Audi A3

[dest]

What is the general concensus with them?
My GF is after a new car, and has fallen for an A3.
A quick look on Autotrader shows you can get a decent one for 2-2.5k with about 100k on the clock on P-S reg if you hunt around.

Anything to specifically look out for?
Good points/bad points?

She was originally after a 1.6 to keep costs down and MPG up, but has found the 1.8T is only £2 more a month to insure, so is getting tempted towards those.

Any help welcome

PS. Dont say get an S3, cause she cant afford to buy one!

[Acidburn]

The 1.8t is generally quite a good machine and there is alot of knowledge around for it incase of any problems.

[s2driveruk]

you'll find the 1.6 gutless IMO. used to have a Seat Leon 1.6 and we sold it in the end because it was a bit too slow.

sport specs are nicely setup with good seats

[S2central.net]

The 1.6 is indeed gutless - bro' in law has one. He hasn't had much grief with his - a previous owner had bodged a repair on the rear wiper motor wich caused a water leak. It also split the MAF hose which gave it some running troubles, but apart from that its a pretty solid wee car.

The 1.8T engine is definitely better, though will chew threw front tyres faster than the 1.6.

[dest]

Obviously the 1.6 is not going to set the world on fire, but she isnt after a high performance car.
Shes currently got a 2.0 Cav SRI which is very tired, high mileage and runs like a bag of crap... so pretty much anything is going to feel abit more lively!

We had a look at a 1.8 SE on Sunday, it was quite tatty and high mileage (wouldnt buy it, it was just a local one to see if she liked them) and even though it was only average at best, it still felt alot better quality etc than the Cav (goes without saying really doesnt it lol)

[BRY]

1.9tdi will give similar performance to early 1.8t
There is less to break on the diesel and you can run on it Pura vegetable oil from Tescos which is 56p litre.
We have two A3tdis a 1997 and a 2001, neither of them are PDs as the high pressure PD doesn't like vegetable oil.
Drop links and bushes on the FARB cause loads of noise when worn.
They are basically a MK4 Golf.

[Error404]

intersting comments re: the veg oil Bry - do they need any additive at all, or a mix with diesel to run properly?

[BRY]

Always mix it.
I clear out Tescos whenever they have Pura @ 56p / litre, as their own brand stuff is way too expensive @79p litre.
Can you tell it doesn't pour well?

[Acidburn]

just out of interest is that a 50/50 mix or different? i've heard this done before but never tried it.

Would this work on a 1.9 tdi aaz engine in a passat?

[BRY]

just out of interest is that a 50/50 mix or different? i've heard this done before but never tried it.

Would this work on a 1.9 tdi aaz engine in a passat?

75/25 oil/diesel is the highest I use.
The AAZ should be ok, but don't blame me if isn't.

[S2central.net]

I've often wanted to try a few bottles of Mazola (or whatever veggy oil) in the diseasel tank... It could certainly save a lot of money but I'd get hacked off pouring it all in there - especially in these Baltic conditions. Even in a 5-litre bottle, thats 6 big bottles for half a tank... Must be worth getting some sort of 20 or 30 liter container and a manual pump / crank tool for a driveway fill up if doing it regularly.

Is it tru the exhaust smells like a chip shop tho ?

My AKE (V6 TDi) engine is allegedly OK on 100% biodiesel, but what that means in terms of vegoil mixed with ordinary diesel I dunno.

Paul

PS - I think biodiesel is a fundamentally flawed alternative fuel that just happens to be popular cos its cheaper... There are hundreds of acres of forestry being destroyed in parts of South America, every day, just so rapeseed and other stuff can be grown in the increasing quantities that the world now requires... I'm no expert but it doesn't sound like a scalable solution to me.... I guess someone will have to invent the nuclear powered car someday soon

[BRY]

Chip shop fumes are sometimes experienced when stood for prolonged periods.

[spink]

When i bought my first diesel last year i thought i would be a good idea to buy a couple of barrels of oil from a chinese restaurant supplier.50% of it went in the tank,and the rest ended up on me and the side of the car! Havnt bothered since,could do with a transfer pump of some sort really.

[4WheelDrifter]

If your GF drives anything like mine then get an A3 quattro, TDi or 1.8T.

56p a litre for fuel? That sounds expensive to me. We get ours at 1000 litres at a time.

[BRY]

If your GF drives anything like mine then get an A3 quattro, TDi or 1.8T.

56p a litre for fuel? That sounds expensive to me. We get ours at 1000 litres at a time.

Is that cow juice? :mischeif: