Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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I just picked up my A3 2.0 DSG, lava grey.
The Bose sound system is better than the one I had
on my mercedes C320. This is the funnest car to
drive I have ever had. Already made a trip to Costco.
Very practical. I feel like it's the best little
secret. Hardly see any on the road, but it is a blast.
Mine's in Moro Blue.
(Actually, my son said he saw one that looked exactly like mine on the road
2.0, DSG, Lava grey, cloth interior.
The to Quattro or not to Quattro decision delayed us for a long time (we're in Minnesota) [actually - the 3.2Q outpriced us - this was more a to-Subaru or not-to-Quattro-Audi question]. In the end, decided to jump in, and keep our old Subaru for the bad snows.
No open-sky, so we won't have to deal with the latch
Does anyone know how many miles you need to drive before it's ok to open up the engine? I've been given varying advice on this. The dealer said i didn't need to wait. Any thoughts?
Thanks all.
Had it for two weeks and enjoyed every minute of it.
Here's a recent experience: got held up on the way to work the other day by an idiot in a Land Cruiser who pulled into the left lane in front of me, immediately dropped to 55 mph and sat there not passing anyone. After a minute or two I got pissed off, dropped into fourth and zipped round this guy on the right (yeah, bad me). Up into fifth and sixth, foot flat, enjoying the car pulling like hell. I backed off when I looked down and saw the speedo indicating 120mph. oops. The point of this is how effortlessly (and quickly) the car gathers speed; especially considering its "compact" status. It's quiet and very quick and I seriously need to grow up. It's got me driving like I'm 17 again (I'm 42).
The torque delivery is amazing, practically zero turbo lag (a real contrast to my WRX, which I beat like a dusty rug!!) and real push from WAY down the rev. range. And zero torque steer too.....great handling from the base package, gorgeous wheels, pretty good stereo. Just a great ride.
I have a red 2.0 with a six speed m.t., by the way.
Kudos to Audi - they really got this one right.
Oh, and the dealership was a pleasure to do business with -thank you to Barry and the other folks I dealt with at Anchor Audi in Lynbrook, NY.
Happy motoring.
Just one question, awrepo: Do you have a storage compartment under the driver's seat? There's one under the passenger seat that flips out, but there's a gaping hole under the driver's seat. It looks unfinished, like someone forgot to put it in. The dealer told me that the A3 driver's side doesn't get the storage compartment. Thanks!
You can buy a front LSD for under $1,000 - at least for the manual. So for about $1,500 you can get a nicely enhanced, very driveable package (if you don't mind paying for most drivetrain related problems out of your own pocket). If I'd go that far, for myself, I would then likely also add a thicker rear sway bar and Koni FSD shocks to go with the sport springs - so make the total $2,000 or so with alignment.
Oh, and the sound system is great for being factory.
Although I love the DSG, I wonder sometimes if the takeoff's are better in the manual, and just love having a 6 speed stick(traded in a new Civic Si). This car makes me feel like I am driving a 4 dr hatch Si, with a turbo, of course.
The negatives:
1) the Audi dealership has been diffcult to work with from the sales person, to almost all of the service people.
2) I have had to get it serviced/repaired twice, really three times since the Audi dealership didn't fix the problem correctly the first time, so I turned around after about 30 miles of driving it afer it was supposedly fixed, to get them to fix it the right way!
3)gas milage has been far from expected until lately. My mixed driving figures have averaged 21-22, with 23 being my best; and almost exclusive hwy driving I recently got 30 and 31 off the last two tanks(obviously, not a negative), but have 13k miles on it now, and should not be still in the break in phase.
In addition the the repair comments, I am driving an A4 quattro as a loaner car, and even though i get lots of compliments on it(looks great in black) it is not near as fast or fun to drive as the A3!!!
Been driving it for 3 days now, and I LOVE THIS CAR. The combination of power/handling/luxury/nimbleness/safety/fuel-economy is amazing- I love every moment behind the wheel. The 2.0T is a terrific combination of power/torque/fuel-economy for that size car. I also autocross, and am looking forward to springtime with this car-- I've screwed around braking/downshifting into 90-degree corners at high speeds, and the DSG is spectacular. I spent over a day and a half at Bob Bondurant just learning heel-toe downshifting, and this DSG is like cheating. The perfect transmission for daily commutes in stop-and-go grind + weekends at the autocross.
Road feel and cornering with the S-line package is tremendous. Sport suspension setup and 225/45/17's combine for excellent cornering and extremely solid feel at highway speeds. Behind the wheel, the car feels more like a sport coupe than a hatchback. I have two sons, ages 2 & 3, and car seats fit fine in the back. Triple 5-star crash scores and IIHS top-safety pick make me not think twice about putting the little guys in there.
In summary, I couldn't be more pleased with this car. It's such a joy to drive.
It's nice to get at least two posts on this board in any given eight-month period.
Glad to hear you're enjoying your car.
The cars have alignment/camber design flaw, the first I purchsed new, 2 sets of tires eaten up within 23,000 miles, the dealer could not correct the cause of wear.
The dealer offered to prorate the second set towards a 3rd. I traded.
The 2nd an S-line with open sky system, I purchased used with 10,600 miles, the dealer tec says it is ready for 2 new front tires, rotate them and they're all dust.
The dealer is unresponsive to replacing them. I thought certified meant something?
The loaner, a 2008 A3, with 1800 miles already has the wear, visibly and audiably, which has always been the issue, that and the telegraphing vibration up through the steering column and through the floor and petals.
Cheers
Thoughts?
Best Regards,
Shipo
I plan to attack the dealership today, and will explore the Continental route.
A dealer I went to for a second opinion explained they have this problem on TTs
and they ajust camber to tires flat to the road surface, this they claim has satisfied their customers.
My dealer would not vary from Audi specs.
Thanks,
Aphrodite74
Best Regards,
Shipo
Cost comparison, a decently equipped MINI is not much less expensive than the A3...mine was fairly optioned out and cost 28.3k before taxes, and that was for an '05 model. It didn't have leather either, which if it did would've pushed the MSRP over 30k, and since they're in such high demand there isn't much negotiation on price. The negotiated price on my A3 with S-Line, iPod, Open Sky, and heated seats was about 29k.
I'm getting much better mileage on the A3 than I did on the MINI (after 1.5k miles on the A3 ~26 MPG vs ~23 MGP in 60/40 city/highway driving).
I went back and looked at my maintenance and repair bills for the MINI, and even with the all inclusive MINI maintenance plan I still shelled out about 4.7k for service over 2.5 years. I can't foresee the A3 (got the Audi Care and warranty through GEICO) ever incurring those sorts of expenses while under factory warranty.
The clutch is silky smooth and switching gears is so easy...I love all the torque you get in 3rd gear. I always feel like you get plenty of power and can move without having to drive hard and redline like I did in the MINI. Both my wife and myself find ourselves on the freeway hitting a moment where we look at the speedometer and say 'woah' and have to slow down from 85-90mph. Being as we got the Misano Red Pearl we are certain we're going to start getting speeding tickets sooner than later.
It's a great family car - my wife feels like she's not an average suburban mother running around listlessly in an Odyssey, Accord, or a Volvo. Fits all the kid gear in the trunk and no problem getting car seats in and out. All the other mommies seem envious because most didn't even realize there are some great choices like the A3. Especially when my wife tells them about the stellar front and side crash ratings it got from the IIHS. The rear side curtain airbags make the wife feel safer on the roads (probably accounts for some of the extra speeding). Seems like even the storage has storage as well...there's so many nooks and crannies to store stuff.
Takes getting used to the front wheel drive taking turns fast, but then it's nice having tires that aren't run flats that get worn down from the beating and need to be replaced every 12-15k miles.
I really want to get it chipped but the wife likes things to stay stock, so I'm thinking ahead and will probably get another A3 when they do the next major redesign in 2010 or 2011.
Sports pkg: PPS
Sports seat, sports suspension, 18" 5-tri-spoke wheels with 225/40 summer performance tires.
In fact, I had just taken it in for it's first real unscheduled warranty repair.
The center stack armrest container stopped racheting correctly, and the latch broke on the arm rest storage bin lid (a common problem according to the service guy). Unfortunately, he took the position that they were doing me a favor repairing and replacing the whole arm rest assembly as he said Audi stuck them for the bill in denying warranty on the lid latch breaking!
Did Audi hire a former Chrysler worker? This is a terrible management decision if true.
30K on Goodyear F1 all season and they're roaring, though still handling nicely. P6s didn't make it past 25K before needing replaced. Next set will be Bridgestone RE960s - already have sets on '99 Passat and '02 Turbo S.
Best mileage was with the worn Pirellis, A/C on economy, early morning I26/I40 from Spartanburg to Knoxville, 60 -70 mph - 37.4 mpg. F1s have pretty high rolling resistance and took the normal 33.1 @ 78 mph to 31.8 mpg. Tires do make a difference.
Still just as much fun as when new and love the way it goes from practical, high mileage scenic cruiser to snarly, hard cornering, pocket rocket.
Found out Audi doesn't cover the battery past 12K or 12 months, and that's a darn shame. Audi should be ashamed of themselves for that terrible managment decision. Again, I think they must of hired a former Chrysler employee who's advising them poorly on their warranty terms. I was angry that the battery wasn't AT LEAST covered on a PRO RATED basis, which is the bare minimum standard. So in 2005 they did, but in 2006 they decided to go cheap. Seems not a coincidence that as soon as they shorten the warranty, they start installing batteries that can't even last 3 years or 50,000 miles.
I know I got raped by the dealer, but installation and new battery cost me about $250! 1 hour of labor to install a battery>??? probably took them 10 minutes at most! and their labor rates in CA are astronomical. The actual battery cost of abotu $115 isn't too bad actually, considering the replacement does have a 4 year prorated warranty!
Has anybody had problems with the shift paddles on DSG equpped Audis?
So our '06 A3 w/ the DSG has ~45k miles now. The up (right) paddle on the steering column became loose about 6 months ago so that you could not engage the next gear unless you flicked it towards you along the very bottom edge of the paddle. I figured we'd get it in at the 45k service and get it replaced before the warranty ran out - no need for an extra trip, right?
About a week ago the paddle actually fell off with no prompting from us. Our dealership declined it as a warranty item first stating it was a plastic trim piece. When I pressed and got to the service manager he said as it had fallen off, it was due to our use / abuse and would not be covered. He further said if we had come in while it was still hanging loose it would of probably been covered(?!?). He quoted me ~$400 for the replacement.
I contacted Audi Customer Care (not an accurate title in my opinion) regarding this. They took 24 hours to get back to me. When they did, they declined any assistance in the form of warranty repair or even a discount on the cost of the work. I would have accepted just about any peace offering just to see they were willing to listen and prperly respond. They too said it was due to our use.
I asked if I could speak to a manager but they indirectly declined, saying there were managers there but only for administrative purposes and it would be of no use to talk with them.
I have had 2 Audis, 3 VW's including a current 01 Passat and others have relied on my recommendation before purchasing similar rides. Next time I will not provide such glowing reviews and I am considering walking away from Audi the next time around. There are a lot of other quality manufacturers out there that stand behind their products better than Audi these days.
Oh yeah, also at this service we were told a leaking strut was not a warranty item and they proposed a ~$400 estimate for that too. Some other quality issues are a chronic check engine light (cleared by software usually but now have replaced a damper motor and something about intake runners); finish has peeled of the window switches, CV boot failed spewing grease everywhere; sun shade latch has fallen apert 4 times (which they've continued to replace).
Sorry to rant - just very frustrated by this bad experience. Thanks for listening and if I have posted in the wrong place, lemme know.
Cheers
LS_jr
Very dissapointed!!!
Why would you buy something in a condition where you couldn't live with it for even a few months?
Do other A3's make the same noise, that would be the fair way to resolve this dispute with Audi. Compare yours to other A3's, if they sound the same, then Audi is right, if they don't, then you are right and Audi is wrong.
The A3 is a very deceptive car ... small enough to make darting in and out of inner-city traffic and squeezing into tight parking spaces easy, but heavy enough--and with a sufficiently airy cabin--that you feel like you're in a much larger car on the freeway. I also like the fact that, although it's small, it's very well equipped and nicely appointed. When you spend a lot of time stuck in traffic, you really appreciate a good interior, some toys and a nice sound system.
Fuel economy has averaged mid 20s (miles per American gallon) in mixed, but spirited driving. On the highway I've maxed at 30 (with cruise control on 75mph). The Continental tires have been quiet and the fronts showed no signs of wear when they got rotated during the first service. That surprised me a bit, considering how difficult it is to take off from a standing start using any amount of throttle without hearing from them.
The only way I can see to improve this car would be to add the quattro system, which would help avoid the inevitable torque steer of a high-powered front-wheel driver. But despite owing AWD Subies and Audis in the past, since my A3's primary function is as a city car, I just couldn't justify the extra expense.
The faster I drive the better gas mileage I get -- highway I average over 32mpg (not quite the
same as a diesel) -- and that is with a quatro. (I used to get 20 max on my 97 A4 2.8 quatro).
Car handles great, accelerates great.
Issues
1 - Its now consuming 1.5quarts oil every 5k miles. dealer says I should feel lucky its not using 1 quart per 1700 miles which is the manufacturer spec -- I have a hard time believing this ... As a courtesy deal fills up my oil when the light comes on!
2 - At highway speeds I could hear a noise rushing noise coming from the driver window area.
after repeated attempts to fix it, the noise now has become a whistling sound. Dealer first
said I should increase the radio volume (which did not overshadow the noise). We are now
replacing the mirror assembly for the 2nd time.
3 - climate control works weird when AC is enabled and outside temp is less than inside setting.
Do not wait till the oil light comes on!!! That is abuse. I believe it only comes on when you are two full quarts low!
Check your oil, the dipstick tells you if your .1 to 1.0 quart low. Add as required. These are High Performance vehicles, do not neglect.
i have few questions if anyone can guide me
(1) while in S or D when it approaches to a stop it kind of jerks(as if i am applying breaks harlly). all i'm doing is just ease the foot of the gas pedal. is this normal?
i tried with the s-tronic "+" and "-" as a test to drive around and the results are the same
(2) is there an option to set the Navigation(map screen) as the default or like a home-page when the ignition is on, also how can i eject the DVD out of the navigation to play my normal cd's?
(3) is there a 3M/clear-bra pre-cut protection for Just Head-lights?
(4) the Audi-site and the sticker says 17" 10 spoke design for all premium-plus model, but i have only a 5 spoke wheel. i have not called in the dealer yet and i do not want to embarrass myself before verifying the info
(5) which brand ULS Disel is good for this vehicle, is there any particular brand that is consistently performs better
(6) also i wanted a all-weather floor mats, but i got a black carpeted one (which is un-opened /un-packed), would anyone be interested in?
Thanks