BMW 120d vs Audi A3: Comparison

Hello.
Unfortunately, I'm not driving a TDI right now. I had an accident with my beautiful Golf 3 TDI (AFN) just before the summer, and after that, I could only afford a cheap car because I'm a student. However, I really want to drive a diesel again because with my Honda Civic, I'm constantly going from gas station to gas station. Once you get used to a diesel, it seems that way anyway.

Now, back to the topic. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to test both vehicles a little.
First, I went to the BMW dealership and borrowed the new BMW 120d with 163 horsepower. Unfortunately, the only demo car available was an automatic model, so the comparison between the two vehicles is probably somewhat skewed since the Audi was a 6-speed manual.
Ich halte nicht viel von Automatikfahrzeugen, war dennoch sehr positiv überrascht welche Sportlichkeit der kleine Bayer an den Tag legt. Vom komfort her überbietet er den Audi, schon alleine vom Fahrgeräusch. Der Motor ist flüsterleise, der innenraum perfekt gedämmt. Nicht schlecht für so einen Kleinwagen!! Der Bremsweg kam mir sehr kurz vor, vom Fahrverhalten ist der kleine BMW wirklich genial. Zuerst dachte ich noch dass es ein Fronttriebler ist aber wie alle anderen BMWs hat auch dieser Wagen einen Heckantrieb. Der Motor war auch bei geöffneter Motorhaube sehr leise. Es erinnerte mehr an ein säuseln als an ein Dieseltuckern. Etwas seltsam fand ich dass der Motor im Motorraum sehr weit nach hinten versetzt war. Es wurde mir so erklärt dass es bei den ersten Modellen Probleme gab, weil zu wenig Gewicht auf die Hinterachse kam und deshalb musste der Schwerpunkt etwas versetzt werden. Reservereifen besitzt der Wagen auch nicht da kein Platz dafür vorgesehen ist, dafür hat er Reifen mit Notlaufeigenschaften. Möchte garnicht wissen was da ein Reifensatz kostet in 17Zoll. Das Modell, welches ich testen durfte war komplett vollausgestattet und kostete eindeutig weit mehr als 30.000?. DHowever, the base price of the lowest trim level is 26,700.
Overall, I'm fascinated by the car's agility and the pleasant engine sound. The only negative thing I noticed is the entry point, as I'm 186cm tall, and the BMW 1 Series is only available as a 4-door model. The front doors seem quite short, making the entry almost as complicated as getting into a sports car.

Now, let's talk about the Audi.
Basically, the A3 appeals to me much more visually. In the S-Line version, it's simply a dream car that's hard to improve upon. The fact that it has slightly less horsepower and therefore can't quite keep up with the BMW doesn't bother me too much, because in Austria, we pay taxes based on horsepower, not engine displacement.
The BMW is stated to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, while the Audi with 140 horsepower takes 9.6 seconds. You can definitely feel this difference, and for 140 horsepower, the A3 seems very tame. My father drives a Golf 4 TDI (130 horsepower PD) that has been tuned by Tuneline to produce 179 horsepower. Even with its original power, it somehow has more turbo boost.
The interior of the Audi is beautifully finished, and the S-Line trim is simply unbeatable.
The seats in the Recaros were so comfortable that I didn't want to get out. The engine noise, however, was surprising. I expected the new 16-valve diesel to burn a bit more smoothly. The salesperson said it was only due to the cold, but even after the 30km test drive, the noise wasn't really quieter. In that respect, BMW has the edge. Nevertheless, I will choose the Audi, because even though the base price of 26,300 is more or less the same, it's simply a more beautiful and sensible car.

The Audi would have the following features:
University black.
Equipment variant: Attraction.
S-Line package (interior trim, wheels, suspension).
Winter Package 1 (Heated exterior mirrors and windshield washer nozzles)
Front center armrest.
FIS (Driver Information System)
Xenon headlights.

including a 5% discount.
27,400 euros.

Could someone please check how much the same vehicle would cost in Germany? It would be really helpful, as I'm considering importing the Audi, since the 'Nova' tax would apply anyway for a new car.
Best regards, Viktor.

Hi,

You can easily configure the base price of the car on the Audi website (audi.de).

Everything else (e.g., discounts) varies so much locally and personally that it's impossible to make any meaningful generalizations.

Normally, you have to soften up the salesperson over a few days - and that's too time-consuming for me to get information in a forum - besides, I'll get the car then, not you .

Okay, please don't be upset if no one does this.

m;

EDIT: Try driving a 1Z, then you'll know what running smoothness and running noises are.

The Audi, even with its performance tuned via chip, is definitely the more fuel-efficient car. However, with PD engines, you have to accept the louder combustion noise.
"The BMW is definitely aimed at a different type of buyer. Traditionally, it's more of a sports car in terms of driving dynamics. I've never really looked at the 1 Series in detail, but I'm familiar with that engine from the 3 Series, and I generally understand BMW's philosophy."
The engine is positioned as far back as possible because it will be installed longitudinally, and BMW aims for a 50/50 weight distribution. The battery is often located under the rear seat. At BMW, the balance of the car is more important than interior space. However, it is now possible to make more compromises by manufacturing the front section largely from aluminum and the rear section from steel.
Rear-wheel drive is especially advantageous in hilly areas, particularly during the winter. While others can only manage to go uphill in reverse, you can easily drive straight up. With a little practice, it's also quite easy to drive. The old prejudices persist, but they stem from the old cars with poor weight distribution, bad tires, and even worse suspension.
I wouldn't go with run-flat tires; they're prohibitively expensive, especially winter tires, which are often hard to find. A tire problem like that can quickly lead to a longer-than-expected delay, especially abroad. Incidentally, run-flat tires can be discarded after even minor incidents (like a nail being punctured). This car likely has an optional spare wheel available, allowing you to use regular tires. We have a third car, an E60 530i, in addition to our Lupo and Jazz. They initially tried to force us to buy run-flat tires for that car as well. However, if you inquire, there are other options (especially if you make it clear that buying without a spare wheel is not an option). There's actually space for a spare wheel built in.

Regards,

Olaf.

Okay, I didn't mention anything about fuel consumption. I was able to test drive the Audi for about 30 km and the BMW for even 50 km. During those test drives, the A3 had an average fuel consumption of 7.6 liters, while the BMW had 10.9 liters???? I was really surprised. I was driving pretty fast, but that's still a lot more than I expected. The salesperson said it was because the car hasn't been broken in yet. I'd say that's nonsense, but whatever, I have no idea what was going on.

And to the question of whether the BMW could be equipped with regular tires, the answer was a simple 'no.' There's also no spare tire available for it, as there's simply no space. The battery is located where the spare tire well would normally be, which says a lot about the weight distribution.

The A3 has plastic fenders and an aluminum hood, is that correct? That's what the salesperson told me after I tapped on the car +gg+.

Best regards, Viktor.

Ah, so it's actually a smaller car. In the BMWs so far, there's already space in the back for the battery and wheel. Well, you have to decide whether you still want a BMW then.
Audi has historically used either aluminum exclusively (A2, A or steel exclusively. The only exception I'm aware of is the Lupo 3L. However, it would be a smart move to combine materials as needed (as is now common practice at BMW).

If anyone knows more details, they can definitely reach out; I'm also interested.
So far, I have only compared the very small cars (Mini/Lupo) and the larger cars (3-series, C-Class, A4 or A6, 5-series) in more detail, mainly because I haven't had a need to consider other types of vehicles.

Regards,
Olaf.

According to Audi, the fenders are made of plastic, and they could be easily moved, even in the front near the headlights, where only a very small point protrudes. The hood is made of aluminum, and the rest of the body is made of fully galvanized steel.
'Yes, I wouldn't want to be out on the road without a spare tire, there's already enough junk on the streets.'
Best regards, Viktor.

www.juetten-koolen.at

http://www.autobild.de/test/neuwagen/artikel.php?artikel_id=7214

Take a look at that. Why on earth would someone buy a PD (presumably referring to a specific type of car)? A car can't possibly consume that much fuel for me to consider buying such a clunker.

The BMW simply has a better and more modern engine. And after a quick visit to a tuner, the 1 Series, with 200 horsepower, can even outpace a 535d.

535D Series, 80-120 km/h, 4.4 seconds.
120D Digi-Tec 80 - 0 to 120 km/h in 5.3 seconds.

However, the best thing about the BMW is the more relaxed and consistent driving experience. You don't have to constantly shift gears like you do with the 2.0 TDI, which only has a narrow usable torque band. Another advantage is that the BMW's speedometer is accurate. The car is simply fast, unlike the 2.0 TDI with its short gearing, where the speedometer shows 230 km/h or more when you're actually traveling at 208 km/h.

Since when have Recaro seats been available in the Audi A3? Are they only available in Austria?

Please don't buy a black car. Mauritius Blue or Red are awesome. The rest is just like any other new car that comes off the assembly line. It's just blending in with the crowd and nothing special.

Regards,

Manuel.

Manuel Thomas wrote:

..... Why would anyone buy a PD (presumably referring to a specific type of car)? A car simply can't consume that much fuel for me to consider buying such a clunker. ....

When was the last time you drove a Porsche Diesel? The current Porsche Diesels are anything but "clunkers." Many CR engines are worse.

.....
Why would anyone buy a PD (presumably referring to a specific type of car)? A car simply can't consume that much fuel for me to consider buying such a clunker.
....

When was the last time you drove a Porsche Diesel? The current Porsche Diesels are anything but 'clunkers.' Many CR engines are worse.

'About 3 weeks ago, I had a 2.0 TDI engine installed in my 2004 A3. Afterwards, I rode in a C270CDI. The difference was like night and day. Have you ever wondered why today's common rail diesel engines are quieter than the AJM engine from 1999? They use an endless amount of soundproofing material.'

Despite everything, I'm just not convinced by the PD engines. They're torque-lazy and have a narrow usable rev range with a gearbox that's too short. I also want to be able to go fast sometimes, and a PD engine just isn't suitable for that.

Regards,

Manuel.

Hi,

The PD engine isn't to blame for the short gearing. Take a look at the old 6-speed gearbox from the Ibiza and Polo, the one Ulf has. In 6th gear, it genuinely allows for 120 km/h at 2000 rpm. The engine doesn't even reach its maximum RPM at top speed with that gearbox...

Best regards,

Jan.

Well, the 270CDI is also a 5-cylinder engine.
And the engine isn't that quiet. At least, not in the E270CDi. Perhaps the new, updated C-Class has better sound insulation.
I didn't find the current 105 hp PD engine in the Golf 5 to be loud, unstable, or sluggish at all. It performed quite well. And with a fuel consumption difference of over 2 liters, the decision wouldn't be difficult for me. If they ever release a 130d with a 6-cylinder common-rail diesel, that would be something worth considering.
Furthermore, I would wait for the 2-door version of the 1 Series BMW, because the rear space in the 4-door version is soon less than in a Polo.

Well, what can I say? I also believe that, in terms of the engine, the BMW is better. It runs much more smoothly and performs very well.
On the other hand, I can't do anything with the 5-door version, and even BMW couldn't tell me when a coupe would be released. Probably around 2007 or so.
I want to buy the car within the next 4 months.
Hmm, a difficult decision.

@Manuel Thomas
I've also been considering red; it doesn't actually look that bad.

Best regards, Viktor.

Manuel Thomas wrote:

Three weeks ago, I drove a 2.0 TDI in a 2004 A3. Afterwards, I rode in a C270CDI.

Excellent comparison (4-cylinder vs. 5-cylinder, and significantly more displacement) .
If you try the 200CDI, you'll have a completely different opinion of Mercedes-Benz.

Quote:

A difference like day and night. Have you ever wondered why today's PDs are quieter than the AJM from 1999?

They use an endless amount of soundproofing material.

Unfortunately, the insulation materials weren't changed in the G4, and the AXR is noticeably quieter than the AJM. Even the ATD sounds rougher than mine.
I was able to directly compare the VP and PD motors in the G4, and the PD motor clearly outperformed the VP.

"Um PD with a transmission that's too short...? How much longer should it be, please?"

"While that might be true for the new A3, I can't say that PDs are generally undersized. Granted, the rev range is a bit tighter at the top compared to the CR, but with the same turbo technology, there's significantly more headroom at the bottom end."
CR and VP engines are more likely to align with the engine characteristics that BMW aims for (turbine-like and high-revving).
However, even a true BMW or Honda driver will likely struggle with BMW diesel engines (as I've seen with my own father's experience).

Regards,

Olaf.

Excellent comparison (4-cylinder vs. 5-cylinder, and significantly more displacement) .
If you try the 200CDI, you'll have a completely different opinion of Mercedes-Benz.


It wasn't about acceleration or anything like that, but simply about smoothness of operation, noise levels, etc. And I still have plenty of options for comparison, including other 4-cylinder engines. For example, the 2.2 TDCi in the Ford Mondeo has a fantastic smoothness of operation.

um... PD with a too short transmission...? How much longer should it be, please?

At least, it should be powerful enough to keep up with the competition. Otherwise, you feel like you're standing still while they drive away. For example, a C-Class Sport Coupe with a 143 hp CDI engine is officially registered for a top speed of 221 km/h. That's 14 km/h faster than the 2.0 TDI with 140 hp. The same applies to BMW.

I'm not convinced by this old-fashioned diesel engine. There's a reason why Audi is now focusing on common-rail technology. And let's not even talk about how the 3.0-liter engine isn't a great engine either.

Regards,

Manuel.