A3 Sportback - Options Advice

[mcody]

Hi there

I am ordering my A3 Sportback 2.0TDI SPORT soon and want some advise on whether to spend an extra £4k on the following options. Does anyone out there have any of these - would you recommend them - or go for an alternative....?

1) DSG - is it worth it? How relaible is it?
2) Sat Nav - how good is the factory fit option or go for a separate unit fitted after i get the vehicle?
3) Open Sky - worth the money - how 'OPEN' is it?

I look forward to your helpful advice..many thanks!!!

Mark

[stewarta13wsb]

With only one main road up here (heading north or south) I can't speak for Sat Nav and with full air con / climate control I didn't want a sunroof (air con would be my option rather than the roof thingy any day) but DSG... even better than I was expecting, go for it

[tosh.brice]

I am planning to buy an A3 TDI but have no opportunity for a real test drive in Israel. The choice is between DSG front drive or manual with quattro. I have driven quattros, so I know the advantages, but am not personally familiar with DSG.

Does the DSG give you full manual override of the auto box or does it sometimes change gear when you don't want to (like tiptronic does)?

If you are in auto, can you still switch with the paddles - eg, if you have a sudden opportunity to overtake?

[mandy]

DSG is sooo much fun but the one thing that niggles me is that you cannot fully override the auto box - after a while of not changing gears (either using paddles or tip mode), the car defaults back to auto. But yes, you can use the paddles anytime which is indeed very handy for overtaking (and really satisfying!).

I would say that if you are a manual lover at heart, DSG isn't for you, but personally I love it!

[tosh.brice]

Originally posted by mandy@Oct 31 2005, 06:00 PM
... after a while of not changing gears (either using paddles or tip mode), the car defaults back to auto. ...

Quoted post

Thanks, Mandy -
How long is "a while"?
I have always thought of myself as a "manual lover at heart" but am thinking I might be converted!
Rgds Tosh

[mandy]

Originally posted by tosh.brice@Oct 31 2005, 04:11 PM
Thanks, Mandy - How long is "a while"?

Well I thought about 30 seconds and I just checked the owners manual and it says: "When the selector lever is in position D or S the gearbox will revert to the selected automatic mode after about 30 seconds if the tiptronic paddle levers are not used again."

Hope that helps.

[tosh.brice]

Thanks for taking the trouble!

[elsiesvg]

Hi,

DSG really is great. You'd have to be a diehard manual lover not to like it.

Opensky is a disappointment as far as I'm concerned. To describe what it feels like when you're inside the car, just imagine two standard size sunroofs, one above the driver's head where the sunroofs usually are and one above the rear passenger's heads. That's exactly what Opensky feels like. For the driver, no different than a standard sunroof.

[mandy]

I've also heard Opensky can be a bit 'noisy' which is something to consider. I can't comment on the Sat Nav either - I'm sure it's great but it's far too expensive IMO. Some things I couldn't live without are Cruise Control and the Centre Arm Rest - great for motorway driving. Also, I wish I'd got the interior light pack - the red ambient lighting sounds lovely!

[tcrimmons]

Same same, Climate control negates a sunroof. Dsg..Fantastic what a drive!!