Hey guys,

I stilll can't decide what I really want to buy. Both the A3 and WRX are very close in price and is within my budget. Any comments?

By direct comparison, and not going too much into details;

WRX pros: japanese, awd, 500cc more displacement, greater horsepower and torque, 4pot front brakes, lower maintainence costs, more aftermarket support at the moment
WRX cons: not much luxury, laggy turbo at low rpms, jerky shifts with a/c on

A3 (2.0T) pros: european, 6spd, no turbo lag, s line package (2007), open sky system option
A3 (2.0T) cons: entry level, fwd, minor understeer, higher maintainence costs, jerky shifts in 1st and 2nd

I know there are plenty more differences, I just don't see the point in listing the smaller details.

What would u buy if u were me? (And yes, I'm well aware this is an audi forum, lol)

 

I think only the WRX STi has the 4-piston front calipers. In the end, it comes down to 3 related considerations:

1. Luxury (A3) vs. Performance (WRX).
2. Whether you need to carry passengers - if yes, then the A3 is more comfortable.
3. Socioeconomic factors, e.g. age, profession, marital status, image, etc.

I would love to have a Lancer Evolution (I have a good friend who is an excellent Lancer/4G63 mechanic), but I am in a line of work in which that would be frowned upon as immature. Not to mention my wife would freak. So the closest I can come to that is to have an A3 (just acquired) and a S2000 (planned).

 

Its all up to you dude. Just test drive and test test test.

The cars I wanted before I decided on the A3 were s2000, g35, 350z, rx8, wrx sti, evo mr. I basically test drove each machine 3 times (worth the haggles and constant phone calls), however, when I test drove the A3, it was decided after the first drive. A3 has luxury and class on par with the g35. It has OK performance stock. But what I also like is that it mocks a convertible with open sky. It also has for doors and a roomy hatch that the sti and evo mr have almost have.

Now...

If you chip it and exhuast it... whooo hooo its fun rivaling and beating almost all the cars above The nicest thing about the A3 is that not many people have it. I have YET to accidently bump into another fellow A3. I see s2000, g35, rx8, sti, and evos everywhere especially in Irvine. Having a sleeper sport car wrapped in luxury did it for me.

However! My next car after my A3 will def have AWD or RWD. Turbo because the A3 made me fall in love with turbos. and MANUAL! --> Nissan Skyline GTR or RS4

Dont get me wrong on DSG, I love the tranny and the reaction I get from stoplight encounters. After I take off from a light and go to the next light, everyone has the stupid look on their face like WTF is that? BUT, I need that extra bit O fun.


Good luck with your decision... Frankly between the STI and A3, I dont think you'll be dissapointed

 

Turbo_h4,
A3night is giving you the straight scoop. He's got it right. It all comes down to what you want from the car. On the track, an A3 can go head to head with a WRX, even with all wheel drive, but if you want to look fast, go with the WRX. If you want more leg room, hatch-back, luxury feel and drive, go with the A3. No one is going to challange you at a stoplight in an A3 because few know how fast it actually is. But in a WRX, you'll find yourself racing every light because no one's going to give you a break.

 

I'd much prefer an Evo than a Scooby anyway, but why not go for a quattro A3, 2.0T - 200bhp, or the 3.2 V6 with 250bhp and loads of torque?

 

i agree with A3Night, do what makes you happy. i'd rather drive a sleeper rocket than driving a rocket-looking rocket

btw, 2.0T is not quattro, but the 3.2 is. 3.2's got more hp....stock anyways, but it's naturally asperated, you can't bump up much more in performance, but the 2.0 can definatly be modded up to get more hp than the 3.2, for a cheaper price than getting a 3.2.

 

I have nothing against Japanese cars. In fact, prior to my A3, I have only owned Japanese cars. Most of my friends also own only Japanese cars. I have had experience with all of the cars mentioned by A3Night. The thing is, there are very few Japanese cars that do luxury and performance together well at a reasonable price point. Now by performance I don't mean big numbers in all the objectively measured categories; I mean something that feels like a driver's car. The closest I can think of is the NSX (discontinued) and the S2000 (hence my plan to acquire one as a 2nd car in the near future as discussed above).

My point is, the A3 just feels more solid and composed than an Evo or a STI would under normal day-to-day driving. I don't mean to say that the A3's performance envelop is greater than the two rally cars, it's not. But in the rally cars, everything is so dramatic. The turbo spools noticeably (you hear this noticeable whoooooosh), you have to shift almost perfect to catch the powerband (especially in an Evo), you are trail-braking, the three differentials are all doing their thing, then the BOV announces to the whole world that you are a boy racer who thinks he is Sebastien Loeb or worse, an extra in the Fast and Furious, and the wing, and back-breaking suspension, etc. And as T2T alluded to, at every stoplight or on ramp, other STI or Evo's are all challenging you...

Whereas, in the A3, you are just smoothly flying along. Basically, just different approaches to / philosophies of speed.

Ever since I got my A3, my wife does not even complain about me speeding anymore. At 95mph it felt like 75mph in my 2001 Accord V6 (intake, exhaust, Eibach Pro-System +). To crystallize Audinam's point about the sleeper rocket - in a Japanese car, you feel faster than you are actually going, and in a European car, it's vice versa, i.e., you are going faster than what you feel. I have no delusions of being a rally driver (except when I play video games, e.g., GT4, Colin McRae 2005) so it's the A3 for me.

 

The 2.0T Quattro A3 must only be availble in Europe then, and not the US.

 

I think his mind must already be made up. If he wanted an A3 (or an Evo for that matter) his user name would have been turbo_I4.

 

Thanks guys. Didn't really help. The ball is still on me...haha.

I've thought about the a3 would have less challengers, and I do like that fact. however, I'm not a big fan of fwd cars. It's in fact the only fwd I've considered for this purchase because it offers audi luxury at a very low cost. But sometimes I think I'm too young to drive a luxury european car. I'm just 21 at the moment, and just got my first real job. Sometimes I feel that if I don't get a sports car now, I will never be able to get one. My next car would probably be a family car.

Any comments on the finer details of the car? (Not only performance) Things like audio, comfort, daily driven issues, etc. Like, the A3 is supposed to be more luxury and comfy, but the back seats are rather squishy with 3 people in the back. I would love to hear these comments as well.

Some cars that were mentioned:
G35 coupe 6spd sport, it has everything I want, and is one of my dream cars, but that's a little over budget.
S2000, i like it, but not for a daily driven car, I need more seats for now, drive a lot of friends.
rx8, I love the rotary engine, but not a big fan of the 8.
sti, overbudget.
evo, not available in canada, and overbudget
skylines......OHHH BABY! hahah, but not available here, only r32, but getting on in years and hard to find parts.
RS4.......*drool*


I'm still undecided though.

btw, turbo_i4 is a good one though! lol. but i used this name for many years, even before i got my license.