Fragup
Registered User
After lots of reading up have sorted spec and price with dealer (can't order till early next month though 
)
this is what I have decided on my budget and why, maybe it will help someone else, as people on this forum have really helped me decide. I am buying as private buying with part ex, private loan (5.1% lots less than audi at 8% ish) and part cash
A3 3 door (I think sport-back is cool and if you regularly having people in the back is a must as extra room as well as back doors, but 3 door is a little bit sportier, plus because I am tall, when the seat is right back, the 3 door pillar being further back improves visibility a bit)
S Line (if budget allows is much better value than adding extras on a sport unless you what something very specific, xenon head lights included on s line on own nearly add up to most of difference to a sport and people on here who have had them would not swap back, plus you get upgrades on interior and exterior body kit plus lots of little things if you read details closely)
Sports suspension 15mm lower than standard (which i found with 18" wheels was a really nice but firm ish ride)
Standard just looks bad on an s line, there is a photo on the pictures thread with a black and white sport-back next to each other and one must have standard suspension and looks a bit Q3 ish as rides so high in arches,
but still not ruled out 25mm lower s line as still tempted by this?
1.4 C.O.D. Petrol 140ps , bit more powerful and economical than standard 1.4 and worth extra if budge allows.
other option was 2ltr diesel, a few people have worked out that unless you do about 50000 - 60000 miles the C.o.d. is cheaper or similar ( everything taken in to account) than the 2ltr diesel.
Plus is bit quicker to 60, quieter, and 85 kg lighter so helps handling and ride a little bit over the diesel.
Everything I have read suggests I will get 45 ish (plus or minus 5) mpg depending on how I drive and type of journey etc on C.O.D.
or 2 ltr diesel will get about 55 mpg ish in the real world. I would pay a little bit extra overall for the petrol but depends on your driving style. A mostly fully loaded car or motorway driving probably suites the 2 ltr diesel better?
Manual ( people love auto on here, but is dearer and more to go wrong and I thought 6 speed manual was really good)
Misano red (Brilliant black & Daytona grey came close, more subtle, but the colour poll on suggests that around 1/3 to 1/2 of all S lines will be Daytona grey although i can see why, looks amazing and will be practical, plus monsoon quite similar but lighter at a glance. all colours except brown poss ? look good on new A3,
but i wanted to be slightly more different ?
plain red is good, saw one today and looked really good on a 3 door, but Misano is a little bit brighter and poss bit more orangey so just edged it.
Saw a brilliant back and phantom black a1's next to each other today and I would have the brilliant black every time as was darker and smarter and phantom looked dusty and faded in comparison, although would be more practical. but have had 2 last cars in black and wanted a change.
Panoramic sunroof. ( works well with reds and glacier white especially)
Privacy glass. (Thinks works better on 3 door than 5 in my option and with panoramic it ties in nicely as it is dark tint as well)
(Hopefully not to drug dealer ish looking)
Interior light pack (Looks good and some people say say it lacks some basic lighting without pack so not just for show, but mainly!)
Non smoking pack. (12v plug smarter than lighter and ash tray blocks interior lights in cup holders so would take out anyway)
Deletion of model and technology (Looks better, no cost and it doesn't say if c.o.d. So wants the point)
Audi sound upgrade. (There is a very good review on Bose v Audi sound on this forum and I think unless you play your music very loud this is a really good value upgrade)
Folding and heated mirrors. (Small parking space at work so is a must)
extended 4 year warrantee as will go over 3 years of owning (hopefully) and seamed decent value.
lots more I could have had but budget has to stop somewhere. I personally didn't add too much tech as will date fastest, although is very cool now, and I might keep car for a while poss!? Mobile phones in 3 to 4 years will prob do most things by then really well anyway. Plus tech pack a bit pricey otherwise would have been tempted.
I may add sat nav add a later date If I need it, but too much right now.
Price : best advice I got, use wow car or orange wheels or similar website to get best price (really easy and quick to do, they are online services that get a range of dealers to Email competitive quotes on a spec of the car you want. I got 7.5% ish off from a dealer 100 miles away) then use to help get discount from your local dealer 4 miles away, so you get a bit of customer services as well, they probably wont match it but you should get about 5% ish fairly easy without any hard haggling if its not your thing, i might have been able to get a little bit more ? but i was happy with price and trade in part ex. Overall. The dealers need to make a living so not everyone can have the absolute best price, some get up to 9+% ish off by taking out finance and cancelling during the cooling off period etc. but I wouldn't want to go back to the dealer with a problem if I had just done that to them as I think they might be reluctant to help you more than the absolute minimum, you would need think skin to do this. I bet the majority pay list price or close to.
all this is personal choice and it would be boring if we all liked the same, so no offence if you disagree.
Plus I don't think anybody wants 100 cars exactly the same going past on the way to work every morning !
Hope this helps someone. Everyone can look up details on Audi website so had not stated too much specific info hopefully
Thank you to every one for their info so far, without I am sure i would have made mistakes ( not including any above ! )
looking at close to Xmas delivery so will be a long wait ahead !
)this is what I have decided on my budget and why, maybe it will help someone else, as people on this forum have really helped me decide. I am buying as private buying with part ex, private loan (5.1% lots less than audi at 8% ish) and part cash
A3 3 door (I think sport-back is cool and if you regularly having people in the back is a must as extra room as well as back doors, but 3 door is a little bit sportier, plus because I am tall, when the seat is right back, the 3 door pillar being further back improves visibility a bit)
S Line (if budget allows is much better value than adding extras on a sport unless you what something very specific, xenon head lights included on s line on own nearly add up to most of difference to a sport and people on here who have had them would not swap back, plus you get upgrades on interior and exterior body kit plus lots of little things if you read details closely)
Sports suspension 15mm lower than standard (which i found with 18" wheels was a really nice but firm ish ride)
Standard just looks bad on an s line, there is a photo on the pictures thread with a black and white sport-back next to each other and one must have standard suspension and looks a bit Q3 ish as rides so high in arches,
but still not ruled out 25mm lower s line as still tempted by this?
1.4 C.O.D. Petrol 140ps , bit more powerful and economical than standard 1.4 and worth extra if budge allows.
other option was 2ltr diesel, a few people have worked out that unless you do about 50000 - 60000 miles the C.o.d. is cheaper or similar ( everything taken in to account) than the 2ltr diesel.
Plus is bit quicker to 60, quieter, and 85 kg lighter so helps handling and ride a little bit over the diesel.
Everything I have read suggests I will get 45 ish (plus or minus 5) mpg depending on how I drive and type of journey etc on C.O.D.
or 2 ltr diesel will get about 55 mpg ish in the real world. I would pay a little bit extra overall for the petrol but depends on your driving style. A mostly fully loaded car or motorway driving probably suites the 2 ltr diesel better?
Manual ( people love auto on here, but is dearer and more to go wrong and I thought 6 speed manual was really good)
Misano red (Brilliant black & Daytona grey came close, more subtle, but the colour poll on suggests that around 1/3 to 1/2 of all S lines will be Daytona grey although i can see why, looks amazing and will be practical, plus monsoon quite similar but lighter at a glance. all colours except brown poss ? look good on new A3,
but i wanted to be slightly more different ?
plain red is good, saw one today and looked really good on a 3 door, but Misano is a little bit brighter and poss bit more orangey so just edged it.
Saw a brilliant back and phantom black a1's next to each other today and I would have the brilliant black every time as was darker and smarter and phantom looked dusty and faded in comparison, although would be more practical. but have had 2 last cars in black and wanted a change.
Panoramic sunroof. ( works well with reds and glacier white especially)
Privacy glass. (Thinks works better on 3 door than 5 in my option and with panoramic it ties in nicely as it is dark tint as well)
(Hopefully not to drug dealer ish looking)
Interior light pack (Looks good and some people say say it lacks some basic lighting without pack so not just for show, but mainly!)
Non smoking pack. (12v plug smarter than lighter and ash tray blocks interior lights in cup holders so would take out anyway)
Deletion of model and technology (Looks better, no cost and it doesn't say if c.o.d. So wants the point)
Audi sound upgrade. (There is a very good review on Bose v Audi sound on this forum and I think unless you play your music very loud this is a really good value upgrade)
Folding and heated mirrors. (Small parking space at work so is a must)
extended 4 year warrantee as will go over 3 years of owning (hopefully) and seamed decent value.
lots more I could have had but budget has to stop somewhere. I personally didn't add too much tech as will date fastest, although is very cool now, and I might keep car for a while poss!? Mobile phones in 3 to 4 years will prob do most things by then really well anyway. Plus tech pack a bit pricey otherwise would have been tempted.
I may add sat nav add a later date If I need it, but too much right now.
Price : best advice I got, use wow car or orange wheels or similar website to get best price (really easy and quick to do, they are online services that get a range of dealers to Email competitive quotes on a spec of the car you want. I got 7.5% ish off from a dealer 100 miles away) then use to help get discount from your local dealer 4 miles away, so you get a bit of customer services as well, they probably wont match it but you should get about 5% ish fairly easy without any hard haggling if its not your thing, i might have been able to get a little bit more ? but i was happy with price and trade in part ex. Overall. The dealers need to make a living so not everyone can have the absolute best price, some get up to 9+% ish off by taking out finance and cancelling during the cooling off period etc. but I wouldn't want to go back to the dealer with a problem if I had just done that to them as I think they might be reluctant to help you more than the absolute minimum, you would need think skin to do this. I bet the majority pay list price or close to.
all this is personal choice and it would be boring if we all liked the same, so no offence if you disagree.
Plus I don't think anybody wants 100 cars exactly the same going past on the way to work every morning !
Hope this helps someone. Everyone can look up details on Audi website so had not stated too much specific info hopefully
Thank you to every one for their info so far, without I am sure i would have made mistakes ( not including any above
! )looking at close to Xmas delivery so will be a long wait ahead !
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