2001 Audi S4

Pros: It's fast, responsive, sexy-looking
Seats are incredibly comfortable
Decent mileage (21.5, highway/city combo)
Cons: Not cheap to maintain, but what is?

I bought this S4 as a certified pre-owned Audi in 2002. And it's still rockin' and rollin'! A fantastic car, but subtle in its greatness. I'm quickly reminded of its amazing strength each time I go out of town and rent a car. When I get home, the strength and power of this car wow me as soon as I put it in drive and hit the highway. Could not have made a better purchase.

The Audi seats are far more comfortable than those in the Mercedes or BMW. And it's faster than an M3--what more do I need in the U.S?

I'm at 86K miles right now, and have found an excellent mechanic who will keep me in tip-top shape until 200K (hopefully). The repairs are not cheap, but these days, what is?

Pros: Fast. Incredible handling & braking. Classy, tasteful interior. Great fuel economy. Solid build quality.
Cons: Maintenance easy on the wallet so far, but bound to increase dramatically as miles accrue.

I've had my 2001 Nogaro Blue S4 six-speed for 20 months now. I absolutely love this car. Mine now has 57,800 miles on it and has some nice modifications (H&R coil over suspension, rear anti-sway bar, S-Flo cold air intake, GIAC chip, A.W.E. exhaust system, Borla cat-back, EBC front brake rotors, Hawk pads). At 344 BHP, this car is very quick/fast at any speed. Rock solid steady at 140 MPH. With the suspension upgrades, this car handles corners as flat and as well as a Porsche or M3. While acceleration is equal to that of a 2000-2003 M5, the fuel economy is far superior: 23.3 MPG overall in 28,000 miles of driving.

I don't know that I will ever be able to afford to replace this car with anything else comparable in performance, style, reliability, and practicality. That fact that it is fuel-efficient is a bonus. I'm saving $100 per month in gas driving the '01 S4 vs. an '04 S4 with the V-8.