First impressions...

Congratulations matey - sounds like a nice motor.

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The auxilary PTC heater does seem to help though (does anyone know it's power and if it's switched off in A/C ECON mode?)


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What's that then ?
My drive to work is only a few miles,but takes at least 15 minutes.
Mixture of slow traffic and flat out blast down country roads.
My car never warms up (engine or cabin) in that time.

Likewise, takes mine about 10 mins before it starts to warm up. Thank God for the seat warmers.

PTC heater /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I think it might be a euro spec option. Essentially a small diesel driven heater that warms you up before the car can.

I know Honda diesels are fitted with those as standard.

Found this on t'internet.
It looks like it first appeared on the VW Touran.
I don't suppose it'll be a retro fit option.


<font color="red">PTC heater

the entire passenger compartment is heated shortly after the start. In the future the same will apply to all other vehicles on the Golf platform. The heater is installed in the inlet air current immediately upstream of the air outlet nozzles in the cockpit. This means that just a few seconds after the engine is started the thermal energy is available for heating up the interior of the vehicle.


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Early Tourans used to have the exhaust for the PTC in the wheel arch.

After a few alarmed calls to Service thinking their cars were on fire the exhaust was ducted to join the main system.

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The auxilary PTC heater does seem to help though (does anyone know it's power and if it's switched off in A/C ECON mode?)


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What's that then ?
My drive to work is only a few miles,but takes at least 15 minutes.
Mixture of slow traffic and flat out blast down country roads.
My car never warms up (engine or cabin) in that time.

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I'd love that! Mine is 75 miles - it gets really warm in that time....

Lazy sod - you could ride a bike to work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

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Lazy sod - you could ride a bike to work

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You ain't seen the road !

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I know Honda diesels are fitted with those as standard.

Found this on t'internet.
It looks like it first appeared on the VW Touran.
I don't suppose it'll be a retro fit option.


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Don't even think it was a UK option due to our 'clement' weather.

Yak's got it on his from memory....

Can't do my engine much good,barely getting above cold before it's switched off,but there's sod all I can do about it.

Mind you,it doesn't do me much good either.Since owning diesels,I've never worn a jacket in a car so often.

Perhaps heated seats aren't the 'daft toy' I always thought they were.

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I've had my A3 for a couple of weeks now so I thought I would let you know my first impressions:

It's a 2.0 TDi - I find it a little noisy at take off and low rpm load, but once going it's reasonably quiet - not best in class though that's for sure.

IMO phantom black looks great with the factory tints and the alloy roof rails. I had thought to change the standard wheels, but with this combination I'm quite happy for the time being.

The ride is firm with sport suspension and 17" Wheels. My feeling is that 18 inchers and S-Line suspension would be too hard for me on anything but perfect roads! Suspension compliance is good with no 'crash' that some firmly suspended cars suffer from. Grip from the Pirelli Pzero Rosso tyres is great. Traction control has rarely come in, but I am taking it easy for the moment. My feeling is that the ESP has fairly 'late' settings!

I love the interior light pack.

Auto lights are great, but I'm not convinced by the rain sensors yet.

I recommend the rear parking sensors as rear vision is pretty poor.

This is my first car with heated seats. Although I find them a little expensive, I would recommend them for a TDi since, due to the motors high efficiency, it takes a while to heat up. The auxilary PTC heater does seem to help though (does anyone know it's power and if it's switched off in A/C ECON mode?)

So, I'm pretty happy with the car so far. Can suppy some pics if anyones interested (when the weather clears up)

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Have to agree on all your points, ride is hard I have Sline and it is. Rear vision is crap and thats why I have the sensors and I think they are brilliant. Interior light pack is good, but only because without the car would be a dungeon (black Piano and black headlining + black car) I can't wait to polish and clean it on Sunday as I have driven it all week in the dark from getting up and leaving the house to coming home!


EDIT: I forgot to add the only point I don't agree with is the ESP as I have being trying to take it easy in mine but have had it lit up several times this week /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif perhaps it is just because of petrol vs diesel

PTC heater is a top idea, I want one!! Mine takes about 10 minutes to warm up, about the same as the Beemer before itbut no where near as quick as a petrol car /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Eeef, no I don't have PTC heater, it's not equipped with petrol engines. However it's part of standard equiptment in diesel engines, just like heated seats are standard here. I think it's some sort of winterpack which is standard in northern Europe and optional elsewhere. There's bigger thermostat or something in northern models apparently for petrol engines, mine warms up pretty quickly, 5 minutes and it starts blowing warm air in -20C.

- Yak

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D3fY - Although you've got less torque, you have got 200 HP against my 140. Maybe that makes the difference. What tyres do you have? I've got the Pirelli Rossos which seem pretty sticky - I do wonder how long they will last though!

How old is yours - you want to let the paint harden a month or so before polishing!

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Its a week old and I have the Rossos on as well, I have to wait a month!?