Audi A3 options

newcar

I am considering buying an Audi A3 1.6 FSI and was wondering which of the following options you would recommend. I am going for the Alarm, Metallic Paint, extra lighting and Front centre arm rest but cannot decide on the following.

Climate Control

or//

Leather with sunroof

Any ideas on which is better ?

R.O.R

I'd drop the Alarm and definately go for the Climate Control (no standard air con AFAIK). Leather is nice but pricey and wouldn't add on to the residual.

Mike2006

I would second the Air-Con. I have had it on my last 2 cars and I would not be without it now.

You could drop Alarm, metallic paint and extra lighting and get the Aircon, Front Centre Armrest and the Leather.

Leather is great for cleaning down and will make the car more attractive for sale when it comes to changing.

Mike.

Henry Ford III

A/c defo.

mikedragon32

AC for sure. I got the Dual Zone and it's a godsend. I like the car to be cold, my wife likes it to be warm. This way we're both happy!

IMHO, leather doesn't add to residuals and providing you keep the car well maintained inside (ie clean it every now and again) you'll have no worries reselling it. A3 is a very popular car, especially on the 2nd hand market.

colm_mcm

Id get manual aircon and leather, as those will hold their value better than climate or a sunroof.

JoeA3

I have this exact car (just over a year now from new). I went for the Climate control (absolutely brilliant), armrest (nice, but I often leave it folded up to be honest - gets in the way), and the lights pack (very very nice at night!).

The leather looks good, but at 2 grand odd (?), its a big wad of cash, and you'll never see it back. Any of these options will not retain their value 2nd hand - i.e. when you trade in 3 years down the road, the dealer will not offer you much more for yours than if it were a standard 1.6 A3. Sad but true.

I didn't bother with the alarm either. You can always get a (better) after market alarm again later if you wanted.

There is no "manual" air con option. Its full climate or nothing at all. They also bundle Aircon with "ESP" for some reason. The Climate really is excellent though, cannot praise it enough.
The FSI is well worth going for over the ancient std 1.6. Any other queries, ask away.

colm_mcm

the armrest or the lighting pack won't add value either. nor will climate comtrol vs. aircon.

Going on experiennce, as long as you have air conditioning, you wont be penalised for not having climate control, come trade in time.

colm_mcm

Also, I'd be going for a Golf 1.4 tsi GT for 31 grand



It'll be a cracker second hand with that 1.4 turbo and supercharger. better performance and lower road tax than the A3 too.

JoeA3

As I said, Audi do not give you the option to spec manual aircon. Its either climate, or nought at all. The added bonus with climate is that it infinitely improves the appearance of the dash.

colm_mcm

The older ones had manual aircon. Go with the climate then, I presume its the dual display jobbie like on the old A6? I'll wager it'll be expensive though.

JoeA3

Expensive - I'm afraid so. Around the 2 grand mark when I paid for it! It was bundled with ESP (anti skid), buying Climate without ESP was even more expensive!
Yes, its dual zone. I leave mine at 19 or 20 degrees on AUTO and never need to adjust it, winter or summer.

Anan1

I'd take a/c too. Leather without a/c is a disaster. I'd forget about the centre armrest unless the car's an automatic - I find they get in the way of your arm when changing gear.

Eoin

Anan1 wrote:

I'd take a/c too. Leather without a/c is a disaster. I'd forget about the centre armrest unless the car's an automatic - I find they get in the way of your arm when changing gear.

I couldn't NOT have an arm rest! It depends how they are fitted though, mine allows for easy gear changes and the handbrake is easily accessed as well. The one in my peugeot 206 was very poorly done though - couldn't even be flipped back.

Anan1

eoin_s wrote:

I couldn't NOT have an arm rest! It depends how they are fitted though, mine allows for easy gear changes and the handbrake is easily accessed as well. The one in my peugeot 206 was very poorly done though - couldn't even be flipped back.

I'm going on the basis of the one in the Mk4 Golf manual, which is a complete pain in the tits. Perhaps the one in the new A3 is better designed. I suppose just sitting in an A3 with an armrest would answer the question straight away.

JoeA3

The armrest in the A3 is also an awkward design, tends to obstruct the handbrake in particular. Hence I generally don't use it much other than on longer journeys.

CrowdedHouse

JoeA3 wrote:

The armrest in the A3 is also an awkward design, tends to obstruct the handbrake in particular. Hence I generally don't use it much other than on longer journeys.

I found the same with the A4 - almost useless

mikedragon32

One of the reasons for the "Z" design of the A3 handbrake was to make it more accommodating of an armrest.

I had my test drive in an A3 with an armrest and decided not to bother?

What's the "Lights package" by the way... I don't know if I was offered it.

If it's the front fogs on the spoilers, then I have them...

JoeA3

Lights package is made up off extra interior lighting - footwell, door edges (as you open the door), ambient lighting (cabin is lit up red at night), sunvisor mirror lights, etc etc...

Big Balls

The lighting pack is a disgrace. I paid €43,000 for an A3 and interior lights still didn't come as standard!?

I'd be a big arm rest fan.. I don't understand people who say it gets in the way. Angled correctly, it doesn't.

The leather is pretty nice, especially heated.. but it's no more or less a residual factor than climate control is.

You cannot get a car like an A3 and not get metallic!!!

I think you should go for the leather you want and the sunroof. There's at least as many people out there who like having a sunroof as there are that like having aircon/climate (this is assuming you want leather more than climate).

I found the cabin on my A3 (despite it having the ivory roof lining) very dark and enclosed without a sunroof.

Calibos

Still got the GTI Big Balls?

While I agree that it is a disgrace that the Lighting pack is an extra and not standard, I still think it is must according to most people. Apparently it really lifts the interior. Its 'only' about €300. Didn't get it on mine because when I asked what it was the dealer said, just vanity mirror lights. Feckin eejit. Really wish I had it. Gonna order the overhead/Sunroof LED console and fit it myself though. The rest of the lighting pack parts aren't really DIY fit though so there is nothing I can do about them.

As for Sunroof V Aircon V Leather. I have Leather(not heated), Sunroof and no Aircon. Leather apparently holds half its value come resale and is one of the few options where you will get any money back on. Haven't missed heated seats. Our winters aren't 'that' cold! As for aircon. While I will lose out a bit come resale without it I just couldn't justify €2300 for something that I really only need a few days in an Irish Summer. Even with this weather, I only really missed 1 day so far when I was at the airport last wednesday. Windows and roof open are enough for me. Then again, I have a blade 1 so don't have to worry about the wind ruining my hair on the way into work! Don't have to wear pressed linen shirts to work either so a few damp patches of sweat aren't really an issue either Maybe if OP is a Rep, in a suit all day with styled haircut, he should get aircon. If not, I wouldn't bother. 99% of the year he wont need it.

Donie75

I have a 04 A3 1.6 with Metallic, centre armrest, digital climate control and alloys. I really cannot fault the car. It has been superb to drive and run. I have regularly been stopped in traffic and people roll down the window and ask me if it's a good car because they are thinking of buying one. I also have had 3 offers to buy my car from friends or colleagues.
The only problem is what to go for next. Might look at the A4 1.6 S Line in the new year.

colm_mcm

Isnt the problem with the A3 armrest that you have to lift it up every time you want to use the handbrake ?!

JoeA3

Do not believe the myth that you don't need aircon in Ireland. Anyone who says that has never used it properly or had a car with aircon for any extended period of time.
Even in winter time, it is a huge bonus. Our winters are often muggy, and I never have steamed up windows, etc... Also, my better half suffers badly from hay fever at this time of year, and just lately she loves going for a spin in the car, cos its the only place where she gets relief from the pollen!! No point in having a pollen filter in the car if you have the sunroof and or windows wide open!
I love not having to constantly adjust temperature and fan speed, as you would have to do with manual ventilation. But each to their own, I know sunroofs are still hugely popular in Ireland.


Yeah, the armrest does kinda get in the way of handbrake, I find it ok-ish, as I'm not too big, but I'd imagine a taller (longer armed) person would find it annoying.

colm_mcm

Aircon should be standard on that dressed up, overpriced Golf they call the A3

If the base model Passat (which is a good bit cheaper than the A3) didn't have aircon, people would go mad, but it's acceptable to A3 drivers?

I can't believe people buy into this nonsense.

endplate

Climate control is fantastic. I'm lucky to have heated leather, sunroof and climate. The only one thing I'd want in my next car would be the climate control. I use it all year around. It effects economy slightly but it's worth it. The leather is freezing on a cold day but a few min with the heater on sorts that out. I never use the sunroof except when the car is parked and it sunny.

Big Balls

Calibos - on my second one now. Can't fault them one bit, brilliant car.

I think heated seats are a thing you need to live with, there's just something very comfy about them.

I'd be happy enough with manual air con myself although the full climate looks better.

Calibos

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Aircon and as big Balls says it even looks better with regard to the look of the central console but I just couldn't justify it at €2300.

It should of course be standard on the A3 like it is on the Sports(ambitions) in the UK but its just another example of VRT meaning distributors of 'Luxury' marques strip out everything as standard and have it as an extra so that they can quote a more realistic looking price in the sales brochures.

Much preferred to do without a few extras though so that I could afford the 2.0TDI engine (Now remapped) Oh the joy of being pressured from behind at 70mph on the M50 by a MarkI A3 1.8T. Pulled away from him big time in sixth gear until I got past a convoy of lorries in the inside lane and pulled in out of his way and dropped back to more sensible speeds.

Aircon, heated seats etc Pah, gimme a bigger engine any day!

BTW Mark, do you mean your second mark V?!! Why did you get rid of the first one so quickly?

Big Balls

I wanted a new colour and a few extras this time. I went for united grey this time.

Thinking about an R32 for next year, have to see how things pan out.