Difference between 2008 'Special Edition' vs 'SE' vs 'SE (08)'?

[vulpi]

Hi folks

I'm new to the forum, and looking to get a 2008 A3 5d.

After reading through the forum, I'm pretty set on a 1.6 petrol as my annual mileage of around 7k doesn't seem to justify a diesel.

I've seen a car advertised as 'Special Edition', but when I looked around (including on Parkers) to get guide prices, I could see what looked like 3 models that could fit:



1.6 Special Edition 5d http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/used/audi/a3/sportback-2004/29774/?yearplate=87 (£7995)
1.6 SE 5d http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/used/audi/a3/sportback-2004/28934/?yearplate=87 (£7550)
1.6 SE (08) 5d http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/used/audi/a3/sportback-2004/40287/?yearplate=87 (£8890)


The dealer price varies by £1,400!

So, how can I tell exactly which model it is I'm looking at, rather than just believing the text in the ad, which, from previous Test Drives, I already know can be fairly inaccurate.

Thanks

vulpi

[Sam]

Welcome to VWAF :)

Special Edition = S E

There was a facelift in 2008, the (08) signifies this as being a facelift model, hence the inflated price.

[vulpi]

Hi mycarsavw, thanks for your quick response.

I thought the (08) would've indicated the facelift due to the increased price, so thanks for confirming that.



Special Edition = S E


Yeah, I thought that's what it stood for - but my first two entries above from Parkers indicate that the 'Special Edition' is nearly £500 dearer than 'SE'.

Is there a reference anywhere to confirm that it's SE/Special Edition - i.e., what additional features should the car have above lower-spec models?

Any

[Eshrules]

Hi mycarsavw, thanks for your quick response.

I thought the (08) would've indicated the facelift due to the increased price, so thanks for confirming that.



Yeah, I thought that's what it stood for - but my first two entries above from Parkers indicate that the 'Special Edition' is nearly £500 dearer than 'SE'.

Is there a reference anywhere to confirm that it's SE/Special Edition - i.e., what additional features should the car have above lower-spec models?

Any
Like THIS (http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/audi/a3/sportback-2004/equipment/) you mean?

[Guest 2]

On the prefacelift there were these trim levels

Standard
SE
Sport
S-Line
S3

The SE is its own trim level, the Special Edition is a Standard with Manual Aircon

If you look here - http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/UsedCars/Refresh/A3/A3%20and%20S3%20-%20%20Nov%2006.pdf

On Page 7 you'll see if you want manual aircon, your Standard will automatically become a Special Edition (not SE).

On the facelift, they made manual aircon a standard fit item on Standard and there were only Standard, SE, Sport, S-Line and S3

Facelift - http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/UsedCars/Refresh/A3/A3%20and%20S3%20range%20-%20June%2008.pdf

Anything '58 plate onwards should be a facelift, you may get a few stragglers of prefacelift which made it into '58.

The Facelift got a more angled face, including new bonnet, bumper, grille and wings.

(I think!)

[Sam]

Yeah, I thought that's what it stood for - but my first two entries above from Parkers indicate that the 'Special Edition' is nearly £500 dearer than 'SE'.

Is there a reference anywhere to confirm that it's SE/Special Edition - i.e., what additional features should the car have above lower-spec models?

Any


It would appear Audi like to mix things up a bit just to make their drivers feel special (not special edition).

SE and Special Edition are not the same, the latter sits above the base model and offers manual air con.

Basic - Special Edition - SE - Sport - S Line

So there's the Specialness - I'd save your £500 and buy an S3 badge to stick on the back :)

Edit - Chris types faster :p

[Guest 2]

By a whole 6 minutes! ;)

To make things mroe complicated, there was a facelift of the pre-facelift before it became the prefacelift model. Known as 8P1 (very first 8Ps), 8P2 (the facelift of the 8P1) and the 8P3 the facelift of the 8P2).

Blatently stolen from elsewhere but explains the above -

Audi A3 8P1
2003-2005

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid959193707.jpg


Audi A3 8P2
2005- June 2008

Standard:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid963812859.jpg

S-Line:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid960555404.jpg

S3:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid948783079.jpg


Audi A3 8P3
June 2008-2012

Standard/SE:
http://www.supercar.co.uk/ContentDelivery/VehicleImage.axd?OfficeId=1&VehicleId=602975718&View=1&Width=468&Height=312&DefaultImage=audi&UC=2



Sport:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid952481760.jpg

S-Line:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid956428374.jpg

S3:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a20/staz1000/mediaid960555017.jpg

[Sam]

Best off buying a Golf :biglaugh:

[vulpi]

Like THIS (http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/audi/a3/sportback-2004/equipment/) you mean?

Exactly like that, thanks Eshrules!

(Btw, I did have a scout about for that kinda thing, but not enough obviously. :o)

[vulpi]

Thanks A6_Chris for your feedback - reading through that brochure at least makes this feel like i'm buying the car new, even if it's going to be 5 years old!

I've now test drove both pre and post-facelift, and I actually prefer the pre-facelift bumper and grille, but I guess it'd be more engine changes that would be important.

[vulpi]

Best off buying a Golf :biglaugh:

Oh, gaawwwddd, don't start that one!

I'm, uhm, actually selling my MKIV Golf (which came after my MKII Golf Driver, which I loved) and changing to the A3!

I just didn't like the look of the later Golfs as much as the A3. I actually swithered over going back and getting another MKII Golf, but then I realised I just wanted to be 20-something again :D

[vulpi]

SE and Special Edition are not the same, the latter sits above the base model and offers manual air con.

So there's the Specialness - I'd save your £500 and buy an S3 badge to stick on the back :)


Yeah, that's great to confirm all that from your posts above - and it explains the price difference on Parkers - the SE price must be £500 cheaper assuming that NO optional extras were selected.

However, the air-con is a must-have for me this time around, and from the amount of uncomfortably hot drives I've had in my MKIV, it would be worth £500 alone. I'll maybe get a wee badge too, though!

[Mujnu]

Just a couple of question lads to clarify something, I'm currently in the process of buying myself an a3 8p2 1.9tdi but a little confused as to the spec levels, is the SE spec (not the special edition spec) better than the sport spec in terms of goodies or vice versa? I've looked everywhere but everyone seems to have mixed opinions so a little confused lol for example on parkers website the SE spec is above the sport spec but on the audi website provided previously on this thread the sport spec comes after the SE spec :1zhelp:

any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Guest 2]

Brochure for the 8P2 - https://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/UsedCars/Refresh/A3/A3%20and%20S3%20-%20%20Nov%2006.pdf

[Mujnu]

Thanks chris, I already had a look at that from a previous post, but was still confused probably being a noob and all lol
so I guess the sport and SE are regarded on the same level but give different things?
and how would you be able to tell the diff from a Special edition and an SE? From the air con and the wood?

thanks in advance

[duncanlovett]

Hello,

Do you have a link to the 2004 one, I cannot find it on the Audi website.

Thanks

Duncan


Just a couple of question lads to clarify something, I'm currently in the process of buying myself an a3 8p2 1.9tdi but a little confused as to the spec levels, is the SE spec (not the special edition spec) better than the sport spec in terms of goodies or vice versa? I've looked everywhere but everyone seems to have mixed opinions so a little confused lol for example on parkers website the SE spec is above the sport spec but on the audi website provided previously on this thread the sport spec comes after the SE spec :1zhelp:

any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.


On the prefacelift there were these trim levels

Standard
SE
Sport
S-Line
S3

The SE is its own trim level, the Special Edition is a Standard with Manual Aircon

If you look here - http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/UsedCars/Refresh/A3/A3%20and%20S3%20-%20%20Nov%2006.pdf

On Page 7 you'll see if you want manual aircon, your Standard will automatically become a Special Edition (not SE).

On the facelift, they made manual aircon a standard fit item on Standard and there were only Standard, SE, Sport, S-Line and S3

Facelift - http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/UsedCars/Refresh/A3/A3%20and%20S3%20range%20-%20June%2008.pdf

Anything '58 plate onwards should be a facelift, you may get a few stragglers of prefacelift which made it into '58.

The Facelift got a more angled face, including new bonnet, bumper, grille and wings.

(I think!)