Pulled the trigger in a different direction: 2015 Audi A3

[roninsoldier83]

So, after many hours of test drives, research and punching numbers for the 2015 WRX and 2015 GTI, I ended up going with something entirely different: 2015 Audi A3! I also ended up pulling the trigger several months earlier than anticipated due to an offer I couldn't refuse.

To explain, after extensive shopping, I decided that I wanted something with an automatic gearbox due to previously explained reasons. Also, since I do a lot of night driving, I decided that I miss having a set of HID (or LED) headlights and was planning on getting them on my next car. I also reevaluated my thoughts on leather and a few other amenities. As such, when I started calculating how much the WRX & GTI would cost when spec'd out the way I wanted them, it came out like this:

-WRX Limited W/CVT- MSRP= $32,700. After discounts I've seen them going for around $30,500. This is a “top range”, fairly loaded WRX w/LED lights.

-GTI SE 4-door w/DSG + Lighting Package + Performance Pack- $33,000. I've seen VW dealers taking as much as ~$2000 off MSRP, so it would have been around $31,000. Getting the lower “S” package would save about $3000, but would eliminate leather, moonroof, rearview camera, MMI, Fender audio, keyless, ect. I was also informed that a base “S” GTI 4-door with DSG, Lighting and Performance Pack would be almost impossible to find (when available) & would likely need to be factory ordered. Factory spec'd order= less leverage to negotiate (especially on a trade-in) and waiting several months. No bueno.

After driving them both several times (3 or 4 I think?), I decided that I preferred the GTI overall. The more I drove the WRX, the more I came to notice the CVT's shortcomings. However, I couldn't overlook the WRX's AWD advantage. An idea hit me: the 2015 Audi A3 has the same chassis, motor and gearbox as the GTI... but with AWD. And its base (Premium) package is fairly loaded to begin with.

Off to the Audi dealership I went. I drove the A3 back to back with the Subaru WRX CVT and preferred the A3. The A3 felt quicker, didn't hardly have any body roll, no turbo lag, a better shifting DSG “S Tronic” tranny, a smoother ride and much better overall fit and finish. My only complaints were that the A3's steering was just a bit light/numb on-center (better once you start turning) and the seats could use a bit of extra bolstering (although they're still just fine- similar to my FoST's base seats). Apparently the steering weight can be altered to “GTI weight” with VCDS/Vag-com, which I'm highly considering, but even without it, no big deal.

Overall I really liked the A3. It actually won World Car of the Year this year: http://www.wcoty.com/web/media_release.asp?release=96&year=2014#

Although I couldn't hardly justify the price. With just a few options (18” wheels, Cold weather package & a couple accessories), the base/Premium 2.0T Quattro model was $36k. I felt like it was worth more than the WRX/GTI, but couldn't justify the extra cost. Then the dealer gave me a lot to think about.... Apparently they need to move “X” number of units before the end of year in order to get some bonus for each car sold from Audi; as such, they initially offered me $3300 off. When I informed them that I was tempted but wanted to hold out until spring, they came down to $3900 off of the list price of the car- bringing it to around $32k. According to Truecar, the average buyer is only paying $1200 below MSRP, so this was an offer that was tough to refuse.

With the A3 being only about ~$1500 more than a similarly equipped WRX or GTI, I couldn't say no. I pulled the trigger yesterday after waiting a day to talk about it with the little lady- she very much approves and really seems to dig the A3!

Motor Trend has interesting test numbers for the 3 of them:

2015 Audi A3- 0-60mph= 5.4 - 1/4 mile=14.0@98.6mph - Braking 60-0= 108 ft - Skidpad= 0.92g. "Rated" 220hp. 3362 lbs curb weight.

2015 WRX CVT- 0-60mph= 5.8 - 1/4 mile= 14.5@96.7mph - Braking 60-0= 107 ft - Skidpad= 0.93g. Rated 268hp. 3442 lbs curb weight.

2015 WRX Manual- 0-60mph= 5.5 - 1/4 mile= 14.0@98.1mph - Braking 60-0= 106 ft - Skidpad= 0.96g. Rated 268hp. 3330 lbs curb weight.

2015 GTI DSG- 0-60mph= 5.9 – ¼ mile= 14.5@97.9mph – Braking 60-0= 103 ft – Skidpad= 0.92g. Rated 210/220hp. 3209 lbs curb weight.

2015 GTI Manual- 0-60mph= 5.7 – ¼ mile= 14.2@99.9mph – Braking 60-0= 100 ft – Skidpad= 0.96g. Rated 210/220hp. 3088 lbs curb weight.


Car and Driver also had similar results for the 3 of them:

2015 Audi A3- 0-60mph= 5.4 - 1/4 mile= 14.0@100mph - Rolling start 5-60mph= 6.3 - Braking 70-0= 156 ft - Skidpad= 0.94g - Slalom= 47.7mph.

2015 WRX Manual- 0-60mph= 5.1 - 1/4 mile= 13.8@100mph - Rolling start 5-60mph= 6.6 - Braking 70-0= 159 ft - Skidpad= 0.92g - Slalom= 46.6mph.

2015 GTI Manual- 0-60mph= 5.8 - 1/4 mile= 14.4@100mph - Rolling start 5-60mph= 6.7 - Braking 70-0= 163 ft - Skidpad= 0.91g - Slalom= 44.1mph

It's obvious that VW/Audi underrates their motors (modern VW/Audi's generally make 20-30+hp more than they're rated at as per numerous dynos), but I felt like the A3 was considerably quicker than its 220hp rating suggests. Nearly identical ¼ mile & trap speed as the [manual] WRX, nearly same curb weight, “rated” at having 48hp less.... “only” 220hp my ###! Test driving them back to back, the Audi definitely felt stronger than the WRX CVT. Either way, all three automatic (DSG/CVT) versions are in the same performance playing field. The A3 also is rated to get good fuel economy- 24/33mpg- even with AWD (even better than rating of WRX CVT in "I" mode). To boot, I prefer the classy looks of the A3 over the WRX/GTI. At the price I got it for, it really was tough to beat!

I again considered holding out for the Golf R, but VW announced that with destination they're going to start at $37,500. And if they're anything like the last R, you'll be lucky to get $500 off MSRP, at least in the first year here in snowy Colorado. The “launch” model is starting at $39k.... nice car, but not that nice. I couldn't justify the extra $5000+ over the equally nice (if not nicer) A3. For a daily driver, this thing is tough to beat- quick, comfy, handles very well, luxurious, AWD and meets all of my needs. I'm sure maintenance is going to be pricey ha; but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Notes: the trunk in the A3 is small, but still more than enough room to fit my work gear and then some. On paper it has less headroom than the WRX- in real life, it has more. Don't know why- don't care either! The backseat isn't exactly spacious, but is surprisingly bigger than my FoST. Shorter adults and children are fine back there.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with my purchase. This car has everything I wanted/needed and then some. At MSRP, I don't think I could have justified the cost; but with the discounts I received, I think this was the best car for the money for me! YMMV.

And I know, this thread is worthless without pics:

[Huzer]

Hahaha. I knew I should've just waited and bought your winter setup. Obviously since you made the deal, they made you a decent offer on the FoST for trade in.

Congrats on the new ride...now, what will you be driving 6 months from now?

[roninsoldier83]

I got them to give me $18,700 for the FoST. Considering I paid $19,700 for it, I wasn't too heartbroken. Not bad at all.

I'd like to try and keep this one for a personal record breaking 2.5 years.... You know how that goes!

We'll talk in 6 months haha.

[erod550]

Nice car. I don't get this recent obsession car manufacturers have though of making the display look like they just glued a tablet onto the dash. Mercedes does it too and it's annoying.

[Saul_Good]

Wow! I bet the FoST still had the new car smell when you traded it. I guess congrats is in order?.......

In before the next 6-mos decision process. :P

Also taking bets on what your next purchase will be then. I'm picking:
- ND Miata
- Golf R

[roninsoldier83]

Nice car. I don't get this recent obsession car manufacturers have though of making the display look like they just glued a tablet onto the dash. Mercedes does it too and it's annoying.

I think you're talking about the Merc CLA and the new Mazda 3 is the same- they're just tacked on top of the dash. This one actually goes inside the dash if you press a button to make it go down. It will continue playing music- while hidden in the dash- unless you turn it off. When you turn the car on/off it actually looks pretty fancy going in and out. If you make the screen go away, the dash looks very clean and unobstructed, if a bit boring.

But I hear ya, I still prefer the screen to be in the middle of the console.

[roninsoldier83]

Wow! I bet the FoST still had the new car smell when you traded it. I guess congrats is in order?.......

In before the next 6-mos decision process. :P

Also taking bets on what your next purchase will be then. I'm picking:
- ND Miata
- Golf R

You know, the new car smell in the FoST went away pretty quickly haha. This car isn't going anywhere though... but there likely will be another decision making process in the next 9-12+ months.

Any sooner than that and I think the little woman is going to blow her top hearing about car talk!

This car has everything that I want and need. I am setting a goal to try and keep it throughout the duration of the warranty period. We'll see.... but eventually there will be another "project/weekend" car decision. As of right now, the cars involved will likely be either an E36 BMW M3 or a Honda S2000.

Otherwise, I would see good calls on the Golf R and ND Miata! Honestly though, when I had my old GTI and Golf R, I preferred the low-end torque of the GTI over the Golf R (especially when tuned). This motor is basically a slightly more advanced, factory "tuned" GTI motor. The R would have more power, but it would also have more lag.... no point in that, as I would rarely use the extra top-end of the R, but love the low-end torque of these motors.

I don't have the cash for an ND as a project/weekend car though- couldn't justify it. Hence E36 M3 or S2000. The ND doesn't exactly qualify for daily driver status!

[roninsoldier83]

So, I've been driving the new A3 for about a week now. Usually around this time frame, I start finding a few shortcomings with the vehicle. It's actually been the opposite; after getting used to the car's features, I'm actually more impressed with it than I was when I bought it! I'm convinced, this is the best damn daily driver I've ever owned- that includes my old BMW 335xi, GTI and Golf R. This car really is that good.

Notes:

-MMI took a while to get used to, but is fairly intuitive and easy to use.

-No TPMS sensors! Tire pressure is calculated based on ABS sensor input just like my old VW's. This is nice when you're shopping for a winter set of wheels/tires- no sensors to buy.

-This car has a HUGE advantage over my old Golf R: FULLY DEFEATABLE stability control!! I may have tested this feature out in an empty parking lot not too long ago- turn it off and this car becomes a riot to drive!

-Even with TC left on, the car actually has lift-throttle over-steer! Odd for an AWD car. Maybe it's torque vectoring? Maybe suspension tuning? Either way, it's an easy car to rotate.

-Considerably more low-end torque than my old Golf R. I know all the magazine tests showed this car to be quicker/faster than the R in 0-60mph & 1/4 mile.... but at freeway speeds, I'm not so sure, as the R had really strong top-end- it would've been close. From low speeds, the A3 feels noticeably quicker. Especially with the transmission in "S" mode.

-The seats don't have a ton of bolstering, but I really don't feel like I'm sliding around at all in harder corners. At a track day, there might be a shortcoming here, but in your average spirited driving session, I don't notice it at all. Maybe because both hands are on the wheel? The fact that I can point the front of the seat more upward probably makes it feel more bucket-like.

-The trunk is more useful than specs suggest. It has a wide opening and last night with the back seats folded down I was able to fit an entire set of wheels/tires in the trunk/back seat area without an issue. I won't be making a lumber run to Home Depot with it, but it'll carry everything I need 99% of the time.

-I'm getting used to the steering and I think I really like it. It's not as heavy as my FoST's steering, but it's not bad at all. Although I think I might find someone locally with a VAG-COM and maybe have them toggle it to the heavier "Dynamic" mode. I've heard some dealerships will even do this for you.... we'll see.

-The car is smart. It knows when I'm going to want my heated seats on and when to turn them down without me touching it.... It also adjusts the heated seats based on if there's a front passenger or not. I really don't need this type of feature, but it's clever nonetheless. It has a lot of features like this...

-I love this transmission. From a stop, it kind of feels like a good driver slipping the clutch on a manual... and really, that's basically what its doing. Not quite the uber-smoothness that modern conventional torque-converter auto's have, but I really like it. The shifts are lightning fast- so fast there's no real delay to speak of. We're talking milliseconds. In 98% of driving circumstances, I'm positive that I could in no way be as fast or as smooth as this machine is. For the other possible 2% of the time, "manual" mode is extremely responsive and much better than I would be with a conventional manual. It's good in traffic. It's great on windy roads. I honestly can't find a fault with it- other than maybe long-term service costs?

-There is one glaring deficiency in the car though: its masks speed very well. Almost too well. As in you look down at the speedo and don't realize how fast you're going almost constantly. The motor's abundance of low-end torque doesn't help this equation. Keeping speed down becomes an issue lol.... as does the constant yearning for the people in front of you to move out of your way lol.... This is by far the worst fault this car has!


Overall, after about a week, I'm more than satisfied with this car, in every way possible. No regrets whatsoever.

As long as I don't go through any unforeseen financial hardships (*knock on wood*), and the car doesn't suffer any major mechanical failures or horrendous accidents, I won't be getting rid of it anytime soon.

.... With that said, there will be more project car talk in the future. I guess the only question will be: S2000 or E36 M3?

[roninsoldier83]

I've been driving the A3 for a couple weeks now and overall, I'm still pretty impressed with it. It's a damn good daily driver. I've been trying to find faults with the car, but they're really few and far between. I guess the only negative I can find with it is the seat bottoms are just a tad bit short, so they don't have a ton of thigh support. Not a big deal, I may rig up an extended cushion or something one of these days to help, but either way, I don't think it bothers me enough to warrant my attention.

In the past week, I sold my FoST's snow tire setup and used the money to put together a snow setup for the A3. I picked up a set of dirt cheap B6 Audi A4 17” wheels to run; they're a bit scratched up, but for being a winter setup, it's not a big deal. I might get some touch up paint for them one day, we'll see. Either way, the old A4's had pretty much identical wheel specs- bolt pattern, hub bore, offset, ect- so they were very easy to source locally. Although when I mounted them, I forgot about the bane of VW/Audi's- wheel studs and those irritating little plastic caps they put over them! Not a big deal, but they do take a few minutes longer to mount than cars with lug nuts.

Either way, I mounted a set of 225/45/17 Michelin X-Ice Xi3 snow tires to them. My last set of Blizzak's worked well in the snow, but they were a bit loud, rode a bit rough and weren't rated to last long at all. After doing exhaustive research, I found the Xi3's were rated to ride more like an all-season and Michelin actually offers a 40k mile warranty on them, which is fairly unheard of for a snow tire. As a bonus, they're rated to do 130mph, which is pretty high for a snow tire. Michelin rates them as a “Studless winter tire”, but based on the specs, they seem closer to a “Performance Winter Tire”. Either way, I figured the car will see more dry pavement than it will snow, so I'm willing to trade a bit of snow performance for a bit of dry performance.

Overall, on the road, they really do ride like an all-season- smooth, quiet and very stable at freeway speeds. In the snow we've had over the past few days, they've been great! I can't hardly tell the difference between them and a more hardcore winter tire like my old Blizzak's in the snow; but they're certainly much better on dry pavement.

Tires mounted on scratched up wheels:


Tread pattern of tires:


Mounted on the car:



Apparently the car doesn't seem to give a damn how much snow is on the ground! It has been an absolute tank! Snow up to the front bumper and the T/C light doesn't even come on while punching it from a stop:



T/C light didn't even come on with snow up to the bumper and me going up my inclined driveway:



I didn't get any pics, but the car is also a monster to drive with Traction/Stability control turned off in a snowy, empty, unplowed parking lot! Allegedly.

Overall, I'm very pleased and impressed with this little machine! I'm also getting ~28mpg thus far, even with the car still in the break-in period. As it turns out, it really is good at everything!

Nothing left to report thus far.... if I think of anything, I'm sure I'll make another [overly] long-winded post about it! In the meantime, I'm enjoying this little car even more than I thought I would.