Audi A3 2.0FSI buyers advice

[rockford22]

Hi All,

First time venturing in to the VAG part of the forum but hoping some of you can help. The O/H is looking to change in to an early A3 2.0FSI from a 1.4 VW Polo and we plan to view one locally this week. I've googled to death and highlighted a few issues (coil packs tend to be weak but cheap fix, ABS faults?) but it tends to be reasonably reliable. Any buyers advice that any current owners may have? Anything particularly to look out for on a test drive?

We're not expecting the car to set the world alight but it should do the job of transporting her and the dog to work and back and the O/H is alarmingly picky when it comes to her next car....it took us best part of the weekend to agree that an A3 2.0FSI *may* be an option. She is a bit of a VAG fan girl and has rejected almost everything else I have recommended - if any other options exist sub £2k then I would be all ears (reasonably modern, 5 door hatch, economy not major concern, pokier than a 1.4 Polo to keep me vaguely interested but realistically performance isn't a factor).

Cheers

[morgrp]

I've looked after a friends 2.0 FSI auto for a few years now and they seem generally robust. Engine is fine but not especially economic although granted hers is an auto. Suspension, brakes and electrics are the same as with any other A3 - I've run hers on Shell oil and genuine filters and its been fine - coil pack failure is common on most VAG engines, you'll find they start to get fragile but work fine until someone removes them to fit new plugs. The removal of the fragile coil tends to break it and you'll end up needing one shortly after. They are cheap and easy to replace though - Several people I know with certain VAG cars actually carry a spare in the glove box just in case!