About to purchase Audi A3 1.6 S Line S Tronic 3dr (2009), anything I should know?

[Joejacsj]

Im very close to purchasing an Audi A3 1.6 S Line S Tronic 3dr, 2009 at 63,000 miles. (Petrol) Has had water pump and timing belt change around 50,000 miles

My main concern are mpg, running costs and depreciation over the next 2 years

Just wondering if anybody has any incites to these questions to help make my decision easier.


Thank you in advance

 

[SootySport]

A3's are not the best cars for mpg compared to others , they are heavy. If the one you are looking at has FSH as wel as a new belt service then it sounds like it'd been looked after. Go for a test drive and treat it like any other car with a modem dual clutch box, should charge up and down almost imperceptibly in auto or when using the stick and paddles manually. Check all the electric gizmos work and no warning lights on the dash.
If you look after it depreciation can be very low and will be much lower than the run of the mill makes.
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[Joejacsj]

A3's are not the best cars for mpg compared to others , they are heavy. If the one you are looking at has FSH as wel as a new belt service then it sounds like it'd been looked after. Go for a test drive and treat it like any other car with a modem dual clutch box, should charge up and down almost imperceptibly in auto or when using the stick and paddles manually. Check all the electric gizmos work and no warning lights on the dash.
If you look after it depreciation can be very low and will be much lower than the run of the mill makes.
Pop up link to the ad and you'll have a few more replies from the forum.

Thanks for the reply.
It is FSH, had test driven it and runs perfectly. Very well looked after. No warning lights.
There was a slight concern with the exhaust being a little rumbly but not sure if this is because of its an s-line?
Along with this the paddles while in manual, I noticed that getting to around 25mph the car had to be in 3rd gear, is this normal?


Checked MOT history and all looks good and will be getting a 12-month mot before I get the car.

 

[Marek196c]

for mpg dunno if diesel is better... I'm doing 40mpg in city on tuned 2.0tdi as well road tax on mine is 145£ on 1.6 it is 185£ i think. you can look as well for 1.6tdi or newer 2.0 tdi (but some of engines got their common faults), as well if you mainly about running costs, mpg etc.... Better go for some Ford or Vauxhall as parts are MUCH cheaper and as far as I know 1.6 diesels, as well all ecoboost (ford) and 1.9 (vauxhall) are good engines there. I've got Fiesta V 1.4 for 1 year and only thing I replaced (other than maintenance i.e. oil, filters) was starter motor.

 

[piehole1983]

I have a 1.6 also and the exhaust certainly has a bit of a note to it. I actually thought there may be something wrong with it but it looks to be in great condition.

The only regret I have is the engine size, it's just too small to haul these heavy cars around efficiently. I use quite a lot of fuel going nowhere far. I reckon a larger engine would help with fuel consumption.

 

[Joejacsj]

I have a 1.6 also and the exhaust certainly has a bit of a note to it. I actually thought there may be something wrong with it but it looks to be in great condition.

The only regret I have is the engine size, it's just too small to haul these heavy cars around efficiently. I use quite a lot of fuel going nowhere far. I reckon a larger engine would help with fuel consumption.

Would you happen to know your avg mpg?

 

[piehole1983]

Would you happen to know your avg mpg?

Yeah it's about 23mpg

 

[Joejacsj]

Yeah it's about 23mpg

Thats very low for a 1.6 isn't?
Would this be related to the age of the car, if you dont mind me asking, what reg/mileage is your A3?

 

[piehole1983]

Thats very low for a 1.6 isn't?
Would this be related to the age of the car, if you dont mind me asking, what reg/mileage is your A3?

It is low but I'm putting I down to the short stop start journey I do in the morning and evening. In the space of about 5 miles I have to deal with heavy traffic and 14 sets of traffic lights of which I'm stopped at nearly all of them. I use the AC pretty much all the time too. My car is 05 with 97k, also has full Audi service history if that makes any odds.

 

[Marek196c]

It is low but I'm putting I down to the short stop start journey I do in the morning and evening. In the space of about 5 miles I have to deal with heavy traffic and 14 sets of traffic lights of which I'm stopped at nearly all of them. I use the AC pretty much all the time too. My car is 05 with 97k, also has full Audi service history if that makes any odds.

lol on my 2.0 is like 41 mpg in city (before tune it was like 46mpg, now doing 8.5 miles, before less than 3miles), but that true, for these cars don't consider nothing below 1.8 as they won't move. as well when you will got full car you will feel the drop in power.