Audi S3 PFL vs Mercedes A35 AMG

[Jassyo06]

Lookers. Make me shudder just thinking about them. Worst dealership I've had the misfortune of dealing with. Yet here in the North east, they have taken over pretty much everything. VW, Audi, Ford. They have a policy of not allowing individual dealerships to present different deals. When looking to buy my MK7 Golf GTI, I went to my local dealership. Got the salesman's deal which I thought was poor, so went off to speak to the Middlesbrough branch. Got a better deal, but wouldn't match the best deal I had of `DTD`.

Anyway by the time I got home the phone rang. It was the salesman from my local dealer laughing saying the deal I got from Middlesbrough was void as they no `Lookers` dealership was allowed beat his. Got told to F***off and I bought elsewhere.

I did use the local dealership for servicing / fault finding. But that's another story, previously told on here.

Now my local Audi dealer is under the Lookers umbrella. Where before they would do there best to `do a deal` I now suspect any deals there will be hard to come by, as lookers seam to do the worst deals out there.

As most on here know my youngest son worked for Glasgow Audi for 6 years, it was originally owned and run by Lomond Audi when my son started with them and salaries and commission were very good indeed, then came lookers and year in year out margins got cut as did their salaries and discounts on cars decreased big time, l got offered 14-5% discount on a showroom queen S3 in 2014 that's the best discount they had ever offered a punter for a S3.... They are terrible to work for and have a extremely high turnover of staff..... Not surprising though

 

[Adam14]

Have to say my local dealer is very good to deal with, but they're not a huge group (Vindis) although same group and different branch and was a shocking sales customer service. Just lucky the one a mile from me is very good!

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[cuke2u]

UK Audi dealers seem to be the dealerships from hell. Unbelievable servicing costs, poor customer relationships and too many nationwide dealers such as Lookers. No issues with Audi dealers in Canada.

Thank God then I have a really good and positive relationship with Eastbourne Audi who have always been the opposite to what you state...

 

[cuke2u]

Yeah the saloon won't be available til Sept /October as they are leasing deals available already for the AMG line 250 saloon, Mercedes seem hell bent on flooding the market with the A class

Perhaps flooding the market with hatchbacks as they seem to be uninterested in the saloon...

 

[Jassyo06]

Perhaps flooding the market with hatchbacks as they seem to be uninterested in the saloon...

Normally brand new models from premium Brands don't come straight out for lease, as this tends to affect residuals in the future, l also expect the A class AMG 250 saloon to be very popular at around £280/month £2k down

 

[cuke2u]

If I could ever get to road test one, beggars belief why they release a car to purchase, in Sept 2018, yet not one is expected in the UK before Oct 2019.
Even fleet users were expecting it...

 

[Chris S 1245]

I don’t what videos you were watching, but in sport+ mode the A35 is much louder than my PFL S3 was.

Doesn’t DSG bang like the S3. Sounds like a vacuum when changing gear sorry But downshifts are decent.

 

[winrya]

Have you found any good a35 forums? Wife’s tt pcp is finishing and my s3 doesn’t get used enough so we’re thinking a cla35 could be a good compromise as she doesn’t like hatchbacks and likes coupes and I like the a35 but would be happy in a cla35.

Still enjoying the car?

 

[Ron240]

we’re thinking a cla35 could be a good compromise as she doesn’t like hatchbacks and likes coupes and I like the a35 but would be happy in a cla35.

Funny you should mention the AMG CLA35.....because I have already had my eye on this and I think it looks superb both inside and out.
I don't believe its actually on sale yet....so I'm waiting to see what the prices are going to be.
One thing I like about Mercedes is that they have Executive, Premium and Premium Plus trims with a set equipment level in each.
Premium has everything I would want.

 

[Jassyo06]

Funny you should mention the AMG CLA35.....because I have already had my eye on this and I think it looks superb both inside and out.
I don't believe its actually on sale yet....so I'm waiting to see what the prices are going to be.
One thing I like about Mercedes is that they have Executive, Premium and Premium Plus trims with a set equipment level in each.
Premium has everything I would want.

And has a engine/exhaust sound similar to a Dyson vacum cleaner.....The ALL new BMW 135i has blown the A35 right out of the stratosphere......the forthcoming new 2 series M240i will do the same with the CLA.....I see more new A class mercs on the roads now than l do the new Ford Fiesta..........

 

[Ron240]

And has a engine/exhaust sound similar to a Dyson vacum cleaner.....The ALL new BMW 135i has blown the A35 right out of the stratosphere......the forthcoming new 2 series M240i will do the same with the CLA.....I see more new A class mercs on the roads now than l do the new Ford Fiesta..........

I know you like BMW's Jassy old bean, and are in a very privileged position getting to drive them all......but I'm sorry I just don't feel the love for them.
My opinion could change though.....who knows.
On the A35 front....the hatchback is not for me but I was interested in the recently announced A35 Saloon.....but then Mercedes announced a CLA35 which to me looks even better than the Saloon.
I need to calm down though because my S3 was only a year old yesterday, so I shouldn't even be thinking about new cars!

 

[winrya]

And has a engine/exhaust sound similar to a Dyson vacum cleaner.....The ALL new BMW 135i has blown the A35 right out of the stratosphere......the forthcoming new 2 series M240i will do the same with the CLA.....I see more new A class mercs on the roads now than l do the new Ford Fiesta..........

I was looking forward to the new 135 as I’m a big 140i fan but I’ll never be able to get past the way it looks. It’s caused uproar across social media looking as horrible as it does

 

[Jassyo06]

.

I know you like BMW's Jassy old bean, and are in a very privileged position getting to drive them all......but I'm sorry I just don't feel the love for them.
My opinion could change though.....who knows.
On the A35 front....the hatchback is not for me but I was interested in the recently announced A35 Saloon.....but then Mercedes announced a CLA35 which to me looks even better than the Saloon.
I need to calm down though because my S3 was only a year old yesterday, so I shouldn't even be thinking about new cars!

Calm it mate yup....most definitely with car changing....l have said this before but l am allergic to Mercs mate.....lol
and if Audi can fix out the exhaust notes on the all new S3....THE NEW S3 SALOON....should be worth waiting on mate

 

[winrya]

Funny you should mention the AMG CLA35.....because I have already had my eye on this and I think it looks superb both inside and out.
I don't believe its actually on sale yet....so I'm waiting to see what the prices are going to be.
One thing I like about Mercedes is that they have Executive, Premium and Premium Plus trims with a set equipment level in each.
Premium has everything I would want.

I’ve been offered a cheap lease deal on it so it will actually be cheaper than the s3 even if I add the amg aero pack and premium pack on it. So by getting rid of 2 cars I’ll be saving a fortune, hence it seeming a good option

 

[Jassyo06]

I was looking forward to the new 135 as I’m a big 140i fan but I’ll never be able to get past the way it looks. It’s caused uproar across social media looking as horrible as it does

Social media....coz it's not RWD now................a gentleman of your age should know better than to take notice of Social Media

 

[winrya]

.


Calm it mate yup....most definitely with car changing....l have said this before but l am allergic to Mercs mate.....lol
and if Audi can fix out the exhaust notes on the all new S3....THE NEW S3 SALOON....should be worth waiting on mate

I’m sure the new s3 saloon will be great. I’m a little worried about the flaky audi interiors going forward (a1, q3, even read evo saying the interior quality on the new a6 is not up to usual standards) but to be frankly honest I’ve been in VAG cars for the 15 years and I really want to try a bmw or merc and bmw have blown it with the new 135i so it will likely be a merc (although the new 3 series is really nice so if they announce the new 4 series any time soon that could be an option)

 

[kingbilly]

the forthcoming new 2 series M240i

jassy...what do you know about this car...? is this the 2 door coupe or the 4 door gran coupe you are referring to...?

when is it coming...? what engine...? rear wheel drive or front...? any chance of xDrive…?

thank you

 

[Jassyo06]

jassy...what do you know about this car...? is this the 2 door coupe or the 4 door gran coupe you are referring to...?

when is it coming...? what engine...? rear wheel drive or front...? any chance of xDrive…?

thank you

The new M240i 340 bhp,will be rear wheel drive and also available as a Xdrive model.....2 doors only...2020

 

[Jassyo06]

I’m sure the new s3 saloon will be great. I’m a little worried about the flaky audi interiors going forward (a1, q3, even read evo saying the interior quality on the new a6 is not up to usual standards) but to be frankly honest I’ve been in VAG cars for the 15 years and I really want to try a bmw or merc and bmw have blown it with the new 135i so it will likely be a merc (although the new 3 series is really nice so if they announce the new 4 series any time soon that could be an option)

Not a fan of parts of the new A6 interior either and its all touchscreen guff,Audi have real competition from BMW now......A lot rests on the all new A3 for Audi a lot....but l just cannot see them pulling anything special out of the bag.....sadly

 

[TYb]

Not a fan of parts of the new A6 interior either and its all touchscreen guff,Audi have real competition from BMW now......A lot rests on the all new A3 for Audi a lot....but l just cannot see them pulling anything special out of the bag.....sadly

Can’t see it looking any different to the A1 or Q3 really, it’s bound to be touch screen, average materials and crappy alloys...

 

[Adam14]

I'm not a huge fan of the Merc exteriors, but the new(ish) C43 AMG was a tidy motor, wasn't sure on the massively cluttered steering wheel mind you. End of day all personal preference or we'd all have the same car


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[Chris4410]

And has a engine/exhaust sound similar to a Dyson vacum cleaner.....The ALL new BMW 135i has blown the A35 right out of the stratosphere......the forthcoming new 2 series M240i will do the same with the CLA.....I see more new A class mercs on the roads now than l do the new Ford Fiesta..........

You need to get down to specsavers, the new 1 series is possibly one of the ugliest cars ever produced. Seriously, you would think "make it as ugly as possible" was in the design briefing

 

[Chris4410]

Have you found any good a35 forums? Wife’s tt pcp is finishing and my s3 doesn’t get used enough so we’re thinking a cla35 could be a good compromise as she doesn’t like hatchbacks and likes coupes and I like the a35 but would be happy in a cla35.

Still enjoying the car?

Good private group on Facebook, haven't found any great Mercedes forums at all. Owners don't seem to "do" forums like BMW and Audi owners.

 

[NevMan]

I know you like BMW's Jassy old bean, and are in a very privileged position getting to drive them all......but I'm sorry I just don't feel the love for them.
My opinion could change though.....who knows.
On the A35 front....the hatchback is not for me but I was interested in the recently announced A35 Saloon.....but then Mercedes announced a CLA35 which to me looks even better than the Saloon.
I need to calm down though because my S3 was only a year old yesterday, so I shouldn't even be thinking about new cars!

Drive them...haha, itchy feet @Ron240, I managed 14 months on my Q5

 

[Adam14]

I managed 12 months with my S3, as X3man says, give it a go @Ron240

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[NevMan]

I managed 12 months with my S3, as X3man says, give it a go @Ron240

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Think he is a goner

 

[Ron240]

Stop it you 2!
I do like my S3.

 

[NevMan]

Like, but not love

 

[Ron240]

Regarding the previously mentioned AMG CLA35...I don't want to start another Mercedes thread on an Audi forum so will post it here.
The model is not actually on sale yet but UK prices are available. There are 3 trim levels available - the standard entry level, Premium and Premium Plus.
Now the one to go for as far as I'm concerned is Premium which has an OTR price of £40635, which when you deduct the relevant amount(£585) makes it a paltry £50 above the threshold for increased rate of VED - currently £320 which equals a total of £465.
This trim spec for me has everything I would want...even the Sun Yellow metallic paint is free, so to only go over the threshold by £50 would be very hard to swallow.
I feel that Mercedes UK have just not taken this into account when setting the price.
I asked the question to Mercedes UK on facebook who said they were unable to discuss it but provided a phone number for their customer services, which I called but guess what? They were unable to discuss it either.
Of course you could take the view that even if it was priced at a pound under the £40k threshold, then this would be wiped out by the first price rise.
Yes our government has a lot to answer for on this issue, but manufacturers are aware of the rules so should be doing more to help....because it's in their own interest after all.
Overall I just feel its a pretty poor show.

Oh and just to add I believe Audi are in the same position with the S3 Saloon Black Edition, which the AMG CLA35 is a direct competitor.

 

[Adam14]

Agree @Ron240 that its a poor show that it's only £50 above the threshold, however as much as the increased VED sucks, it isn't enough to put me off a car that is the spec that I'd like/want.
I know it's a controversial topic, I don't agree with the principle.

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[NevMan]

It was a similar thing with my now departed Q5 sline. Standard spec one puts it over the £40k limit, as buyer asked about road tax and initially thought that was a showstopper, after he researched further found he would need to downgrade to SE to avoid.

Mine only had about £450 worth of options in the form of folding mirrors, and extended LED, oh and the metallic paint on top.

That is why this time I went with £4.5k options on M40i

 

[NevMan]

Just checked latest pricing, Q5 now starts from £41,420....jeez!

S3 sportback starts at £37k!! And Saloon £39,015.

Makes my M40i with £4.5k options discounted to £46k seem like a bargain

 

[RS3KEY]

Hey all,

Many of you know I recently changed my S3 and a few folks asked for my thoughts on the new car.

Well I have had the car for 3 weeks now and passed the running in period a few days ago, so I have no had enough time to form an opinion and comparison to the S3.

So here goes, of course this is just my opinion having owned the S3 for 3 years and have now moved onto the A35 AMG which incidentally is my first Mercedes.

Looks:
I appreciate this is very subjective, personally I love the look of the A35 and have never had so many positive comments on a car before from all manner of people. For me the S3 was always a little to subtle, too much like a standard A3 Sline and this became worse in the FL models when they replaced the S3 detailing for standard S detailing.

So for me personally its A35 AMG 1 - Audi S3 0

Interior:
The technology in the A35 is outstanding, it does make the interior in the S3 seem quite dated.
What I would say it that the S3 interior just has the edge on quality, the B&O system is also slightly better than the Burmeister system, I also preferred the super sport seats in my S3.

So for me, its 1 all.

Driving:
The A35 is stupidly quick, I know its only a few bhp more than the S3 but it just feels more rapid and it handles like it is glued to the road. The brakes are also fantastic, the gearbox in the S3 was slightly smoother in traffic and at slower speeds at all other speeds both cars are about even.

Because of the handling and braking I would also have to give this round to the A35.

Reliability will hopefully be as good as the S3, however its too early to determine this.

In summary do I miss the S3, yes it was a great car. However I am very happy with the A35 AMG and I fully expect driving it for the next 3 years.

I will leave you with some pics.

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Cheers,
Chris.

That virtual cockpit though!! Absolutely love it, I agree interior barring seats is miles better in Mercedes, s-tronic is miles better than Mercedes auto too, my old a250 wasn’t really great around bends were i think the audi just sticks like glue, very nice a350 love the colour!! not seen many of them about tbf, take a look at yannimize (the car wrapper) on YouTube he’s in a drag race with his a350 against focus rs, m140 s3 and the golf R and the s3 smokes the lot of em, says it’s not been tuned but it sounds and looks like it has!!

 

[Ron240]

Just checked latest pricing, Q5 now starts from £41,420....jeez!

S3 sportback starts at £37k!! And Saloon £39,015.

Prices are getting ridiculous!
The S3 Saloon Black Edition is £40565 OTR. This means as long as you specify a no cost paint option it will just scrape under the £40k threshold by £20.
It would appear that Audi have taken this into consideration with their most recent price rise.....something that Mercedes obviously have not with the AMG CLA35 Premium.
I believe that Black Edition and Premium trim specs are the most popular choices with buyers of their respective manufacturers.

 

[Rob2k68]

Great thread, loving mine ....

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[Ron240]

Nice looking car @Rob2k68 The colour is a bit too dark for my taste but you have a lovely shine on it.
The only thing I don't like about the AMG models is why do Mercedes feel the need to stick a boy racer Turbo badge on the front wings?
Vauxhall are also doing it on the back of their current models.
This would actually have meant something back in the 80's or 90's, but now it just looks silly IMO.
If I ever get one of these cars I will see if this badge can be removed, or better yet not fitted in the first place.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

Great thread, loving mine ....

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Looks superb mate

I really like the colour - looks similar to estoril / navarra blue yeah ?

Very sharp & modern looking car the new A Class

 

[Rob2k68]

Nice looking car @Rob2k68 The colour is a bit too dark for my taste but you have a lovely shine on it.
The only thing I don't like about the AMG models is why do Mercedes feel the need to stick a boy racer Turbo badge on the front wings?
Vauxhall are also doing it on the back of their current models.
This would actually have meant something back in the 80's or 90's, but now it just looks silly IMO.
If I ever get one of these cars I will see if this badge can be removed, or better yet not fitted in the first place.

Thanks Ron

Yeah I understand it’s a bit marmite but easily fixed with a hair dryer and some dental floss


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[Rob2k68]

Looks superb mate

I really like the colour - looks similar to estoril / navarra blue yeah ?

Very sharp & modern looking car the new A Class

Thanks mate

Colour is denim blue and changes quite a lot with light conditions and can sometimes almost appear black which actually does a good job of making the aero kit look a little more subtle....

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[Chris4410]

That virtual cockpit though!! Absolutely love it, I agree interior barring seats is miles better in Mercedes, s-tronic is miles better than Mercedes auto too, my old a250 wasn’t really great around bends were i think the audi just sticks like glue, very nice a350 love the colour!! not seen many of them about tbf, take a look at yannimize (the car wrapper) on YouTube he’s in a drag race with his a350 against focus rs, m140 s3 and the golf R and the s3 smokes the lot of em, says it’s not been tuned but it sounds and looks like it has!!

The A35 has completely different suspension setup to the A250, it was developed by AMG, my A35 goes round corners every bit as well as my S3 did. What I do miss is the the comfort setting on the S3. The A35 ride is a lot firmer, and its nice to have a softer setup when you are just commuting etc.

And I don't care what they said in that video, the S3 was tuned. My friend bought a 2019 S3 a few weeks before I got mine A35 and performance wise, there is nothing in it, they are very evenly matched which is what I expected to be honest.

The strength of the Audi remains in the build quailty, I am quite happy to admit it is much better than Mercedes.