Looking to purchase a used A3 8v as a daily... Would like your thoughts. Thank you!

[Auditude437]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a used A3 8v as a daily, and wanted to get your opinion on the car. My budget is $15k and I wasn't sure if the 2.0t quattro trim was worth getting. I also wanted a good amount of options on the car (B&O sound system, start/stop button, etc.). Do you have any regrets with your car and wished you could've gotten a different year or trim?


Thank you!

[EROtero]

2017 A3 Quattro - no regrets!!! Car is driven daily on APR Stage 2+ no issues at all.

[FuchsB]

Have you come across many A3's with B&O?

[Auditude437]

Couldn't tell. Not sure if the premium plus comes with B&O. I know it does with the prestige trim, but I haven't seen that many prestige models out in the market right now.

[tdietro]

I have a 2015 A3 sedan Premium Plus 2.0 Quattro. It has B&O with the subwoofer. Running Eurodyne Stage 1.5 Adjustable with Stage 2 DSG. I LOVE it and highly recommend it.

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[Blairp]

2015 A3 2.0T with B&O, sport package, rearview camera and front/rear sensors. 100% regret getting this car. After it got out of warranty it’s been a shit show of multiple things going wrong electrically. IMO get a b8.5 A4.


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[eurojunkjon]

I bought a 2016 a3 2.0t in December. Replaced haldex clutch, filter, water pump, and headlight level sensor. I think the design is sexy but the dsg leaves a lot to be desired. I’m actually in the process of working a deal on a 6 speed b8.5 a4.

[S3_Miles]

I think you are automatically going to get a lot of bias from a subforum that caters to fans of the model. Are you asking if there is anything to look out for? I do not think anyone regrets their purchases. I like having the Quattro on both of mine (S3, A3 Quattro).

I think a common weak link is the waterpump, although it does not seem to plague EVERYONE.

Any car is going to have its "things". I feel like for the cost of ownership vs smiles-per-hour, these little rockets have all the win

[Blairp]

I think you are automatically going to get a lot of bias from a subforum that caters to fans of the model. Are you asking if there is anything to look out for? I do not think anyone regrets their purchases. I like having the Quattro on both of mine (S3, A3 Quattro).

I think a common weak link is the waterpump, although it does not seem to plague EVERYONE.

Any car is going to have its "things". I feel like for the cost of ownership vs smiles-per-hour, these little rockets have all the win

I 100% regret buying mine


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[17A3]

I 100% regret buying mine


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Ouuf, spicy!

[17A3]

2015 A3 2.0T with B&O, sport package, rearview camera and front/rear sensors. 100% regret getting this car. After it got out of warranty it’s been a shit show of multiple things going wrong electrically. IMO get a b8.5 A4.


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what happened? can you list the issues?

[Grey3]

I love mine when things aren’t breaking . In 2.5 years of ownership I’ve had the waterpump/ thermostat and alternator replaced in a 2-3 month span...that sucked since I don’t do my own work, even at an independent euro shop. Had me wondering what would go next. It’s been almost a year since those repairs and fingers crossed, no problems. Even with the entry level Audi’s, repairs aren’t cheap is the biggest lesson I’ve learned. ..if there’s a next Audi for me it will have a warranty


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[mto925]

My wife has had her 2015 getting close to 2 years now. The water pump was done under warranty but other than that so far so good. We have done tires, oil changes, brakes and DSG service. Coming up on 55k miles.

[minusworld]

I bought an '18 2.0 quattro premium at the end of may with 4k miles on it. At 5800, the wastegate failed. Was in the shop for 6 weeks. Sounds like one of the front wheel bearings is going now. Then on Tuesday I got sideswiped by a young girl in a Jeep. As much as I enjoy the car, I'm pretty sure it's cursed and I'm leery on tuning it at this point.

[17A3]

why did a wastegate repair take 6 weeks?

[1killera4]

2015 A3 2.0T Quattro. 34k. Other than having to replace the whole shifter unit under warranty has been a trouble free car. Oil changes, tires and still on Original OEM brakes!

I drive the piss out of this car. It just keeps delivering!

[TheMysticWizard]

A little different approach, but I daily a 8v A3 TDI. I went that route because for the foreseeable future I am going to have a minimum 25 mile commute each way. I am currently seeing 36 mpg combined and this is including sitting in traffic on my way home daily (28 mile commute often takes me an hour and 15 minutes)

I have been Malone Stage 2 for close to 20k miles, only issue I've had was a bad glow plug. Otherwise the car has been flawless.

I am running EMD lowering springs and bilstein shocks/struts for lowered vehicles. I have the 034 dogbone inserts and BFI Stage 1 motor and transmission mounts. I have an Neuspeed cold air intake and drive the car pretty aggressively often enough.

Being a large guy (5'10, close to 300 pounds) I still feel the car is comfortable enough, it's a pretty great platform for a daily.

I still second guess myself, should I have bought that S3 they had next to mine? Wouldn't be seeing 36 mpg combined...

The TDI is pretty fun, gobs of torque down low and paired with the DSG it's not bad. Wish they came in AWD, I can break the tires loose in 2nd gear.

[RyanE6]

While I haven't owned my A3 long, I've purchased two in less than a year. Before that I had a 2014 Jetta 1.8T. First one was a 2015 A3 2.0T Quattro with 29,000 miles. It was totaled 5 months later with 35,000 miles on it, a girl t-boned me during a snow storm when she lost control of her car while texting and driving. The only issue I had in that short time was the rear defroster quit working.

I debated on buying another A3, Lexus IS250 or a WRX. I ended up leasing a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Premium.

The Crosstrek didn't cut it so it went to my wife. I bought another A3, 2016 Quattro S-Line with sport suspension (24,000 miles). The car is a lot of fun but I worry about repairs especially after reading others stories on this site. I've had the car 3 months and already had to replace the windshield due to road conditions here in Illinois. About two weeks into ownership I felt like the driver seat moved while turning sharp at higher speeds. The sunroof squeaks when opening on a warm day. Vibration in the rear end while making sharp turns from a stop (haldex and launch work fine). So I paid Audi for a used car inspection and they said everything was fine. Now I hear a creaking sound near the driver side tire when turning at parking lot speeds (in and our or stalls). The sunroof has begun to rattle when going over big bumps in the road. There's an annoying sound coming from the passenger rear side but haven't pinned it down yet. I really want to start modding the vehicle but worry that more things will go wrong. The vehicle is under warranty for about 9 more months so if I don't keep it, it'll be gone before then. If I do decide not to keep it, I'll probably lease a WRX as I need some type of AWD system. I know my issues are minor compared to others but this is just my experience.

I guess I would ask why an A3? Do you need Quattro? If not, maybe look into GLI or GTI.

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[DominicDNO]

2015 A3 2.0T Quattro. 34k. Other than having to replace the whole shifter unit under warranty has been a trouble free car. Oil changes, tires and still on Original OEM brakes!

I drive the piss out of this car. It just keeps delivering!

If you're wondering the shifter unit is $2,500 to replace outside of the factory warranty. Extended warranty will not cover the repair either. If you replace a headlight bulb the front bumper needs to come off. Also, look into dsg service costs.

[morris39]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a used A3 8v as a daily, and wanted to get your opinion on the car. My budget is $15k and I wasn't sure if the 2.0t quattro trim was worth getting. I also wanted a good amount of options on the car (B&O sound system, start/stop button, etc.). Do you have any regrets with your car and wished you could've gotten a different year or trim?


Thank you!

You have not provided enough info re your priorities/trade-offs (apart from budget) to likely get useful responses. But even if you had you would still get replies which justify decisions without reasons or the the buyers priorities.
To be somewhat useful the reply ought to include the owners priorities, driving mode, maintenance practices and long term history with prior cars (the same people are prone to problems. How likely is that to happen?
I have a '15 S3 bought for specific reasons which have been largely met and so I would recommend it. I don't know if I would recommend an A3 as it is a different genre.The trade offs are different and might be better met by a more mainstream car.
Also since you ask about "quattro" it seem you are not informed about reasons for choosing AWD, something you need to do on your own.

[mto925]

DSG service isn't that expensive? My indy did it for around $300 and it needs to be done at 35k and then like 80k miles, its like every 40k miles after the first service. I will say that in my experience with VAG products it does seem like the A3/S3 platform isn't the highest quality Audi has put out. I guess that is the trade off when you are making an entry level product but some of the issues like water pumps are just unforgivable.

[BarryT82]

You can purchase the DSG service kit for $75 shipped online. It’s not hard to change. I’ve done two on my other cars in the past 6 months.

[minusworld]

why did a wastegate repair take 6 weeks?

Waiting on parts and claiming they had no availability. I had a loaner so it wasn't terrible. Took me calling and telling them I was ready to just trade it in on something else since they couldn't fix it.

[Blairp]

what happened? can you list the issues?

Unlucky I guess. Started with the door handles not working for locking/unlocking in cold or wet weather(tsb). Then moved to the USB port in the center console dying. Then the pods issue came up but it was before there was a fix so that was out of pocket.(they replaced the entire seat cushion) Then the backup camera stopped working. (Currently fixing this one myself. There’s a TSB for broken/fraying trunk wires but it looks like it might be the module after i fixed all the broken wires) Then I got a funky suspension clunk from the front right wheel area. Then the water pump has a leak.


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[Blairp]

what happened? can you list the issues?

All of this within a year of being out of warranty


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[17A3]

oh damn! this is a 2015?

[Blairp]

oh damn! this is a 2015?

Yep build date was August 2014


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[BayouM5]

I bought my 16 A3 Quattro in April of this year. Before the factory warranty went out on 8/31/19 I had a little over 4K worth of warranty work done. I took the car in for an EPC light...they pretty much did the top end because they found random misfires stored...wasn't plugs/coils/bad fuel/carbon buildup/vacuum leaks. Car was completely stock so they went ahead and did it. My drivers side door would stick occasionally from inside, the latching assembly was replaced. It did it again...on the second visit it was taken care of. And finally my Haldex pump went out on 8/20...was replaced on 8/26 just a few days before the warranty expired lol.

I like this little car though. I autoXed it once and it did alright. I also have a lifted Frontier with armor, C4S, M5, M3, and E46 touring....and I think it's a blast to daily and will be keeping it for at least a few years. Hoping to run a 034 tune and some other goodies in the near future.

[bakedcorn]

Unlucky I guess. Started with the door handles not working for locking/unlocking in cold or wet weather(tsb). Then moved to the USB port in the center console dying. Then the pods issue came up but it was before there was a fix so that was out of pocket.(they replaced the entire seat cushion) Then the backup camera stopped working. (Currently fixing this one myself. There’s a TSB for broken/fraying trunk wires but it looks like it might be the module after i fixed all the broken wires) Then I got a funky suspension clunk from the front right wheel area. Then the water pump has a leak.


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Clunk over small ridges / bumps??? I’ve got something similar but on the drivers side and it’s been to the dealer multiple times but they could not diagnose the actual source. They replaced the control arm bolts and one of the bushings and lubed the hell out of it - the clunking has been somewhat minimized but it’s still there and bugs the shit out of me. I’ll be taking it to a shop nearby one day to replace the damned control arm - the subframe needs to be dropped as the dsg is in the way to fully remove the control arm bolt - out of my comfort zone.

Only has 41K on it. Now there’s some sort of odour akin to a burning smell on the same side unable to pin point.
No more warranty so hopefully we can get anther four to five years out of the A3/S3.

Fingers crossed!


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[eddiemedic]

Clunk over small ridges / bumps??? I’ve got something similar but on the drivers side and it’s been to the dealer multiple times but they could not diagnose the actual source. They replaced the control arm bolts and one of the bushings and lubed the hell out of it - the clunking has been somewhat minimized but it’s still there and bugs the shit out of me. I’ll be taking it to a shop nearby one day to replace the damned control arm - the subframe needs to be dropped as the dsg is in the way to fully remove the control arm bolt - out of my comfort zone.

Only has 41K on it. Now there’s some sort of odour akin to a burning smell on the same side unable to pin point.
No more warranty so hopefully we can get anther four to five years out of the A3/S3.

Fingers crossed!


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Did you ever find out the cause of the clunking noise?
For me in my A4 was the end loop that had broken on my rear coil sprigs (the one around the shocks) so it was sitting on the base jumping every bump and since is a very heavy dense metal it was making that noise.

[bakedcorn]

Did you ever find out the cause of the clunking noise?
For me in my A4 was the end loop that had broken on my rear coil sprigs (the one around the shocks) so it was sitting on the base jumping every bump and since is a very heavy dense metal it was making that noise.

Hey there...

Nope, apparently the suspension is as good and tight as it's gonna get. Took it two other shops and couldn't find the source. I may have failed to mention that before the warranty expired the strut mount needed to replaced in the drivers side. Dealer mentioned the assembly looked good.

Still have the clunking sound over certain bumps and now some sort of cold rattle/creaking but once the car warms up that creaking sound is gone.

It sounds so much like a faulty end link but it's got no movement in it. Ugh


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[Sooner1]

2015 A3 2.0T with B&O, sport package, rearview camera and front/rear sensors. 100% regret getting this car. After it got out of warranty it’s been a shit show of multiple things going wrong electrically. IMO get a b8.5 A4.


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Counter Point - I have the same car (minus the B&O) with 80k miles and it has not had a single issue in the 40k miles that I have owned it.

[993140]

2015 A3 2.0T with B&O, sport package, rearview camera and front/rear sensors. 100% regret getting this car. After it got out of warranty it’s been a shit show of multiple things going wrong electrically. IMO get a b8.5 A4.

Not typical of these cars and an A4 would not necessarily be different. I just got my 13th Audi since 1982 and have never been happier with the majority of them.