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Help me justify another car purchase

S

sdilley14

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 8, 2007
1,242
201
Mesa, AZ
Ok, so right now I drive a 2012 Camry SE V6 (about 22k miles), and I really like it. I've always liked the styling of this generation Camry, it has nice power (about 270hp, 0-60 in 5.8 seconds), fuel economy is pretty good around 25 MPG in the city. Overall it is a nice car. There are a few things however that I don't particularly like about it. 1. The entertainment system feels old, slow, and kinda clunky. I've driven a few of the newer GM vehicles (rentals) and their entertainment systems put mine to shame. 2. It's not a huge car but it drives big...kinda hard to explain. I find myself struggling more than I should to navigate parking lots, slide in and out of parking spaces, etc. I had a 2008 Camry, same dimensions, and it felt much more comfortable moving that car around in tight spaces. 3. I feel like this car has some challenging blind spots, and there is no "blind spot detection" function or anything like that built in.

Like many other folks, I get tired of my cars quickly. I get picky with the little things I don't like. And I have a bad case of "the grass is always greener on the other side" when it comes to vehicles, lol.

Having said all of that, I'm looking at selling/trading and picking up a 2015 Audi A4 Quattro. 2.0L turbo with AWD.

The Audi is a few inches shorter in dimension (both height and length) which I prefer. I want something smaller but still 4 doors (it's just me and my dog - no kids). I'm guessing the 4CYL turbo will put out comparable MPG in the city. The interior fit and finish is very nice on the Audi. I really like the exterior styling of the A4 (I'm thinking white body with tinted windows). From what I've read it sounds like the entertainment system should be a vast improvement. And maybe the biggest thing - I think it will be a 'fun' car to drive.

What I'm struggling with is the idea of paying a bit more money and taking a hit in horsepower. The V6 in the Camry is so strong and smooth. I do a lot of city and interstate driving, so I love the quick acceleration for changing lanes, getting on and off ramps, etc. I also live in AZ where I need to have the AC on in the car 9 months out of the year, so having a bit stronger engine is fairly important to me.

I've done a lot of research and the 2015 A4 has gotten fantastic reviews with all of the major automotive publications.

Does anyone here have any experience with the 2015 A4? Or other new'ish A4's? Will it be a noticeable power difference going from the V6 to the 2.0L turbo 4 cyl? The A4 is smaller and lighter, so maybe the drop in HP won't be a huuuuge difference? Would YOU drop the Camry and go with the A4?
 
220bhp in a car that can actually put the power down trust me you won't be disappointed. It's refined to boot!
 
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Gav2k said:
220bhp in a car that can actually put the power down trust me you won't be disappointed. It's refined to boot!
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The nicely refined cabin is really selling me on this thing. A person spends so much time inside their car - a quality, functional, comfortable cabin is pretty important to me.
 
I dunno I think the new entertainment systems in GM cars suck, well the ones in the new Caddy's do.
 
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I ended up with a 2015 Camry over the A4.
I drive a lot, at least 120 miles a day.
The S4 caught my eye.
If cost of ownership isn't a factor I would look for a S4.
 
bruinsrme said:
I ended up with a 2015 Camry over the A4.
I drive a lot, at least 120 miles a day.
The S4 caught my eye.
If cost of ownership isn't a factor I would look for a S4.
Click to expand...
I drive about 20-30 miles a day.

I thought about trying for the S4, but its a bit pricier than what I would want to go. Too bad - I bet that supercharged V6 is fun!
 
There is more to a car than horsepower. If horsepower was all it matters, everyone would be buying Hellcat or Z06 instead of 3/4/5 times the price of supercars.

I haven't driven an A4 before, but I bet it drives way better than the Camry, FWD vs AWD, handling, steering feel, overall more solid and the interior is much better. I did drive the 2015 Camry before, drove it for a couple minutes and turned back to the dealer.

I was going to test drive the A4, but I for the life of me don't know why sales don't give me the time of day, I've been to 2 different dealers and 3 different sales.

Have you thought about the G37/Q50, if you like horsepower.
 
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Buy the Audi. The Camry is for middle-aged boring people. Wouldn't be caught dead in one even if I were a decrepit geriatric.
 
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If you're switching cars every few years, have you considered leasing? It seems like it would make sense for you.

SwitchFX said:
Buy the Audi. The Camry is for middle-aged boring people. Wouldn't be caught dead in one even if I were a decrepit geriatric.
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This so much. I travel very frequently for work and rent cars at National where you get to choose your own car. I bash Camrys a ton and think they're boring, awful, terrible cars. But a couple months ago, I said to myself, I am going to put my [client's] money where my mouth is, and next time a Camry is on the lot, take it. So, last week, I arrived at the rental lot. There was a Camry parked next to a Passat. And I just couldn't do it. I simply couldn't get into the Camry and drive it away. It's like my limbs quit working when I got near the driver side door. Those cars put out a force field that prevents anyone who enjoys driving from getting too close.

By the way, if anyone's shopping for a used car in the Detroit area and you see a maroon, former rental 2015 Passat for sale, avoid it, because there's a greater than zero percent chance that's the one I drove, and I'll let Jeremy Clarkson explain why that's a bad thing ;)
 
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You came to the right spot. I have limited experience with both.

My mom owned a 2009 Lexus ES350 (very similar underpinnings to a 2012 Camry V6). I've driven a V6 Camry of your generation, basically the same as the Lexus- slightly shorter wheelbase I believe, not quite as smooth of a ride, less sound proofing, some extra wood trim, higher quality trim bits, and they lack a few options found in the Lexus. Besides that a loaded V6 Camry = base Lexus ES.

She kept the car 5-6 years, put 140k on the clock, and never had a single issue beyond General maintence (fluids, brakes, tires). Not so much as a lighbulb failed in that car. The 3.5 V6 in both cars is pretty much the same, plenty of power- I think the Toyota is actually faster due to the lighter weight. I will say it is the most boring luxury car I've ever driven, although super comfortable. The size was also huge and difficult to judge- can't see out the back, can't see where the hood ends, etc- super annoying. The transmissions in the Camry/ES V6 models are so smooth though.

She traded in her ES for a 2015 Volvo XC70 wagon which turned out to be a lemon. She replaced it with a 2015 Audi A4 Allroad which is essentially a jacked up A4 Wagon, same 2.0T Wagon

The Allroad is a lot of fun. AWD is a huge plus. Fit and finish is top notch. It's comfortable. Driving dynamics are excellent... Way more fun than the Lexus which handles like a squishy cloud. That said, the tighter ride is less comfortable. The 2015 A4 2.0T doesn't have quite the grunt (0-60) of your Camry, but the handling makes up for it. Shes had it maybe a year at this point and has had a few minor electrical issues but nothing major and everything was covered under warranty.

My mom got over 30mpg average highway in her ES- amazing. Her Audi gets about 26-27 average, not quite as good but it's not bad considering AWD and being a solid little bugger.

Her biggest gripe about the Allroad by far is the size- it's pretty small compared to her previous cars (2015 XC70, 2009 Lexus ES350, 2005 XC90, 2001 Audi A6 Allroad, etc). Small trunk, small back seat, tight cockpit. That said, she has more kids in the house now, I suppose. It's too bad the NA market doesn't get the A6 Allroad. (The original A6 Allroad had cool features like a low range transfer case and air suspension- not found on the A4 AA). She also doesn't love Audi MMI, but that expected as she's 60 years old. I will add my gripes that my mom doesn't notice, the 4cyl Audi engine isn't nearly as smooth as the 6cyl Toyota/Lexus.

Be forwarned if you've never owned a German car they are atrociously expensive to fix. Her A6 Allroad was a disaster, but Audis reliability was awful back then. It took some convincing from some relatives with newer Audis to convince my father their reliability is better. The A6 post-warranty was literally $3000 minimum with every oil change. My mom kept it for 4-5 years and my sister drove it for a couple. In the end it had ~220,000 miles- but was probably paid for 3x over with repair costs.

The most important point: Cost of Ownership
How long do you plan on keeping the car and how many miles do you plan on driving. Are you buying left-over or CPO or used (how many miles). An extended warranty is probably a wise move and I would get as low as miles as you can afford. While Audis reliability reputation has improved a bit since the early 2000's, there still going to be horrendously expensive to maintain. It's a lot harder to work on them yourself and find independents if you're looking to save money. Also remember they will cost a lot more to insure. My moms 2001 Audi was considered a "sports car" because it had a Turbo (2.7t engine... I believe the base model).

Also, depending on your level of cynicism VAG's TDI scandal has made many skeptical of VAG's trustworthiness.

If you can afford the car, insurance, and maintence (or get a solid warranty), why not. A 2012 Camry with 22k is barely broken in for a Toyota, so the hit on the resale will suck. Also note that Audis resale isn't great a few years down the road.

Best of luck.
 
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sdilley14 said:
I drive about 20-30 miles a day.
Click to expand...

I doubt it.

sdilley14 said:
Ok, so right now I drive a 2012 Camry SE V6 (about 22k miles)
Click to expand...

I have a 2011 vehicle (late model-year build, the 2012's were hitting the lots when I bought mine) with over 2x as many miles on it as yours and I commute 30+ miles round-trip a day. I take the occasional road trip but it's pretty much just 30 miles every weekday, the trips don't add up to an additional 30k miles.

My sister has a pretty much loaded 4-cyl Camry, same year as yours. If I was looking for a sedan, I'd consider one. I'm not sure the Audi interior quality is THAT much better than the Camry to warrant replacing the Camry, unless you have a ton of $$ burning a hole in your pocket.

I also want the next best thing in my vehicle, I'm itching to get Android Auto factory-installed in a vehicle, though financially I can't justify it so I'm planning on waiting for the next refresh of my vehicle (which will include it as it's starting to roll out with my manufacturer of choice) and then another year so I don't get a first-year of a new design. By then, my vehicle will be 10 years old and will have over 100K miles on it.
 
Lease German if you get bored every couple of years. The problem with buying a Toyota is you'll never have an excuse to replace it.

I'm in a similar position: I love my Acura but my eyes wander from time to time but I can never find an excuse to replace my car because those darn Honda 2.4 liters run forever.
 
Cancel your insurance and have a crushing yard take it. They'll give you $900-1200 for it.
 
How-much-should-you-spend-on-a-car.jpg
Going to get Hyundai Veloster turbo this year.

Audi's are very nice, ask yourself if you really need to have a luxury car. I see you getting one with warranty so you should be set.

Thing about this cars is the depreciation, it is nuts. But hey if you have money and want a great comfy ride, go for it.

What I just really find interesting or maybe it's just me is when like here in Orange County, California is when an new S class Mercedes parked next to a 400,000 house. And it's not just this kind of example, there are many more I see around. People are still thinking that if a person driving a luxury vehicle he/she is automatically wealthy - I say it is just a pressure from others.

It's definitely great feeling but here's what I will do if just an example I ever buy 100,000 + car I will never (lease, finance unless I want to finance only about 5-10% and other 90% is cash). It just shows that you can't afford the vehicle. Interesting graph I found and it is very true fro my perspective.

Good Luck on your decision, keep us updated.
 
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