Audi is still really a separate publicly traded company with separate employees (who work for Audi AG, not VW AG), with separate dealers. The only way they're "part of" VW is that VW owns more than 50% of the shares in Audi. They can be separated from each other in a millisecond if VW decides to sell their shares.

Lexus on the other hand, is just a made-up luxury brand of Toyota in the same way Maybach is for Mercedes.

 

 

so altho they're money all goes to the same pot, Audi, vw, bugatti, lambo, Porsche and skoda are all different and share no technologies?

 

There is some technology sharing between them. Quite a lot with Skoda and Seat. But they're all separate companies and behave as such. They all have to meet their own sales targets, make their own profits etc. The technology sharing is the same as with two completely separate companies. For example, Peugeot, Citroen and Renault all shared a chassis for a small car despite being completely separate.

 

I came form Audi to BMW after being an Audi fan for a long time. I bought a brand new A3 sportback with loads of options for just under ?30k and it was terible. The leather wore on the drivers seat at 3k miles and they replaced the cover, then at 18 months old and only 13k miles the passenger seat leather started to peel(the car was my wifes car so the passenger side was hardly used). I took it in and they said it was fair wear and tear and refused to do anything about it even though I pointed out my 90k mile volvos leather was in far better condition. It even developed mold growing up the inside rear window trim to which they just wiped it off as if that fixed it and it had loads of rattles and creaks(it went back 5 times for the drivers seat creaking after they changed the cover). I wrote to Audi UK who were always sending me branded letters and got a reply back from them on unbranded paper which can be seen here. The reply was that the trim was only covered for 6 months from new and I should go and read the small print.

I started to look at taking them to court but that involved me getting the leather tested which would destroy the seat cover so in the end we made our mind up to move to BMW and part ex the car. I had loads of problems with the car and I dont really mind that but when they start refusing to take any responsibility and repair the car under warranty I have to question if I wasted my money. The BMW has not been without fault but the difference is that anything I mention has been fixed with no quible. It will be a cold day in hell before I waste any more money on an Audi. You only have to go to the Audi forums to see they are having alot of issues, personally i think they are going the way Mercs did 10 years ago were the accountants ruled and quality suffered.

 

Wow, just read the Audi Corporate response. Audi has only 6 ms and 6250 miles or warranty on it's trim and interior. That's horrible and not in line with the offerings of the real premium brands.

 

There is a blue 2010 S4 for sale in town, think I may take it for a test drive this weekend.

 

I'd get a 335, if I were you...

 

Heh, red flag.

 

good luck and congrads! the audi is a great car as that was my previous lease. we had the a6 with the 4.2. slamming car i must say, handled awesome.. come back soon though!