Audi A3 Problems

It would pay to bear in mind, Tony that there’s an all-new A3 due in Europe next year (Check out Carsguide’s overage of the Geneva Motor Show when it happens) as well as a major upgrade of the A4 that will include new or comprehensively revised engines and mostly new body panels and interior.

Is the heavily discounted A4 a dealership demonstrator? As that might explain why the A4, even though it’s the bigger car, has had its price slashed, despite having all that desirable kit thrown in. That said, the A4 lives in a market segment (mid-sized sedans) that is not doing terribly well right now (in Australia and elsewhere) so maybe Audi has too much stock of a car that has plenty of competition (Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3-Series) in a struggling market.

The bottom line, however, is to buy as much car as you need and don’t make the mistake of buying a smaller, cheaper car when it won’t easily do the jobs you have in mind for it. Again, though, the A3 is a pretty practical hatchback (or sedan) and owners don’t seem to complain that it’s underdone in any major way.
So, drive them both, and see which one you like to pilot. And then start throwing offers at the salesman and see how much he or she is able to bend on either car. By the way, the virtual cockpit is brilliant technology.

The cost of replacing a key fob really depends on the variant and year of your A3. It's hard to say what you should do without more information, you might find our article on replacing your key fob helpful.

If the vehicle was serviced though the Audi dealer network, there would be a paper trail you could follow by providing the vehicle’s VIN or perhaps even its registration details. If not, you’d need to know the workshop or service network that carried out the scheduled maintenance to try for a service history, but without a handbook, that could be difficult to ascertain. Contacting the previous owner (if that’s possible) is the best way forward.

But don’t ignore the obvious: Many workshops place a small sticker on the upper-inside corner of the windscreen to alert the owner of the next scheduled service, and this is a great clue in identifying who has worked on the car in the past. Check the glove-box for receipts and take a look under the bonnet for other clues, including dealer-network branding including oil-recommendation decals.

Volkswagen is very quick to point out that the earlier transmission woes with its DSG gearbox have been fixed. Certainly, the later versions seem to be better, but the jury is still out on whether the fix has been a complete one.

In any case, that’s no use to you as the cars made around 2010 are, indeed, the ones that were most affected by these troublesome transmissions. The smaller Audi models were the main offenders as some of those used the dry-clutch version of the DSG. The larger (and heavier) A4 tended to have the wet-clutch version of the same gearbox which wasn’t nearly as problematic. So that should be your golden rule here if you decide to take the plunge: Only buy a second-hand Audi with a wet-clutch DSG. Even then, we can’t guarantee that it will be all sweetness and light, but at least you’re a chance to side-step major problems. Audi actually recalled many of its models to deal with these gearbox issues at the time.

The other thing to be sure of is that any used Audi you buy has a complete service history with no gaps or late services. These cars use high-tech engines that absolutely require clean oil and filters at regular intervals. A neglected Audi is a very good chance to be a pain in the wallet down the track. Like many second-hand prestige cars, these Audis are often cheap for a reason.

All Audi A3 variants in the current Audi Australia line-up feature both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Audi A3 Apple CarPlay works wirelessly, while the Android Auto Audi A3 fitment still requires a cable to connect.

Some owners like to upgrade their car’s stereo and, in that case, the advice would be to go for a head unit that allowed wireless Android Auto as a worthwhile improvement.

The Audi system is not a simple retrofit to older Audi models thanks to the high degree of integration within the car’s controls and the system itself. That’s not to say it couldn’t be done, but it would probably not be cost effective compared with an aftermarket unit for an older car that still offered the desired functions.

I wouldn’t recommend using ULP, you’ll lose performance, economy, and possibly affect the reliability of the turbo engine.