New car conundrum.. Ford Focus Zetec S or Audi A3 Sportback

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hasslehamhassleham Frets: 598
edited July 2017 in Off Topic
So I'm considering getting a new car. I bought my first car in November 2016 (a 2006 Ford Fiesta) and whilst it's a good little car, it's going to fail it's MOT in October and need new springs + brakes fitting. Since buying it i've had the cambelt changed, thermostat changed, roller bars replaced, a bearing replaced, handbrake adjusted etc. and it's cost quite a bit of upkeep. I'm already thinking I would prefer something newer to hopefully avoid regular maintenance costs, so i'm considering getting a Ford Focus Zetec S or an Audi A3 sportback on PCP (used, up to 4 years old ish).

I've narrowed it down to these two because I like them specs + looks wise and they're big enough for me to fit guitar/PA gear in to get to gigs.  I haven't test driven either yet. The Focus would be a bit cheaper than the A3. 

Reliability-wise, i've heard good things about both brands, so that doesn't really help me to narrow it down.

I'm inexperienced when it comes to cars in general; what to look for and what to avoid, so I just wondered whether anyone has experience with either of these cars + can give their opinion, as well as opinions on whether to buy direct from Ford/Audi Used or to go somewhere like Evans Halshaw/Car People.

If anyone has any wisdom to share I would be very grateful!




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Comments

  • rlwrlw Frets: 4670
    A3

    You need to ask?
    Save a cow.  Eat a vegetarian.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    A3. No-brainer.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    Fretwired said:
    A3. No-brainer.
    This
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  • FX_MunkeeFX_Munkee Frets: 2477
    How far away do you like driving from the car in front of you?
    Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name. Not to mention archery tuition.
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  • hasslehamhassleham Frets: 598
    This is kind of the reaction I was expecting hahaha.

    FX_Munkee said:
    How far away do you like driving from the car in front of you?
    < 3ft of course!
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    Ford parts are cheaper but you'll probably need them more often, not a problem if you are DIY but with labour costs that makes it overall more expensive. Both manufacturers have massive worldwide sales with the A3 running gear being common on golfs, TTs, Skoda Octavias, Some SEATS etc. Modern Fords are much nicer than the prefects/escorts of old but then thats also true of all manufacturers.

    I too would go VW/Audi over Ford and Honda over VW/Audi.
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  • CloudNineCloudNine Frets: 4254
    The Audi won't have indicators, so you'll need to consider whether find yourself using them often.
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  • strtdvstrtdv Frets: 2355
    A3. In petrol.
    Robot Lords of Tokyo, SMILE TASTE KITTENS!
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  • But the A3 is left hand drive.
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  • hasslehamhassleham Frets: 598
    @strtdv ;
    Why Petrol?


    Also @everyone else.. you can't say A3 just because it's an A3. I already know A3's are awesome, but is there anything bad about a Focus?
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  • Jez6345789Jez6345789 Frets: 1756
    From my limited experience we leased an A3 for one of our reps as he was young and had to have one type of thing.
    ultimately it ate tyres seldom made it to the service without something going wrong in between.

    we changed for a Focus we bought and it happily knocked out 170k without blinking an eye just tyres breaks and normal wear and tear stuff it was also a nice drive and I took it to Scotland a couple of times and it was a good easy small car to drive.


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  • strtdvstrtdv Frets: 2355
    @hassleham because of dieselgate.

    Audi owners have been reporting a large drop in mpg and performance since the software fix was applied.
    I'm sure not all models are affected, but I definitely wouldn't buy one that was.

    I bought a Golf GTD this year, but was careful to check the mk 7 GTD wasn't affected before I bought it.
    Robot Lords of Tokyo, SMILE TASTE KITTENS!
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23906
    I ran a Focus Estate for 13 years and wound it up to 200,000 miles. It was an older one with the TDDI engine rather than the newer TDCI

    It was brilliant and I'd have another one.

    But - I wouldn't have the regular hatchback because the boot is laughably small. I don't know what the boot size is on the A3.

    Might not be important to you of course, but I have to drag bass stacks around with me quite often.
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  • chillidoggychillidoggy Frets: 17136

    Whichever way you look at it, you'll be seen as a cock with an Audi.


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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    hassleham said:
    @strtdv ;
    Why Petrol?


    Because I don't want to breathe in lots of extra NO2.

    Unless you are doing large quantities of motorway miles then petrol normally works out cheaper as well.  While the headline mpg figures aren't as good, petrol is cheaper per litre than diesel, and some of the other costs work out cheaper with petrol.
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26743
    Golf. Because that's all an A3 is underneath, but at a more sensible price. 

    The Focus is fine. But nothing more. Spectacularly functional and dull.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • hotpothotpot Frets: 845
    edited July 2017
    strtdv said:
    @hassleham because of dieselgate.

    Audi owners have been reporting a large drop in mpg and performance since the software fix was applied.
    I'm sure not all models are affected, but I definitely wouldn't buy one that was.

    I bought a Golf GTD this year, but was careful to check the mk 7 GTD wasn't affected before I bought it.

    ^This^ I was talking to a neighbour of mine who had that software fix (not A3 I hasten to add) and he couldn't live with it & sold it, he did drive it hard.

    I've been reading Daimler are recalling 3 million Mercedes Benz across Europe to go through the same thing to alter/improve their emissions.
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  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12313
    The Focus has a dull image but is a decent car. I've had two that I ran for 10 years in total and had zero issues with both. The "Ford will need fixing more often" thing is a myth nowadays. 
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16003

    Whichever way you look at it, you'll be seen as a cock with an Audi.

    WHY ?

    You would be seen as a cock in a jacked up Saxo with big wheels and a drainpipe exhaust ......don't get why a very well engineered ,classy and discreet little car like an A3 (Mr Nobody ,entry level Audi ) would generate such a response 
    Only by car-haters or jealous people surely ?
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16003

    Golf. Because that's all an A3 is underneath, but at a more sensible price. 

    The Focus is fine. But nothing more. Spectacularly functional and dull.
    ^ SO true and wise
    We have a little top of range Polo as a courtesy car at the moment and it is a superb little thing
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