I am ordering an A4 since I cannot find one with the sport package anywhere within 200 miles. I have the same dilemma about the tranny. In fact I can't even find a manual to test drive. When I test drove an automatic it was nice being able to shift through all 8 gears with a flick of the shift lever. That said, I have always enjoyed a MT and do have one in my Z4. I will be commuting in the A4 but it's mostly highway and rarely with any traffic. I checked the book values of used cars and there was no difference in the book value of a MT vs the auto but local dealers do not seem to want them probably due to the traffic in the Balt-Wash DC corridor, but I live in Hagerstown where there is no traffic problems 95% of the time. I plan to special order the car with a MT. Anyone have any thoughts that would dissuade me? Thanks and I look forward to learning a lot from this forum as I have been driving BMWs for 35 years with a few VWs thrown in but have never owned an Audi. I am trading my 335d for the A4 as I will be retiring soon so no need for a commuter car that maximizes mileage over fun. The A4seems like the perfect all-weather sedan. Of course, I am getting the Quattro model.

 

rmorin49 - two comments to add since my previous posts in this thread:

1) I have the A4 2.0 TFSI with MT for over two years now and I keep padding myself on the back for not talking myself out of the MT and getting it. It's my daily commuter (although not much stop-and-go traffic) and I'm looking to driving it every day, in (huge) part because of the MT. I feel I have the car a lot (A LOT!) under control and keeping the 2nd or 3rd gear in for as long as I want makes it a lot of fun! My advice - get the MT!

2) It is my opinion that due to the % of MT's being sold in the country of origin (much higher % of MT than AT), the MT is the primary transmission the car was designed with in mind, and the 2.0T (along with the turbo diesel engine of same or similar displacement) is the primary engine for the A4. So while we have essentially no choice of powertrain here in the US, we at last can enjoy one of the combinations the engineers had in mind when they designed the car. Anything else (including the AT) is sort of an afterthought... Which leads to the same conclusion as mentioned in point #1 above... ENJOY EVERY MILE!

 

Talked with several dealers today and there are very few manual Premium Plus cars available and none in the color I am looking for, White/Chestnut. So I am being told I'll have to order a car and wait about 90 days. I am rethinking my decision and may hang on to my BMW 335d for a while longer.

 

Yeah, MT combined with special color and trim is tough. I was lucky that I wanted black/black and even that car had to be brought in from other state. Plus I had to swap the wheeles as I didn't like the one that car came with so a lot of hassle and some waiting too but totally worth it. Understand that waiting for a car 90 days in a land when "yesterday was too late" is tough but at least you'd get exactly what you want. That counts too...

 

Working with a dealer to try and locate a car that will meet my requirements. May compromise on the color but sticking with a manual tranny and the sport seats.

 

Also, a lot of discussion (on this forum and elsewhere) whether the B&O sound is much better than the Audi sound system that comes with the Premium Plus trim. Not sure if this is important to you but I really wanted the B&O but none of the available cars with manual transmission had it so I very reluctantly compromised on this and got the Audi sound system (I believe it's called Symphony) and it plays great. I'm sure the B&O is better but the sound system that came with the Premium Plus is absolutely satisfactory and I listen to music a lot.... Just an advice in terms of what could be, perhaps, an item to compromise on.

 

My local dealer has located a car for me in NJ. It has the options that were essential and is a manual. It has the sport package, Glacier White exterior and black interior. It is a Premium Plus and has the Audi Advanced Key. They are going to try and arrange a dealer trade on Monday. It does not have the B&O stereo but that is OK with me. After seeing the Chestnut interior in person I didn't like it as I thought it would be close to the Saddle interior in BMWs. I will be happy with the black as it is a nice contrast with the white exterior.

 

I took delivery of my car on 12/21/12. I've only driven it about 150 miles but so far I am very pleased. The capabilities of the MMI seem to be equal to or greater than the iDrive system that I have been using in BMWs since about 2007. The manual transmission is very nice but a bit less precise than the manual tranny in my Z4. I am sure I will get used to the feel as I drive the car to and from work each day. I am looking forward to driving the car in winter weather during my frequent trips from Hagerstown, MD to Somerset, PA to visit my mother. There are some very challenging back roads that are an alternative to Interstate 70 and the PA Turnpike. I am also hoping to learn a lot about Audis on this forum. The only shortcoming so far is an inability of the Bluetooth system to read text messages to me from my Samsung Focus. This is not a major issue as I will likely be getting a new phone soon. I will make sure it is fully functional during the 30 day trial period.

 

Congrats and many happy and safe miles with your new A4! I'm hoping the potential inability of the MMI to read text messages won't change how you think about the car. It makes me sad when all the unbeliveable technology behind the car's platform, engine, quattro etc. goes wayside because of relatively minor details, for example because the car has only one large cupholder. One of my friends did not buy an A4 because of this very reason. I guess he did not deserve it after all...

 

Absolutely not. I don't consider the text message issue to be at all important. As long as I can make and answer phone calls using the Bluetooth all is well. At least Audi has one large cupholder. None of my BMWs had any.