Audi A3 and Mazdaspeed 3 dilemma

[MS3077]

Or you could trade your speed 3 in on a s2000 and wonder where all the torque went?

(moon)

 

[Vord]

well folks thanks for all the input.

I'm gunna get both!

when the A3 breaks and i'm paying out the azz i will be sure to post it so yall can say "I told you so!"
hahaha

I don't think its going to be as bad as everyone is making it out to be. Personally, I owned a volvo s70 before and that thing was a b**** to fix. No one was willing to work on it so we had to take it to the dealership which added more to the cost.

Although VW+audi are not know for their reliability, It doesnt mean the damn thing will s*** itself and cost 2k to fix it every month. I wouldnt worry about and plus, it seems like your more interisted in trying alot of cars. Guarantee you will be trading it within 20-30k miles or atleast thinkin about the next car you are going to get.

 

[mrjoshyman]

If I would do this again I think I wont buy mazdaspeed3....I would save some money and buy rwd car propably fd3s

fd3s -- whats that? just curious, do you track ur car? The FWD thus far doesnt seem to be pissin me off too much..

 

[MS3077]

fd3s -- whats that? just curious, do you track ur car? The FWD thus far doesnt seem to be pissin me off too much..

The MS3 handles pretty damn good for being FWD, thats for sure!

 

[Rotus]

and it will be as fast or faster than a Speed3 Go stage 2 and it's a beast..

The 2.0t is not as responsive to tuning as the old 1.8t. The 2.0t has the same CDFP as the MZR engine, so if you want some serious power, you'll have to replace that, just like on the MS3. The only difference is, you'll be paying twice as much for the part.

VAG stuff is seriously overpriced and underperforming. I owned an Audi TT 225 and looked at new GTI and A3 before I bought the MS3. Don't get me wrong, you can't beat the fit and finish of the VAG cars, but I wanted something more reliable, faster and easier to tune.

If you are dead set on getting the A3, see if you can have audi certify it or if you can buy a good aftermarket warranty. This is a good forum for Audi: www.audiworld.com skip vwvortex and fourtitude, they are garbage IMHO.

 

[Rotus]

fd3s -- whats that? just curious, do you track ur car? The FWD thus far doesnt seem to be pissin me off too much..

RX7

 

[Bu11dogg2]

If you plan on modding your next car I would stay away from the Audi.

The stage 1 kit, basically a tune, is $800

The stage 3, turbo, FMIC, Headers, Test pipe is $7000 and only nets you 12's

However.... the price is killer for that audi.

 

[djthom]

If you plan on modding your next car I would stay away from the Audi.

The stage 1 kit, basically a tune, is $800

The stage 3, turbo, FMIC, Headers, Test pipe is $7000 and only nets you 12's

However.... the price is killer for that audi.

Yeah seemed like a good price so I will jump on it. Plus wifey likes it so if I make wifey happy i get laid errr happy too.

The 2.0t is not as responsive to tuning as the old 1.8t. The 2.0t has the same CDFP as the MZR engine, so if you want some serious power, you'll have to replace that, just like on the MS3. The only difference is, you'll be paying twice as much for the part.

VAG stuff is seriously overpriced and underperforming. I owned an Audi TT 225 and looked at new GTI and A3 before I bought the MS3. Don't get me wrong, you can't beat the fit and finish of the VAG cars, but I wanted something more reliable, faster and easier to tune.

If you are dead set on getting the A3, see if you can have audi certify it or if you can buy a good aftermarket warranty. This is a good forum for Audi: www.audiworld.com skip vwvortex and fourtitude, they are garbage IMHO.

Thanks for the info! I think the A3 will be the daily driver and I will get the MS3 for weekend fun and modding! (cheers2)

 

[pointysticks]

my good friend had an audi tt. we changed the timing belt on the thing. it was fun, but hell. the dealer quoted some crazy 4-digit number for the work. it took us a full saturday. he just changed the front a-arms because the bushings are pressed in, and when they go bad you have to change the entire unit. he was good for one more month. then the clutch slipped...he was out buying groceries at the time. he immediately pulled into a VW dealership and bought a GTi. with the cool DSG tranny. let me tell you that DSG tranny is great! nice to have in SF traffic jams, and with a push of a button it will set you grinning. i do like my MS3 slightly better, but my buddy gets consistently better MPG, 30. i cant get there no matter how i granny it.

sorry no real advice for the A3 or MS3. both are good.

 

[jaydubz]

Go for the A3, both are fun cars, but lets be real. The A3 will hold its value much longer and depending what you get the car for you maybe financially much better off. Just make sure all reflashes are done and all diverter valves have been changed.

 

[djthom]

Go for the A3, both are fun cars, but lets be real. The A3 will hold its value much longer and depending what you get the car for you maybe financially much better off. Just make sure all reflashes are done and all diverter valves have been changed.

can you give me a little background on why you say this? any info is appreciated!

 

[jaydubz]

can you give me a little background on why you say this? any info is appreciated!

Prior to my speed I had a MKV GTI and was part of a VW/AUDI CLUB. Since both cars share the same 2.0 FSI platform I am pretty familiar with common issues with it. A few major things would be the diverter valve, PCV valve mid for the 06 versions there was a reflash for the ECU that changed some fuel mapping and various other parameters. The car is a great buy and a smooth performer. If you get it find a local VW audi group and have them flash you comfort features, you will them be able to lower your windows with the key fob

 

[Vord]

Go for the A3, both are fun cars, but lets be real. The A3 will hold its value much longer and depending what you get the car for you maybe financially much better off. Just make sure all reflashes are done and all diverter valves have been changed.

Hold on a minute now. The A3 will not hold its value more than MS3. I don't care how much the MS3 trades in or sells for at the moment, but thats not say they will be worth more than normally.

Just as the camaro special editions werent worth s*** till the car was discontinued, so will our MS3.

That statement has no basis, but I will say the audi is a nice car and comes with alot more of a show+luxury factor than the ms3

 

[MS3077]

Yeah I spotted an Audi A3 a few hours ago and they do look pretty sweet. Much nicer looking than the GTI in my opinion although they're basically the same freakin car. re- badged engineering?

 

[sunny4201]

Don't say the Audi A3 is unreliable when we have had continuous problems on the MS3.

 

[Vord]

lol, our problems with the MS3 are nothing incomparison to the problems that VW/Audi owners have to deal with.


Plus, ours are all within warranty. VW/Audi have problems right after warranty so they don't have to pay for that s***. Take a guess who pays it?

 

[happy and angry]

Hold on a minute now. The A3 will not hold its value more than MS3. I don't care how much the MS3 trades in or sells for at the moment, but thats not say they will be worth more than normally.

Just as the camaro special editions werent worth s*** till the car was discontinued, so will our MS3.

That statement has no basis, but I will say the audi is a nice car and comes with alot more of a show+luxury factor than the ms3

I've never seen a limited production Mazda product hold value like an Audi does. It doesn't seem to happen. Our car is probably going to go the route of the late 80's 323 GTX. A small cult following with appeal to a small segment of owners when sold second hand. We just don't have the broad appeal or branding with the Mazda badge (or Mazdaspeed badge) that Audi has, or rally successes like the WRX or STI or Evo has, and we're never going to see the same sort of broad sales and name recognition a Camaro has had over the course of it's long history.

 

[Vord]

I've never seen a limited production Mazda product hold value like an Audi does. It doesn't seem to happen. Our car is probably going to go the route of the late 80's 323 GTX. A small cult following with appeal to a small segment of owners when sold second hand. We just don't have the broad appeal or branding with the Mazda badge (or Mazdaspeed badge) that Audi has, or rally successes like the WRX or STI or Evo has, and we're never going to see the same sort of broad sales and name recognition a Camaro has had over the course of it's long history.

Perhaps so, but comparing car companys (and naturally their cars) from 20 years ago is different. Mazda did not sell nearly as many cars and Mazda atleast has a following, especially after the protege, in the tuner & ricer community.

I don't know, but special editions have a higher resale value, mazda or not. I don't think this is so far off. Plus, Audi/VW has been under the gun recently as the whole of america is trying to "move" to more reliable and efficient cars.

I think that the resale value thing is really a moot point, if he trades in hes going to lose money and if he sells hes going to be selling at higher mileage and then, the MS3 will be in higher demand as it wont be at your local dealership.

Its a gamble, but its business too!

 

[Rotus]

Go for the A3, both are fun cars, but lets be real. The A3 will hold its value much longer and depending what you get the car for you maybe financially much better off. Just make sure all reflashes are done and all diverter valves have been changed.

LOLopotamus @ Audi holding it's resale value.

Bought my TT for $14k with 60k on it, sold for $9k less than a year later with about $2k worth of work done to it and needing some a/c work.

BTW, teh A3 the OP is talking about was probably close to $28k new and he's picking it up for $17k.

 

[djthom]

LOLopotamus @ Audi holding it's resale value.

Bought my TT for $14k with 60k on it, sold for $9k less than a year later with about $2k worth of work done to it and needing some a/c work.

BTW, teh A3 the OP is talking about was probably close to $28k new and he's picking it up for $17k.

Picking it up for 17.5 on a private sale where the kbb trade in value is 18K

they guy selling it to me is needing to be rid of a car ASAP (mortgage payment jump)

so 2 year old car w/ 32k miles on it losing $10K in depreciation...is that holding its value?

my slow 2006 mazda3 paid $17.5K new...it has 55K miles and kbb trade-in of $8.5K So that's 23K miles more than the Audi and comes in at $9.5K in depreciation...

to me it looks like the mazda held its value a bit more...any thoughts?
am i missing something?