Thinking about purchasing an Audi A3 8P, need some advice....

[silverswish]

Hi all,

So I am thinking about purchasing the quattro 3.2 litre Audi A3 8P (04, 05 plate) and would really appreciate some opinions and feedback as to whether the 3.2 quattro is a good model to go for?

Thank you,

Chris.

 

[warren_S5]

It's a nice refined car, possibly a little nose heavy handling wise, but the best person to speak to would be Paddy as he had a 3.2 V6, and now has an S3 2.0T and can tell you the pros and cons of the 'V' lumped car against a 2.0T.

There's also quite a few other owners on here who rate the V6 (e.g Sarah A3), and they really seem to enjoy the car and the drama the V6 engine adds.

 

[paddy]

Hi Chris
My guess is you are driven by price which is why you have gone for 04-05 which is fair enough but it does limit your choice of other vehicles to compare a 3.2 against IE: a 3.2 will set you back £6k and an S3 double that at least. So...for the money They are a great fun car but it has to be said, if it goes wrong it will cost you a small fortune. For that reason it needs to be checked out before you buy and it "MUST" have a warranty so dealer only. If you spend £6k private and it has the dreaded cam chain stretch you have basically done your money !!!!! be warned.
The V6 goes best with the DSG option ( and its quicker)
It will only give 26mpg on day to day driving. less in traffic, a bit more on a journey if you are careful
04/05 will keep you in the cheaper car tax band, £240 instead of £400
05 might give you a one piece grill
04 will be twin grill
Mapping will not improve power noticeably but may smooth it out a bit
Check insurance before you buy
Radiators leak by that age
The important thing is getting a good one. A bad one will be a nightmare and there are lots of bad ones about. Several people here have returned them for refunds because dealer will not fix them under warranty because the cost are more than the car is worth to them.
Check it will hold 2k rpm rock steady in Neutral. Check it has no hesitation/misfires at 2k rpm on the road.
Give it a short drive and get the fault codes down loaded. If it mentions multiple cylinder misfire or defo...camshaft set point not reached then run away !!!
dont be put off, there is no point in me listing the good points which are many and a good one will be great fun but be under no illusion it probably will cost a lot to run. Its an Audi and the most complicated A3 at that by far ...

HTH, feel free to ask questions.

 

[Arnie]

If you are doing a lot miles in car get something with better mpg. If you drive like me, 1 tank every 2 weeks, just time to time then its a fun car and a lot cheaper tyan s3. Yes it is abit nose heavy. Service costs are almost the same as other audis, best to go to specialist rather than audi directly.

I havent got more than 18mpg from the tank yet but I floor it at every junction I can find

 

[Daft Old Sod]

Drinks V-Power at a rate of knots, but the howl of that V6 as it climbs towards the red line makes it worth every penny. I also agree it's a wee bit nose heavy, but only really feel it when pushing hard through the twisties. Overtaking is a no brainer, couple of flicks of the left hand paddle, lean on the loud pedal, job done. A very lazy motorway cruiser to boot, 85mph at approx 3500rpm. Mine's a 2007 with DSG & I reckon it's the pick of the A3 8P's, but then I am a wee bit biased.

 

[wez3570]

They are a great car but as said, do your research first!

 

[paddy]

I have never really understood the nose heavy thing. It depends what you are used to. As A3's go it is better balanced than any non quattro and better than a TDI quattro with its battery in the boot and its lack of Turbo and intercooler stuck up the front. People assume the V6 is heavy but it is actually one of the lightest and most compact available. I suspect the weight balance is one of these perpetuated myths.
Bare in mind the S3 is a more powerful car then look at these times. 3 seconds in 80 is not a lot given the S3 is faster accelerating so i doubt the 3.2 lost out much in handling.

Hockenheim Short	1:17.50	1:20.60

TrackS3A3 3.2 quattro