New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake

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Tue 29 Oct 2013 16:43
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - Richie58

Last year when my 57 Reg Audi A3 was being serviced I was lent an A4 as a courtesy car. It had an electric handbrake which after nearly 40 years of driving with manual handbrakes I found a complete nightmare. I put this down to never having used one before and found myself holding the car on the clutch as I had no confidence in the electric handbrake. I am considering purchasing a new shape A3 and my understanding is it has this confounded electric handbrake as standard without the option of a manual handbrake. My question is to any drivers who own an Audi with an electric handbrake are these electric handbrakes reliable and maintenance free as I have read some worrying reviews about burnt out clutches and cars running down hills when parked and if they are perfectly o.k. is it just a case of getting used to them.

Edited by Richie58 on 29/10/2013 at 16:44

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Tue 29 Oct 2013 17:53
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - AlastairM

I have a VW with an electric h/brake and find it very useful. Took a few days to get used to it, but never think about it now. Very useful in traffic, don't have to apply the h/brake because it comes on utomatically and releases in the same way. Not sure why some find them so awkward.

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Tue 29 Oct 2013 19:47
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - halmereincarnated

It took me a couple of weeks to get used to mine on a new A4 but i don't even think about it now.

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Tue 29 Oct 2013 20:06
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - Collos25

I think the problems and expense start when they do not work properly.

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Tue 29 Oct 2013 21:48
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - Avant

People do get used to them: but there are stories of them failing (usually just outside the warranty period), and as I have said before, they are an answer to a problem that nobody had.

If, like me, you prefer a mechanical handbrake, VAG do give you the option of choosing a smiliarly powered Skoda or SEAT with a proper handbrake. The SEAT Leon is closest in size to the A3, and is cheaper too.

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Tue 29 Oct 2013 22:03
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - gordonbennet

I was sorely disappointed when Toyota stuck one of these infernal things on the current Avensis, the reason we don't have one.

However the new Auris notably has a proper handbrake so i'm hoping Mr T has seen the error of his ways and next Avensis will be back to normal.

Nothing wrong with how they work, so long as you don't rely on them, useful for those who can't drive as the EPB helps them perform hill starts, its when they go wrong the problems start, and the maker the OP wants to buy offers a short warranty of three years so they obviously have little faith in their own product.

Edited by gordonbennet on 29/10/2013 at 22:04

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Wed 30 Oct 2013 06:43
New Audi A3 - Electric Handbrake - Chris79
I've had two audis with the epb. Both have worked fine although I tend to only keep the cars for 3 years. No doubt if it does go wrong it will cost a lot more to fix than a conventional cable, but let's face it if your worried about that you need to rule out anything fancy and buy the most basic car going. No led drls, climate control units etc.

As far as functionality goes I find it works very well. The wife loves it as she dislikes hill starts.

The comment about warranties is perhaps a little unfounded. Toyota only fairly recently started offering a 5 year warranty. I guess they are not as confident in there product as Kia?. I think it's more to do with what they feel they can get away with in each country. Notably skoda which someone has already suggested do very well in customer satisfaction surveys but only offer a 3 year warranty.

Finally have a look at the new Leon. As an audi fan I sat in one the other day and was impressed.
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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?