# Aluminium Inserts for Controls on an 04 A3 a la TTShop??



## Calibos (Mar 28, 2004)

I haven't got my A3 yet but build week is next week so its too late to change anything. Anyway I didn't spec Climate Control because I can't really see the use for it with Irelands weather and I couldn't justify the cost either.

To my dismay after seeing a parked A3 I now realise that the standard manual air controls do not have the lovely aluminium inserts on the dials. Does the TTshop or anywhere else have these inserts as an aftermarket addon??

Cheers

Keith


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## Craigos (May 3, 2004)

Same here in Switzerland. Climate doesn't come as standard and at more than 1000 pounds I couldn't justify the cost either. It's very true though that the standard air-con looks a little naff and brings down the facia aesthetics.

I'm not aware of the chrome inserts being available for the air-con controls but I'll be asking my dealer here about this.

I think Audi make the air-con controls look cheap deliberatly in order to 'encourage' you to upgrade. In fact the sales guy looked suprised to say the least when I said I wasn't going for the climate option, stating that every other customer bar none had taken this!


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## Calibos (Mar 28, 2004)

Met an old mate yesterday who I haven't seen in years and he was driving exactly the same spec car as mine bar standard sport wheels whereas mine are parabolics. Anyway got to have a look up close and was pleasantly surprised with the look of the standard air controls. They aren't gonna win any design aesthetic awards but they certainly don't look as bad as I had feared going on some pics I saw. Like every pic you see on the internet, different angles and lighting conditions can change your perception from the reality. He also had the same coloured leather as I have ordered and I was getting worried whether I had made the right choice there too. Needn't have worried. It looked fabulous in his car.

Anyway, my mind was put at ease and my last minute pre-delivery jitters were calmed. Now I'd just have to wait till the end of next week for my car to arrive......Then today I got a call from the dealer. My car arrived and will be ready to pick up tomorrow(Wednesday)! A week early! Woohoo!!!! That makes tonight............like Christmas Eve for this child in a 30 year olds body!! :lol: :lol:


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## h5djr (Mar 7, 2004)

Enjoy your very own Christmas day !

My A3 2.0 TDI DSG is not due until the middle of July, but I'm sure I will feel just the same.

Enjoy your new car.

Regards

Dave R


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## christtopher (May 7, 2002)

I know how you feel. My 3.2 DSG S-Line is not arriving until end of August, and I'm already having sleepness nights! It would be sad if it wasn't true!

Post some pictures of it when you get a second!


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## Calibos (Mar 28, 2004)

I will as soon as I find my digicam!!  Picked her up today and I'm thrilled!........except for one thing! There is a cm diametre dent with a small gouge to the metal on the passenger side door. The dealer pointed it out and was all appologies. Apparently it was probably done on the train or the car transporter. They only noticed it when they pulled of the RapGard protective plastic this morning. I think I believe him as he rang me yesterday morning to say the car would be ready on thursday. Then he rang later and said he'd got the reg plate already and if I wanted I could pick up today(Wednesday). So yesterday as far as they knew it was perfect. When they could have said nothing told me to pickup friday or next week, gotten the dent taken out in the meantime and I would be none the wiser. So its going to a local body shop to get the work done next Tuesday for 2 days. Gggrrrrrgghhh!! 

Tis annoying and a few years ago I would have kicked up blue murder but I must have mellowed because I'm only a little annoyed. As long as the door is put right I'll be happy. These things happen, but they seem to happen to me more than most!!


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## Craigos (May 3, 2004)

Calibos! Have you found your digicam yet?

It would be very good to see the Air Con controls on a photo that isn't from the official brochure. How do they look now that you've had the car for a while? Are they not so bad after all?

Also, did you get a sunroof fitted to your car? I have a sunroof on my car that's supposed to arrive on or around 10th July. I've heard that there is severe buffeting at anything above 30mph and would like to hear from other's as to whether this is indeed the case. I woudl like to see what the controls look like also.

I've seen lots of A3's on various Audi forecourts and not a single one has had a sunroof fitted. I guess they are just not very popular over here.

Hope the repairs go OK. I'd be livid :twisted:


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## Calibos (Mar 28, 2004)

Found the digicam this evening. Its dark now but I've just run out to take a few pics of the manual air controls, sunroof controls and dash lights. I won't be taking any of the outside till I give the car the full meguiars treatment on Monday probably.

Here they are:














































I saw a pic over at mkiv forums of the manual controls which really scared me and got me worried and my pic of the manual controls isn't much better. I think its all down to colour balance of the camera, flashes, angles etc That pic above of my centre console looks nasty. Colours and the look of the finish bears little or no resemblance to the reality. I'm thrilled with the whole look and the finish of the interior, the quality of the plastics etc. It looks the business in the flesh. Even the manual controls. I have no intention now of trying to paint dials or source and stick on silver dial skins etc. etc. I was worrying over nothing. I'd never trust a pic again and I'd reserve judgement till I saw the real thing. Same thing with the wheels. I took a pic of the front drivers side (not posted) and the parabola's look very average and they look like 15's or 16's. In reality they look huge, absolutely gorgeous and I've already had people ask if they were 18's! I know tastes and opinions can differ but I reckon when you see the manual controls you'll feel the same. They are more than acceptable.

As for the sunroof. The second pic is of the sunroof controls. You'll notice I didn't get the interior light pack so I'm missing the reading lights and ambient LED dash illuminators. The dial does light up at night (last pic) though which looks cool. Lots of red instrument lighting all over the place for that airplane cockpit look! (god I'm sad!  )

As for the buffeting, its there all right!......If you open the sunroof all the way open. Cue massive pulsing of the eardrums! So yes if you open the roof all the way, then 30mph is the speed limit. If you'll be traveling over that speed then the manual recommends the 'comfort position' for the sunroof. Sunroof is open full at the 12 o'colock position of the dial and comfort setting is at 10 o'clock where the solid control dash markings end in that last pic. At this position the sunroof is open about 4/5 of the way. Is not a big deal imo but it is strange that buffetting was not an issue with the old A3. Maybe there is no pop up wind deflector on this car like on the old one. I'll check tomorrow.

Slightly different operation to the old a3 sunroof too. With the new A3, you press the control to tilt open, pull down on the control to tilt closed and turn to open/close.

All the A3's I saw at various dealers had the sunroof and Aircon. Not one with manual controls though. Would have saved me needless worry If I could have seen manual controls sooner. Tis funny though as, as I said all the demonstrators had both Sunroof and Aircon. Apparently you can't order both on an Irish A3 for some reason. So If ever you see one with both on an Irish road you'll know for sure that its an ex-dem car.

Haven't had a chance to give the car a good run yet. I've only been pootling around town for the last few days. First chance will be the 30 mile drive to sort out my car tax in a day or two. Its only dual carriageway though. Will have to make up some excuse to go to the airport asap for some motorway driving hehe!!


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## Craigos (May 3, 2004)

Keith! Your a star my friend 

Those are just the kind of pics I have been after seeing. It's good to hear that the AC controls look OK in real life. They do look better in your pics than in the brochure too.

Disappointed to hear that the roof causes problems when fully open above 30mph :? This must be a serious design fault. The last car I owner with a sunroof... many moons ago... was a Vauxhall Cavalier and this had no problems with doing 60 or 70mph with the roof fully open. Can't see why 10 or 15 years down the line a roof can cause such an aero problem. Did you have a look to see if it had a wind deflector when open? Is it possible to pull the sunblind closed when the roof is open? Maybe that would reduce some buffeting.

More shots of your car... and roof... in daylight would be nice if you have time.

I have ordered a rear spoiler on my car but can't find any pics from anyone who has one fitted... except for aftermarket add on's. Any chance yours has it?

Did you get BOSE? If so what do you think of that?

Thanks again for the pics


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## aThreeUK (Aug 11, 2003)

Before I changed to the new style A3 I had a year 2000 A3 with sunroof and that used to have terrible sound vibration on the ears if the runroof was fully open. But by closing it a fraction the sound vibration didn't happen - there was a slight 'click resistance' on the opening dial when turning to open, just before the full open setting. Maybe there is a similar thing on the new style A3 (I dont have sunroof in the new style A3 to compare against the year 2000 model)


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## Calibos (Mar 28, 2004)

On the sunroof buffeting issue.

I've found if the you open your windows slightly there is zero buffeting even with the sunroof open fully. The 'comfort' setting I have found only delays the onset of buffeting by 5mph or something but with the windows open even slightly there is no buffetting on any sunroof setting. If its hot enough for the sunroof to be open I usually have the windows open anyway so it has not been an issue for me at all really since I got the car. Windows open at highish motorway speeds would be uncomfortable but then again so would an open sunroof so in that case I've been using the tilt setting.


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