Sportback for less than a Golf

[Cats]

Hi guys,
I’ve joined this forum having ordered a Sportback 2.0T FSI DSG S Line in Dolphin Grey with Open Sky roof, heated seats & arm rests. Yes your right I’m one of the more mature members with those options.

I was going to order a Golf GTI 5dr with DSG + options after having very pleasant test drive, but the dealer would not give any discount as they can sell all their allocation at list price. This may be the case at present, not to sure after a few months when all the hype has died down. I decided to look at A3 Sportback with similar specs, the list prices came out almost the same. One of the problems with the Golf is many of the options are in packs so you end up going for a pack in order to get one option.

My local Audi dealer gave me over £2k off the list price after a bit of a push, not a bad deal I thought, so I signed up. Strange buying an Audi for well over £2k less than a similar Golf. I must say I think the S Line option as a bargain.

My current car is SEAT Leon Cupra R with AMD remap.
Previous cars include Audi TT 225, Subaru Impreza Turbo.

 

[monty77]

[ QUOTE ]
Cats said:
Hi guys,
I’ve joined this forum having ordered a Sportback 2.0T FSI DSG S Line in Dolphin Grey with Open Sky roof, heated seats & arm rests. Yes your right I’m one of the more mature members with those options.

I was going to order a Golf GTI 5dr with DSG + options after having very pleasant test drive, but the dealer would not give any discount as they can sell all their allocation at list price. This may be the case at present, not to sure after a few months when all the hype has died down. I decided to look at A3 Sportback with similar specs, the list prices came out almost the same. One of the problems with the Golf is many of the options are in packs so you end up going for a pack in order to get one option.

My local Audi dealer gave me over £2k off the list price after a bit of a push, not a bad deal I thought, so I signed up. Strange buying an Audi for well over £2k less than a similar Golf. I must say I think the S Line option as a bargain.

My current car is SEAT Leon Cupra R with AMD remap.
Previous cars include Audi TT 225, Subaru Impreza Turbo.


[/ QUOTE ]

Think you did well there. I'm not sure what all the fuss about the new GTI is about to be honest. I dont like the looks ([censored] son of an Almera/307), interior quality is worse than MkIV and the drive isn't _that_ good - certainly not enough to make up for the rest. It's also hideously overpriced.

I'd have a new A3 over common as muck golf any day /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Adam

 

[TDI-line]

Hi Cats,

Welcome to the forum.

Once the hype has died down, and the new R32 comes in and totally puts it to shame, the GTI will be old news.

It is to expensive, i paid £24,500 for my old R32 and that was fully loaded 3.2 engine, 4 wheel drive, zenons, bodykit, 18"'s, cd changer, full heated leather etc, . My dad paid £18,500 for his anniversary GTI which had recaro seats, 18"s and bodykit.

VW need to sort out their pricing policy. Their cars are becoming way to expensive and cheap compared to the above.

At least your sportback will hold it's price well and be off a lower insurance group as well!


I think you will be one of the 1st people with open sky, be nice to see it in the flesh, espically with black headlining. That will look so cool! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/goofy.gif

 

[imported_RedSportback]

I thought long and hard about buying a New Golf before ordering a Sportback. The Golf's interior is worse than the mark IV I owned before getting the sportback. Couldn't get a discount from the VW dealer and infact hated the ride as well.

Am delighted with the A3 my only regret is not having DSG but i'll put that right on the next one.

 

[Cupramax]

Hi Cats,

I'm going exactly the same as you except I've gone for a manual quattro for the tuning oportunities /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif

 

[Cats]

Hi Cupramax

I have spoken to AMD about tuning with the DSG. They say providing you only go to stage one with a remap which should give around 250bhp with 350Nm of torque the DSG is ok. That is enough for me has I find that 270bhp on my Cupra R gives plenty of power, and I like the idea of the DSG box.

Look forward to comparing notes.

 

[djoblong]

What companies insure you after a remap? I am taking delivery of my A3 2.0T FSI at the end of this month and I am looking at insurance with Direct Line. What happens if I get it remapped after a few months? Are there companies that will take over your insurance or will I have to wait a full year until my insurance runs out and then reinsure it with a specialist insurer?

Cheers
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Cats]

Hi djoblong

Insurance companies vary as to how they handle remaped cars so you need to shop around. You should be able to add this after at policy has stared in the same way as if you change your car, but check their reaction before you take out the policy.

I would not be in too much of a hurry to remap your 2.0T FSI as it’s very early days for the tuners on this engine, best to give it some time until they have it sorted.

I had my Cupra R was remaped by AMD who are not the cheapest, but they give you a before and after dyno. plot. Mine gave 222bhp before and 273bhp after and you can really tell the difference. Don’t expect this much change on the 2.0T as I think the 1.8T had a bigger turbo and twin intercoolers. 250bhp and 350-360 Nm of torque seems possible at this time.

The remap on the 1.8T involves changing the software code of the ecu there are no physical changes or additions to the car so it’s not possible to tell that a car has been modified. Evan the dealers diagnostic equipment can not detect the changes. I’m not sure about the 2.0T.

 

[monty77]

[ QUOTE ]
Cats said:
Evan the dealers diagnostic equipment can not detect the changes.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not 100% accurate. Apart from being ****** obvious when they drive it if they were to log requested/actual boost values (like you can using VAGCOM) then the readings would be far from standard. Chances are low they would check this but they may get nosey when they think the car is quicker than it should be.

That is the reason I went Revo, allows me to set stock boost before taking the car in for work. Although technically the ECU map has changed and could be identified if they were to take a full hex dump of the ECU and compare to std there's no reason for them to bother if the car runs and feels standard.

Adam

 

[Broadmarsh]

monty77 said:

Chances are low they would check this but they may get nosey when they think the car is quicker than it should be.

Adam

[/ QUOTE ]

Why should they? It is none of their business. It is your private property not theirs to do what they wish with!

 

[monty77]

[ QUOTE ]
Broadmarsh said:
monty77 said:

Chances are low they would check this but they may get nosey when they think the car is quicker than it should be.

Adam

[/ QUOTE ]

Why should they? It is none of their business. It is your private property not theirs to do what they wish with!

[/ QUOTE ]

It is their business if you were to claim for a clutch/gearbox/engine/turbo on warranty - not saying it's right but they have done so in the past.

Adam

 

[Broadmarsh]

Agreed. IF there is a warranty claim!, Then they have to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the modification was the sole cause of the damage that made you claim! Very difficult for them prove!

 

[A4_2point4]

Wrong.

If you modify your car (particularly engine mods), and don't tell your insurance company, the policy is null and void !

If you then have an accident (whatever caused it), they will not pay out. Remember that this includes not paying for any 3rd party claims too ! So, you may be personally liable for 3rd party injury claims running into £100,000s.

Don't do it - tell the insurance company !

 

[Broadmarsh]

WHO said anything about NOT Telling the insurance company! Please read my response! I have been modifying cars since 1982 and always tell my insurance company. Been there done that got the T shirt. My statement still stands about the dealership and Audi.

Regards

 

[monty77]

[ QUOTE ]
Broadmarsh said:
Agreed. IF there is a warranty claim!, Then they have to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the modification was the sole cause of the damage that made you claim! Very difficult for them prove!

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not mentioned in the warranty small print, not sure where this comes from - assumption? In my experience dealers will go to huge lengths to get out of paying for large claims. i.e. an engine.

If the 2.0TFSi is anything like the 1.8T there will be warranty claims along the way, even if it's minor things like MAFs and coolant sensors /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Adam

 

[Broadmarsh]

Have you experience of broken engine under warranty?

 

[monty77]

[ QUOTE ]
Broadmarsh said:
Have you experience of broken engine under warranty?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've had the car less than a month and I've had:

Dead MAF - £270
Dead coolant sensor - £70

..if I'd been paying.

Coolant sensor they'd have a hard time saying the chip was to blame for but the MAF they would of probably had an issue with - after all it would of been running out of spec and that's all they care about. As it happens my MAF was dying before the chip, but cant imagine they'd of been reasonable about it.

All I'm saying is that if you're going to chip under warranty period then make sure it's a chip that's stealthy.. e.g. Revo, AMD one click. Or from a tuner who will cover you in the even of a failure that Audi wont repair due to the upgrade. I believe AMD offer this..

Adam

 

[Broadmarsh]

We are talking new car here! None of those items you listed would have been an issue with a remapped engine on a new car! If you look at the small print on all the tuners warranties on new cars then there is no problem.

As far as the one-click method goes for the new 16 valve 2.0 litre Tdi, I got fed up with them all saying it was due in 3 months. I started asking about this method in October 2003 when they said it is due in 3 months. Well, here we are 15 months later and still the same answer. Unfortunately, they are going to have a very big problem with the encryption on the new Bosch ECU. I understand they have all been trying to crack it....I think it is a case of trying to kid the opposition that they are nearly there, when reality is a long way off.


I think this is a bit off topic!


regards