as everyone else offers.

I do hope you like the car and that it's everything you want.

EZZ

Comparatively equipped, the A4 is more expensive. It's reaching 3 series pricing. If I were leasing a sports sedan and paying $55-60k, the 340 would be a better buy for me. The IS350 is pretty cheap especially the average negotiated price. My fully loaded Is350 f sport cost me $45k. All of the Germans cars are more expensive than that. At $60k though, I'd be getting an RCF. Yes, you can get RCFs for that in so-cal

mb88

Good point for any other buyers who may be reading the thread. Personally, there's no way I would spend that much on either the Lexus or the Audi. I'm look at something between 42-44. At that price, you get more than a 3.

doog442

Here in the UK we are swamped with Audi...I left Lexus for a few years to BMW before driving a 3 series, A4 and IS200t back to back

The Lexus won. The Audi A4 looks and drives like a barge, if you want to know about reliability research Audi forums in the UK where masses of these cars are dumped on an unsuspected public after 3 year PCP plans....the same with BMW....common as muck but filled with coil pack, Injector and Turbo issues amongst others that would make your head explode with worry...not all of course but you dont see any of these issues around Lexus other than the odd creak in the dash or sticky caliper.

If you want simple 3 year ownership and chop it in after for new then go for what fits.....if you want longevity - go with the Lexus.

1Louder

I did look at the A4, and while it does have the advantages mentioned, I didn't feel those advantages justified the price difference. I thought the 200t was cramped at first, but the dealer let me take it for an extended test drive and I must say after 2 hrs it didn't feel cramped - more snug. It definitely has a "you're in a cockpit" type of feel. I have an F-sport, so the seats are amazing (IMO) and the suspension is fantastic. Sure in a straight line the 200t isn't going to wow anyone, but in curves it's a blast.

I actually managed to find a 2016 with only 950 miles on it, which knocked the priced down about $5K off of brand new. I don't think the inventory is great right now, but if you really wanted to give yourself a price edge, you might be able to find a 2016 with < 3-5K miles on it. With mine, that brought the price down to a good $8-10K under the A4's.

sistrunk05

Unless you are taking you car to the track frequently, how much power do you actually need for a mixture of city and highway driving? I have the 3IS 250 F Sport and I handle the Dallas metrplex traffic just fine. I have 'No problems' passing trucks on the highway and the sport mode works well if I need some extra power. Please ignore the 0 - 60 sec talk because a high percentage of drivers don't drive that way in the first place.

I agree with phoenix888 that a CPO IS 350 may be the best bet for you and the Nov-Dec timeframe is going to be the best time to buy.