What can I expect on a New A3 TDI vs our trusty '05 Jetta TDI

We are in the market for a new car come October. Son will inherit my 2002 Jetta GL, I'll get the 2005 Jetta TDI GLS from my Wife.
We've been eying the A3 TDI but have many concerns if it'll be near the great auto the '05 Jetta has been. I know there is much said about issues with the PD engine. We bought ours new (leftover) and at 181K has been one of the best vehicles owned to date. Never a major issue more than the lift pump failure, couple glow plugs, glow plug harness, coolant level sensor. I fixed the lift pump from great info gathered here and saved a pile of money. I've kept up maint and run only Amsoil 5w40 meeting the VW spec. No worn out came issue here. I do plan to replace it at 225k or so when next t.belt is due, just as a precaution. However, when valve cover is off for inspection and lobes are fine it'll stay in for another 80K or so.
Enough on the Jetta.
I have test driven the A3 a couple times and seems like a fine, fine auto. My concern is the new engine and the required def additive and it's effects on longevity of the engine etc. I have been told by more than 1 VW repair shop to stay away from the new common rail tdi's. That they have issues far greater than the PD and earlier engines. My wife is spoiled with the fuel mileage our Diesel VW averages and would like to stay with one. We would just like a bit higher level trim level car. The A3 fits the bill about perfect. I have also heard the 2.0turbo gas models aren't that great either.
Again this is all from a reputable local VW shop specializing in repairs on gas and diesel VW's.
He did say they are nice cars but once warranty is up, dump it! We buy our cars to own and run for many years and miles, like the Jetta.


I'm sure it's been asked and answered, are any of my Questions / Concerns warranted? Should I shy away from the great VW/Audi Diesels I've come to really enjoy over the years?

My apology for the long winded question.

Thanks

MU

I can't help other than to say that in 6500 miles, I've no reliability issues what so ever with the car. FWIW, at least on this board, I havent seen anyone complain about any reliability problems with the latest motor or in any area for that matter. Certainly, we not seeing irate owners piling in here, so theres as yet is no major pattern showing up with respect to initial defects. Of course, at least in the US, the cars are relatively rare none of the cars are more than a couple of years old yet so this doesnt speak to longevity long term, but certainly its a good sign. Personally, given the kind of miles your talking, I'd be less concerned about the motor and more so with the dct.

Buying a car is always a crap shoot to some degree. My Golf R blew a motor after 10K miles due to a faulty water pump... became a known issue with the first ones in the US. First engine I've ever lost to a mechanical defect in 40+ years of driving. So you just never know until you or a bunch of other people, actually get there.

Thanks for response.
What is dct?

The engine in the a3 is the same as in the new VW jetta/passat/golf, correct?

MU

munderhill said:

Thanks for response.
What is dct?

The engine in the a3 is the same as in the new VW jetta/passat/golf, correct?

MU

Click to expand...

dct = dual clutch transmission. AFAIK, yes the motors are the same.

Thank You

I'm surprised not more comments from Mechanic's on the reliability of these cars/engines. I guess there are not many mechanic's on here?


MU

munderhill said:

I'm surprised not more comments from Mechanic's on the reliability of these cars/engines. I guess there are not many mechanic's on here?


MU

Click to expand...

These cars are 1, brand new and 2, kind of rare. I'm willing to bet nobody on here has one out of warranty yet. Going to be a while before we know what will go wrong with them down the road.

If I can chime in about Audi and their customer service, it would be that they've treated me with the most respect and care for my vehicle of any dealer I've dealt with (euro, us, and Japanese). I've now got 27.1k on my A6 and 26k on the jetta.

While they're both different engines, the CR technology seems to be fine. I've had only two items go on the jetta, ac compressor and window regulator. Audi has been spot free from the day I bought it.

One thing to keep in mind though, these newer cars are chock full of technology. Audi MMi updates cost money and the dsg transmission as vw calls it or S Tronic in Audi speak needs a ~$400 oil change every so often.

The petrol engines offered are fine motors and are renowned in the VAG lineup. Since the initial 2.0 improvements have been made. I wouldn't doubt they are more prone to breaking than older engines, but the fact of the matter is its getting hard to find a traditional old-school engine setup with no Turbo or Computer needed to work on.

I just picked up my A3 TDI at the of July. It's my first diesel. How do I find out if it's still under warranty?

MoodyTDI said:

I just picked up my A3 TDI at the of July. It's my first diesel. How do I find out if it's still under warranty?

Click to expand...

Call a Audi dealer and have the service dept run your VIN

MoodyTDI said:

I just picked up my A3 TDI at the of July. It's my first diesel. How do I find out if it's still under warranty?

Click to expand...

At 91k, you are out of the factory warranty but if an extended was purchased it may be transferable.

True Delta show the A3 overall to be pretty reliable overall so far. Not sure if you can break out the numbers over there or not.

I second what Tailwagger said, based on nearly 43,000 miles with my 2015 A3 TDI. The problems I have had with the car itself have been few and minor and if anything the engine seems to be getting even stronger. My frustration now is in trying to get info about my AudiConnect data usage from Audi/AT&T but that's a separate matter.

My 2012 diesel has had no problems, except for a battery around 28k. I agree that it seems to improve with age, now averaging over 42mpg. However, my wife has a 2013 A3 gasser with only 16k miles and has had to replace a water pump, fuel pump, and also a battery, all replaced under warranty