# New A3 2.0 Sport on Order. Comments, Thoughts and Questions



## Craigos (May 3, 2004)

Hi All,

New to this site but have found tons of useful information already!!!

I ordered my new A3 from my local (Swiss) dealer a couple of weeks ago and can't bloody wait for the thing to be delivered. Game On 8)

Still have no idea when this may be as he quoted 10 weeks, but asked me to call him three weeks after order for a better idea of dates. Is this normal? :?

Spec as follows:

Audi A3 2.0 TDi Ambition (Sport in UK) with...

* Standard 17in Alloys (am I the only person who thinks they look OK???). I like the more slender 5 spoke design but can't justify paying 750 swiss francs on changing from one set of 17in to another set of 17in... especialy as I have already had to pay 1500 swiss francs for an additional set of 16in Winter Wheels and Tyres. Something the UK buyers don't have to do you lucky things. I asked the dealer for the price of the 18in RS6 wheels as these would have been an essesntial purchase, however I was told in no uncertain terms it would be impossible to order these, even though on www.audi.de these can be purchased for any model for I think 1450 Euro's. Bargain 

* Interior Lighting Pack. I've ordered this but not sure exactly what this consists of. Can anybody enlighten me with the definitive list? 

* BOSE. There seems to be mixed opinions on this and other sites as to whether this is actualy any good but decided to suck it and see. There wasn't a car available with BOSE at the dealers for me to listen to so decided to just go for it. I listened to the Harmon Kardon system in an M3 recently and if it's anywhere near as good as that I will be more than happy. Found a nice little document on the A3 BOSE system on the German BOSE website. http://mirror.bose.de/product/auto/pdf/A3.pdf for those who are interested... and can read German. Also, have opted for 6 disc changer, but not happy that it doesn't have a removable magazine. Have also heard it won't play MP3's and CD-R's. Is this really true 

* Cruise Control. This was an absolutly essential option (after BOSE) but can't help thinking the controls should be on the steering wheel (along with stereo controls) ala the BMW M-Tech wheel. I would have loved an Audi 3 Spoke Multi Function wheel as I find the 4 Spoke ugly and with limited functionality. I guess they are waiting for the facelift in a couple of years before offering one. Shame.

* Sunroof. After the summer of 2003 this was a no brainer. Bet it rains all 2004! I read one post recently though that when doing anything over 20mph there was severe buffeting with the roof open. Has anybody else experienced this? Climate Control is an option here and at 2,200 swiss francs a pretty undesirable one. Decided to spend the money elsewhere on the car and make do with standard Air Con.

* Non Smoker Pack. Don't quite know what this does or doesn't consist of but hope they don't remove the cigar lighter as this is needed for recharging my mobile.

N.B. Before deciding on the TDi Manual I just had to try out the DSG box and I have to say I was impressed and underwhelmed all at the same time. Making smoth changes with the paddles between 1st and 2nd and 2nd to 3rd was difficult to say the least but I'm sure would get a lot better with practice. From 3rd upwards though the changes were seamless. My biggest gripe though (and the deciding factor for the manual car) was than even when in Manual mode the car changed gear for you. If I stamped on the throttle in 6th the car would shift down a gear. If going up a slight incline, the car would shift down a gear. Now this is fine in Auto mode but not what I want in Manual mode. I want to be fully in control whether it's the correct gear or not. I thought that was the whole point of Clutchless Manuals, to be at the end of the day just that... a Manual. How wrong I was. Hence my decision to stir the box myself and save a huge wad of cash in the process.

* Rear Roof Spoiler. Expensive, but helps the lines of the car and makes the rear appear less stunted.

* Centre Armrest. Again expensive but essential as a companion to the Cruise Control Option.

* Metalic Silver. Best for appreciating all the cars lines, even at night.

Erm... that's it I think.

Will hopefully have my car by late June... just in time for the Mountain passes over the Alps to be opening for the summer. Also looking forward to letting it stretch it's legs on my favourite road. the N85 from Grenoble down to Cannes on the Cote D'Azure... with the BOSE at Concorde volume levels. For those of you who have not tried this road it is... like driving a Porsche 911... something you have to do at least once... and North to South. Mountains to Palm Trees is a nice way to do it.

I hope I haven't bored anyone too much with my ramblings 

Any answers to any of my questions would be greatly appreciated :wink:

Cheers [smiley=cheers.gif]


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## delarge (Nov 3, 2003)

Welcome to the forum .

Alloys - Agreed , Audi have a cheek for charging more for the same size wheel . I quite like the standard ones anyway .

Bose - Excellent , money well spent

non-smoker - Yes you get to keep the 12v socket

can't really help with the other q's sorry .


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## davek9 (May 7, 2002)

Welcome to the forum. 8)

The interior light pack consists of the following (in the UK anyway)

"Illuminated front door openers, vanity mirrors, storage compartment,footwell lighting, reading lights in front and rear, ambient lighting and active door reflectors"

In Britain all this is yours for Â£140 :?

Hope this helps

Cheers

Dave


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## maersk (Feb 1, 2004)

:lol: 
Excellent choice of wheels - standard Sport.
Reason?
These are forged wheels. The other (more expensive) options are die cast and are therefore not as strong in extremis.
OK don't ding 'em and it makes no odds but a forging is stronger.
Curious
:wink:


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## maersk (Feb 1, 2004)

8) 
I fell for the DSG and mine changes seamlessly at all times and in all gears (1000 miles up). It only changes down for you in manual if you are about to stop. Booting it in 6th (incorrectly) gets you exactly that poor incorrect gear accelleration. The change down point appears to be about 1200 rpm.
A cracking 'box.
8)


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## Craigos (May 3, 2004)

Thanks to everyone for their replies and their welcoming words. It's good to be here :!:

Glad to see there are other people out there that quite like the standard 17in efforts. Not as good as the RS6 jobs, but since Audi says I'm not allowed to have those then the standards will do fine. Forged v Die Cast! I wonder why the different construction methods, and is this why 5 star design are more expensive?

I think from what I hear here the lighting pack should make th interior look a bit more classy, especialy the ambient lighting. I had a new A4 Avant recently (acquired rather than purchased) and I think this may have had the same lighting pack that I've specified on the A3. If I remember rightly the Ambient lighting was a very faint red light cast over the centre console, which was emited, I think, from the bottom of the rear view mirror. The lighting pack cost 285 CHF, which at a typical 2.2 exchange rate to the GBP works out at about 140 quid... ish.

Regarding the DSG. It certainly is the way forward, and I'm sure with practice I would have sorted my jerky, fluffed 1st to 2nd gear changes. In Auto mode though it shifts between 1st and 2nd smooth as the proverbial. I'm sure that 1000 miles of practice helps :wink:

With regard to the BOSE system. If anyone knows any links or has any documents, user manuals, reviews etc (any ICE mags reviewed it?) I would love to read them.

Cheers


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## maersk (Feb 1, 2004)

:x  
Die cast wheels are actually cheaper to make!

Mr Porsche only uses forged wheels on his product.

Interestingly, the standard wheels (not SE) are also forgings.


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## maersk (Feb 1, 2004)

Poor change quality in 'manual' mode can be due to lifting off instead of just leaving your foot planted.


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