[hooligan911]

Does anyone think it is foolish to buy a + 40k car as a commuter car? I'm a fireman and drive 300 miles (round trip) ten times a month on average with my current schedule. Is it possible to do routine maintenance (oil/fluids) etc. on the A5, as I'm trying to factor that into my decision making.


JT

 

[dbs2]

If you want to arrive in Style and Comfort it's gotta be a big YES!!

As for routine Maintenance.... TDI has service intervals so SO far apart you could save £2 a week to pay for them almost

 

[Rab88]

I think it's good, yea. Only problem is the depreciation, which is why i took my car out on a lease. ... I drive 110 miles each working day.

You might find it'll be cheaper to buy your car on a lease purchase, rather than outright.

 

[ccompton]

Does anyone think it is foolish to buy a + 40k car as a commuter car? I'm a fireman and drive 300 miles (round trip) ten times a month on average with my current schedule. Is it possible to do routine maintenance (oil/fluids) etc. on the A5, as I'm trying to factor that into my decision making.


JT

Hi JT,

Welcome to the forum, please update your profile so we know where you are from (some models, like the TDI mentioned previously are not available in the States and updating your location allows us to help you with better, more accurate info).

I have an S5 and it is my daily driver, I don't do as much driving as you but the A5 is a nice car that you will enjoy. I would do it personally, but that is just me.

 

[ShadyJC]

A5 is my daily driver, and a hauler too =) Last week after a trip to Home Depot I had ceramic tile, bags of mortar, grout, tools and 4 sheets of 3x5 concrete backerboards in the back.

 

[Blacky3.2]

Heck yeah! Why not? Half of my friends are firemen (not that we agree politically... not that there is anything wrong with that) and they commute in $40K+ trucks. An A5 would be a bargin. It's pretty darn comfy too.

I hope you don't have the same problem they have. They bought homes at the top of the market that were way too big and well away from work. All was fine until the housing market crashed and gas went up $2 a gallon.

 

[hooligan911]

Well my current commuter car is a 2005 Dodge Neon - but at 31 MPG I can care less how I look. But if I do get the A5, it will replace that and an SUV and essentially become the "family" car.

Fortunately I got into the housing market at a good time and I did get crazy with the house, some nice and comfortable, nothing extravagent.

What octane fuel does that vehicle suggest/require?

 

[PB4UGO]

The manual recommends 93, but the car will run with "reduced power" on 87. I'd stick with 93, burns cleaner

I have 5200 miles on my A5 and use it daily. It is simply fantastic. A wonderful cruiser, head-turning design...decent fuel mileage. I'm holding at about 23-25 in-town, and 28-30 highway.

Do it, you will not regret it!

 

[ShadyJC]

What octane fuel does that vehicle suggest/require?

California 91 swill

 

[Jimmyz]

In summer, my S5 will be my daily driver, and I am sure the A5 will be an easier daily than the S5, so yeah, go for it. I would get the Audi Care Plan, which basically includes free maintenance and oil changes for 3 years for something like 650... and with your driving schedule, it would be worth it.

 

[IChibans]

You are lucky, I live very close to work 15 min walk, and 20 min drive. I wish I can commute by car.

 

[Blacky3.2]

You are lucky, I live very close to work 15 min walk, and 20 min drive. I wish I can commute by car.

I with you on that one. I'm a 1.5 miles away from work. I've racked up a whopping 2400 miles in 3 months. This is after putting 650 on it in first 3 days. You would think it was my motorcycle or something. Long trips are out of the question now that my 6yr old daughter gets car sick in my car only. I wonder if the wife would mind a road trip to Vegas so I could have some more seat time (kids stay with grandma)?

 

[aerodave]

I think it's foolish to buy a car like this that's not a daily driver. It's not an exotic that's supposed to be in the garage 6 days a week and when it rains. And if you spend what it takes to get an A5/S5 and aren't putting good miles on it, it's a terrible waste of money. Cars are meant to be driven...often. Get out and enjoy it and get your money's worth.

 

[hooligan911]

Well I think of the added fuel and maintenance cost for the A5 vs. the neon. Obviously there is no comparison as far as the 2 vehicles go, but I'm still trying to figure out if it makes a whole lot of sense to buy a new vehcile just rack up 3000 miles a month on it.

And I know it's a fairly new platform, but what is the longevity of the A5 going to be and is there going to be significant issue down the road with the drivetrain or electronics as I've heard plague German cars?

 

[JSC]

Well my current commuter car is a 2005 Dodge Neon - but at 31 MPG I can care less how I look. But if I do get the A5, it will replace that and an SUV and essentially become the "family" car.

I commute in my A5, though not as far as you. After 7600 km (~4700 miles), according to the computer, I've averaged 8.8 L /100 km, which I think translates to almost 27 mpg. That's not too much worse than your Neon, though of course premium fuel will add to the cost.

Like most others here though, I'll tell you that the fun of driving the A5 will make you forget the slightly higher costs!

 

[drastik3]

I have a a5 for a daily commuter and it is sweet. As far as maintenance goes, just get the audi care for around 650. As far as longevity goes, really couldnt tell you. This is the first Audi i have owned. I have heard horror stories about older Audis with the drivetrain and electronics, but i think Audi since has improved on things.

 

[Macwm]

A Wonderful Daily driver

I drive an hour each way to my office 3 days a week, and when I arrive I have a smile, that my staff says last at all morning. With Audi care, routine maintainance is not a problem, btw I'm averaging 26.6 mpg in mostly highway driving. My A5 is leased with 23K per year and it's worth every penny of my monthly payment! I've had the pleasure of my A5 for 5 months (zero service problems) and have racked up 9K in mileage.

 

[spddev]

My god some of you have a serious commute I drive 3 miles each way to work so my daily commute is very short. As some have mentioned you really should look at depreciation and the extra wear you'll be dealing with on long commutes.

In the past I've bought a cheap and very efficient car for most of my long commutes and supermarket trips (those parking lots are ding traps!) and used my expensive car for everything else. I think at the end the less wear and gas spent (and possible dings repaired) paid for themselves

Of course these long commutes didnt include anything fun like going to the beach or a holiday out of town