Can you tell the difference driving a Sport vs. driving a Premium?

jodia54d · 04-01-2006, 09:28 PM

So it seems I can't find the car I want in the whole of California, unless I consider Premium.
Is there a discernable difference when driving the 2? Anyone have experiences trying to decide between the 2?
TIA ...

BTW, here's my impossible configuration:
2.0 DSG, Artic white, sport, beige, open sky, conv, bluetooth & xenons (which i will prob have to go aftermarket)

April · 04-01-2006, 09:33 PM

are more heavily bolstered and hold you in place, but are harder to climb in and out of repeatedly and the driver's seat is not power with a wider range of adjustments) would be a larger concern in my book, since you can fine tune the suspension with coilovers, sway bars, etc.

I went with a Premium package because I use the A3 for errands around town and I like the extra adjustability of the premium seat (I'm short) bottom to get just the right angle for using the clutch;-)

Rear sway bar going on soon.

robjc123 · 04-02-2006, 11:43 AM

Hope you get what you want!

Timmay · 04-02-2006, 11:46 AM

B6 or B7 S4, particularly the manual tranny. I have not driven the manual A3 so I was wondering if you had any input on the gearboxes. I've always read Audi never had good manual gearboxes until now (from B6/7 models). I've had a good chance to extensively drive the B7 S4 and it felt very good.

Back on to this thread's topic, Sport is the way to go! Who needs stinkin' power seats anyway? :-)

jodia54d · 04-02-2006, 12:05 PM

a discernable difference when driving the 2. I haven't driven a ton of cars to have a benchmark, but I think an S4 would be close to ideal.

Something that's willing to push back when you're pushing it. I think the A3's pretty similar is that aspect.
With regards to the seats, I think power seats should be for the driver & passenger; if not, i'd rather go manual.
Thanks for the emails btw!

jodia54d · 04-02-2006, 12:07 PM

available. Which blows. But great looking car robjc123! *jealous*

Timmay · 04-02-2006, 12:12 PM

One thing I can offer about comparing seats with the S4 is that the 2-tone Alcantara Recaros kick ***. I like them better than the sport seats in my A3. Another good thing about the S4 is both driver and passenger seats are full power with lumbar support as standard. I think it's half-assed to only offer power driver seat and not passenger seat too with the A3 premium package.

April · 04-02-2006, 12:55 PM

feel), but it is reasonably precise with plenty of feedback to get the job done. My favourite of the transverse cars was the TT 6 speed shifter. Kareem can probably comment best about this.

What most people find is trickier is the throttle when combined with the stick in the A3, because revs fall very fast. You need to nudge the gas just as you start to let out the clutch so the car won't lurch. Same when shifting in lower gears. You don't blip the gas like you might in some older sports cars, but you do feed it a bit of throttle to raise the revs as you prepare to engage the next gear.

If you're short like me, and 100lb like me, those sport seats are too huge and you slosh around anyway, so the tiltable seat bottom of the premium package is much more useful for finding a comfortable position to depress the clutch without pushing down on the front of the seat bottom;-)

Timmay · 04-02-2006, 02:04 PM

than the one in the B7 S4. You don't really need to give it that nudge at all and there's absolutely no lurching forward. Very user-friendly

. By the sound of the tranny in the A3, I'm even happier that I chose DSG! Thanks.

April · 04-02-2006, 04:18 PM

first try - unlike some other cars that make it a brainless operation;-)

Compared to my fleet of Italians, the A3 is brainlessly simple to drive though, so it it all depends on what you're used to

04-01-2006, 09:33 PM	#2
April AudiWorld Uber User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 52,940	What car do you have now, and what is your ideal handling benchmark? The seats (sport seats are more heavily bolstered and hold you in place, but are harder to climb in and out of repeatedly and the driver's seat is not power with a wider range of adjustments) would be a larger concern in my book, since you can fine tune the suspension with coilovers, sway bars, etc. I went with a Premium package because I use the A3 for errands around town and I like the extra adjustability of the premium seat (I'm short) bottom to get just the right angle for using the clutch;-) Rear sway bar going on soon. __________________

04-02-2006, 11:43 AM	#3
robjc123 New Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 189	like this one? Hope you get what you want! __________________ Rob in Miami Amber tailight Turn Signals 2006 A3 WHITE DSG Lite Gray Leather Sport Package Open Sky Bose + XM Xenons+Convenience(really) and Cold Pack Huper Optik

04-02-2006, 11:46 AM	#4
Timmay AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 19,501	April...sort of off-topic but I was curious if you have driven the B6 or B7 S4, particularly the manual tranny. I have not driven the manual A3 so I was wondering if you had any input on the gearboxes. I've always read Audi never had good manual gearboxes until now (from B6/7 models). I've had a good chance to extensively drive the B7 S4 and it felt very good. Back on to this thread's topic, Sport is the way to go! Who needs stinkin' power seats anyway? :-) __________________ ------------------------------------------- 2006 Cayman S Carrara White Loaded ____________________ 2006 A3 2.0T DSG Silver on Black Sport Package and Loaded

04-02-2006, 12:05 PM	#5
jodia54d New Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 87	I currently drive a 98 2.8Q A4. My main concern with Premium vs. Sport is if there's a discernable difference when driving the 2. I haven't driven a ton of cars to have a benchmark, but I think an S4 would be close to ideal. Something that's willing to push back when you're pushing it. I think the A3's pretty similar is that aspect. With regards to the seats, I think power seats should be for the driver & passenger; if not, i'd rather go manual. Thanks for the emails btw!

04-02-2006, 12:07 PM	#6
jodia54d New Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 87	Yup, pretty much that one .. except i can't seem to find 1 in Norcal, and there are no xenons available. Which blows. But great looking car robjc123! jealous

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04-02-2006, 12:12 PM	#7
Timmay AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 19,501	Re: I currently drive a 98 2.8Q A4. My main concern with Premium vs. Sport is if there's One thing I can offer about comparing seats with the S4 is that the 2-tone Alcantara Recaros kick ***. I like them better than the sport seats in my A3. Another good thing about the S4 is both driver and passenger seats are full power with lumbar support as standard. I think it's half-assed to only offer power driver seat and not passenger seat too with the A3 premium package. __________________ ------------------------------------------- 2006 Cayman S Carrara White Loaded ____________________ 2006 A3 2.0T DSG Silver on Black Sport Package and Loaded

04-02-2006, 12:55 PM	#8
April AudiWorld Uber User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 52,940	Drove the B6. Much nicer feel than the B5. The A3 isn't quite that good (lacking a mechanical feel), but it is reasonably precise with plenty of feedback to get the job done. My favourite of the transverse cars was the TT 6 speed shifter. Kareem can probably comment best about this. What most people find is trickier is the throttle when combined with the stick in the A3, because revs fall very fast. You need to nudge the gas just as you start to let out the clutch so the car won't lurch. Same when shifting in lower gears. You don't blip the gas like you might in some older sports cars, but you do feed it a bit of throttle to raise the revs as you prepare to engage the next gear. If you're short like me, and 100lb like me, those sport seats are too huge and you slosh around anyway, so the tiltable seat bottom of the premium package is much more useful for finding a comfortable position to depress the clutch without pushing down on the front of the seat bottom;-) __________________

04-02-2006, 02:04 PM	#9
Timmay AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 19,501	Thanks for the feedback. The A3 stick definitely sounds different than the one in the B7 S4. You don't really need to give it that nudge at all and there's absolutely no lurching forward. Very user-friendly . By the sound of the tranny in the A3, I'm even happier that I chose DSG! Thanks. __________________ ------------------------------------------- 2006 Cayman S Carrara White Loaded ____________________ 2006 A3 2.0T DSG Silver on Black Sport Package and Loaded

04-02-2006, 04:18 PM	#10
April AudiWorld Uber User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 52,940	It's not hard to drive an stick A3 well, but you do need to pay attention when you first try - unlike some other cars that make it a brainless operation;-) Compared to my fleet of Italians, the A3 is brainlessly simple to drive though, so it it all depends on what you're used to __________________

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