Probably should have posted in the Introduction section since I'm a brand new member, but I thought I'd make some comments on my new A5 relative to some of the questions and concerns that have been posted.
First, let me introduce myself and my car. I live in Connecticut and am the proud owner of a new A5. The A5 replaces my 2002 A4 3.0 Quattro. I'll put pics at the end of this post, assuming my skill is sufficient to post pics. Now for some general comments.
WHAT DID I GET? A4 with Tiptronic transmission, brillant red exterior, standard linen beige interior, premium package (Homelink, Bi-xenon headlamps with LED DRL's, autodimming mirrors, heated seats, memory seats) and navigation package. See comments on Nav package later.
HOW LONG DID I WAIT? I ordered my A5 on 29 February, 2008. I got a call from the dealer on 15 April informing me that my car would be arriving sometime in mid-May. I got a second call from the dealer on 29 April informing me that the car was just off-loaded from the truck. I immediately drove over to see the car. She was still shrink wrapped in plastic so I didn't get to see too much.Picked her up and took her home on 30 April. Effectively, that's a 2-month wait from the time I placed my order until I received the car. I checked the documentation and the car hit the production line at the factory in mid March, about 2 weeks after my order was placed. I never received any info directly from Audi, just the two calls from the dealer. When I picked the car up I kept the cargo net from my A4. Fits perfectly.
WHAT DO I THINK 500 MILES LATER? Great car. Handles well, minimum road noise, no wind noise. The first 500 miles have been a pleasure. I haven't experienced any of the vibrations that some new owners have mentioned. The car is absolutely stable, tracks straight, and rides comfortably. Actually a better ride than my A4 and has better handling on the curvy roads around my house. The MMI is a piece of cake to figure out. Didn't have to read the manual. Just scrolled through the options to acquaint myself with what was there and was able to set the car up like I wanted without much effort. My only I gothca was that I forgot the passenger side mirror tilt for viewing the curb was controlled by the mirror adjustment on the door rather than through the MMI. Other than that, I set up everything the way I wanted it. Then I read the manual and decided I didn't miss anything.
The sample linen beige in the Audi brochure is very mis-leading. I wasn't sure I was going to like it but, when the car arrived, the color was great. Nothing like the sample in the brochure that I was given. See the attached pictures (if I was able to post them).
Using the car's computer I'm averaging around 33 mpg at 70 mph, which is better than I ever expected. I checked the speedo accuracy with my portable GPS, which has been calibrated and is accurate to within less than 0.5 mph. At 70 mph on the speedometer I'm actually traveling 68 mph. Assuming that the computer is using the speedometer reading, then my actual mileage is 32 mpg, still excellent. I'm running 91 octane. The manual says 87 is OK but will cause a slight reduction in maximum power. Will probably try it out sometime later.
OPINION OF THE NAV SYSTEM - Truth is, I didn't get the Nav system specifically for that feature. I wanted to have the MMI on the console rather than the instrument panel. I have several Garmin portable units that I use. That said, the Audi Nav system is OK, but has no where near the capability of portable GPS units at 1/3 the price. It's easy to use but has very very limited text-to-speech capability (which I'm now used to) and the search capability is limited as well. My portable units allow me to input the name of a restaurant in a specific city and then get directions. The Audi Nav system won't allow such easy usage. Searching is a little harder if you know a name but don't have an address. My recommendation is that if you want the Nav system just to have a Nav system, get a portable Garmin or Tom Tom unit. More features, text-to-speech, 3-D graphics, and easier search capability.
THANKS for all the great info on this site. Hope you all enjoy your A5. I think I'm gonna love mine!
