Having doubts about my A3 Order

M

mark88

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My A3 should be getting built in 2 weeks and should be with me Late September.

I'm now having doubts though about whether or not I've chosen the right engine!

I ordered s 2.0 TDI Sport Quattro S-line, with a few optinal extras and a Votex kit for good measure. At the time of ordering I only had the TDI engine in mind, but now I'm thinking I should have got the 2.0T.

The reason I didn't consider the 2.0T at the time was purely because the insurance was round about £1000 more, and also the fact that the car cost a bit more. I could have afforded the 2.0T but felt the insurance costs were more than I was willing to pay.

The only thing I'm having doubts about with the TDI is whether I can live the noise. I actually like the grunt of the TDI when they get going, but after hearding a couple recently stood idle it got me a bit worried whether or not I'll be able to live with it. But maybe I'm just being paranoid?....

Wonder if it's too late to change my order to a different engine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
I wouldnt worry. Its not as if you're going to be standing outside the car when your driving it, and i'm sure the sound-proofing is more than adequate.

just look forward to getting your new car with a nice spec /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

I'd say not to worry about the noise, when cold on startup it makes the most noise and it's not that loud. The rest of the time it's very quiet and reasonably smooth. This is from a petrol head through and through. I always said I would NEVER drive a diesel engined car but I do now and I love it.

J.
 
I agree with marriedblonde. I also said that I would NEVER EVER buy a diesel engined car but when it came to change my A3 1.8T Sport (my fourth) I test drove the TDI and the FSI. I really wanted the DSG gearbox and so I went for the TDI. It was also much closer in performance to the 1.8T than the FSI. I now really love the car and when I go out as a passenger in my wife's VW Polo it seems all revs. I much prefer the slower reving and sound of the TDI.
 
Mark, the spec you have ordered sounds excellent. You could always gte a stage 1 remap for some extra grunt, the quattro would be ideal for this.

BTW, is it the 3-door or sportback you have ordered?
 
My wife and I went to germany for the weekend and we had an A3 2.0TDI on loan. There was no problem with the car at all. A little noise at start but not to much. The car went very well (180KMPH about 115mph) on the motorway noise level was good at that speed. A nice car to drive. It had a manual gearbox which was OK and I was very happy with it.
 
Our A3 2.0TDI sport is a hell of a lot quieter in the cabin than my Civic Type R (normal spec).
 
Mark,

The A3s are so solid on the inside I doubt that you would get much noise inside the cabin as Adam said.

I suspect you will be saving a fair bit of money not just on insurance but also on fuel costs by opting for the diesel.

Good call on the quattro option, given that you will have a pretty torque-y engine.
 
mark - agree with some points, disagree with others.

The I drove an A6 (loaner) with the 2.0TDI engine in it. SOunds like a tractor when it starts up and is at low speed. That was the main thing that put me off it.

The 2.0T is just massive amounts of fun. You get nice pull in the 2.0TDI but the 2.0T is in a different league in terms of fun.

If your main concern is saving money, fuel costs, tax, etc., TDI is a good move.

If you want a more exciting drive, much better engine sound and nippier acceleration and money is secondary, go for the 2.0T.

I was in exactly the same boat as you right up until placing my order, then the little devil on my shoulder set - screw the cash! Think of those sweet, sweet revs...

Will your little angel or devil on the shoulder win out?!? Who knows...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif

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BTW, is it the 3-door or sportback you have ordered?

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It's the 3-door
 
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If your main concern is saving money, fuel costs, tax, etc., TDI is a good move.

If you want a more exciting drive, much better engine sound and nippier acceleration and money is secondary, go for the 2.0T.


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I think it's too late in the day to change my order, and it's quite a major change. Build week is week starting 22nd August.

I'll see when it arrives I guess. If I were to place the order again though I would get the 2.0T. Simply because I can afford the 2.0T and the running costs, the only reason I dismissed it was because I refused to pay such high insurance and I wanted S-Line spec which doesn't come with the standard FSI. I'm 24, been driving less than a year, insurance almost 3k for the 2.0T, 1700 for the TDI.

Like you say though, the sound of the car externally, not just internally at low speeds is my main worry.

We'll see.

btw, do any of the rempas on the TDI drastically improve the sound of the engine as well as performance?
 
I think you will find it is far too late to change spec.

The remapping might be quite pricey as well, for a newbie driver.
 
Reading this petrol/diesel dabate was very interesting. I've always been a petrol man, through and through. I always thought of diesels as great if you wanted a canal barge, but the world is changing, and it's getting harder and harder to ignore the evidence that diesel engines are just getting better and better by the year. It's also getting harder and harder to ignore the daily ocurrence of my 2.8V6 30-valve petrol A4 being out dragged on the motorway by 1.9TDIs that have been geared to sit right on the peak of the torque curve at 70 in top.

I think the comment that astonished me most though was Markk88's statements that the TDI was £1,000 cheaper to insure than the 2.0T. £1,000 cheaper???????!!!!!!

I obviously don't know how old you are, Mark88, but I'm gob-smacked at the notion that there's a four-figure difference in insurance between two variations of the same car. I know I'm an old-@rse, but I'm paying just under £700 a year for the 2.8, (full no-claim but with 2 speeding convictions), and I'm thinking that's too pricey to bear .

Of course, it could just be that I'm out of touch with insurance costs for people younger than me (i.e. everyone).
 
Mark, I know this doesn't help, but the sound of a car is very important to me... I love the sound (Audi spend huge amounts tuning the note) and it adds so much to the driving experience. Any time I see a nice car, it is spoiled, just a little bit, by the tractor noise that goes from bad to not-quite-as-bad after 10 mins.

As others have said, while we're seeing £1 a litre, you have every write to grin from ear to ear when you come across a 3.2V6 at the petrol station /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I think Mark said he was 24. But 3K for insurance on a 2.0T and even 1700 on a TDI. That getting into the realms of more money than you know what to spend it on. I have never ever paid that sort of premium - could never have afforded to pay that sort of premium. At his age I was driving a much less powerful car and still working my way up. There are some very big advantage for being an older experienced driver with full no claims, like £300 insurance on a 2.0 TDI and still able to drive at 130 mph on the autobahns in Germany.
 
Ummmm autobahns.....not fair /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. I cant even use the 2.0TFSI to its fullest....well,legally without worrying about getting arrested. Thank god for the V1 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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I think Mark said he was 24. But 3K for insurance on a 2.0T and even 1700 on a TDI. That getting into the realms of more money than you know what to spend it on. I have never ever paid that sort of premium - could never have afforded to pay that sort of premium.

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My age and the fact I have been driving less than a year means I can't avoid high insurance. What a mistake it was not learning to drive when I was 17.

I bought my sister a 04 mini cooper this week, she is 20 and also been driving less than a year. It's the same story whatever the car. The insurance costs are ugly. Spent all day monday on the phone and the net getting quotes for her and my 52yo mother to drive the mini and the best quote was £1225 for 10 months. 90% of the other insurers wanted well over £2k. Diamond quoted £4k+ for my mum to insure it in her name and have my sister as named driver. Yet diamond also gave us the £1225 quote under my sisters name. Couldn't quite work that one out.?

The reason I didn't order the 2.0T was because I refused to pay 3k. I expect my insurance for the 2.0TDI to be £1700-1800. 2.0T is group 15, whereas the 2.0TDI is group 11.
 
£1800 to insure a car!!!!!

I don't want to be funny, but can you guys actually afford these cars, and the insurance premiums that go with them? Because, if you can't, maybe you shouldn't be buying brand new, or nearly new cars just yet. Don't you think you'd be better off spending a few years driving modest cars whilst you build up an insurance record?
 
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£1800 to insure a car!!!!!

I don't want to be funny, but can you guys actually afford these cars, and the insurance premiums that go with them? Because, if you can't, maybe you shouldn't be buying brand new, or nearly new cars just yet. Don't you think you'd be better off spending a few years driving modest cars whilst you build up an insurance record?

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If I couldn't afford them, I wouldn't have bought them?

Virtually any *reasonable* car I choose to drive would cost me 4 figures to insure, or near enough. Nothing much I can do about it.
 
Well if you can't afford the insurance on the 2.0T then the question is moot. I think you'll probably be pretty happy with the TDi once you get used to it, the mountain of torque makes short work of overtaking and mid range acceleration, so you'll embarass lots of more sports oriented petrol cars at motorway speeds.
My personal preference is for petrol engines, but I'm getting more and more tempted by diesels these days, especially when you take mpg and insurance into account.
Be happy with what you've ordered - it's a damn nice car /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Insurance costs will ease up once you have a few years no claims. Maybe by then you will be looking at an upgrade to the supposed RS3....(but I for one am not holding my breath for that one....).

This might need to be debated in a new "insurance costs" thread, but I have found that by adding the wife to my policy (she has points and a claim, I have none) this has always decreased my premium...
 
I've recently changed from a 3.2 to a TDI (see my sig) and I'm very happy with the TDI. With DSG in both cars I have to say I think the DSG suits the TDI more than the 3.2, maybe it's newer software or the gearing but either way it's better (Like using 4th at 30mph not 6th and not kicking down as readily when you don't want it to)

My main reason for changing was fuel cost (and more doors and toys). I do miss the 3.2 roar and punch but the TDI is pretty good really. Once you're doing 40 mph+ you would hard pressed to tell it was a diesel as it's very quiet.

Off the line the TDI feels slow until the turbo kicks in which makes the 0-60 figure look poor but once you're moving it's very swift. Unlike the 3.2 which just keeps going, it does run out of puff by 100, but that's not a bad thing really!

I did look at the 2.0T but after having a astra coupe turbo (about 200bhp also) I know the fuel cost would be only slightly better than 3.2.

Insurance wise, I'm 29 with full no claims, no points etc and I pay just over £300 for the TDI (group 11) and it was just over £500 for the 3.2 (group 18). Both with Privilege. The most I've ever paid for insurance was £800 and I would NOT pay the silly money you're looking at!
 
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it does run out of puff by 100, but that's not a bad thing really!


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Is your car still quite new with low miles by an chance? Mines got 10K on the clock and it definately doesn't run out of puff at 100mph...
 
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it does run out of puff by 100, but that's not a bad thing really!


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Is your car still quite new with low miles by an chance? Mines got 10K on the clock and it definately doesn't run out of puff at 100mph...

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yeah all of 600 miles on the clock! I'm talking relative to the 3.2 which would kick down to 4th at 100mph and go like a rocket!
 
My car is actually insured with my girlfriend (co-habitating) as the policy holder, but me as the 'main driver'... it cut the insurance by about £600, as she has had her licence far longer, and had a 1 year no-claims bonus... still cost £1200 with 2 year no claims when I re-newed last month though!

Only down side is that I don't gather a NCB during this time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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yeah all of 600 miles on the clock! I'm talking relative to the 3.2 which would kick down to 4th at 100mph and go like a rocket!

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It will get much better as the miles pile on I promise.
 
I am 29 when I insured my 2.0T and had 3 years no claim - my insurance was close to £1000 through direct line. I searched the bejeesus out of insurance companies too. £3000 is just insane!! I was crying at £1000! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif
 
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My car is actually insured with my girlfriend (co-habitating) as the policy holder, but me as the 'main driver'... it cut the insurance by about £600, as she has had her licence far longer, and had a 1 year no-claims bonus... still cost £1200 with 2 year no claims when I re-newed last month though!

Only down side is that I don't gather a NCB during this time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

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Some insurers won't insure me for cars such as Cooper S, Golf GTI's etc due to the fact I'm under 25 and have 0 NCB. But when I'm 25 and have at least 1 NCB things change. I can get insured for pretty much anything but supercars. Insurance on an new RS4 for example is £3k, which isn't bad considering it would cost me that now to insure a 2.0T A3!

I've also noticed if you have the Pass Plus thing it doesn't make a penny of difference to your premium!
 
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yeah all of 600 miles on the clock! I'm talking relative to the 3.2 which would kick down to 4th at 100mph and go like a rocket!

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It will get much better as the miles pile on I promise.

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I'll agree with this also. I'm at 14k and would say it runs out of steam at nearer 120...cough, kms/hr of course. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Never driven the 3.2 though, so can't compare.
 
If its any consolation, I'm having doubts the other way round. I'm waiting for an A3 2.0T DSG S-line to arrive and everytime I pass a petrol station wish I'd ordered the TDI! I've got an A4 1.8T cab at the moment and £50 for 350 miles is no laughing matter!

I had a golf with the 2.0 TDI engine and as everybody has said, once you're on the go its a cracker.
 
Hey Mark, regarding the doubts you are experiencing, it is simply part of the new-car purchase experience. You shop around, you order your dream car, and then to while the time away you haunt forums such as this one, where people talk about X color, or X engine, or X spec... And then you start to worry!

BUT,

when the dealer calls, and you see your new gleaming baby just waiting for you to take it away, all doubt instantly dissipates: everything's perfect!


I regularly drive a friend's 2.0TDI A3, and I think it is a genuinely GREAT car. I've thrashed it time and again, and it does almost everything my 3.2 does (which, of course, pi**es me off to no end ;-)
 
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350 miles is no laughing matter!

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I can get about 33/34mpg on long journeys if taken fairly steady.

But on the other hand it can go down to around 18/19mpg for those short quick trips to the shops...

Overall, high 20's should be the norm I think. I know people say they get 45+ out of the diesel but I'm never sure if that's with heavy or light foot.

Come on you dieselers...what's the lowest average mpg you've managed to get on the DIS...?
 

Well if I am caning my car I'm lucky to get into the 30's I think my tanks average is around 38mpg but I do have very heavy feet. The with my journey ro work each day which is a round trip of 70miles up the m3.

When Claire drives she can easily get over 50mpg /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif But anything is better than the 18mpg that I used to average in my r32...

J.
 
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If its any consolation, I'm having doubts the other way round. I'm waiting for an A3 2.0T DSG S-line to arrive and everytime I pass a petrol station wish I'd ordered the TDI! I've got an A4 1.8T cab at the moment and £50 for 350 miles is no laughing matter!

I had a golf with the 2.0 TDI engine and as everybody has said, once you're on the go its a cracker.

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Welcome /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

As Steve has just said you can get 34mpg from a 2.0TQ on a good run but my round town is around 22mpg. I'm afraid you're not going to be laughing in the new car as to fill it with Optimax is currently just over £50 and if all my driving is round town I'm lucky to get 280 miles out of a tank /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I'll chuck my 2p worth in. I've obviously got the TDi and find it great on all counts. On a tank of fuel I avereage around 49mpg. Which for my style of driving (which ranges from Driving Miss Daisy to taking on the latest T5 the local constab have bought), is very good. Like everyone else I find it a little sluggish at slow speed but above 40mph then the power is there. But with fuel costs continuing to rise I'm glad I bought the diesel.

I did a rapid drive in it the other day and topped 125 on the clock and it still handled well and it didn't take all day to get their either.

As for insurance £300 with full No claims thats with the girlfriend on as well.... and she totalled her car 18 months ago. Thats a massive £290 cheeper than a 130bhp Mk4 Golf I had prior !
 
Looks like there will be shoe rationing for the other half then

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
My average is 26-27 mpg. I do roughly half city driving, half motorway. Motorway I can get it up to 33 mpg but 30-31 is normal. I use BP ultimate and it's about £50 a tank ATM. Not pretty but I do get reimbursed 40p in the mile by my company which is sweet. Actually covers the petrol unlike my last job and also goes a little way towards covering other running costs and depreciation.
 
The guys on the GTI forum are throwing around figures of 40mpg + on steady motorway runs
 
Average for me is also about 49mpg. Never had it below 42 even when caning it on the way home.

The car holds so much speed through the corners that once your up there its easy to keep it efficient. Not constantly braking and accelerating.

Its got plenty of oomph as well, definitely laggy when pulling away but once its running not much will stand in your way - within reason of course /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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