00' GS3 Or 02' A4 ?

[GsAuthority]

Im undecided on what car to get, its either going to be a 00' GS3 or a 02' A4. I know the GS is a whole different category than the A4, but the the A4 would be 2 years newer, and also the GS will have a new body for 06'. So what do u guys think?

[Lexdiamonds]

OVERALL I LIKE LEXUS BETTER BUT IF THE AUDI HAS THE NEWER BODY STYLE AND IS 2 YEARS NEWER I WOULD GO WITH THE A4, JUST MY OPINION.

[BillO]

<I always consider the model year. However, mileage is really more a factor here in as much as the gs300 hasn't changed much since 98. Also be aware that the A4 will be smaller and does not have the repair history of the Lexus.

The A4 is a great car with superior performance characteristics. The Lexus is more a head turner with better resale.

Tough Choice!

[SW03ES]

Also bear in mind that Audis require special diagnostic equipment that makes them very hard to work on, Lexus does not.

[1998GS400]

I'm actually selling a 2000 Audi A4 2.8Quattro because it has very very poor gas milage! Its rated at 18 mpg (V6), and gets exactly 18mpg. My GS400(V8) is also rated at 18mpg, but get more in the area of 22+mpg :). Another thing to consider is long term cost of ownership (german parts and shop time is big bucks!)

The the one thing i like about the Audi is all the little things (such as red LEDs in the headliner which light up all the area of the controls, so when you go to turn something on/of you can see where your hand is) it also has a pretty nice trip computer. The only downside is the 18mpg gas comsumption.

Good Luck on your choice.. hope your happy with what you buy:)

-Taran

[TurboGS300]

Ask yourself, would I rather have a Toyota or a Volkswagen? Gee, I would say Toyota any day! :P :D

[SW03ES]

After the experience my mother had with Volkswagen I wouldn't be caught dead in one lol.

[TWINTURBO619]

Im undecided on what car to get, its either going to be a 00' GS3 or a 02' A4. I know the GS is a whole different category than the A4, but the the A4 would be 2 years newer, and also the GS will have a new body for 06'. So what do u guys think?

in my opinion, the audi should not stand against the gs300. overall, the gs3 is a much superior car than the audi. well all know that the gs3 is a toyota aristo and that the audi a4 is like the equivalent to the volkwagon derby. the engines on these audi/volkswagons are not reliable as the toyota engine especially the 2jz. on top of that, the interior of the gs3 is much more plush oppossed to the audi a4 which has the identical interior as a volkswagon jetta or passat. if the two cars were side by side, the gs3 would definately get more attention. that's just a general factor in my opinion. so out of all this, go for the 00' gs3. good luck with your decision.

[SW03ES]

I dont at all agree on the interior. The A4 and the ES are constantly battling for the top rated entry level interior. Audi interiors are a thing of beauty, perfectly constructed, they get a lot of praise from the automotive press.

VW and Audi interiors are totally different. Thats like saying the interior of the Camry and the ES are the same, which is rediculous.

[TWINTURBO619]

I dont at all agree on the interior. The A4 and the ES are constantly battling for the top rated entry level interior. Audi interiors are a thing of beauty, perfectly constructed, they get a lot of praise from the automotive press.

VW and Audi interiors are totally different. Thats like saying the interior of the Camry and the ES are the same, which is rediculous.

i beg to differ on the interiors on both the audi A4 and the volkswagen pasat/jetta. the interiors are almost identical and for an audi, i would expect more out of it. but it's all good though, i'm not hating on the audi A4 quatro, but actually a fan on watching them during super touring races. but either than that, i'm all for the gs3/aristo. but yeah, it's party time so everyone have a good weekend.

[SW03ES]

You're the first person that I've ever heard say anything negative about an Audi interior ;)

And actually, not one component of the exteriors or interiors are shared between an Audi and a VW, except for little things like switchgear that Lexus shares with Toyota.

[SW03ES]

For instance here is the A4:

And the Passat:

I dont see how anyone can see they're the same interior at all...

[TWINTURBO619]

You're the first person that I've ever heard say anything negative about an Audi interior ;)

And actually, not one component of the exteriors or interiors are shared between an Audi and a VW, except for little things like switchgear that Lexus shares with Toyota.

here are pictures of the interiors

passat

A4 audi

jetta

so they are virtually identical with the exception of minor trimming. but i'm still not hating. i just expect more from audi that's all. i'm a fan on the design of the A4 quatro and supertouring edition. But will stay true to my ArIsTo.

[SW03ES]

LOL not at all! Not one peice in any three of those interiors is shared. Lexus interiors look just as similar to their Toyota counterparts. All it is is family lineage.

The cars are even different sizes. The A4 is larger than the Jetta, but not as large as the Passat.

I think you need to go and test drive a VW and an Audi, they're very different cars.

You can be "true to your Aristo" and still acknowledge quality in other manufacturers.

[TWINTURBO619]

LOL not at all! Not one peice in any three of those interiors is shared. Lexus interiors look just as similar to their Toyota counterparts. All it is is family lineage.

The cars are even different sizes. The A4 is larger than the Jetta, but not as large as the Passat.

I think you need to go and test drive a VW and an Audi, they're very different cars.

You can be "true to your Aristo" and still acknowledge quality in other manufacturers.

i do acknwoledge the racing aspect of the audi. i think they are great in super touring. but as for a regular commercial car, i would still choose the gs3. i agree with the family lineage of both manufactures. but when it all comes down to it, the interiors are virtually the same with minor trim discrepency. so it goes with toyota/lexus. you can still tell who makes the car by the interior especially a VW and Audi. but it's all good in the hood, i'm all for my car and the super touring edition A4. but personally, not to discourage VW/Audi enthusiast... but i would go for the Audi instead of a Jetta if those were my only choices.

[SW03ES]

With the Jetta and the Audi you're talking about a $20,000 car vs a $35,000 car, its like comparing a Corolla to an IS300, theres no comparison to be made. As for the interiors, I can see the family resemblence but thats it, and you truly are the only person I've ever heard say anything bad about an Audi interior. Even Lexus takes design cues in their interiors from Audi.

Audis are very under-appreciated cars. The A8 is a fantastic car, very cutting edge, the A6 is a great mid road luxury car with a good ride, great interior, good power and economy. The A4 is a little small for me, but I see it as a worthy competitor to the 3 series BMW.

Thing about the A4 is that its not designed to compete against the GS300, its designed to compete against the 3 series, C class, IS300.

My only qualm with Volkswagen is the quality issues that my mother faced with her car and the way they dealt with them, it would definately keep me from ever buying a VW, and will probably keep me from buying an Audi.

[Lex_Chick _GsBGizzle]

Hey,

you are in a lexus forum, not audi.... what do you think we should say? lol

And the fact the your are comparing an a4 to a gs, is a huge insult for a few reasons.

Lexus gs = audi a6 (an understatment and insult on it's own)

lexus es = audi a4!!

Hope this helps!

[PharmGuy]

Well, I was just reading this and I have a friend that owns an Audi (not

sure if it's an A4) but he's having a difficult time getting it serviced. It's

gotta go back to the dealer in Hartford, CT area and every time it does,

it's a 2-3 day event. Sure,they give him a loaner, but it's been in & out

a lot for 39K mile car. To quote him, "you only own 1 Audi in your lifetime,

that's the limit to your patience" But I don't think he would be thrilled with

a Lexus either---- he drives like an ex-IRL driver.

PharmGuy

[SW03ES]

I always expect people to be mature and impartial like I am ;) Like I said before, just because we prefer Lexus doesn't mean we can't see the good in any other vehicles.

And actually the ES300 is much bigger than the A4, the ES300 is ACTUALLY bigger than the GS believe it or not. The A4 is really an IS300 competitor and the A6 competes with both the GS and the ES. The A6 has a lot of model range with pricing starting in the 30s and going to the 50s. It comes in a FWD 6 cyl version (like the ES), an AWD 6 (comparable to the GS300) , an AWD turbocharged 6, and an AWD V8 (comparable to the GS430). When I was shopping I seriously considered the A6 but never even drove the A4 because it was way too small, like the IS300, C320, 330i etc. They're all economy car sized.

Oh and before you say comparing the A6 or the A4 to the GS is an insult, they both WAY outsell the Lexus GS. You can be proud of your car and not be a big headed jerk by shooting down someone else's car out of hand when you really don't even know what it is you're shooting down. There are other cars on earth, and everyone likes something different. Just because you don't like a car doesn't make it bad. I dont like the GS, but I respect it as a great car. Brand bashing has no place here at the LOC, we leave that to the Ford vs Chevy people, ClubLexus, and mbworld.org. If you want to bash cars without having the information to back it up then sites like that are more your speed. If you want to discuss cars with a group of mature adults, then this is your site.

I can feel your friend's pain about getting the Audi serviced. VW/Audi requires special diagnostic equipment to repair, and its SO expensive that independent shops can't afford to buy it. So in a lot of areas you're really stuck with the dealer. VW/Audi's special diagnostic equipment is significantly more expensive than BMWs for instance...

Audi is a sort of "cultlike" thing, its almost like driving a Porsche or even a Ferrari, you've got to pay to play. Not me, but they're great cars....

[Lex_Chick _GsBGizzle]

UUUhhh.....Ouch ouch ouch that huuuuuuurt. If your talkin to me, I wasnt brand bashing. I DID NOT START THIS DISCUSSION.

LExus forums are for lexus lovers. Don't need are expect us to encourage someone to buy another brand - that is exactly what they are asking! It doesn;t matter how big a car is. Yes, as is some competing companings there is an overlaping, cause there really is only three main audis, and five lexus sedans. Is, es, gs, ls, and a4, a6, a8.

[Lex_Chick _GsBGizzle]

Yes, as i was saying about getting an a4, I beleive it is really a bad idea to get a disontued one ( new body, etc)just for the improvements, and yours won't hold it's value. Also, just because a 2000, is soon to be 5 years old! This is what i would do if it were me;)

ANyways, how much are you asked to pay for this 2000 and also for the what-

'02 gs? (which is not as bad as it it isn't too old, and the new one hasnt come out.?

I have seen ads for the '02 audi for 19 grand.! off autotrader. Hope you dont have to pay too much more!

[Lex_Chick _GsBGizzle]

Oops, one more thing.

Disregard what i said about the model years, as i didn't see what you said about it being an '02. Hey, Do you really think the '02 and '02 are worth similar amounts?

ALso, which model, the 1.8, or 3.0, quattro? These things make the differnce!~

[SW03ES]

The Lexus he's shopping for is a 2000 and it soon to be 5 years old

Its a 2000 GS300 vs a 2002 Audi A4

I don't expect you to suggest to him that he buy something other than a Lexus, but I do expect you to be respectful to owners and members that like other cars. Real car enthusiasts have respect for all car, every car has its merits. There are other cars on earth, the Lexus isn't the be all and end all.

Audi sells what Lexus sells is 4 models in 3. Size and price DO matter, very much so. The size and price of a car dictate what the customer will look at when they are shopping. Buyers dont look at a BMW Z4 and an LS430, they're totally different cars. Buyers of the ES and GS cross shop the A6. Really the cars at odds here are the GS3 and the ES, as they offer about the same amount of equipment at a similar price. In fact for a while Lexus was going to drop the GS3 but they've decided to move it upmarket a little instead.

You gotta give Audi its props, the A4 and the A6 outsell the IS and the GS respectively. If you combine ES and GS sales (as both compete with different versions of the A6) then its a different story as GS sales are almost nonexistant at this point.

I think you should do a little more research into the car industry ;)

[Lex_Chick _GsBGizzle]

OK Swe303, enough. I dont care.

[SW03ES]

Well you better care because rudeness and disrespect aren't tolerated here. In the future if you're just gonna slam on something without having the knowledge base to back it up, think twice.

If you wanna discuss the merits of one car vs another thats great, we can do that all day long. But "that car sucks, comparing it is an insult!" is ignorant and its BS. Save it for less mature boards.