Audi A3 Prices Paid and Buying Experiences

alan1943 · March 2007

The A3 reliability may be average but the 2007 CR Auto issue recommends the A3, A4, S4 and A6. These Audis have been recommended by CR this year.

hatchback1 · March 2007

where did you find it? i'm looking for a 2006 or 2007 manual A3, preferrably with the kooky sun roofs and low mileage. prices at the dealership seem too high to me, i'd like to pay 22-23k. thanks for your help!

blueguydotcom · March 2007

Autotrader.com and Cars.com. We ended up buying in Los Angeles. Obviously, be sure to subscribe to carfax as some cars have already had multiple owners (bad sign in my opinion).

The good thing about low mileage 2006s: they still have the free maintenance.

cosanostra · April 2007

Posted this in the Real World Values forum, but thought it might generate some interest here as well.

I am looking at purchasing an Audi A3 and have found one on the internet via Audi's CPO search engine. Here's the specs:
Location: Brookline, MA
Year/Make/Model: 2006 Audi A3
Body Style: hatchback/wagon
Engine: 2 liter, 4 cylinder, DSG
Driveline: FWD
Mileage: 5900
Color: black exterior w/beige interior
Major Options: Premium package, cold weather package, 17" alloys
Condition:
Exterior looks good  no noticeable dings, dents, or scratches.
Interior is clean, looks to be a couple of used spots on the carpet where shoes rested and the dirt hasn't completely come out.
Tires - ~75% of the tires left
Brakes unknown
Maintenance  scheduled maintenance done.
Other: Is being sold as a CPO vehicle.

The dealer is indicating his bottom line is $25,500 on the vehicle. I'm thinking of pulling the trigger. :confuse: Any thoughts from the group would be most appreciated.

- cosanostra

andres3 · April 2007

If by CPO you mean its warranted until 100K, then that is a good deal.

willyfung · July 2007

got this quote from a dealership in MD

A3 2.0
Premium Package
Ocean Blue
Premium Audio
Cold Weather Package

MSRP - $31000

quote was $27900 good deal?

cdezso · July 2007

Willy,
I've got a similar quote also from MD, and I think the quote is $1500 - $2,000 below invoice, or something like that.

Apparently, this is a very good offer. I myself do not know for sure, but from reading other forums, it seems like it is. However, I also found out that the offer cannot be used for leasing, so essentially you have to buy the car. Also, if you buy it, I think Audi does not have any specials in the DC metro area, so it will be 7-8% interest rate.

willyfung · July 2007

i got another quote for this a3

Red color
premium package
open sky

$25200

intuneman · July 2007

Just bought a black A3 S-Line, there is an A3 factory to dealer $1500 incentive right now, which is why there are a few posts above about deals under invoice. Saw the Audi paper myself when I tried to combine that with the Audi 4.9% 60 mo financing (which you can't do apparently, but if you get 5.9% it's better to take the $1500 under invoice at 5.9 than invoice at 4.9).

Think I saw $3k incentive for A4s, and more.

Car is great, drove 175 mi

in first 3 days and it's just a great drive.

avlisad · July 2007

What do people recommend in terms of the warranty? Are there any third-party warranties that give better pricing? Thinking of getting an A3 this weekend! Excited

blueguydotcom · July 2007

The car comes with a warranty. :confuse:

hnxtr · July 2007

It looks like there are great deals to be had for A3 2.0T's. Unfortunately I live in a very hilly neighborhood, and I've got it in my head that I need the Quattro. I expect the somewhat restricted supply of 3.2's compared to 2.0T's to limit discounts. The Edmunds TMV after regional adjustment is only about $780 less then MSRP for the 2007 3.2. For the 2008's, the current TMV is less then MSRP by $2. Given that the 2008's are on their way, what can I reasonably expect to be a price which the dealer would be willing to accept for a 2007 3.2? Also, is it reasonable to expect that the gap between 2008 MSRP and TMV to increase as the model year progresses?

sonyvaio · July 2007

Is it manual one or DSG?

sonyvaio · July 2007

Same question:), is this one manual or DSG?

willyfung · July 2007

DSG

seems like the dealership is willing to go 2k below invoice to get rid of inventory. thinking about pulling the trigger : )

kurtamaxxxguy · July 2007

Also, the 3.2's only come with sports suspension, which will give you nice cornering but reduces ground clearance and gives a stiff ride; Just the thing for sporty handling on smooth, flat roads. But if you've lots of dips, crowns or crests, you might want to test drive over those first.

hnxtr · July 2007

I don't expect to be going very fast in the twisty windy hilly access road, so I'm not anticipating scraping up the undersurface. I've had a Saab convertible in the past with no problems, and my neighbors with numerous low slung sports cars don't admit to any problems either. Of course, with slush on the road, I might feel some contact with stuff on the road. Nevertheless, I don't expect that there will be enough clearance difference to rule out the A3 3.2 in favor of 2.0T or any other car in this class/type, in my opinion. Am I being naive?

sonyvaio · July 2007

How about the one you qutoe for 25200? If that one is DSG, I think it is better since it is almost 3000 below invoice.

willyfung · July 2007

yeah they are both dsg although the 25200 one has about 400 miles on it from extensive test driving. not sure if that makes a difference though

blueguydotcom · July 2007

Opt for the sport suspension-equipped car (3.2 or a 2.0 with sport). We own an 06 A3 and while we love it, even my fiancee - who is prone to car sickness - openly laments the premium package-equipped car's tendency to dip and roll massively in corners. She actually did her own research and came to me asking about putting a rear swaybar on the A3 and maybe swapping the tires for summer sports.

It's a really fun car but it desperately needs a tighter suspension.

hnxtr · July 2007

I didn't drive the 2.0, but the 3.2 didn't feel overly firm on normal city streets. From what little time I had, the 3.2 cornered very predictably and with control and stability. I'm not sure what tires were on its 18 inch wheels.

andres3 · July 2007

I know you like your cars sporty, but I always thought the A3 Premium would be sporty, and the A3 Sport would simply be SPORTIER.

Are you saying the premium package has a Toyota like suspension?

blueguydotcom · July 2007

It's pretty soft. Like I said, my fiancee is one prone to car sickness and even she asked to tighten up the suspension. Part of that may be attributed to riding in my BMWs and Cooper but still she finds it a bit sloppy day to day.

andres3 · July 2007

Well, I'm glad I opted for the sport suspension setup, a decision I made after test driving both of the different A3's. My main test was speed bumps.... I liked the way the sport tuning made the speed bump a blimp on the radar screen that dissappeared after you crossed it. Lesser/softer suspensions remind you for a few seconds what just happened.

Karen_S · July 2007

Go to our new Dealer Rater to post your sales or service review!

txbosoxfan · August 2007

I test drove the A3 in both sport and premium and in 2.0 and 3.2. I felt that the 2.0 S-Line was the best combination. The A3 3.2 felt heavy compared to the 2.0. I bought an '08 and have had it for 2 weeks. It is a great car. I paid $34K for 2.0T S-Line in Lava Gray w/ black interior, open sky, dual xenon, ipod integration, power driver seat came with S-Line (new for '08). Bought it in N. VA.

hnxtr · August 2007

Congrats on your purchase. I'm also looking in N. VA, but for a 3.2, need Quattro. It seems that you negotiated well, somewhat better then Edmunds TMV. Which dealership did you buy from, and how was the process?

shipo · August 2007

If you don't mind my saying, if you need Quattro, then why are you looking at an A3 of any stripe? FWIW, the 3.2s AWD system is Quattro in name only.

Best Regards,
Shipo

txbosoxfan · August 2007

HBL of Tysons. My salesman Joseph Jay was awesome.

jondc212 · August 2007

#1

2007 A3 2.0T 4-DR AUTO S TRONIC FWD

LAVA GRAY PEARL EFFECT

BLACK CLOTH SEATS

MSRP $28,045.00

INTERNET SELLING PRICE

$24,799.00

#2

2007 A3 2.0T 4-DR AUTO S TRONIC FWD

BRILLIANT BLACK

BLACK LEATHER

OPEN SKY SYSTEM

SYMPHONY RADIO W/ IN-DASH 6-DISC CD CHANGER

PREMIUM PACKAGE

MSRP $30,695.00

INTERNET SELLING PRICE
$27,188.00

#3

A3 2.0T 4-DR AUTO S TRONIC FWD

BRILLIANT BLACK

BLACK LEATHER

OPEN SKY SYSTEM

PREMIUM AUDIO PKG - SIRIUS

S-LINE SPORT PACKAGE

MSRP $32,245.00

INTERNET SELLING PRICE
$28,588.00

please direct me i really want a brilliant black, 07 DSG packages aren't too much of a matter bc i am a post college student. any suggestions will help..

dotwendi · August 2007

Wow, that's great. Congrats on your new '08 A3. Did you direct factory order? (As there aren't any '08 A3s on the showroom floors yet where I am from). How long did you have to wait for your order to arrive? You mentioned power driver seat is part of the S-Line page for the '08s any other new changes like that that you can share?

hnxtr · August 2007

The A3 has a combination of performance, refinement and size which cannot be found in other makes, and I like how the little car feels when driven. There may be technically better AWD systems then that found in the A3, but the A3 Quattro is more reassuring to me then no AWD at all. Living in Virginia, we don't see that much snow, but when it does, my overly hilly neighborhood does not cope well, and perhaps, neither do I. No major problems in snow in the past with the Saab Convertible it's replacing, and I hope to remain out of the ditch in the future.

sonyvaio · August 2007

From the manual of A3, it seems that there are two storage compartments in both front seats. But I only found one in the passenger seat of my A3, while no one in the driver seat. I am not sure if it is because my car has premimum package which includes power driver seat. Can anyone confirm with it? How many storage compartments in the front seats are in your A3? Thanks a lot!

kyfdx · September 2007

Hi, sonyvaio..

Since this is a pricing discussion, you might have better luck getting an answer in the general Audi A3 discussion.

regards,
kyfdx
Host-Prices Paid Forums

z4girl · September 2007

HI,

I'm considering trading my wonderful, precious Z4 to a more practical Audi A3. I need to drive a lot more in the future in a more demanding climate etc. etc.

Anyway, I checked the pricing in Edmunds, and the MSRP of a 2.0 T with automatic transmission and the options I wanted was $33,070. Invoice was $30,614 and the TMV was $32,963! In other words, it seems that people are paying close to the MSRP for the 2008 A3.

Is this true? Has anyone bought a 2008 A3 recently? If yes, what kind of deals have you been able to negotiate? I'm in Southern California.

Thanks so much for any assistance! I made a great deal on my Z4 three years ago and want to go to the dealership prepared this time, too...

Regards,
Z4girl

finishline · September 2007

I'm in practically the same boat Z4girl, only I'm in Ohio instead of beautiful, sunny Southern California. So I have the same question. Anyone getting great deals on the '08 A3? I'm not paying close to sticker. If that's what it takes, I'll shop on.

blueguydotcom · September 2007

Buy used. Sadly the A3's resale isn't so bueno, so you can get a used 1 year old model for about 33% off MSRP.

andres3 · September 2007

Just get 4 or 5 quotes from your nearest Audi dealers' internet departments (yes, this might mean going 120 miles out or so), and pick the lowest one; it's likely to be a very good price!

panxd01 · October 2007

Just got a quote for 2007 A3:

2007 Audi A3 2.0T DSG
Misano Red Pearl Effect
S Line Package
Open Sky System

MSRP: $31,345
Special Internet Price: $28,289

Was this a fair price for 07 model?

andres3 · October 2007

Looks like a fair price to me.... 3K+ below MSRP is a very good deal on an A3.

theresa11 · October 2007

Looking at a new 2007 A3. MSRP is $32730 which includes $590 for Audi Care and $995 for Protection Package. The offer is $27900. I know that Audi dropped the free maintenance program and this dealer told me that all Audi dealers will accept this. The protection package I feel is bogus. How do I know what the dealer's invoice was for these two items and can I try to get a lower offer because of these two items. Can I do better than the $27900 offer. They seem eager to get rid of the 2007 - they already have the 2008's on the lot. Thanks for all comments.

andres3 · October 2007

Audi Care is indeed not a requirement so now you have to pay for it. $500 would be reasonable.

Protection package isn't a factory option, so the dealer will rape you on this one? What is it? what does it include? I can't imagine it to be worth more than $300.

theresa11 · October 2007

It includes sealant for paint and interior. Dealer is somewhat near an airport, so they say that it helps keep their cars nice...:) Yea, right!

theresa11 · October 2007

What type of $$$ (dealer cash to customer)is available for 2007 A4 purchase? Offer is $27900 for a new 2007 A4 2.0T w/auto trans, wood, premium and blue paint that carries a $750 charge. Can I get them down lower? Thanks in advance.

theresa11 · October 2007

The 2007 A4 is $32110 MSRP - that info might help w/what I expect for an asking price. Thanks

kyfdx · October 2007

Hi, theresa11...

This is the A3 pricing discussion..

esingollo · November 2007

I bought a 2008 A3 a little more than a week ago. I thought I would detail some of my buying experiences, since it may help some people (several of these postings helped me).

Hmm: where to start. I live in San Francisco, CA, and parking is an issue. These fit in quite a few places, and I have begun to see a lot of them around. It also seems to have enough power to enjoy driving (I came from a Lexus ES300, so many, many cars including the 911 that was right next to my A3 would have provided a better driving experience--not that my Lexus did not do exactly what I wanted it to do). I got the 2.0, and may think about having it chipped at some point. But I would not like getting worse gas mileage, and it has enough pickup (or my foot has enough lead in it) that I have spun the tires at least three times since picking it up.

I am not a fan of the negotiation--I simply am willing to pay or not. I did a lot of research and test driving before deciding on this car (choices were the A3, the new Smart Fortwo, and Lexus IS250--more on this later). I knew which options I wanted, and in what order. There are three dealerships in a reasonable area, and they all were willing to go to $500 over invoice without any discussion. By the way, the dealer I eventually bought from swears that Edmund's invoice numbers are a little off--but whatever. I was prepared to hear that, and it may even be true. Since I did not want to beat around the bush, I simply said that if you met Carsdirect price with the options I wanted, I would buy it from you today. I think that wound up being something like $400 over invoice.

2008 Audio A3
*Deep Sea Pearl
*Auto Trans
*Convenience
*Premium
*Heated Seats
*Ipod
*Bluetooth
*Open Sky
*Manual Rear Sunshades
*Destination charge
*Some kind of Bay Area ad charge bull-crap

Pretty much what I wanted, but could not find one with Rear Side Airbags without getting one with Nav--which I definitely did not want (the Nav system in this car sucks, especially compared to the Lexus and considering what you pay for it). All totaled without taxes and plates, it came to $31,258, I think. Not great and not horrible, I think. But all three dealers were going to be within a couple hundred dollars, I think, so I went with one that was closest in location.

Like I mentioned, it drives well. In some ways, the interior of my old Lexus is better (very quiet, and this new car definitely has some noise), and the new Lexus IS250 blows the interior away (and its electronic toys are much better, in my opinion). Still, the A3 has three advantages: 1) it is about a foot shorter (this matters in SF, trust me); 2) it is about a second quicker from 0-60; of course I could have gotten the IS350, but its price was much more and the gas mileage was worse; the IS250 and A3 have very similar gas consumption stats; and 3) the IS250 is several thousand dollars more expensive. I cannot say this mattered to me a great deal, since I keep my cars a long time, and since I expect any resale value on the Lexus would have been greater than on the Audi; but it is more expensive. It is nearer to the A4 in price and features; and in some ways on the A3, you can tell. No option for the Quattro except with the bigger engine--at which point, why (except for size) not get the A4? Also, no power front passenger seat. Also, the leather in the A3 is not as nice as in the IS.

The other car I was looking at was the new Fortwo that will be release early next year. I test drove it, and liked it. Parking would be a dream, and they are not going to be that expensive (less than $20,000 fully pimped). But it is an anemic car--0-60 in something like 15 seconds. Of course gas mileage would have been great. I did consider it, but I considered that I would be commuting out of the City at least some--and chose the A3. I think my neighbor is going to get the Fortwo, so mabye I will get some experience with it after all.

So, after a week, it seems an OK car. I got a little pissed on day six because I found that the rear bumpber had been love-tapped (happens all the time here, and after fuming for a day, you realize it was going to happen sooner or later--probably much sooner). I am having to get use to the reduced length of the car. I can get in to many more spaces, but I am still cautious--I look out over the hood, and think I am an inch away from something. Then I get out to look, and realize I am two feet away.

It will come to me. It is similar to the back, since I have no trunk.

I am a little wary of Audi/VW reputation for build. My Lexus was one of those bullet proof ones--I really only sold it because it was getting a long in the tooth at 180,000 miles and I was hungering for new toys like the ability to play mp3 cds and use bluetooth through the speakers. But after three years of production, the A3 seems to be holding up OK. I did not get the extended warranty, though they said I have a year to decide that. Since I plan on keeping it for a while (8-10 years, I hope), I may try to get an extended warranty once I pass the mileage limit from a third party.

One thing I am not going to like is having to take it to the Audi dealership for service. You can reset the oil service warning yourself, but not the 15k maintenance alert, I guess. Lexus or Audi--I hate getting robbed by the dealer. Maybe any VW dealer could do it; or maybe I can find an independent garage to do the work and reset it. I guess they had offered 4 years of free maintenace in previous years, but not any more. Not sure if that is a good sign or bad (keeping the price down is nice).

Well, I think that is about it. My girl likes the heated seats and dual climate zone controls (I am just joining the ranks of new car features, after all). I think the BT is fine. I am planning on getting a Garmin NV unit (or maybe even one that gets put in to the dash, although I think that would probably affect the menu and BT functions), but not yet sure which one. Any recommendations are welcome.

otto_cycle · November 2007

How do you like the deep sea blue? What color interior? Was that your first choice? I've never seen one that color, though I think I might like it better than my other choice, lava grey.

esingollo · November 2007

I realized a little bit after I posted that while some of my posting belong in this forum, some of it should probably have gone in the general A3 forum. I just did not take the time to separate it out. So I will post a response to your question here, and then put any non price-related follow-up there.

I do indeed like the deep sea blue. The other two I looked at where Ocean Blue (wound up not wanting something that light) and Lava Grey (like this color a lot; would have gone with it had Deep Sea not been available; it was hard to tell it was not black except in daylight, of course). My interior color is the grey. I think I like the combination quite a bit (I did not want a black interior anyway--the heat--and there was a lot of that with the Lava Grey exterior). You should go check this color out; my friend has an older VW Golf that is Indigo Blue, I think she said. I would say it is similar, but not quite. And it does not have this sparkly pearl effect. Since they did not have an A3 in it where I lived (had to transport my car), I looked at an A4 with it. The A4 came with beige interior--was not bad, but I think I like the grey better in this car. I liked the beige better in the Ocean Blue.

This color looks cool in light and dark. In light, though, it can show dirt. It rained here recently, and I felt an almost overpowering urge to wash it.

Not nearly as bad as having a black car, but I lived with a tan car for a long while--and it never showed dust/dirt.

jskho · November 2007

Regarding maintenance, you may want to consider getting Audi Care.
It is not free any more but at $590 MSRP, it is a good deal.
It covers the 15000, 25000, 35000 and 45000 services.
The 35000 service alone will probably cost you more than that.
You might be able to negotiate the price or make them throw it in for free when you bought the car, but even paying full price is not bad.

Audi A3 Prices Paid and Buying Experiences

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles