Changing from a 2014 plate to....a 2014 plate!

[will_0407]

Currently have a remapped 2014 1.8tfsi A3 Sport manual with quite a few options (b and o, heated seats, led pack, heated/folding mirrors, storage pack, front and rear sensors, side assist and more). 44k miles on the clock.

Have come across a 2014 2.0 Diesel 184 quattro A3 S-Line s-tronic, 32k on the clock with loads of extras which make it very tempting- adaptive cruise, pano roof, audi connect, reverse camera, mag ride as well as most of the above except for B and o).

I originally bought my A3 petrol due to a job change meaning less treks up the motorway, but I tend to only drive it when we go 25miles + otherwise we use my other half's car. So I'm tempted to switch back to diesel, and this spec is likely to be close to a one off in the UK. My average mpg per tank is 38 currently.

So, is it worth the £1500-2k it's likely to cost me to switch over? I'd be gaining mag ride, audi connect, a pano roof, quattro, rear camera, s-line, as well as gaining 12k miles back. Only be losing B and O (which is a big loss!)

 

[Matt Titanium]

Depends if you want auto and all the extras. Doubt the economy with the quattro would be that much better than your 1.8 petrol and road tax is the same if I remember. Sport suspension is relatively compliant already and mag ride no softer. Quattro is good and gives a very noticeable improvement in traction. I'd be considering the extra repair costs of the dsg/haldex/magride/DPF if it went wrong out of warranty though and personally love the B&O so would you trade it for a bit of leather, a rattly pano and tech stuff that you'll possibly never use?
You know where your heart lies and a couple of grand isn't much to pay if it's what you want.

 

[Pinky1959]

Cost wise I don't know , but if you can afford it , want it , and reckon it will be worth it
GO FOR IT .
You could always look for another with B and O as well , or maybe one a bit newer ....

 

[will_0407]

I highly doubt there are many (if any) more with the above extras let alone with b and o as well. I do like the b and o, but it's not a dealbreaker. Had my A3 around 18 months, was planning to keep it for a while- ideally wanted something bigger as my next car for when/if we start a family in a couple of years but the A3 is perfectly adequate for one child. The quattro ticks a box I wanted on my next car, it just seems odd to go from '14 to '14 as I've always bought newer. Decisions decisions!

 

[New S4 Man]

I have a pano roof and while it looks good its pointless. The only option that i would say that really stands out is adaptive cruise - i use mine all the time and it's great.

 

[Jassyo06]

I have a pano roof and while it looks good its pointless. The only option that i would say that really stands out is adaptive cruise - i use mine all the time and it's great.

Away and boil yer heed man the pano-roof adds visual impact as well as functionality and is highly desirable, l love my cars with them matter of fact l wouldn't have a car without one now

 

[Jassyo06]

I would only consider a move mate if both car where of a different body style ie moving from a sportback to the saloon like l did

 

[-Ju-]

It wouldn't bother me doing the switch, in fact I did it with an A3 3.2 to a car with far better spec but otherwise identical.
If your heart thinks it's the car for you, then what does the head know lol
Spec does make a car and the pano roof adds light and air into the cabin so is a must for me.
1.5-2k to swap though, do you really think that's possible?

 

[oli356]

I have a pano roof and while it looks good its pointless. The only option that i would say that really stands out is adaptive cruise - i use mine all the time and it's great.

Not sure I agree about that, I miss mine from my old car. Makes the car much lighter, especially with black seats etc. and I enjoyed having it open when the weather was nice.

I'd rather have a pano roof over virtual cockpit and auto folding mirrors for example.

 

[New S4 Man]

how often do you have it open though? Wrong climate for it here really.

It looks good aesthetically, but pointless and also another thing to go wrong. It also dons't really open that far back. Out of all of the options whoever bought my car new specced (practically every option going) i would say it's least used.

 

[will_0407]

I have a pano roof and while it looks good its pointless. The only option that i would say that really stands out is adaptive cruise - i use mine all the time and it's great.

Is your roof just pano, or is it an actual sunroof? I thought you could only get it as a sun roof, which I would actually quite like. Adaptive cruise is an attractive proposition as I've always wanted it, my brother has it on his Cupra and loves it.

I would only consider a move mate if both car where of a different body style ie moving from a sportback to the saloon like l did

Is gaining quattro from fwd not a pretty big gain? I can also keep my rubber mats, boot mats and other A3 specific bits and bobs! (can you tell I want it?!)

1.5-2k to swap though, do you really think that's possible?

Based on a quick scan of autotrader, if the price of the diesel comes down a bit then yes. I realise selling a car privately is hit and miss though, just down to whether someone is looking for what you have for sale at that time.

 

[New S4 Man]

Will - yeah it's the pano roof I have.

 

[oli356]

how often do you have it open though? Wrong climate for it here really.

It looks good aesthetically, but pointless and also another thing to go wrong. It also dons't really open that far back. Out of all of the options whoever bought my car new specced (practically every option going) i would say it's least used.

I couldn't care what it looked like from the outside tbh, the added light inside to me was far more important. If it wasn't raining I would consider opening mine, at least if its like 15c+ probably, I used it alot. But that was just me..... I see convertibles in the summer (when its nice) with the roof down, who I think are mad

I miss it on my S3 and it will be very high up on my list of "wants" on my next car. Maybe I just want to try and look cool (and fail) with a sunroof open and window down haha.

 

[will_0407]

ok

Will - yeah it's the pano roof I have.

thanks, I couldn't tell on the pic whether it was a sunroof or pano, will obviously check before if go down to see it (or if I go down!)

 

[New S4 Man]

it will be a pano, i don't think they do "normal" sun roofs on the 8v.

 

[will_0407]

it will be a pano, i don't think they do "normal" sun roofs on the 8v.

sorry, excuse my ignorance, maybe i'm using the wrong terminology. Is a pano roof essentially the full length of the roof? and does that open?

I thought a pano roof was just a standard sunroof that doesn't open?!

 

[-Ju-]

The pano roof is a sunroof. From outside it's looks like half of the roof but from inside it looks like a normal sunroof and acts in the same way, either raises up or rolled back.
On the previous 8P model it came with a fixed glass roof in the rear as well but not on the 8V.
It's great to just raise up for a little air into the cabin as you don't get the buffeting like you do with the window down and can still be used this way when it's raining

 

[Jassyo06]

its a

PANO-BUD-ROOF.........lol

 

[will_0407]

its a PANO-BUD-ROOF.........lol

lol thanks, that clears it up!