What A3 should I get?

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Mrlilywhite

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Hi all, first post here, though envious lurker. Finally getting on the Audi a3 train, after just selling my Ford S Max X sport 240. I have a few questions on which A3 to choose and hope you guys/gals can point me in the right direction.

I have a budget of £7-£8 grand to spend on an a3 and have been looking at a few options - pref is def an S-line or even a Black edition (if I'm lucky). I don't drive more than about 5000 miles per year, though when I drive it will be mostly motorway. So here are a few questions that I could do with an answer on.

  • Based on my low miles per year, but motorway driving when I do, will it be worthwhile looking at the 2ltr 140 diesel?
  • If it is worth considering, what are the common problems of that particular VAG engine (will be a post-2008 model for sure)?
  • If Petrol is the better option for me, what one is going to have the best reliability? I heard the 1.8t is a bit thirsty on oil? Also, what are the potential money pits on these likely to be?
  • Given my budget, what should I be looking for age and mileage wise?
I think that is all for now. Thanks in advance for your help and insight!
 
Not trying to put you off an Audi mate but just look through the first 20 pages and see how many members ask about problems with there Diesel . As i have only driven a petrol i can safely say most off there rngines are fine and i guess if all engines are maintained correctly they should be fine .
You might find a S3 older 8p for ur highest budget , all the best
 
I had figured that diesels were problematic, though wasn't sure if that was older diesels or the 170 diesel. Would rather a petrol if possible. Looked at s3's and they are out of budget right now :(
 
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Mrlilywhite said:
I had figured that diesels were problematic, though wasn't sure if that was older diesels or the 170 diesel. Would rather a petrol if possible. Looked at s3's and they are out of budget right now :(
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Just a suggestion but could you no take a loan out from bank / building society to make up the difference for an older 8p , sure you will find 1 around 9 / 11,000
 
I might get some hate for the following, but... For some reason I believe diesels give less headaches. Changing a DMF or injector is easy.
Rebuilding an engine that is using oil isn't (particularly TFSI models that are known for this).

If given a chance to choose between all the petrols in 8P range (1.6 FSI, 2.0 FSI, 1.4 TFSI, 1.8 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI) I wouldn't be able to decide honestly.
 
Mrlilywhite said:
Hi all, first post here, though envious lurker. Finally getting on the Audi a3 train, after just selling my Ford S Max X sport 240. I have a few questions on which A3 to choose and hope you guys/gals can point me in the right direction.

I have a budget of £7-£8 grand to spend on an a3 and have been looking at a few options - pref is def an S-line or even a Black edition (if I'm lucky). I don't drive more than about 5000 miles per year, though when I drive it will be mostly motorway. So here are a few questions that I could do with an answer on.

  • Based on my low miles per year, but motorway driving when I do, will it be worthwhile looking at the 2ltr 140 diesel?
  • If it is worth considering, what are the common problems of that particular VAG engine (will be a post-2008 model for sure)?
  • If Petrol is the better option for me, what one is going to have the best reliability? I heard the 1.8t is a bit thirsty on oil? Also, what are the potential money pits on these likely to be?
  • Given my budget, what should I be looking for age and mileage wise?
I think that is all for now. Thanks in advance for your help and insight!
Click to expand...
Welcome to audi-sport.net. Have a look at link below, it may be of interest.

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/audi-a3-tdi-sline-170.364315/#post-3312468

Or
https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/audi-a3-1-8t-grey-now-£700-milton-keynes.377169/#post-3312736 @DALE_AVANT is selling the above.
 
ch1z64 said:
Just a suggestion but could you no take a loan out from bank / building society to make up the difference for an older 8p , sure you will find 1 around 9 / 11,000
Click to expand...

Thanks - but really only looking at using the money I already have, so the ceiling of £8000 is what I have to play with.

Rideen said:
I might get some hate for the following, but... For some reason I believe diesels give less headaches. Changing a DMF or injector is easy.
Rebuilding an engine that is using oil isn't (particularly TFSI models that are known for this).

If given a chance to choose between all the petrols in 8P range (1.6 FSI, 2.0 FSI, 1.4 TFSI, 1.8 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI) I wouldn't be able to decide honestly.
Click to expand...

That is my stumbling point with diesels is is it worth it regarding the miles I tend to do a year - 5000 ish. mostly motorway though.

Sandra said:
Welcome to audi-sport.net. Have a look at link below, it may be of interest.

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/audi-a3-tdi-sline-170.364315/#post-3312468

Or
https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/audi-a3-1-8t-grey-now-£700-milton-keynes.377169/#post-3312736 @DALE_AVANT is selling the above.
Click to expand...

Thanks - not what I am looking for though from an age perspective.
 
With 5000 miles per year, you would probably be better to avoid diesel.
The price at the pump won't balance out very quickly, although you'll save on road tax.
When/if parts go wrong they tend to be a bit more expensive, but the VAG engines are common so used/reconditioned parts would keep costs down.
If you get a car with a DPF you probably aren't using it enough to keep up with re-gen cycles and prevent it from clogging.

All of the cars I have owned since passing my test 19 years ago have been diesel, so I do have a soft spot for them but they are becoming harder to sell due to recent gov't decisions on emissions, hence my change to Petrol even with 15-20k a year in a S3.
 
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Mrlilywhite said:
Hi all, first post here, though envious lurker. Finally getting on the Audi a3 train, after just selling my Ford S Max X sport 240. I have a few questions on which A3 to choose and hope you guys/gals can point me in the right direction.

I have a budget of £7-£8 grand to spend on an a3 and have been looking at a few options - pref is def an S-line or even a Black edition (if I'm lucky). I don't drive more than about 5000 miles per year, though when I drive it will be mostly motorway. So here are a few questions that I could do with an answer on.

  • Based on my low miles per year, but motorway driving when I do, will it be worthwhile looking at the 2ltr 140 diesel?
  • If it is worth considering, what are the common problems of that particular VAG engine (will be a post-2008 model for sure)?
  • If Petrol is the better option for me, what one is going to have the best reliability? I heard the 1.8t is a bit thirsty on oil? Also, what are the potential money pits on these likely to be?
  • Given my budget, what should I be looking for age and mileage wise?
I think that is all for now. Thanks in advance for your help and insight!
Click to expand...


I always have diesels and do about the same mileage as you so I’d definately recommend getting a diesel.
I have a 59 reg black edition 170 tdi currently so it’s a CR engine and it’s brilliant, I’ve never had any problems with it and never had any problems with the dpf filter. Just keep it serviced every year and make sure it gets an oil and filter change every year even though you aren’t doing massive mileage and you’ll be fine. If you get a quattro like mine then you have to keep the haldex oil and filter changed every couple of year or so to prevent problems with the 4wd. You just have to make sure you’re driving it above 2000rpm for a decent amount of time every now and again to keep the dpf clear. Having said that before this A3 I had an older PD engine 170 tdi that has a DPF and never had any problems with that one either.
With common faults they have little niggles with rear wiper motor packing in and sometimes door locks fail. The CR diesels(140 & 170) have one possible major fault in the oil pump design which is included in it’s own thread somewhere on this forum. They have a shaft turning the oil pump which can round off causing no oil pressure and potentially killing the engine. This however is very random and not all that common. You can buy a revised kit that will not round off which isn’t cheap to do or you can leave it and hope that you’re in luck. I haven’t done mine and I’m on 91000 miles at the minute so read into that whatever you want to.
In regards to performance I’ve had my current A3 remapped about 12 month ago and it came out at 212bhp with no mods or anything. On a recent drive to Cornwall from Yorkshire it averaged 55mpg with everything except the kitchen sink rammed into it so you’ve got decent performance and good mpg. If a 140 was your choice then if you want more power from that then these tend to go to 180-190 bhp with a decent remap.

In regards to your budget you should get a black edition for your money. As I said mine is a 170 tdi black edition quattro and is a sportback 2009 model and it set me back £7200 about 18 month ago with 85000 mileage, bodywork was a bit tatty hence the price.
 
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Go with a petrol engine, diesel motors these days are expensive when they go wrong.
As for which petrol motor, that’s a tricky one, they all have built in weaknesses of some sort. Whichever you choose, check out it’s service history for belt or chain renewals and other regular servicing. Most on here would avoid the Long Life service regime as it causes problems on oil dependant parts.
Good luck on your search
 
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ab1702 said:
I always have diesels and do about the same mileage as you so I’d definately recommend getting a diesel.
I have a 59 reg black edition 170 tdi currently so it’s a CR engine and it’s brilliant, I’ve never had any problems with it and never had any problems with the dpf filter. Just keep it serviced every year and make sure it gets an oil and filter change every year even though you aren’t doing massive mileage and you’ll be fine. If you get a quattro like mine then you have to keep the haldex oil and filter changed every couple of year or so to prevent problems with the 4wd. You just have to make sure you’re driving it above 2000rpm for a decent amount of time every now and again to keep the dpf clear. Having said that before this A3 I had an older PD engine 170 tdi that has a DPF and never had any problems with that one either.
With common faults they have little niggles with rear wiper motor packing in and sometimes door locks fail. The CR diesels(140 & 170) have one possible major fault in the oil pump design which is included in it’s own thread somewhere on this forum. They have a shaft turning the oil pump which can round off causing no oil pressure and potentially killing the engine. This however is very random and not all that common. You can buy a revised kit that will not round off which isn’t cheap to do or you can leave it and hope that you’re in luck. I haven’t done mine and I’m on 91000 miles at the minute so read into that whatever you want to.
In regards to performance I’ve had my current A3 remapped about 12 month ago and it came out at 212bhp with no mods or anything. On a recent drive to Cornwall from Yorkshire it averaged 55mpg with everything except the kitchen sink rammed into it so you’ve got decent performance and good mpg. If a 140 was your choice then if you want more power from that then these tend to go to 180-190 bhp with a decent remap.

In regards to your budget you should get a black edition for your money. As I said mine is a 170 tdi black edition quattro and is a sportback 2009 model and it set me back £7200 about 18 month ago with 85000 mileage, bodywork was a bit tatty hence the price.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your lengthy input. Looking at a couple now. Came across this one, though a 2ltr black edition - looks well looked after. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-...238855?hash=item4b4e5c9a47:g:KNgAAOSw~X1blQ4G
 
SootySport said:
Go with a petrol engine, diesel motors these days are expensive when they go wrong.
As for which petrol motor, that’s a tricky one, they all have built in weaknesses of some sort. Whichever you choose, check out it’s service history for belt or chain renewals and other regular servicing. Most on here would avoid the Long Life service regime as it causes problems on oil dependant parts.
Good luck on your search
Click to expand...

Excuse my ignorance, but what does this mean?
 
It means that some vag cars are set to do oil service etc at about 20,000 miles approx but most members change the due dates and do it much sooner at around 5/6000 miles or 6 months.
 
Matt268uk said:
It means that some vag cars are set to do oil service etc at about 20,000 miles approx but most members change the due dates and do it much sooner at around 5/6000 miles or 6 months.
Click to expand...
Ah right! I would be changing every year as I would only be doing 5000 miles anyway. Thanks for the heads up :)
 
Mrlilywhite said:
Thanks for your lengthy input. Looking at a couple now. Came across this one, though a 2ltr black edition - looks well looked after. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-...238855?hash=item4b4e5c9a47:g:KNgAAOSw~X1blQ4G
Click to expand...
Shame it doesn’t have rnse unit and no mention of Bluetooth. Also check catch on arm rest as most are broken, only a very minor problem but nice if unbroken. I would also keep looking as with your budget you should be able to find something with above and possibly heated seats.
 
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Petrol all day at that mileage and usage. Plus they sound better.
 
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Matt268uk said:
Shame it doesn’t have rnse unit and no mention of Bluetooth. Also check catch on arm rest as most are broken, only a very minor problem but nice if unbroken. I would also keep looking as with your budget you should be able to find something with above and possibly heated seats.
Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of the head unit that is in most of these tbh. Bluetooth is a bit of a ******, but not much of a deal breaker for me tbh. Think I need to have a look. It also has a remap on it - 230-240bhp according to the message he sent me earlier. Not overly bothered with a remap - are they easy to take off?
 
Mrlilywhite said:
I'm not a fan of the head unit that is in most of these tbh. Bluetooth is a bit of a ******, but not much of a deal breaker for me tbh. Think I need to have a look. It also has a remap on it - 230-240bhp according to the message he sent me earlier. Not overly bothered with a remap - are they easy to take off?
Click to expand...
A very good bit off advice if you have a friend like a mechanic take him along when u go to view it and if you know someone who has a Vag cable thats an even bigger bonus as it can tell you if there is any faults there b4 you buy . All the best
 
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If you are looking at the 1.6 fsi, from my ownership ensure that the right oil filter is used, else you will hear a horrible grinding sound for 3 secs at cold start which is really concerning, in addition make sure there not heavy rattling when the engine is idling and while under load, this indicates the timing chain tensions are in they way out and there may be stretch in the chain, other wise the engine is a solid choice, city driving i get 32mpg with heavy traffic and anywhere between 45 to 50 indicated with low traffic city driving and on the motorway.

this is all from my own experience, i felt i needed to say this encase i get anything wrong
 
Mrlilywhite said:
Excuse my ignorance, but what does this mean?
Click to expand...
Long Life oil service is the service regime for high mileage business users and oil changes can be up to 2 years apart. All ok when the car is relatively new but if continued sticky oil sludge can block the oil pick up pipe and cam chain/belt tensoiners. The result is many forum members have had problems with failing cam chain/belts tensioners, oil pumps and oil starvation.
If you are thinking of a diesel motor, go for the earlier pre DPF versions, short journeys are not good for mpg and dpf longevity.
 
Hi @Mrlilywhite welcome! I too had an S-Max Titamium Sport but 200ps diesel, we traded it on the new mode but petrol. The way London is with diesels (congestion fees, residential and council parking) and the lies the government made were all reasons for moving to the petrol, besides, we only did 5k miles per year so so far the petrol is proving to be more economical.

To the Audi - are after 3 door or Sportback, auto or manual?

I echo the calls above to go for petrol. I’m not against diesel but in 2-3 years time there is a chance they could be worthless (artistic licence allowed).

Around your budget you might be able to find a well looked after S3 pre-facelift. They are 3 door and manual and don’t look as cool as the Sportback but they seem to be holding their value well. Alternatively a 2.0 tfsi Black edition, facelift, will be a similar price to the S3.

The eBay item you posted above looks ok but it is modified. This can put some off - for me, I wanted a stock car so I could do the mods (knowing what’s there and whose done it) but if there is a history then it may not be a concern. There is no mention of the remap. It would be worth finding more about this.

The Audi sat-nav (rnse) typically comes with phone Bluetooth but this can’t be used for streaming music - here is no factor music streaming offered in the 8P.

Which ever way you go, this forum will make you poor...
 
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samuelh_888 said:
Hi @Mrlilywhite welcome! I too had an S-Max Titamium Sport but 200ps diesel, we traded it on the new mode but petrol. The way London is with diesels (congestion fees, residential and council parking) and the lies the government made were all reasons for moving to the petrol, besides, we only did 5k miles per year so so far the petrol is proving to be more economical.

To the Audi - are after 3 door or Sportback, auto or manual?

I echo the calls above to go for petrol. I’m not against diesel but in 2-3 years time there is a chance they could be worthless (artistic licence allowed).

Around your budget you might be able to find a well looked after S3 pre-facelift. They are 3 door and manual and don’t look as cool as the Sportback but they seem to be holding their value well. Alternatively a 2.0 tfsi Black edition, facelift, will be a similar price to the S3.

The eBay item you posted above looks ok but it is modified. This can put some off - for me, I wanted a stock car so I could do the mods (knowing what’s there and whose done it) but if there is a history then it may not be a concern. There is no mention of the remap. It would be worth finding more about this.

The Audi sat-nav (rnse) typically comes with phone Bluetooth but this can’t be used for streaming music - here is no factor music streaming offered in the 8P.

Which ever way you go, this forum will make you poor...
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tips - I am def going for a petrol Black edition or S line. I believe the rnse is standard on all Black editions from 11 plates onwards from reading about. Much prefer the Sportback. I am wary of a modified s3 and hesitant to look at this one but may go over Sunday if still available.

Not too concerned about the forum making me poor. I have a very capable wife that does that already :tearsofjoy:
 
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The only issue I found with black editions is that petrol variants are very rare, probably 1 in 10 back editions are petrol from my experience. I only do about 3000 miles per year and I ended up settling on a diesel as it was the right price and only £30 year road tax.
 
deanshaw24 said:
The only issue I found with black editions is that petrol variants are very rare, probably 1 in 10 back editions are petrol from my experience. I only do about 3000 miles per year and I ended up settling on a diesel as it was the right price and only £30 year road tax.
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That is currently the experience I am finding with the petrol versions. I have however just found this potential a3 black edition that looks good. Having just spoken to the owner it sounds like it has been well looked after and the miles are where I would like. Will be going along to have a look at this too. No modifications either, so if I were to get it it would be a blank canvas if I wanted to do some mods. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...cation=at_cars&model=A3&year-from=2005&page=1
 
Mrlilywhite said:
Hi all, first post here, though envious lurker. Finally getting on the Audi a3 train, after just selling my Ford S Max X sport 240. I have a few questions on which A3 to choose and hope you guys/gals can point me in the right direction.

I have a budget of £7-£8 grand to spend on an a3 and have been looking at a few options - pref is def an S-line or even a Black edition (if I'm lucky). I don't drive more than about 5000 miles per year, though when I drive it will be mostly motorway. So here are a few questions that I could do with an answer on.



I have driven ALL types of AUDI s vags but I think < 5k is asking for trouble with the latest diesels . I used to drive mine like a petrol and never had dmf or dpf issues you don’t say what sort of weekly miles you do, I think that’s more important than your annual miles. I changed back to petrol when my miles dropped below 150 per week I do miss the diesel though but I think you are just storing up problems if you go down the diesel route imo
Re petrol engines, the oil burners were only before a certain build check on this site for clearer definition


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
 
After reading about regarding both the petrol and diesels, it seems they both come with inherent issues. The 1.8 - 2.0 tfsi's in the year that my budget is looking at seems to have excessive oil usage due to the piston rings - 08-11 I believe and the diesels have potential issues with shaft that could be very costly if it happens. I'm not too sure if my pursuit of an Audi is going to turn into an unmitigated disaster. Plenty of food for thought I guess.
 
Going a bit off topic, but don't feel the need to start a new thread. The guy I spoke to about the modded a3 black edition is adamant that his car is a 2.0 TSI and not a TFSI. Surely he has this wrong doesn't he? I thought TSI lumps were in VAG's & Skoda's only. Can someone help clarify this? The listing even shows it as a TSI too.
 
TSI/TFSI same thing pretty much. I’ve been looking for 1.8 black editions too but like you mentioned the oil issues and not to mention weak timing chains leave me hesitating.
 
Tempz said:
TSI/TFSI same thing pretty much. I’ve been looking for 1.8 black editions too but like you mentioned the oil issues and not to mention weak timing chains leave me hesitating.
Click to expand...

Believe the timing chain issue was down to worn stamp dies by vags subcontractor, so shouldn’t be a later issue


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
VAG stands for Volkswagen Audi Group, and covers VW, Audi, SEAT, Skoda.
if you want to to double check for yourself, find an online MOT checker or app for your smart phone and enter the Registration.
You will get history of the MOT's so you know if it has issues ongoing, and you can get the exact make/model.

I never even contact a seller until I've seen the MOT history to see if there are advisories, then I ask questions relating to those advisories and ask for evidence of them being rectified. If the answers don't seem legit, I move on to the next car.
 
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Tempz said:
TSI/TFSI same thing pretty much. I’ve been looking for 1.8 black editions too but like you mentioned the oil issues and not to mention weak timing chains leave me hesitating.
Click to expand...
Well yeah I guessed that myself re the engines. I asked him about the oil burn on his TFSI/TSI and his response was - "I have had no issues with oil consumption, but the engine in mine is in fact a 2.0 TSI engine as supposed to the TFSI engine.". I really do like the petrol over the diesel (more suited to the miles that I drive), but don't want to drop £8 grand on something that won't be sorted by Audi, as finding a fully Audi serviced one for the price I want to pay is nigh on impossible. Audi used to be a no-brainer when it came to reliability...
 
Mrlilywhite said:
Well yeah I guessed that myself re the engines. I asked him about the oil burn on his TFSI/TSI and his response was - "I have had no issues with oil consumption, but the engine in mine is in fact a 2.0 TSI engine as supposed to the TFSI engine.". I really do like the petrol over the diesel (more suited to the miles that I drive), but don't want to drop £8 grand on something that won't be sorted by Audi, as finding a fully Audi serviced one for the price I want to pay is nigh on impossible. Audi used to be a no-brainer when it came to reliability...
Click to expand...

From what I have seen on here, the timing chain seems to be more of an issue for cars on long life servicing plans (Someone correct me if I'm wrong) so the service history is vital on an older car.
I have the S3 TFSI and there are many known faults on these engines, and as mine is one of the very first 8P versions (56 plate) I did my research on what could go wrong, and how to prevent things being a problem (check sticky at the top of the page).
I sourced stuff like Cam follower and DV as they are know weakspots, and got the car serviced as soon as possible after collection.
It's covered 8k miles since I collected it at Easter and runs very well, so age isn't always a factor if the engine is looked after.

My advice is to look for cars below the top of your budget and test drive them. Check the history carefully and ensure things like Cambelt are up to date with invoices to prove it. If everything is recent you should be ok but have a bit of your budget left for basic stuff. If it isn't ok, find the next one.

Also, don't get caught up on the Audi stamp. Any technician can service a car and stamp a book.
My car is on it's third oil and filter change because it's cheap enough to do it as often as I want. All done on the drive with receipts to prove parts bought and fitted.
Would you rather someone pay £200 once a year for a basic service, or an enthusiast spend the same amount and do at least 3 services and all fluids?
I'd pick the car that has been looked after more, but that's my preference.
 
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Daveyonthemove said:
From what I have seen on here, the timing chain seems to be more of an issue for cars on long life servicing plans (Someone correct me if I'm wrong) so the service history is vital on an older car.
I have the S3 TFSI and there are many known faults on these engines, and as mine is one of the very first 8P versions (56 plate) I did my research on what could go wrong, and how to prevent things being a problem (check sticky at the top of the page).
I sourced stuff like Cam follower and DV as they are know weakspots, and got the car serviced as soon as possible after collection.
It's covered 8k miles since I collected it at Easter and runs very well, so age isn't always a factor if the engine is looked after.

My advice is to look for cars below the top of your budget and test drive them. Check the history carefully and ensure things like Cambelt are up to date with invoices to prove it. If everything is recent you should be ok but have a bit of your budget left for basic stuff. If it isn't ok, find the next one.

Also, don't get caught up on the Audi stamp. Any technician can service a car and stamp a book.
My car is on it's third oil and filter change because it's cheap enough to do it as often as I want. All done on the drive with receipts to prove parts bought and fitted.
Would you rather someone pay £200 once a year for a basic service, or an enthusiast spend the same amount and do at least 3 services and all fluids?
I'd pick the car that has been looked after more, but that's my preference.
Click to expand...
I agree with what you are saying re Audi services and services in general. I was referencing the fact that Audi wouldn't, for the most part, undertake any work foc regarding the oil burn issue unless it had full Audi servicing. Were the oil burn tfsi lumps from as far back when they started producing them? or was that just from 09 onwards?
 
I put approx 200ml of oil in my car every month. It's the only car I have ever had that uses any oil, but to me its acceptable.
Any car older than 2015 would be out of warranty (and your budget) so wouldn't be looked at anyway unless there was an outstanding recall.
All you can do is check the dipstick and service history as very few people bother to top up until the red light comes on. If the car was serviced 6 months ago and very little oil has been used it probably won't have an issue.
If it's near the bottom of the dipstick you may have reason for concern, but then I would expect exhaust smoke to give you a clue.

There are very few cars out there that don't have known faults that are small and easy to monitor/fix. You just need to be sensible when looking at them and look for clues.
 
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I’d still recommend the diesel, the fact you do low mileage makes no difference at all. As I said further up it’s the revs that you drive the car at that determines whether the dpf stays clear or not.
My Mrs has a 13 reg Leon 150 tdi and does 6000 - 7000 miles per year and has had no problems with dpf and like I said I do about 5000 - 6000 miles per year in my a3 170 tdi and I’ve never had any dpf problems.
With the oil shaft problem with the facelift diesels, that is the only major potential fault and if you wanted to you can buy a revised shaft and pump that cures the problem but it costs a few hundred quid.
 
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Just to put a slightly different slant on the above post....
Having the engine run hot enough to clear the DPF would involve running at higher revs/lower gears if long journeys aren't an option. This will increase noise and fuel economy, which takes away one of the advantages of owning a diesel car.
The problem with the diesel engine where DPF's are concerned is that they don't give you any warning that a regen is taking place, so you could get the engine up to temp, the car could start a regen and you pull up on your drive and turn the engine off. The DPF is already at its clean threshold and needs the next journey to get up to temp and restart that regen, but it now has the soot from the cold part of the journey on top of the soot that didn't get burned off.
This is usually how DPF's eventually get clogged to the point of failure.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy a diesel (I love the torque of a VAG Derv engine) but consider your daily driving and work out if you will be able to get the engine hot enough for long enough to clear the DPF.
 
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Daveyonthemove said:
Just to put a slightly different slant on the above post....
Having the engine run hot enough to clear the DPF would involve running at higher revs/lower gears if long journeys aren't an option. This will increase noise and fuel economy, which takes away one of the advantages of owning a diesel car.
The problem with the diesel engine where DPF's are concerned is that they don't give you any warning that a regen is taking place, so you could get the engine up to temp, the car could start a regen and you pull up on your drive and turn the engine off. The DPF is already at its clean threshold and needs the next journey to get up to temp and restart that regen, but it now has the soot from the cold part of the journey on top of the soot that didn't get burned off.
This is usually how DPF's eventually get clogged to the point of failure.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy a diesel (I love the torque of a VAG Derv engine) but consider your daily driving and work out if you will be able to get the engine hot enough for long enough to clear the DPF.
Click to expand...


I do agree with what you’ve said there although I still don’t think it would be a problem.
The reason being is from what i pointed out about mine and my other halves car. Also I drive a VW transporter work van which I’ve had from new 5 1/2 year ago and again I’ve had no dpf problems with that even though I’m constantly doing stop/start journeys because of the job I do. It’s only done 55000 miles since new. Baring in mind I’m in a big van and it’s usually full I average about 30mpg so in an a3 even if you are driving at higher revs to keep the dpf in good shape you’re still going to get better economy than what you would in a petrol.
With the CR engines that these vehicles have I believe the dpf process is meant to be a lot better than on previous cars with PD engines hence why me and the other half have probably had no problems. I do tell the other half to give her car a good thrashing every now and then but I don’t for one minute think she takes any notice of me.
The only thing that would potentially put me off getting another diesel would be this with the government but having said that I think I probably would still get another diesel.
 
People are afraid of DPFs just because PDs were not designed to have DPFs in the first place. Later on they got fitted with DPFs as an afterthought hence the problems.

CR engines should not have DPF problems.
 
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Get a Diesel, no need to join the TFSI Oil Consumption Club :footy:

So long as you replace the G450 sensor (cheap and easy to do) prior to it failing on CR engines post 2010, you shouldn't have DPF issues at all with your intended usage.

In my opinion make that sensor a service item every 5 years and then you're golden (just use an OEM part)
 
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UPDATE - Well I have just put a deposit down on a 2011 3 door Ibis white s3 S-Line 2ltr 170 Quattro diesel. It has only done 56000 and has full leather interior and the RNS-E Audi Navigation Plus. After a lot of deliberating, I decided to go with a diesel because I just couldn't live with myself if I got a petrol and it went pear shaped. Too many horror stories for my liking. I took my nephew with me who is a mechanic and we both confirmed it was all good. The haldex service has been done at the last service 5 months back and has been serviced generally every year (the car). Does need for new tyres though and I wangled him down £450 for those :). Total cost - £7550 (had it up for £8000). Oh just another cosmetic issue - comes with the black edition rotors and two of those need a refurb. Quite chuffed at the moment!
 
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