# So who in here actually owns a 2015 A3



## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

I am getting a lot of looks people trying to figure the car out but I an enjoying it very much.


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## trueunion (Apr 15, 2008)

I do, Love my new 2.0 Quattro. I get looks also can't wait to tint my windows Lol.:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

livestrong191 said:


> I am getting a lot of looks people trying to figure the car out but I an enjoying it very much.


Bunch of loons never seen an A4 before? /s


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

I do I do


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## VWNCC (Jan 12, 2010)

Does soon count?


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

Dan Halen said:


> Bunch of loons never seen an A4 before? /s


Dan are you getting a S3 or you getting a BMW 235. 


Also people, notice the car to be different from the A4 because it does look smaller and has the pano roof


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

livestrong191 said:


> Dan are you getting a S3 or you getting a BMW 235.
> 
> 
> Also people, notice the car to be different from the A4 because it does look smaller and has the pano roof


I even put the sarcasm tag, and you still bit. :laugh:

I have a refundable deposit on an S3. I don't intend to invoke the "refund" clause. You tell me... 

If I were looking for a two-door car, I could probably convince myself to consider the M235i. I'm sure it's a fine automobile, but it doesn't answer enough of the questions I'm asking at this point. Of course, by the time Audi remembers to send a few S3s over, I may have already had kids and seen the off into adulthood, at which point my empty-nester ass may be able to justify a two-door car. Get on it, Audi! 

Besides, I spend way too damn much time here to go out and buy something other than an S3 at this point.


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## The Car Czar (Apr 4, 2014)

Six weeks in. Epic little sedan.


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## JP15A3 (May 7, 2014)

2 weeks with my 1.8T. Enjoying it very much. Wifey is on her 3rd A4. I find the A3 a lot more fun to drive. At the moment I am Waiting patiently for aftermarket parts to hit the market.


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## sonic_va (Jul 2, 2006)

Got my 1.8 on launch day. Loving it so far, and a much more refined ride than my rattle-infested last car (2012 VW Beetle Turbo).


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## analytics51 (Feb 22, 2014)

Said goodbye to the 3-Series and bought a White/Chestnut Brown 2.0 Prestige coming in on 5/21.....


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

sweet. I am getting my new 18inch wheels put on today. I was going to go with 19inch but I like a more comfortable ride.


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## phobic99 (Jun 22, 2009)

I've had mine for a month. It's my first sedan and also my first automatic transmission vehicle. Have to say I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would.


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## nickjs1984 (Jul 30, 2009)

I have a few more months to wait before ordering mine, however, I just rented a 1.6T Sportback with manual transmission for a drive through Finland in June. Does that count?


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## mattchow (Jan 12, 2010)

just picked up my 2015 a3 2.0t quattro premium this past saturday. loving it so far!


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

mattchow said:


> just picked up my 2015 a3 2.0t quattro premium this past saturday. loving it so far!


Nice playa


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

analytics51 said:


> Said goodbye to the 3-Series and bought a White/Chestnut Brown 2.0 Prestige coming in on 5/21.....


nice, what kind of deal did you get on the Prestige model? Chestnut brown might be nice with White .


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## nickjs1984 (Jul 30, 2009)

caliatenza said:


> nice, what kind of deal did you get on the Prestige model? Chestnut brown might be nice with White .


That's how they showed the car in Detroit at NAIAS 2014 - looked spectacular!


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## alkaman (Apr 25, 2014)

Dealer mentioned yesterday that the car I ordered is now in port and off the boat and onto a truck. But it has yet to leave the port. Any idea how long I should expect the car to take to get out of the port and arrive at the dealer?


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## grepped (Feb 15, 2014)

> Dealer mentioned yesterday that the car I ordered is now in port and off the boat and onto a truck. But it has yet to leave the port. Any idea how long I should expect the car to take to get out of the port and arrive at the dealer?


Mine arrived at port last Thursday. I'm picking it up tonight. I'm probably around 6 hours from port, so it should be about that or less for you.


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## GLI_M3 (Jun 10, 2003)

We picked up a 1.8 Brilliant Red Premium Plus about 3 weeks ago. It is our 4th A3 since 2006 and our 8th Audi since 1998 and as a family our 21st VW/Audi/Porsche since 1989. So far, it has not disappointed.


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## conlson (Aug 7, 2013)

I've been enjoying my black 2.0Q since April 1st. I can't wait to drive it every day!










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

Here is my baby boo better pics in the sun. Still need a tint and lower but soon. Baby steps


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

livestrong191 said:


>


what wheels are those?


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

ProjectA3 said:


> what wheels are those?



alzor 627 $399 a set of four

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/Alzor/ES2713255/


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## 15A3 (May 18, 2014)

Just registered in the forum! I picked up my Monsoon Gray 1.8t a week ago and am really liking it. Only mods so far are 40% 3M Crystalline tint.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

15A3 said:


> Just registered in the forum! I picked up my Monsoon Gray 1.8t a week ago and am really liking it. Only mods so far are 40% 3M Crystalline tint.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Welcome and nice


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## Chimera (Jul 6, 2002)

livestrong191 said:


> Here is my baby boo better pics in the sun. Still need a tint and lower but soon. Baby steps


Looks good. Red really works well on these cars. It's too bad black window trim isn't more widely available.


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

Yeah I am glad I have normal trim. I am trying to get the. Black optics look and just waiting for the A3 black grills to come out( not a fan of plasi dip).


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## DavidCz1992 (Apr 9, 2014)

the 19-inch wheels look sick, anyone know if you can put all season tires on them? Dont really wanna change them for the winter....


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## The DarkSide (Aug 4, 2000)

I was on the fence for a S4/5 and an S3.. Was going to go with the S5 until my health made getting a 50k car a unwise decision. Ultimately I compromised and got into a lightly used but nearly fully equipped 2013 nissan 370z sport/touring. Not in the same segment, not as classy and a bit more boy racerish than I like.. but you know what? It's FUN to drive. Also, it's auto does amazingly better in stop and go traffic than my 2010GTI (dsg).. 

Pretty happy with it so far but then I've not gotten to drive a lot recently due to health reasons. Glad to see people getting into them.. I hope to ride in one in the near future to see what I'm missing. I miss lurking in the forums.


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

The DarkSide said:


> I was on the fence for a S4/5 and an S3.. Was going to go with the S5 until my health made getting a 50k car a unwise decision. Ultimately I compromised and got into a lightly used but nearly fully equipped 2013 nissan 370z sport/touring. Not in the same segment, not as classy and a bit more boy racerish than I like.. but you know what? It's FUN to drive. Also, it's auto does amazingly better in stop and go traffic than my 2010GTI (dsg)..
> 
> Pretty happy with it so far but then I've not gotten to drive a lot recently due to health reasons. Glad to see people getting into them.. I hope to ride in one in the near future to see what I'm missing. I miss lurking in the forums.


I am glad you enjoying your 370z and hope you feeling better mate


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## RedwinGV (May 11, 2014)

The DarkSide said:


> I was on the fence for a S4/5 and an S3.. Was going to go with the S5 until my health made getting a 50k car a unwise decision. Ultimately I compromised and got into a lightly used but nearly fully equipped 2013 nissan 370z sport/touring. Not in the same segment, not as classy and a bit more boy racerish than I like.. but you know what? It's FUN to drive. Also, it's auto does amazingly better in stop and go traffic than my 2010GTI (dsg)..
> 
> Pretty happy with it so far but then I've not gotten to drive a lot recently due to health reasons. Glad to see people getting into them.. I hope to ride in one in the near future to see what I'm missing. I miss lurking in the forums.


I hope you continue loving it. I used to have an Infiniti G coupe and loved it. Needed a bit more practicality, though the fold down rear seats did give me enough cargo room, so we sold it. Enjoy.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

okay, so the 2015 Mustang pricing is out. I'm REALLY having second thoughts about the A3 now...but i'd have to drive the Mustang and then make a final decision.


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

caliatenza said:


> okay, so the 2015 Mustang pricing is out. I'm REALLY having second thoughts about the A3 now...but i'd have to drive the Mustang and then make a final decision.


You know that ford is going to have some major upgrade to the mustang every year making urs less desirable for trade.


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## Zorro83 (Sep 10, 2011)

caliatenza said:


> okay, so the 2015 Mustang pricing is out. I'm REALLY having second thoughts about the A3 now...but i'd have to drive the Mustang and then make a final decision.


Funny that you bring the mustang up cause I was looking into it yesterday. However I would only consider it in GT 50th anniversary trim and I'm not sure yet what Canada's pricing is. Although a 4 door is really what I need, I could make an exception for a piece of history like this limited mustang of which only 1964 will be made.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Zorro83 said:


> Funny that you bring the mustang up cause I was looking into it yesterday. However I would only consider it in GT 50th anniversary trim and I'm not sure yet what Canada's pricing is. Although a 4 door is really what I need, I could make an exception for a piece of history like this limited mustang of which only 1964 will be made.


yeah i bet those Limited edition models will be spoken for in a couple of months, since ordering started yesterday. The GT is looking to get pricey with all the toys...i personally would stick to the Ecoboost.


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## Nek76 (May 17, 2008)

2014 A3 Sline 1.8 Hatch white


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## high_octaneGTI (Nov 10, 2007)

Picking mine up tomorrow!


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

high_octaneGTI said:


> Picking mine up tomorrow!



Welcome to the red Audi club . I have gotten to two dead sexy comments in the past few days ,so if the chicka like it me like it


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## Trojit (Mar 27, 2014)

My scuba blue 2.0:


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Trojit said:


> My scuba blue 2.0:


very nice, love the blue .


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## tekmo (Nov 30, 2013)




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## sonic_va (Jul 2, 2006)




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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

sonic_va said:


>


nice


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## high_octaneGTI (Nov 10, 2007)

Premium 2.0T


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## VWNCC (Jan 12, 2010)

tekmo said:


>


Tekmo's is :thumbup:


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## Holo79 (Feb 1, 2014)

*My new 2015 A3 2.0T Prestige!!*

My new 2015 A3 2.0T Prestige!!


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## VWNCC (Jan 12, 2010)

Holo79 said:


> My new 2015 A3 2.0T Prestige!!


:thumbup:

Anymore pics? Scuba Blue S-line is very rare.


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## Holo79 (Feb 1, 2014)

Sure, here are a couple more.


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## high_octaneGTI (Nov 10, 2007)

Mmmm full LEDs


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## VWNCC (Jan 12, 2010)

Holo79 said:


> Sure, here are a couple more.


I thought Scuba blue was more purplish.


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## A3_yuppie (Jun 5, 2006)

Very nice! Cannot wait until mine gets here.


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## dmbfan36 (Jan 24, 2003)

Holo79 said:


> Sure, here are a couple more.


This is exactly what I've been looking for...

I *almost* pulled the trigger on a Scuba Blue Premium+ with MMI touch plus, parking cameras and the sport (w/o sport suspension) and convenience packages (just missing the led headlights and s-line kit of the prestige) last night because it's the only scuba blue car coming into the northeast with the sport package right now (available for pickup mid-June), but after seeing these pics, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and order a prestige w/the new sports package (inc. sport suspension) and wait for it to be built (probably not here until early August).


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## Holo79 (Feb 1, 2014)

dmbfan36 said:


> This is exactly what I've been looking for...
> 
> I *almost* pulled the trigger on a Scuba Blue Premium+ with MMI touch plus, parking cameras and the sport (w/o sport suspension) and convenience packages (just missing the led headlights and s-line kit of the prestige) last night because it's the only scuba blue car coming into the northeast with the sport package right now (available for pickup mid-June), but after seeing these pics, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and order a prestige w/the new sports package (inc. sport suspension) and wait for it to be built (probably not here until early August).


I'm glad it helped you make a decision. The S-Line will be worth the wait IMHO. :laugh:


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

hot sunny day pics with pano roof air venting tilt up


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## sonic_va (Jul 2, 2006)

Really loving the red. :thumbup:


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## StlVDub (Aug 1, 2010)

Anyone leasing? Curious how the lease payments are...seeing how affordable this may be...


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

sonic_va said:


> Really loving the red. :thumbup:


Thanks bro


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

My Prestige + Advanced Tech + sport package


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## StlVDub (Aug 1, 2010)

ProjectA3 said:


> My Prestige + Advanced Tech + sport package


Gorgeous. :thumbup:


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## RedwinGV (May 11, 2014)

ProjectA3 said:


> My Prestige + Advanced Tech + sport package


Sweet.
I don't know if looking at these help me or not... Mine is on order with a July build date. Should make summer feel longer.


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## Can_quattro (May 31, 2014)

*Does Map Update Service work in Canada?*

tekmo, check this out and let me know if it works for you.

http://forums.audiworld.com/showpost.php?p=24573439&postcount=4

Thanks


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## livestrong191 (Nov 18, 2013)

My baby chillin at UPS


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## myke1585 (Oct 28, 2009)

I do










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## melillobm (Jul 17, 2004)

Mine. Premium Plus 1.8

Yea, I tinted her too.


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## melillobm (Jul 17, 2004)

livestrong191 said:


> My baby chillin at UPS


NICE!!!!!!! Love the color!


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## cfurman (Feb 4, 2008)

Lotus Gray Metallic

Stock now... On way OEM wheels... Powder coated Black.


















Black Powercoated OEM wheels...


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## tagsvags (Nov 25, 2005)

"Black OEM wheels" :facepalm:


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## vtmsf (Jan 29, 2014)

*Owned it for several week, but just picked iti just picked up*


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

vtmsf said:


>


European Delivery?


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## vtmsf (Jan 29, 2014)

The insult to injury is that the wheels and mirror caps I could NOT get were on the S3 delivered right next to me. (I'll get of the mirror caps, but the wheels may be a lost cause. I gotta think about it.)

Either way, it was a great experience, do European Delivery if you can.

I hit 115 on the way to Prague and the car was completely stable. Passenger, not so much

Delivery guy said keep RPMs below 4200 for first 1,000 kilometers. (You can go pretty fast without hitting 4200.)


BTW, Scuba Blue, Titanium Prestige. Every thing but the wheels I wanted.


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## nicoli35 (Jun 30, 2014)

Picked up "Sassy", about four days ago. She's a premium plus A3 2.0T Quattro in Glacier White Metallic, just love her. Previous Audis have been '10 A5 and '13 S5, both felt a little too big to me (we also have a '12 Golf TDI), this A3 feels *perfect*. Glad I kept the Vag-Com cable, heh! :thumbup:


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## camoto (Mar 6, 2011)

nicoli35 said:


> Picked up "Sassy", about four days ago. She's a premium plus A3 2.0T Quattro in Glacier White Metallic, just love her. Previous Audis have been '10 A5 and '13 S5, both felt a little too big to me (we also have a '12 Golf TDI), this A3 feels *perfect*. Glad I kept the Vag-Com cable, heh! :thumbup:


Just traded my '12 S4 in on a '15 A3. I haven't picked up the car yet and my only fear is missing the torque down-low on the 3.0T. Do you miss it, or does the a3 really drive as good as it seems at first blush to make up for it?


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Two in a row coming from S4s and S5s? How are you coping with that?

I understand the want for a smaller car; it's the entire reason I'm hoping Audi pulls together an S3 spec I am willing to buy. But to go from those monsters to a relatively tame A3...? :laugh:

Yeah, the A3 2.0T is stupid quick for the average person, but for the two of you... _notsomuch_.


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## nicoli35 (Jun 30, 2014)

Dan Halen said:


> Two in a row coming from S4s and S5s? How are you coping with that?
> 
> I understand the want for a smaller car; it's the entire reason I'm hoping Audi pulls together an S3 spec I am willing to buy. But to go from those monsters to a relatively tame A3...? :laugh:
> 
> Yeah, the A3 2.0T is stupid quick for the average person, but for the two of you... _notsomuch_.


I actually traded a gorgeous anthracite brown 2012.5 Porsche 911 (991S cabriolet) on the '15 Audi A3, and my S5 traded on the 911 two years back. (see "traded Bessy" on 6spd 991 or rennlist 991 forums)..sometimes it's just nice to trade around a bit. Raw power is not always the one-dimensional goal. Actually the 991 was low on torque down low in rpms, had to get over 4K for it to really push. Anyway..what I'm saying is, Audi makes a great car and this A3 feels pretty darn good. But then, I love driving our '12 Golf TDI, too.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Dan, you'd be surprised at the number of people making similar shifts downmarket for the GTI. There are a couple of really nice write-ups from people over in the Golf VII forums. 

It's a real testament to the new MQB architecture and the engine+transmission+suspension combo. I think that Volkswagen and Audi nailed it.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

nicoli35 said:


> I actually traded a gorgeous anthracite brown 2012.5 Porsche 911 (991S cabriolet) on the '15 Audi A3, and my S5 traded on the 911 two years back. (see "traded Bessy" on 6spd 991 or rennlist 991 forums)..sometimes it's just nice to trade around a bit. *Raw power is not always the one-dimensional goal.* Actually the 991 was low on torque down low in rpms, had to get over 4K for it to really push. Anyway..what I'm saying is, Audi makes a great car and this A3 feels pretty darn good. But then, I love driving our '12 Golf TDI, too.


True enough. If it were, I wouldn't be buying an S3! I suppose there really may just be that much bottled up demand in the market for a second coming of the B5 A4/S4. 



Travis Grundke said:


> Dan, you'd be surprised at the number of people making similar shifts downmarket for the GTI. There are a couple of really nice write-ups from people over in the Golf VII forums.
> 
> It's a real testament to the new MQB architecture and the engine+transmission+suspension combo. *I think that Volkswagen and Audi nailed it.*


I suppose so. I've been eyeing a really sharp S60R on the new Volvo lot between the office and the house, but I just can't seem to get my mind off the S3. I know it's just going to be that great.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Dan Halen said:


> True enough. If it were, I wouldn't be buying an S3! I suppose there really may just be that much bottled up demand in the market for a second coming of the B5 A4/S4.
> 
> 
> 
> I suppose so. I've been eyeing a really sharp S60R on the new Volvo lot between the office and the house, but I just can't seem to get my mind off the S3. I know it's just going to be that great.


The new V60/S60 is a great car. I drove a V60 T5 with the sport package earlier in the spring and was *very* impressed. There were two downsides: one, there was more road+wind noise than I expect out of a vehicle in this class, and two, the infotainment system is woefully outdated. 

Well equipped the V60 comes in at around $40k in FWD guise, which seems a bit steep for a Volvo. 

That said, those seats are worth the price of admission....


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## camoto (Mar 6, 2011)

I'm not gonna lie, I will miss the grunt of the S4, but in the end the A3 is MUCH more of the car I wanted in the first place. The B8's are porkers both in weight and in size IMHO. I came from a B7 A4 (pretty heavily modded K04 car) and I loved that car. I am waiting to see what APR pulls out of their hat because I am pretty sure that it's going to be impressive.

I ordered the sports package so I get the good seats too. I would have waited for the S3 but given what you can do for a few short mods, I'd rather make the car my own. I don't need the badge.


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Travis Grundke said:


> The new V60/S60 is a great car.


It's just to bad you can't (yet) get AWD with the new engine family 




Travis Grundke said:


> the infotainment system is woefully outdated.


I've heard the new system coming next year (IIRC) is miles better than the current system



Travis Grundke said:


> Well equipped the V60 comes in at around $40k in FWD guise, which seems a bit steep for a Volvo.


Glad I'm not the only one that felt that way...



Travis Grundke said:


> That said, those seats are worth the price of admission....


No doubt about that.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

davewg said:


> It's just to bad you can't (yet) get AWD with the new engine family
> 
> I've heard the new system coming next year (IIRC) is miles better than the current system
> 
> ...


Yeah, I've seen the new system that's debuting in the XC90 this fall and not only is it better - it's outstanding. 

Price-wise, we're talking allroad territory for a car that is really A3 Sportback in size. Volvo wonders why it cannot move more metal in the US and price is a huge factor here. Volvo languished for years and simply does not command the same pricing power that it once did. Were I seriously shopping in that space I would take an allroad or Q5 over this almost every time.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Travis Grundke said:


> Yeah, I've seen the new system that's debuting in the XC90 this fall and not only is it better - it's outstanding.
> 
> Price-wise, we're talking allroad territory for a car that is really A3 Sportback in size. Volvo wonders why it cannot move more metal in the US and price is a huge factor here. Volvo languished for years and simply does not command the same pricing power that it once did. Were I seriously shopping in that space I would take an allroad or Q5 over this almost every time.


Well damn. Every other friggin' potential option I open myself to, I find that the current offering is outdated, inferior, or just not what I want/ need. I've started playing with the idea of passing on the S3 and replacing the Rabbit with a Q5 instead. Hell... if I'd done that a year ago, it'd be two-thirds paid for by now. Of course, that would deplete my stash of cash for the S3, but I'd at least be getting one payment out of the way. We pile miles on the Rabbit at a much more rapid pace than my car- several thousand in the time I put a couple thousand on mine, in fact. I drive it enough that I could probably get by with that as the antidote for my new car desires. At this point, the Rabbit will be over ten years old with nearly 140,000 miles on it by the time my S3 is paid in full. I'm just not sure I want our road-going car that long in the tooth.

Erg.


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## jsausley (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm with you Dan. I know the A3/S3 is a good car but it's not the quantum leap I was hoping. I wanted to get the A3 instead of my CC, but after sitting in a dealer promo car in March that was fully equipped (2.0T, S-Line, etc.) I was not impressed. Spent almost $10k less for a better equipped CC. The only thing I didn't get was AWD and 20 more HP.

The S3 will be great but it's not as much of an upgrade as I'd need to change cars again.

My current plan is to hold out for the B9 S5 and trade my Golf R in. Especially if these rumors about 200 lbs. less and a twin turbo V6 hold true. The B8 S5 would probably feel like a pig compared to my R, even with the bigger engine.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

jsausley said:


> I'm with you Dan. I know the A3/S3 is a good car but it's not the quantum leap I was hoping. I wanted to get the A3 instead of my CC, but after sitting in a dealer promo car in March that was fully equipped (2.0T, S-Line, etc.) I was not impressed. Spent almost $10k less for a better equipped CC. The only thing I didn't get was AWD and 20 more HP.
> 
> The S3 will be great but it's not as much of an upgrade as I'd need to change cars again.
> 
> My current plan is to hold out for the B9 S5 and trade my Golf R in. Especially if these rumors about 200 lbs. less and a twin turbo V6 hold true. The B8 S5 would probably feel like a pig compared to my R, even with the bigger engine.


I'd still intend to get an S3, just not any time soon. There's no way in hell I'm trying to pay for $110,000 of metal at one time.

I keep coming back to the Q5 being long in the tooth, too, though, so... whatever.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Dan Halen said:


> I'd still intend to get an S3, just not any time soon. There's no way in hell I'm trying to pay for $110,000 of metal at one time.
> 
> I keep coming back to the Q5 being long in the tooth, too, though, so... whatever.


Q5 is long in the tooth, but for what that car is and intended to do - I'm not sure that is a bad thing (and apparently, neither do the thousands of people per month who continue to increasingly purchase it, and the Q7). 

It's like my wife's CRV - it does absolutely nothing for me, personally, but it's a very nice place to be on a road trip or when I need to head over to Home Depot to pick up some big items. As my personal daily I wouldn't be interested, but as a second car / my wife's primary - it's perfect. I've had Q5s as several-day-loaners from my dealership and I actually like the car a lot. My only complaint was, like the Volvo: too much wind noise.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Man, don't push me. LOL

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## ChrisFu (Jun 9, 2012)

Dan Halen said:


> Man, don't push me. LOL
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


I drove an SQ5 last friday for the hell of it. What a blast. And ventilated seats!


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

If I got an SQ5, I'd have to keep it for myself. I just can't put 15,000 miles per year on 21" tires and a performance motor. :laugh:

Just drove an S60R. While it's a damn fine vehicle, I'm not sure it's the answer. Even considering something else is progress, though, so I guess it counts for something, however minor.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Drives S60R.
Gets curious about Polestar.
Realizes that first Polestar cars shipped from the plant just over a week ago.
Finds Polestar pricing.
Registers on Swedespeed to get help finding nearest Polestar-approved dealer.

It's more than I want or need to spend, but with only 40 coming to the US, I think I have a solid return proposition on my hands if I can get my hands on one. I highly doubt I'll be able to get one, though. There's always the V60, of which we'll see 80.

:wave:


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Dan Halen said:


> Drives S60R.
> Gets curious about Polestar.
> Realizes that first Polestar cars shipped from the plant just over a week ago.
> Finds Polestar pricing.
> ...


Wagons rock! If I were ready to buy now, I'd seriously try and get one myself.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Yeah. When I told my wife I'd driven the S60 and mentioned that the V60 is pretty much the same car, just in wagon form, she suggested that I buy it if I like it, drive it for a few years, and then hand it down to her when it's time to retire the Rabbit... at which point I'd be back in the market for myself. 

I don't hate the idea. opcorn:

I also don't like the idea of spending $60-large on a Volvo, but if I can get a one-of-80 car, I don't think it'll matter. There are enough people who still want the 850R wagon that it's held value well. My other option, I suppose, is to get a V60 R-Design if the price can be negotiated down quite a bit. Just not sure I feel like that's enough for me... will have to drive again.


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## misaka (Feb 8, 2013)

Dan, I'm going to offer you a counter argument to all of your current choices, just because you're waiting for the right S3 and you have a rabbit for the road car.

What if you just took something that's severely discounted on the idea that you will have enough left over to get the car choice that you really want when the S3 comes out?

I mean this as a substitute for the rabbit. Hear out my logic and feel free to disagree, but it might help you. 

I was in the q5 bandwagon for a while, but I think I don't want an end of life model at the cost of 42-46k (with any options whatsoever lol). It is a nice car, but that's S3 money right there. I considered the new GLA, but again 40k range for a not spectacular car. The Lexus NX does look promising, but it won't be out in volume until october-> december, but it will probably be reliable as hell for a billion miles like most lexuses (not to disparage vw or audi, but let's not kid ourselves about long term reliability there vs lexus lol) 

Now, currently there's extremely strong incentives on much of the VW lineup. 1000$ prepaid card with any turbo model lol. I'll note some possible cases for you.

I'm going to assume 15k mileage for you. Lease pricing, because stronger incentives, can buy out at the end if you like it. These options might allow you to still get S3 with your options since you're not out much for the metal.

2015 GTI -> Basically a FWD A3 in hatch form, currently overpriced due to demand, but 30kish and not much room for negotiation. Lease will be MSRP 32k -> 31k buy price x 59% residual x .00155 money factor = 415$ a month, without taxes and fees. 18880 residual to buy out at end of lease. This is illogically high due to demand. I'm just putting this here if you ask about the GTI with the other options.

2014 GLI autobahn w/nav -> New EA888 Gen 3 engine like GTI etc -> Fully loaded etc, MSRP about 31400, Sell price -> 26200 x 54% residual x .00039 money factor = 275$ a month without taxes and fees. 16956 to buy out. Really a sweet deal for a loaded car. Granted it's not new, but at that price you can drive it for a few years and ditch when you want. TDI has higher residual even 

Base 2.0t A3 w/ cold weather -> Same car as S3 apparently since you can't get sport seats  hehe, MSRP at 34500 - > 31500 sell +800 audi care ( for residual bonus) x 62% residual value x .00150 money factor = 385$ a month plus taxes and fees 21421 to buy out. Not an S3, but cheaper for a DD road car.

If you're just going for a comfortable road car to sub with rabbit... 

Base 2.0T Tiguan S model is 28835 > 24328 sell x 54% residual x .00009 money factor = 250$ plus taxes and fees, 15300 to buy out. Cheap AWD as a road car.

Outdated, inferior? I do agree. Cheap and leaving you open to get S3 still? yes. 

I'll be blasphemous also... Base 335Xi lease is 400$ a month  or Golf R


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## cfurman (Feb 4, 2008)

misaka said:


> Dan, I'm going to offer you a counter argument to all of your current choices, just because you're waiting for the right S3 and you have a rabbit for the road car.
> 
> What if you just took something that's severely discounted on the idea that you will have enough left over to get the car choice that you really want when the S3 comes out?
> 
> ...



Now.. THIS is valuable information. Thank you! This is how posts should be, factual. How refreshing!


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

misaka said:


> Dan, I'm going to offer you a counter argument to all of your current choices, just because you're waiting for the right S3 and you have a rabbit for the road car.
> 
> What if you just took something that's severely discounted on the idea that you will have enough left over to get the car choice that you really want when the S3 comes out?
> 
> ...


I almost feel like I now have to get one of these because you spent all that time putting this together. 

Thing is, the Rabbit doesn't _have_ to go. The current consideration would be a good blend of "new car now for me" and "timely Rabbit replacement in a couple years." I currently drive about 6,500 miles per year- and while the Polestar would be a hoot to take on road trips, we'd still end up piling the miles on the Rabbit- so the thing would probably have less than 30,000 miles on it when I turn it over to her as the Rabbit replacement in 4-5 years. We put that on her car in about two years' time these days, so I'd be greatly extending the life of the Polestar by keeping it on my side of the garage for its early years. There are also some fairly impressive perks they're offering at Volvo right now, but I sort of think the P* will be excluded- specifically, complete maintenance for five years or 50,000 miles. Naturally, it excludes tires- but all other W&Ts are included. Not necessarily something I'd go looking for in order to make a purchase, but a cool side bonus, I suppose.

Long term, I intend to keep a sedan on my side of the garage and a hatch/wagon on her side of the garage. I'm okay with two hatches, as in the arrangement I'm considering, but I'm not okay with two sedans. Thus, if I'm buying something now with the intention of moving it into the Rabbit's spot in a few years, it's got to be a hatch/wagon. 

If the P* doesn't pan out, I'll continue on as I was. I don't think this option is something I can make myself ignore, though. And while I've said multiple times here that an RS3 would be overkill for me, I'm potentially opening myself to the ability to go RS3 in a few years if we see it in the US. A V60 P* and an RS3 in the garage would be fairly respectable, I suppose. :laugh:

I did consider a short-term lease on something fun for myself for two years or so while waiting on the S3, but the reality is that I still enjoy my GLI, and there's nothing wrong with either of our cars. It'd just be foolish to do/have done that in my situation rather than remaining cash-positive in anticipation of the S3.

I think we're going to go drive the V60RD tomorrow so my wife can get a feel for its size and utility to be sure she would be happy driving the P*. She was concerned about the length, but surprisingly, it's shorter than the old Grand Am she had back in college. She got on just fine in that, so I think the size will work. I have a couple dealers to call tomorrow to see if I'm too late to plunk money down on a P*. If I am, so be it. If not, I need to ask myself one last time if a stack a month for four years is worth it. The idea of the P* has grown on me a lot. And quickly. 

Dat Rebel Blue...


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## cfurman (Feb 4, 2008)

here is mine at Euro Hanger 2014 Holland, MI

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkeep/14342790319/in/set-72157645363935926/


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## camoto (Mar 6, 2011)

cfurman said:


> here is mine at Euro Hanger 2014 Holland, MI


Are those the stock wheels painted black? Are you running spacers? Do you have the sport package? (Can't tell if you have paddles and it seems to be sitting quite high)


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## cfurman (Feb 4, 2008)

camoto said:


> Are those the stock wheels painted black? Are you running spacers? Do you have the sport package? (Can't tell if you have paddles and it seems to be sitting quite high)


OEM wheels powdercoated black. Up sized tire to 235/40-18 to fill the wheel gap a little. No spacers, stock non-sport suspension.

I was going to do suspension... But I decided on ordering a S3 when CarPlay gets released. Not going to spend anymore on this ride as for upgrades.


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## camoto (Mar 6, 2011)

cfurman said:


> OEM wheels powdercoated black. Up sized tire to 235/40-18 to fill the wheel gap a little. No spacers, stock non-sport suspension.
> 
> I was going to do suspension... But I decided on ordering a S3 when CarPlay gets released. Not going to spend anymore on this ride as for upgrades.


Ahhh. The tires are the difference I noticed. Do you have any before/after comparisons?


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## misaka (Feb 8, 2013)

Dan Halen said:


> I almost feel like I now have to get one of these because you spent all that time putting this together.
> 
> 
> I think we're going to go drive the V60RD tomorrow so my wife can get a feel for its size and utility to be sure she would be happy driving the P*. She was concerned about the length, but surprisingly, it's shorter than the old Grand Am she had back in college. She got on just fine in that, so I think the size will work. I have a couple dealers to call tomorrow to see if I'm too late to plunk money down on a P*. If I am, so be it. If not, I need to ask myself one last time if a stack a month for four years is worth it. The idea of the P* has grown on me a lot. And quickly.
> ...


I forgot to mention, I love hatches and wagons too. I wish I could have an A3/S3 sportback lol  The volvo also did enter my equations as a possibility. However I rejected it for a few reasons. One is really price. By the time you tick all the boxes, since the pricing on a V60R starts at 45k you're at 53k. The polestar versions with the price of 62k and lack of availability went out of the equation too, but they are nice  I like that rebel blue also. But I think with the availability as it is, dealers won't need to deal with you. Then came the minor issues for me. Being of chinese descent, I am actually quite skeptical of chinese companies and their cars. At no point in time have I thought to myself, "Man! I wish I could buy a Zhejiang Geely!" I do worry about declining reliability and shortcuts taken as cars move forward. And finally there comes perfromance. 62k is good money for a car, but the overall performance is lower than I'd expect for something like a polestar. 4.8 seconds to 60, and a 6 speed slushbox... /slap volvo. Give me an 8 speed auto at least, or a dual clutch. Those are basically Golf R figures, add stage 1 to start spanking the polestar lol. For that price range I might also be in a GLA45 AMG lol 50kish. I thought the GLA was a bit slowish, but the AMG model should be a beast.

It is a sweet car, don't get me wrong. I'd probably be more inclined to hit up the Golf R though in the end. I figured it's going to be just as fast as the polestar and if I get bored, I know there's going to be a tremendous aftermarket, along with some tunes. Volvo on the otherhand, probably will stay stock. 

Good luck with the hunt!


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

My concerns re: Geely aren't as serious as I initially thought they'd be, but that's probably not a factor now. I think I could rationalize $65,000 or so for the Polestar, but I just don't want the extra year of payments. I'm going to sit and wait to see if they languish on lots this winter. If I can get one in the mid 50s, it may become more compelling.

The R-Design is a good drive, but just not where I want to go right now. I'll remain in the same holding pattern I've been in, and if I'm still feeling the S3 when they open ordering for the SS seats and extended leather, I'll order. I also reserve the right to find something else I spend an entire weekend trying to justify before the S3 gets here. 

Golf R, while a good package at a fair price, a) isn't here now (or before the S3) and b) is a MkVII, and VW's styling direction just doesn't do it for me. Also, with the idea of buying now and passing down to my wife later, I want more of a wagon than a hatch. The versatility of the V60 is pretty damn nice. 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## lostnspace (Jul 6, 2014)

Dan, we seem to be cross shopping some of the same cars.

I test drove a Volvo S60 T6 AWD, just to get an idea of the what R-design would be like. I wasn't wowed....wasn't disappointed, it just didn't seem spirited...if that makes sense. The size of A3 I test drove is the sweet spot...and the S60...just seem a bit bloated. If people complain about the feedback from Audi being horrible, I have to say Volvo was the worst offender. But overall the car checked off all my boxes of that I would want in car...it really comes to cost now. I'm willing to go $50K+ on the S3...lol but not so much on the S60...I can see myself in the Audi a lot long for some reason.

I am even consideriung the Lexis IS 350 AWD with the F Sports package or the NX 300t with F Sports Package (this seems like a fun lik CUV)...but sigh, I just don't know. Everything keeps bring me back to the S3.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

That sums up the V60 well. You're more open-minded than I am; I'm not stepping foot on a Lexus lot. :laugh:

... maybe in another 20 years or so. 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Lpforte (Aug 2, 2011)

Dan Halen said:


> That sums up the V60 well. You're more open-minded than I am; I'm not stepping foot on a Lexus lot. :laugh:
> 
> ... maybe in another 20 years or so.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Lexus has been nailing it lately with aesthetics imo, but they are way behind on the times with their engines. No one wants a gutless N/A V6 anymore when they can get smaller and lighter turbo 4/6s that aren't just more powerful but are more engaging to drive and have better fuel economy to boot. I would consider a lexus if they stepped up their game in the performance department, but for now I have 0 interest in buying vehicles that are significantly the slower than anything else in their classes with no tech, handling, etc. advantages to compensate.


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

*ETA noon tomorrow*

My dealer says he will bring my new scuba blue prestige 2.0 Audi A3 to my office tomorrow. Since Monday 6/30, I've been driving a loaner premium 1.8 A3 with no notable upgrades other than 18" wheels and a manual climate control downgrade(!).

If there's interest, I could provide detailed comments on what is has been like driving the 1.8 for over a week and then switching to the 2.0. (I'm hesitant just because I'm not yet sure about the norms here and I don't want be perceived as hijacking the thread.)


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## link1305 (Jun 27, 2014)

ronparr said:


> My dealer says he will bring my new scuba blue prestige 2.0 Audi A3 to my office tomorrow. Since Monday 6/30, I've been driving a loaner premium 1.8 A3 with no notable upgrades other than 18" wheels and a manual climate control downgrade(!).
> 
> If there's interest, I could provide detailed comments on what is has been like driving the 1.8 for over a week and then switching to the 2.0. (I'm hesitant just because I'm not yet sure about the norms here and I don't want be perceived as hijacking the thread.)


Nice! I just ordered a premium plus scuba blue, but it will be another 10 weeks. Did they just ship yours from another dealer?


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## cfurman (Feb 4, 2008)

ronparr said:


> My dealer says he will bring my new scuba blue prestige 2.0 Audi A3 to my office tomorrow. Since Monday 6/30, I've been driving a loaner premium 1.8 A3 with no notable upgrades other than 18" wheels and a manual climate control downgrade(!).
> 
> If there's interest, I could provide detailed comments on what is has been like driving the 1.8 for over a week and then switching to the 2.0. (I'm hesitant just because I'm not yet sure about the norms here and I don't want be perceived as hijacking the thread.)



Congrats!


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## lostnspace (Jul 6, 2014)

Nice. I'd like to read the details. I test drive both and difference is quite noticeable. I was however surprised at the spriteness of the 1.8.


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

link1305 said:


> Nice! I just ordered a premium plus scuba blue, but it will be another 10 weeks. Did they just ship yours from another dealer?


Yup. I'm in NC and they found one that's exactly what I wanted in FL. It turns out that if you show up at a car dealer on the last day of the month, a lot of things become possible.


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

*1.8 comments, 2.0 to follow*

As threatened, here are some comments about my loaner 1.8 model. I apologize for the length. I've just had my 2.0 prestige model for a couple of days. I'll post some comments on the differences after I've had a little more time with it.

First, a little about me: I’m not a car maniac, but I do follow the industry and I do think carefully about what I buy because I tend to hold on to cars for a while. I’ve also been fortunate to grow up in a household that had some nice cars over the years - Mercedes, Jaguar, and BMW. My all time favorite was my Mom’s E36 generation BMW 3-series. Personally, the cars I’ve owned have include an Acura legend coupe, a B5 Passat and a first generation Acura TSX.

*Engine*: The 1.8 is a lovely engine that endearing in a way that is characteristic of small 4 cylinder engines with few of the issues that make small 4’s annoying. Combined with the DSG transmission, the engine goes from idle to high RPMs quickly and smoothly with a pleasant exhaust note. NVH are extremely low. This engine reminds me of the first time I drove a Civic Si, but without the horrible noise. The main negative I should state for this engine is that at very low RPM, the lack of Torque is noticeable. It doesn’t last long, but there can be a brief moment where it feels like the engine trying to find its stride. Once you get past this, the power comes on in a pleasant, steady surge.

*Transmission*: This is complicated. I’ve been driving a manual for the past 15 years, so I expected that VW’s DSG would be an adjustment. What has surprised me is that the adjustments are not in the areas that I expected. Having become accustomed to selecting my own gears and being closely in touch with what was happening with my car, I expected to miss this connected feeling. On the other hand, I expected that I would not miss the frequent footwork required for driving a manual in traffic. 

I’ll start with the bad first - there are some rather awkward things about this transmission that are understandable to a person who has experience with a manual but are likely to be confusing to people who have only driven traditional automatics with torque converters in the past. The first problem is starting from a standstill. The behavior of the car is unpredictable. Sometimes it will eagerly lurch forward. At other times, it will hesitate for what seems like a half second before the clutch kicks in and the car starts to ease forward. There’s the same unpredictability if you try to do a smooth launch - take your foot off the brake and press down moderately on the accelerator and you could be in for a surprise. You might get moderate acceleration, or you might get a pause and then a lurch. If you drive like a Prius owner, then don’t worry - everything will be smooth and fine. If you drive like a maniac then you also shouldn’t worry - lurches and lunges are expected. The difficult thing is the middle driver who wants to accelerate smoothly and briskly. Doing this in a consistent manner requires more practice than one might hope for. There’s an interaction between the DSG and braking that I’ll mention in the section on braking.

Fortunately, there are some really good things to counterbalance the bad: I thought I would miss picking my own gears, but I mostly don’t. The transmission is fast and so smooth (once you get going) that you really need to watch the tachometer or listen carefully to know when it is shifting. If the data are to be believed, this transmission is changing gears about 100X faster than I ever could and, as a result, the car will accelerate faster and use less fuel than if did things myself. Why do I want to control things myself in this context? Vanity? Chauvinism? Of course, there is something to be said for being able to anticipate when a change is needed and set things up so that they are ready just when needed. The reality, however, is that the rare but satisfying anticipatory downshift is achieved just as easily with a quick slap on the gear level to push transmission into sport mode. Since sport mode rather unimaginatively tends to keep the car one gear lower than D mode, it provides exactly what is required for the carefully chosen downshift.

*Steering*: This car provides a fairly convincing simulation of a good steering system. If you don’t pay too much attention, you might think that you are directly controlling things, but if you pay attention, you’ll realize that there is no road feel at all. Aim a single wheel at a nice big pothole and the amazing suspension will absorb the impact and the steering wheel will give you no clue about what just happened. With the current trend towards electrical rather than hydraulic steering systems, one has to wonder if this is the new normal. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. The steering is still nicely weighted (if a little light at parking speeds) and very responsive to your inputs, arguably more responsive than it might be if the road were given an opportunity to tug against your inputs. I can certainly imagine how on the track this lack of feedback could be dangerous, but for normal, even aggressive, driving on public roads, it’s not clear that this is a bad choice. It will take some getting used to though.

*Suspension*: I’m very impressed with what Audi was able to do with this suspension. Compared to my TSX it manages to be both more supple yet still have much less body lean in most situations. I will calmly throw this car around corners at speeds that made me feel uncomfortable in my TSX while still comfortably absorbing bumps that would send a shudder through my TSX. It’s only on some very sharp/deep bumps that the car’s small size and weight become liabilities.

*Brakes*: Overall, I like the feel of the brakes. The only problems is that as I get close to a stop, I can feel what I’m pretty sure is the clutch disengaging. The lack of engine braking causes a sudden change in the feel of the braking system. The end result is that it can be a little challenging to come to a smooth stop. People familiar with a manual will understand why this is happening, but a key difference is that with a manual the driver disengages the clutch and knows exactly when this transition occurs. With the DSG transmission, you don’t know until after it has happened.

*Driving* (overall): Once you get moving and get over the synthetic feel of the steering, this is fun little car. It’s not for everybody, but if you like the feel of a light, small car along with a bit of smoothness and refinement, this car is a great option. It’s almost as fun as a Mazda 3, but much quieter and smoother. It’s much sharper feeling than a Jetta. 

*Stereo*: I’ve read a few complaints about the base radio in reviews. I’m not a hardcore audiophile, but I found it to be acceptable, and a definite step up from my TSX stereo. It has a subwoofer and provides decent clarity. It does occasionally sound a little hollow, but this is not surprising when you realize that some of the sound is coming from speakers that aimed at your lower legs, firing into the footwells of the car, which is true for pretty much all car audio systems.

*Road noise*: This is an area where the lack of objective comparisons can be quite frustrating. You will find A3 reviews that praise the car for its quietness and others than harshly criticize it for its noisiness. People are bad a judging noise on an absolute scale and their memories are not particularly reliable if they are comparing with things they experienced some time ago. In their 3-way comparison with the BMW 228i and Mercedes Benz CLA 250, the 2.0 liter engine in the A3 was in a tie with the others for 70 MPH cruising speed noise and idling noise, but bested the other two in full throttle noise. These are objective measurements of actual sound levels, not subjective impressions. At 67dB, the 70 MPH sound level is quite respectable and certainly comparable to other cars in the class though not at the level of quietest cruisers. My impression after going straight from my TSX to an A3 was that the A3 was a significant improvement. There’s variation with road conditions, but generally if you’re going below 45, its’ extremely quiet and one can listen to classical music and still appreciate the quieter parts. The quality of the road is a big factor in how much noise penetrates the cabin as you go faster. The only way I can describe it is to say that the 1.8 A3 I’ve been driving sounds about as loud as my TSX if the TSX were going 10-20 MPH faster. In other words, the A3 at 70 seems about as loud as the TSX at 50.

*“Panoramic” sunroof*: I generally don’t care about sunroofs, but I like this more than I thought I would. The best part is that a well-designed wind blocker pops up in the leading edge of the opening. This lets you go 40-50 with very little wind noise or buffeting. It’s currently too hot to keep the sunroof open during the day, but I have found it can be quite pleasant during an evening drive. One thing I’m still not sure about is the cheesecloth sunroof shade. It’s not entirely opaque, so you always have at least a little light coming through.

*Seating*: The standard seats have a good range of adjustability, but they aren’t particularly wide. This is not a car for obese people. Rear headroom is a little tight for people on the tall side of average. The rear seats have a somewhat shallow appearance, stopping short of the carpeted floor beneath them. My impression is that this car can comfortably accommodate 4 medium sized people, but really only two tall people. I note that the Road and Track review of the A3 which complained about the seats being too high (they’re actually rather low) and the steering column being too far way does not seem to conform with reality. I can only conclude that their tester was a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

*Dashboard* (overall): I’ll state upfront that I was immediately drawn to the clean dash with big, round vents and minimal controls. I realize that not everybody reacts this way. The overall design is strongly oriented towards keeping your hands on the steering wheel or near the shifter and this is a good thing. Before you learn the MMI interface, there will be moments where you will look down towards the shifter, a potentially more dangerous distraction than looking towards the dash. Once learned, however, this should be a safer way to control things.

*MMI*: My stripped down car did not have a navigation system and had just the 5” MMI screen. Although a few operations take more clicks than they should, and few things are counterintuitive, it seems very livable overall and an improvement over clusters of tiny phyical buttons. A few touches are really nice: There is a volume control knob to the right of the shifter and a dial on the steering column. This makes it easy for your copilot to adjust things without encroaching on the driver’s space. As I am accustomed to keeping my right near a shift knob, I also found it close to my right hand on many occasions. The knob can also be used to skip tracks or move between presets by pushing it left or right. In addition to the pop up flat panel, a display between the speedo and tach makes it fairly easy for the driver to make adjustments without glancing away. On slightly odd thing noted by a cnet reviewer is that the steering wheel controls that can be used to skip tracks with a phone connected by wire do not work with a bluetooth audio connection. The workarounds are to use the volume knob by the shifter or program the asterisk button on the steering column to skip tracks.

*Climate control*: My loaner car was downgraded with a manual climate control system. I didn’t notice this possibility on the option sheet for the car, so it may some special thing that dealers can get to discourage potential purchasers(?). Despite this, I can say that the A/C seemed reasonably powerful and that the bulbous vents provided an effective one-touch way to direct airflow.

*Trunk*: It’s small. What did you expect?

*Interior* (overall): In its stripped down form, the A3 interior still has some appealing Euro-minimalist feel that generally avoids feeling cheap, but also falls short of extravagant. The ergonomics are generally very good. 

*Overall*: The 1.8 A3 has a few quirks and may not strike the right balance for everybody, but it does what a small luxury sedan should do: It forces you to give up less. It provides levels of performance and comfort together that can be obtained only separately in the high trim levels of the mid-range brands. It's quick, responsive, and has a light and fun feel that makes it generally a very pleasant experience to drive.


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

*2.0 Prestige in scuba blue*

Here's the new car. More detailed comments to follow in a few days:


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## lostnspace (Jul 6, 2014)

ronparr said:


> Here's the new car. More detailed comments to follow in a few days:


Sweet! Is that Scuba blue?

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

Yes - scuba blue with a gray interior.


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## cfurman (Feb 4, 2008)

ronparr said:


> Yes - scuba blue with a gray interior.


Congrats on the purchase!


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## misaka (Feb 8, 2013)

Now put up some pics or videos of those LEDs in action  and more pics. or... do a Photosphere or use Bubli on iphone  inside the car.


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## IgorRGTI (Apr 7, 2010)

So might be moving to Dallas soon, and the wife is interested in the A3, any recommendations on Dallas dealers once were there?


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

misaka said:


> Now put up some pics or videos of those LEDs in action  and more pics. or... do a Photosphere or use Bubli on iphone  inside the car.


I think a panoramic shot might be more trouble than it's worth. I'm including a shot of the interior below to give a sense of what a difference the gray makes. When you get the gray, you don't just get gray seats - you get gray mats, a gray bottom half of the dash, and most of the doors. It really lightens up the interior of the car and gives it (IMO) a somewhat more upscale look than the solid black.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

I will agree that German interiors, Audi and Volkswagens in particular, can have a certain darth-vaderish bleakness to them. I've never been much of a grey interior fan, but you are right, it definitely lightens things up a bunch.


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## tt-ho (May 26, 2011)

Travis Grundke said:


> I will agree that German interiors, Audi and Volkswagens in particular, can have a certain darth-vaderish bleakness to them. I've never been much of a grey interior fan, but you are right, it definitely lightens things up a bunch.


black/grey interior certainly looks nice with the seats. I just hate having light color carpets on the bottom. itll show dirt too easily and you'd have to clean it pretty often lol


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

tt-ho said:


> black/grey interior certainly looks nice with the seats. I just hate having light color carpets on the bottom. itll show dirt too easily and you'd have to clean it pretty often lol


Yes, the dirt is a concern. I've had cars with light colored interiors before and found it manageable, but that was when I lived in CA. I got the all weather floor mats for the winter months.


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## melillobm (Jul 17, 2004)

ronparr said:


> As threatened, here are some comments about my loaner 1.8 model. I apologize for the length. I've just had my 2.0 prestige model for a couple of days. I'll post some comments on the differences after I've had a little more time with it.
> 
> First, a little about me: I’m not a car maniac, but I do follow the industry and I do think carefully about what I buy because I tend to hold on to cars for a while. I’ve also been fortunate to grow up in a household that had some nice cars over the years - Mercedes, Jaguar, and BMW. My all time favorite was my Mom’s E36 generation BMW 3-series. Personally, the cars I’ve owned have include an Acura legend coupe, a B5 Passat and a first generation Acura TSX.
> 
> ...


I love this review. It is every impression I have with the car too-- especially the transmission! Coming from a manual trans myself, I understand why the trans is doing things and it makes sense to me, but I also had the same thought about people who never drove a manual before. They would probably say things like it is unrefined or harsh when breaking.


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## steve111b (Jun 2, 2011)

I enjoyed reading your comments ronparr. Nice work.

Here are a few things that may help you with the DSG.

1. Bite point. Place the DSG in N, now release the brake, push the brake just hard enough for the DSG to go into D. Now push the brake hard to the floor. The bite point is likely at the 50% place in the total brake travel.

2. Default start. With the DSG in D release the brake and the car creeps forward. I call this the default start. This is fine if you want to creep forward, not so good if you want to pull away with some speed. If you combine the default start with a later application of the throttle you get hesitation.

3. Beating the default start. If you want to pull away with speed you need to beat the default start. Moving your foot very quickly off the brake onto the throttle will beat the default start. You need to be quick about it. At first try to stab the throttle (release right away) with about 300rpm.

4. Control the pitch. On a default start the car will stay level. Apply a good dose of power and the front will rise up. Decide on an amount of throttle and hold steady, let the car come to you. If you increase the throttle before the car has been able to digest your first input the car will bog down.

5. Fancy footwork. With the car in drive, lightly holding the brakes, slide your heel over to the right so it lines up with the throttle. Slide your heel back so your big toe is pushing the far right side of the brake pedal. You do not have far to go to set your foot on the throttle from the brake.

6. Cold DSG. If it is cold it is going to be prone to jerks and lurches. Easy solution is to drive slowly (especially the first half dozen starts). The DSG will be hot some time after the coolant shows normal. The engine oil temperature is a better match to the DSG.

7. Timing. There is one less pedal (than a manual) so you will need to slip the clutch with time and a wise choice of throttle. I found it odd to grasp that I could slip the clutch. Cold weather is a great time to see how the clutch can slip.

Hope you can find something in the above to make you smile when driving the DSG.


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## ronparr (Jun 27, 2014)

Thanks very much for those tips!

My initial impressions are that it's much easier to get a smooth start with the 2.0.


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## steve111b (Jun 2, 2011)

You're welcome.


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## AdamF (Apr 30, 2002)

Got mine about a month ago. Tinted couple weeks ago. I'm liking it more and more every day. I live right near AWE in PA. Waiting for GIAC to come out and debating a reflash.


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## SKOpa (Mar 2, 2016)

*2016 A3 S-Line Cabriolet in Monsoon Grey*

Hello, I just took delivery of my 2016 A3 S-Line Cabriolet. Yes I do get a lot of looks especially up here in Saskatchewan Canada with snow on the side of the roads and the top down. I thought one guy was going to walk right into the tree in his yard staring/drooling. Haven't had a chance to take a photo yet...... Awesome ride...


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