Should I Purchase an A3?

Gangles

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Location
East Coast of America
TDI
2012 Audi A3 TDI Hatch
Hey all,

Thinking about selling my Golf TDI and picking up an A3 TDI Wagon. From those who own them are these cars reliable & worth considering?

Thanks!
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
How's your Golf's condition? Are you tired of it? If it's clean cosmetically my first choice would be to invest in that car, make it as close to perfect as possible, and keep driving it. You can easily get another 100-200K out of it if you take care of it.

The A3 is a nice car, but it'll be an automatic, probably get FE in the mid to high 30s, and will cost far more to maintain than your ALH. It'll be quieter and more comfortable on long drives, but otherwise you're not getting a lot for the additional cost.

But if you're tired of the '03, or if it's in tough shape (especially if it needs exterior paint) then maybe it's time for a change. If you decide to go that route I'd probably look at a MKVI Golf with a manual transmission before the A3.
 

flee

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Location
Chatsworth, CA
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS wagon
The A3 is solid and reliable; mine had almost 100k miles on when VW bought it back.
The negatives for me were the poor (for a TDI) fuel milage and an uncomfortable seat.
I had the DSG tune from AARodriguez and would recommend that for sure.
No regrets and I would still be driving it but the buyback was too generous to pass up.
 

Gangles

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Location
East Coast of America
TDI
2012 Audi A3 TDI Hatch
Thanks for the info/questions. My Golf runs and drives great aside from smoking (oil burning) if I corner, brake, or accelerate too fast. There is no loss of power while it smokes. It us an odd thing and no one seems to have an answer. I spent $1200 on new parts/labor through a local TDI Guru and that did not fix the issue. Body-wise, the paint is great. There is 1 dent (Fender), the rear hatch handle is starting to some show age/rust, and there is rust on the fenders at the rockers (The typical Mk4 rust). Inside is pretty clean with the black leather seats.





The reason I want an A3 TDI Wagon is ... it's an Audi TDI. Plus I want a bit more room over what my Golf can provide.

Honestly, everything I look at points towards the smart buy being the Jetta TDI SportWagen, but I like the Audi. I can deal with an automatic if I must. I bought the Golf back in 2014 as I had a 63 mile round trip commute. I purchased a closer house and now have a have a 28 mile round trip commute so top fuel efficiency is not as important.

I am 6'4", and one thing I read on the A3 Wagon is the limited driver seat space. I need to sit in both the Audi and the Jetta SportWagen and see if I fit comfortable in both. Unfortunately, the closest A3 Wagon for sale is 65+ miles away so it's not as simple as I would like.

The other question is what is my car worth? I have seen them from $1500-$5000.

Thanks,
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I don't think you're going to find the front seats in the Audi much bigger than the Golf. More room in back, but not a ton more. If you're 6'4" it's unlikely someone would be able to sit behind you in the A3 (or a Sportwagen, for that matter). Two door Golfs are pretty friendly to taller people. The length of the doors make a big difference when the seat is pushed back.

I wonder if the oil consumption in your Golf is a worn turbo.

My prediction is you'll miss the MKIV when it's gone. I have a '15 GSW I bought to replace my '02 Jetta Wagon, which now has 383K miles on it. Guess which one I drive every day.

At 310K miles with an oil consumption issue and some rust, your car is probably worth closer to $1,500 than $5,000. Another reason to keep it.
 
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Gangles

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Location
East Coast of America
TDI
2012 Audi A3 TDI Hatch
I don't think you're going to find the front seats in the Audi much bigger than the Golf. More room in back, but not a ton more. If you're 6'4" it's unlikely someone would be able to sit behind you in the A3 (or a Sportwagen, for that matter). Two door Golfs are pretty friendly to taller people. The length of the doors make a big difference when the seat is pushed back.

I wonder if the oil consumption in your Golf is a worn turbo.

My prediction is you'll miss the MKIV when it's gone. I have a '15 GSW I bought to replace my '02 Jetta Wagon, which now has 383K miles on it. Guess which one I drive every day.

At 310K miles with an oil consumption issue and some rust, your car is probably worth closer to $1,500 than $5,000. Another reason to keep it.
Thanks. I guess I would rather upgrade into better tech and want a little more room for my two Siberian Huskies as well. I feel I'm also bored with the Golf and just want something newer/nicer.

I don't mind dropping $ to replace the turbo to boost resale value. However, the turbo boosts great (After replacement of the actuator) and sounds great. Fuel Efficiency is steady. Oil consumption has remained steady since I purchased the car in 2014. I can drive the car for months without smoking ... if I don't accelerate, brake, or corner too quickly:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=494998

-Rick
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Well there's your answer. If you're bored with the Golf it's probably time for a change. Any money you spend on it now will probably not feel good.

I saw your thread, I can only guess that the oil use has something to do with the oil pickup/pump or blowby getting into the combustion chambers when you corner hard. Maybe not the turbo. If you're selling the car I certainly wouldn't replace it if you're not sure.
 

KITEWAGON

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Location
Seacoast, NH
TDI
2014 Touareg Exec, 2014 JSW
Well there's your answer. If you're bored with the Golf it's probably time for a change. Any money you spend on it now will probably not feel good.

I saw your thread, I can only guess that the oil use has something to do with the oil pickup/pump or blowby getting into the combustion chambers when you corner hard. Maybe not the turbo. If you're selling the car I certainly wouldn't replace it if you're not sure.
I agree with both thoughts. Definitely don't try to fix the car to sell it. And if you think its time to move on then it probably is. All the fixed TDI's are good deals now in my opinion.

In terms of Audi A3 vs JSW/GSW I think you'd be well served to drive all 3. I don't think the A3 is much bigger than your Golf. I suspect the cockpit is pretty similar in all 3 cars. I love the look of the A3 hatchback (I wouldn't call it a wagon) but the DSG is a deal-breaker for me and I like the extra utility of the wagon. Plus the JSW's are easier to find and have gotten pretty dirt cheap.

You probably get 45 to 50 MPG in your Golf. I'd plan on 35 mpg average in the A3 with the DSG. I'd say 38 MPG if you get a JSW with the 6-speed. I'm not sure about the GSW, but I know you'll get the best mileage of all in these. It sounds like mileage isn't a big concern anyway.
 

tdiv

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Location
Boston, MA
TDI
2003 VW Jetta TDI
The A3 is sweet! But I would keep your golf looks like a great car. Try comping your car on sites like autotrader, cargurus and autolist. I think you could get a decent amount for it. We all love TDI's and I think the general public does too.
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
If you want a larger cabin space with enough room for someone to sit comfortably you're going to have to move into a mid-sized or cuv/suv, which is the Passat or larger.

The Jettas, the Golfs, and the A3s are all comparable year to year. If you sit in one, you'll have sat in them all.

My suggestion, for what it's worth, is to scratch your itch for modern convenience with a 2015 TDI. My buddy is 6' 7" and he was going through the same decision and fit luxuriously in a 2015 Passat. He has an English Pointer. I asked him if he was buying the car for the comfort of any potential buddies or family he has to cart around or himself and his dog? I found him a steal on a 2015 Golf and he loves it.

My GSW and his Golf are the same. My Beetle and your Golf are close to the same. My GSW is much more comfortable than the Beetle, but the Beetle is not uncomfortable by any means. My buddy has a tight fit in the Beetle's passenger seat, slid all the way back with his knees kinda up in the door and dash. He fits comfortably in his Golf with the seat all the way back and fully adjusted. The back seats are flat for his dog, but there wouldn't be room for an adult to sit behind him if the seats were upright.

I don't know what you could get for your golf, but it's a desirable model. The 2 door Golf commands the higher end of the ALH market, imo, but the condition of the engine is a significant hit to the value. If you got a couple thousand for it, would it be worth it to sell?

My beetle isn't likely to get me more than a couple thousand and only if I found the right buyer. Whenever I get bored I throw something fun on mine, like nozzles or a turbo. If you have the room I'd suggest turning that Golf into your fun weekend car.
 

Gangles

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Location
East Coast of America
TDI
2012 Audi A3 TDI Hatch
Thank you all again for the information! It is much appreciated. I am pretty set on the A3 Wagon. I am also considering a 91k mile BMW 328dX wagon at $15,000, though that's at the high end of what I want to spend. I have a co-worker who I may just sell my TDI to. He's a VW guy. I live in a suburban "city." My driveway tightly fits my VW & Jeep. Street parking, though for residents only, is limited. It's a very popular town and fills up fast, especially on weekends. If I had more space I'd consider keeping it and picking up a wagon, but that's not an option at this time.
 
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Terry270

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Location
BG, KY
TDI
03 golf, 10 A3
Too funny, I daily an 03 2 door Golf and the wife has a 2010 A3 TDI. It's a great car, we liked it enough to opt for the fix and take the cash rather than do the buyback. It's up to 253k now! One thing about it though is that you're only going to see high 30s at best stock. Once deleted and tuned you'll get better. She has entered fuel ups with fuelly since 80k miles so it's well tracked. It gets 42-45 consistently now and we both drive with a heavy foot.
 

Gangles

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Location
East Coast of America
TDI
2012 Audi A3 TDI Hatch
Too funny, I daily an 03 2 door Golf and the wife has a 2010 A3 TDI. It's a great car, we liked it enough to opt for the fix and take the cash rather than do the buyback. It's up to 253k now! One thing about it though is that you're only going to see high 30s at best stock. Once deleted and tuned you'll get better. She has entered fuel ups with fuelly since 80k miles so it's well tracked. It gets 42-45 consistently now and we both drive with a heavy foot.
This is great news, thank you! Any recommendations on what I should look for (avoid or typical issues) when looking at an A3?

Thanks!
 

Terry270

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Location
BG, KY
TDI
03 golf, 10 A3
This is great news, thank you! Any recommendations on what I should look for (avoid or typical issues) when looking at an A3?
Thanks!
What I tell everyone about owning any CR TDI is this

1. 2micron HPFP kit or cp3 swap (after warranty is out)
2. 2micron serpentine belt kit (rare failure but happened to me!)
3. Delete and tune (after warranty)

I have run only shell or BP diesel since I've owned it and I recently took apart the pump to check things out and the cam and roller looked great. Good quality diesel is a must for these things
 

Gangles

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Location
East Coast of America
TDI
2012 Audi A3 TDI Hatch
What I tell everyone about owning any CR TDI is this
1. 2micron HPFP kit or cp3 swap (after warranty is out)
2. 2micron serpentine belt kit (rare failure but happened to me!)
3. Delete and tune (after warranty)
I have run only shell or BP diesel since I've owned it and I recently took apart the pump to check things out and the cam and roller looked great. Good quality diesel is a must for these things
Thank you! I'm picking up a 2012 on Saturday!





 

KITEWAGON

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Location
Seacoast, NH
TDI
2014 Touareg Exec, 2014 JSW
Great pictures. I love the look of the A3 hatch. If they had made it with a stick shift I'd own one right now.
 
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