Just looked and the earliest Autotrader with 170 was an 07 !!!
All the adverts for Sport A3 TDIs are 140 unless they say 170, I think you'll find.
Final answer............!
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Sorry, but you didn't look very hard... :D
http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www...ch_full=SEARCH
Anyway, I now know that these are falsely advertised and it turned out that the owners thought they had 170's as that was what they were told when they bought them.
Looks like I'm looking for a 140 then.
I think you can tell only tell definitively from the VIN, however the first car to get the 170Hp diesel was the new shape passat, and that was delayed from when it was advertised.
I know, I nearly bought one and that engine wasn't in the 10/2005 Brochure, but was available by about February 06.
If you want me to get the engine / Vin codes I can, just shout.
The 170 has straight twin chrome exhausts, the 140's have twin downturned exhausts.
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/photopo...to=261&cat=529
That is the only cosmetic difference.
As for difference, the 30bhp is a massive improvement. My friend asked me this weekend after accelerating my way to about 80 from a standstill.
"do you ever get bored of that?"
:)
Nope, it makes me smile daily. Even if there's a hike in insuance, fuel costs and i'm sure tyre wear.
In saying that the 140 speed was miles better than my old 125bhp Diesel Laguna, even though they shared an identical 0-60 and top speed. It was the in gear acceleration that felt 6 or 7 seconds quicker.
Thanks for the reply, this is the kind of answer I've been waiting for.
However, I simply cannot afford a decent 170 (after finding out that they were not available in 2004) so I am looking at 140's.
I'm not after outright acceleration from a standstill though, just bags of torque which from what I've read the 140 delivers in this area (I have an FTO GPX for looks and high revving speed).
Would you say that the 140 is still a good puller when already rolling though?
The thing with TDi's is that the 0-60 is irrelevant really. Take my A3, it is quicker than a petrol BMW 530i through some of the gears. Yet my 0-60 is 8.2 and the 530i is 6.3 !!
It's all about the torque and mid range acceleration.
I drove a Leon 140, Golf 140 and A3 140 and they all felt much quicker than my old (crappy) laguna. I would of been very happy to of had one.
I have a car allowance from my work and so I was just very lucky in that I had a choice between that and the 170.
I know that if i had a 140 that looking back that I would of always thought "i should of got the 170".
And the three VAG cars felt very different even though they share many common parts. IMO the Leon was bland on the inside, the Golf was better but lower spec'd as standard and the A3 oozed quality and design. The engines also felt different, the A3 felt like it had more to give.
In saying all that it was still a really tough decision, and again, I am very lucky to have had a choice.
Again, thanks for the reply. I would defo choose the A3 over the other 2 anyway as I like the solid understated looks of the A3.
I know what you mean about "wishing I had gone for the top model" as I usually do buy the best in any product but unfortunately the funds will just not allow for me to buy a good low mileage 170 (i have around £14000 to spend) and as this is really a replacement for my girlfriends 1.0 yaris, it will still be a huge improvement.
I've seen a Black 05 plate for £15k with 31k in sport trim with extras.
Search Auto Trader
13-15k
national
diesel
sport
manual
This is whats confusing though as I have been told by a few people on here and by Audi themselves that the 170 wasn't released until May 2006.
Strange...
Anyway, I have just had the VIN number off someone with an 04 plate 170 and im gonna get it checked out. He's the only owner and bought it new from Audi and was told that it is a 170 - they just double checked with the reg number.
So im gonna get his VIN number checkout to be sure - seems very odd though...