First Background:
Well- after 208,000 miles the 13 GX460 seems to have some transmission issues. I've done the drain and fill thing a couple of times, but my wife is still getting a code every few cold starts and she is very much not a fan. Once it warms up it's great- and if it was my car, I'd probably ignore it...but it is her car. I suppose that the CayenneS purchase I made last year isn't helping. Other issues, the parking sensors peaced out a few years ago, one reverse light refuses to stay working and a rear door handle is broken. And the clear coat has started to peel on a hand sized print on the hood. This poor car has been run hard, but has been awesome. It also gets about 17mpg. I just replaced the spark plugs because there was an internet rumor that would help the transmission code. It did not. (plugs were original and looked great though!) It has awesome tires. But alas, the wife does not trust it. I like my wife, the car must go.
I had high hopes for this eventually becoming a fun- put on off road tires runabout, but it seems that it will go on to someone else to overland it. A new transmission is 5k installed, and I probably am not willing to go there with this one. I would need to do that to make her happy.
So, for the first time in 9 years I'm looking for a car for my wife. She is a pretty simple person, but likes nice things. More than anything else, she wants her car to work and she hates going to the gas station. Apparently it's not fun for women. She drives to work 1x a week and that's a 100 miles interstate round trip. She also drives around town a good bit. We've found we save a ton of money just from the 15 miles of electric I get in my porsche everyday, and we have a 50 amp plug already in the garage. The next car was going to be a hybrid probably. I also looked at Touarag Diesels because of this group. gas mileage is key. She also doesn't really like small cars. small utes are out as well.
Then for some reason I remembered a member who's name used to start with a J bought an audi they liked. I now know it was a Q5e- but I found the etron- and man is it cheap. I've located a 2019 premium plus with 62k miles for 19k. That is cheap. I think the GX is worth at least 7 in it's current state and I can get a 4k tax credit. I like all of these things.
So- does anyone have one of these? I like the safety features- I've got a 15 and 14 year old, and I love that my wife will never need to get gas. With the update they get 240 miles on a charge and this one has a verified 99% battery. They charge 20-80% on the electrify america chargers for trips. The Prestige got the massaging seats, but this one did not- bummer.
TL;DR - wife needs a new car. Looking for 2019 Audi E-tron Premium Plus reviews.
Thoughts?
We have put extensive miles on the 1G e-tron as a loaner and strongly considered buying one more than once. Fantastic car. All have air ride, lovely interiors, and excellent driving dynamics for an SUV.
The early ones are pretty poor on range, especially in cold weather. If your 100 miles is round trip you'll be okay, if it's each way you will not. It's going to take like 24 hours to charge on a 110V/50a charger, so getting a real 240v level 5 or whatever it is will be important.
The biggest question honestly is the charging network where you live. We kept rubbing into non-functional chargers, charger hogs, ICE cars in the way, homeless people, etc. If the charging network was better, we would have bought one already.
All else fails, get the Q5e.
In reply to Javelin :
We're in Jupiter Florida and seem to have some Electrify America fast chargers around, specifically at the whole foods my wife visits 2x a week. I also have a 240 already in the garage for the ehybrid cayenne I own.
I'm looking into seeing how travel would look.
Your experience is super useful- love to here about the ride. It's winter here and will be a high of 80*F all week- so cold isn't really a concern. Her commute is 106 miles total round trip, but all interstate.
Thanks for commenting! I thought you changed your name on here for some reason.
In reply to grover :
Yeah I had to do a temp name change when the crazy OG importer of the tires that shall not be banned doxxed me, but now that he's banned from importing and a real business is in charge their sites moved off of me.
Having 240 is great! 100 mile round trip is great. Is the one your looking at a CPO? Audi offers a pretty insane bumper to bumper and extra EV drivetrain warranty on CPO (like Doug DeMuro Carmax Rover good). I think you're in a pretty solid spot to get the full e-tron. Road trips are a whole different ball game, but again that's network (and physical network security) not car.
In reply to grover :
I did a video on the e-tron when we had one for like a month.
In reply to Javelin :
sadly it's at a honda dealer. :/ I'd probably go for the extended warranty if it was at audi.
In reply to Javelin :
This video was incredibly helpful!!! Thank you!
So- how does this $4k tax credit work? I will add it to my return next year?
grover said:
So- how does this $4k tax credit work? I will add it to my return next year?
There's an upper AGI limit on eligibility, and each car is only eligible once for the used credit (is my understanding), so might validate that car hasn't had it's used EV tax credit claimed. Not knowing anything other than what's on IRS site, I'd want that $4k transferred to dealer and walk out at $15k total, day of sale. But I'm sure that's at the dealers option to accept.
It's pretty perfect for what you want it to do. Bonus, it will be a great car for the kids to be driving around also, and this way they never leave you without gas!
Be warned with that $4,000 tax credit, the dealer may be advertising the price of the car with that credit already included. So it may be a $23k car discounted to $19k, not a $19k car that you can walk away with for $15k.
Other than that, the range and charging should be sufficient for your use case. You may never need to visit a public charger, making the state of the charging network irrelevant to you and your wife. You'll just charge at home.
- Sean
In reply to ShawneeCreek :
Great point on them claiming the credit- I'm not seeing that anywhere but it's a great callout. In that respect, it may make sense to not even mention it. It's at a honda dealership so I'm not sure they sell electric cars often, although there are a ton of teslas here.
STM317
PowerDork
2/4/25 10:26 a.m.
grover said:
In reply to ShawneeCreek :
Great point on them claiming the credit- I'm not seeing that anywhere but it's a great callout. In that respect, it may make sense to not even mention it. It's at a honda dealership so I'm not sure they sell electric cars often, although there are a ton of teslas here.
The dealer must file paperwork in order for you to claim the credit, so make sure they understand the process and can handle it right away. If it's not done within 3 calendar days of the sale, then you can't get the credit.
In reply to STM317 :
Fanstastic call out. Thank you.
My mother has a 2021 (?) e-tron Premium Plus. It has been the most comfortable vehicle I've ever sat in. It was out of commission for 2-3 weeks due to some module and pinched wiring. After the dealer sorted that, it's been reliable since. Range is as advertised from what I've heard and it's just a great appliance.
I really like the e-tron, now known as the Q8 e-tron. They are not exciting to drive but they are supremely comfortable with good ergonomics and a good ride. I've reviewed two (?) of them now, I think, and echo what everyone else has said. If you're okay with the range (what I found to be the biggest downside on the earlier models) they are super nice.
In reply to Brake_L8 (Forum Supporter)
Thanks for sharing that video- very useful! Also love hearing that it drives well.
I'll be the dissenting voice on the Q8, and I'm going to keep it short because I feel like I've been grousing so much. Just test drive carefully, thoroughly, and with a critical mindset.
In reply to Jesse Ransom :
Test drove today and things went very very well- this is an etron so not quite the Q8 yet- but this gives me pause.
I have already signed papers- pick up later this week- so you might as well tell me the bad news.
Will you get the $4K tax credit?
In reply to grover :
If you like it, then there's no bad news. It sounds like the e-tron might be different enough not to have some of the things that bugged me about the Q8. At the more minor end, I just thought it felt big, numb, and heavy. It also had really annoying and intrusive driver aids that wouldn't stay shut off, which are even more likely to be less of an issue on a '19, I hope.
The fact that I was driving it as a loaner due to issues with another model is even less pertinent.
So... I suspect you can ignore me. 
In reply to RacerBoy75 :
Depends on how creative my accountant can be with our total household income.
not to get into politics- but I would be claiming it next cycle, I'd bet there is a good chance it won't be around- but I'm going to try!
In reply to Jesse Ransom :
I'm thankful for the input. It's not going to be my daily, so I guess we'll see how annoyed the wife gets. I did notice it nudge me back into the center of the lane today- much like a modern Benz- I didn't mind it but it could be annoying over time.
slightly bummed I didn't the massaging seats- but hard to complain with the out the door price.
grover said:
In reply to RacerBoy75 :
Depends on how creative my accountant can be with our total household income.
not to get into politics- but I would be claiming it next cycle, I'd bet there is a good chance it won't be around- but I'm going to try!
I claimed our 24 Q5e on my 2024 return (eligible for the $3750 amount) and my return was rejected. I literally just refiled this morning less that credit at all. We had the paperwork from the dealer and everything.
