Newbie saying hello

[thewrongspeed]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd post up to say "hi". Looks like a great forum which I'm currently reading my way through, trying to decide between buying a '13 plate 1.8TFSI S-line with S-tronic or a 1.4TFSI S-tronic. This'll be my first Audi, so loads to learn.

Unfortunately I had my 123d written off by a blind lorry driver on the M42 last week and am now looking for a replacement car in a hell of a hurry. I'd pretty much decided that the next car I'd buy wouldn't be a diesel - while the 123d was a fantastic engine and a great allrounder, the drive just didn't excite me much, so I'm heading back to petrol.

The local dealer's trying his best to get me to take a 1.4 over the 1.8 but my head's struggling to get around dropping to a 1.4 (stupid I know, given the way that engines have moved on). I've only had a short test drive of both, and the 1.4 was manual, but the 1.8 just felt, well... "more right". I'm taking another 1.4 out tomorrow with S-tronic so perhaps a better comparison.

I'm trying to be sensible with this purchase. I've already got the fun factor sorted with another car in the garage, but it's hard to let performance go for me.

Anyway... back to reading about people finding the 7 speed S-tronic box lag when moving away etc

 

[Wondering Soul]

Welcome to the forum!

The 1.4 TFSI is a good engine, had one myself and really enjoyed it, much more punchy than expected. Fuel efficiency on them is pretty good. A friend of mine has a 1.8 S-Line and that thing really moves with the S-Tronic box, still more than expected to me even from a 1.8.

You've got a lot of things to consider before pulling the trigger but my advise would be test drive, test drive, test drive!

 

[Sandra]

Welcome to Audi-sport.net. I'm sure you will find the right car for you. Enjoy the forum x

 

[Simon L]

Welcome to the forum

If you're looking to be sensible I would have thought the 1.4 will do nicely. I haven't driven one personally but my ol man has a 1.4 skoda with DSG that pulls really well.

So come on, spill the beans what's this fun factor you got hiding in the garage?

 

[thewrongspeed]

Cheers for the warm welcome guys

I've got to be honest and say that I'm not even sure which version of the 1.4 TFSI I drove the other day. Pretty sure he said it was the 120. We'll see what tomorrow brings about.

Having a nightmare with the insurers being slow and am now suspecting that it' going to be post-Christmas by the time it's sorted - spinning through 360 in to the central reservation was plain sailing compared to teh run around I'm getting from them. Infuriating to say the least.

Simon, the other car...

Not to everybody's taste, but I love the old girl

 

[Scottyg]

I have the 7 speed s-tronic and don't find much lag. None on take off at the lights etc but I have the 1.6tdi and not the petrol. It can have a slight hesitation when you are, say in 4th and you're hovering around the lower end of the Rev range and try to speed up a little but I now just flick the paddles and all is well again. I drove the 1.4tfsi S-tronic 122 before going with the 1.6tdi. I felt the TDI was much more responsive around town. Didn't try the 1.8TFSI. That may have changed my mind.

 

[Simon L]

Cheers for the warm welcome guys

I've got to be honest and say that I'm not even sure which version of the 1.4 TFSI I drove the other day. Pretty sure he said it was the 120. We'll see what tomorrow brings about.

Having a nightmare with the insurers being slow and am now suspecting that it' going to be post-Christmas by the time it's sorted - spinning through 360 in to the central reservation was plain sailing compared to teh run around I'm getting from them. Infuriating to say the least.

Simon, the other car...

Not to everybody's taste, but I love the old girl

....tell you what that is a sweeeet pic!!

 

[thewrongspeed]

Thanks for the info @Scottyg

Cheers @Simon L. It's not exactly the best end of town so I took that photo in something of a hurry, ha. Beautifully tiled building though

 

[Wondering Soul]

@thewrongspeed that really is a stunning piece of engineering! Those wheels!!

 

[thewrongspeed]

@Wondering Soul I'm pretty sure that the spec of the rear Schnitzer wheels is specific to the Z3M range - not many left around but I managed to source a brand new spare set last year

Car also had most of the other Schnitzer options fitted at factory when new by first owner, so benefits from ACS suspension and exhaust etc. All good. Original owner didn't spec a decent sound system though, ha

 

[OliS3]

Cheers for the warm welcome guys

I've got to be honest and say that I'm not even sure which version of the 1.4 TFSI I drove the other day. Pretty sure he said it was the 120. We'll see what tomorrow brings about.

Having a nightmare with the insurers being slow and am now suspecting that it' going to be post-Christmas by the time it's sorted - spinning through 360 in to the central reservation was plain sailing compared to teh run around I'm getting from them. Infuriating to say the least.

Simon, the other car...

Not to everybody's taste, but I love the old girl

Looking gorgeous, I used to have a Z3M Coupe S50, amazing car

 

[SJ43]

Was in the same dilemma!
Driven both - The 1.4 140bhp was a very impressive engine and also returned good mpg on my test drive. Don't let the displacement put you off as it pulls very well throughout the rev range and is very smooth.

I ended up going for a 1.8 though, one came up with all the toys I wanted and furthermore I quite liked the fact it had a bit more at the top end and also returned good economy (didn't want a diesel). Majority of my driving is motorway and mpg in the early/mid 40's is doable if youre sticking to the limit which I'm quite happy with. Performance wise, I think their bhp/torque figures are slightly understated from factory, I've had a race with a E92 330d from about 30-120-ish mph (on private roads of course) and it was pretty much head on head till about 110 where he started to pull away.
I'm waiting for Revo to release a dsg tune for the 7 speed S-tronic, its okay out the box just takes a bit of getting used accelerating off.

Compared to a 123d, I don't think you'd regret a 1.8. Its broad and smooth power delivery in combination with a relatively quiet stock exhaust means that acceleration can be quite deceptive compared to something with alot of mid-range torque like a 123d. You might miss that surge of torque but looking down at your speedo soon confirms good 'progress' and its revvy nature outweigh's it IMO.

I also agree with above, plenty of test driving!

P.S - Z3M looks fab!

 

[Salik Sajid]

welcome to the forums
do try 1.4tfsi COD 150bhp as its slightly more powerful but if it was me i will go for 1.8tfsi

 

[Salik Sajid]

Was in the same dilemma!
Driven both - The 1.4 140bhp was a very impressive engine and also returned good mpg on my test drive. Don't let the displacement put you off as it pulls very well throughout the rev range and is very smooth.

I ended up going for a 1.8 though, one came up with all the toys I wanted and furthermore I quite liked the fact it had a bit more at the top end and also returned good economy (didn't want a diesel). Majority of my driving is motorway and mpg in the early/mid 40's is doable if youre sticking to the limit which I'm quite happy with. Performance wise, I think their bhp/torque figures are slightly understated from factory, I've had a race with a E92 330d from about 30-120-ish mph (on private roads of course) and it was pretty much head on head till about 110 where he started to pull away.
I'm waiting for Revo to release a dsg tune for the 7 speed S-tronic, its okay out the box just takes a bit of getting used accelerating off.

Compared to a 123d, I don't think you'd regret a 1.8. Its broad and smooth power delivery in combination with a relatively quiet stock exhaust means that acceleration can be quite deceptive compared to something with alot of mid-range torque like a 123d. You might miss that surge of torque but looking down at your speedo soon confirms good 'progress' and its revvy nature outweigh's it IMO.

I also agree with above, plenty of test driving!

P.S - Z3M looks fab!

Hey Jas, long time u need tuningbox or flash tune to beat the 330d

 

[thewrongspeed]

Well, that little 1.4 CoD packs a bit more of punch ay? I'm very impressed to be honest and would be happy with either the 1.8 or the CoD now I think - on to find a car that ticks the majority of the options boxes then

 

[thewrongspeed]

Christ the insurance industry is a grim one isn't it? I'm not sure which is worse... the 360 spin in to the central reservation after being hit by the lorry, or dealing with the insurers and their partner companies. Sigh.

 

[Wondering Soul]

Luckily I've never had to deal with insurers in the sense of making a claim. Yet, anyway! Are you making any headway or is it just painfully slow?

 

[NickyF]

Loving the bread van. Old school BMWs are fantastic, I used to have the e36 evo that your car is based on and I now have an 850i and I hanker for more. On the Audi front, can you stretch to an S3? I know you're being sensible but the S3 is sensible (and if some on here are to be believed no fun at all ). It's not very different to the smaller petrols, it just has more power and a few nice bits of tinsel thrown in as standard. Anything other than an S3 is going to be feel very slow compared to your 123d which is super rapid. Don't think of the S3 as competition to your bread van, it's just a sensible hatch back that happens to go very well in a straight line and still manage high 30s mpg. It's the right choice.

 

[thewrongspeed]

Luckily I've never had to deal with insurers in the sense of making a claim. Yet, anyway! Are you making any headway or is it just painfully slow?

Well they won't budge on their first valuation of the 123d, which is about £1.5k less than a direct replacement would cost (though I can't find one that is anywhere near as well specced - it was ex demo and fully loaded with options). I've been forced to accept it really due to us needing to get another car immediately so need the payout.

But to be honest, it's more the way that they work. Communication is terrible - they tell you nothing unless you chase. And then there's them trying to get their partner companies to supply you a courtesy car at extortionate rates (I was quoted £1068 for a 1-Series for 1 week!) saying that it's unlikely I'd have to pay that back, but they can't guarantee it - I checked out online reviews of their partner (CCL) and steered well clear, preferring to pay for a cheap hire car myself and hope to claim it back through the 3rd Party. Then their 'legal specialists' who are actually just another of the many no-win-no-fee ambulance chasers - all geared up to keep money with their circle of partners. Awful industry.

 

[thewrongspeed]

Loving the bread van. Old school BMWs are fantastic, I used to have the e36 evo that your car is based on and I now have an 850i and I hanker for more. On the Audi front, can you stretch to an S3? I know you're being sensible but the S3 is sensible (and if some on here are to be believed no fun at all ). It's not very different to the smaller petrols, it just has more power and a few nice bits of tinsel thrown in as standard. Anything other than an S3 is going to be feel very slow compared to your 123d which is super rapid. Don't think of the S3 as competition to your bread van, it's just a sensible hatch back that happens to go very well in a straight line and still manage high 30s mpg. It's the right choice.

Cheers @NickyF. Hahaha, when we went to take a 1.8TFSI out the other day there was an S3 parked next to it - I'd absolutely love one, alas I got 'the look' from my wife as soon as I started talking to the dealer about it

Yeah, I know it's going to feel like quite a drop in the performance stakes, but it actually looks like a 1.4 CoD is on the cards. Can't quite believe it myself. Might have banged my head in the accident.

 

[Vins]

No question - I would go for the 1.8, it's the petrolhead's choice and you're obviously into cars, having a Z3M tucked in the garage.

Petrolhead's should go with their heart decision when buying cars. I made the mistake of trying to be sensible with a TDI TT - lasted 12 months...

So, what colour 1.8 are you going for?

 

[Wondering Soul]

Well they won't budge on their first valuation of the 123d, which is about £1.5k less than a direct replacement would cost (though I can't find one that is anywhere near as well specced - it was ex demo and fully loaded with options). I've been forced to accept it really due to us needing to get another car immediately so need the payout.

But to be honest, it's more the way that they work. Communication is terrible - they tell you nothing unless you chase. And then there's them trying to get their partner companies to supply you a courtesy car at extortionate rates (I was quoted £1068 for a 1-Series for 1 week!) saying that it's unlikely I'd have to pay that back, but they can't guarantee it - I checked out online reviews of their partner (CCL) and steered well clear, preferring to pay for a cheap hire car myself and hope to claim it back through the 3rd Party. Then their 'legal specialists' who are actually just another of the many no-win-no-fee ambulance chasers - all geared up to keep money with their circle of partners. Awful industry.

Sounds like a really bad experience all round!

Quoting something like that for a hire car is nothing short of ridiculous. Seems like, as you say, the service you receive is irrelevant as long as one of their companies gets your business! Sad state of affairs indeed! I hope you manage to get this sorted without too much more hassle!

 

[thewrongspeed]

Cheers @Wondering Soul - it'll get it sorted I'm sure.

So... the deal's done on a 1.4 150PS S-line. The smallest capacity car I've owned since my 1275GT mini back in the day Sensible head is happy. Heart knows the M is sat waiting in the smiles department.

Thanks for your input all. The forum's been a great source of info so far. Looking forward to getting to know you all (virtually)

 

[S3 Turbo]

Welcome from one newbie to another!

Nice other car!

I was quite a lot into buying a z3 m roadster actually (and other similiar cars) and keeping my A4 as daily driver but somehow ended up ordering an S3 instead...

 

[thewrongspeed]

Welcome from one newbie to another!

Nice other car!

I was quite a lot into buying a z3 m roadster actually (and other similiar cars) and keeping my A4 as daily driver but somehow ended up ordering an S3 instead...

Cheers @S3 Turbo. The M's been a good investment so far, not that I bought it for that reason - I longed for one even since first seeing one in '99 but wasn't in a position to buy until 5 years ago. Since buying, the agreed insurance valuation has gone up by £12k

 

[thewrongspeed]

Roll on collection tomorrow afternoon

 

[SJ43]

Hey Jas, long time u need tuningbox or flash tune to beat the 330d

Very tempting

 

[steeve]

Welcome and I hope your liking the new car?

 

[Wondering Soul]

@thewrongspeed hows the new wheels?

 

[thewrongspeed]

@Wondering Soul All good thanks! Lovely car to drive and given that it'll just spend most of it's life doing the commute, the performance/economy is decent enough and still fun in sport mode around the local twisties.

Part of me will always wish it was an S3/RS3 but happy with the decision for now.

 

[Wondering Soul]

Awesome, good to hear your happy with your decision! Very good engines they are!

 

[thewrongspeed]

I took advantage of the unseasonably beautiful day we had here yesterday to get a bit on wax on the car. I'm no detailing nut by a long shot, but it was satisfying to wake up to this sight this morning, following a night of rain

 

[thewrongspeed]

Well, I didn't get on with the A3 in the end.

There's no doubting the quality of the car, nor the fantastic service received from Leeds Audi, but neither I nor my wife got on with the S-tronic box at all, and consequently we never really enjoyed driving the car. I've never felt so disconnected from the driving experience. We gave it a decent run but just never warmed to it at all. Swapped it in for a Cooper S and having fun driving again.

It's a damn shame. I still think the A3 is one of the most well designed cars (visually anyway) on the road at the moment