I have previously asked for, and received, alot of useful comments when I was considering my lease car choice. Having narrowed it down the Audi A3 sportback in 2.0tdi guise, I then stumbled across the Golf GT TDI which for me works out nearly £60 per month cheaper when you add things like metallic paint etc. Having driven the Golf I was impressed (basically the same car) but the fit and finish is not quite up there with the A3, but then should I be worried if ultimately I hand it back in 3 years? I then read a few reviews of the new Passat with the same engine, and everyone appears to rate the build quality and range of features of the new model. As with other VW's, it offers an attractice lease option due to strong residual values. Has anyone driven the new Passat and could comment on it?
Am I mad to choose the Golf over the A3 to save £700 pa. The other minor point is the 3 month wait for the A3, whereas the Golf is available in 2 weeks.
thanks for any help that will make me finally make up my mind!
MM
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I've got exactly the same choice - A3 sportback v Golf GT TDi
Forget the Audi - all you're paying for is the image. It's a basic spec for the money. Get the golf - 138 wild horses under the hood and all the kit inside that you'll ever need.
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Had the same choice (plus A-class, 1-series) and chose the Golf. Savings have gone a long way to financing swimming pool construction. Also check out the Golf Plus.
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Are you happy with it?
MM
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Delivery next week (swimming pool is nice!).
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Am I mad to choose the Golf over the A3 to save £700 pa. The other minor point is the 3 month wait for the A3, whereas the Golf is available in 2 weeks.
No, that sounds a sensible thing to do. £700 pa is lot for a badge.
There's also the Skoda and Seat options, just to confuse you further.
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umm, looked at the Skodia Octavia & liked it (over the old Passat anyway). But the residuals are not as strong for Skoda/Seat which ultimately makes them less attractive as company cars under a lease scheme!
MM
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Obviously this is a lease deal so different from me as I am paying for the car. Cost of the A3 2.0TDi Sportback SE with DSG is £19,785, Golf is £19,145, but the Golf has a lower standard spec than the Audi. Once you add in the extras to bring up the Golf to the Audi standard the Golf is about the same price, so the Audi it was!
If I was in your position of leasing the Skoda Octavia would be my choice - I gave this advice to my sister in law and she loves hers!
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There's one small point. The Skoda Octavia (described by a leading car magazine as having superb build quality and interior fittings) is the same (Focus etc) class size as the Audi and Golf - the Passat is in the Mondeo class.
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Although because of its overhangs, the Octavia is inbetween the Golf and Passat in size. It has a huge boot.
I really liked the Sporthatch and thought it quite stylish and could see myself in it rather than the Golf. However in recent weeks I have started to think the Golf is growing on me.
I would not have the Passat if I was looking at the Golf/A3 simply as its a different class and much larger. But that's my personal opinion. Others may say that as long as the price is OK who cares.
If the Golf and A3 had identical specs for the same price (either lease or purchase) I would go for the A3. Peronsally for £700pa I would still have the A3, but its touch and go at figures above that .
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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>>It has a huge boot.>>
So do the Bora and Toledo, which are basically the saloon versions with the Octavia of the Golf, Audi A3 and Seat Leon.
In fact the 1990s Jetta had a 23cu ft boot...:-)
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Obviously this is a lease deal so different from me as I am paying for the car. Cost of the A3 2.0TDi Sportback SE with DSG is £19,785, Golf is £19,145, but the Golf has a lower standard spec than the Audi. Once you add in the extras to bring up the Golf to the Audi standard the Golf is about the same price, so the Audi it was!
This is a surprise. What has the Audi got that the VW hasn't?
I considered the A3 before getting my Golf and found the 1.6 versions of both to be much different in cost.
Audi A3 1.6FSI SE £17515
Golf 1.6FSI SE £14630
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Standard items on the A3 SE which are extras on the VW:
2 zone full auto climate control - VW £695 extra
Mats (!) VW £70 extra
Cruise control VW £270
Armrest and cupholders VW extra £115
Luxury pack 2 - auto wipers, lights, autro dippiing rear view mirror - N/A on VW GT TDi
Total - £1150 and spec still not up to the Audi.
The VW also has sports suspension, which if it's as harsh as the Audi makes for a very uncomfortable ride.
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MM, I have had to make a similar set of decions for a company car, but one other thing you need to consider is how long you are tied into your choice - 3 years. Is that 'fit and finish not being up there' going to really bug you once the novelty has worn off, or more likely in that long third year? Which car are you going to be happier in over the length of the lease v £60/month
Cant help on the Passat as you are not really comparing like 4 like - I'm sure they are handing out test drives tho':-)
Cheers P
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I think you hit the nail on the head! I think deep down I really want the A3, but the 3 month wait and £60 more per month are niggling away! But I have this horrible feeling that if I go for the Golf or Passat, in 18 months time I'll be thinking about why I didn't go for the A3 in the first place..cars eh!!!!!!!!!!
MM
ps: I also think the A3 Sportback looks much better
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auto wipers dipping mirror and so on are stadard on the gttdi.
the golf is a better ride and drive than the audi but that doesnt seem to be mentioned.
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Cruise is not standard on the Golf but then I don't do loads of M-Way miles so won't miss it and have never really got on with it in previous cars. The spec has been uprated on the GT recently but you loose the 2-zone climate control - can't say I'd really notice. I agree with the ride, although the GT has a stiffer ride it is nowhere as harsh as the A3 Sport I had on test but this could be down to the larger and lower profile wheel/tyre combination. The Golf seemed to feel sorted but without feeling every variation on the road surface.
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all the time(3 year)i had my previous car the only time i used cruise was to see if it worked when we bought the car.as for the 2-zone climate if they had offered me the choice of standard climate and keep 700 pound i would of snatched their hand off,their just isnt any point of different temps in a car this size.why vw took the arm rest out of the mk5 god knows,one of the few options i would(and did)have.
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Forget all the gimmicks, you've got to the live with the car for 3 years - sports suspension is fine when you're pushing hard but realistically over 3 years you'll wish you hadn't bothered as you grind against yet another speed hump.
I succumbed to 17" wheels on my Accord and had to live with the car tramlining quite badly as a result - thankfully it was the OEM tyres (Bridgestones) that caused the problem and the car is now transformed on Pirelli's.
Take your point about residuals but get the car that suits you over 3 years first and foremost, most extras will not affect the resale value in any case.
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Obviously each to their own, but in my experience so far of the A3:
I use the cruise on most journeys - it's quite useful on our camera infested roads.
My wife loves the dual control climate as she always seems to be colder than me. Our A2 didn't have it and there were constant battles between us to change the temperature.
Armrest - hardly ever down as it gets in the way of the handbrake, but the box is handy for my fuel points card, a tin of mints, a penknife and an air freshener.
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I made the same Golf vs A3 choice and went with the A3. I didn't want dual zone Climate Control, but I did want Climate control not Aircon. That meant adding Climate Control to the Golf. I didn't care about the arm rest (they infuriate me in the front), but I did care about the VW looking rather plasticy. We have a Touran now as well as the A3 and the cabin feels that little bit less plush for want of a better way of putting it. Yes it's subjective and what one person likes another hates, but if we made all decisions with the head not the heart we'd all drive Focuses because after all they're adequately fast, well specced, drive well and cheap. I'm happy with my choice of the A3 for one reason alone, every time I get in it I get a smile on my face, and I can't help thinking that the "novelty" of the Golf would have worn off by now while the Audi still feels special.
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