Living with an A3 TDi 170 Quattro S-line?!

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Cossie_boy

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Hi guys,

I was just after some feedback from people who own, or have even driven reguarly the above car.

My long, but hopefully shorter term plan is to get another A3 and the best to suit my needs is the TDi 170 Quattro with S-Line spec. I have owned Golf, Bora, Golf, Polo, Jetta and another Golf currently almost as a stop gap. Plus in my old job I sold cars and have driven loads, but the above is the one that really gets me but I have not driven that exact spec.

I can imagine when mapped it would be a beast! I had a Golf GT 170 as my company car for a while but it was rubbish in the wet getting traction, although fast in the dry, hence why I wanted the Quattro!

Be very interested to hear from you.

Many thanks

CB
 
Cossie_boy said:
Hi guys,

I was just after some feedback from people who own, or have even driven reguarly the above car.

My long, but hopefully shorter term plan is to get another A3 and the best to suit my needs is the TDi 170 Quattro with S-Line spec. I have owned Golf, Bora, Golf, Polo, Jetta and another Golf currently almost as a stop gap. Plus in my old job I sold cars and have driven loads, but the above is the one that really gets me but I have not driven that exact spec.

I can imagine when mapped it would be a beast! I had a Golf GT 170 as my company car for a while but it was rubbish in the wet getting traction, although fast in the dry, hence why I wanted the Quattro!

Be very interested to hear from you.

Many thanks

CB
Click to expand...

Hi Cossie Boy...

I have a 57 Sportback which is of 170 quattro variety. I have had mine for 6 months and it is a great car. I also have a Revo remapped MK4 Golf Anniversary PD 150 which I keep, again, another great car. I understand what you are saying after having various cars over the last while...

To compare the two is difficult as both are great to drive, but the A3 has the edge on handling without a doubt. If you are getting a PD A3, it isworth checking this forum as there have been many discussions on DPF issues. This is not an issue with newer common rail models. The other factor is to chck to make sure you have the injectors replaced ( if applicble). Again, many discussions have been taking place here and the site hs been an amazing resource for these topics.

Finally, the 4WD system uses a Haldex coupling which is not permanent 4WD and needs a service every 40k miles. A car with good sevice history should reflect this.

I have also had my A3 remapped and it is a great all rounder when it comes to trying to achieve the best compromise between performance and economy. If I was you I would take my time to source a decent one but once you find it it is definiitly worth every penny....

I'm sure other members will chip in to assist you so hopefully this helps a wee bit..

Cheers,

S
 
For me it ticks all the boxes:


Good quality
Good looks
Speed
Economy
It can drive forwards, backwards and sideways


:wub:
 
I've had my quattro over 12 months now and love it. As said before style, handling and economy. I came from a mk5 golf gt tdi and the Audi is head and tails above the golf and I thought golf was great. The only negative which dosent bother me is the quattro is thirstier on short journeys.

As said before check the injectors mine went in September and were replaced for free by Audi even though the car was out of warranty.

Swilko who did your remap and what bhp are running did you go for dpf deletion?
 
B19,

Had my car done by E-Maps. Based down south but have a rep up here. Not had it on a rolling road road yet so no actuals obtained.

I have not had any issues so far, nor have I had the DPF deleted but to be honest I've not driven any serious miles since I got it....probably about 3k.

Had the injectors changed as well, which I think has helped in throttle response and defo fuel economy.

Hopefully it will remain that way!

S
 
Yes I've noticed the throttle response since the injectors have been replaced. I'm tempted by a remap I'd like to delete the dpf but no one makes a pipe for the Quattro so we I need it custom made. Also it's been mentioned to me that the dpf could become part of the mot in the near future.
 
Yeah, that's why I left it alone. Too risky having it removed only to be told to replace it. I think if you have a "spirited" driving style and do not have a lot of short journeys the DPF can regen and avoid any problems ........
S
 
I've had mine a year aswell, brilliant car.
Only thing to add to others is that it goes anywhere in the snow and doesn't let you down when pulling out at junctions with excessive wheelspin.
The only cons are:
Slightly smaller boot
Slower in the dry because of the extra weight and drivetrain losses so a remap is a must imo.

Apart from that they're exactly the same and seem to be just as reliable.
 
Thanks guys,

Pretty much what I was thinking.

This is a strange one, for a few weeks I had a 58 plate A3 TDi 1.9 in the £30 tax band so believe 103 bhp as my company car. Now this had the quality feel but to me was a tad underpowered. I then went into a Golf TDi Match, same 1.9 TDi but 105 bhp. Sounds weird but the Golf felt better all over, but I think thats because the A3 was the most basic spec model where as the Golf had all the toys. I am failry sure once looking in and driving the S-Line Quatrro all that shall change :blackrs4:

Now with the DPF issue, we had lots, and funny enough happened to the one I just mentioned, of issues with these on VW and Audis all over the place, quite costly!

I am looking under 10K so it is going to be a 56 onwards, to be the 170 but I would guess 57 or 08 at best. I believe I am correct these are just before the DPF was introduced?

Many thanks guys and great to hear such positive feedback!

Cheers

CB
 
No there is a dpf on all nearly all 170 pd and cr engines it's the 140 pd that came without it. I do a mixture of driving in my 170 non Quattro and have only ever had the dpf blocked warning on once in 12k and it went within 10 mins of motorway driving
 
Agree with the posts on here, boot depth is compromised somwhat due to the rear diff. I must admit I wasn't fully aware of the DPF issues until after I bought the car. You may find issues with lower mileage ones but to be fair I've read plenty of posts regarding this subject. Most of the horror stories appear on the net and you never hear about the cars which run daily with no DPF issues, but still something to check out.

Totally agree with B19 on the mpg as well, short jouneys aint great but on a good run you should be getting at least low to mid forties I reckon...

S
 
I've only had mine since october but l love it, i get decent economy to an extent along with good looks and a bit of power.
Its getting the injectors done tomorrow and then its off for a little bit of fettling at big fish here up north in a few weeks.
The minus points imo as I came over from BMW i feel the interior plastics are a little less quality, the steering wheel lacks a little in the thickness stakes but they are minor niggles.
 
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Hi gents, I too changed my company 3-series for a personal car and opted for a Quattro TDI S-line, wanted something fun but light on fuel costs as I do 30k/year!

This is my thread (not updated in a while):
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3...39899-new-car-mods-help-me-decide-please.html

Had it since Dec'11, since then I have had:
Full Service with Brake Fluid change
Rear Pads
wait for it... New Turbo! courtesy of Audi - I had to pay labour, got 2yr warranty so cant chip
New Injectors! broke down doing 70mph! covered by the recall
New DPF and Exhaust sensors, wouldnt regen and went into limp mode! - almost lost my rag at this point.

After all this its finally running smooth...ish! got vibrations on the right front wheel when turning, gotta take it in.

Also need a full body work makeover in the spring to sort chips, scuffs, scratches etc.

All in all its great fun to drive, gutted we havnt had any snow yet!!! Not sure how long I will keep it...

Interested to see what mods similar owners undertake, especially performance wise...
 
Last edited:
Has anyone lowered their Quattro TDI S-Line?

Looking at Eibach Pro or maybe Sport Kit?

Then there's Coilovers?

Any advice would be appreciated...

(need to maintain comfort for day to day but less role when you push it)
 
This is probably a no brainer, but how do people think a Golf TDi 4motion with a good spec would compare to an S-line Quattro?

I was totally set on getting a 170 but not so sure now, maybe a 140 with a map would be ok, hmmmm!
 
Had my 170 Quattro for 3 years now, ace car, DPF is a bit of a pain if you do low miles like me, but 10 mins at 3500 rpm in 3rd burns it off. Best mpg was 48 on a run driving very steady, but still get good mpg round town. The grip is ace, never lets go, don't think I would ever buy a car without 4wd now. Great s-line trim, a real quality car. Everyone who has ever driven it has said what a nice surprise,and didn't know they were like that.
 
This is what I don't get, firstly buying a diesel and doing low milages and then your getting just 48mpg at best and have to suffer all the compromises of a diesel.

Just buy a 2.0T, its got more power, quieter and more reliable to boot.
 
I've experienced the 170 engine but in a 2009 common rail seat Leon from new which we had as one our company cars. Once it had a few miles on the clock it was a great little car, mapped via a DTUK tuning module and it was running 210 (proven on a dyno).

On a run we'd get around 50mpg, about town well I kicked it's head in so didn't look at fuel figures lol, these engines like to be driven hard. If you just tootle around town then you'll most definitely get dpf issues therefore at least once a week give it a good blast out to clean the filter out.
 
Minstadave said:
This is what I don't get, firstly buying a diesel and doing low milages and then your getting just 48mpg at best and have to suffer all the compromises of a diesel.

Just buy a 2.0T, its got more power, quieter and more reliable to boot.
Click to expand...

It's not always about MPG - for me, a 2.0 TDI 170 is about 1/3 of the insurance premium of the exact same car with a 2.0T. And when that's £1000/yr as opposed to £3,000/yr, that's a hefty chunk of cash.
 
I didn't see much difference between the two when I was looking, a couple of hundred quid at most.
 
So from what I can gather there is a recall for the 170 injectors now? So my only issue is the DPF, I am now doing 10 miles a day to wrok in a new job, but the reason I want a diesel is for the way they drive. I like the sound believe it or not, and comparing say the 0-60 of a 170 with a 2.0T its less than a second, and its the acceleration that does it for me!

I found a place near me who claim to have a machine to clean the DPF if it does get blocked which they do for £100, so I guess thats a possiblity!

Also I was speaking to someone who is into VAG and said the DPF can actually be removed without too many problems, anyone had this done at all?
 
Cossie_boy said:
So from what I can gather there is a recall for the 170 injectors now? So my only issue is the DPF, I am now doing 10 miles a day to wrok in a new job, but the reason I want a diesel is for the way they drive. I like the sound believe it or not, and comparing say the 0-60 of a 170 with a 2.0T its less than a second, and its the acceleration that does it for me!

I found a place near me who claim to have a machine to clean the DPF if it does get blocked which they do for £100, so I guess thats a possiblity!

Also I was speaking to someone who is into VAG and said the DPF can actually be removed without too many problems, anyone had this done at all?
Click to expand...

Yep, contact Audi UK give them your car reg & they'll confirm whether you need the injectors done. Also when/if you get them done make sure they are also aware of the software update that needs to be applied to the ECU or the car will constantly go into DPF regen which makes it an utter bad of brown to drive.

I'm not sure how anyone could clean the DPF (although I've even heard of it it being done with a pressure washer- not recomended!) but £100 sounds very cheap for sorting out a part of the vehicle which is usually deemed 'non-serviceable'. Personally I'd get the car working right with the new injectors & software update then see if the DPF still plays up. The DPF can be removed but you'll have to pay for a suitable remap to make sure the ECU doesn't throw up any fault codes.
 
Thanks Max, the recent for this thread is I am in the process of buying one.

Bascially I want a 5 door, S-line, must have full leather, ideally heated, multi-function wheel, and im trying to hold out for Xenons as had them on my last A3 and luved them.

Upto now I could not go newer than 06 so would be a 140 bhp, but, if the injectors have either been changed or can be recalled on a 170 bhp, and, if i have the option that I can get the DPF removed if caused me problems, then a remap is a must anyway so could mean I can start looking at newer ones :racer:

The reason I was cautious of getting a 170 was due to the amount of issues on cars we had at the old place I worked at.
 
b19ctr said:
The only negative which dosent bother me is the quattro is thirstier on short journeys.
Click to expand...

One of the things that confuses me is if the 4WD isn't always on, why does it affect mpg so much?

Also, as a recent owner of a 170 Quattro BE, does anyone else notice that the 4WD pulls as much as it pushes? I often find going over a hill if I let go of the gas I can feel the back of the car "pulling" it's an odd sensation after coming from a RWD car...
 
Relating to the mpg its to do with the weight of Quattro drive system, transfer box etc...

Bascially like carrying more people or luggage

Cant say I really noticed but is a few years since I had my Quattro
 
Mine does about 35mpg if I drive with a spirited right foot but 50mpg if I'm more careful. Goes like stink, looks good, grips like $h1t to a blanket and makes me smile every time I get in it. I love it (aside from the noisy Haldex I have at the moment).

Mine's re mapped a bit and has no flat spot that my old 55 plate DSG 140 2wd model had. Pulls like a jet right through to 4000rpm.
 
Just thought I might as well add in my little bit here since I had a MY10 170 Quattro BE for 13k miles. :)

Was a great car, got me through snow no problem and even returned 61.4mpg on a 500 odd mile trip. Brilliant car!

Never once had a DPF issue in all that time so can't complain about anything. Traded it in for an Astra VXR and was a huge mistake! Haha.
 
I sold a few of them in my last job, nice but I bet its a nightmare in the wet?! If you think thats bad, you should try a Vectra VXR!

So the more I look there are many companies out there now who have taken advantage of the DPF issues, packaging a DPF removal with re-map for about £600 odd. I guess if its 1k or there abouts for new DPF which may go wrong again it makes sense.
 
How much is just the removal? as I know someone who has always mapped my cars.
 
If you get the DPF removal done be very aware that there are rumours that a visual inspecion of the DPF 'might' come into MOT rules so having it removed and a straight pipe fitted would result in instant failure. Look for companies that remove the internals only and not the whole unit so when the visual is done the DPF casing is still there. Now this hasn't been incorporated into the MOT regs yet but it may well do.........And obviously as other posts have stated a remap is needed so that no faults are flagged up.
 
Hi Rick, so do you do the DPF internal remove and code-out on the Quattro? Mine is still fairly new but I could well want to do this when the warranty is up... I already dislike the pretty regular active-regens!
 
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