The best A3 sportsback

[jeffo]

Hi Guys,

What year is the best A3 petrol sports back pre 2010 that does not have any major issues or is there one. Looking for one for the other half so nothing too expensive she has a 56 golf match diesel at pres but its getting more and more expensive. So looking for something to replace it with that does not have oil burning issues, timing chain issues, fuel pump issues etc.

Cheers
Jeffo.

 

[samuelh_888]

A3 Sportback SLine - 2.0 pertrol, facelift (from 09) would be my pick. The 1.8 facelift has oil issues (can’t remember exact model sorry) and the 2.0 is just better imo - I had the 1.8TFSI briefly...

 

[maxpayne]

My 2005 2.0T drinks oil like no tomorrow. 22 MPG in city and 40 on motorway.


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[NHN]

Check my signature

 

[lgooch]

They are all crap between 2009 and 2011.

I would go and buy a decent golf gti if the money cannot stretch to a 2012 car. Otherwise nowt wrong with a 140 bhp CR diesel or even a 170 bhp if you can find a good one. Go for a black edition for the extra kit.


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[norris_309]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm in a similar boat.

I'm toying with the idea of replacing my 2004 A4 Avant 1.9tdi sport with a sportback a3 of around 2010+ this will be my reliable family car!..

But looking around, all I'm seeing is high oil consumption with the petrols & timing chains/oil pump failures with the diesels!... surely they're not all bad?

From what I read online, it looks like I'm better off keeping my old a4!

Are the CR diesels ok then? what year did they change to CR & how can you tell??.. any common faults with them? how about the 2009 1.9tdi or tdie? although I like a bit of performance & see these are only just over 100bhp.. so maybe not great.

I don't need a diesel really, but I'm used to them, and could do without the potential problem of getting the petrol & it using more oil that petrol! i assume there isn't really any way of telling when purchasing if the car uses oil (unless the seller tells you.. Hmmm lol)

I like the look of the Audis but need something I can rely on, don't know what else I'd buy, I'm struggling!

 

[samuelh_888]

I’ll never buy another diesel. The cost of owning is too much in London now, paying double that of a petrol vehicle to park, cost of servicing and even the cost of diesel itself. I think the Government have misled the public and now the public will be made to pay. Therefore we traded in the family wagon for a petrol and haven't looked back.

 

[norris_309]

Oh....

 

[norris_309]

so was there a year when the petrols stopped drinking oil? or is that still a risky option?
might go back to French cars....

 

[lgooch]

Late 2011. Play it safe with a 2012 car.


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[lgooch]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm in a similar boat.

I'm toying with the idea of replacing my 2004 A4 Avant 1.9tdi sport with a sportback a3 of around 2010+ this will be my reliable family car!..

But looking around, all I'm seeing is high oil consumption with the petrols & timing chains/oil pump failures with the diesels!... surely they're not all bad?

From what I read online, it looks like I'm better off keeping my old a4!

Are the CR diesels ok then? what year did they change to CR & how can you tell??.. any common faults with them? how about the 2009 1.9tdi or tdie? although I like a bit of performance & see these are only just over 100bhp.. so maybe not great.

I don't need a diesel really, but I'm used to them, and could do without the potential problem of getting the petrol & it using more oil that petrol! i assume there isn't really any way of telling when purchasing if the car uses oil (unless the seller tells you.. Hmmm lol)

I like the look of the Audis but need something I can rely on, don't know what else I'd buy, I'm struggling!

The old pd 1.9 are bomb proof if looked after. If it isn’t costing a fortune I would keep it. The CR diesels are good and much more refined but I can’t think of one particular model either Petrol or Diesel which has not got an Achilles heel nowadays.

EGR , dpf, oil pump keyway, or chocolate piston rings are rife. Audi just seem to not make a good engine any more. Having said that the 1.4cod petrol is a peach of an engine I have not heard many horror stories - yet !


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[norris_309]

What 1.4 engine is that? Tsi? Tfsi?

I'm thinking along those lines, but when do you draw the line with older cars.
The audi is on 150k now, just replaced rear springs, now got yet another front end knock!

Then there is my mk4 pd130 golf, had it for 10 years, new cambelt, well serviced. . But sounds like dmf is rattling!! Which will cost more than the car is worth. And mot is due next month..
Shame as it's been a brilliant economic and pretty fast car. Don't know what to do for the best.
The issues are normal wear and tear but all expensive.

How are the 2010 onwards golf engines? Same issues as audi?

 

[lgooch]

1.4 is indeed a Tfsi with 150 bhp. Might be worth looking at the gold variant as they did a 125 bhp version.

I get what you are saying re your golf but once the expensive wear and tear parts are done they just run forever. I wish I had kept my old 53 plate gt tdi golf.

Mate of mine is running a Passat on an 03 plate. Still going strong at 180k


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[norris_309]

Yeah I'm kind of with you on keeping the old ones, but the nagging from the mrs when It seems like I'm always doing something with one of the cars gets a bit tiresome lol.
She's on about all sorts of cars at the moment. The golf is now on 158k miles, due an mot (last year an advisory on inner track rod end I think, so it'll need that doing, probably need a dmf... (drives fine, but sometimes rattles when idling & turning engine off, so I shut it down with the clutch in!)

The Audi is on 151k and it seems to be 1 front end knock after the other which is winding me up a bit now!
I would kind of like something that doesn't constantly have me on google/eurocarparts!

But then, like we read here, mine are quite possibly minor issues compared to what some people with newer cars are having.

Thinking I might look at c180 merc estates... not seen too many major issues with them... (off I go googling again!)
Or should just stop looking at the expensive brands and buy a newer ford focus!

 

[Tempz]

1.9 TDI was pretty much bulletproof. A lot of the petrol chain driven models had issues.

 

[nothingness]

In your position I would look at mk5 r32 or a mk6 R if in budget.

 

[norris_309]

I like your thinking, I'd love either, but although I don't do big miles a year we still use the car for holidays & have a few long distance trips which I'm not sure my pocket could cope too well with the mpg of the r32/R or the tax cost for that matter. (assuming it's high?)

Looking around there are loads of diesel A3s but not many petrol's around the 2010+, is the 2012 2.0 tdi 140bhp model still very problematic? am I right in assuming that's the CR engine not PD (even though my 2 old PD 1.9s have been great.. shame can't be said about the 2.0)

I've seen a 2012 black edition with 92k miles. few more miles than I'd like, but it's local so might have a look. (although I think it's been at that dealer for a little while.)

Another one I've not seen before, a 1.6tdi sport A3, these appear to have 110bhp so more than the 1.9?
Not sure i'm keen, as used to 130bhp A4 avant & 130bhp mk4 golf, 170bhp mini.
So for a family motor, think i'd like something that goes well-ish

 

[TomL83]

I have a 2011 (11 plate) A3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI and I love it. Iv had it 3 and a half years and in that time iv only ever topped the oil up twice. I don't do a huge amount of miles, probably 5000-6000 a year. I just make sure it's serviced every 12 months with a oil change.

I do mostly town driving and average about 30 mpg on Tesco momentum fuel. On the motorway I can get it up to about 38-40 mpg.

Mines on a timing chain aswell which is good.

 

[SootySport]

I’ll never buy another diesel. The cost of owning is too much in London now, paying double that of a petrol vehicle to park, cost of servicing and even the cost of diesel itself. I think the Government have misled the public and now the public will be made to pay. Therefore we traded in the family wagon for a petrol and haven't looked back.

Absolutely agree with this, 2010 2.0L TFSI for me.

so was there a year when the petrols stopped drinking oil? or is that still a risky option?
might go back to French cars....

Mine is a January 2010, engine code CCZA, car uses virtually no oil, just a 1/4litre top up between yearly services and 8 to 10 thousand miles a year. Cam chain jumping over cogs has been a weak point for a few cars of this design so contemplating whether to have the chain and tensioner changed.

 

[norris_309]

Thanks for the info, nice to hear good things occasionally lol!
Wonder what sort of cost a chain & tensioner replacement would cost as a preventative measure?

Reading on line now a days, I seem to loose faith in any car I'm looking at.

 

[norris_309]

What sort of mileage do you get from the 2.0tfsi?
I'm in need of a family car really, so used for a few long trips to the inlaws & holidays, i'm used to the diesel mpg, but only really do about 8-10k a year.

But as the diesels go so well, don't want to step down to an underpowered petrol!

 

[TomL83]

What sort of mileage do you get from the 2.0tfsi?
I'm in need of a family car really, so used for a few long trips to the inlaws & holidays, i'm used to the diesel mpg, but only really do about 8-10k a year.

But as the diesels go so well, don't want to step down to an underpowered petrol!

A full tank is 55L and I do about 330-350 on that. I hardly do any motorway driving though. If I did more motorway driving I think I could maybe get 400 miles on a full tank.

 

[SootySport]

Chain & tensioner would cost £500-£900 depending who does it. If you are not badge snob then a Petrol power C class petrol estate or BMW 3ser touring should be on your radar. Only buy a DERV motor of euro6 spec otherwise you'll be falling foul of the LEZ and increasingly other city council emmision zones in the near future. The near future is not looking good if you drive a DERV.

 

[jeffo]

I am sure I had a thread on here.

Jeffo

 

[norris_309]

lol... sorry, just trying to gain you a bit of info for your future purchase!...
Any decisions made?

 

[nothingness]

I have owned

1.8t FSI S-tronic
2.0 TFSI S-Tronic
2x 2.0 TDI 140, one DSG and one S-tronic (8p1 and 8p2)

The diesels are all boring. This one is remapped and whilst it has power it sounds crap, all the power is in a too narrow powerband (I would hate driving a manual one) and it takes ages to warm up which is an issue on frosty mornings. Both of them didn't use much oil but both of them use(d) a lot of coolant. I do 5 litres of coolant a month which whilst not TOO expensive at £30 a bottle is a pain having to keep topping them up.

The 1.8t FSI was also ****. Different exhaust to the 2.0, they took out all the burble so it was silent then I spent over a grand trying to make it sound like a 2.0 TFSI and failed. And 158hp is bad. And there are engine problems at 80K miles or so.

2.0 TFSI was great. Same engine as S3 but with smaller turbo, intercoolers, etc. Sounded lovely, mine had a few bits such as FMIC, remap, exhaust etc, dynod at around 270hp, don't need more than that for fwd and was quick having s-tronic gearbox that I beleive was also mapped.

To answer your question other than an RS3 I would call the "best" A3 sports back the 3.2 v6 one, they come with full spec and £5k or so spent supercharging it and you're knocking on 400hp's door. Considering you can pick one up for £5k that means for under £11k you get an RS3 beater.

 

[jeffo]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info and quick thinking Norris ha! no not made up my mind yet shes still happy with the 1.9 TDI Golf match must be the slowest Golf ever made but shes driving it and she pays the repairs (well sometimes).

Cheers.

Jeffo.

 

[norris_309]

Fair enough, sometimes better the devil you know and all that!!

I was thinking the same, but my a4 has a knock which the garage cannot find,
Then yesterday had abs and esp light come on.

That then went off, today have an intermittent esp light..

Getting annoyed now