Buying an A3 Advice

Dan

As you might have seen from an earlier thread, my 90k A3 1.6 Sport has just suffered a catostrophic gearbox failure and will cost me near on £1650 (including clutch) to put right. My dealer in Sheffield was so suprised he spent almost an hour begging Audi for a contribution, even though the car is 4yrs old. He didnt actually get it, but some how shows his faith in the car and the suprise at the dealer at the failure.

Oh gawd don't buy you hear ???

Well, I'm driving around in a hired Toyota Avensis and can't wait to have my trusty A3 back, the drive especially with the sports suspension is great, it's powerful enough for UK roads in 99% of mad overtaking moments ! LOL and the quality of finish in the A3 is still better than the state of the art 2003 model Toyota. Thats pretty good considering my "series 1" A3 originally appeared in 1996.

My verdict ? I'm having to pa out nearly £2k this weekend, but it's worth it, no other hot (warm) hatch can come close for me on looks, style, finish and wow factor.

Buy with a service history, check the mileage is motorway miles and get the seller to drive the car first, if he drives it like a nutter then avoid, if he drives it fast, likes to rev the engine, but not strangle it, then the engine will be a gem....

Running costs as you can see could be high, but insurance, regular services and routine parts are pretty much on a par with the mass market. Faults on mine ? Erm... Gearbox... Erm.... Erm.... oh headlight... erm.... Hmmm.... stonechips ;¬) Get my drift ?

Best wishes

Haydn

I have an identical spec A3 from 2000, which cost £12K from a dealer last December with 37K on it. Sounds like a reasonable price to me: I saw similar high mileage A3s and they were about £7K - is it warrantied from a dealer? If so you get 12 months breakdown cover as well.

There is a hidden boombox in the left hand boot side compartment if you add any new ICE equipment (I left it out of the circuit when I put in a CD/MiniDisc player).

I have found the build quality superb, pretty economical as well. This car has no obvious things that could go wrong: the climate control is good, check the tool kit inside the spare wheel is complete. Mine didn't have a first aid kit in the glove box but I think it should have had. Variable servicing, the car tells you when it needs taking in: as I say, I got mine Dec 2002, may not need servicing until May 2004.

I would recommend the car, it has a beautiful quiet engine, excellent handling and gearbox (despite the post above, which I was sorry to read - touch wood!)

Cheers

Alex

hi,

my second A3 1.6, with 90k km, make 350-+70 km per each 25,8lt fuel, for a moderate/mix drive (for more race driving or with A/C its another history). Aside a window lifter and a door lock and a paint very soft it's a good option, maybe a little bit lack a "horses"......

my first one as a "problem" (big one) in the engine after a looooong history with the seller and importer....bla bla I decide to sell them and by another equal.

Pedro

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