My Attempt at a Car Review (Audi A4 B6 1.8T Quattro)

I am really not sure how I arrived here on the Readers review page of Car Throttle or even on Car Throttle in general. Cars have always been a passion of mine in every aspect ranging from there artistic beauty too there ability to bring people together as a community (car throttle being a prime example), as well as the overwhelming exhilaration and experience they can offer. The whole process that has brought me here can be summarized by the amazing content in the form of automotive pictures and articles put up by other car throttle users (so thanks guys!) and the compelling jealousy I experience when watching Chris Harris. Anyway’s I will stop wasting your time with all this “First time writer” cliché and get to the review.

As car owners we are all aware that a car is more than just a car. This becomes especially apparent when thinking about things to say about your own daily driver. Many of us will agree that our car is very similar to a good friend. By this I mean that we acknowledge that they may have some faults but if anyone ever tried to point them out, we would defend them to the death. This feeling only increases when people have put blood sweat and tears to get there car to where it is today. This being said I will do my best to point out the flaws in the Audi A4 B6 1.8T

So lets start with how the car looks. Despite this particular car being released in 2002 I think it still looks very healthy and would go as far as to say it looks good, even in modern day traffic. The front end has a tasteful look and from behind has a nice wide appeal to it, both are complemented by the two tone lower section which in my opinion looks great.
The Interior fallows the standard German sedan design With lots of leather and sturdy feeling plastics. Audi did an excellent job of making the interior feel welcoming and giving everything a pleasant to the touch sensation. The sensation continues into the rear seats, which offer enough leg room for any reasonably sized individual as long as the driver is not outrageously tall. My only major complaint with the interior design lies in the placement of the cup holders in the centre console right behind the gear shift leaver. The result of this placement is the potential for a spill every time you shift.

Now onto the good stuff. how is the car to drive? Well the 1.8 Litre Turbocharged in-line four cylinder is an absolute jewel. It offers smooth power delivery when paired to the 5 speed manual transmission (I have not driven the automatic so I am unaware of its performance), of course if you want the car to pull well then you have to keep it above 3000 RPM so the turbo stays spooled. The transmission itself is not ideal as the throws are relatively long and the clutch is on the heavy side which of course is not enjoyable in stop and go traffic. This model offers a modest 190bhp Which is perfect if you are just using the car as a daily and does a decent job of not killing you when hooning in the snow. If more horsepower is your desire then fear not as you can easily stage this car up too 300+ bhp if you have the funds available of course.
The primary function of this car is its ability in the snow. Up here in Canada snow is in large supply EH, in Alberta Specifically we will spend at least 6 months plagued by the cold and that is really when the Audi comes into its element. With a decent set of winters and the traction control on, anyone would be completely comfortable driving this around on the snowiest of days. Turn the traction control off and you will have absolutely no problem hanging the back end out whenever your heart desires. All in all, the A4 is not a stock high performance machine by any means but if you don’t mind putting up with the slight under steer the AWD system provides in the summer months then you can truly gives this car all you have in the winter months or on dirt roads which is some of the most fun I have ever had in a car.

Sadly this car is not all dirt road blasts and winter handbrake turns, The biggest buzz kill can often be found under the hood. Being the second owner of this car I have been plagued with routine costs like replacing the clutch as well as other unexpected effects of ageing such as the RAD cracking and the Mass Air flow censor becoming a bit temperamental along with other issues. Sadly many other owners report similar events and I fear I may experience more unwanted expenses in 2016. on a side note Something that irritates me to no end is the shield under the engine bay. I understand it serves a purpose, but it makes simple tasks like changing oil a little more tedious.

Despite all of the issues I have experienced with this car I find myself arriving at that same Conclusion every time. This car has become more than a car and despite its flaws I still love it. I acknowledge that there are better cars out there but as an owner of this car I would say it is a great experience and if you are out there looking for a fun and comfortable first car in the range of 4500 Canadian dollars EH or somewhere around 2200 British pounds (Please don’t tell the Queen if I am wrong) with AWD I am going to say go for it!

As I said at the beginning this is my first review and I would love feedback from you guys as well as suggestions you can even be mean if you want! who knows i may even make more!

Cheers!