Audi A4 and Merc C-class

Soldato
Joined
31 May 2009
Posts
21,468
I have some questions for the folks who know things about cars.
I am currently driving a soon to be 4 year old Audi A4, it was an SE Tecknik, quite well specced, xenons, full leather, sat nav etc. Cost me money down plus £293 a month.
Given the PCP bubble come Nov I'll owe 9500 or so if I wish to keep it.
Tecknik's don't exist anymore, and Audi has had a new model in the past 4 years, so the A4 is a different beast now, they've had an emissions scandal also, which seems to have affected the projected value of the vehicle, meaning my old car won't be giving an awful lot of value if traded in/up for a new one.

I haven't been to the dealer yet, who no doubt might be able to manipulate things a little, but looking at website and various offers, the current breed of A4 seems incredible dear for what you are purchasing.

Roughly a base A4 they'll be wanting 6K deposit, £299 a month, and a bubble at the end to pay off of £13500, this is without LED light, just xenons, and no signs of all the nice driver aids included, parking assist, rear camera, no full leather, v base satnat.
The current Merc C-class with a similar engine, can come in an SE Executive trim, which includes all the electronic gubbins, sat nav, rear camera, reversing assist, full leathers, basically the spec my old car had, as included.
Merc would want £4K down, £304 a month, and a bubble of £8300 at the end.

Am I missing something?
Is the c-class not equivalent to an A4?
Is the C about to be replaced with a new model?
Am I likely to get a much better offer by dandering into Audi?

There just seem such a gulf in the pricing as advertised.
2k less down, and bubble 5K less at the end for roughly the same monthlies.
I don't know much about cars, I know what I feel is comfortable, and nice to drive, so what am I missing?
 
My vote would be for the c class over the a4. Mercedes seem to be pushing finance deals quite heavily at the moment and it's working. A lot of die-hard bmw and Audi owners I know have switched to mercedes. The fact that the current e class is lovely doesn't seem to hurt though...
 
If you like Audi the discounts on the A6 at the moment are huge and make it cheaper than an A4.
I noticed that last night, the A6 seems to work out several hundred pounds cheaper over 4 year, is the model about to be replaced?
I don't think my wife wants to drive anything bigger than we have.
 
I noticed that last night, the A6 seems to work out several hundred pounds cheaper over 4 year, is the model about to be replaced?
I don't think my wife wants to drive anything bigger than we have.
It's due replacement in 2019. The A6 doesn't feel massively bigger than the A4 to drive in all honesty.
 
It's due replacement in 2019. The A6 doesn't feel massively bigger than the A4 to drive in all honesty.

Also due to the great way Audi seem to take ages to do anything despite having been around a while the current A6 is generationally the same as the new A4 and the old A4 was of the same generation as the 2004-2011 A6.
 
The current C-class was launched in 2014, so probably be at least 2020 before a new model is announced. You may see a facelift in the next 18 months or so though.
 
Great, thanks all, will pop down to Audi over the next few weeks, and see if they've anything special going on, else I'll pop over the road and get a drive in a c-class.
 
We're 12 posts in and no one has suggested something completely random? Motors is slipping...

Have you considered a 2nd hand V8 Vantage?
 
Just so you know you can buy a used industrial generator for similar money. I considered one but opted for an automatic diesel saloon instead.
 
I've seen a keenly priced catarmaran that might fit in budget, its not so quick on the motorway commute but for cross channel it's a peach. I considered one, but felt that I could cope with less buoyancy.
 
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