stiscooby

Having just sold my STI scoob last week im now looking for something a little bit more comfy and was planning on getting a 330 M Sport (would consider a diesel if its worth it) but currently finding it hard to find one thats not an auto/convertible/60k+ miles.

So i have also started looking at the Audi A3 T FSI's..... I have actually found one local to me, its an 06 A3 T FSI S-Line special edition with about 30k on it for just over £12k from memory.

With most people on here having owned many other makes apart from just a Scoob I was wondering if anyone has owned either of these, or possibly had both during their time and could pass any comments on about either?

Can't make my mind up as yet, BMW, AUDI......aaahhhhh decisions, decisions!

I only do about 6-7k a year so running costs (fuel) ain't really a problem and my budget is around the 13k mark.

Any info much appreciated

P.S. Is it worth while considering the A3 Quattro S Line?

stilover

The BM will be the faster car, and it's the next size up from the A3 (A4 is a 3 series rival) but the Audi has the better build quality.

If you're wanting 3 series size car, then why not an Audi A4. That'll give you more options. The 30.TDI engine is very good, and you also have the S4 which gives you the 4.2 V8 (as fuel costs aren't an issue) which Clarkson would take over the STI & Evo.

If it is an A3 only, then again there is the S3. Very fast an capable, if a little low on driving thrills.

The BM being RWD will obviously give you more of a driving experience, and again the 330d or 335d are probably better day to day cars than the Petrol versions.

I'm an Audi man myself, so would buy an S4 over a 330i every day.

yellowvanman

I went from my scoob to a BMW 330i with the M Sport pack. Though obviously not as quick as my scoob, up until the snow, we have found it to be a cracking car. Rwd makes it good fun, ride and build quality is another level or so on from the scoob. We did look at the Audi A4, and indeed the interior styling is imho much nicer than the BMW.
Since the snow, the lack of 4wd has really been and issue, so we are now prob going to sell the BMW and will certainly be considering the Audi S4.

ScoobyDoo555

After owning an S4 (albeit an older one), I would now be looking at a BM. The Audi, whilst a great car, is quite boring. And not as comfortable as my mate's 330......

The advantage of the Audi is the Quattro (a must imho).....

Gotta drive em both and decide that way....


ps is bootspace important?


DAn

stiscooby

Thanks for your comments so far...

The S3 would be nice but the only models of these I like are the later models which are 20k ish which is well over my budget (budget around 13k ish).

Hhmm the S4 looks like a bit of a beast although MPG isn't too much of an issue for me im not sure I really need a V8 Bet it sounds nice though. Plus I do short journeys (14 miles a day) so the MPG in the V8 would probably be worse than my scoob lol.

Boot space etc isn't really a requirement so size can be anything really.

Some of the A4's look ok too, I was thinking of the A3 because it's just a bit smaller and I don't really have a need for a car the size of the A4/S4, although won't totally rule one out now I have started looking at them

I haven't had chance to drive either yet as the dealers around here dont have any of the models which im looking for and I don't want to waste my time or potential sellers by going to look at their cars only to drive them to see what they are like.

Petem95

I had an A3 2.0 TDi Sport (current model, 8P series?) a few years back and it was a real let down. Build quality was a lot worse than the 2002 A4 I had before it, and for a newish car it had loads of faults. Aircon failed, fairly well known wheel bearing issue (they last no time at all - same issue with mk5 Golf), the 2.0 TDi's are noisy IMO, disappointing handling, no 'thud' when you shut the doors, poor quality paint chips/scratches too easy etc

Currently have an E90 330d which is in another league for driver appeal and build quality, but then really you should compare this to an A4 not A3. I actually prefer the A4 interior to the BMW and IMO the fittings are a bit better quality, but BMW still very good

Guessing you're probably looking at E46 3series however so not sure how these stack up, but no doubt a much better drive than the A3.

itr786

audi have better build quality than bmw!?? what world do some people live in!??. Instead of buying an audi, just buy the equivalent skoda, basically the same thing but you'll save afew thousand on price.

lol there really is some trolls on this forum.

Matteeboy

Audi strengths:

You might need 4WD two days a year.
The dash looks nice
They hold their value.
They generally look good.

Weaknesses:

All but the late S and RS models are dull to drive - I mean really dull. Only Audi could make a 240bhp 3.0TDI 4WD car boring - lifeless steering, snatchy brakes, very nose heavy, vague and will all the character of a housing estate in Croydon.
The dealers (I tried four) are cack - they seem to think they are selling the best cars in the world.
You will feel the urge to tailgate everyone.
The S-Line kit is poor - crashy ride with no true gains in performance. Unless you must have Tonka toy wheels and wannabee RS looks, stick to non S-Line - it's expensive chavving.

BMW Strengths:

The 50/50 weight balance really does work - it makes a 1600+kg car feel like a nimble track car.
The RWD really does work - you cannot overstate how fun it is to get the rear end doing naughty things. I frees up the front wheels to do what they should do - steer.
Very well made - E46 or E90s are well put together.
Uncluttered interior - nice and simple and it works.
Ahead (by miles) on performance, mpg and emissions.

Weaknesses:

Many will hate you.
Utterly hopeless in snow and ice.

yellowvanman

mattyboy, I seem to remember Clarkson being very complementary about the S4's handling and engine. Indeed i'm sure that their conclusion was given the choice of an M3 or the S4, they would take the Audi.

I was looking at an A4 S-line a while back, and my experiences of the dealers was exactly as you describe.

The BMW is a lovely car to drive, I have one, but nimble track car? You clearly have not driven a well set up track car.

You also forgot to add the following to the BMW strengths
Yes, you do own the roads
Therefore indicators are optional.

stilover

Your right. And by the same reasoning, why buy a BMW when you can buy a Mini and save thousands?

Having an old man who's into his fast Audi's, from S4's to RS4's to current R8, I can say that Audi build is second to none. Never had a squeek or rattle in any of his cars.

The motoring press (who drive every car going) all say the same. Audi have the best build quality of any manufacturer.

Matteeboy

Yellow - I said the S and RS models (recent ones) aren't included in my "dull to drive" category. I went for the optional indicators on mine - the dealer was shocked as he hadn't fitted any for years. I deleted the "automatic tailgating" device though - again a shock.

Stilover - if build quality is paramount, ignore Audi and get Japanese. Audis are most certainly not the best built cars by a long stretch.

In fact look at these results:

JD Power Owner Satisfaction 2009 - Compact executives - Car and Car-Buying News - What Car?

JD Power Owner Satisfaction 2009 - Small family cars 1-10 - Car and Car-Buying News - What Car?

Only the A6 does well in it's class.

And Audi are 11th overall - BMW is 9th...

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-p...winners/240819

Stryder

I would take the Beemer over the Audi. You can't beat the noise of a well sorted 6 pot.

jespin

In fairness, the above are car satisfaction surveys, by no means specific to build quality but to the ownership proposition as a whole. Having owned most manufacturers myself, I can say that the Audi was the best built and felt the most solid. That is not to say BMW were far behind though.

In honesty, build quality is not the be-all-and-end-all for Petrolheads - I drive a Renault now and despite the odd creak or grown, it is more fund that any Audi i've ever driven. BMWs are a much much better drive than the equivalent Audi, that much is obvious to anyone who have driven both and appreciates the subtle things that make driving so enjoyable. However, I also appreciate that this is not the most important thing to everyone and that some prefer a car based on looks, image, 4wd etc.

transmit

I have an a3 for sale funnily enough

2005 AUDI A3 2.0 T FSI S LINE QUATTRO on eBay (end time 21-Feb-10 16:26:45 GMT)

stiscooby

Funnily enough we have already exchanged a few e-mails regarding your A3 (I'm the guy from Ipswich).

I'm currently trying to hold out for a 2006 but I do still keep looking at yours.

So you on here thinking of changing to a scoob next? (I recently sold my 2004 STI).

rabbos

You would have to own a lot of vehicles to draw any kind of meaningful conclusion of which are 'better' than the others, an amount impossible to own in one's lifetime realistically...

transmit

Haha awesome! well yeah truth be told ive been looking at scoobs for a while (as is my old chap), but still being quite young insurance still cripples me, wheras the A3 isnt bad at all, its even alot cheaper in comparison to Type R's, GTI's etc.

So itll be a couple of years before I can justify the silly insuarance for one! Plus im selling the A3 so I can put a deposit down on a house (sad times I know haha!) so itll be a while until I have the funds again to buy something anywhere near as fun

Is this 2006 in much better nick than mine then?

stiscooby

Well, im in two minds at the moment you see There is a blue one (T FSI S LINE) 06, 34k up for 12.2k about 50 miles away from me. Then I have seen another silver one (same model as above but got few more toys) 06, 23k up for 12.7k but that’s in Nottingham (I'm in Ipswich, Suffolk) so bit of a trip, which I don't mind, but if you go all that way and it's not exactly as described it tends to p!ss one off somewhat I recently went to view a 06 one here in Ipswich, it was black and in rather crap condition for its age and had only done a bit over 20k miles.

So I can't quite decide what to do at the moment you see, decisions, decisions......I hate them, lol

transmit

Haha yeah I can understand that! I take it they are the quattro ones aswell? well im sure everyone tells you the same about their car, but mine is exactly as is in the pics, and they are all ones that I took 10 mins before the listing (not ones of when I first got it as I know some do haha!) and its been well looked after, by both owners im guessing as the previous one on the V5 was a Doctor haha!
A guy from bedfordshire wanted to come and have a look today actually, but we had a couple of inches of snow overnight, so it wasnt really practical. hes coming next weekend now I think. So fingers crossed!

But I am still keeping it up for sale in the meantime, and if you did wanna come have a look im available daytime this week as im working nights, and basically if you did want it, its yours for 12k

I bet if you did get one of these itd save you no end in running costs over your sti? a guy I work with has a wrx on a 57 plate and he says its not too good haha!
Kev.

stiscooby

Hi, no, one of them is a quattro (blue one closer to home) the other one isn't. But the other one is better spec and is a special edition but further away! I wouldn't be able to get to you during the week because by the time I got there it would be dark, well probably dark by the time i leave actually lol.

My STi wasn't too bad to run, it was 100% reliable during the time I had it and I only work 6 miles down the road so petrol costs wasn't really a problem. It had Tein suspension on it so was quite a hard ride and I never really got the use out of it that it's really designed for so I thought time to move on (was my second scoob) and fancy something a little more comfy, hence the A3