Looking to buy an A3 but which one?

[J17_KNO]

Hi guys, I am new to the forum, currently have a mk4 golf but since finishing uni and starting work I fancy treating myself a wee bit.

I would love an S3 but they are slightly out of my price range just now, so an A3 it is. The only features that are a must are that it is an S-line and is quattro (basically because once I set my mind on something that's what I want ha ha).

I was thinking about the 170 diesel due to travelling 44 miles (there and back) a day for work. However I did notice that the diesel is £1000 or so more expensive than the 2.0 T. Coming from a diesel golf I quite fancy the 2.0T just for something different, however when I put my sensible head on I think the diesel is the one to go for.

Basically was wondering what kind of MPG figures people are seeing in both models and is it worth spending the extra for a diesel? Also what like each model is to drive would be good?

I know there are a lot of variables to consider but just looking for a general idea to help my decision along.

Thanks
Justin

 

[timontour]

i have a 2.0 tfsi quattro s-line, remapped i get 30-32mpg on a run 26-28 round town
it's by far the best car i have driven and mapped makes a huge difference!

 

[OVRA3]

i have a 2.0 tfsi quattro s-line, remapped i get 30-32mpg on a run 26-28 round town
it's by far the best car i have driven and mapped makes a huge difference!

+1 same as me, mines a sportback as I get the same on a run and a little less than 26 round town 23ish mines stage 1 and it flies you'll never look back after getting a tfsi

 

[NICK-C]

30mpg in the S3 is fairly easily achievable on motorway runs. A mate had a 140 A3 diesel and he regularly got at least 50mpg so i guess a 170 would do maybe 45 so I would think would save you money on diesel not cost more?
However the S3 does fly but ride can be quite harsh.
From a distance the s-line and S3 do look quite similar but up close there are noticeable differences and the S is a bit more special.

I was looking at the 170 diesel and S3 and heart ruled over the head in the end as the S3 was calling to me, lol, and lease costs weren't much different, just the fuel.

What's your budget? Mine is going back to the lease company at the end of Jan (hopefully if me new car is on time) so will be available but not sure what deal they would offer?

 

[PaulAr]

How long would it take to save £1000 in diesel? The K03 20T is great with a Stage1 map. Would be my choice.

 

[J17_KNO]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Nick-C: Budget wise I was thinking roughly £8k. Would need £2.5-3k more to buy an S3 I reckon. Your point about heart winning is really making me think, I went sensible with a car while I was at uni but now i'm actually working why not be a bit less sensible ha ha!

Plus I reckon I could get 35 MPG from the petrol......maybe! ha ha

 

[J17_KNO]

PaulAr: I did use a calculator thing on the which website using rough figures, and it worked out that it would take over 2 years for the cost of the petrol to match that of the extra cost of buying the diesel, if you know what I mean.

 

[PaulAr]

PaulAr: I did use a calculator thing on the which website using rough figures, and it worked out that it would take over 2 years for th cost of the petrol to match that of the extra cost of buying the diesel, if you know what I mean.

You know what to do mate...

 

[NICK-C]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Nick-C: Budget wise I was thinking roughly £8k. Would need £2.5-3k more to buy an S3 I reckon. Your point about heart winning is really making me think, I went sensible with a car while I was at uni but now i'm actually working why not be a bit less sensible ha ha!

Plus I reckon I could get 35 MPG from the petrol......maybe! ha ha

For a decent S3 yes at least 11k I would have thought. You can get them for about 9 ish but quite high mileage so depends if that puts you off? 8k should see you a nice 07 2.0t quattro s-line though, add a remap so circa 250bhp and you may see 35mpg.
I know if I had gone for the derv I would have always wished I got the 2.0t and at the time, like you I thought have some fun for a few years and don't go the sensible route lol. Best decision I made, not trying to sway you in anyway haha.
That said now we have a second child on the way I am going back to diesel, albeit 3.0 this time so can't take the power away from me!

 

[daz5182]

I've got the 2.0 TFSI non quattro and it did 41 mpg on a long motorway journey yesterday at 65 mph....

 

[jimojameso]

Best i have managed in my S3 is 37mpg on the motorway. Thats was a 28 mile trip with 5 miles on a B road.

 

[J17_KNO]

For a decent S3 yes at least 11k I would have thought. You can get them for about 9 ish but quite high mileage so depends if that puts you off? 8k should see you a nice 07 2.0t quattro s-line though, add a remap so circa 250bhp and you may see 35mpg.
I know if I had gone for the derv I would have always wished I got the 2.0t and at the time, like you I thought have some fun for a few years and don't go the sensible route lol. Best decision I made, not trying to sway you in anyway haha.
That said now we have a second child on the way I am going back to diesel, albeit 3.0 this time so can't take the power away from me!

A high mileage S3 did put me off initially but I was starting to wonder if it is a big deal provided that it had a full Audi service history? I normally service my cars every 6000 miles anyway (Oil + all filters) but this is done by me which I'm guessing will affec the resale value slightly.

 

[J17_KNO]

Thanks for the figures, you guys really are swaying towards the petrol car! ha ha

My daily commute is 85% at 55 mph in 6th gear constantly, plus I like a challenge, so hoping I could see some reasonable MPG figures.

 

[A3Kent]

You'd be better of with a diesel in my opinion. Will still be quick enough.

Tax is cheaper as will be car insurance I would imagine.

 

[OVRA3]

2.0 TFSI all the way, you will get decent mpg at 55 in 6th..... Ok not diesel but for the fun element at stage 1 you will be well impressed....

Thanks for the figures, you guys really are swaying towards the petrol car! ha ha

My daily commute is 85% at 55 mph in 6th gear constantly, plus I like a challenge, so hoping I could see some reasonable MPG figures.

 

[leeds2592]

Don't mean to hijack your thread here but what's a remapped 2.0 TFSI like without Quattro?

 

[OVRA3]

Don't mean to hijack your thread here but what's a remapped 2.0 TFSI like without Quattro?

Spins like a biaaaaaaaatttttttcccccchhhhh lol

 

[J17_KNO]

2.0 TFSI all the way, you will get decent mpg at 55 in 6th..... Ok not diesel but for the fun element at stage 1 you will be well impressed....

I'm definitely swaying towards it...I am so indecisive though. I think i'll go and test drive a couple at my local dealer and see which one I prefer.

 

[stetheo]

Hi guys, I am new to the forum, currently have a mk4 golf but since finishing uni and starting work I fancy treating myself a wee bit.

I would love an S3 but they are slightly out of my price range just now, so an A3 it is. The only features that are a must are that it is an S-line and is quattro (basically because once I set my mind on something that's what I want ha ha).

I was thinking about the 170 diesel due to travelling 44 miles (there and back) a day for work. However I did notice that the diesel is £1000 or so more expensive than the 2.0 T. Coming from a diesel golf I quite fancy the 2.0T just for something different, however when I put my sensible head on I think the diesel is the one to go for.

Basically was wondering what kind of MPG figures people are seeing in both models and is it worth spending the extra for a diesel? Also what like each model is to drive would be good?

I know there are a lot of variables to consider but just looking for a general idea to help my decision along.

Thanks
Justin

I have a 2.0 TDI 170 which is remapped. I do a 90 mile round trip for work which is mainly motorway with some city driving and I have an average of 52.5 MPG in the 5k miles I have done in the car. The power is still there when you need it (not as much as a petrol, but still more than quick enough).

I would test drive both and see which you prefer to drive as you will be spending a fair amount of time in the car. For me I went with my head over the heart and got a TDI, however when I am not driving as many miles I will probably end up with an S3.

 

[J17_KNO]

I have a 2.0 TDI 170 which is remapped. I do a 90 mile round trip for work which is mainly motorway with some city driving and I have an average of 52.5 MPG in the 5k miles I have done in the car. The power is still there when you need it (not as much as a petrol, but still more than quick enough).

I would test drive both and see which you prefer to drive as you will be spending a fair amount of time in the car. For me I went with my head over the heart and got a TDI, however when I am not driving as many miles I will probably end up with an S3.

Those figures are very attractive as it is similar to figures I get just now from my diesel golf. Out of interest what is your 170 mapped to? Has the map had any effect on the clutch, turbo etc?

But I agree the best way to go will be to test drive both models and see which I prefer to drive.

 

[NICK-C]

A high mileage S3 did put me off initially but I was starting to wonder if it is a big deal provided that it had a full Audi service history? I normally service my cars every 6000 miles anyway (Oil + all filters) but this is done by me which I'm guessing will affec the resale value slightly.

It is up to you mate, if it had full Audi service history then that would help. I have done 52k in just over 2 years and it has always been serviced at Audi around every 15k miles so I know it has been looked after but if I owned it and when it came to sell you never know I may have issues as it is very high mileage.

 

[NICK-C]

Thanks for the figures, you guys really are swaying towards the petrol car! ha ha

My daily commute is 85% at 55 mph in 6th gear constantly, plus I like a challenge, so hoping I could see some reasonable MPG figures.

I am pretty sure at that constant speed for most of your journey you could quite easily get 35mpg. One of my friend's bosses has an S3 and he gets 40mpg!! However, most of his journey is a constant 40mph and it is DSG which is marginally better. Probably the best of both worlds for you would be an S line 2.0Tfsi, however, I think the 08 on is the one that has lower emissions and better fuel consumption and acceleration.

 

[adam1314]

1.9 TDIe road tax only 30 pounds a year. MPG for my 1.9 TDIe is around 50-55. 5.0-5.5L/100KM

 

[Zak0123]

2011 1.6 tdi easily reaches 60 mpg at 50-60mph on my 80 mile round trip commute to work! Definitely would recommend the 140 at least though

 

[leeds2592]

Spins like a biaaaaaaaatttttttcccccchhhhh lol

Not much point in having the power if it won't put it down on the road then.

Quattro or Non-Quattro maybe another question for the OP, just to make things a bit more complicated.

 

[daz5182]

Yeah test drive both, I've gone from a golf gt 170 mk5 to a Honda 2.2 ctdi now to a 2.0 tfsi and I can say the dervs are better on juice, the 170 felt quicker than the 2.0T but wasn't. Must say it's nice to be back in a petrol for the refinement and even though they do less mpg petrol is nearly 10p cheaper a litre at the pumps near me.

 

[stetheo]

Those figures are very attractive as it is similar to figures I get just now from my diesel golf. Out of interest what is your 170 mapped to? Has the map had any effect on the clutch, turbo etc?

But I agree the best way to go will be to test drive both models and see which I prefer to drive.

It's mapped to 210 and as of yet it hasn't had a negative effect on anything, just made the car a lot better and a lot more fun to drive!

 

[Turbo jay]

After moving from a diesel a3 too a 2.0tfsi Quattro a3 i haven't looked back Sinse, yea I use more fuel and yea the tax has almost doubled but I just don't care, the 2.0tfsi is just so much more refined sounds a lot better than any diesel. It also goes better and just makes driving for me much more enjoyable. So if you fancy a change then the 2.0tfsi Quattro is the way too go mate.

 

[daz5182]

After moving from a diesel a3 too a 2.0tfsi Quattro a3 i haven't looked back Sinse, yea I use more fuel and yea the tax has almost doubled but I just don't care, the 2.0tfsi is just so much more refined sounds a lot better than any diesel. It also goes better and just makes driving for me much more enjoyable. So if you fancy a change then the 2.0tfsi Quattro is the way too go mate.

I have to agree I too enjoy the refinement of the 2.0T

 

[OVRA3]

I have to agree I too enjoy the refinement of the 2.0T

Same quattro is the way forward though.. To get the power down at stage 1

 

[J17_KNO]

It's mapped to 210 and as of yet it hasn't had a negative effect on anything, just made the car a lot better and a lot more fun to drive!

I do think if I got the diesel I would get it mapped so it's reassuring to hear that there are no negative effects as yet. I did hear somewhere that the main problem is setting off from traffic lights etc hard, but if you plant it while on the move it doesn't have such a detrimental effect. Something like that anyway ha ha

 

[J17_KNO]

After moving from a diesel a3 too a 2.0tfsi Quattro a3 i haven't looked back Sinse, yea I use more fuel and yea the tax has almost doubled but I just don't care, the 2.0tfsi is just so much more refined sounds a lot better than any diesel. It also goes better and just makes driving for me much more enjoyable. So if you fancy a change then the 2.0tfsi Quattro is the way too go mate.

I do like the sound of it being more refined and enjoyable. Definitely need to test drive a couple and see. How I wish I wasn't so sensible! ha ha

 

[Turbo jay]

I do like the sound of it being more refined and enjoyable. Definitely need to test drive a couple and see. How I wish I wasn't so sensible! ha ha

yea getting a couple of test drives would be the best thing too do if your unsure, once your behind the wheel of the 2.0T you won't be disappointed. IMO you buy a diesel with your head and a petrol with your heart.

 

[NICK-C]

yea getting a couple of test drives would be the best thing too do if your unsure, once your behind the wheel of the 2.0T you won't be disappointed. IMO you buy a diesel with your head and a petrol with your heart.

Yep sort of what I said before mate and I agree as I did the same. Heart one, head nil.

 

[J17_KNO]

yea getting a couple of test drives would be the best thing too do if your unsure, once your behind the wheel of the 2.0T you won't be disappointed. IMO you buy a diesel with your head and a petrol with your heart.

I'm going to try and not think so sensibly, why not treat myself! haha

Cheers for all the advice guys

 

[NICK-C]

Now that's more like it, lol. I think in general it looks like 2.0T is the best choice!

 

[WAFTER]

For 5 years I used a Vectra 150BHP 5 speed auto diesel for work and a Honda S2000 245BHP 6 speed manual petrol. Both gone & now run 2.OTFSI DSG.
Despite the bad press and sneers the Vectra went like hell, the auto box seamless and saved forever changing gear to keep within the max torque band. Generally impressed but the most noisy diesel ever.
Honda had to be thrashed to be as quick and quicker than the Vectra. In fact because it was such hard work it never felt THAT much faster. 25mpg / tax cost and tyre wear very poor given tiresome access to performance.
The Audi a revelation. Seamless AND SILENT linear acceleration and instant overtaking - SEEMS just as quick as the Honda. 35mpg no probs.
Conclusion: no idea why one would want a noisy smelly diesel which still have the stigma and overtones of the tractor and Transit man, when the current crop of petrol engines are so smooth and efficient. Diesel is so Essex - petrol is so Knightsbridge.