Looking to purchase an Audi

[WonderBang]

First of all, hello to all the Audi drivers and enthusiasts on this forum.

Having completed my degree this summer and looking forward to graduation I am also in the process of buying my first Audi. Being only 21, I only have experience of driving a 2007 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Club and a 2008 Renault Clio 1.5dci 106PS. Within the next month I will be taking the plunge for an Audi A3 and would really appreciate some help and feedback (believe me I have been searching for hours on end not only this website but the whole internet for information, pictures and videos of the questions I have).

Initially I was sitting on the fence between a BMW 320d and an Audi A3 2.0 TDI/TFSI S Line, however a test drive quickly swayed my decision to the Audi.

I am considering a 2007 onwards Audi A3 S Line trim with a DSG automatic gearbox with either a 2.0 TDI (170PS) or 2.0 TFSI (200PS) plants. What are the thoughts on this forums towards these trims? What alternatives if any would you Audi drivers recommend through your experiences?

I have also found one for £9500 with 44,000 miles on the clock and what looks to be in immaculate condition in silver. It has the S Line three spoke steering wheel with no buttons on the sterring wheel, will this car be ok to work with the Audi RNS-E navigation system? And is the RSN-E even a worthwhile purchase? (I thoroughly enjoy listening to music while driving). From the images I saw this steering wheel looks rather different to the flat bottom steering wheel in the A3 I test drove, are the S Line three spoke steering wheels as comfortable to drive and high quality feeling as with the newer steering wheels?

I look forward to all your replys and I thank you in advance.

 

[cloughy]

Welcome to the forum

Petrol vs Diesel is a long debate, choice will depend on the mileage you do, speaking from experience the 170 diesel with the DSG box is a cracking combo

Couldn't live without an RNSE now so that would be a good extra to have in my opinion

If that wheel doesn't have buttons, changing the wheel for a different one isn't a complicated process but the RNS doesn't need a wheel with buttons to operate

 

[Minstadave]

Whats your annual mileage? If its not huge I wouldn't touch a diesel with a barge pole, they're slow, unreliable and the mpg they return isn't worth the hassle they bring.

 

[A3_Black_Edition]

Welcome,

I have had a 2.0 TFSI for four years and loved it. It was a leon not an audi and now I have the 2.0 170 Derv and have to say it's a pleasure to drive, it's fairly quick when pushed and I am getting a good 45mpg compared to my leon with an average of 29mpg.

If you aren't worried about mpg then go for the tfsi, you wont regret it!

Cheers,
Si

 

[A3Kent]

Whats your annual mileage? If its not huge I wouldn't touch a diesel with a barge pole, they're slow, unreliable and the mpg they return isn't worth the hassle they bring.

Slow? Unreliable? Hmm... You might have had some bad experiences mate but doesn't mean that every diesel is the same.

 

[Minstadave]

Everything about every diesel car is a compromise, especially the 4 pots, they're noisey, unrefined and deliver their power in one lump. All the technology that has gone into them to make them less of a compromise (high pressure injectors, turbos, DPFs etc) are all unreliable - look at the number of injector problems, DPF issues, dodgy cylinder heads we see on here regularly.

Add to that the diesels seem to chew through turbos and DMFs more regularly than the petrol equivalents, I really can't see them being worth the hassle.

The 2.0TFSI engine will hit 40mpg on a run, so you get might get 60mpg on the same run in a diesel, the saving is really huge and the potential bills are lurking.

In terms of technology the new small capacity turbo petrols offer similar power without the diesel shortcomings and similar fuel economy. If you want reliability then a normally aspirated petrol is probably your best bet.

The only saving grace is the fuel economy, I doubt anyone would choose a diesel if you took that out of the equation.

 

[A3Kent]

I switched from a 2.0 TFSI (200bhp) DSG to a 2.0 TDI (170bhp) manual, purely because the TFSI wasn't economical enough. I get 500 miles out of a tank of diesel as apposed to 300 out of a tank of petrol.

Much more fun to drive with the manual gearbox too.

I don't regret it one bit!

Personal preference's I guess

 

[Ash187]

it depends on your journeys... if they are generally short runs with low miles over the year then petrol! a diesel will need to run hot to avoid the dpf issues and it takes a little while to warm up. If you are doing lots of miles a year (more than 15k) then go diesel as it will save you alot of money.

there are problems with all types of cars, the dpf issue is as i mentioned above. people that dont do long journeys but want to save cash no tax and fuel end up getting the 2.0tdi 170 which isnt the right car for them
injectors were just a recall so can hardly say that was an issue.
yes the 2.0 TFSI is a lovely car but also likes to drink through your pocket and insurance not to mention the tax disks.

also if economy is a factor the manuals are better on fuel.
stay with facts over opinions

 

[A3_Black_Edition]

I could get nowhere near 40mpg on a run in my 2.0 Tfsi. Best I ever had was 34mpg..... Without question if I wasn't doing the miles I do now I would have another one but the Tdi isn't a horrible car and certainly isn't that much slower than a standard tfsi. My Tdi still puts smiles on my face if driven quickly. That combined with quattro I am not looking back at all!

Cheers,
Si

 

[paultaylor]

I've a 2007 170 2.0 TDi Sportback DSG, as an all round car to be used by my wife it's the best I've ever owned(don't have the worry I had when the R32 could have been hijacked off her, M3 was too quick and Xjr too thirsty!)

Mpg is great on motorway(50mpg) but my short journey have clogged up the DPF a bt and lead to getting only 35mpg.

DSG box is super but watch out for mechatronics problems, well documented on the site.

Mine has pan roof, MFSW, Bose, heated seats, Ipod and I retrofitted RNSe Mk2 and BLuetooth(friend of mine borrowed the car while was holidays and now he wants one!)

if I could change one thing it would be the ride quality, far too stiff for awful irish roads, Koni FSD and Eibach spings seem to be a solution so I'm going to try that mod soon

one last thing, an S Line Audi cabin is the nicest interior to be in.

 

[audicruiser]

We have both in the family... Mine )spec in my sig) and a 2010 170 S-tronic S-line Sportback. Both are great cars, depends on what your needs are. I do 5k miles a year and so a diesel just doesn't pay. Bare in mind that the petrols cost more to tax.

As for the drive, 320d every time. Audi scores for interior cabin qualities, but BMW all day long for the drive!

 

[170quattro]

i bought a 170 2.0l s-line quattro tdi black edition, our lass uses it for work, 16 mile round trip a day, i give it a blast at weekend no problem with dpf yet don't think diesel noisy and certainly not slow getting 46 to gallon at moment

 

[Brodster]

R8 V10........and have the time of your life.........who cares about the environment and saving money.........Go on be reckless!!! lol

 

[N8]

You can retrofit the steering wheel so that isn't a problem.

Depends whether you need performance or economy.

But get one, great cars, you'll love it