Audi owners in here!

Antony101 · 11 Mar 2014 at 04:30

Thinking of moving from a 5Dr, 1.3 Diesel Corsa SXI to a 5Dr, 1.6 Diesel A3 SE when my lease is up.

Doing about 700/800 miles per week and carrying a passenger or two. I've seen some great reviews and I'm struggling to find a car I like as much. I've yet to test drive one as it's a while yet till I need to be looking.

Can anyone recommend anything that may be worth a look into? Or shed any light on what the car would be like.

xs2man · 11 Mar 2014 at 05:16

Well, despite being more of a BMW driver now, I was once an Audi driver. Evidence :

Simmy · 15 Mar 2014 at 11:38

This looks like the perfect thread for my query.

We're looking to buy an Audi A3 1.4 TFSI for my girlfriend to replace her A3 1.8T, as they look to be an ideal blend of power and economy. She does 3500 miles per year at most so she won't be increasing the mileage much in the time she owns it. However, with it being a 1.4 I'm concerned about how long these engines can realistically last compared to the 1.8/2.0 TFSIs.

An example of a car we're looking at is A3 1.4 TFSI, 58 plate (09), £8500, 69k miles. There are lower mileage examples around that price range if we're willing to travel 100 miles or more.

What has struck me though is there aren't many high mileage examples around. The highest I've seen is 90k. Now this could be because they are fairly new engines and mainly aimed at people who do low mileage, but it also concerns me that perhaps they simply don't survive beyond 100k.

Thinking back to the 1.4 engines I had when I first started to drive (1.4 L Reg Clio), they started to get problems around 70k miles (if you were lucky). Can a modern VW 1.4 turbo engine realistically run on for 100k miles or more?

Jokester · 15 Mar 2014 at 12:01

If it's the engine I'm thinking of, they have quite a high failure rate, pistons are known to disintegrate on them though this may have been a batch issue around about 2009. If it was me, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole out of warranty.

Simmy · 15 Mar 2014 at 12:34

Hmm interesting. I can't say I've read anything about that particular issue. Although a quick google suggests piston failure could be for the 160/180bhp engines (for reference the one we're looking at is 125bhp)?

Jokester · 15 Mar 2014 at 13:24

Simmy said:
Hmm interesting. I can't say I've read anything about that particular issue. Although a quick google suggests piston failure could be for the 160/180bhp engines (for reference the one we're looking at is 125bhp)?

Not the one I'm speaking about then. It's the high powered one - dual turbo/supercharged?

86JR · 15 Mar 2014 at 16:53

You mean the 1.4 TFSI 185 that is only in the A1. ECU light issues.

Amazed how different a facelift can look:

ShivP · 15 Mar 2014 at 16:55

They aren't all single turbo, what about the BiTDIs?

http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/q5/sq5/powerful-v6-engine/bi-turbo-engine-explained.html

86JR · 15 Mar 2014 at 16:57

Shivy011 said:
They aren't all single turbo, what about the BiTDIs?

http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/q5/sq5/powerful-v6-engine/bi-turbo-engine-explained.html

That is not a petrol engine, that is diesel.

ShivP · 15 Mar 2014 at 17:22

Ah forgive me, why edit it out?

The_Abyss · 16 Mar 2014 at 01:57

Simmy said:
An example of a car we're looking at is A3 1.4 TFSI, 58 plate (09), £8500, 69k miles. There are lower mileage examples around that price range if we're willing to travel 100 miles or more.

Why wouldn't you travel 100 miles to get a better version of the car you want? You're talking about dismissing an investment of a couple of hours versus hundreds if not thousands of hours driving the new car?

Simmy · 16 Mar 2014 at 08:16

Oh yeah, we are prepared to travel to see them. We're off to Reading today to view an A3 1.4 TFSI with 38k miles for £9000.

The main reason for looking at the high mileage example is because it was 5 minutes down the road, so it made sense to go and test drive it.

It just made me wonder about the longevity of the 1.4 over the 1.8/2.0 engines. Whilst the day to day running costs of the 1.4 tfsi are lower, this could be negated if the engines only last to 70-90k on average, when the 1.8/2.0 tfsi engines have another 50k+ miles in them.

traveyb · 16 Mar 2014 at 09:59

Is that sports hatchback specialists your going to see? They have a brilliant collection of A3's there.

Would a set of 2004 headlights fit a 2006/7 model a3? Found a breakers yard that are selling a pair and I need a set of oems to replace my after market ones.

Minstadave · 16 Mar 2014 at 10:02

Yeah the 8p1 and 8p2 have the same shaped lights.

traveyb · 16 Mar 2014 at 10:18

Awesome thanks, saves a few quid and makes parts of a car live another day

. Going to see if I can get the wiring included as well, I can see the socket next to the head lamp just need the bits that connect inbetween the this and the headlight

sunnysingh · 16 Mar 2014 at 12:33

Been in two minds between getting an A3 or a Golf and need some advice on what I can get for my money for an A3. I have a maximum of £12000 to spend and want as low mileage as possible. Not sure what year I can get but looking on auto trader, it looks possible for a 60 plate. It has to be petrol as I only be doing short trips and the occasional motorway journey. Due to family size need 5 doors but what model and engine size should I been looking at ?

86JR · 16 Mar 2014 at 13:19

A3 2.0t FSI Sporback S-Line.

rodenal · 16 Mar 2014 at 14:10

I prefer the mk6 golf looks to the 2009ish facelift A3, but tbh they're so similar (as expected) I could see why you'd pick either. A3 obviously has an ever so slightly nicer interior

Spec would probably swing it for me

[TW]Fox · 16 Mar 2014 at 15:17

Why must the mileage be as low as possible? This will result it quite an old car.

86JR · 16 Mar 2014 at 17:02

Took some new pictures today. I left the window open as I was a bit worried about the car locking itself after a set amount of time (it auto locks).

I must say I like the colour. It looks bluey grey when there is no sun out or it is dirty, and proper silver when the sun comes out and it is washed!

Audi owners in here!

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