Reliability is another area where BMW outperforms Audi. Recently, all BMW models received expected reliability ratings that were above average. The well-known 5 Series received the highest rating, while the 2 Series, 4 Series, X1 and X4 also earned commendable results. Audi’s grades are significantly lower, and the brand received an average overall rating. Only three of Audi’s 12 models—the A5, A7, and A8—have anticipated reliability ratings that are above average, while the other four received below-average ratings.
In This Article...
Final Conclusion
It’s difficult to predict who will win the Audi vs. BMW competition. The same target market is being courted by both producers, but they focus on distinct specifications and features.
When it comes to technology and style, Audi is the winner, but BMW offers a smoother, sportier driving experience. When it comes to safety features, both brands score highly, however Audi has far lower reliability ratings. Although there isn’t much of a difference in price between the two, Audi’s reliability difficulties are evident in the price of repairs.
In the end, they are both fairly similar automobile makers with comparable models that appeal to slightly different demographics. Choose a BMW if you want a sporty, controlled ride. Choose an Audi if you want something with understated style and cutting-edge technology.
Which Brands Require More Upkeep
AM-Online has conducted research and created a number of infographics to show which German brands are the most dependable and affordable to repair. The study compares maintenance requirements for BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz under six years of ownership, after six years, and after twelve years. As a result, this generally illustrates how each automaker’s models are over their whole lives.
Under six years, the cost and dependability of every car is relatively the same. This is due to the fact that the vehicles are relatively new, often have less than 100,000 miles on them, and come with a factory-backed guarantee, meaning that there won’t be many significant problems.
Audi still has the most issues and requires the most money to fix, though. Mercedes is the most dependable and, therefore, the most affordable vehicle, placing BMW in the center. Things start to alter after six years. The cars do have a tendency to break down as they accumulate more kilometers and perhaps more owners.
The least dependable and priciest of the three manufacturers is still Audi, while Mercedes continues to be the market leader and BMW remains in the center. Twelve years later, though, things usually settle down again because the automobiles are so old and most customers choose to ignore minor issues.
But when you get down to the smaller particulars, things get a little messier. It wasn’t as simple to compare different car classes, such as the 1 Series/2 Series class, 3 Series class, and 5 Series class. The brands’ positioning didn’t change, but the expenses to repair various models did. For instance, the less priced models of both BMW and Audi were less expensive to fix, which seems relatively normal. However, Mercedes-more Benz’s expensive models were the cheapest to repair, probably due to their greater build quality and dependability.
Who is more trustworthy? Audi, BMW, or Mercedes?
Audi placed #7 in Consumer Reports’ reliability survey for 2019, outperforming both BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Audi or BMW costs less to maintain?
“Since the automobiles are still pretty new and don’t require much maintenance, it’s not unexpected that there are fewer quotes within the first five years.
“It’s intriguing to note, though, exactly how much more expensive Audi is compared to the other two models, particularly between the five and eight-year points.
Perhaps customers entering showrooms across the UK will now pause before selecting a brand to invest in.”
Drivers paid PS182.94 on average for Audi repairs in 2017, 11% less than the PS207.11 quoted in 2016.
The C-Class and A4 have the most discrepancy in repair prices between the manufacturers’ corresponding vehicles.
Repair costs for the A4 are 39% greater than those for the C-Class, and it is 28% taller than the BMW 3-Series.
In contrast to Mercedes, which is the most expensive of the three manufacturers for this kind of maintenance, Audi is the least expensive for steering and suspension, electrical, and battery repairs.
With an average cost of PS369.92, Audi is also the least expensive for a cambelt replacement, as opposed to Mercedes, which costs PS475.54 and BMW, which costs PS826.22.
“The reason for this price disparity is because BMW and Mercedes frequently employ timing chains rather than cambelts, which are more costly to fix.
However, Preston noted that requests for BMW and Mercedes timing chain repairs were 20 and 100 times, respectively, less frequent than those for Audi cambelt repairs.
Mercedes clutch replacements were estimated on average at PS670.58, while BMW and Audi were PS544.85 and PS578.39, respectively.
The average cost of an Audi gearbox repair is the highest of the three brands; a manual gearbox repair costs PS567.73, an auto gearbox repair costs PS428.68, and a reconditioned gearbox costs PS744.60.
Around the five-year mark, Audi repair prices start to rise; at this point, Audi is around PS75 more expensive than Mercedes and PS25 more expensive than BMW.
Jeremy has worked as a journalist for 30 years, 20 of them in the automotive B2B sector. Before launching the AM website, he spent three years as a writer and news editor for AM’s sister publication, Fleet News. He has served as Bauer B2B’s head of digital for the past five years, assisting in the management of AM’s digital assets as well as those of Fleet News, Commercial Fleet, Rail, and Smart Transport.
Are Audis superior to BMWs?
BMW’s vehicles, which are made to provide the “ultimate driving experience,” frequently outperform Audi in terms of handling. Because of their overall stronger suspension systems that promote a smooth, pleasant ride, Audi vehicles are significantly less agile than BMW vehicles. BMW typically ranks higher for dependability
BMW or Audi, which is more expensive?
In many car classes, but not all, BMW and Audi face off against one another. Although it’s not always fair to compare prices between BMW and Audi because the latter provides a much greater variety of models, in general, Audis are less expensive than their BMW rivals. We’ve listed each Audi and BMW model together with its base price, except the mandatory destination fee, which is typically roughly $1,000 on most models, to make it easier for you to determine which models are more reasonable. You’ll see that BMW offers a wider selection of automobiles than Audi. Comparable models typically come with comparable features and choices.
- BMW 2 Series is $37,300 while the Audi A3 is $33,300.
- BMW 3 Series $40,250 vs Audi A4 $39,200
- BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe $44,750 vs. Audi A5 Sportback $44,200
- BMW 5 Series is $53,400 while the Audi A6 is $58,900.
- BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo costs $70,300 versus $68,000 for the Audi A7.
- Audi A8 ($83,000) vs. BMW 7 Series ($86,450)
- BMW X1 costs $34,950 against Audi Q3 $34,700.
- BMW X3 costs $41,000 against Audi Q5 $42,950.
- BMW X5 costs $60,700 against Audi Q7 $53,550.
- Audi Q8 ($67,400) against BMW X7 ($73,900)
- BMW 4 Series Coupe $44,950 vs. Audi A5 Coupe $44,200
- BMW 4 Series Convertible costs $53,100 compared to the Audi A5 Cabriolet’s $51,200.
- Audi TT $44,900 vs BMW Z4 $49,700
- Compared to the BMW i8, the Audi R8 costs $169,900.
- BMW X2 $36,400
- BMW i3 $44,450
- $111,900 BMW 8 Series Coupe
- BMW X4 $50,450
- BMW X6 $63,550
Additionally, it should be mentioned that both Audi and BMW have a wide range of high-performance vehicles that have been upgraded for more strength and agility. Typically, these models are more expensive than the less expensive variations. The iconic M3 and M5 vehicles are BMW’s high-performance M division’s most well-known creations, but it has also produced high performance versions of the BMW X3, X4, X6, and other models. With S and RS versions of many cars, Audi offers two levels of performance options. The performance of the RS models is significantly better than the S ones. Customers interested in high-performance Audi vehicles should look at the RS3, RS5, and RS7.
Is BMW or Audi superior to Mercedes?
Audi frequently beats out rivals if you want to put appearances above everything else. BMW is the best option if you want a joyful, exciting driving experience. Mercedes remains the king of power, safety, and speed.
BMW or Audi, which lasts longer?
Top-notch engineering comes to mind when we think of a German brand. We anticipate meticulousness. Unfortunately, Audi has shown that origin doesn’t always equate to quality. Owners have reported dependability concerns with Audi, which is one of the brands that fall under the VW group’s umbrella.
The Reliability Index placed Audi as the 34th most reliable manufacturer out of 40 manufacturers. Although many of their component parts are shared with other VW group cars, Audi’s high-tech and cabin amenities are exclusive to their brand. The engine, cooling and heating system, electrical components, and fuel system are the most often mentioned problems.
Audi offers a 3-year/60,000-mile guarantee on all new vehicles to alleviate your worry.
BMW just barely outperforms the competition in terms of reliability. They came in at number 31 (sounds good, doesn’t it?). Electric issues, oil leaks, and cooling system issues are common complaints from owners.
For all new BMW vehicles, the warranty is more generous, providing 3 years of unlimited mileage.
who sells the most automobiles Audi or BMW?
BMW was the world’s top-selling luxury car brand with 2.5 million vehicles sold. In contrast, Volkswagen’s Audi brand sold almost 1.7 million automobiles in 2021.
Why are Audi vehicles the best?
A Reliable Brand Is Audi Higher safety ratings, less potential maintenance difficulties, and models you can rely on are all signs of more dependable vehicles. If you look at reliability reports, you’ll see that Audi dominates these statistics.
What are Audis worth?
Apparently, The Drive “The average Audi will cost $12,400 in upkeep over the course of ten years. For comparison, the 10-year averages for popular brands like Toyota, Ford, and Honda are $5,500, $9,100, and $7,200, respectively.”
In the end, Audis cost more to maintain than the ordinary automobile for a number of reasons. You can anticipate greater charges for routine maintenance and some parts if you own an Audi. In addition to being more expensive to repair in general, Audi parts in particular are more expensive.
The upside to this is that they are more dependable than the ordinary car. Audis are reputed to be more dependable when it comes to new cars, but they do have a tendency to develop problems over time, which can be more expensive to replace.
Another thing to think about is insurance. Many Audis cost more to insure than the ordinary car due to their higher level of luxury. A typical year of insurance for an Audi costs $1,606 (USD), which is 36% more than the national average. Additionally, the cost of insurance varies across different models.
Due to the fact that Audi is a European brand, there are fewer parts available, which contributes significantly to the higher insurance costs.
Which European automaker has the best reputation?
Mercedes-Benz According to Warranty Wise, Mercedes-Benz is the most reliable of the three major German premium brands, and its vehicles are generally more economical to repair.
What reliability score does Audi have?
Breakdown of the Audi Reliability Rating. With a 3.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating, Audi is ranked 28th overall out of 32 auto brands. This evaluation is based on the average of 345 different models. Audi’s average yearly repair cost is $987, making its ownership expenses average.