It's truly a great thing to lose the car you previously owned because it was a junker. Well mine wasn't a "junker" but it was 5 years old with high miles. It was also a stripped down model, so the only thing that had the word "power" in it on the standard/optional equipment list was power steering. Everything else was manual: windows/locks/seats/transmission.

I don't want to sound snobbish as my old car did get me from point A to point B with literally no problems. However, I had saved up money and wanted to make sure my next car purchase was truly an "upgrade".

The car I purchased was the Audi A6 2.7T.

-Walk around / Exterior-
The exterior is just beautiful. The shape and sculpted lines of this car make it a treat to look at. It just looks "liquid". Unfortunately the 2001 does not have the same front grille as the updated 2002 model nor does it have the dual pipes coming out the rear bumper; a minor quibble but a quibble none-the-less. I must also admit the shape of the A6, which was introduced before 2000, is now a much imitated skin. The paint job, fit-and-finish of the panels are quite excellent; German engineering indeed. Automatic adjusting Xenon headlights are a joy to literally fire up and light up the road. However I must admit that I will be a little more reserved with possibly purchasing Xenons as an option on my next car. I have been having problems with the Xenons where one side will get a “lazy eye” and aim just 6 feet in front of the car. Let's just say the Xenon's automatic self-leveling system has a mind of its own on occasion. I have brought in my car on three different occasions to have these adjusted. Next time the Service Reps will be replacing them under warranty as they are $800 each! The only disappointment I had concerning the fit-and-finish is regarding the two front doors. When you shut them with the windows rolled down, it sounds like you're slamming metal on metal. More use of sound deadening materials would have been nice here (the rear doors shut with a solid "thud"). I expect more from a near $50,000 machine.

-Under the hood-
Make no mistake, this 2.7 liter V6 is an engineering accomplishment. At 5 valves per cylinder, it’s a 30 valve engine paired to a small yet effective bi-turbo charger compressing air and forcing it into the engine. 250 horses matched with a Tiptronic automatic transmission, the result is silky smooth acceleration with gobs of power and torque. Turbo-lag (when you press on the gas and nothing seems to happen) is noticeable in certain situations but all-in-all this car has near-immediate power on hand. I’m also excited that the engine has an engine cover which gives it a clean look. The only qualm with this engine bay is accessibility to the battery bay. I have no idea how hard it would be to replace a dead battery but it doesn’t look easy. Also to note, there is an aerodynamic cover underneath the car that protects the oil pan etc… Just beware that whoever needs to change your oil will need to do a careful job of removing this cover as there are about 25 clips to unscrew.

-Interior-
One word: Gorgeous. I must confess, I thought the BMW and Mercedes interiors were the best dressed cabins. After sitting in the A6, I completely changed my mind. The A6 is cleaner and well appointed. Everything is logically placed (buttons, handles, lighting) that one would be hard pressed to find anything negative about the interior. My favorites are the lights under the front seats for the rear passenger’s feet, the puddle lights under each door, red glowing lights in each interior door handle and two LED glowing red lights that give ambience lighting from underneath the automatically dimming rear-view mirror. I am also very impressed the with jet pilot red instrument cluster and center console. Automatic one-touch up and down windows for all 4 windows rounds out my evaluation of the power equipment. Trunk space is outstanding for a vehicle in this class; it’s huge! Leather appointed heated seats (front and rear!), leather door inserts, wood grain dash and wood grain interior door trim makes this car’s interior first class.

-Suspension, Engine, Transmission, Driving Impression-
You can only smile when you drive this car. It is very fast but it is not furious. It is stately, mild mannered yet it is also nimble. Acceleration is outstanding and you can hear AND feel the bi-turbos kick in to give that extra effortless power. 0-60 times are actually FASTER than the A6 4.2 V8, however the fuel economy is lower in the 2.7T as compared to the 4.2. There is no doubt this is an executive’s car as it is much larger and heavier than the A4 variant that rides on the same chassis. The ride is very supple and not harsh at all. My A6 did not have the Sport Package option so there is noticeable body lean in the turns which makes for an uncomfortable ride for my passengers in the turns. If you do purchase an A6 without the Sport Package you might be a little disappointed as the front seats will not support your behind in heavy turns and the suspension will “give way” to big lateral movement. Other than that, the suspension soaks up a majority of all road imperfections minus potholes. I also have the Quattro system which I have not been able to test its functionality quite yet as I do not live in snowy regions but it does provide a sense of security when driving on wet pavement and flooded streets. I know it is common sense but buyers need to beware that all-wheel drive does not reverse the laws of physics. If you’re driving on ice with Quattro, you’re still just driving on ice. And yes Quattro provides better grip when making quick decisions but going 100mph into a 35mph turn in the road will result in a body bag. Be careful, this car was not made by superman for mere mortals.

I recommend the A6 as it is a class-leading automobile with noticeable value when compared with its Mercedes and BMW competitors. Believe you me, I was dead set on purchasing a BMW 530i matched to a 6-speed. But when I saw the value of the A6 2.7T matched with the equipment and performance, I had to turn my back on the BMW. I previously have persuaded my friends in the past to purchase BMWs as this was my car manufacturer of choice but it would be completely foolish of me to not recommend an Audi over any particular BMW in the future. Audi’s reputation for reliability might have been in question in the past but if you take care of your purchase and purchase a 2001 – current model year Audi A6, it should be a very rewarding experience.

As there several were minor issues I have had with a car that costs near $50K delivered, I can only rate this automobile at 4 stars.




====== Notice to used-car buyers of the A6 2.7T =========

If you decide to purchase an older model A6 2.7T that is out of warranty, I would suggest you purchase an extended warranty that covers the turbos. Heaven forbid if these actually break on you and you're out of warranty. The engine would have to be dropped and rebuilt with the new K04 turbos ($8-$12K job).

************************UPDATE*****************************
I have sold this car as I had encountered 12 problems/issues/concerns within 6 months.

The most major issues I had with this car were:
1. Leaking oil (two different occasions)
2. Cracked diaphragm for Bypass Valves (Diverter Valves)
3. Automatic transmission slippage (could've caused an accident including severe injury)
4. Automatic transmission problems again! (barely made it through the intersection before getting hit)
5. ABS failure
6. Brake Booster failure
7. Ignition failure

Again, these are just a summary of a few issues that have occured. However, the transmission problems were the last straw and I was under warranty! I decided to get rid of it before I was out of warranty and the transmission finally cracks/breaks. Then I would have been stuck with a lower valued car that would need about $6K for a transmission repair.

Amount Paid (US$): 00000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: A6 2.7T