New to Audi's - help choosing the right spec.

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Martylee

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Hi!

After selling my Vauxhall Astra GSI rep I'm wanting to upgrade in the car world to an A3 sport, and figured the best guys/girls to ask would be current owners and enthusiasts.

I've been looking at several different specs, and I think I have narrowed it down to the one I'm after. Ideally I am looking for a 2.0 TDI sport with either half or full leather. Year would be around the 2003-2006 region and mileage to be under 130000. Price also between £4-5k. But I do have a few queries.

My questions however are as follows,

1 - Is the 'Bose' sound system much better than the original, and if so how much would I be looking at to get the upgrade, fitting will be fine as I have a friend who is an audio fitter so just the parts.

2 - I know some of them come with the s3 styling kit, front grill/bumper and rear splitter. How much are these to purchase separately if the chosen model didn't have them already fitted. I.e second hand in the correct colour code.

3 - As I have never had a Turbo diesel I've only had petrol engines, would I still be able to fit a better sounding DV and better looking SS exhaust system or are these a waste of time on a diesel.


Thank you in advance for your help and when I do get my A3 I'll be sure to meet some of you on the local meets and shows. I'm from Sheffield so I'm sure there will be a pretty big audi scene across Yorkshire.

Marty :)
 
Dunno about the Bose but the sat nav is pants. No postcode search - better off with a garmin or tom tom any day.

Must have for me was heated seats and cruise - a lot of a3's with leather dont have heated seats!!! cruise can be added easily after though.

I wanted xenons but again not many around - a set of nightbreaker bulbs fixed the poor light output.

I have s-tronic and frankly wish I hadnt bothered and gone for manual instead. Pulling away is jerky. On a 2008 car...?? I hear this is a general 'feature'!

MPG is awesome.

Its a noisy diesel though.
 
The Sat Nav (RNSE) is not pants. OK, it doesn't have a proper postcode search but it's easy to get around.
 
Certified diesel hater here but I can clarify a few parts.

The sat nav (RNS-E) does have postcode search but only 5 digits , do agree a tom tom is better though. The Bose sounds good to me, I'm not a massive audiophile and never heard the standard speakers though.

Changing the DV won't make much odds, if the oil burners are like VAG petrols they'll use a recirculating, not venting system anyway. An exhaust would likely gove you a bit of a fruitier exhaust note but it'll still sound like a washing machine full of wrenches anyway. If you're after performance turbo diesels respond really well to remaps. DTUK gets good reviews on here from other owners for that.
 
The MPG is one of the main reasons I want a TDI apposed to an FSI haha. I'm sick of spending £60-70 for 200 miles!

Heated leather sounds good, if it's full leather anyway, half leather won't be that bad but the winter will be horrible. I had cruise control in my Astra but didn't really use it that much, so that will just be a bonus.

As for the the xenons I had HID's before but those night breakers have had really good reviews so I'll go down that route worst case scenario.

Thanks for your advice buddy.

One last thing, am I right in thinking that the timing belt and water pump should have been changed on a 120000mile old car. Isn't it around 80000 audi recommend replacing them?

Marty
 
Reload said:
Certified diesel hater here but I can clarify a few parts.

The sat nav (RNS-E) does have postcode search but only 5 digits , do agree a tom tom is better though. The Bose sounds good to me, I'm not a massive audiophile and never heard the standard speakers though.

Changing the DV won't make much odds, if the oil burners are like VAG petrols they'll use a recirculating, not venting system anyway. An exhaust would likely gove you a bit of a fruitier exhaust note but it'll still sound like a washing machine full of wrenches anyway. If you're after performance turbo diesels respond really well to remaps. DTUK gets good reviews on here from other owners for that.
Click to expand...

To start with it would only really be for the looks, as IMO a nice tailpipe can make or break the rear of a car. Wouldn't be anything too over the top mind you haha, just OEM looking.

And as for remaps, I probably will be getting one but not for a good few months. I'll be more interested in the mechanical, styling side before performance.

And the satnav won't be a big problem as I have a friend who is a Garmin rep so can get fairly cheap units, would just be a nice feature for general driving.

Marty
 
A3Kent said:
The Sat Nav (RNSE) is not pants. OK, it doesn't have a proper postcode search but it's easy to get around.
Click to expand...

I went looking for a farm near a village last week. I had the farm name, the village and the postcode. I had to use my Note 2 to get me there. That alone makes it pants.

It offers nothing more than a decent radio would (I would add I dont have phone prep or TV though). To listen to a CD I need to remove the sat nav dvd!
 
Reload said:
Certified diesel hater here but I can clarify a few parts.

The sat nav (RNS-E) does have postcode search but only 5 digits , do agree a tom tom is better though. The Bose sounds good to me, I'm not a massive audiophile and never heard the standard speakers though.

Changing the DV won't make much odds, if the oil burners are like VAG petrols they'll use a recirculating, not venting system anyway. An exhaust would likely gove you a bit of a fruitier exhaust note but it'll still sound like a washing machine full of wrenches anyway. If you're after performance turbo diesels respond really well to remaps. DTUK gets good reviews on here from other owners for that.
Click to expand...

Maybe I stand corrected - how do you use the 5 digit search on postcodes then? I cannot find it...thanks in advance.
 
I made changes in my car and that's the real cost
Rns-e with 2din cage plus buttons around 550£
Bose without harness 200£
Harness is very hard to get, I was lucky 30£
Bixenon 400£ but U need headlights washers and diferent bumper for that another 400£
Half lether/alcantara heated seats 450£

I be looking for model ambiente, their is light and rain sensor, fog light, cruise control.
And minimum 2006 or 2005 but model 2006.
Then U can fitted nicer stering wheel.
U can't fit for example s3 flat bottom to Audi from 04 there ar diferent airbags system.
Don't buy with manual climate control!

Then better is buy 2006 good looking outside no dents etc. Rest U can do self

Sorry for my English
 
bonerp said:
Maybe I stand corrected - how do you use the 5 digit search on postcodes then? I cannot find it...thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

start entering the postcode into the Town name
 
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Once you start adding all the S3 parts up to make a rep, as it sounds like you're contemplating, it's not cheap. If I were you, I'd be looking for an S-Line.

With regards to the RNS-E, I don't understand why a lot of people dislike it so much. It's probably the best mod I've done on my car and would be lost without it. Ok, the SatNav isn't as good as a TomTom etc but it's always got me to where I need to be and got me out of trouble when I've got lost. So much easier sticking music on SD Cards rather than having CD's everywhere.
 
Why not just get a Bose car - they aren't that rare. The fitting's not trivial as it's a fully amped system and as mentioned above, you need a full loom - amp is at the back so there's a lot that has to come out, then there's speakers, grilles, the mic etc.
 
BTW do yourself a favour and search for stuff on cylinder head cracks - I think you're bang on the "bad" years in which case you may want to try to find one that's been done already.
 
JohnE said:
Why not just get a Bose car - they aren't that rare. The fitting's not trivial as it's a fully amped system and as mentioned above, you need a full loom - amp is at the back so there's a lot that has to come out, then there's speakers, grilles, the mic etc.
Click to expand...

I will be looking for a 'Bose' car if the system is much better than the origional, as I have not heard either one I was curious as to whether or not the Bose is of a much higher spec in terms of sound quality. What is difference like between Bose and standard.
 
JohnE said:
BTW do yourself a favour and search for stuff on cylinder head cracks - I think you're bang on the "bad" years in which case you may want to try to find one that's been done already.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that buddy, I'll have a look through here and google to find out about it, out of curiosity how much would I be looking at to get it replaced if it has not already been done?
 
Thanks buddy, I think I'll up my budget to 5-6.5 and go for a 55 onwards s-line. That way I will hopefully avoid the cracked head issue and also I'll get the facelift style front grill which looks much nicer IMO.

Once the engine cover is removed I'm presuming you don't need to move the fuel pipes to see the code? Just look under them?

Thanks again!
 
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