First 1500 Miles With 1.4tfsi Cod S-tronic

glospete

glospete

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As promised here are my thoughts on the first 1500 miles in my A3 1.4 TFSI COD Sportback. The bottom line is I love it and I've absolutely no regrets going for this model. The spec I chose is in my signature so I won't repeat it.

What I really like
  • the amazingly smooth and responsive engine - I have had many types of engine (including V8) but this is just soooo smooth. No NVH and I cannot detect when it changes from 4 to 2 cylinders. 40+mpg is easily obtainable irrespective of driving style so once run-in I think closer to 50mpg will be achievable. And £20 pa road tax! It's needed NO oil in the first 1500 miles so my careful running in puts paid to the theory of thrashing it to minimise oil consumption!
  • the smoothness of the 7 speed S-Tronic gearbox (I have it with my TT and that was one of the reasons why I went for the A3)
  • the design especially the detail in front of the front wheel
  • the fantastic interior - it just oozes class especially with the extended mono-pur interior finish which really lifts it to the class above
  • the LED headlights - they are bright and have a colour balance close to daylight
  • the high beam assist which detects cars in front and coming towards me quicker than I could. And how it knows that a bright street light is not a car is beyond me.
  • Tech package - I'm still learning it but the Google Earth and Street View is wonderful as is the picture destinations feature
  • The Audi Sound System 
is perfectly good enough for me and whilst I haven't heard the B&O I don't think with my hearing I'd detect much difference
  • LED DRL and turn lights - just look amazing
  • Adaptive Cruise Control - takes a while to trust it (and sometimes I still don't!) but it makes driving less stressful
What I'm not so keen on
  • the Stop/Start system (but see below)
  • I specced the driver assistance package and whist the speed limit display works well I can't say that the active lane assist is something that I'll use a lot
  • reversible load floor mat was, in retrospect, a mistake as I didn't realise that it is only really of use when the seats are folded. So I bought a boot liner (see below)
  • the Hold Assist - the jury's out on this one for me. Of course I can switch it off but I like the idea and it's just that if held on the HA I need to either give a small tap to release it before I pull away or else there is a slight jolt which annoys me.

What changes I've made
  • Kufatec device to disable stop/start (but can be re-enabled any time in the future using the same device)
  • Alloy pedal covers (same as S3)
  • Metal foot rest
  • Audi power light (4F0947175) to replace the 12v socket dummy cover - useful and good looking.
  • Carbox Form LS low boot liner 20-1466 PLUS the Carbox Anti-Slip Mat which poppers onto the liner and gives protection when loading and unloading from the boot. All bought from www.roofbox.co.uk. Photo of course is not from an A3 cos I haven't taken a photo yet!
  • OSIR gloss black key cover (just pops around the existing key but is nicer!)
Some photos are attached. You've probably seen enough of my actual car so haven't uploaded them again!



 
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hmmmm. deja vu?? I could of sworn I've read this thread somewhere here before
 
I thought it was a bit lost and inappropriate in a Build Week thread. :p You don't have to read it again!
 
Nice write up. I have the same car without a lot of the extras you have. The stop start is starting to get on my nerves too - plus a few other things.....
 
Hi Pete,

Excellent write-up, and most of it mirrors my experiences with my 1.4 COD saloon, which has now done 5.5k miles, without any problems.

Just one question, where did you buy the OSIR key cover from?

Cheers, Allan
 
AllanG said:
Hi Pete,

Excellent write-up, and most of it mirrors my experiences with my 1.4 COD saloon, which has now done 5.5k miles, without any problems.

Just one question, where did you buy the OSIR key cover from?

Cheers, Allan
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment. I bought the OSIR key cover from Amazon:
Amazon product
 
Nice review Pete.

Makes me even more impatient for mine now! Especially after a 5hr crawl up the M5/M6 yesterday in a manual!:sob:
 
Pulp84 said:
Going to get one of these. It's like a condom for keys!
Click to expand...

Well I had never thought of it like that ... but now I can't get it out of my head and touching it will never be the same :(
And what are you doing using coloured condoms anyway?
 
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A bareback key is not good. Already picked up a few war wounds on my key - hence this condom is perfect. I'm going for the black one too

Wonder if they come in a mix of flavours as well as colours? :whistle2:
 
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Pulp84 said:
A bareback key is not good. Already picked up a few war wounds on my key - hence this condom is perfect. I'm going for the black one too

Wonder if they come in a mix of flavours as well as colours? :whistle2:
Click to expand...

Once you go black, you don't go back.... so I've heard lol
 
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glospete said:
  • the Hold Assist - the jury's out on this one for me. Of course I can switch it off but I like the idea and it's just that if held on the HA I need to either give a small tap to release it before I pull away or else there is a slight jolt which annoys me.
Click to expand...
Im fairly sure this can be changed using VCDS. I done it on my GFs Golf GTD. There was 3 settings as far as I can remember. You are probably on default, so you can go one setting below and one above. So you could go one below meaning the amount of throttle you need to release the car is reduced, which may cure this gripe for you.
 
glospete said:
How long until the day?
Click to expand...

Not got a definite date yet. Car is built and en route to UK, dealer is currently estimating 13 Oct.

Think it's a bit slower than some as mines a fleet car not a private order.
 
s3_trev said:
Im fairly sure this can be changed using VCDS. I done it on my GFs Golf GTD. There was 3 settings as far as I can remember. You are probably on default, so you can go one setting below and one above. So you could go one below meaning the amount of throttle you need to release the car is reduced, which may cure this gripe for you.
Click to expand...

Thanks I wasn't aware of that possible adjustment - now I just need a VCDS owner in East Devon!
 
Do you not find the 7-speed a little jerky in 1st and 2nd gear? Beyond that, I'd agree that it is very smooth.
 
The Challinor said:
Didn't realise the reversible load floor matt covered all the boot and the back seats, is that on the HB and SB then?
Click to expand...

Yes on my SB the reversible load floor mat covers boot and back seats so when the seats are not folded it is a "lump" sitting in the boot. As I explained I now use a Carbox boot liner and I can only ever see myself using the reversible mat when I'm carrying a full load in the car. The rest of the time it'll remain folded in my roof box!
 
glospete said:
Yes on my SB the reversible load floor mat covers boot and back seats so when the seats are not folded it is a "lump" sitting in the boot. As I explained I now use a Carbox boot liner and I can only ever see myself using the reversible mat when I'm carrying a full load in the car. The rest of the time it'll remain folded in my roof box!
Click to expand...

Yer makes sense, think I will get a boot loner for my HB. Easier keep clean as the boot fibres are very difficult to clean.

You know if they do a "full" boot matt for the HB?
 
The Challinor said:
Yer makes sense, think I will get a boot loner for my HB. Easier keep clean as the boot fibres are very difficult to clean.

You know if they do a "full" boot matt for the HB?
Click to expand...

No idea but check out their website which I gave in my earlier post.
 
Hi Pete (and others who have contributed to this post). I really enjoy reading personal write-ups of experiences with cars as they are so much more interesting than the reviews contained in car magazines and their associated websites. I am still waiting for my TFSI to arrive (BW41) and my daily fix of this forum keeps me going!

Pete, have you got anything further to add since your 1,500 mile report? AllanG, you must've covered over 6k miles by now, would you mind sharing your experiences too, please?

Thanks in advance!

Andrew
 
I have covered 3, 000 miles in mine since taking delivery on 1 August. A few days after picking it up, we took it on holiday to Northern Ireland where the roads gave the handling a good workout. I can confirm that the SE suspension does not compromise the roadholding at all as some of the roads are very twisty/turny and it coped beautifully. It had covered 1500 miles by the time we went on holiday so I also tried the acceleration. The first time I got a bit of a shock as it took off rapidly from about 40 mph in 4th gear and quickly reached 70! At the time my wife was looking at her phone or the map (can't remember which, but she wasn't paying attention) and she wondered what on earth was happening as she was thrown back in her seat. Back home, I have found that you need to be careful on the motorway as it will just run away with you speedwise if not careful. This car is a lot of fun! I have had no trouble so far (as you might expect) and fuel consumption overall is in the low 40's according to the onboard computer. It took me a while to trust the electronic parking brake but I'm fine with it now - it really does work! My only issue is that I seem to have a bit of turbo lag. I can't be sure though and I posted a separate thread on that subject. I'm recently retired and it has been great having the time to get to know the car properly.
 
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wideboybloke said:
I have covered 3, 000 miles in mine since taking delivery on 1 August. A few days after picking it up, we took it on holiday to Northern Ireland where the roads gave the handling a good workout. I can confirm that the SE suspension does not compromise the roadholding at all as some of the roads are very twisty/turny and it coped beautifully. It had covered 1500 miles by the time we went on holiday so I also tried the acceleration. The first time I got a bit of a shock as it took off rapidly from about 40 mph in 4th gear and quickly reached 70! At the time my wife was looking at her phone or the map (can't remember which, but she wasn't paying attention) and she wondered what on earth was happening as she was thrown back in her seat. Back home, I have found that you need to be careful on the motorway as it will just run away with you speedwise if not careful. This car is a lot of fun! I have had no trouble so far (as you might expect) and fuel consumption overall is in the low 40's according to the onboard computer. It took me a while to trust the electronic parking brake but I'm fine with it now - it really does work! My only issue is that I seem to have a bit of turbo lag. I can't be sure though and I posted a separate thread on that subject. I'm recently retired and it has been great having the time to get to know the car properly.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that WBB! Hopefully the turbo lag isn't a persistent problem.
 
In reference to the 'other' thread about turbo lag, on my car you'd blink and miss it. Not really worth the fuss tbh however it has been stated that the s-tronic box can make it feel worse through the delay in kick down..
 
Andrew_Bu said:
Pete, have you got anything further to add since your 1,500 mile report?

Thanks in advance!

Andrew
Click to expand...

Been working at exhibition at NEC all last week so not much driving but still delighted with the car! Little things which please/amaze me are the ACC and the Headlight Assist - they both make a big difference to the stress of driving. I still misjudge the smaller width of the A3 versus my previous Santa Fe so haven't perfected the parking yet! I know you've gone B&O but I am more than happy with the ***.

Your car must be here any day now? Looking forward to the pictures!
 
glospete said:
Been working at exhibition at NEC all last week so not much driving but still delighted with the car! Little things which please/amaze me are the ACC and the Headlight Assist - they both make a big difference to the stress of driving. I still misjudge the smaller width of the A3 versus my previous Santa Fe so haven't perfected the parking yet! I know you've gone B&O but I am more than happy with the ***.

Your car must be here any day now? Looking forward to the pictures!
Click to expand...

I was beginning to wonder if you were OK Pete! I had put your absence down to you being too busy with your new car to spend time with us on here :sob:

Still waiting for mine! If you have the time and patience, see my recent posts on the thread "BW 41, 42, 43, 44"....
 
Andrew_Bu said:
AllanG, you must've covered over 6k miles by now, would you mind sharing your experiences too, please?

Thanks in advance!

Andrew
Click to expand...

Hi Andrew,

Having covered just over 6k miles now, I'm pleased to say that I've had no problems with my car, and it's averaging 43.8 mpg which is taken from brim to brim tank fillings since the car was new. The acceleration is very smooth, as are the gear changes. It did take me a while to get used to the Hold Assist & stop/start functions, especially when pulling away, but I find gentle use of the throttle ensures smooth getaways.

Good points:
Saloon styling....V. Stylish.....gets lots of positive comments
SE suspension is ideal for typical UK roads, still firm, with little body roll, but no suspension thumps
Alcantara upholstery
Heated seats
V. Classy interior
Xenon headlights + DRLs
Sat nav integration with MMI system

Bad points:
MMI sometimes 'forgets' my settings, especially when using an SD card
MMI does not remember additional station info option when changing radio stations
Interior rear view mirror is a bit small
Front tyres seem to throw a lot of dirt up the sides of the car

Overall, I'm very pleased with my saloon, and for me, this being my first Audi, it's a real step-up from my previous Mercs.

Cheers, Allan
 
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Yes I agree with most of what AllanG says. My average is also similar with over 50mpg on long motorway runs. I am very happy with the SE suspension as it is very absorbent but equally handles fine (for me). The brake dust is a constant problem on the front wheels - I think it might be because of the ACC which is braking to slow down whereas without it I would normally just ease off the throttle.
And when it rains and you open the hatch (on the SB) your boot contents get soaked with water! So good job you're getting the saloon Andrew!
 
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Has anyone figured out what the 'optimum' motorway cruising speed is for the 1.4 TFSI COD? In terms of best MPG, should I be going 55, 60 MPH?
 
I think you need to see the "2-cylinder operation" message as much as possible for minimum fuel consumption. I see it come up even at 70mph on a light throttle. I've always believed that 60mph is ideal from a fuel consumption point of view but is less than ideal in real world traffic as you keep getting baulked by lorries etc and slowing and accelerating is not a good combination to minimise fuel consumption. If you have ACC or even ordinary cruise control, using that does not maximise efficiency as the engine keeps a constant throttle opening and doesn't feather it quite like a human does. Having said that, the ACC is much better at maintaining a constant speed than my previous car which couldn't hold a speed going down a hill - the A3 is almost perfect but is braking to do it which harms fuel consumption.
 
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glospete said:
I think you need to see the "2-cylinder operation" message as much as possible for minimum fuel consumption. I see it come up even at 70mph on a light throttle. I've always believed that 60mph is ideal from a fuel consumption point of view but is less than ideal in real world traffic as you keep getting baulked by lorries etc and slowing and accelerating is not a good combination to minimise fuel consumption. If you have ACC or even ordinary cruise control, using that does not maximise efficiency as the engine keeps a constant throttle opening and doesn't feather it quite like a human does. Having said that, the ACC is much better at maintaining a constant speed than my previous car which couldn't hold a speed going down a hill - the A3 is almost perfect but is braking to do it which harms fuel consumption.
Click to expand...

I like cruise control because without it I'd just go too fast, but maybe it's just me. I even use it in 30 mph zones to stick to no more than 33.

Interesting about the braking, I thought it was all engine braking. Is that true for non-ACC as well? Do the brake lights come on?
 
I have standard CC and I've found (on dark nights when I notice) that the brake lights only come on when you're seriously going downhill or are turning the speed down rapidly with the stalk.
 
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I'm interested to know under what circumstances people are seeing over 50mpg from the 1.4 COD over a decent distance?

I've now done 8 or 9 trips from Manchester to Bristol at varying times of day from rush hour to 10pm, with and without traffic and my brim to brim consumption average is 41.8mpg over 1400 miles.

In the lengthy stretches of 50mph average speed cameras I've seen the DIS for the journey average climb back up to high 40's but never displayed anything beginning with a 5 but as soon as I go over about 65mph it steadily falls back to low 40's. Cruising with ACC set to 80 will see 40mpg over a decent distance.

Now I swear when I had a 3dr Sport with the same 1.4 COD Stronic on demo it did over 50mpg for the return trip Manchester to Bristol on the DIS. Question is, was I lucky with the demo or is my car not running correctly? The demo was pretty much brand new too with only 50miles on the clock when delivered.

Let me know your thoughts?
 
I have also done about 1,400 miles from new and brim to brim consumption average of just under 42mpg. That does include a lot of short in town drives.

On a long fast road and motorway trip I got about 48mpg on the trip - although this was also with some in town traffic. I have standard cruise rather than ACC but find that it does not keep the car in 2 cylinder mode for long. Also 80 vs 70 will mean that the car will rarely have the chance to get into 2 cylinder mode.

I do see 50 on the trip (only just) on shorter trips in 30/40 speed limit zones with little traffic though. I did see a journey average of 60 mpg once after about 5 miles but I had parked a the top of a big hill!

So to get closer to 50 mpg on long trips my recommendation would be to switch off the cruise control and keep the speed down to around 70 mph where you can if careful with the throttle keep the car in 2 cylinder mode for miles at a time. Also hope for a dry day and a following wind!!
 
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