Audi owners in here!

xs2man · 1 Nov 2016 at 11:01

[TW]Fox;30165749 said:
You wouldn't want to run an Audi A3 daily?

what? lol

That is exactly what it is designed for!

I wouldn't want to run an R32 daily. A3 2.0 TDI, yeah, sure. Event the 2.0T, sure. But can see why a 3.2 V6 would be a weekend car. Unless you were only doing 5k per year.

naefeart said:
I ran my M5 daily and my Evo and my M3. That's what they are for

As above, unless doing small miles, I wouldn't want to run a V6 or V8 daily again. I did that with my S4, and it isn't cheap.

Cleisthenes · 1 Nov 2016 at 11:03

People get far too hung up on mpg. Although I only do 9-10k a year I average £150 a month fuel and about 23mpgz. A 3.2 A3 must be dull as dishwater in comparison to what you could get as a weekend fun car. What was wrong with an MX5?!

thewanted · 1 Nov 2016 at 11:05

naefeart said:
My experience so far is that they appear to work really well. Very impressed with the light they provide and it's rather cool how they automagically dim/dip for oncoming traffic.

I am still getting flashed by the odd road user though. I don't think it's because they are being blinded by the light, more that they don't perceive that I have dipped my full beam. It's similar to when I got my first car with Xenons back in 2000; other road users would flash because they felt the bright light of the Xenons was simply the full beam.

Thanks for letting me know

I had them on my factory order, but I've since placed a refundable deposit (pending me viewing it) on a nearly new A4 Avant this morning that doesn't have them. I very seldom drive at night on unlit roads so whilst they would be cool to have, I don't know if I'd get the full benefit.

paradigm · 1 Nov 2016 at 11:29

My S3 is my daily, uses a fair bit more fuel than my A4 TDi did

MaX_PoWah · 1 Nov 2016 at 12:03

Well someone crashed in my RS3 on Sunday evening. Car pretty much saved the day and made the accident far less worse than it would have been as its pre basic sense kicked in and slammed the brakes in. Nevertheless it's damaged the bumper, wing and wheel. I also got whiplash from the car breaking so hard.

The guy pulled out from a minor road right in front of me with no lights on. He said he wasn't concentrating and didn't see me.

Gutted as the car only has 4500 miles on it. I am concerned the car took some of the blow on the wheel and I am hoping it won't have mechanical issues.

Steedie · 1 Nov 2016 at 12:17

MaX_PoWah said:
I also got whiplash from the car breaking so hard.

Did you though? Really?! :mad:

LiE · 1 Nov 2016 at 12:21

naefeart said:
My experience so far is that they appear to work really well. Very impressed with the light they provide and it's rather cool how they automagically dim/dip for oncoming traffic.

I am still getting flashed by the odd road user though. I don't think it's because they are being blinded by the light, more that they don't perceive that I have dipped my full beam. It's similar to when I got my first car with Xenons back in 2000; other road users would flash because they felt the bright light of the Xenons was simply the full beam.

Edit - An A3 is rather an odd 'weekend car'. Normally this would be something sporty like a Caterham/Lotus/TVR. What do you drive during the week?

I'm getting flashed a lot too, but I just flash them back

Housey · 1 Nov 2016 at 15:55

paradigm said:
My S3 is my daily, uses a fair bit more fuel than my A4 TDi did

To be fair it's no Polo GTi

xs2man · 1 Nov 2016 at 17:39

paradigm said:
My S3 is my daily, uses a fair bit more fuel than my A4 TDi did

Sure, but these modern 4 pots are meant to be relatively frugal. I can relatively easily see 35mpg in my 9 year old 2.0T, and the internet is awash with stories of the newer ones managing 40+ mpg when driven sensibly.

A 3.2 V6 4wd A3 is simply not capable of such efficiency. And while it may well be relatively dull, and not something I would personally have as a weekend car, I can see why someone might consider it for such purposes. Heck, that was a role essentially being filled by my "old" diesel estate.

Firestar_3x · 1 Nov 2016 at 17:44

xs2man said:
Heck, that was a role essentially being filled by my "old" diesel estate.

That isn't justification it just makes you madder than the OP.

Manage a daily average of 26mpg out of my 3.6ltr VR6, and just over 30mpg on a run, seems fine to me unless you do moon millage.

xs2man · 1 Nov 2016 at 19:23

Firestar_3x said:
That isn't justification it just makes you madder than the OP.

Manage a daily average of 26mpg out of my 3.6ltr VR6, and just over 30mpg on a run, seems fine to me unless you do moon millage.

Ha ha. I know what you're saying. That's why I got rid of it, and got something that is more fun, regardless of what people on here seem to think about the switch. It wasn't bought for that intention, it just ended up with that use because the Alhambra was so practical at the daily duties.

I do decent miles, (circa ~25k per year), which is why I couldn't run such a motor again as a daily. I mean, don't get me wrong, I probably still do around 10k per year in the GTI, which is currently averaging me around 30 mpg. But my V6 Golf only averaged me 26 mpg, and wasn't quick enough, or fun enough to use that daily.

[TW]Fox · 1 Nov 2016 at 19:25

xs2man said:
I mean, don't get me wrong, I probably still do around 10k per year in the GTI, which is currently averaging me around 30 mpg. But my V6 Golf only averaged me 26 mpg, and wasn't quick enough, or fun enough to use that daily.

Wow, 4mpg! That'd have cost a pretty penny extra at 10k a year.

A whole £22 a month more.

No wonder the GTI is a credible daily driver but the V6 a thirsty weekend fun car.

shifty_uk · 1 Nov 2016 at 19:29

thewanted · 1 Nov 2016 at 20:04

Test drove an A4 Avant earlier that had the matrix headlights. Unfortunately it was dusk so perhaps they weren't as impressive as they could be, but you could definitely see them lighting up the hedges. I drove behind a van with my full beams on and he didn't seem perturbed. Not sure they're a "must have" for me on a second hand car, but I live within the M25 so they won't be as effective compared to someone that lives in the countryside. The car was a little stiff on 19" alloys and standard sports suspension, but certainly better than my S1.

I have a deposit down on an A4 Avant that turned out to be even more awesome than the (utterly useless) Audi Approved Used site lead me to initially believe. There was no mention on the site that it had the panoramic roof (£1200), dynamic steering (£950) and rear air bags (£350). The dealer has sent me the spec sheet so it all checks out.

190PS TDi S-Line S-Tronic Quattro Avant
Daytona Grey
Privacy Glass
Vision Pack (Heads Up Display, Virtual Cockpit, High Beam Assist)
Technology Pack
Bang and Olufsen sound system
Adaptive dampers with sports suspension
Heated seats
Folding mirrors
Rear-view camera
19" V-Spoke Titanium finished wheels
Dynamic Steering
Panoramic Roof
Rear side airbags
Piano black inlays

I'd like alcantara seats and the flat-bottomed steering wheel but they're not deal breakers. It's a very, very impressive spec for the price. I spec'd it up on Broadspeed and it came to £7000 more expensive than it's advertised for. Nearly new for the win! I'll be test driving it next week because the sales manager that's currently driving it is on holiday in NYC. If I really don't like it (highly unlikely at this stage) then the deposit will be refunded. The car will be ready for sale on 27 December.

Tinders · 1 Nov 2016 at 20:08

Sounds a cracking car.

[TW]Fox · 1 Nov 2016 at 20:55

2.0 though

thewanted · 1 Nov 2016 at 21:03

[TW]Fox;30168276 said:
2.0 though

The V6s are crazy money unfortunately

I've found a few 272PS V6s for £33-34k but they're lacking a few essentials, and there are barely any 218PS V6s available. I drove the 190PS TDi tonight and it's really not bad at all. It's much, much more refined than the B8.5. Whilst it's not fast (7.4s to 60mph), it is definitely better than the 150PS TDi loan car that I drove around in for ages.

xs2man · 1 Nov 2016 at 22:08

[TW]Fox;30167883 said:
Wow, 4mpg! That'd have cost a pretty penny extra at 10k a year.

A whole £22 a month more.

No wonder the GTI is a credible daily driver but the V6 a thirsty weekend fun car.

Nothing like focusing on only one point of the argument eh?

[TW]Fox · 1 Nov 2016 at 22:42

xs2man said:
Nothing like focusing on only one point of the argument eh?

I wasn't aware you had a point beyond 'A 6 cylinder car is a weekend car because OMG fuel economy'

An Audi A3 V6 is a practical hatchback for daily use. The end.

xs2man · 1 Nov 2016 at 22:59

You even quoted me saying it...

But my V6 Golf only averaged me 26 mpg, and wasn't quick enough, or fun enough to use that daily.

My point wasn't necessarily that it was too thirsty. Well, not in isolation. But they aren't fast, nor fun enough to be worth spending that money running it daily.

Same as I felt about my 330i's in all honesty, but no-one seems to get that either.

They are ok, taken in isolation, on a weekend sprint or whatever. It's not like I'm saying there is no enjoyment to be had out of these cars / engines. But there is not enough, for me, to suffer the dire fuel economy at all other times.

And it's not like I'd restrict that to just 6 cylinder cars either, or class all 6 cylinder motors the same. The Mazda 3 MPS is quite notorious for poor fuel economy, and it's not some 6 cylinder motor. Equally, the x35i is 6 cylinder, yet I would imagine they would be fast / fun enough (perhaps not the 5/6 series, but the 1/2/3/Z4 series). But I haven't driven any of them, so can't say for sure.