In my never ending search for a replacement car, I have found two likely contenders. Both would suit. Your thoughts appreciated about which would be the better buy. (Thinking about residuals, running costs, etc) Both are from non-franchised dealers.
1. 2003 03 BMW 318SE Touring. 42000m, FBMWSH, £13799
2. 2003 53 Audi A3 (new shape) 1.6 Sport, 19500m, FASH, £13995
I could put up with the two doors in the Audi and both still have over a years warranty left. I'm all of a dither.......
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You should also strongly weigh up which car you would prefer to drive every day after road tests of both, as well as the more mundane matters...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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In my opinion, the A3 is just a posh Golf. And only a 1.6? But they do seem to hold their value well. On balance, i'd look at the BMW, and not bother with the Audi if it was me.
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it would be the audi for me but i am not particularly helpfull because i hate bmw's...cheers...keo.
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>>In my opinion, the A3 is just a posh Golf>>
In a way you are correct - the A3/A4, Golf, Seat Leon and Skoda Fabia/Octavia are all variations on a theme to suit different marketing and image areas and price ranges.
Same with the Octavia, Bora, Toledo and Avant and the Passat and Supreme.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Neither jump out at me as particularly good value - especially a two-door A3. I've never really understood the appeal of that car.
For that sort of money you could get a nearly new Mondeo estate - perhaps even one of the 'nice' Diesels. Or maybe a Subaru estate?
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Hello all, Just found this forum. Both good cars, Audi has more class. I would get an x-type though.
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dont forget the bmw is just about to become "the old shape"
altho i have a 3 series coupe:)
still beemer is fun,,,and my last car was an a3...but i thought the 1.8 20 v engine was a tad slow,,,,,,,,,,,so the 1.6 hmmm
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In each case you're looking at the smallest engine: it depends on your priorities, but I'd always go for big engine / medium body, as you will have a lot more fun with minimal penalties in economy.
There have been 5-door A3s since V-registration - you should try a 1.8T or a 1.9TDI and see which you prefer. Then try a BMW 320i or 320d, or an Audi A4 (saloon or Avant), again 1.8T or 1.9TDI.
There asre lots in the dealer adverts at the back of What Car, or there's always Auto Trader.
Up to you, but personally I'd shop around a bit more.
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bm definately - if you don't get it i think you'll always wish you had. being swayed by the extra year's warranty on the audi is like going for washing machine x because you get free washing powder for a year!
whether the two you've found are the best examples price wise i wouldn't have a clue..
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Not a massive fan of BMW's -- image wise they're becoming seriously "rep car". If image was an issue (which for me it never is) then the Audi would get my vote. On the other hand when you look around at what else you can get for the money then I wouldn't buy either. Audi quality/reliability isn't what it used to be by all accounts (now manufactured in the old Eastern bloc) so if you take that from the equation you're paying over the odds for a car that isn't any better than anything else. Granted it still holds it's own in the depreciation stakes but that's all.
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The A3 with the 1.6 engine is significantly slower than the 318 with the 2.0 engine (all post 09/2001 318s are 2.0).
I have test driven an A3, and do not like the interior. IMHO, The A4 interior is far better.
I am bound to be biased, since I own a 318.
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Both of these choices represent a lot of money for not very much car.
If I had to choose though, it would be the Audi - simply because I'd never drive a BMW.
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Both of these options seem like a lot of money for a boring car with a posh badge, for which you would be paying several thousand pounds.
In my experience, 318's are very ordinary things, with none of the performance and refinement combination which makes the 6-cylinder 3-series models so desirable.
The A3 also sounds like poor value. Surely a 1.6 Golf is 95% the same car and is available for thousands less?
If you really want to pay a lot of money for a badge, fine but my advice would be to think again about the car beneath it.
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I think the Golf looks very bland. Audi styling is much better in my humble opinion.
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Audi quality/reliability isn't what it used to be by all accounts (now manufactured in the old Eastern bloc)
AFAIK, Audi Hungaria only build engines and partly build TTs. All other models are still built in Ingolstadt or Neckarsulm.
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In my never ending search for a replacement car, I have ..... and both still have over a years warranty left. I'm all of a dither.......
mlc - I take it for read that you are looking for comments from drivers with experience of either or both of these cars. I have driven neither and so cannot be of much use in that aspect. However, in keeping with the trend to suggest "if I were you, to get from a to b, don't start from a "; I would suggest you go for the previous 5 series (e39). ;-)
Anyway, here is a practical suggestion:
When you are out and about in your patrol car, why not pull over the first 10 or 20 drivers of these cars that you come across.
then say to them " hello, hello, hello, sir, I have pulled you up just to compliment you on your driving, and oh, by the way, I am thinking about getting one of these cars, would you personally recommend this car as a good buy /what are the pros&cons / etc. "
Then you may get a better objective response from actual users of these cars; rather than prejudiced opinions of people who have never been in one of them.
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I think I'd probably get sued and the sack :-). Thanks for all comments so far, I'm going to test drive both tomorrow. I like the look of the A3, but 1.6 is a concern and BMW is more pratical. With regards to Mondeos etc, been there, done that.
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The Audi A3 three door will be facelifted during the spring to match the 5 door. The A3 with a 1.6 may struggle - I test drove an A2 with the same engine and it felt very sluggish.
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