New Car Questions!

[mat1983]

Hi everyone,
This is my first post, so bear with me I have a couple of questions!

I’m looking to trade my Smart Roadster in for an A3 1.6FSI in either Sport or S-Line trim, so which is the better option? I’d like a more powerful engine but don’t really want the high insurance costs. I’m 23 with 5 years NCD.

Is the black styling pack really worth £300? I’m thinking of getting either ibis white or brilliant red.

Does anybody have lumbar support? Is it effective?

Has anybody had experience with dealer finance?

Any replies will be appreciated.

 

[alanjonesbath]

I’m looking to trade my Smart Roadster in for an A3 1.6FSI in either Sport or S-Line trim, so which is the better option?

I'd go for the S-Line, as the Sport doesn't really look that sporty. Personally, I'd either choose the S-Line for the sporty look, or the SE for the extra equipment you get.

Is the black styling pack really worth £300?

If you want it, then it's worth it. Personally I'd prefer the normal styling.

 

[Staz]

Does anybody have lumbar support? Is it effective?

Go to your dealer and sit in a car with lumbar and see if you like it. Or get a test drive if possible.

 

[mfspen]

My experience is that the S-Line suspension is ridiculously bone hard. Unless you only ever drive on dead smooth roads, get the Sport.

Provided you get low profile tyres, there is no handling penalty compared to the S-Line. I actually find the S-Line can easily lose grip when cornering on broken road surfaces, as the wheels spend a lot of their time in mid-air, due to the very low compliance of the springing.

 

[stevehsv868]

I actually find the S-Line can easily lose grip when cornering on broken road surfaces, as the wheels spend a lot of their time in mid-air, due to the very low compliance of the springing.[/quote]

I have the S line and it is true it can loose grip on a uneven road, the suspension is stiff, if I jack up the front wheel of my A3 S line , both the front wheel and the rear wheel come off the ground, even with the jack right by the fron wheel.



it all depends what you want personally i hate body roll, so S line everytime

 

[alanjonesbath]

I think it all depends on what you are used to. I had a SEAT Ibiza FR before my A3 S-Line, and by comparisson the A3 has butter-smooth suspension Whatever you think you're going to buy, just make sure you take a good test drive in it first to make sure you like it. Everyone has different tastes and different 'feelings' about things such as suspension and handling.

 

[coupe-se]

S-Line suspension (on my Sportback) is in no way bone hard and cannot understand how anyone can describe it as such. The ride is firm but very nice indeed with not too much body roll and no vomit inducing wallowing about I have ongoing back problems due an RTA several years ago and find the suspension very comfortable as do my fragile aging inlaws.

I went for the S-line pack and the only thing missing from the S-Line over the Sport that mattered to me was Cruise Control, which I had retro-fitted.

I'd vote S-linbe every time without hesitation.:icon_thumright:

 

[mfspen]

I was given a S-Line Sportback as a loaner a while back, and that was markedly softer than my 3-door.

But my car IS absolutely bone hard, with no give at all. After a 60 mile run over rough country roads, you are absolutely shattered. Every single minor imperfection in the road is felt. It's a joke. By far the worst suspension I have ever owned.

It doesn't have to be that way though. If BMW can make cars which don't roll, but are comfortable, then why can't Audi ?

 

[Matt]

As said by someone else earlier it depends what your used to when it comes to whether you think the S-line's suspension is too hard or not.

If you come from driving a small hatch with elastic bands for tyres with aftermarket springs and shocks then an S-line's suspension feels soft in comparison!

 

[coupe-se]

I was given a S-Line Sportback as a loaner a while back, and that was markedly softer than my 3-door.

Aaaaah, that would explain it then ....... no one has ever mentioned that my Sport back suspension is hard and the in-laws would be the 1st to moan if that was the case. Guess the extra weight of the Sportback pre-loads the springs more and thus makes the springs work in a different range of their compressed state. Unless the 3 door and Sportback have different S-Line springs?

Went in my friends older version MX5 and that thing was spine shattering with no modifiactionsdone to it at all.

 

[mfspen]

Guess the extra weight of the Sportback pre-loads the springs more and thus makes the springs work in a different range of their compressed state. Unless the 3 door and Sportback have different S-Line springs?..

Could be, I was absolutely amazed at the difference. As you said in your earlier post, the Sportback S-Line was really quite comfortable.

The loaner was a 2.0TDi 170 (excellent engine, by the way), as is your car, so maybe that adds extra weight over my 2.0T.

 

[RobB]

I have had both 3dr and Sportback versions of the 3.2 Sline. There is a huge difference between suspension in my opinion. I was really surprised how uncompromising the 3dr was once I got the Sportback. However, I know that in the 2006 MY versions (my Sportback Sept 2005 compared to July 2004 3dr), the suspension was updated, so this could be part of it.

Re the black styling pack, I have a brilliant red one and would stick with the standard chrome bits.

Lumbar support is also quite good, but once set, I hardly ever touch it, so may not be worth it if you are comfortable in the standard seats. Test drives are the only way to get a decent answer.

Dealer finance? Check out independent loans to buy the car with cash. They are often much cheaper and then you can possibly haggle more off your car.

Re 1.6FSI - I would try getting some speculative quotes for different engines, but also for the different specs - there can be a marked difference between Sport and Sline in my experience (Admiral wanted to charge me more for a Sport than Sline for some reason). I am sure your premium will be reasonably loaded anyway because of your age, so a bigger engine might not up it too much.

I was still driving round in an old Metro at 23, so whatever you end up with, I am sure you will enjoy it!

 

[mat1983]

Thanks guys that's really helpful. I'm going to take out an S-Line to check it's not too hard compared to the sport and if it's not, that's the one I think I'll go for. I've decided on white too, as I haven't seen a white A3 here in Nottingham.

Having looked at the used cars in red and white, I've decided against the black styling pack, I can buy something much better with that £300.

I'll keep you posted...

Matt

 

[d3fy]

Get it debadged and no one will know its 1.6

 

[TDI-line]

What would the insurance be like for a 2.00 TDI 140 ?

 

[mat1983]

Get it debadged and no one will know its 1.6

They will, won't they? as it only has a single exhaust!

 

[rowansbank]

Get it debadged and no one will know its 1.6

Safe rule:debadged = base model, confirmed by exhaust of course!

 

[RobB]

Doesn't the Sline version get a twin pipe instead of the single? Sure I read that somewhere.

 

[mat1983]

I checked it out and it does have twin pipes which is great. Still don't think I'll debadge though.