Opinions on the Audi A3?

  • Thread starter Thread starter L33
  • Start date Start date

L33

L33

L33

Permabanned
Joined
1 Apr 2003
Posts
1,872
Just after some opinions really of people who may have experience with this car. I went and had a real quick look at one tonight at a dealership on the way home from work, am going back tomorrow when I have more time for a test drive and closer inspection etc.
The car is a 2003 52 plate, 1.6 petrol, 30k miles, full main-dealer history, black paintwork, leather interior, 18" alloy wheels, xenon headlamps, my initial opinion that it was immaculate inside and out. The advertised price is 9.5k, however I'll be hoping to knock that figure down a little, and the dealership has a guaranteed part-exchange scheme which I'll take advantage of with my old vectra, should I decide to buy from there :)
 
I personally love the A3 and it will probably be my next motor when I get rid of the A4. I love the look of them and the one I have driven did appeal.

I would say go for it. I hope to get the 2.0 Tdi as I need a diesel as a main car.
 
I like the A3 too but the engine in my mates 2.0TDi is really rough and noisy ( 55 plate I think )

I do much prefer the look of the 3dr to the 5dr

My neighbour has a 3.2 on a 05 plate too , no idea what it's like though as he is a knob and I don't talk to him :D
 
The new A3 is a really nice car.

But that car will not be a new A3, it will be the previous model, first introduced in 1996. Not sure I'd spend £10k on one of those.
 
I'm after a 1.8 turbo sport model, around say an x reg, I was just wondering what bhp these cars are, I've seen one that says its a 1.8T Sport but has 180bhp, I thought they had around 140bhp and I can't work out why that's in the ad as there is no mention of mods and the picture of the engine looks normal?
 
Sirrel Squirrel said:
I'm after a 1.8 turbo sport model, around say an x reg, I was just wondering what bhp these cars are, I've seen one that says its a 1.8T Sport but has 180bhp, I thought they had around 140bhp and I can't work out why that's in the ad as there is no mention of mods and the picture of the engine looks normal?
Click to expand...

They have 150bhp, rising to 180bhp for the Quattro model.
 
[TW]Fox said:
that car will not be a new A3, it will be the previous model
Click to expand...
It is the older model. I had a good look around and the only new shape A3's available for the same sort of price range are high milage or not in very welll looked after condition.
I've also been having a look at the S3's, but similar story with ~10k = high mileage
 
i've got a 4 month old A3 Sportback 2.0 TDi Sport in Toucan Yellow as a company car.

of the cars i tried it was by the far the 'best'.

Engine is fine, yes a bit noisy but not excessive for a diesel imho.

It handles pretty well, goes very well and is easy for overtaking with great in gear acceleration.

Also comfortable for doing distances and cruising on long motorway drives.

Not driven a petrol A3 though.
 
I really like the A3, not had a chance to drive one yet but the new model is definitely tempting....
 
I've got a 2.0T 3dr A3 and really enjoy it. My requirements were something quite torquey, small, good interior, good boot space and it fits the bill well.

The 1.8T and 2.0T VAG engines are fantastic and will happily delivery good performance with reasonable economy or fastatic economy if driven carefully. I cruise down 15 miles of motorway to work and a few miles of town roads and normally get around 39mpg. Town driving from cold starts sees high 20s so still not bad.

I'm not sure how much different the old style A3 was, but I'm sure they're still very good. I've driven mk4 Golfs and the ride and handling is no where near as good as the mk5 Golf/current A3. However reliability, comfort and engine performance ought to be pretty similar.

As Fox says, the 1.8T engine comes in 150bhp, 180bhp Quattro and 210/255bhp Quattor in the S3. They can all be reliably chipped for an extra 30bhp or so.
 
All the same basic engine, but the Quattro ones have a different gearbox I guess.

FYI Quattro models are grippier in corners and quicker off the line, but fuel economy suffers do to extra weight and friction.
 
I really kliked the A3 to drive and to look at, and was considering buying one a few months ago for my wife. However, I just felt that the interior really let it down and was very basic for the price you were paying.

The models I looked at felt like G Fiestas inside rather then showing any pedigree.
 
i found the a3 of good quality inside.

both my wife and i found it much nicer than a golf or other cars we looked at.

oh and mpg is pretty good, about 48-50mpg on a motorway run.
 
Ive had a 1.6 in an A3 before. Although it wasnt stupidily slow, ill advise you to buy a TDi instead...or at least the 2.0 equivilent. That way you'l keep the car for longer! Remember, A3's are heavy cars, quite solid too...the car could do with something more gutsy that 1.6.
In my 1.6, iirc, the only thing which broke was a Coolent temp sensor, which caused the car to rev up now and then, and an ABS ring which went in the rear tyre hub. i owned the car for about a year, and then some idiot wrote it off.

i then bought another A3, 2000 1.9TDI! Shes still going strong, although ive noticed, dont know if its like this with every other car...but as soon as i hit about 115k (mileage), ive had various problems. Ranging from ABS linkages, Arms (they look like "L" and join the shockers to the body), various bushes (ive had 17's on mine for quite a while), MAF sensor is common problem on TDi and now i have an Electric problem!! (£120 to run diagnostics at the stealers :s )
The majority of the problems are just general wear and tear....i mean bushes and linkages have to be changed one day...right?

oh and in both the A3's ive owned, the Ashtrays have broken (refuse to shut) and the front seat (driver and passenger) broke. I think a clip broke which caused the seat to rock front/back up/down. Was dangerous to drive when the drivers seat went.

All in all, i dont regret buying my A3's...i just would have prefered to start with the TDI instead of the 1.6. I didnt have much of a choice back then, as it was my first car with no NCD. Insurance cost me £960 TPFT with pass plus on the 1.6.
 
carpmaster said:
Get the S3 it's a beauty. Just remember it's not proper Quattro........
Click to expand...


How come? If Audi badge is as Quattro then it must be :D . Or do you mean it isnt a torsen AWD system fitted to the A/S3?

Oh I love our 5dr A3 by the way and the interior is lovely. Its real fun to drive although the steering doesnt give much feedback as standard(this can be sorted with VAG-COM if it bothers you though). The 2.0T motor is fanatstic and weve had no problems with it at all yet. Its is heavy though and would really be underpowered with a 1.6 lump in it. To give you an idea our Quattro sportback is 1573kg!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom