Help me pick a C7 A6 - What are the features you appreciate / wish you had?

[AL.]

Hoping to get some insight from all you C7 A6 owners. I've been looking for one for a while but now that my current daily driver is starting to give me more issues it's time to step up the search and pull the trigger soon. I have some good options available that are within my budget but it's one of those situations where I can't get everything and I need to prioritize, which is turning out to be very hard.

I'm coming from a 2009 3.2l quattro A5. Love it, love the engine, the B&O sound system and all the little things about it. Here's what I'm currently debating.

C7 Prestige or C7.5 Premium/Premium Plus with a 2.0T?

Coming from a V6 I was originally looking for V6 only but the modern look of the facelifted C7.5 is pretty tempting. I know everyone loves the supercharged V6 and rightfully so, but for my boring SoCal freeway commuting the 2.0T would probably be fine. The horsepower and torque of the new 2.0T is actually very close to my current 3.2l (252hp/273lb-ft vs. 265hp/243lb-ft).

Quattro or FWD?

Like I said I'm in Southern California where the car will never see snow and even rain is rare. How much different is the daily driving experience with a FWD vs. quattro when we're strictly talking about summer conditions? I know a lot of people say quattro is the only reason to get an Audi and I'm definitely leaving that way, heavily. But there's a lot of FWD Premium models for sale that are significantly cheaper. Would you consider those or should that be a hard pass? I love the way my A5 drives and honestly can't remember what it's like to drive a non-quattro car.

Full LED headlights

I saw a thread somewhere where people said it's a night and day difference and you should definitely go with Full LED headlights. I love the look of them but I don't do a ton of nighttime driving. I'm pretty happy with my A5's Bi-Xenon headlights. Are the full LED lights worth the extra cost?

Driver Assistance Package

One of the options I'm most interested in, mostly because of adaptive cruise control. 99% of the cars I've found don't have this so it limits my options heavily. Is it worth it?

Head up Display

Besides the ventilated seats (again, California...) this is one of the features that's drawing me towards an older Prestige model. Is it gimmicky or is it useful?

Apple Carplay

Looks like 2017 models got Apple Carplay, I've never owned a car with one but I've messed with it when I had a rental and it seemed fantastic. I feel like this is one of those things where once you have it you can't go without it?

Appreciate any and all insight from everyone who owns one of these. I had a test drive scheduled today at my local Audi dealership but after I showed up neither the car nor the salesman were actually there so I'm stuck doing internet research for now. Also any advice on common issues or things to look out for is always much appreciated.

[choy188]

I would definitely say quattro is a nice to have, I believe the 7.5 fwd cars switched to a 7 speed dct from the cvt in the c7. I would avoid the cvt. Car play is something that with a bit of diy can be fitted to a pre facelift car. The led headlights look amazing but you can definitely live without them. the heads up display is a gimmick but you get used to it fast and it is definitely a nice to have. I would definitely say that the 2.0t especially with a tune can easily match or exceed the performance of the old 3.2 though.

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[jcoleman_11]

Oh dear god. You’re considering 2.0T and FWD, shame!!
Seriously, the 3.0T is one of the best engines Audi has ever made. It’s pretty much the reason to get an A6. S4 performance but with more luxury. But 2.0T and no Quattro, you’re just left with a nice interior. You would regret your decision.


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[hrpfg2]

Agreed with above.
Remember the A6 is also heavier than the A5 so you will definitely feel it with the 2.0

[2k16A6]

People like different things about cars... my mother just bought a new Toyota Highlander hybrid to replace her 2018 highlander hybrid and she said that they changed engines in the hybrid models and the new one is noticeably slower than her old one was. Despite that, she said that it has more than enough pep for her needs and she leaves it in “eco” mode 100% of the time. What she likes most about the new car is the quality of the interior vs her older one, along with the additional options she has like heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel, hud, etc plus it gets marginally better gas mileage. For me personally, before buying my A6 I test drove a new hybrid rav 4 which toyota literally markets as “fast” and coming from an older F150 I felt it was sluggish which was a deal breaker for me.

All this is to say that personally I would not get the 2.0t but if you truly don’t care about the extra 80 HP or so then that’s fine too. I actually had a 2.0t A6 as a rental a while back and while it was noticeably slower than my 3.0t, I can understand that for much of the population it is more than adequate.

[A665]

This might be a bit of apples vs oranges, but sharing for general information.

My wife owned a 2011 A4 Quattro 2.0T Premium and now owns a 2016 Q5 Quattro 2.0T Premium Plus. She particularly appreciates good fuel economy, so that was a big factor in selecting the 2.0T engine, and she was very pleased with the overall driving experience. Off the line these cars feel sluggish to me, but my preference is a more sporty driving experience---and fuel economy is a lesser concern. However, she always notices how much more quick my A6 3.0T is off the line and she gets a kick out of it.

All the above said, I lucked into my A6 after discovering it at my local dealer, and I bought it on the spot. It's a Prestige model and I absolutely enjoy all the features and nice touches. I've never owned a car with heated AND cooled/ventilated seats or full LED headlights or quad-zone HVAC or interior LED lighting or any of the other dozen cool luxury bits. I didn't buy it to impress my neighbors; I bought it because it feels great to drive this car and experience all the great features and design---it's absolutely a kick to drive, look at and enjoy. Huge fun factor and overall just a very satisfying car.

[sepheroth86]

Get one with all the stuff.

[prestige.phantom]

I am personally very inclined toward a car with all the options. I think its what makes a older luxury car make sense. That being said, my advice would be to buy the highest option car you can find, but in good condition. While options are cool and very tempting, dont let yourself be fooled into a bad car by a lot of options. Condition must always come first.

Regarding your other questions.

Quattro. Without a doubt. If your gonna get FWD get an off lease CPO A3. A6 with FWD is ridiculous, Im disappointed they even made that car.

Bi-Xenon are more than fine for most people, but the Full LED are AMAZING. In your case, I wouldn't let Full LED be a deciding factor since you dont seem to care that much, but its definitely a nice feature to have.

Drivers Assistance. I don't have it, if you do a lot of highway driving, I would say its 100% worth it. I definitely miss it on longer drives.

Head Up display. Again I don't have it. Kind of a gimmick. I can definitely live without it.

CarPlay. Very nice to have. Makes maps perpetually up-to-date. I get around just fine without it, but having spent a lot of time in cars with it, CarPlay is nice to have. Wouldn't be a deciding factor for me personally, but its nice.

Not sure what your budget is, but based on what cars you mentioned, I would lean towards a 2015 Prestige with all the possible options if it were me.

[sepheroth86]

Mine has HUD, and whenever I drive a car without it, I never know how fast I am going.

[5000S]

I would get the Prestige package, the only one that comes with ventilated seats for cooling on AC. Better than swass and swack on those summer days.
If you live where it is warm all the time, more important yet.

The Xenon lights are very good, so I don't feel the LED headlights are necessary. You do want the 3.0T and quattro, standard in the better packages.
To me HUD would be a nuisance and I would turn it off.
The Bose sound system is worth it also, better base and more than the standard.

[AL.]

I believe the 7.5 fwd cars switched to a 7 speed dct from the cvt in the c7. I would avoid the cvt.

Good point about the transmission, haven't paid much attention to those yet but I'll definitely take that into consideration.

Oh dear god. You’re considering 2.0T and FWD, shame!!
Seriously, the 3.0T is one of the best engines Audi has ever made. It’s pretty much the reason to get an A6. S4 performance but with more luxury. But 2.0T and no Quattro, you’re just left with a nice interior. You would regret your decision.

Haha I knew this was coming and I hate it because you're 100% right. I used to not care about performance at all but after owning my A5 it's started to matter a lot. The 3.0T seems to have a reputation as a reliable engine too? I think all I've seen is comments about oil consumption.

All the above said, I lucked into my A6 after discovering it at my local dealer, and I bought it on the spot. It's a Prestige model and I absolutely enjoy all the features and nice touches. I've never owned a car with heated AND cooled/ventilated seats or full LED headlights or quad-zone HVAC or interior LED lighting or any of the other dozen cool luxury bits. I didn't buy it to impress my neighbors; I bought it because it feels great to drive this car and experience all the great features and design---it's absolutely a kick to drive, look at and enjoy. Huge fun factor and overall just a very satisfying car.

I'm the same way, my wife mostly wants her car to look good and she doesn't care much about tech and features. I want my car to look good but I also want the best possible driving experience. How's the Ambient LED interior lighting? I feel like that's the kind of small detail that get easily overlooked but knowing myself I would probably love it. Same with ventilated seats, I can't even imagine what they feel like but a black car in California does get hot a lot so they sound extremely tempting.

I am personally very inclined toward a car with all the options. I think its what makes a older luxury car make sense. That being said, my advice would be to buy the highest option car you can find, but in good condition. While options are cool and very tempting, dont let yourself be fooled into a bad car by a lot of options. Condition must always come first.

Agreed, this is the most important and my least favorite part about finding a new car. I'm currently looking at Audi dealers, CarMax and Carvana and private sellers. They all have their pros and cons. CarMax had one that looked pretty good, it's out of town but shipping wasn't expensive at all. Decided to run a Carfax on it and sure enough there's damage reported that CarMax doesn't mention at all (and no maintenance which doesn't necessarily mean anything but that's another story...). Definitely getting a PPI done but it's always a pain to figure out whether the car has had regular oil changes etc. We recently bought a Mercedes for my wife from a private seller and the seller happened to be a German auto engineer who worked for Mercedes. I've never seen a car with a better maintenance history in my life, to say he took good care of it would be an understatement. We lucked out big time and I hate how I probably won't find anything like that with my A6 search.

Not sure what your budget is, but based on what cars you mentioned, I would lean towards a 2015 Prestige with all the possible options if it were me.

Starting to lean that way. There's one 2015 Prestige and one 2016 Prestige both listed by private sellers near me. Neither are perfect when it comes to the options and packages, but I'll probably have to settle on some things on my wish list. A part of me wants to pull the trigger now and a part of me wants to keep waiting for the perfect car to be listed.

Mine has HUD, and whenever I drive a car without it, I never know how fast I am going.

Lol some say it’s a gimmick but I think I’d love it. Had to set a speed warning to 80mph in my A5 because I would punch it and not even realize how fast I’m going.

The Bose sound system is worth it also, better base and more than the standard.

I bet. I love my A5’s B&O and I really wanted to get B&O again but I’ve given up hope on finding a C7 A6 with it. It’s really hard to find comparisons how the Bose system on these cars compare with the older B&O that my A5 has. C7 Bose has 14 speakers and 630 watts compared to my B&O that’s 14 speakers and 505 watts, so I would expect it to be similar or slightly better.

[prestige.phantom]

I bet. I love my A5’s B&O and I really wanted to get B&O again but I’ve given up hope on finding a C7 A6 with it. It’s really hard to find comparisons how the Bose system on these cars compare with the older B&O that my A5 has. C7 Bose has 14 speakers and 630 watts compared to my B&O that’s 14 speakers and 505 watts, so I would expect it to be similar or slightly better.

I would say the A6 Bose is comparable to the A5 B&O. The A6 B&O is incredible 1000+ watts, rising tweeters, etc.

[Valpo A7]

When we entered the world of Audi we were first looking at the A5. The 3, 4, and 6 all just looked to plain. We wanted the sportier look of a the A5. Until we saw an A7 and opted for that. For us the 6 was just too plain looking. Remove the 4 rings and slap any other badge on it.

The 6 blends in so well that the current Cannonball record is set by a S6 that they stripped of its identity and badged it to look like a Ford police cruiser. It blended in to help them run 100 mph sustained.

I wanted the flair of the 7 and not the sedan look of a 6.

Too each their own.

[moosehead1]

She's a big girl, get the bigger engine even for highway commuting in socal traffic.

Since it sounds like you are going with lightly used, many of the upgraded features are getting priced in inexpensively. As others said above, just get all the stuff.

[Alabama]

She's a big girl, get the bigger engine even for highway commuting in socal traffic.

Since it sounds like you are going with lightly used, many of the upgraded features are getting priced in inexpensively. As others said above, just get all the stuff.

Second that. As a general rule, options depreciate much faster than the base car. One advantage of buying used is getting more options for the same price.

[bahula03]

Trying to stick to the things I'm familiar with;

Full LED headlights- functionally, they're a bit better. I forget which model year it starts with, but Consumer Reports has tests for some C7s and (IIRC) all C7.5s. IMO for the C7, the car just doesn't look quite right design-wise without the LED headlights, and that was reason enough for me.

Drivers Assistance Package- I've found adaptive cruise to be most useful in stop and go traffic and in relatively calm traffic. If there is a lot of lane changing going on, it can get pretty annoying for everyone as it tries to maintain the set following distance. Best thing to do is go test drive a car that has it, even if you're not interested in that particular car, and see how it works for you.

HUD- nice to have, but not at all a must-have. It's very limited in what it can show (speed, directions from the built-in nav, cruise control info, pedestrian warning w/night vision, and I think maybe oil temp) and all but disappears with most polarized sunglasses. Doesn't feel gimmicky to me and I like mine, but 100% of the functionality is duplicated on the dash display.

Ventilated seats- another thing that you need to experience for yourself because they aren't the cold equivalent of heated seats, but almost worth going prestige for these alone. Getting in the car on a hot day and having cool air circulating is just nice.

CarPlay- don't have personal experience on this one, but if it's a priority for you then do your research. For me, the go-to aftermarket solution (RSNAV) just seems a bit too buggy, but that's a very subjective thing.

I'm sure you'll figure out which motor checks your boxes, but I will say that like the LED headlights, the prestige trim was needed for me to ~feel~ like it was a proper A6. There's some little stuff on the P/P+ like having a manually adjustable steering wheel, or the three-zone climate controller that looks like it's out of an A3, that'd otherwise let down the experience.

[xanmato]

I would like to throw in the fact that you may have to wait to find the one you want if you are going for options. Only about 10% are Prestige, and the more you lock in your options the rarer they get. Finding one locally requires extreme luck. I basically had to cheat as well as go a little upside down on my old A6 just to get the jump on my current A6, and that's after waiting 2 years for one to become available. Being patient is the key.

[A665]

I'm the same way, my wife mostly wants her car to look good and she doesn't care much about tech and features. I want my car to look good but I also want the best possible driving experience. How's the Ambient LED interior lighting? I feel like that's the kind of small detail that get easily overlooked but knowing myself I would probably love it. Same with ventilated seats, I can't even imagine what they feel like but a black car in California does get hot a lot so they sound extremely tempting.



Starting to lean that way. There's one 2015 Prestige and one 2016 Prestige both listed by private sellers near me. Neither are perfect when it comes to the options and packages, but I'll probably have to settle on some things on my wish list. A part of me wants to pull the trigger now and a part of me wants to keep waiting for the perfect car to be listed.

Funny story/confession: I did not even realize that my car had the Ambient LED lighting when I bought it. I was driving home from a dinner out with my wife and younger daughter when I began to notice soft light in the doors and at my feet. I honestly didn't know that Ambient Lighting was a thing, or I didn't focus on it, and the prior owner had dimmed it down so far that it was barely noticeable. Once I arrived home I began to explore the settings for interior lighting and played with the dimmer function. I have it set to around 85% or so now, and it's a really nice effect. Must have? No. Nice to have? Definitely.

It's my belief that when you buy a vehicle, you buy one with the most features that you can comfortably afford. This is especially applicable when buying a pre-owned car---dollar for dollar, this strategy gets you the most for your money. If you have access to a reasonably priced, pre-owned Prestige model locally, and you can drive it and have it professionally inspected with good results, that's going to be your best bet in terms of the highest-value acquisition. Some buy cars online, almost as if they are appliances, and that works for many. I would not do that---there can be squeaks, rattles, smells, dynamics that won't convey over the Internet. But that's just me. Overall, however, if I spot a clean, well-maintained car with low to average miles locally, I tend to buy it on the spot.

Good luck!

[himself]

To me, the key features are:
1) HUD. I used it every time I drive. Speed. Nav. etc. I used VCDS to get gearing and temp as well
2) Surround camera view. Older versions don't have this, just the surround radar.
3) mine has deleted smoker's package and I don't have all the sockets I'd like for powering things [camera, radar, etc] I made it work, but it wasn't awesome.
4) under seat storage up to ~2018 or so. Many cars have a little compartment under the seat for storage. I liked that in my older versions. Newer didn't have it.
5) dual pane glass [comes with prestige package]. Really helps to the point where ventilated seats almost never got used.

OK, but not key
A) Adaptive cruise is OK. Distances are too great for actual use though. Leaves big ol' gaps and people just dart in, then your car hits the brakes and leaves another big gap, and it happens again. Even when using the shortest distance. Regular cruise works better for me.
B1) Lane features in C7 are just OK. It's like a little back-and-forth to keep you in the lane, vs keeping you centered like the newer cars do
B2) some dealers charge an arm and a leg for alignment justified by needing to coordinate all the driver assist systems. grrrr.
C) Bose sound system is just OK. But, I'm not picky there. Some find the sound system key, though.

-td

Hoping to get some insight from all you C7 A6 owners. I've been looking for one for a while but now that my current daily driver is starting to give me more issues it's time to step up the search and pull the trigger soon. I have some good options available that are within my budget but it's one of those situations where I can't get everything and I need to prioritize, which is turning out to be very hard.

I'm coming from a 2009 3.2l quattro A5. Love it, love the engine, the B&O sound system and all the little things about it. Here's what I'm currently debating.

C7 Prestige or C7.5 Premium/Premium Plus with a 2.0T?

Coming from a V6 I was originally looking for V6 only but the modern look of the facelifted C7.5 is pretty tempting. I know everyone loves the supercharged V6 and rightfully so, but for my boring SoCal freeway commuting the 2.0T would probably be fine. The horsepower and torque of the new 2.0T is actually very close to my current 3.2l (252hp/273lb-ft vs. 265hp/243lb-ft).

Quattro or FWD?

Like I said I'm in Southern California where the car will never see snow and even rain is rare. How much different is the daily driving experience with a FWD vs. quattro when we're strictly talking about summer conditions? I know a lot of people say quattro is the only reason to get an Audi and I'm definitely leaving that way, heavily. But there's a lot of FWD Premium models for sale that are significantly cheaper. Would you consider those or should that be a hard pass? I love the way my A5 drives and honestly can't remember what it's like to drive a non-quattro car.

Full LED headlights

I saw a thread somewhere where people said it's a night and day difference and you should definitely go with Full LED headlights. I love the look of them but I don't do a ton of nighttime driving. I'm pretty happy with my A5's Bi-Xenon headlights. Are the full LED lights worth the extra cost?

Driver Assistance Package

One of the options I'm most interested in, mostly because of adaptive cruise control. 99% of the cars I've found don't have this so it limits my options heavily. Is it worth it?

Head up Display

Besides the ventilated seats (again, California...) this is one of the features that's drawing me towards an older Prestige model. Is it gimmicky or is it useful?

Apple Carplay

Looks like 2017 models got Apple Carplay, I've never owned a car with one but I've messed with it when I had a rental and it seemed fantastic. I feel like this is one of those things where once you have it you can't go without it?

Appreciate any and all insight from everyone who owns one of these. I had a test drive scheduled today at my local Audi dealership but after I showed up neither the car nor the salesman were actually there so I'm stuck doing internet research for now. Also any advice on common issues or things to look out for is always much appreciated.

[AL.]

I currently have my eye on a 2015 Prestige and 2016 Prestige. Similar mileage and similar options. 2016 is listed for slightly more being the facelift model. It doesn't have the sport package / sport suspension which makes the ride height look very different and the car just looks off when it sits high like that. I know some people go with aftermarket suspension parts to make the suspension lower and tighter, is that worth considering? What's the ballpark pricing for something like that? Also would need to get new wheels to go with it. The 2015 I have my eye on has sport suspension and looks perfect, just needs a window tint.

When we entered the world of Audi we were first looking at the A5. The 3, 4, and 6 all just looked to plain. We wanted the sportier look of a the A5. Until we saw an A7 and opted for that. For us the 6 was just too plain looking. Remove the 4 rings and slap any other badge on it.

The 6 blends in so well that the current Cannonball record is set by a S6 that they stripped of its identity and badged it to look like a Ford police cruiser. It blended in to help them run 100 mph sustained.

I wanted the flair of the 7 and not the sedan look of a 6.

Too each their own.

I wasn’t a fan of the A7 when it first came out but it’s grown a lot on me over the years. It’s a bit out of my budget range unless I go with a high mileage option. So far I’ve had an A4, A5 and now looking to get an A6 so maybe A7 will come after this. My wife absolutely loves the look of A7. It does feel like the big boy version of my A5.

Trying to stick to the things I'm familiar with;

Full LED headlights- functionally, they're a bit better. I forget which model year it starts with, but Consumer Reports has tests for some C7s and (IIRC) all C7.5s. IMO for the C7, the car just doesn't look quite right design-wise without the LED headlights, and that was reason enough for me.

Drivers Assistance Package- I've found adaptive cruise to be most useful in stop and go traffic and in relatively calm traffic. If there is a lot of lane changing going on, it can get pretty annoying for everyone as it tries to maintain the set following distance. Best thing to do is go test drive a car that has it, even if you're not interested in that particular car, and see how it works for you.

HUD- nice to have, but not at all a must-have. It's very limited in what it can show (speed, directions from the built-in nav, cruise control info, pedestrian warning w/night vision, and I think maybe oil temp) and all but disappears with most polarized sunglasses. Doesn't feel gimmicky to me and I like mine, but 100% of the functionality is duplicated on the dash display.

Ventilated seats- another thing that you need to experience for yourself because they aren't the cold equivalent of heated seats, but almost worth going prestige for these alone. Getting in the car on a hot day and having cool air circulating is just nice.

CarPlay- don't have personal experience on this one, but if it's a priority for you then do your research. For me, the go-to aftermarket solution (RSNAV) just seems a bit too buggy, but that's a very subjective thing.

I'm sure you'll figure out which motor checks your boxes, but I will say that like the LED headlights, the prestige trim was needed for me to ~feel~ like it was a proper A6. There's some little stuff on the P/P+ like having a manually adjustable steering wheel, or the three-zone climate controller that looks like it's out of an A3, that'd otherwise let down the experience.

Appreciate the insight, this is exactly the type of first hand experience that I love to hear.

[bahula03]

Happy to help That is a tough choice- MY16-18 C7.5 cars use a different revision of the 3.0T commonly referred to as the CREC motor, generally accepted these motors considerably reduce or eliminate a lot of the common risk factors (like the timing chain tensioner startup rattle) of the earlier motors. Probably the biggest benefit is that they have both port and direct injection (vs just direct on the earlier motors), which means that you don't need to worry about carbon buildup or cleaning down the road. This is a very small thing, but the C7.5 also switched to acoustic glass for the front windows.

Other than the suspension/wheels, the other thing to note there is that for MY16 the S-line F/R bumpers were only available as part of the sports package (as opposed to a number of other years when they're part of P+ or Prestige trims). Up to you if that's a big deal or not.

[camsA6]

I have a 2012 A6 and it is great. Apple Car play can be retrofitted fairly easily. I did it with one youtube video and 1.5 hours of time. I do love my full LED headlights. Really completes the look of the car. Personally, I like the C7 full LEDs better than the C7.5 headlights. I have driven cars with the HUD and it is nice but wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me. Cooled seats are great, especially in SoCal. Night vision is kinda useless in my opinion. Adaptive cruise is amazing though. Again, especially in SoCal, commuting on the freeways. The surround-view camera is awesome too. Those are the two features I wish I had that I do not.

[AL.]

Other than the suspension/wheels, the other thing to note there is that for MY16 the S-line F/R bumpers were only available as part of the sports package (as opposed to a number of other years when they're part of P+ or Prestige trims). Up to you if that's a big deal or not.

I noticed this a few weeks ago and was very surprised that the new Prestige package doesn’t include the S-line exterior and you have to get as an add-on. I’m a big fan of the S-line bumpers which is one reason why I’m leaning towards a 2015 Prestige vs. that 2016 that I’ve had my eye on that doesn’t have sports package. I’m going to check out that 2015 Prestige on Sunday, carefully optimistic about that one.

I have a 2012 A6 and it is great. Apple Car play can be retrofitted fairly easily. I did it with one youtube video and 1.5 hours of time.

Can you tell more about the Carplay retrofit, what did you use and how much did it cost? Very interested in this, always kind of assumed it’s a pain to install and stupid expensive, but things have probably changed since I last looked into retrofitting Carplay into my A5.

Adaptive cruise is amazing though. Again, especially in SoCal, commuting on the freeways.

I used to commute 2 hours every day during rush hour on the I-5 and I decided that I won’t buy anything without adaptive cruise control. Now that I’m having a really hard time finding a car I like with Driver Assistance package I’ve started to reconsider that need. Mostly because I’m currently working from home full-time and even if I return to normal office life my commute won’t be anywhere as bad as it was in the past. I still want it but I might be okay without if the car has everything else that I want. Been super helpful to hear everyone’s opinions and experiences though. Keep them coming.

[sepheroth86]

I used to commute 2 hours every day during rush hour on the I-5 and I decided that I won’t buy anything without adaptive cruise control. Now that I’m having a really hard time finding a car I like with Driver Assistance package I’ve started to reconsider that need. Mostly because I’m currently working from home full-time and even if I return to normal office life my commute won’t be anywhere as bad as it was in the past. I still want it but I might be okay without if the car has everything else that I want. Been super helpful to hear everyone’s opinions and experiences though. Keep them coming.

I live in a relatively small city in West Michigan and can tell you that ACC is required.

I use it all the time, and doubly so if I travel to places like Chicago.

[AL.]

Happy to help That is a tough choice- MY16-18 C7.5 cars use a different revision of the 3.0T commonly referred to as the CREC motor, generally accepted these motors considerably reduce or eliminate a lot of the common risk factors (like the timing chain tensioner startup rattle) of the earlier motors. Probably the biggest benefit is that they have both port and direct injection (vs just direct on the earlier motors), which means that you don't need to worry about carbon buildup or cleaning down the road.

After seeing your comment I went down the rabbit hole last night regarding the timing chain startup rattle. How common is that on these engines? Do they all have it? I saw a comment somewhere suggesting Audi updated the chain tensioner design in late 2015 but I wonder if that’s true or if you need to get a 2016 if you want to avoid it. Seems like some have a faint quick rattle and some get a loud rattle that’s straight up embarrassing. I’m buying a car to get rid of my old one which is giving me issues so the last thing I want is more/different issues.

I asked for quotes to get a carbon cleaning for my A5 and most shops around my area quoted approximately $1,200 for a V6. If the C7.5 doesn’t have the carbon buildup issue that’s huge. Starting to feel like I should dish out more money and go with a 2016 or newer so I don’t need to spend money on carbon cleaning or timing chain tensioners later.

[ticklechicken]

B1) Lane features in C7 are just OK. It's like a little back-and-forth to keep you in the lane, vs keeping you centered like the newer cars do

I had the same complaint, but I used VCDS to add the option to set the lane keeping to "early". It's much better now.
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[Alabama]

I don't have an A6 but since you are asking about many shared features, I'll make some comments that hopefully will be helpful.

C7 Prestige or C7.5 Premium/Premium Plus with a 2.0T?

The base Audi tends to be underpowered per independent reviews and my own experience. If you can afford it, the 3.0 engine makes sense especially when the family is in the car and the trunk is full.

Quattro or FWD?

Others will correct me but I don't think the A6 Quattro is true "all wheel drive"; there is no rear differential. "Quattro" adds a center differential. That's still really useful in rain, supposedly what the system was developed for. I assume SoCal does get occasional rain.

Full LED headlights

Current standard headlights are much better than those from years ago (when we had to add driving lights on the bumper). However, night driving is inherently more difficult so even a small improvement in safety may well be worth the money.

Driver Assistance Package

An interesting one; a feature I have. Something like 95% of drivers say they are better than average (i.e., 95% say they are in the top 50%). If one is really an attentive driver, this feature probably does not add much. However, when other drivers are likely to suddenly change lanes without signaling, the sudden braking may be annoying but is better than an accident. One can use VCDS to change which pre-programmed distance becomes the default when the system is first activated. Nice to have, but for me this would be lower priority than the first three options.

Head up Display

Don't have it.

Apple Carplay

[/QUOTE] Don't have it.

Good luck! Get one of those AZ SoCal hot shots to give you a super deal on their heavily modified RS7 as they order a new RS6!!

[2k16A6]

Others will correct me but I don't think the A6 Quattro is true "all wheel drive"; there is no rear differential.

First I've heard this, I thought a differential was required to allow differential rotation of the wheels on each axle (i.e. when cornering and the wheels need to spin at different speeds).... do you have any more info on this?

[prestige.phantom]

First I've heard this, I thought a differential was required to allow differential rotation of the wheels on each axle (i.e. when cornering and the wheels need to spin at different speeds).... do you have any more info on this?

I could be wrong, but Im pretty sure all modern cars have differentials wherever they are sending power. I believe the confusion might be around whether or not the A6 has an open differential or a limited slip differential. If I am correct, the A6 has an open rear differential and uses the ABS to shuffle torque between the wheels. S and RS 6 have optional sports differential, which is just Audi-speak for a limited slip differential.

[2k16A6]

I could be wrong, but Im pretty sure all modern cars have differentials wherever they are sending power. I believe the confusion might be around whether or not the A6 has an open differential or a limited slip differential. If I am correct, the A6 has an open rear differential and uses the ABS to shuffle torque between the wheels. S and RS 6 have optional sports differential, which is just Audi-speak for a limited slip differential.

Yeah that's my understanding as well, I was wondering if he was thinking sport diff vs open. I don't believe that the open diff is any less "real" awd especially with the advanced abs/esc systems that can modulate braking at each individual wheel to send torque to the wheel with the most traction. While of course nowhere near as "sporty" as the sport diff, I'd guess that the abs/esc strategy is probably at least as good if not better than the old-school clutched limited slip differentials from a perspective of not getting stuck in snow or other slick conditions.

[DiegoKid007]

I was in the same boat as you a few years back. Decided I wanted a 2016-2017 A7 fully loaded with a specific color Midnight blue and interior grey flint. After many month of searching , Auto Trader, Car Max etc, found the perfect car in Texas. ( I'm in San Diego) So flew to Texas , dealer ubured me in and bought the car and had a blast driving home learning all about it. So moral is figure out exactly what you want and then scour till you find it!

[Valpo A7]

The A6/7 Quattro most certainly has a rear differential.

2012_audi_a6_108_1920x1080.jpg

[AL.]

I was in the same boat as you a few years back. Decided I wanted a 2016-2017 A7 fully loaded with a specific color Midnight blue and interior grey flint. After many month of searching , Auto Trader, Car Max etc, found the perfect car in Texas. ( I'm in San Diego) So flew to Texas , dealer ubured me in and bought the car and had a blast driving home learning all about it. So moral is figure out exactly what you want and then scour till you find it!

How was the experience buying it out of state? Is it pretty smooth and the dealer handles all the paperwork to register it in CA? I've been considering it but never bought outside of California. The lady at Audi San Diego was bragging how so many people come to them from out of state to buy cars and when I mentioned I'm thinking about doing the same thing and widening my search outside of California she started talking how she wouldn't recommend that because emission laws in CA are more strict than in most states. Sounded like BS to me because as far as I know all Audis in the US are the same. Then again she also couldn't tell an A5 from an A6 which describes her expertise pretty well.

[coop3422]

I had a 2015 A6 3.0T fairly loaded for almost a year and a half. I sold it because I had near instant buyers remorse, but that was a me problem, not the car. I was just sad having an auto only and sold it eventually a a pretty significant hit, but got a 2015 S4 6MT in my perfect spec, so all good.

That said, here's my thoughts if the help at all:
No way would I do a 2.0T if you would keep it stock. If you tune it, it should be okay, but the C7 A6 is a big, heavy car.
I live in Canada, so I'll never buy another FWD car again. Your climate could get away with it, but frankly, I just can't see getting an Audi without Quattro.
I'm hot all the time, so I was very excited when I got an A6 with ventilated seats. Silly me, I hadn't read about them beforehand. You may already know, but THEY ARE NOT COOLED. They have a fan that blows cabin air through the seat. So if your car has been baking in the CA sun all day, they will blow hot air until the AC gets the cabin cold. At that point, in my experience, you get sort cool air at best. I would prefer to have this feature than not, but would much prefer legit cooling seats.
Not sure what your budget is, but the diamond stich seats you can get in the C7.5 Competition model are awesome.
My car had Bose, it was okay. Bass was meh, I added a sub but the installed didn't splice it right so even that didn't sound great.

Hope some of this is helpful. If you have any specifics, lmk.

[Alabama]

I was wondering if he was thinking sport diff vs open.

Correct, I was thinking LSD versus the standard open diff in the rear even with Quattro. Some may think if they order Quattro they get LSD in the rear. Refer to the testimony of Mona Lisa Vito at the end of "My Cousin Vinny". Since you bring up ABS/ESC strategy, wouldn't the front wheel drive A6 have that?

[prestige.phantom]

Correct, I was thinking LSD versus the standard open diff in the rear even with Quattro. Some may think if they order Quattro they get LSD in the rear. Refer to the testimony of Mona Lisa Vito at the end of "My Cousin Vinny". Since you bring up ABS/ESC strategy, wouldn't the front wheel drive A6 have that?

Not on the rear wheels. FWD would not torque vector on the rear wheels. Quattro cars torque vector on all four wheels.

[5000S]

AL:
It seems you found the car you wanted, and so I hope you enjoy it in good health.

[AL.]

Good luck! Get one of those AZ SoCal hot shots to give you a super deal on their heavily modified RS7 as they order a new RS6!!

Hahah I wish. There's actually a guy in my neighborhood with a tastefully modified RS7. I like my cars more or less stock but I wouldn't say no to that.

I had a 2015 A6 3.0T fairly loaded for almost a year and a half. I sold it because I had near instant buyers remorse, but that was a me problem, not the car. I was just sad having an auto only and sold it eventually a a pretty significant hit, but got a 2015 S4 6MT in my perfect spec, so all good.

I bet that S4 6MT is amazing. I used to drive nothing but manual until I moved to the US and even after moving here I kept looking for manuals. Didn’t take long to realize that they’re pretty freakin’ hard to find and spending a couple of years in the stop-and-go traffic in California quickly made me appreciate automatic. Still enjoy driving manual every chance I get though.

I'm hot all the time, so I was very excited when I got an A6 with ventilated seats. Silly me, I hadn't read about them beforehand. You may already know, but THEY ARE NOT COOLED. They have a fan that blows cabin air through the seat. So if your car has been baking in the CA sun all day, they will blow hot air until the AC gets the cabin cold. At that point, in my experience, you get sort cool air at best. I would prefer to have this feature than not, but would much prefer legit cooling seats.

Good to know, I’ve never seen the ventilated seats in person so wasn’t sure how they work. My A5 is black with black interior and in summer it always takes a few minutes for the AC to start blowing cold, but when my car has been sitting in the sun all day it takes a good 15-30 minutes before the interior starts to cool down. Once the dash and everything else gets really hot, it’ll stay hot for a while. So there’s plenty of times when I’m driving with the AC blowing cold and my back is still sweaty. That’s probably when the ventilated seats would be golden.

AL:
It seems you found the car you wanted, and so I hope you enjoy it in good health.

Thanks! The search still continues, got my eye on a few candidates and planning to go check out at least one of them. Still reading and learning about the different models, engines and options. There’s days when I’m fully set on a 2015 Prestige and the next day I’m totally over it and want a 2017 Premium Plus instead. And some days I just say screw it, I’ll just fix my A5 and drive it for another year while searching for something newer. It’s definitely a process. Reading everyone's input here has been incredibly helpful and I'm sure everyone's comments will help future C7 buyers as well.

[2k16A6]

Correct, I was thinking LSD versus the standard open diff in the rear even with Quattro. Some may think if they order Quattro they get LSD in the rear. Refer to the testimony of Mona Lisa Vito at the end of "My Cousin Vinny". Since you bring up ABS/ESC strategy, wouldn't the front wheel drive A6 have that?

The way an open diff works, the wheel with the least traction gets the most torque. If a wheel is off the ground, it will literally apply 100% of the torque to that wheel, and the other wheel on that axle will get nothing even if it is firmly planted on the ground. In my off-roading days I learned that the way to get out of this situation is to lightly apply the brakes while giving it throttle. What this does is it creates resistance (simulating traction) on all wheels, including the one that is lifted off the ground which in turn sends some of the torque to the opposite wheel on that axle. Seems counterintuitive but that’s how it works. A limited slip simply adds either clutches or a series of gears (planetaries, sun gears, etc which hurt my brain to figure out what they’re doing) to the differential to manage the torque and wheel spin. Using abs/esc to apply brakes to the wheel with no traction is just another strategy of doing the same exact thing with a less complicated differential, and the ability to modulate braking to an individual wheel should be very effective. The center diff on these cars is a gear based system (Torsen) which instead of managing torque side to side, manages it front axle to rear axle. Similar concept, still a differential which allows differential rotation front to rear and has a means of managing torque application to counteract an axle losing traction.

To answer your question, certainly possible that the fwd cars use abs to manage wheel spin but with no drivetrain going to the rear, there is nothing driving them. Not sure what you’re asking in the context of Quattro.

Your sport diff is certainly superior to the open diff us plebeian folk are stuck with as A6 owners, but that doesn’t mean we’re any more likely to get stuck on an icy hill than you are. I believe the sport diff is intended for performance in cornering and uses true torque vectoring rather than the simulated limited slip in the A6.

[DiegoKid007]

How was the experience buying it out of state? Is it pretty smooth and the dealer handles all the paperwork to register it in CA? I've been considering it but never bought outside of California. The lady at Audi San Diego was bragging how so many people come to them from out of state to buy cars and when I mentioned I'm thinking about doing the same thing and widening my search outside of California she started talking how she wouldn't recommend that because emission laws in CA are more strict than in most states. Sounded like BS to me because as far as I know all Audis in the US are the same. Then again she also couldn't tell an A5 from an A6 which describes her expertise pretty well.

Yeah whole thing went smooth and Dealer did what was needed . That was about 3 years ago now and no smog or DMV issues. Did max him (a7) out in a long lonely straight texas highway. 130 smooth as silk and very much like 90. With the upcoming tune that governor will be gone(: