# A3 TDi Test Drive



## spiderman (Jun 7, 2003)

Had my test drive this morning at Poole Audi. Car was a standard spec TDi in Silver (not Akoya sadly).

Have to say that I was very impressed. All the positive sentiments from the collective reviews to date shone through. As well as that the criticisms in the Autocar review around refinement proved unfounded. It was the quietest diesel car I've experience - noticeably better than the A4 1.9.

Dealer also had a Sport in Lava Grey. Looked much better than the SE I saw last week in the same colour but not enough to sway me from Akoya.

My order will be going in on Monday!

Tempted by the new S4 and RS6 parked outside but my financial advisor (namely the wife) steered me away.


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

Thanks Spiderman, I'm pleased to read that your drive went well.

What spec are you going for on Monday.

Re the S4 and RS6, I know what ya mean. Dundee Audi have an Aluminium Siilver S4 and a Milano Red RS6 Avant. Both cars look awesome and if I win the lottery tonight, I know where I'll be going tomorrow.


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

Man, I can't wait for my test drive.

Read this review of the TDI today:

http://www.new-car-net.co.uk/mag_latest_rtest.html

The reviewer compares it to the Audi S4 in terms of in-gear acceleration!

Glad to hear that the TDI isn't as "unrefined" as Autocar says, not that I believed them. I've never thought that the VW TDI engine was as loud as many seem to say. It is definitely disctinctive (I can easily tell between a VW diesel and any other), but not loud.


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

Thanks Karcsi, that is a great site you managed to find. I've added it to my favourites. 

I must say, I was surprised at Autocar saying that the diesels were unrefined as Audi oil burners enjoy a good reputation. 8)

The car also came into a bit of criticism in this weeks edition, but the guy reviewing the car was scathing about the others in the test as well and I got the impression that he was trying to be controversial. :-/


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## ccc (May 7, 2002)

Great review - and a site worth revisting. Thanks Karcsi!

Read the Autocar comparative test yesterday and agree with you Vagman - the writer seemed to be having one of those 'wrong side of the bed days'!


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## spiderman (Jun 7, 2003)

can anyone confirm that the climate control system is standard?

I was told that it was standard across the range by the dealer but the brochure says different

I certainly don't want to order only to find that the brochure was correct. Given the lack of knowledge that the dealers have displayed to date I'm inclined to not entirely trust them


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## ccc (May 7, 2002)

The brochures available at dealers are 'launch' brochures; supplementary info has been sent out to the ealers since they were despatched and although they're not 100 per cent, they are rather more accurate. They show that climate control is standard.


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## spiderman (Jun 7, 2003)

thanks CCC

I didn't really believe that Audi would be daft enough to NOT offer CC as standard - but it would be disasterous to order a car without if it really was on an option

someone earlier asked about the spec that I plan to order. here goes -

TDi Sport
Akoya Silver
Black leather
Concert & BOSE
Front Armrest
Cruise Control
Parabolic Alloys
(undecided on Xenons)


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2003)

I'm due to put an order in for a new A3 Sport next week (undecided on colour - Akoya Silver or Dolphin Grey anyone?) and reading all the posts has been far more useful than the audi website or dealers have been currently.

Was very happy to read and not post until I read about Spiderman's test drive...

I went to HWM in Walton-on-Thames yesterday and they had a Silver SE on the forecourt. Great, I thought, I can have a look inside, maybe take it out for a drive. But no, the guy said I couldn't even sit inside as they weren't allowed to let people do that until the launch on Thursday! ???

I wonder sometimes if Audi wants to sell these cars at all.

P.S. Spiderman - Go for the Xenons


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## spiderman (Jun 7, 2003)

my leasing company can't give me a price till friday at the earliest  so my order's gonna be delayed

unlucky on the test drive rach p - try a different dealer cos I've been told that orders are being taken rapidly and delivery lead times are lengthening


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## ccc (May 7, 2002)

I've been given a 24-hour test drive at least in part because I was dithering about the xenons - I'll now be able to see what the regular lights are like down a dark country lane!

Spiderman - how did you find the arm rest (I know - it was there between the seats Â ;D) I tried it out (stationary) in an SE car, and found it a bit awkward to use the Z handbrake. It was almost like using the brake in a TVR, but at least I only had to use one hand with the A3!!


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## spiderman (Jun 7, 2003)

to be honest CCC I haven't driven a car with the armrest - my test drive was in a standard car

I believe that you can fold it back when it's intruding

the reason I want one is the number of motorway miles that I do and I need the car to be a cruiser as well as a B Road blaster - hence the cruise control and the armrest

plus at Â£95, I think that it improves the look of the interior

good work on getting the 24 hr test drive - I was lucky to get 24 minutes

watch your licence - the torque takes some getting used to if you normally drive a high revving petrol car like me!


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

Test drove the TDI today. It is sooo much more refined than the 1.9. It's more like a petrol engine, with a slightly louder and deeper note, but with a LOT more guts.

The power is a lot more useable, but seems to come slightly higher in the rev range than the 1.9, without the massive kick in the back, but carries on delivering the power quite linearly way past the 1.9. And the gearing seems to compliment it very well; you do not find yourself being rushed to find the next gear as I sometimes do with the 1.9.

I have no idea about handling, as I had about 10 minutes in all in the car, and that was taken up with driving down the North Circular, round the roundabout, and then back again. Hopefully my test drive at Hitchin Audi at the weekend will provide more of an idea about the way it handles in the twisty bits.

The test drive came by accident. I telephoned to see whether they had a A3 in Akoya Silver or Mauritius Blue. They do have one in the blue, so I asked whether they had a TDI demo car which I could try out this evening. They did, so off I went.

MBlue looks great. The dark blue suits the car very well, and seems to draw out the other aspects of the car (lights, chrome detailing, etc.). Shame it was quite over cast, and the car was in doors - I'm sure it would look quite a bit different in he sunshine. However, I would still like to see an Akoya car before signing on the dotted line. The sample of Akoya Silver in the showroom looks very nice (darker silver with hint of blue/purple). The dealer claimed it looked very similar to Avus Silver, just with a stronger hint of purple.

When it came to discussing a deal, it was basically no deal! They've supposedly sold 15 in the first week, and so can easily make their quota. The salemans said that he will speak to his manager on Thursday and see what could be offered.

In the mean time, I telephoned tins.co.uk for a quote. Â£900 off list!! The car is supposed to be supplied from a dealer in Sheffield (Peter Gilder Audi?). tins.co.uk is an off shoot of the dealership group Pendragon, but they don't have an Audi dealership?

I mentioned this to the Finchley Audi salesman, and he replied that any Audi dealer offering such discounts will not be in business for very long - Audi UK would pull the plug. Apparently this happened to a dealer up north who was discount A4 Cabs from launch. Their supply of cars was cut for a few weeks as a punishment. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this called price fixing; uncompetitive behaviour which is against the law?

He's other flight of fantasy was that these brokers are very shaddy and will supply you a non-uk car with not the options that you want and perhaps even a secondhand car instead of a new one.


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

As far as I know dealers are not allowed to do whole sale selling. They must only sell to the end customer. If a dealer is supplying some other outlet at a knockdown price I would expect Audi UK to come down on them as there are very strict rules and regulations about being an approved Audi Centre.


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

Perfectly understand that ScoTTy. But these are brokers that are just putting you in contact with a dealer that is prepared to offer a discount, in return for a commission. They don't stock cars themselves, unless I am mistaken. So the dealer is directly supplying the introduced customer, like a normal dealer-customer purchase. There is no bulk/wholesale selling.

The argument I have is that under existing competition regulations, the dealer should be free to sell the car at whatever price it likes. Which means that the franchise cannot be taken away from the dealer simply because the manufacturer doesn't like the price it's asking for its cars. OK, the manufacturer could argue that underselling a car is detrimental to the brand name, and so to the business, and so it is within its rights to protect it.

Anyway, if dealers are making enough money on cars to provide huge discounts (which the manufacturer wants to discourage) then perhaps the manufacturer should raise the price it charges to the dealer to cut that margin and also the discounting.

Back to the A3: one big niggle I have with the interior design. Whoever decided to place that horrid cigarette lighter where it is should be taken out and shot, and I'd happily do the shooting!!! It's like a gigantic pimple on an otherwise perfect interior. And there's not even a non-smokers option - Germany has so why not us!!


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## ccc (May 7, 2002)

Just back from my first outing in the TDI Sport - WHAT a car!!

I drove up to near Brackley to see some friends, mainly on motorways and dual carriageways; I'll be using the car for the M3 commute and wanted to see what it would be like. It was just terrific: the ride is soooo much better than the existing A3: firm but not harsh, controlled and sure-footed. Very comfortable and no 'slop' at all. As for acceleration - well, I was doing, er, going quite fast in 6th, and came to a long hill. Stayed in 6th, slight increase in pressure on the loud pedal, and the car just hunkered down and shot away! And it's great to be making licence-threatening progress at around 2500-2800 revs and the read-out showing 45 mpg!

Coming back, I took to some B roads. Well, I haven't laughed so much since I last laughed so much. Slow in, fast out round the bends, hit the sweet spot on the way up the rev counter, and woosh! Understeer? What's that, then?

Lots of little things to delight: the needles on the four dials are either lit or glow in the dark, as I found when I was going in and out of the shade cast by trees; there's a gorgeous cut curve to the side of the back seats where the seat belts can be adjusted; (but that cigarette lighter is a bit of a blot, stuck in the centre - must see of I can do something about that for my own car); the dash has so much of the TT about it, and I loved my TTR to bits; the seats are really comfortable and supportive; the 'organ peddle' accelerator feels perfectly natural; ...

Roll on the dark when I can go out some more - and test the lights for the xenon yes/no decision.

Oh, I am having fun ;D


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