A3 1.9 TDi Sport for a week

mramage

mramage

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Short intro, my car got bumped over Christmas and was having it's front end re-sprayed last week. For that time I had a new A3 1.9 TDi. Here's my thoughts:

Good:
Interior build quality better than the S3.
Standard speakers are better, sounds like it anyway from what I remember.
Nice thump of torque low down.
Economy, the range is very handy.
I like the looks.
Love the extra wipe of the wipers after a clean.
Dual climate, v. nice.
ESP allows a fair bit of lee-way, I like that.

Bad:
Speedo way off, about 8 mph at 90, still about 6-7 at 70. Checked against GPS. Folk with new A3s might want to check their speedos if they can. I was surprised how far off it was.
No individual lights. Is that the lighting pack Audi are now charging for?
Sport and 105BHP of TDi don't quite go together, but it's not bad. The 2.0TDi is much quicker.
Steering feel isn't so good. Not that the S3 is great, but I definitely think it's better.
I hope the S-Line suspension if firmer, as the Sport is definitely not as good as the S3 in ride and handling.
Silly thing, I found the door handles awkard to get a good grip getting out the car.

A nice car, but I was glad to get mine back /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
Under reading? If so that will explain why it feels slower at 75-80 than my previous car and why everyone else seems to be driving like maniacs.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Mark R said:
Short intro, my car got bumped over Christmas and was having it's front end re-sprayed last week.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to hear that Mark.

Everything sorted now?

BTW hot marques this saturday if you are about /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Yep, all fixed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

David, sent you PM.
 
I currently have an A4 fitted with the 1.9tdi 130bhp engine.
Although I've ordered an A3 sportback 2.0tdi I haven't actually driven one yet.
Bit of a 'leap of faith' I know !
I'm hoping the 2.0tdi is considerably more refined than the rather london taxi/tractor 1.9tdi unit.

Is it (fingers crossed..) ?
 
Noisier !?
Oh good grief....
I was hoping it was at least as refined as the Saab tdi I drove last week,fitted with an Alfa sourced diesel engine,or the Volvo S40 I drove fitted with a Ford sourced engine.
Both of those were as refined as one could expect a diesel to be.
 
Don't get me wrong, once you're moving it's fine. It's just that horrendous just started on a cold morning chatter chatter clank clank i'm a tractor impression that it hasn't lost /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif
 
Commenrails are more noisier than the PD's arnt they? Well the Mercs are anyway
 
Both the Saab and Volvo I drove knocked my A4 1.9tdi into a cocked hat for refinement,at tickover anyway.
Both were extremely quiet,sounding more like a petrol engine that needed its tappets done than a diesel.
I didn't test drive a Honda,but I've heard and read it's even quieter.
My A4 1.9tdi is,frankly,embarrassing on a cold morning.It clatters into life,sometimes with a huge plume of white smoke.I should maybe get it looked at but it's going away in 6 weeks,so I can't really be bothered.
It's noisier than it used to be on the move as well.It doesn't use any oil.I picked up a friend the other night and even he commented.
His exact comment was "f-me,it hasn't always been that loud"
 
Agree about the speedo comment; most cars do seem to underread a bit, but my A3 seems to be under by 7-10mph when on the motorway.
 
"Agree about the speedo comment; most cars do seem to underread a bit, but my A3 seems to be under by 7-10mph when on the motorway"

You mean over-read don't you ?
They are allowed to over-read by up to 10% by law (show 77,actual 70)
They are not allowed to under-read at all (show 70,actual 77)
 
Maybe the speedo has been set buy the government, making ppl into thinking that they are going faster than they actually are, lol.

And that white smoke on cold morn, ohhh sounds bad.

Mines as sweat as a nut, only roars when concrete shoe hits the right pedal.
 
I thought it was a well known secret that speedos almost always over-read by as much as 10% (showing 77 while doing 70) I kind of take this fact for granted and often drive about 10% over the speed limit, especially on the motorway. The margin that manufacturers build into speedos combined with the margin built into speed cameras make me feel quite confident that I can do this safely without getting flashed. I have, in fact, never been flashed on the motorway (knock wood).
 
Duh! Yes, I meant over-read - sorry! I realised cars did this, and certainly my old car was always up to 4mph or so over, but the A3 seems to be about twice as much.

Toby.
 
I noticed the speedo error with GPS too. For your info, 84mph (speedo) is 77 mph in reality. So if you have it, you can theoretically set cruise control to 84...

 
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