acqui

Hi Guys, I am trying to make a decision between an 08 GTI or an 07/08 demo A3. I realize the A3 will be a few more dollars. I test drove both and I've got to say, I enjoyed the GTI a bit more from a driver's perspective but I also enjoyed the A3. I've been reading several GTI forums where owners are having huge issues with interior rattles and other reliability problems (ac, dv failures etc) I was wondering if these issues are also common to the A3? I love Audis but having owned a previous generation S4 (based on A6 body) and an All Road, I've had a number of issues with regards to reliability on those cars. I am hoping Audi has changed because I really enjoy driving their cars.

Craig3Q

I take it you're not interested in AWD with either car?

April

at solving the problem. Good loaners, technically savvy service, quick turn-around. It's now well sorted, and I am completely happy.

I'm guessing Audi dealers get more warranty money than VW dealers - and the quality of the techs assigned to work on the brands may vary.

BTW, rattles, burned out bulbs, and such, do have a miles/time limit, after which they are your problem. It is not the same as the regular warranty. Make sure the cars under consideration are still covered.

Badger278

I have owned both GTI's and an A3. I can tell you that the GTI is a fun car, but the A3 is "more Adult" and refined in almost every way.

After all....the GTI is a wolf in Rabbit's clothing.

Get an A3 with the sport/S-line package, chip it, and you will have a wolf in wolf's clothing. No contest...

Bezor

problems across platforms are nearly the same as you mention. Overall, Consumer Reports and J.D. Powers list Audi for quality over V.W. I'm not sure how that breaks down statistically on the micro level between shared platforms between the two companies such as the Gti/A3 line?

That said, I have a co-worker with '07 GTi. When I arrived at his home and parked my car next to his in the drive while waiting for our third co-worker to pick us up to go to a concert, the GTi owner's wife came out and gushed over the A3. Frankly it was kinda embarrassing yet a "sucks to be you" moment. Good thing he didn't own a TT, he'd have an out right temper tantrum then and there.

Besides, do consider long term costs. While I would expect similar repair cost for the V-Dub v. the A3, the A3 is cheaper to insure, at least for me, your policy may vary.

andrec

We get excellent customer service from my Audi dealer - Audi of Oakland (CA). The VW dealer, OTOH, can treat a person like a second class citizen.

That being said, our GTI is a blast to drive. We've had it for 10 months and 18K miles. Only issue was a rear wheel sensor covered under warranty at 12K miles (although dealer at first said it was caused by my aftermarket shocks/springs and tried to pin the bill on me).

Rattles? Yes.

No other issues.

We did also look at the A3. However, we chose the GTI because it was going to be a commuter car with lots of miles piled on it. We didn't feel it was worth it to get the considerably more expensive A3 as a daily driver.

acqui

I currently own an 04 BMW M3, which I'll be selling as I need a 4 door car. I've got a 97 E36 M3 but it's a dedicated track car. I live in NYC and need a car that I can use on weekends, as I've sometimes got to take my parents out and about. This will be my first ever venture into FWD and though I am not a fan, the A3 and GTI seem to do a good job of quelling the feeling of torque street. However, I've always enjoyed Audi's interior build quality/design and what I think is the best transmission currently offered in any car, DSG. One other option is a preowned 05 BMW 330i with the ZHP package. I am not a fan of the styling (interior or exterior) of the current generation BMWs, however, living in Manhattan, a manual is something I'd like to avoid, if possible.

RogDog

I had been considering an A3 since it came out, and more recently, a used A3 vs the GTI.

I was going back and forth between the two since I've had both Audis and VWs in the household previously, and the Audis have been more reliable with the dealer service being better.

If price weren't a consideration, I'd probably have gotten an A3. But in my case, the GTI is my commuter car, so I knew going in that I was going to be putting a lot of miles on it. I didn't want to invest too much in a car that I was going to drive into the ground. $25K was the line for me.

It was really VW's sign and drive event that really sealed the deal for me. I got a lease on a new base-model GTI (2-door) with DSG and sunroof for lower monthly payments on used A3s. I plan on buying the car out in three years so the mileage penalty isn't an issue for me. And I didn't have to put anything down on the VW whereas I would have had to put several thousand down on an A3 to get the payments where I wanted.
If I were considering a new loaded GTI versus a new A3, the decision would have been harder to make, but I probably would go with the Audi since the price differential would be less.

I've really enjoyed the GTI so far. No problems so far at the 2,500 mile point although I have heard some of the rattles come and go (seems outside temperature dependent). But my Audis weren't exactly rattle free either, although it never bothered me all that much. All in all, I think I enjoy my GTI about 90% as much as my 01 S4 Avant at about 55% the cost.

The only thing I don't really like in my GTI so far are the sun visors (almost useless when used to shade the side windows) and the black radio text on the blue background at night (difficult to read.)

As for DSG vs 6-speed: After a couple months playing with DSG, I'm suitably impressed. It really is a great choice if you commute a lot. But if my GTI were a weekend car, I probably would have gone with the 6-speed stick. DSG is slick, versatile, and incredibly good at certain things, but the stick still has the edge when it comes to pure fun in my book.

One more thing: The GTI seems less stealthy than the A3. I went with United Gray to try and be low profile, but it seems to garner more attention than I expected. People must think it's being driven by some kid although I would characterize my driving as efficient rather than noticeably speedy or annoying (I don't dart in and out of traffic.) Or there's the ones who think that I'm going to race them at every stoplight. I have a feeling if I had the A3 there'd be fewer of these episodes.

Deus Ex Machina

really, really great car but at my age and for what I want, the A3 was a better fit. I think ultimately you'll be more comfortable in the A3. It carries itself better and exudes an aire of sportiness, practicality, upscale and hip at the same time. The GTI may be a tad more sporty but the A3 is easier to live with...IMO. And with a few mods it's a real ripper!

Badger278

I live in Manhattan too. The manual trans is a bit of a pain in traffic, but the clutch is light and I never fatigue. I just can't bring myself to drive a flappy panel gearbox (as Clarkson says)

You should consider leasing an A4 Avant. Super sporty (in S-Line) and you get Quattro. I just traded my A3 for one. I love the extra room.