Pricing on A3 Quattros

[msommers]

Curious what a fair price range is for 2010+ Audi A3 Quattros - Don't think I'd want to go any older than that. Would be looking in Alberta and BC (how do you deal with PST if dealer bought in BC?) and prefer a wagon if I had the choice, though I'm not sure if that carries a premium or makes any difference. The S-line has a few added things but what specifically I'll have to look into.

Reason being if I get a job in town or go back to take my Master's, which either option is looking more and more realistic, the 4R is a little excessive for a predominantly in-town vehicle despite how much I adore it.

Is the TFSI engine in these pretty solid? Fit/finish is decent? Quattro is as good as I keep reading? Loads of time to look, not looking to buy or sell anytime soon.

[TYMSMNY]

paging Sorath.

[GTS Jeff]

The model refresh came in 2009, so you should include that. I like the car a lot, many things to like about it:

-excellent motor, smooth, quiet, and powerful. Easy to tune. Reliable as it's been continually improved on over the years. Not sure about the carbon buildup issue with DI, but I wouldn't want to keep it long enough to find out either.
-DSG is amazing, quick, smooth, and responsive as hell. The launch control is a gimmick but who cares...
-Haldex Quattro in this car may not be great for track use (wouldn't know) but I do know it's pretty damned bulletproof in the winter. Light years ahead of Subaru's AWD system IMO
-fit and finish is ridiculously good, especially considering that it's entry level for the brand
-I love the fuel economy, seems great for a turbo AWD wagon
-helps that it's got great safety ratings
-I like how it looks with a pano roof

Price depends on mileage and condition. Worth every penny though, IMO.

[gulfstorm]

^^^ Agree with above. The pano roof in black contrasts nicely with brighter exterior colours. I have a '12 s-line, fwd, manual and love this car to bits. It has grown on me but I do wish I got quattro. It is a hydraulic set up (engages/disengages the rear wheels) as opposed to torsen set up on the rest on audi line up which distributes torque accordingly. Still it is lighter and can in theory send more power to the rear wheels.

Easy to mod with a ECU tune of your choice.

I do believe that sline suspension was standard in quattro models for '12 but not for '10..something look into.

The rear seats do feel a bit more cramped than a golf gti (comparable drivetrain) but the advantage is a nicer exterior look with a sloped sportback roofline.

Price wise I would be thinking mid 20's but that is purely a guess.

[blitz]

I had an 08 and it was a great car. FWD because I wanted a manual, never had any problems in the snow with good winter tires.

I thought the interior finishes were great. I had the S-line model that I think had the upgraded seats.

I'd personally go for an S-line, 2.0T, DSG, Quattro. I prefered the pre-facelift look (looked meaner to me). Black optics grill makes a huge difference in looks and is worth purchasing IMO. Mine has eibach springs too.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6128/5928349973_1caf001b12_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryankarr/5928349973/)
New Shoes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryankarr/5928349973/) by ryankarr (http://www.flickr.com/people/ryankarr/), on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6099/5904008238_0cac08e249_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryankarr/5904008238/)
A3 2.0T (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryankarr/5904008238/) by ryankarr (http://www.flickr.com/people/ryankarr/), on Flickr

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by gulfstorm
^^^ Agree with above. The pano roof in black contrasts nicely with brighter exterior colours. I have a '12 s-line, fwd, manual and love this car to bits. It has grown on me but I do wish I got quattro. It is a hydraulic set up (engages/disengages the rear wheels) as opposed to torsen set up on the rest on audi line up which distributes torque accordingly. Still it is lighter and can in theory send more power to the rear wheels.

Easy to mod with a ECU tune of your choice.

I do believe that sline suspension was standard in quattro models for '12 but not for '10..something look into.

The rear seats do feel a bit more cramped than a golf gti (comparable drivetrain) but the advantage is a nicer exterior look with a sloped sportback roofline.

Price wise I would be thinking mid 20's but that is purely a guess.

S-line suspension is fantastic IMO. Very understated and mild lowering (vs. ricer slam shit) and it is quite comfortable while being a bit sportier.

Rear leg room does suffer, and you'll have to decide just how important that is to you. Another thing I dislike about the car is the terrible stereo. The Chorus option is brutal and the Concert option is still terrible. No idea what the highest level sounds like though...

[msommers]

This is great info, thanks a bunch guys. Relieved to hear that the engine and Quattro system are as good as I initially thought, just need something well built on the inside, looks good and is built to last. At the end of the day, it needs to be reliable and drive through winter with ease, which this vehicle seems to do as a price point that isn't out of my range. I'm hoping that if I were to sell the 4R, there would be some money left over for rainy day repairs. I was thinking around 25K-ish should be doable for one of these.

Reason why I didn't want to go earlier than 2010 was to attain some remaining warranty for a couple years at minimum; preferably it'd be a 2012 if I had a choice.

Again appreciate the comments and feedback. It doesn't necessarily have to be all positive, though helps if there isn't much to complain about either :)

[Sorath]

I have a 09 sline 2.0t quattro. alot of quattros are 3.2.

the stronic transmission is a dsg if you didnt know yet. i do not know if the 3.2 comes in a dsg.

My previous car was an 09 gti, personally i thought the gti drove better than the a3. but in winter the quattro is definately more stable.

I mostly love the car, the gas mileage is good, my panoramic sunroof is nice. trunk fits my hockey bag.

Stuff i dont like is that I could not get bluetooth for my factory stereo. room is alot small(rear), which might not be an issue for you since i settled for an a3 since i couldnt find an a4 avant i wanted to spend my money on.

I also flashed my with the APR stage 1. feels really good



If i got a good offer i would probably sell it.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Autos.ca does a decent job of reviewing and pointing out the trouble prone areas on used vehicles:

http://www.autos.ca/used-car-reviews/used-vehicle-review-audi-a3-2006Ð2013/?all=1

Cole's Notes:

The Verdict: Stick with a 2.0T manual model where possible for lower purchase prices, higher availability and lower running costs. A TDI will prove better on fuel, but more expensive to buy and harder to find. The V6 engine will cost the most to fuel and maintain in the long run.

Buying from a certified pre-owned program at an Audi dealer is likely the safest bet Ð but be positive to have a mechanic confirm that the model youÕre considering isnÕt suffering from the well-documented carbon buildup issues. This may require removal of the intake manifold for a visual inspection, or a compression test.

[GTS Jeff]

I think the 2.0T is a better choice than the 3.2, especially in Calgary. Sorath, my 09 2.0T Quattro S-line DSG has factory bluetooth, but even if it didn't, a Dension unit would add BT and USB functionality.

I don't think you can get Quattro and manual together...but Quattros do go for wayyyy more than the FWD model used.

OP, if you list an expected mileage, I can give you a ballpark price, as I followed A3s for almost a year before buying one.

[msommers]

No problem, Jeff. I think around 15-20,000km/yr seems reasonable. If I bought a 2012 2.0T Quattro today, for example, I'd be hoping for ~30,000km +/-5k.

I'd actually prefer if it wasn't a manual. For a DD, I just can't get into it anymore like I used to be able to.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by msommers
No problem, Jeff. I think around 15-20,000km/yr seems reasonable. If I bought a 2012 2.0T Quattro today, for example, I'd be hoping for ~30,000km +/-5k.

I'd actually prefer if it wasn't a manual. For a DD, I just can't get into it anymore like I used to be able to. So a 2010 2.0T Quattro S-Line with 70k I would think would be around $27k.

[heavyD]

You hear a lot of VW/Audi bad reliability talk on the internet but my brother has owned a 2007 A3 Quattro S-Line since essentially new and it's held up incredibly well as far as paint and interior and he's had pretty well zero issues with it. Great car.

[msommers]

The problem I'm finding is stock, even to get a sense of what to expect. The 2.0T quattros seem more available in the A4 models.

I'll have to do more research to decipher all the differences between the A3/A4, s-line/regular etc. I'm hoping in 6 months - 1 year, I can easily get into a two year old lower mileage vehicle for $30k.

Thanks guys!

[msommers]

Bump!

Looking more into this and thinking more and more about changing things up to something I mentioned previously here, 2011/12 2.0T Quattro S-Line Wagon. They can be had for ~25K and selling my 4R should give me a couple grand at least for a rainy day fund.

The Quattro is a must and it seems like the 2.0T is the best of the motors to get. However Royal Oak has a TFSI with extended factory warranty which is appealing but this vehicle needs to be reliable and not overly expensive to fix for the next few years. My 4R has been bulletproof with just regular maintenance for 120,000km with absolutely no signs of it slowing. There will be a lot of highway travel expected between Edmonton and Calgary.

Ad in question:
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2011-audi-a3-2-0t-prem-s-line-at-qtro/1040159102?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

Another vehicle that comes to mind are the non-turbo Impreza wagons (the turbos being out of my price range I think). I'm fixated on the wagon simply for style but also for cargo room for large backpacks.

The AWD system is appealing however these two brands in terms of fit and finish are drastically different. But reliability wise I don't know how they compare if someone could comment. Ultimately the reliability side of things outweighs the luxury, if it comes down to it.

[Canucks3322]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned, but the TFSI engines are loud...loud like something's wrong loud, but not...you get used to it though, it's a loud ticking like a diesel, kind of takes away from the niceness of the car.

I've had my 07 A3 S-Line for about 5 months and love it, it's DSG with FWD though which blows driving on snow/ice beccause it is physically impossible to start off in 2nd gear and with so much torque it just spins the tires, and this is on flat, I've been lucky enough knock on wood to not have to start up on any inclines so far....so ya, I'll probably get something with Quattro next winter...

Fit and finish...this is my first Audi and wow, they are beautiful...mine's white with the black pano roof too...now I understand when people say Audi/VW have such nice interiors...

I don't think I would upgrade to the 09' to 14s though, love the new 2015s too much but I would prefer the hatch for practicality because these are small cars to begin with...not sure when we'll get the hatch version...

A bit off topic though, what and how much to install good quality lowering springs in Calgary? looking for mild drop...if anyone of you have noticed, the wheel gap is bigger in the front than back, I briefly read a cheap fix but cant remember it...

[cam_wmh]

Comes down to how much you want Quattro, and the appearance of the A3.

As the 8P A3's are a 15 year old platform, you'll find MK5 Golf & GTi's that are cheaper, w/ more variety, & better interiors.

[HiTempguy1]

So, what is your reason for doing this?

You've already paid for the depreciation of the 4runner, and my initial searches show that I personally doubt you will have a "couple grand" left over after the sale of the 4runner and buying a nice condition/low km/with warranty A3.

Sure, the 4runner gets awful mileage, but really, we are talking an extra $1k per year in fuel if you drive 30,000kms a year compared to the A3. A 4runner isn't a huge vehicle by any stretch of the imagination, DD'ing the old 93 chevy was fine in Calgary or Edmonton, the newer 3/4 ton is harder but doable.

On top of that, the 4runner should be dead-reliable, which is not a safe assumption to make on the Audi.

[msommers]

I guess the point is that I'm looking for something more refined and more fun to drive that isn't outrageously expensive to buy and maintain. The problem is reliability is a big concern which is hard because I know how reliable my 4R has been over the last 4 years and pretty much all its history.

Just want to know what I'd be in for and if it's inline with my expectations and budget.

[GTS Jeff]

I think in general, people who want long term reliability and low repair costs stay away from German makes. With that said, I never really felt like I had any huge issues with the car either.

Except when the battery died. It cost $200 to replace because new batteries need to be coded in at the dealer.

[msommers]

Jeff, would you feel comfortable owning one out of warranty (or do you presently)?

[Sorath]

Do it, i love my 09. its too bad the wife has stolen it from me :(

Only thing i had gone wrong is i had a coilpack go on it. $300 fix :dunno:

[Mitsu3000gt]

Only thing to keep in mind with leasebacks that has always scared me is that it was likely bagged to sh*t, since that is one big perk of leasing. I personally would not buy a lease back since I have seen so many of them abused, but you never know. Helps to find out more about the previous owner in that case if you can (older enthusiast vs guy in his 20's with rich parents).

From my experience, I wouldn't think twice about buying another Audi from a reliability standpoint. Over 5-6 years I had not one single issue with either of my daily driven S4's, but everyone seems to have their own unique experiences (good or bad) with pretty much any brand you ask about. I believe my brother's GTI has that same 2.0T/DSG drive train in it as well, and I know he hasn't had any problems in the few years he's owned it.

There's always George @ TuneDub if something needs fixing for a fair price.

[XylathaneGTR]

Originally posted by msommers
Jeff, would you feel comfortable owning one out of warranty (or do you presently)?
I'll throw in my own thoughts: I currently own an out of warranty audi (2007) and I'm pretty comfortable with it, though a big factor was knowing that it had a long and well documented service history. It rides very smoothly and everything feels nice, solid, and tight...though any newer vehicle would feel like an upgrade to my tried and true 2000 subaru.

I wouldn't hesitate buying another out of warranty if I knew it had been well cared for and maintained.

[Jeff TYPE R]

Originally posted by msommers
Jeff, would you feel comfortable owning one out of warranty (or do you presently)? That's a loaded question. My wife's was under Audi extended warranty up until last month. I still own it and have no plans to sell it. In fact, I just did APR Stage 1 and R8 coils for it.

[msommers]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
That's a loaded question. My wife's was under Audi extended warranty up until last month. I still own it and have no plans to sell it. In fact, I just did APR Stage 1 and R8 coils for it.

Sorry that wasn't my intention. Everyone responding seems to have bought older ones as well, just wanted more feedback. Thanks!

[Jeff TYPE R]

Originally posted by msommers


Sorry that wasn't my intention. Everyone responding seems to have bought older ones as well, just wanted more feedback. Thanks! I'd go for it, but consider buying extended warranty.