Had a A3 2.0.TDI(140) for a loan one day and had a few negative impression's.
It was a manual and the first thing coming up in my mind was:Why did they put in the first gear?it makes you hardly move and gives you a hard time keeping up with the traffic.Second remark is under 2000 rpm ,like 80-90kmh in 6 gear nothing much happens when accelerating.The power band seems very narrow(2000-4000rpm)so you keep shifting a lot.And I didn't expect that from a diesel!Next item is it foot rest.Seems to be in a different place compared to my car, way to close to the seat.there are also positive things:cruising at 130-140kmh it isvery quiet.It has at that speed a very good throttleresponse .when accelerating usingall therpm (it is quitwilling to do so!!)it's fast!Handling is good may even be a little lighter than minebecause it felt more agile when cornering normally.Did not push the front as much as mine does!Brakes good (lessaggressive than mine but ok.)gearbox very good!(I come from a ToyotaCelica TS which has a very good box also!)Seat's so so.interior color Black [sm=signs006.gif]!!Before killing me please keep in mind that these are impressions from a guy who has never had a diesel in his live,drove it for just 100kmand just wants to here from you diesel drivers if mine impressions are biased by petrol!(hope my English is not a offense to someone!)(the carwas drivenless than 100km when I got it!)

 

Hi Hannes,

I have a 170HP 2.0TDI and I have chipped it to about 200, so it's a bit different than the 140 you drove.

For starters though, I would say a dealer loaner is typically a little off the mark in terms of care and performance. (At least that was the case with the TDI they loaned me in Taiwan.) Mine is also DSG, so the frequent shifts are totally a non-issue. And before I start, non of this is to argue or discredit anything you said!! All of us have a right to our opinions, and certainly respecting yours about the car!

I think the performance in 6th under 2000RPM is to be expected...that is a cruising gear and that is a big reason you can get some pretty amazing efficiency out of the TDI. See my other posts for my passion for the TDI's range...I've reached up to 900km on 52 or 53 litres of diesel. With the DSG, two quick clicks (automatically superfast, because when one clutch is in 6th gear, the 5th is ready to go, so it's a super fast downshift even down to 4th) and you have all the torque you need to do some serious highway overhauling. The power band on a diesel is actually very broad (it is pretty flat throughout the REV range...it's actually that the REV range is narrow...redlines at 4500rpm. That's another reason why the DSG is SOOOOOOOOOO good with a diesel. I agree with you though, I would not want a manual TDI if I had to drive in areas with heavy traffic. So, it doesn't offer the 3.2s up front sex appeal; a TDI is a beguiling lover and it takes some time to discover all her charms! I also agree with you on the understeer, I really didn't notice it with the TDI, with any 2.0 on the A3, there is a lot less weight up front and I think that makes the car nimbler than a 3.2, but obviously, that engine/car combo offers its pleasures too in different situations. To be sure, a diesel (well, let's leave the 6.0TDI out of this generalization) will be beaten off the line from a standing start. But, a diesel is super quick in real driving situations...say you want go hit it from 60 to 100km/h...in the right gear the torque will lay waste to most other cars in the same class.

The last point is...see if you can try a TDI that has the superchips flash. My car is chipped with Superchips, and I know it's a British Company, so you should be able to try one. After I chipped the car, it was like a totally brand new machine! WAY better performance, and WAY better fuel economy.

So, to sum it up from an oil-burners perspective...the TDI gives you efficiency, torque, tunability, quiet highway performance (mine cruises at 110km/h at 1400RPM using about 5.1litres per 100km.) I'm not sure what diesel costs in Britain, but here in Taiwan, it is cheaper than gas, er, petrol! So lower costs and 25-30% more efficiency and you have a no-brainer in my opinion. Maybe check out the new A4 TDI...the 3.0 is SUBLIME and would probably address the issues you felt with the 140 2.0.!! I read somewhere (I think Audi Driver) that Audi expects 80% of UK A4s to be diesel. That should say something about the drivability and economics on the TDI for your market!

 

As a long time (non-Audi) diesel driver, some of the experiences you encountered are just the way most efficient diesels operate. A redline of 4500 is actually pretty high compared to many diesels and it speaks to that engine's exceptional engineering. Diesel engines must be built to much higher tolerances and withstand greater compression due to the manner in which they operate, compression ignition versus spark ignition. The weight of the Cummins 6.0 in my Dodge is such that I had to spend a pretty penny on suspension improvements in order to overcome it, same issues affect any decently made diesel. I made a decent living years ago just off selling parts to repair Chevy/Cadillac's early attempts atmanufacturing diesel cars as GM tried to mickey mouse engineer a diesel engine.

My suggestion as to how to overcome the challenges mirror what TPE_A3 stated. Get a HIGH quality chip, open up the exhaust and intake, improve the intercoolerso the airflow is adequate and the intercooler end caps are welded strong, make sure your fueling is adequate and prepare your tranny for the torque. Had it been available, I would have purchased a diesel A3 with DSG and thenturned the chips controlling the engine and tranny over to one of the hot shot programmers. For an investment of 3-5K, there would have been few fuel efficient carsable to touch it and I have no doubt it would spank so called rice rockets! If someone wants to drive a manualAudi Diesel fast without putting much into it, buy a decent intake and learn to downshift FAST. Nothing beatslow end torque for get-up and go, if you are in the right gear.

My Dodge has numerous improvements (High end chip, suspension, intake, yada yada yada) but is no where near it's max capabilities, yet it can get very sideways in a heartbeat and goes like a bat out of hell, all while returning better mileage. This includes massive front and rear bumpers and a suspension that necessitates a step to get into. The tires on my Dodge are taller than our A3's hoodas it is built to tow boats or race offroad yet it gets 18 mpg city and 24 freeway, probably higher if my wife were to drive it. Diesels built correctly are the new speed machines, frequently placing top time of day at track meets due to their ability. Built wrong and they grenade with amazing results! Nothing funnier than dusting a hot rod with a 3/4 pick-up, but of course speed takes money, how much do you want to spend!

 

Hi Alaska,

As a TDI driver in Taipei...I take a special pleasure in blowing away the rice rockets! It seems that every Mitsubishi driver is just dying to have a go at me! Most of them are no problem at all! Another group of drivers that seems to have 'something' for A3 drivers are Ford Focus drivers. I think they have some sort of insecurity complex...that their car wears an American badge but it's German. Again, with TDI a chip and a few other installs....it's nice fun to wipe the matt with them using half the fuel!