We had a bit of a surprise a this past week in New England – snow fell early in November throughout most of the area. I promptly updated my calendar for this weekend to change over snow tires – always a bitter-sweet time of year. As much as moving all that snow is a pain, if you have the right car it sure can be fun to drive in! In my case, I’ve been suffering a 8 year quattro drought, but thankfully my wonderful wife lets me sling her Subaru Outback through some parking lots from time to time – and importantly, she lets me take it to winter driving schools. Winter driving schools in general are one of the best ways to learn car control. Effectively, the same things occur on ice and snow that occur on the track – they just occur at a much, much lower speed. Ice and snow point out both strengths and faults in the chassis. Few people drive away from these events without a giant smile on their faces, even when they arrive afraid of driving in the white stuff!
You can buy many cars that are good in the snow or you can slot snow tires onto your winter ride; but if you want to combine some sport, some utility, and fantastic performance in the snow into one package, few do it better than these two. Unfortunately for American consumers, the days of Audi wagons in the U.S. are gone; we’re currently limited to the A4 Allroad. BMW still offers the wagons but at over $40,000 new without options, they’re not exactly affordable for most folks. What’s a German car fan to do? Well, you can look back a few years and find some great options – such as today’s A4 and 328. Let’s start with the A4:
Year: 2008
Model: A4 Quattro Avant S-line
Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-4
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 66,000 mi
Price: $17,950 Buy It Now
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2008 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Avant S-line on eBay
2008 Audi A4 2.0T AVANT QUATTRO
1 OWNER
FULLY EQUIPPED
NO PAINTWORK
EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN
WELL-MAINTAINED
CARFAX CERTIFIED – FREE REPORT BELOW
Light Silver Metallic Paint and Black Leather Interior
This rare 1 owner A4 Avant is exceptionally clean throughout. Runs and drives flawlessly. Vehicle has been fully inspected and serviced with up-to-date maintenance.
Immaculate condition throughout.
Purchase with confidence!
RARE A4 AVANT QUATTRO!
RARE 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION!
S-LINE SPORT PACKAGE!
QUATTRO ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM
BOSE PREMIUM SOUND SYSTEM
LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
HEATED SEATS
BLUETOOTH
IPOD INTEGRATION
DUAL ZONE CLIMATE CONTROL
POWER GLASS SUNROOF
TINTED WINDOWS
18 INCH WHEELS
FACTORY FLOORMATS
There’s a fair amount to like here – the S-line sport package coupled with the B7 chassis was one of the best looking A4s to date – while I still prefer the Titanium package, these are still impressive. The quattros have become more “safe” with their AWD system over several generations and the newer quattros generally aren’t as good on snow and ice than the early generations, but they’re much smarter in changing conditions – something important to most drivers. I’m not a big fan of dark interiors and window tinting, but the 6 speed manual is a great match for the 2.0T power delivery. Not a fan of used Audis? How about a BMW:
Audis grab so much of the AWD headlines that BMW and Mercedes-Benz are often left out of the conversation. Despite this, the 328xi has evolved into a very competent car in the white stuff. Coupled with the torque-laden 3.0 inline-6, the 328 makes a great package for both sport and all-weather capability. This particular example looks splendid in dark blue over tan leather.
Year: 2007
Model: 328xi Touring
Engine: 3.0 liter inline-6
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Mileage: 67,193 mi
Price: $18,995 Buy It Now
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2007 BMW 328xi Touring on eBay
We are offering a beautiful 2007 BMW 328XI wagon for sale; in very good condition. This BMW is fully loaded with; all wheel drive system, power sunroof, CD player, leather interior, heated seats, and more! The Carfax report shows three owners, no accidents, and 21 service records! The vehicle is clean, has a beautiful color combo and is ready to go. Please view all pictures closely and ask all questions before buying.
BMW has always been known to manufacture very reliable vehicles and this 328XI is a perfect example. This BMW has 67,193 original documented miles. THIS CAR RUNS GREAT!
The vehicle is powered by 3.0L L6 DOHC 24V engine, which runs very strong and smooth. The automatic transmission shifts perfectly into every gear and is noise free. The suspension on the vehicle is tight and drives smooth on the road. The brakes work very well; with excellent stopping ability. All power options and vehicle functions work excellent. There are no maintenance lights on in this vehicle. The wheels are 16″ BMW wheels. The wheels are in very good condition and have some light curbing on them. The Continental tires have about 85-80% tread left. (tire size: 205/55R16).
The overall condition of this vehicle is very good. The exterior is in very good condition. The paint shines very nicely and is glossy. There are some light scratches here and there on the car. Would rate the exterior 8.5 out of 10. Call us and we will go over the vehicle while you are on the phone (724)799-9563. This BMW has a beautiful color scheme, the exterior is Blue and the interior is Tan. The interior is in very good condition. The driver seat is in very good condition and shows normal wear. The passenger seat along with the rear seats is in excellent condition. The carpet is in very good condition and has a couple light stains on it. The floor mats are in good condition and have some stains on them. Would rate the interior 8 .5 out of 10. All of the glass is in excellent condition.
The BMW isn’t as good looking as the A4, but I really prefer the color combination. Despite this, I think the A4 is a better package overall; manual, turbocharged quattros are always great fun. Prices on both seem to be on par with the market, and the Audi is slightly less expensive, making it even more attractive. Which would you choose?
-Carter
The Mrs. is thinking about a new car and we are considering an A4 Avant like this instead of another Subaru. We can get a new Outback for about $22.5k, for the same money we could find a lower mileage A4 than this example.
The big question is reliability. Has VAG gotten any better over the last few years?
Wonder who wreaked the A4’s front end/grill, obviously happened after the pictures were taken for the ad. Makes me wonder what the rest of the car currently looks like – Buyer beware!
A4 is no longer available, either sold with all the front-end blemishes, or they took down the ad.