They look fairly standard in size, so I'm wondering if there are some generics out there that would work (assuming of course it's not a major headache extracting the instrument cluster and opening it up).

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The OEM needles on the A3 instrument cluster have that cheap textured black plastic look (unlike the ones on the TT). The photo above shows an MX-5 instrument cluster (probably a Miata Mark II).

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I don't think the speedo is something I want to d*ck with though.

around exit 109 north? For the first time since I got my car I saw another ocean blue but didn't take notice to where it was from or who was driving it, I was late for work :(

I did this on my old Maxima SE and it worked out perfectly.

I'm ordering the TT light switch -- was the rear fog light hook up rather easy? Did you have to use VAG COM to enable the switch position?

The hardest part of doing the rear fogs was getting the switch out. Mine was stuck on one side. Getting it out now is cake, slides right out. And yes I had to turn the fogs on with vagcom

I'd take the chrome headlight switch and the headrest bezels.

So does it just have two settings... open or closed?
What about just popping it up for ventilation?
If they weren't going to put the rotary knob in they shouldn't have left the circle indentation. Looks really cheap to me with the sqaure button in the round hole.

push again to open as far as you want up to the "comfort position" and then push again for the remaining travel.

My theory is that since the Open Sky system wasn't designed by Audi they had to settle for the control scheme it was delivered with and they haven't received enough complaints to bother to reengineer it.

It's seems to me that it would be too costly for an automotive company to invest in the manufacturing tools and staff for such small time bits like this. BUT it was Audi's decision to have a different switch made for the A3. Maybe it's a space issue where the dial knob wouldn't have fit without redesigning the overhead control panel?

I never use that middle position... I wonder if VAGCOM can be used to reprogram it for just two taps to auto-open the panel?

Audi didn't design the roof itself, the control system, and the motor. They bought the whole package and had it sized to fit the A3.

Now as to why they haven't chosen to update it I would guess that the complaint level hasn't reached critical mass so they're satisfied to leave it as it is.

Also, remember that Vag-Com can only be used to adjust parameters in the electronic controls that were designed to be modified. It can't "reprogram" or introduce new functions that weren't designed to be changed in the first place.