Good car had mines for 3 years until my engine fail to replace costing lot of money.

Car bought as an approved used car from Northampton Audi (Audi A3 2litre diesel). 2 years later car doesnt start. Taken to local specialist who diagnose that the dashboard had failed which was replaced. However they were unable to reprogramme the car as the chassis number of the car and ECU dont match. Car taken to approved Audi garage who confirm this problem. Not having done any work on the car prior to the fault where did this ECU come from? ECU replaced at our cost. However then unable to reprogramme as brand new dashboard isnt coded proeprly and we have to pay another £700 to replace a brand new dahsboard. No help or assistance from Audi UK nor will anyone accept responsibility.

We love our A3. The build quality is stunning, and not a creak/squeak to be heard.....even in a 7 year old car. Still looks brand new inside.
We went for the petrol engine in the end. We are trying to do our bit for the environment so nearly went for the TDI version. Thankfully this 150bhp engine will return 42mpg easily. We even see high 40;s on long runs to the seaside. Also the less servicing and oil changes of a petrol engine appealed to us.
I originally wanted a 5dr version, but wasn't keen on the look of the 5dr as its much longer and fatter at the back. So plumped for a 3dr. Thankfully its easy to get in and out of the back.
When we go to change the car we will buying another Audi as this one is well made. Having said that, it maybe some years till we feel the need to change.

The Audi A3 is a great car, got it off an Audi dealer. Never let me down, economical and fast. I have owned BMW'S Merc's and the interior of the Audi puts them all to shame. Especially good when clad in leather and Alcantara. Great handling too.

Overall I am impressed with the Audi A3 2.0 FSi. On looks alone you could stare at it for hours. Having been a 6 cylinder BMW owner I do miss the turbine smoothness of a straight 6 however the FSI unit is good when worked. The 6 speed box takes some getting used to and I've never got myself in so many wrong gears before. As for the suspension, all I can say is that it's work in progress!!!. Did anyone from Audi actually test the A3 on anything other than a snooker table?.

I've had my Audi A3 2.0 FSi for 2 years now, and I can recommend it. I find it comfortable on long journeys, and it has a big car feel about it (I previously had A4's). The performance is adequate but not startling, and you need to use the gears a lot to get any sort of acceleration at motorway speeds. However, I really wish I'd gone for the 2.0 litre turbo diesel, which gives comparable performance with good fuel economy. I've had problems with the windscreen wipers suddenly failing, the air bag warning light permanently on, and the cruise control intermittently refusing to work. Each of these problems has been looked at by Audi specialists, and the only one they've managed to fix properly is the wipers. That's not the car's fault.

Tiptronic changes mounted on the drivewheel and the computer showing real time fuel economy and exterior temperature are great details. The Audi A3 2.0 FSi has a 6 cd changer on dashboard, sport seats and climatronic are excellent features. Excellent personal car for business.

This is now my second Audi A3 2.0 FSI Sport Car and I had a 2.0 FSI SE for a couple of months also. I changed a new Celica for the first A3, and was impressed with the quality and finish, but not the performance.

After 3 months, the steering failed on the A3 (on the road - scary). That car also used large amounts of very expensive oil. The engine was good, very economical and smooth (must have been all that oil then). The Sports suspension is very firm, to the point that on a B-road you'd be hard pushed to adjust the radio thanks to your arm bouncing away. I found that the steering wheel adjustment was never quite right, despite playing with it for ages.

Once my first A3 was off the road (steering), I had a green A3 SE for a time. This came with a lovely 'white' interior which was vile! I had that for a couple of weeks before the rear bumper started to hang off, followed by the engine packing up thanks to faulty ECU components. Last seen being towed away in London.

My latest A3 Sport is going well (touch wood) with 1,000 miles on the clock. It seems more economical than the others, and uses much less oil. As before, sports suspension and larger wheels means it provides a solid but harsh ride. The image, in fairness, is everything. I'd rather be an Audi driver than a BMW driver (and I've had both, in the past). Despite some early problems, I'd recommend an Audi A3 to anyone thinking of buying one.

The new Audi A3 SE is stunning inside and out. I am disappointed that some build quality faults were not found by Audi quality control checks at the factory, or at the dealer.
My main concern is that I find the suspension far too firm. Strangely enough it's OK (just) over bumps, but annoyingly skittish and bumpy over relatively smooth surfaces.
I wonder if I have the optional extra sports suspension by mistake(and how do I check?), or was this standard on the 2.0 FSI SE when my March 2004 car was made in Sept 2003? If mine is standard I cannot imagine who would want even stiffer sports suspension.

Having owned several BMW cars, the Audi A3 test drive was a pleasant suprise. The new Audi A3 looks and drives better than the BMW compact. The engine does not sound as good as the 318ti engine and the gearbox is not as good but the steering is better as is the handling (in my opinion).

There are some nice touches, like cup holders (not on BMW) and the indicator switch gives a three blink signal when you push it half way which is great for lane change signals.

Ordered for delivery in September and definitely recommended.