Audi A3 Hatchback (2003 - 2012) 1.6 FSI SE 3d (2004/04) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

No idea, don't care!

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Girlfriend thinks its unreliable, compared to her Toyota Corolla it has been but the A3 is way more comfortable.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Yes, like the look of it, enjoy the experience of owning it despite the faults I've had. These could happen with any car, better the devil you know and all that so will probably buy another A3 to replace this one soon.

What are you likely to buy next?

Another A3, unsure whether a faster one like a 2.0 TFSI or a 1.4 TFSI which is more efficient (and marginally faster).

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£6,000

When did you buy the car?

September 2009

Did you get a good deal and why?

I think in hindsight I paid a bit over the odds but I don't regret it.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Looks, Audi reputation for reliability.

What was the dealer like?

What's it like to drive?

Comfortable, perhaps has got a bit louder with age but for motorway driving its been excellent. I've cornered it pretty hard at times and it's never slipped. Enjoy driving it a lot.

What's it like to park?

No issues, visibility is good, I don't generally have a problem with parking any vehicle so difficult to comment but its visibility is certainly better than some small hatchbacks.

Have you had any problems with the car?

When I first got it, Audi said over the phone that it was coming up for the point where the timing belt needed replacing. They later retracted this when I pointed out it has a chain not a belt. Failure list is: Two lambda probes (quite expensive so not that happy about these going), a coil pack on Christmas eve was annoying, slow leak in radiator, new battery, passenger seat airbag. The Christmas eve occasion was the only time it actually stopped me getting somewhere. The mechanism on the front seats to get into the rear seats is generally crap, it's been part broken on the passenger side since I got the car, fixed it once but it gave up fairly soon.

What's most practical about your car?

As a 3D not the most practical but the boot is fairly sizeable.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Probably cruise control having never had it but Audi's are full of nice little touches generally. The standard sound system is still the best I've ever had in a car but I know from friends that the Bose is even better, however the iPod interface is pretty useless.