VAG 1.8 Non turbo lump...reliable?

Phate

Phate

Phate

Caporegime
Joined
1 Nov 2003
Posts
35,691
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
Hi Guys,

Found a tidy A3 close to me that's within budget.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...postcode/cm132ql/page/3/radius/1501?logcode=p

If I'm honest I quite like the look of it...but want to know if the non-turbo is just as reliable as the turbo? if not more? (no turbo, less to go wrong).

Not bothered if I have the turbo or not to be honest...its got 130bhp which is much better than the 0bhp I have currently :)

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Jake
 
Hmm a VAG 1.8 Non turbo. Is this a bit like IS or USM? I must admit I've never heard of VAG but the f/1.8 sounds good. What focal length is it and does it come in Canon or Nikon mountings? ;)
 
Andy90 said:
Hmm a VAG 1.8 Non turbo. Is this a bit like IS or USM? I must admit I've never heard of VAG but the f/1.8 sounds good. What focal length is is and does it come in Canon or Nikon mountings? ;)
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Commented after it was moved forums.

Fail :p
 
Perfectly reliable (well as perfectly reliable as most other 1.8-2.2 litre engines that aren't highly strung), and not "that" ridiculously underpowered. But why do you want a 1997 A3?

Eurgh. Get something with a lesser brand image and end up with something better AND newer.
 
paradigm said:
Perfectly reliable (well as perfectly reliable as most other 1.8-2.2 litre engines that aren't highly strung), and not "that" ridiculously underpowered. But why do you want a 1997 A3?

Eurgh. Get something with a lesser brand image and end up with something better AND newer.
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Cheers. Only saw it because I thought "I like Audis" - Specifically I've always liked the A3, so I took a look :) (I don't know what I want specifically really so I'm just looking around)
 
You can do far better than an early MK1 A3. Might as well get a MK1 Leon if you are after something of that ilk.

Go bigger, and go for something less prestigious (or less desirable by the masses) if you want something more value for money!
 
I have the exact same car, although a 1999 and with the sport suspension/wheels package. They're good cars (if a little dull) and generally pretty well specced.

However because of the badge they're not cheap to service. My last bill came to £700 and the one before that £400. On a £2000 car, that stings.
 
Brother in law has/(had?) a 1.8 (non Turbot) Golf GTi mk4. Nice enough car, lasted him nigh on 3 years without doing much in the way of servicing or maintenance (dont ask...some people).

Eventually lunched the engine requiring new head and vales (some belt iirc), which was not surprising considering the neglect. Engine pulled well enough up to that point, nowt remotely special though.
 
Spunkey said:
I have the exact same car, although a 1999 and with the sport suspension/wheels package. They're good cars (if a little dull) and generally pretty well specced.

However because of the badge they're not cheap to service. My last bill came to £700 and the one before that £400. On a £2000 car, that stings.
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Do you do the servicing yourself or pay for it?

I'll be servicing it myself, so it'll only be parts really.
 
At those prices that will be main dealer servicing (and being raped for repairs by the sounds of it, £700 for just a service? Pull the other one).

I don't spend that much servicing the LCR at SEAT.
 
The engine is fine. Much better than the 2.0 of that era.

However, as Paradigm said you can do much better if you drop the four rings.
 
Witor said:
Brother in law has/(had?) a 1.8 (non Turbot) Golf GTi mk4. Nice enough car, lasted him nigh on 3 years without doing much in the way of servicing or maintenance (dont ask...some people).

Eventually lunched the engine requiring new head and vales (some belt iirc), which was not surprising considering the neglect. Engine pulled well enough up to that point, nowt remotely special though.
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Cheers for the post :) How many miles was it on when the engine om nommed itself?
 
paradigm said:
At those prices that will be main dealer servicing (and being raped for repairs by the sounds of it, £700 for just a service? Pull the other one).
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It was an independant garage, and where did I say it was a service?

Phate said:
Do you do the servicing yourself or pay for it?

I'll be servicing it myself, so it'll only be parts really.
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That was a garage's costs. I would do more damage if I went at it with the spanners. Admittedly a bit of the £700 bill was consumables, but i maintain my original point that they're not that cheap to own compared to a focus/mondeo of a similar price.
 
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LOL. Ok yeah, fair point.

The £700 bill was actually from replacing a cracked sump, couple of springs/shocks and a few other things I can't remember.
 
Spunkey said:
The £700 bill was actually from replacing a cracked sump, couple of springs/shocks and a few other things I can't remember.
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Sounds expensive. I replaced the engine for not much more, and had the gearbox replaced for less than £500.
 
I can't see the attraction of an old A3 with an engine like that.

paradigm said:
Sounds expensive. I replaced the engine for not much more, and had the gearbox replaced for less than £500.
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But a garage didn't change your engine and you were using second hand parts - I dont see the relevance at all.
 
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