Experience with Clubman S and Audi A3 first hand
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4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 336
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From: South Jersey
Experience with Clubman S and Audi A3 first hand
Last week my dads audi's water pump blew up so while it was in the shop he got a loaner A3 top of the line s line edition. This was one of the cars i had considered that i was going to get before motoring file broke the 2011 refresh on the minis. In my area there wasn't one A3 on any Audi lot that i could test drive and i really loved the look of them and was going to take a shot in the dark an order it, it was that same day i was going to order it that the Motoring File story broke and I patiently waited for a 2011 clubman to come in the lot so i coult test drive that.
Well, i fell in love and placed my order on the clubman (thank god) I ended up driving the a3 around for aday and a half last week and there is absolutly no comparison between the two. The mini has so much more soul and attitude that the sline A3 really lacked. I wanted to like the car, i really really wanted to but there was absolutely nothing i could find that made me "like" it.... It handled like garbage, the flappy paddles were garbage and the car overall is quite a disappointment. Or maybe it was the flappy padles that did it in for me, a car like that should have 3 pedals but i understand it was a loaner.
Now, in a straight line the A3 would take a stock clubman s but i think on a track the clubman would out maneuverer the A3 and run circles around it. And the build quality of the A3 was very volkswagon whereas the 2011 Mini is worlds ahead of quality . The Q5 (which my dad has) is worlds much better in build quality and i truly feel it would out handle the A3, i mean for an SUV this thing can handle and its quick.
Anyway, i figured this might help some people out there that are looking at the two. They are popular models to compare against but dont waste your time with the A3....Go Mini
Well, i fell in love and placed my order on the clubman (thank god) I ended up driving the a3 around for aday and a half last week and there is absolutly no comparison between the two. The mini has so much more soul and attitude that the sline A3 really lacked. I wanted to like the car, i really really wanted to but there was absolutely nothing i could find that made me "like" it.... It handled like garbage, the flappy paddles were garbage and the car overall is quite a disappointment. Or maybe it was the flappy padles that did it in for me, a car like that should have 3 pedals but i understand it was a loaner.
Now, in a straight line the A3 would take a stock clubman s but i think on a track the clubman would out maneuverer the A3 and run circles around it. And the build quality of the A3 was very volkswagon whereas the 2011 Mini is worlds ahead of quality . The Q5 (which my dad has) is worlds much better in build quality and i truly feel it would out handle the A3, i mean for an SUV this thing can handle and its quick.
Anyway, i figured this might help some people out there that are looking at the two. They are popular models to compare against but dont waste your time with the A3....Go Mini
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
From: salt lake city, utah
NICE! I came to a similar conclusion...except I waited on the Countryman S All4 (haven't taken delivery yet). It will be interesting to see what the 2012 redesign on the A3 brings...I assume it is still scheduled for 2012?
Enjoy your clubbie! That was my other choice
(btw Q5's are very popular in my neck of the woods and Audi's in general, second only to Subarus).
Enjoy your clubbie! That was my other choice
(btw Q5's are very popular in my neck of the woods and Audi's in general, second only to Subarus).
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