Which is best

[iallen1@btinter]

Been having a debate with a mate of mine who has just bought a Audi A3 hatchback 3 door 1.9 tdi sport, for 16200 and reckons its better than my mk6 golf 1.4tsi se, which i got for 14200. I dont agree with him and have been looking at all the specs for both cars and cant see a great difference in them, his engine is the old vw 1.9 which is like a tractor compared with the new one, anyone got any thoughts.

[djradium]

The A3 is one outdated and ugly looking car, your mate is just jealous ;)

[knt]

With the Audi, it's the badge & name image you're paying for and not the latest technology.

[james_tiger_woo]

That'd be the slow old diesel then. With 5 gears. And 4 rings on the front that over inflates the price....

I'd choose the Golf every time - funnily enough - I did :)

[iallen1@btinter]

me too love my new Golf, just nice for people to have the same opinion as me.

[dmw76]

I had this same discussion with the wife when we were choosing our new car. The wife wanted an audi mainly because its seen more of a premium product but after we drove one and the dealer told us the price the golf was a no brainer. Better interior, better looks and much better engine ( 1.4 tsi )

[iallen1@btinter]

I did sit in the Audi A3 before i bought the Golf, as the dealers are connected, but is was very small inside and the diesel engine is like a old tractor compared with th new vw diesel

[onzarob]

Not alot in it...I think its more personal choice than a real difference. Personally I would prefer the diesel as its got more go than the 1.4...and thats a fact. tractor or not and you might find as it has lower revs at 70+ on the motorway the diesel will be quieter.

[Rhigour]

The 1.4 tsi is the state of the art in engine design, it is a benchmark in the development of very high efficiency powerful flexible engines and will be where all other manufacturers are suddenly realizing they have to aspire to be. The VW golf is already there, Audi will doubtless be let in on the act in the near future, Other manufacturers have got some serious catching up to do.

[james_tiger_woo]

Having driven the 1.9 diesel, it's the old, old engine and has little go, more noise and revs pretty high as the 1.9 has the 5speed box.

The old and new 2.0 diesels are so much better on pull, economy and noise.

I can't comment on the 1.4, but I suspect that as its technology is newer, you'd hope that it's a more refined, better, cleaner, etc engine than the ancient (relatively) 1.9 diesel.

Either way, comparing a (any) diesel and a petrol is like chalk and cheese isn't it?

[iallen1@btinter]

Must agree, the new mk6 2.0 140 bhp diesel does 0-60 in 9.3 seconds, the 1.4tsi in 9.5 so hardly any difference and a big saving in your pocket, i only do 6000 a year so a diesel is no good to me

[Rhigour]

Must agree, the new mk6 2.0 140 bhp diesel does 0-60 in 9.3 seconds, the 1.4tsi in 9.5 so hardly any difference and a big saving in your pocket, i only do 6000 a year so a diesel is no good to me

The 90 HP 122 PS ( either DSG or manual 6 ) does 0-100Kph in 9.4 sec . That gives a 0-60Mph of 9.08 sec.

[netherfield]

Got a Golf coming on wednesday,we looked at the Audi as well,but I don't think it matches up in looks or price.

On top of that the salesman never even bothered to follow up the initial enquiry,must be selling new cars hand over fist,he was more interested in setting up the outside display when we first went in.

[cs2009]

Been having a debate with a mate of mine who has just bought a Audi A3 hatchback 3 door 1.9 tdi sport, for 16200 and reckons its better than my mk6 golf 1.4tsi se......

I currently own an A3 (albeit 2.0T version) and have just ordered a Golf GT TSI, so can offer some first hand experience.

The A3 is a good car, but it is a 5 year old design and is showing its age badly. When I first had a test drive in the new Golf (a 1.4 TSI SE, as it happens), it was immediately obvious to me that it is a vastly superior car. Better ride, better handling, much better interior and much, much quieter.

I used to own an A3 2.0TDI, and that was appallingly noisy, and I believe that the 1.9 is even worse.

[adamss24]

Having driven the 1.9 diesel, it's the old, old engine and has little go, more noise and revs pretty high as the 1.9 has the 5speed box.

The old and new 2.0 diesels are so much better on pull, economy and noise.

I can't comment on the 1.4, but I suspect that as its technology is newer, you'd hope that it's a more refined, better, cleaner, etc engine than the ancient (relatively) 1.9 diesel.

Either way, comparing a (any) diesel and a petrol is like chalk and cheese isn't it?
The thing is the "OLD" 1.9 Tdi lump is bulletproof compared with the 2.0L Tdi or the 1.4 Tsi ! As these are relatively new engines, they keep breaking more often and the charger/turbo combo in the Vw is prone to early failures... I would take a b5/b5.5 passat or audi a4 b6 over any new car unless it has the 3.0L Audi Tdi lump in it ! I have friends in the trade and they dont rate that high the golf mk5, vw passat b6 either petrol or diesel. Specially when you have a full service history 110K car wich keep breaking on a 2K trip to europe 3 times and its 3 years old... I believe it has something to do with cost saving, build quality and those poxy electronic gadgets wich cost the earth when they go wrong ! 10 years ago a 150K Beemer or Merc with full history was as good mechanically (if not better!) than a new car bar the wear and tear. Now you take a CR diesel engine and by 100k it needs soo many new parts that one asks why bother ?

[maisbitt]

There are 2 types of Audi. The expensive ones get the new technology before VW, Skoda, Seat (like common rail diesels), then you get the cheap ones that put in old engines at the same price point as the equivalent VW.

An A3 with the 1.9 diesel costs pretty much the same as the low end 2.0TDI Golf, same goes for the petrol - the old 1.6 102ps petrol in the Audi at the same pricepoint as the 1.6TFSI 115PS in the Golf.

Like for like, theres about 2 grand between the VW and it's Audi equivalent.

Not wanting to alienate all our Audi postees on here, i'd say get the Golf.

The Golf is a better looker, and is better equipped at the same pricepoint. The A3 won't hold it's value as well as the Golf, unless it's a specialist like the Cabriolet or the S3.

On a new car, the 1.9 diesel should be binned, it's awful when compared to what's out there now. It was good for it's time, but it's very old technology now (I hate getting a 1.9TDI powered courtesy car!)

[macmillions]

When everyone says the 1.9 is "old"... How old are we actually talking?
My dad had an N reg 1.9 tdi 110bhp golf a few years back.
Surely still not the same engine!?

[onzarob]

When everyone says the 1.9 is "old"... How old are we actually talking?
My dad had an N reg 1.9 tdi 110bhp golf a few years back.
Surely still not the same engine!?

No they talking about the PD 1.9TDI that would of been a VE engine I think.

[james_tiger_woo]

As above - there were 2x 1.9s - the PD and the, er, other one. The PD is the newer (relatively) one and is more economical, etc.

I had a Bora and that had 2 incarnations of diesels - the 1.9 110/90 and the 1.9 115, 130 and 150 - the latter was newer and, allegedly, better. My 115 was pretty much ok and one of the cars that I regret selling.

[iallen1@btinter]

I do think some of the old engines and technology are tried and tested, but for a couple of hundred more i reckon my mate would of been better off with the Golf 2.0 110bhp se, the Audi 1.9 Sport doesnt even have cruise control or illuminated vanity mirrors. I would have waited and had a look at the Audi A1.

[J400uk]

Not alot in it...I think its more personal choice than a real difference. Personally I would prefer the diesel as its got more go than the 1.4...and thats a fact. tractor or not and you might find as it has lower revs at 70+ on the motorway the diesel will be quieter.

Hate to bump up old topics but thats rubbish. The 1.9 is a gutless ancient thing with just 103bhp to call upon and it takes about 12 seconds to 60. The 1.4 TSI is hell of a lot better with 120bhp and a 0-60 figure much closer to 9 seconds. The only thing the 1.9 is good for is fuel economy, but other than thts its a rough noisy engine with a very narrow power band.


When everyone says the 1.9 is "old"... How old are we actually talking?
My dad had an N reg 1.9 tdi 110bhp golf a few years back.
Surely still not the same engine!?

Both share the same basic design, which dates back to the early 90s.

[dmw76]

Got to agree that the 1.9 tdi is a rattly smokey ancient motor. Had to endure an hour in one with an audi salesman trying to convince me that 18k was a good price for a car with 10 year old tech powering it.

[james_tiger_woo]

Is the Audi 1.9 a 6sp?

[J400uk]

Is the Audi 1.9 a 6sp?

I'm pretty sure its just a 5-speed with the 1.9 PD105.

[james_tiger_woo]

I'm pretty sure its just a 5-speed with the 1.9 PD105.

Hardly seems worth it in that case....