I have ordered this with the dealer and wondered if anyone else had experience of one? I am moving from a 1.6 Ford Focus hatchback, so the power does not worry me, but I wondered what experiences anyone else has had, with ride, etc. Particularly interested in views on the Chorus CD with Ipod adapter, acoustic parking, electronic climate control.
A3 Sportback 1.6 Special Edition
- Thread starter dkjc
- Start date
I took one of these out a few weeks ago. It was a really nice car to drive but without the sports suspension set up not very chuckable around corners I felt.
If your not worried about power ( I'm not either
) then I'd say it was a good option to go for.
I can't comment on the other points you have asked but I'm sure someone on here will as they are very helpful and knowlegable.
Unfortunately I'm not in a position to buy one until a few months time, but this site is very informative and I lurk around often:icon_thumright:
If your not worried about power ( I'm not either
) then I'd say it was a good option to go for. I can't comment on the other points you have asked but I'm sure someone on here will as they are very helpful and knowlegable.
Unfortunately I'm not in a position to buy one until a few months time, but this site is very informative and I lurk around often
:icon_thumright:
I currently have an A3 2.0TDI-170 Sportback fitted with both the acoustic parking system and the electronic climate control. This is my second 8P A3 and I had both items on my previous 3-door.
What can I say, they both work very well. The acoustic parking is very useful when you are manouvering in tight spaces. You just keep going back until the note changes to continuous and then stop.
The climate control is great, especially in hot weather. Just set a temperature, put it on auto and it will keep the interior as close to that temperture as it can. You can set each side to a different temperature and the driver and passenger can get different temperture air coming out of their particular vents. Another point that some people take a while to find out, the temperture settings depend on which key starts the car. In my case my wife prefers the setting to be higher when she is using the car and when she uses her key the system is set to 22c, but when my key starts the car its sets to 20c.
What can I say, they both work very well. The acoustic parking is very useful when you are manouvering in tight spaces. You just keep going back until the note changes to continuous and then stop.
The climate control is great, especially in hot weather. Just set a temperature, put it on auto and it will keep the interior as close to that temperture as it can. You can set each side to a different temperature and the driver and passenger can get different temperture air coming out of their particular vents. Another point that some people take a while to find out, the temperture settings depend on which key starts the car. In my case my wife prefers the setting to be higher when she is using the car and when she uses her key the system is set to 22c, but when my key starts the car its sets to 20c.
The iPod adapter is big-time pants - Poor iPod compatability (doesn't work with latest Nano for example). No track/artist/album info. Poor song access (you have to pre-load songs into playlists).
Also the chorus stereo isn't much cop - pretty low quality sound. Concert is much better (you get more speakers, active sub-woofer in the boot, etc).
Other than that though, it's a top car.
Also the chorus stereo isn't much cop - pretty low quality sound. Concert is much better (you get more speakers, active sub-woofer in the boot, etc).
Other than that though, it's a top car.
Plank - What specific issues did you have with the sound from the chorus? I currently have an alpine cd tuner with cd changer in my focus which has a seperate amp. Will I notice a big difference?
Thanks everyone for your opinions. I can confirm that I have have taken a full test drive in this vehicle but that was to test the drive and handling, which I feel is superb. The other questions I am asking about are simply to gather views as I await my order to be delivered. Thanks again to everyone.
dkjc said:
Chorus is very "average" sound - i.e. no seperate amp - speakers powered from the head unit, no sub woofer, etc. Kind of like the sound you'd expect from a new Fiesta or Corsa.
The Concert is much much much better - more speakers, more power, all powered by dedicated amp in the boot, proper subwoofer, etc.
Without hearing your Alpine it's impossible to draw a comparison as it could sound awesome (if professionally installed) or it could sound crap!.
Thats a very ambiguous statement... What are you referring to as "standard"? Chorus? or Concert/Symphony? Thats two very different "standard" units.
Personally I found Bose very disappointing and certainly not worth the money over Concert/Symphony.
Personally I found Bose very disappointing and certainly not worth the money over Concert/Symphony.
The 1.6 Special Edition comes with the Chorus single CD player with passive speakers as standard with the Concert III and Symphony III available as options. Personally I would definetly upgrade to either the Concert III or Symphony III. The Special Edition also only comes as standard with MANUAL climate control.
If you've only just placed an order I would definitely consider asking your dealer to upgrade both the audio and climate control. It should be still possible at this stage.
If you've only just placed an order I would definitely consider asking your dealer to upgrade both the audio and climate control. It should be still possible at this stage.
Not totally sure, but I was given a SB 170 S-Line as a loaner a while back, which I think had the Concert system. It sounded a bit gutless, dull and feeble to me, no matter how I fiddled with the controls. Not in the same league as the Bose system in my own car. (The rest of the car was great thoughPlank said:
).Was it one of the new double-din Concerts? The old (single DIN) Concert wasn't anywhere near as good as the new Double DIN Concert III.
Don't get me wrong - BOSE is good, but not that much better than Concert III, and certainly not worth the lolly in my opinion...!
Don't get me wrong - BOSE is good, but not that much better than Concert III, and certainly not worth the lolly in my opinion...!
I have ordered the electronic climate control as an upgrade with the acoustic parking. I chose the ipod adapter with chorus as I will be upgrading the chorus to RNS-E sat nav as a retro fit. Thanks again for the tips.
Did you check the iPod adapter is compatible with your iPod?
Not all models fit. (Audi conveniently forget to mention this!)
Not all models fit. (Audi conveniently forget to mention this!)
I have a 3G and 5.5G Ipod Video. i have seen other people on this forum connecting both to the adapter with no problems. I am hoping to connect the 3G to the system and leave this permanently in the car.
I found the BOSE a very good upgrade! Compared with my friends TT Concert, the sound quality and clarity is miles away... off course aftermarket sound systems might be better but for me BOSE was a good value for money...
Pedro
Pedro
dkjc said:
I think you just get front door drivers & tweeters with the Chorus. See my post in Shindigger's thread.
I know that you are moving from a 1.6 focus but the 1.6 engine in Audi feels more like a 1.4 in the focus. I was abit disapointed although I prefer comfort to speed. For some reason it feels abit constrainted. Having said that, you can keep up with the trafic in most situations and maintain 80 on the motorway with ease.
The parking sensors will be invaulable and will repay their cost for sure in no time at all. i've lost count of how many times I've almost bumped into some supermarket carpark stump that I couldn't see in my mirrors. good choice.
The Bose sound system sounds ok but but don't expect it to raise your pulse. it just sounds clear and rounded but is not fantastic. Infact I spent the first week of ownership thinking that for some reason It had not been installed probably by mistake as the speakers had the bose logo. I went back to the stealers and they told me it was. thats how disapointed I was. The reason I added it was becasue I didn't want to start ripping my car apart while it was new. My previous aftermarket sytem (no amp) that cost me half as much sounded much better and was louder.
One thing I miss though is the DIS. I'm sure you can still add it to your order. There is alot more information on it than it says in the Audi Literature. e.g. MPG, current Speed, Radio Station playing, Temperature, Driving instructions (if you have sat nav), Oil temp, current speed and a number of warining messages that you don't get on the non DIS display. Add it it is worth it.
The parking sensors will be invaulable and will repay their cost for sure in no time at all. i've lost count of how many times I've almost bumped into some supermarket carpark stump that I couldn't see in my mirrors. good choice.
The Bose sound system sounds ok but but don't expect it to raise your pulse. it just sounds clear and rounded but is not fantastic. Infact I spent the first week of ownership thinking that for some reason It had not been installed probably by mistake as the speakers had the bose logo. I went back to the stealers and they told me it was. thats how disapointed I was. The reason I added it was becasue I didn't want to start ripping my car apart while it was new. My previous aftermarket sytem (no amp) that cost me half as much sounded much better and was louder.
One thing I miss though is the DIS. I'm sure you can still add it to your order. There is alot more information on it than it says in the Audi Literature. e.g. MPG, current Speed, Radio Station playing, Temperature, Driving instructions (if you have sat nav), Oil temp, current speed and a number of warining messages that you don't get on the non DIS display. Add it it is worth it.
Thanks - I have recently upgraded my order to include DIS and the parking sensor, along with the Concert CD. More than happy with this now. Just got to wait for the order to go in officially (1st May) then delivery in hopefully 14-16 weeks.
Update - Took delivery today finally. What can I say, an excellent car. Love the build quality of the interior and everything. Quite a step up from my previous Ford Focus. Picked it up today from the New Warrrington Audi premises, excellent facilities and location. Missed out on using the the new indoor handover centre as the painting was unfinished! Could have done with this as the handover was undertaken in the pouring rain! Still couldn't spoil the day and well worth the 3 month wait.
