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Ughhhh. I am just so in between. I narrowed it down to these two cars. Here's what I like about each. Lexus RX350
Pro
Reliable
Cheaper to maintain
Regular Gas
Bigger car
Nice entertainment screen and system
Comfy interior
Heat/cool seats
Quiet ride
Cons
Expensive
"Boring" drive
Weaker engine
No Pano roof
Gear shifter in weird spot.
Entertainment screen is so far back.
Audi Q5
Pro
Badass engine/Performance
Pano Roof
Really good seat warmers.
Car is less cramped/very open to light
Con
Premium Gas
Higher cost of maintenance
Entertainment screen is older feeling.
No standard back up cam
Smaller
The only way I'm buying an Audi is if I get a CPO.
Assuming I can get either the Lexus or Audi OTD at the same price, what would you go with? Help move me to one way. (Even though I'd hope to snag the Audi cheaper)
On one hand, the Lexus offers so much in reliability and features while Audi is performance and luxury spacious feel.
We had a few Audi's Every one of them cost a fortune after 50 thousand mile just after the warranty back then was over. They might have improved on this because I personally will never buy another one.
Audi does everything s little better than the RX. BUT.... Parts start dying after you hit warranty expiration.
I'd only buy it if I 1) buy a nice extended warranty 2) know a good mechanic named "Hans" who knows his way around Audis and the extended warranty claims process.
Otherwise I'd agree that RX is really for the baby boomers needing a taller/cheaper LS. Not the same demographics Audi is going for.
I owned an A6 which was beautiful to drive. It also had 11 unscheduled repairs in 60k miles. Nuff said.
There is no way in the world that I'd consider the Audi cheaper to maintain, especially if you take the Lexus to a Toyota dealer for service.
Your visits to the Audi dealer post warranty will be costly and frequent.
My bad. But are you up on the news (just recently announced) that Audi may have cheated on the Q5 gas engine emissions tests? Cheating goes back to 2013 or earlier it is believed, for the 3 liter gas engine.
My bad. But are you up on the news (just recently announced) that Audi may have cheated on the Q5 gas engine emissions tests? Cheating goes back to 2013 or earlier it is believed, for the 3 liter gas engine.
The newer versions of the Audi Q family route their primary engine wiring harness through the front right passenger side fender region. Doesn't even take much of a front PS corner accident to completely disable the vehicle even though it would otherwise be mechanically driveable. This comes from one of my sons who spent over a year in an Audi dealership with customer service, and he has faithfully reminded me of this design issue every time I've been tempted to consider a Q.
Looks are a matter of personal taste. Therefore my two reasons for the Lexus would be substantially less cost to maintain and Lexus having been #1 in reliability five years in a row. I owned one Audi for two years and it was a nightmare. I really regretted not getting the tow truck option.
What's more important to you, fun or reliability?
That's why my daily driver is an Audi S4 and Lexus RX450h is the family hauler.
My wife offered for me to take over the RX at one point, but my reply was hell-no!
Try out GX460. Being a V8 and RWD-based platform with full-time AWD, it is a bit more animated than the RX.
Ughhhh. I am just so in between. I narrowed it down to these two cars. Here's what I like about each. Lexus RX350
Pro
Reliable
Cheaper to maintain
Regular Gas
Bigger car
Nice entertainment screen and system
Comfy interior
Heat/cool seats
Quiet ride
Cons
Expensive
"Boring" drive
Weaker engine
No Pano roof
Gear shifter in weird spot.
Entertainment screen is so far back.
Audi Q5
Pro
Badass engine/Performance
Pano Roof
Really good seat warmers.
Car is less cramped/very open to light
Con
Premium Gas
Higher cost of maintenance
Entertainment screen is older feeling.
No standard back up cam
Smaller
The only way I'm buying an Audi is if I get a CPO.
Assuming I can get either the Lexus or Audi OTD at the same price, what would you go with? Help move me to one way. (Even though I'd hope to snag the Audi cheaper)
On one hand, the Lexus offers so much in reliability and features while Audi is performance and luxury spacious feel.
Tough decision!!!
Thanks!
The "con" that you've mentioned with the Lexus being expensive is actually a "pro". It shows that the Lexus holds its value, which it does against virtually any other brand. Does anything depreciate more quickly than an Audi?!? LoL, maybe a motorcycle? Perhaps a Jaguar? They depreciate like a stone! There is no comparison. Your $/mile throughout ownership is going to be ludicrously higher with an Audi. I'm not talking 10+%, it could literally end up double, or worse.
That is fine if the Audi was an astronomically superior machine with a luxurious experience. But... it's not. The fact that you're debating it indicates that it is a comparable vehicle in terms of performance and luxury and others have echoed this. It's probably a bit nicer throughout and that simply doesn't cut it when you need to factor in all of the other costs.
*Although... if you're not planning on owning either vehicle more than two years, a lot of my argument loses momentum.
Have you actually driven the Q5? I found the seats uncomfortable in the 2011 model, there was no way I was going to buy one. That plus the unreliability and the the lying scandal and I do not even consider Audis or VWs these days.