I was also going to mention the turbo diesel. My dad had a 1985 mercedes turbo diesel thatn ran for 200,000 miles until he got rid of it. Man that thing was dog slow and the turbo lag was horrific but it sure was a very dependable car. *clank clank clank clank clank clank clank*

 

I'm actually looking for an old Mercedes turbo diesel to convert to waste vegetable oil. I figured that would be a good work commuter for me since I have a nearly limitless supply of waste oil. I saw a 300D for $1800 on my way to the auto shop today and didn't turn around. Shame on me. Although, it wasn't a turbo, so it would be too slow to get out of its own way.

Cheers!

 

It used to be that you could get way more then 200K miles from a Mercedes, but that was before Mercedes went to using Aluminum blocks, rather than cast Iron.

 

I'll throw in a bit here; I'm 55, and I've owned, raced, and worked on European cars since I was 12. I've owned a lot of exotics (mostly when i was younger), and my current stable is 3 Porsche 911's, a '57 356 Speedster, 2 BMW 3 series, 2 A3's, a Volvo sedan (wifemobile), and 2 125 shifter karts. One A3 is my daily driver (DSG),and the other (6MT) is currently in use by my daughter.
I just flat love the A3, but it's a bit hard to quantify exactly why. The car has its flaws - the stock brakes suck, sport suspension isa bitharsh relative to its handling benefits, I don't like the seats. There's quite a bit of road noise, and I really wish the rear seats folded flat. It takes forever to warm up when cold, and the AC is pretty marginal trying to overcome the heat sucked in by that black Open Sky top.
Thing is, I look forward to driving it every day, and it never fails to make me smile after a year. The DSG and 2.0 FSI were mated by a magician - what an awesome drivetrain. It's a teriffic platform and package, and the materials, ergonomics,and assembly quality are first rate. I've found it to be the perfect tool for bombing urban traffic. I've also found the DSG to be, in some ways, more involving than a manual;takes time and concentration to learn it's quirks, and how to manipulate it with your right foot. Driving a manual well is like breathing to me, something I've done my whole life; learning DSG is a whole new experience that I'm enjoying. It's definitely quicker, more efficient, and faster reacting when used skillfully.
If you want a really nice car with high retained value, minimal service, good driving dynamics and safety, get a TL - they're teriffic. If you want an automotive experience and a car you'llcherish in your automotive memories, get the A3. Almost all of them are sold to Automotive enthusiasts - there's a real good reason.

 

TL not bad but A3 little Audi still looks more of a luxury car

 

It does have its flaws... I agree 100%... the sports seats suck. Thats why I got the premium package. The seats in the premium are wayy better and they are power. The road noise relative to my 01 bmw 530 is negligable. You must be wicked sensitive to noise... and I live in SoCal and I have no problem with the AC being cold enough. Hopefully when I get my windows tinted in the next week or two it will keep the heat out even better

Also why isnt the sunroof one touch open and close? And why the HECK is there a tape deck with the premium sound? Sorry guys.. we dont need 3.5" floppys and we dont need tape decks!!!

 

Well said! One of these days I need to try the paddles. The A3 is pure enjoyment regardless of your preference for transmission.Yes, the car has a few shortcomings as noted above. But,driving the A3 MT around town feels like you are in control of cat waiting to sprint. One moment you are stalkingthe traffic, then the next you are zipping by it. If you are looking for luxury and comfort, it's not the best choice. But, if it's nimbleexhiliration in a refined package, you will berewarded!

P.S. The decent gas mileage is also nice given the price at the pumps.

 

I went from a 2003 Lexus IS300 to a 2007 A3 2.0T 6 Speed...

I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!!

There are so many reasons I love this car more... I have a 110lb dog who took up the whole back seat & destroyed the leather in my IS... now I just fold down the seats and throw him on the carpet... such an improvement!

The handling is also amazing on this car...

And the best part that no one else mentioned is that the insurance is so much less... at least for me!!
I'm saving just over $150/month!!
I use esurance.com (you can go get a quote for free all online) and they consider this car a station wagon and thus the insurance is far less than a sporty 4-door sedan or coupe!! Lets just hope they don't figure out its a sporty hatchback... and not a station wagon!!

That's my two-cents!

 

You guys have to stop it!!!
I'm not going to last with all the great thing you guys are saying about this car (I want to wait another 3-4 months before picking up a new car, lol)
And yeah, I was shoked to learn that my insurance (StateFarm) quoted me less for the 3.2 A3 then my current 2.5L(non-turbo) subaru wagon, lol.

 

Kamil;
Then stop reading and find something else to occupy your time. Reading these posts will definitely cause you to accelerate your timeline. Especially with the weather getting really nice and that 'opensky's' beckoning call. If you think your quote from StateFarm was shockingly low - shop around a little if you've been with them for a little while. We make it a point to switch insurance about every two years because of the competitive market. Though I don't sacrifice customer service for cheapness - I've always gone with the highly rated guys and get even lower rates since we are new. Then after two years of increases - switch to someone else. When I picked up my A3 last year and dumped a 540i. (With the 540 being completely paid off and with minimal coverage and high deductibles.) I switched companies within a week of getting the Audi home and saved easily $350. When I found out Unitrin/Kemper classified it as a station wagon - I was speechless. What I also found out was that if you have an Impreza wagon - it falls under the Impreza qualification. Weird.