Audi A2 - whats to look out for...
Discussion
Aircon or climate control: if you open the window at any speed you get unbearable buffetting and noise.
Also, the location of the A pillar actually gives you some quite nasty blind spots in town - might vary depending on driver height.
Accident damage: they cost a fortune to put right properly after very minor collisions because of the aluminium bodywork. Make sure it's not full of filler.
Also, the location of the A pillar actually gives you some quite nasty blind spots in town - might vary depending on driver height.
Accident damage: they cost a fortune to put right properly after very minor collisions because of the aluminium bodywork. Make sure it's not full of filler.
fuel consumption is sensible for the car is so light.
McWigglebum3rd said:
Before this thread goes too negative
They are an utterly lovely thing
probably the last truely intresting audi
Every A2 I've seen has 2 major things wrong with itThey are an utterly lovely thing
probably the last truely intresting audi
1) It's usually owned by some kind of weirdo that thinks they are the best car eva! There's some weird clique thing with them. Makes Smart car owners look normal. Probably because they were cheap Audis. The old Champagen taste lemonade money.
2) They are all, every single one, s
t. They will all have multiple electrical gremlins. They are a pig to work on. The drive terrible. They are 90% never serviced properly by their owners. Factor that all in with the fact that Audi made them at a time when they didn't have a lot of money and it shows in some of the quality of components. And I would not recommend them to someone I actually liked! They share some parts with Polos of the era. They are a much much better propostion!Rich_W said:
Every A2 I've seen has 2 major things wrong with it
1) It's usually owned by some kind of weirdo that thinks they are the best car eva! There's some weird clique thing with them. Makes Smart car owners look normal. Probably because they were cheap Audis. The old Champagen taste lemonade money.
My word, you look like quite the troll. 1) It's usually owned by some kind of weirdo that thinks they are the best car eva! There's some weird clique thing with them. Makes Smart car owners look normal. Probably because they were cheap Audis. The old Champagen taste lemonade money.
I just have to get the bait though, as I'm going to buy an A2 soon. And to prove you right on the "weirdo" bit: I actually think the thing ranks rather high on the "best car eva" list
. So here's my take on the A2:
You are really wrong WRT the "cheap Audi" bit. Nobody buys an A2 nowadays because it is cheap, or an Audi. A2 Aficionados in general seem to be no badge snobs at all, and tend to appreciate the car for its many merits alone -- most punters considering one *despite* it being an Audi.
Problem with the A2 at launch: massively over engineered and thus a very expensive offer in the super mini class. And the controversial styling, of course. A clean and pure "form follows function" take on things. Design brief "A car that can take 4 adults from Stuttgart to Milan on one tank of fuel in comfort."
So certainly not appreciated by the current Audi buying crowd. For whatever reason, that crowd seems to be made up mostly of unhappy middle management types in need of something sharp and aggressive looking (with a bit of added status) to bolster their fragile egos. Poor souls...
The A2 is pretty much the opposite IMO, a classless, engineering driven thing, from the long gone days Audi actually meant "Vorsprung durch Technik".
Rich_W said:
2) They are all, every single one, st. They will all have multiple electrical gremlins. They are a pig to work on. The drive terrible. They are 90% never serviced properly by their owners. Factor that all in with the fact that Audi made them at a time when they didn't have a lot of money and it shows in some of the quality of components. And I would not recommend them to someone I actually liked! They share some parts with Polos of the era. They are a much much better propostion!
Can't agree with any of this, exception being the part sharing with the Polo. In fact the A2 started the VAG PQ24 platform, Polo was next in line. Current A1 and Polo (PQ25) are still very much based on this. Compared to later PQ24 and PQ25 based cars however, the A2 had a few higher quality bits that the bean counters replaced with cheaper stuff along the line...t. They will all have multiple electrical gremlins. They are a pig to work on. The drive terrible. They are 90% never serviced properly by their owners. Factor that all in with the fact that Audi made them at a time when they didn't have a lot of money and it shows in some of the quality of components. And I would not recommend them to someone I actually liked! They share some parts with Polos of the era. They are a much much better propostion!To get back to the OPs questions:
Main information source for UK: http://www.a2oc.net (meet the weird clique, very knowledgeable if a bit nerdy
).Available engines:
1.4 MPI, 1.4 TDI 75 bhp, 1.4 TDI 75 bhp, 1.6 FSI 110 bhp.
For short trips, the 1.4 MPI will be the best choice. 1.4 TDI will cope, but takes a while to get warm and is more happy on journeys > 8 miles. TDIs more fun to drive (torque / weight really rather good).
1.4 MPI engine has been used in many different VAG cars from that era, so plenty of parts around. Not a bad engine per se, but if budget allows, a 2004 or 2005 1.4 MPI car will have improved piston rings, to counter issues with high oil consumption on higher mileage cars.
The 1.6 FSI is pretty high tech (lean burning DI, additional NOX cat, ECU actuated tumble intake flaps etc.) so has more stuff that can go wrong. Likewise, the 90 bhp TDI, while best engine of the bunch, has a VTG turbo and a DM flywheel, adding complexity and possible cost along the way.
Options:
AC is a must. 99% of cars will have it anyway. Works very well, but the buffeting noise issue really happens with front windows open.
Ideally, the car will have AC and leccy windows at the rear, as opening a rear window a fraction will stop the buffeting noise.
S-Line suspension and 17" wheels are best avoided, not good on UK roads. 15" or 16" wheels and standard suspension preferred. If you get a cheap one and have budget for a suspension refresh, Bilstein B4/B6 or Koni FSD are popular choices (a2oc has all the details).
Glass roof is best avoided, weighs 35kg and the mechanism is not reliable long term.
Factory stereos and speakers sound pretty good, even by today’s standards. Most will have the mid range 8 speaker setup (fronts driven by the radio plus a little amp for the four rear speakers). If you like to keep OEM looks, bluetooth music streaming and hands free can be retrofitted fairly cheaply, even to the basic "chorus" casette/tuner unit.
Same is true for most other options really. Heated seats and rear leccy windows are a bit of work though to retrofit though, so if required, getting a car that comes with these is a good idea.
Choice of seats won't matter for short distances, the standard ones are really good IMO. But the sports seats are even better, so might be worth considering.
Safety features: ABS and ESP are standard on every car and work really well. Non intrusive, nicely calibrated. Passive safety rated at 4 NCAP stars IIRC, seat and window airbags were options. As stated further up in the thread, the A-pillar can be in the way for some drivers, so best check this is OK for the misses.
Closing words: So what's the hype all about?
First, the styling. Won many prizes and Ages really, really well, see Citroën DS, RO80, Audi 100 Type 44. Nothing for the current "look at my giant fake air intakes and move over or I'll run you of the road" mindset though, and the better for it.
Then the alloy construction. Very long term this might be a concern, but mid term (next 5-10 years) enjoy not worrying about rust. The weight advantage coming from this makes even the base 75 bhp MPI engine very usable. A Golf with the same lump is woefully underpowered in comparison. Fuel consumption also improved notably due to low weight, especially around town. A C1/107/Aygo will do better, but not by much.
Thirdly, the packaging. Might be a classed as a super mini, but the A2 does everything a Golf or A3 does but is way more flexible. 6 foot adults no problem on rear seats due to lowered space floor. And these rear seats can be folded in a few ways or removed completely if big cargo space is required.
Finally, the build quality. Yes, the "soft touch" plastics can show some superficial wear, but apart from that, even 10 year old cars seem to look better than anything 3 year plus in the same segment, and usually no rattles of any kind inside.
Fantastic cars I think, I was close to getting one last year but inherited a free Yaris instead. The fact of it being apparently a bit love/hate adds to its character I think, in time it will be regarded as a minor classic. When you consider that all the manufacturers are about efficiency and attempts to lighten the weight of their cars, Audi were well ahead of the game with the A2, and using fairly standard engines for the time, too. No, it's not all that exciting to look at or drive and it has a bit of a mini-MPV thing about it, but its an interesting car and to me as a second hand buy, a far better choice than any other contemporary similar alternative.
As you say, look at the choices: it's either going to be boring like a Golf, or a bit tatty by now like a Megane or a Focus. For £3-4k you can't realistically ask for more.
In my research the main thing that seemed to be a drawback was the higher-than average insurance cost (although not by any means steep if you're used to running something a bit fancier anyway) due to the potential repair costs, and the glass roof although it's pretty stylish, is unreliable and adds a lot of weight up top. Other than that, the standard things apply, obviously be careful with a diesel if you're using it for short trips.
As you say, look at the choices: it's either going to be boring like a Golf, or a bit tatty by now like a Megane or a Focus. For £3-4k you can't realistically ask for more.
In my research the main thing that seemed to be a drawback was the higher-than average insurance cost (although not by any means steep if you're used to running something a bit fancier anyway) due to the potential repair costs, and the glass roof although it's pretty stylish, is unreliable and adds a lot of weight up top. Other than that, the standard things apply, obviously be careful with a diesel if you're using it for short trips.
Kolbenkopp said:
Rich_W said:
Every A2 I've seen has 2 major things wrong with it
1) It's usually owned by some kind of weirdo that thinks they are the best car eva! There's some weird clique thing with them. Makes Smart car owners look normal. Probably because they were cheap Audis. The old Champagen taste lemonade money.
My word, you look like quite the troll. 1) It's usually owned by some kind of weirdo that thinks they are the best car eva! There's some weird clique thing with them. Makes Smart car owners look normal. Probably because they were cheap Audis. The old Champagen taste lemonade money.
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