I'm looking at picking up a new car for my daily commute and I am thinking about the A3 TDI w/ Titanium Sports Package. Does anyone have the car and what are your thoughts?

Also, what kind of deal did you get? My local dealer didn't seem open to negotiating - it would likely be a special order.

 

The A3 is a really classy, solid, well-built car - and is arguably the finest handling compact hatchback around.

A couple of Q's though:

1/ are you getting a three-door or a five-door? The five-door versions - due to them being shaped like a 'station wagon' can get a little 'boomy' from road noise from the rear of the car.
2/ which version of the 2.0 TDI engine are you looking at? The 140 horsepower variant, although 'down' on power compared to the 170 hp unit, is actually a better engine - for two reasons. Firstly, the 170 hp TDI seems to have some notably increased 'issues' with the diesel particulate filter (DPF), whereas the 140 unit doesn't suffer. Secondly, the low-down torque delivery on the 170 is far more brutal and agressive, compared to the 140. If you have the 170 hp in front wheel drive, expect a lot of wheelspin in the wet (no matter how good your throttle control is, you will have great difficulty in quashing the tendancy for the fronts to spin up in the wet). If you must go for the 170 hp, then I would very strongly recommend the quattro four-wheel drive A3.

HTH

 

Absolutely love my A3... that being said... it's run it's course. I recently drove a new GTI and I would have to say it's a much more refined and nicer feeling car... hate to say it but the A3 could use an update.

 

Drove a '06 3.2 S-line w/DSG for a while. Excellent car, as long as you don't have to sit in the back. 6 footers do not fit back there for extended periods of time. No mechanical problems, nice engine sound, decent handling, robust interior.

The only thing I can complain about is the brake feel. There was always a lot of dead travel in the pedal. I don't know if that's because it's a design flaw or because my daily driver has 4-piston Brembos with stainless lines, track pads, and Motul fluid...

 

the A3 is a solid car with no real weakness imho. The TDI has been crowned "best green car of the year" and rightly so:

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/12/03/la-2009-audi-a3-tdi-named-2010-green-car-of-the-year-in-diesel/


by the way, the next A3 generation isn`t too far away, should be presented in 2011.

 

Unfortunately, that link doesn't say if it is the 140 hp or the 170 hp. But still a worthy winner - VWAG diesels when driven in an 'economical' really can be mighty frugal. You only need think back to the Audi A2 3L - which managed a frugal 3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometers - way ahead of its time, and modern VWAG diesels really are a viable alternative to hybrids such as a Prius.

Oh, Audis don't suffer with dodgy accelerator pedals nor dodgy ABS brakes either!

 

Here in the US currently we only get the 5 door; Unfortunately.

I have been looking for one recently for the wife to replace her beetle off lease in a few months and the supply of clean early cars is very small. I wish that the would do a special lease on the TDI but that's dreaming.

 

The A2 was ahead of its time, agree but it was too expensive and the design was so so. An all new A2 is in the making by the way:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Audi-A2/245460/

TDIs are a huge success over here.
we have more diesel driven cars in germany than unleaded cars, mostly because they are mighty efficient.

 

The A3 is an excellent car. Almost bought one in '07 but decided to get a Titanium edition A4 that I saw in the showroom instead!

 

I have an a4 but drove the a3 for a week when mine was in getting serviced and loved it. But I also agree that the new GTI is a much nicer car. My brother just bought one with the upgraded leather package and it is one of the best riding cars I have been in. I am a huge huge fan of the a3 though so it would be a tough choice for me. I would suggest for overall driving experience you should look into the GTI over the a3 but if it is just for a daily grocery getter I think the a3 is a much nicer looking car and handles and performs great on the roads. Plus you can get it with quattro and that by itself makes it better then the GTI in my eyes.

edit - I just noticed you are from Cali haha. So the quattro part doesnt really make much of a difference for you. (I live in the middle of Canada so quattro is a blessing in the winter)

 

+ 1

And not to mention a GTI will run a lot less than an equally equipped A3


but if you must own an Audi, I say go for it!

 

Hmmmm . . . I have great difficulty believing the drivel that Autocar spews out - regularly found to be false . . .

Anyway, unless it is an all-aluminium space frame bodied mid-size MPV - then it doesn't deserve to wear the 'A2' badge!



Same in France, you get lung cancer from breathing in all the diesel fumes!

Seriously though, petrol engines which use the same technology as TDIs - ie, with direct injection and forced induction - aka TFSI or TSI - are now virtually on par with TDI fuel efficiency, and give much better driving dynamics. Some peeps are more than happy never going above an oil-burners 4,000 rpm rev limit.

 

Alright, since you dont need quattro I would definitly get the GTI. I drove my bro's today and oh my god it is amazing. The difference between that and my quattro a4 is incredible. Only if the GTI is in your selection of cars that is haha.

 

About the car I can only say that's a great car. Obviously I say that as I'm an European driver and here the TDI engine is most used. In US I suppose diesel engines are not so diffused. First off all erase from your mind 9000 rpm the redline start @ 4500/5000 rpm. The torque is the real difference in everyday driving: small engine, reduced consuption of petrol (for my 2.0 TDI 140 hp the range is approx 850 km with a fuel tank using the car 50% urban/50% highway). The new TDI use the Common Rail technology (mine A3 is the old and little more brutal injector/pump) that make the car more confortable. I've also a Q5 with the common rail engine with 170 hp (range 900 km with the fuel tank 100% urban usage) and that's absolutly a loving engine.

The most important thing is, if you are a trackday lover, TDI probably is not your way, but, if you're looking for a car with low emissions, that can do 16/17 km/l this is the right choice.

PS: I'm sorry for my really bad english

 

we love our a3 too .... it's almost 5 years old now ... not too sure what to replace it with