My new car: 2021 Audi SQ5 Prestige.

Started by GoCougs, May 06, 2021, 06:54:14 AM

GoCougs

Welp, the 2011 G37x did its duty - 10 years and ~183,000 miles, and the only serious repair, right before I sold it, was some sort of fuel system issue. I got that fixed, plus did a lot throughout 2020 - new shocks, new brakes, new battery - so she was good for many more miles. Didn't use or leak oil, and even the driver seat showed only minor wear. The NVH, ride quality and sluggish transmission performance were all getting quite old however, and though it looked like it had ~50,000 miles, owing to age+miles was one moderate repair from being just about worthless. So, out the door she went. Most everything else I found terrible, especially mediocre/poor ride quality and abominable infotainment, especially amongst ze other German and Japanese marques.

The good:

  • World class NVH mitigation
  • World class ride quality
  • Best infotainment in the business IMO
  • Excellent transmission response
  • Good interior space/package (a few inches shorter than the G, but a lot more passenger and cargo space)
  • Decent exhaust sound (w/Audi factory quad tip upgrade)
  • Decent acceleration up to ~80 mph
  • Decent handling/brakes
  • Extended service intervals (shortest maintenance item is 10,000 mile oil changes)

The so-so:

  • Acceleration a bit sluggish above ~80 mph
  • Some turbo lag (less than expected however)
  • Dynamic steering is blah
  • Fake-ish "performance" queues (manufactured exhaust backfire on down shift and crackle on upshift, comically harsh 1-2 and 2-3 shifts when using launch control)
  • Apple Carplay connection is a bit sketchy when operated wirelessly
  • Numerous minor ergo/setup quirks that all added up are a moderate PITA ("dynamic" mode starts in 2nd gear, "sport" mode won't shift into 8th gear, digital dash not nearly as configurable as it should be)

The bad:

  • Sport Diff went bad within the first week and then it was at the dealer for a month waiting for a replacement (so far so good)



GoCougs

My only real complaint is it needs 50-100 more hp. Really should be quicker, especially at freeway speeds. Other than that so far so good. Oh, well, other than the bad sport diff of course (a $9,500 repair if not under warranty).

SJ_GTI


shp4man


FoMoJo

Quote from: GoCougs on May 06, 2021, 07:02:37 AM
My only real complaint is it needs 50-100 more hp. Really should be quicker, especially at freeway speeds. Other than that so far so good. Oh, well, other than the bad sport diff of course (a $9,500 repair if not under warranty).
It sounds pretty nice.  349 hp not enough?

Why an SUV?
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

cawimmer430

-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
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GoCougs

Thanks, all. Thing is not many good cars are made today IMO - the S4 sedan and RS5 made the short list, but they're actually quite small inside, and though ride quality was okay, it pales in comparison to Audi's cars with air suspension. RS6 wagon would be about perfect but it's insane trying to get one - even more so than the C8 Corvette it seems. S6 is nice but too much $$$ for what it is (esp. that it's now slower (downgraded from V8TT to V6TT) and more expensive than its predecessor).

Definitely should be quicker :dance:. 400 hp minimum I'd say. But whatevs, still quick enough, and the transmission is responsive enough that it makes it feel a bit quicker than it is.

CaminoRacer

2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

r0tor

Someone finally rescued him from his train room!
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee No Speed -- 2004 Mazda RX8 6 speed -- 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia All Speed

AutobahnSHO

Will

MrH

I was expecting a Camaro, but new Audi is not surprising.  I am surprised though you went all the way with an S trim.  I thought maybe an A4 All road would be enough.
2023 Ford Lightning Lariat ER
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD
2023 BRZ Limited

Previous: '02 Mazda Protege5, '08 Mazda Miata, '05 Toyota Tacoma, '09 Honda Element, '13 Subaru BRZ, '14 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0, '15 Toyota 4Runner SR5, '18 Honda Accord EX-L 2.0t, '01 Honda S2000, '20 Subaru Outback XT, '23 Chevy Bolt EUV

GoCougs

Oh, a fun/sporty car is still on the radar, and there are a few options under review - the major decision now is buy and mod/fix vs. buy survivor/restored/modded vs. buy new(ish). Have lots going on and coming up, so I'm leaning toward the latter two. My bday is in August, and plan to make a decision by then.

Audi's non-S/RS cars are not very good - dull, esp. the motors. Would only ever by S or RS.

Gotta-Qik-C7

2014 C7 Vert, 2002 Silverado, 2005 Road Glide

CaminoRacer

Quote from: MrH on May 07, 2021, 12:02:13 PM
I was expecting a Camaro, but new Audi is not surprising.  I am surprised though you went all the way with an S trim.  I thought maybe an A4 All road would be enough.

I didn't actually expect a Camaro as his main car, since he goes skiing and mountain biking way too often for a Camaro to work.

Cougs if you get a second car and go older/classic, I highly recommend something as close to stock as possible with zero rust and then do a bit of light restomodding improvements but nothing hardcore or more than bolt-on. That's the sweet spot of fun to drive and minimal headaches.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

GoCougs

That is correct. Many weekends I'm going somewhere, sometimes with people, carrying either bike or ski stuff, and usually driving on snowy or dirt roads.

I've had a number of old cars and have done lots of modding but over the last ~500,000 miles the most I've done is change air filters. I'd do a head or (pooprod) cam swap in a heartbeat but engine or tranny swaps are a bridge too far at this point.

Have a line a pristine and fairly rare local RS LT '78 Camaro but the old timer and original owner is causing drama so probably not going to go anywhere. Most I'd do is head work, cam swap, and new diff gears.

The weather here is so lousy for ~7 months out of the year a car typically befitting legit summer tires is fairly useless for much of that time. However, just recently Continental released a "max performance" all season performance tire in Camaro SS, Corvette, etc., size so that opens up possibilities.

Have thought about having a local shop do a resto-mod but like some industries the last year they are now booked out to infinity. Could also buy a resto-mod. Many out there.




Laconian

You might want to look at CrossClimates, which are high performance ASRs that are also three peak snowflake rated.
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

veeman

Congratulations on your new car!

You got a lot of good use out of your old G.  Too bad Infiniti lost their way many years ago.  You got the best vehicle for your needs/wants.  Sporty, luxurious, roomy, and can go to where the bike trails/ski slopes are.

Did you look at the Porsche Macan?  CarandDriver said the Macan was more sporty but not as luxurious a ride. 

GoCougs

Thanks! I don't trust Porsche from a reliability/durability standpoint. The SQ5 is super related to the S4/S5 (all of which are based on the A4, and there is even some sharing with the A6), so with all that volume I'm thinking/hoping they've got more kinks worked out vs. the Macan (which doesn't so benefit from such scale/scope of product).

Galaxy

Quote from: GoCougs on May 09, 2021, 09:17:22 PM
Thanks! I don't trust Porsche from a reliability/durability standpoint. The SQ5 is super related to the S4/S5 (all of which are based on the A4, and there is even some sharing with the A6), so with all that volume I'm thinking/hoping they've got more kinks worked out vs. the Macan (which doesn't so benefit from such scale/scope of product).

?

The Macan has so much similarity with the Q5, that Porsche in the EU managed to certify it as a facelift of the Q5 rather then a whole new vehicle.

SJ_GTI

I always assumed the Macan and Q5 were the same vehicle (since they seemed so similar and were both owned by the same parent company), but I never really checked on it.

r0tor

Quote from: Laconian on May 07, 2021, 10:02:55 PM
You might want to look at CrossClimates, which are high performance ASRs that are also three peak snowflake rated.

They work surprisingly well of the Alfa
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee No Speed -- 2004 Mazda RX8 6 speed -- 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia All Speed

GoCougs

Jesus. I've only got 5,000 miles on it and the tires are ~40% worn. Michelins of some sort - plenty of Tire Rack complaints of extremely poor tread life. They're just all-seasons, not summer tires. And they're on the expensive side too. Not sure what the hell it is they do well. It does ride nice and is whisper quiet though. And of course the snow tires are colossally expensive with few choices (Michelin X-Ice, which is fine, as they're the best I've owned).

Also had to embark on the requisite interior rattle jihad, that I must say was quite successful, though to be fair, I was well practiced after owning a Honda and then Infiniti for 150,000+ miles each. One rattle the dealer had to fix (buried in the dash) and the other I had to resort to the InnerTruths (rear hatch latch motor assembly, solved by extending the hatch bump stops thereby preloading said assembly into submission).

CaminoRacer

Quote from: GoCougs on May 17, 2021, 05:23:47 PM
Jesus. I've only got 5,000 miles on it and the tires are ~40% worn. Michelins of some sort - plenty of Tire Rack complaints of extremely poor tread life. They're just all-seasons, not summer tires. And they're on the expensive side too. Not sure what the hell it is they do well. It does ride nice and is whisper quiet though. And of course the snow tires are colossally expensive with few choices (Michelin X-Ice, which is fine, as they're the best I've owned).

Also had to embark on the requisite interior rattle jihad, that I must say was quite successful, though to be fair, I was well practiced after owning a Honda and then Infiniti for 150,000+ miles each. One rattle the dealer had to fix (buried in the dash) and the other I had to resort to the InnerTruths (rear hatch latch motor assembly, solved by extending the hatch bump stops thereby preloading said assembly into submission).

Come fix the fuel door on my Miata. I think it's missing a spring to hold it tight, so it rattles at stop lights.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Morris Minor

Quote from: GoCougs on May 17, 2021, 05:23:47 PM
Jesus. I've only got 5,000 miles on it and the tires are ~40% worn. Michelins of some sort - plenty of Tire Rack complaints of extremely poor tread life. They're just all-seasons, not summer tires. And they're on the expensive side too. Not sure what the hell it is they do well. It does ride nice and is whisper quiet though. And of course the snow tires are colossally expensive with few choices (Michelin X-Ice, which is fine, as they're the best I've owned).

Also had to embark on the requisite interior rattle jihad, that I must say was quite successful, though to be fair, I was well practiced after owning a Honda and then Infiniti for 150,000+ miles each. One rattle the dealer had to fix (buried in the dash) and the other I had to resort to the InnerTruths (rear hatch latch motor assembly, solved by extending the hatch bump stops thereby preloading said assembly into submission).
I can't remember any of the new cars I've owned having anything other than shitty factory tires.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

CaminoRacer

Quote from: Morris Minor on May 22, 2021, 05:36:16 AM
I can't remember any of the new cars I've owned having anything other than shitty factory tires.

The Bridgestones that come on new Miatas seem decent. (My only problem is that they're a summer tire, but not a sticky autocross tire. So they don't fit into my 2 sets of tires scheme)

Stock Bolt EV tires are great for efficiency but not grip. Easy to do burnouts with all the torque.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

FoMoJo

Quote from: Morris Minor on May 22, 2021, 05:36:16 AM
I can't remember any of the new cars I've owned having anything other than shitty factory tires.
The 2009 Escape we got for my wife came with a set of Michelin something something.  They were Summer tires but the emphasis was on fuel efficiency at the time so they were steel belted for firmer road contact and less rolling resistance...so they said.  Seemed to do the job and lasted forever, though we had snow tires on for 4-5 months each year.  My daughter had the car for the last four years and I finally convinced her to get a new set of Summer tires this Spring.  The car's got close to 300 km so I figure they did about 100+ miles.  Still had some pretty good tread.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

cawimmer430

Aren't all-season tires notorious for quick wear and tear?

I was thinking about getting some for my car but I was advised by a tire shop not to because they're a compromise tire - not that good in the summers or in the winters, made for people who don't drive much and who above all don't drive very fast [on the Autobahns].
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
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GoCougs

Quote from: cawimmer430 on May 23, 2021, 03:44:25 AM
Aren't all-season tires notorious for quick wear and tear?

I was thinking about getting some for my car but I was advised by a tire shop not to because they're a compromise tire - not that good in the summers or in the winters, made for people who don't drive much and who above all don't drive very fast [on the Autobahns].

The opposite IME - summer tires wear super quick (like 10,000-20,000 miles), are not good in the wet, just about useless under 45-50 F, and have worse ride and road noise. If I want them, I'm going have to NEED them (i.e., ultra hi-po car), since where I live it's wet and cold-ish for at least 6-7 months out of the year.

I had various "high performance" all-seasons on my my last car and they averaged ~30-40,000 miles (I replace tires well before the wear bars present because of ride quality and road noise degradation - they probably could have gone 40-50,000 miles officially). They work fine enough and the usefulness in the wet and cold is hugely more beneficial. One has to really push the car to feel the limitations. I switch to a dedicated winter tire (Michelin X-Ice is my go-to) as I drive a lot in deep snow.

r0tor

OEM tires generally come with less tread depth then what you would buy from a tire shop.... Better mpgs and initial driving experience
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee No Speed -- 2004 Mazda RX8 6 speed -- 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia All Speed

cawimmer430

Quote from: GoCougs on May 23, 2021, 07:01:50 AM
The opposite IME - summer tires wear super quick (like 10,000-20,000 miles), are not good in the wet, just about useless under 45-50 F, and have worse ride and road noise. If I want them, I'm going have to NEED them (i.e., ultra hi-po car), since where I live it's wet and cold-ish for at least 6-7 months out of the year.

I had various "high performance" all-seasons on my my last car and they averaged ~30-40,000 miles (I replace tires well before the wear bars present because of ride quality and road noise degradation - they probably could have gone 40-50,000 miles officially). They work fine enough and the usefulness in the wet and cold is hugely more beneficial. One has to really push the car to feel the limitations. I switch to a dedicated winter tire (Michelin X-Ice is my go-to) as I drive a lot in deep snow.


:ohyeah:
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie