Is the A2 too good to be true?

[WeThePeople]

With an Audi tt hitting 300bhp and sucking up all my cash and a baby on the way we need a second car and looked into another Audi because everyone knows they are the "most bestest" car in the world :D

So far the A2 has knocked everything else off the short list, for the diesel its almost 70mpg, £35 a year tax and insurance so cheap I feel like I should be giving the insurance company more money :p It looks really comfy, being made of aluminium its never going to rust and the build quality seems spot on. Surely it cant be this good? If it was as good as it looks on paper, why have they stopped selling it?

I really really want one but ive always known if something is too good to be true then it usually is. Saying that the TT hit every box on the wants list too :)

BTW im Lee from Manchester and love anything VAG :D

[Xiter]

I think the A2 was discontinued because it was ahead of it's time. The world wasn't ready for it. If it would have been launched now when CO2 emissions really are in focus and fuel prices heading for the statosphere I think it would have become a success story. Especially the fictive 2008 A2 1,2TDI DSG Blue Motion (2,6L/100km):)

[Darren C]

Welcome to A2OC Lee!!

I can understand your scepticism, but for the most part the A2 is every bit as good as it sounds on paper and some... :D

The driving experience is enough in itself to still retain the enjoyment factor for me nearly 2 1/2 years down the road. The build quality, fit and finish over all, combined with the fuel economy and torque of the little three pot has to be experienced to be believed too. Plus, throw in an engine remap and the enjoyment just gets better.

The road tax is indeed yet another added bonus, but remember that this only applies to post 2001 Diesel cars if memory serves me right; (i.e. pre 2001 tax is based on engine CC and not emissions).

And yes, the people on this forum take the ownership experience to another level too. The forum is full of people with a wealth of information and no one is too shy to assist with anything; large or small.

I considered purchasing a 225 'TT' last year, but in the end I just couldn't bring myself to part with this great little car - that is the best testament that I can give.

Cheers,

Darren

[andyboy]

i like mine a lot, but the gsf parts man knows i'm wanting pencil coils before i get thru his door so not sure if it's really "too good to be true"
a cracking little car? yes.

[Skipton01]

Hello Lee,

I'm just outside Manchester too and if you want to see just how goo the A2 can be, just get in touch and I'll take you for a spin in my TDi 90 - known as Tank in these circles.

To clarify a few points - you'll not see much more than 55-60mpg in general driving from the diesels, but the road tax IS £35 for any cars registered after 1st March 2001 that emit less than 120g/CO2 (so that'll be all TDis then). Added to this, from October this year, any EU4 compliant diesel will also be exempt from the London Congestion charge, which is a bonus.

Cheers,

Mike

[WeThePeople]

All post March 2001 are put into tax brackets, £35 a year for the diesel :D

You should reconsider an Audi TT mate, Ill be running both tbh, one for with the family and one for when im on my own.

What do I look for in buying one? (apart from the usual) I know Audi's can suffer from electrical faults, does this include the A2? The dash pod looks almost identical to the TT and they are known to completley fail, is this the case?

[WeThePeople]

Hello Lee,

I'm just outside Manchester too and if you want to see just how goo the A2 can be, just get in touch and I'll take you for a spin in my TDi 90 - known as Tank in these circles.

To clarify a few points - you'll not see much more than 55-60mpg in general driving from the diesels, but the road tax IS £35 for any cars registered after 1st March 2001 that emit less than 120g/CO2 (so that'll be all TDis then). Added to this, from October this year, any EU4 compliant diesel will also be exempt from the London Congestion charge, which is a bonus.

Cheers,

Mike

Excellent Mike, we are very close im in Ashton-Under-Lyne so Mossley isnt that far away so I might take you up on your offer.

Will it be exempt from the proposed Manchester congestion charge too?

Is there anything I can see the different specs and options? I havent seen any with leather yet, although its not something I would really need but it would be nice to have it if it was available.

[ULP]

There isn't a negative side to owning the A2 that I can see, I've had mine since July 2005 and still love it. The balance of handling, steering, ride, space, size, comfort, quality and running costs is impossible to beat in my opinion. Every day I'm more sure that 'ULP' is a keeper and will be in the family for years.

The only blot has been a poor dealer, but that is true to many marques (just didn't expect it from Audi...). Just find a decent VAG specialist (or a Skoda/ SEAT/ VW dealer with a good reputation) and you'll be laughing.

Xiter is right, were it to be introduced today there is no doubt the high list price would be less of an issue because of the running costs and low CO2 output of diesel models.

[Skipton01]

All post March 2001 are put into tax brackets, £35 a year for the diesel :D

You should reconsider an Audi TT mate, Ill be running both tbh, one for with the family and one for when im on my own.

What do I look for in buying one? (apart from the usual) I know Audi's can suffer from electrical faults, does this include the A2? The dash pod looks almost identical to the TT and they are known to completley fail, is this the case?

The instruments are not prone to the same failure as those in the TT and most parts of the car (clocks included) are unique to the A2. There are a few shared components (engines from Polos, as are some OE suspension components), but all the bits you 'see', both inside and out are bespoke A2 parts.

I too have considered the TT, but I can't go back to petrol now - it'd have to be a cheap Cat.D with light frontal and a 1.9TDi transplant, then tuned.

I've driven all the different TTs (both Mk.1 and Mk.2) and to be honest, the original is still the one for me. The exterior design still stands head and shoulders above the new version but I do like the newer interior design, so would look at mixing and matching.

As regards leather and different options, mine has both! The only thing not on my car is a towing bracket, everything else is present and correct (just see my sig.!)

Cheers,

Mike

[WeThePeople]

I wouldnt touch a stealership with a barge pole mate, ive got a degree in motorsport engineering and tend to look after my own cars :)

Mike we will have to meet up and do a "I drive yours and you drive mine" Ive got massive breaks, uprated chassis with full adjustable suspension, better anti roll bars, poly bushes the lot, its had pretty much every handling mod available, and 300bhp at all the wheels its a hoot to drive. Im pretty sure it wont failt to impress.

Do you have pics of yours? Mine isnt going to be for the handling so i want it lower than your nans norks and on nice BBS style wheels or something.

[Skipton01]

I wouldnt touch a stealership with a barge pole mate, ive got a degree in motorsport engineering and tend to look after my own cars :)

Mike we will have to meet up and do a "I drive yours and you drive mine" Ive got massive breaks, uprated chassis with full adjustable suspension, better anti roll bars, poly bushes the lot, its had pretty much every handling mod available, and 300bhp at all the wheels its a hoot to drive. Im pretty sure it wont failt to impress.
It's a date, PM me and give me a few days when you are free.

Is yours the one with the chequers up the back and the black/silver numberplate?

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

Is there anything I can see the different specs and options? I havent seen any with leather yet, although its not something I would really need but it would be nice to have it if it was available.

This is a good place to get a bare idea of the specifications over the years:

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=60

The most significant difference was that for the 2003 model year the SE was reduced in price but lost climate control as a standard fitting - from then on it became a £800 option on all cars although Audi ran an offer for most of the production run in early 2003 of climate control + metallic paint for £250 so nearly all cars will still have it. The Sport was also introduced for the 2003 model year.

Beyond that it's entirely up to personal choice and what is available - I wanted a TDI SE with climate control and the bench seat (single 3-person bench rather than the standard split 50/50 2-person seat) and would have liked open-sky - in the end the lack of open-sky was a compromise because my ex-demo was offered at a price that couldn't be missed. Silver wasn't my first choice, but I really like it on the A2. You will often find cars with options as most were private purchases, some early cars in particular are well-specced.

[Darren C]

...the road tax IS £35 for any cars registered after 1st March 2001 that emit less than 120g/CO2 (so that'll be all TDis then)...

All post March 2001 are put into tax brackets, £35 a year for the diesel :D

You should reconsider an Audi TT mate, Ill be running both tbh, one for with the family and one for when im on my own.


I stand corrected - for a change!! :D

I still have a passion for the TT, and who knows - in the future maybe; when the A2 has rusted away perhaps... ;)

Darren

[John H]

Well, I've had my A2 for a month now and I'm very, very impressed with it, but it is not perfect. It's a tidy and competent handler, but it is no hot hatch, and I find the steering a mite lifeless. In standard spec it feels under-tyred to me, although it rides well, yet the Sport with bigger tyres seemed very harsh. In these admittedly very windy conditions we are having up here it is a real handful at motorway speeds in crosswinds :eek:. It also aquaplanes alarmingly easily as I found out the other day, perhaps this is tyres, but probably to do with light weight too.

If you can afford to run a sports car as well though, it makes a great contrast. I was out in my Porsche Cayman today, and really relished it, it is everything the A2 is not ... great steering, revvy, fast, flat handling, etc ... but of course it uses a lot of petrol (by comparison) and is expensive to buy and maintain. I shall enjoy it until the eco-warriors finally have it banned! :D

As to why Audi stopped making it, there is a long history of car makers trying to make small luxury cars, which have never really been a success. Think back as far as the Riley and Wolseley versions of the Issigonis Mini, the hideous Allegro Vanden Plas, and the lovely little Lancia Y10, plus lots of others. Only a minority of motorists are smart enough to appreciate the combination of small/luxury/advanced ... the majority just want lots of metal for their money to show off to the neighbours. This is slowly changing, but sadly for Audi they were ahead of the curve with the A2, and have regressed to feed ridiculous market demand for such nonsenses as the new 580bhp RS6.

Ah well! :rolleyes:

[WeThePeople]

It's a date, PM me and give me a few days when you are free.

Is yours the one with the chequers up the back and the black/silver numberplate?

Cheers,

Mike

Thats not me mate, im black with red details, have black bbs split rims with a red rim, red brake calipers and red leather really sets them off imo.

Thanks for the replies everyone, im pretty much sold on an A2 now, ive really fell in love with it. Im not expecting anything thats going to handle well, after driving some top race cars and some seriously fast cars everything fails to impress me nowadays. Even the new Civic Type R, Golf R32 and Focus ST where all too slow :D

[Adrian888]

This thread mirrors many of my own thoughts and experiences. I suggest 'wethepeople' buy this months Audi Driver magazine and read the A2 feature to which Mike has contributed amongst other forum memebers.

I came out of an A6TDi prior to which I had a T8 CDTi Astra which was phenominally fast for a diesel. The A2 is a design classic IMO and that is as much a reason for me buying one. I think the sales problem was inpart price, and the design isn't as 'cuddly' as say a MINI. I also think in hindsight Audi missed a marketing trick in not going down the MINI style sales ideas. I suspect if Audi had persevered another 12 months and carried out a major facelift the current climate would see sales rocketing. However the advantage is that for existing owners values are likely to stay high.

I too am considering a TT for a second 'boystoys' car if I can source a cheapy. Again its partly a design thing with me!

Well I am off home to have my tuning box fitted so hopefully by tonight I will ahve a bit more ooomph to play with! Maybe we can have a northern meet?!

[dr_jones]

I have also had my A2 for a month now following a long three months car-less and searching for the right option after selling my Accord Type-R (only due to the fuel prices mainly as this was a faultless and fun 2 year experience)

The A2 was the only option for me as I wanted something different that you didn't see 100's of on the road each day (fiesta's, focuses, astra's, golfs etc) something with a prestige brand, fun, cheap to run, some nice toys and well built. The A2 was the only car that managed to tick all these boxes for me. This is the first 'German' manufactured car I have owned and I am thoroughly impressed with it. It may not be a patch on the ATR's performance but it somehow manages to put a smile on my face EVERY single time I drive the same as the Accord did, strange, but true! :D

[pamanal21]

HI all. I see Mike has mentioned earlier the 'Congestion charge',Ulp has earlier informed me that Ken livingston & crew have very 'quietly' drop the A2 tdIs/ euro4 from being FREE from payment of the charges, yet my brother-in-law has just informed me of the following, dated 19/feb/08,
Quote; Hi Alan, it's just been mentioned here about the new London co2 charging and the 100% discount that A2s will qualify for so long as it is EURO4 model and has the 120/km of co2,Surely that must include RUTHS(my daughter)A2TDI ,He then says the following, it could be a little simpler it has to be said

hhp://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/7394.aspx#3

could anyone here sort this lot out and let me know the answer please, im to old for all this gobaldy gook, waiting in antisipation, Alan.
ps, hope the curry event went well ??(I was stuck in the concrete jungle)

[Skipton01]

HI all. I see Mike has mentioned earlier the 'Congestion charge',Ulp has earlier informed me that Ken livingston & crew have very 'quietly' drop the A2 tdIs/ euro4 from being FREE from payment of the charges, yet my brother-in-law has just informed me of the following, dated 19/feb/08,
Quote; Hi Alan, it's just been mentioned here about the new London co2 charging and the 100% discount that A2s will qualify for so long as it is EURO4 model and has the 120/km of co2,Surely that must include RUTHS(my daughter)A2TDI ,He then says the following, it could be a little simpler it has to be said

hhp://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/7394.aspx#3

could anyone here sort this lot out and let me know the answer please, im to old for all this gobaldy gook, waiting in antisipation, Alan.
ps, hope the curry event went well ??(I was stuck in the concrete jungle)

Hi Alan,

Have a look at this thread for more info.:

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6707&highlight=exempt&page=2

I try to summarise the measures in post #10.

Unfortunately, I doubt that this will apply to the proposed Manchester Congestion charge, as the councils here are intent on charging everyone, even motorcyclists and buses!

heers,

Mike

[RAB]

The A2 is good but has some suprising shortcoming's. Comparison with my Lupo 3L (incidentally featured in the March copy of Volkswagen Driver) shows that with the same engine, gearbox and wheels as my 1.2Tdi, the Lupo at the same speed is markedly quieter, which is suprising for a car that cost about half as much! This is presumably due to the materials of construction and the fact that the VW has more sound insulation. The Lupo also has decent door hinges!

RAB

[WeThePeople]

Mike your not a 37yo TV sound engineer are you? Ill be in touch over the weekend so you can drive my TT, busy with work at the moment and ive bearly got time to sleep :(

I picked up Audi driver as suggest (never heard of it before) and tbh you all failed to mention the cracked doors, thats something model specific I should be looking for when buying a new one!! After reading that article though, its 100% what I want now, ive seen one car I like, its got a smashed windscreen, cracked mirror and has been treated like crap but its only £5k, done low miles and is highly specced up.

One question, does the 3 seat bench and 2 seat rear both have ISOFIX? Its something I need for the baby.

Thanks for all the help guys, its nice to see Audi drivers being helpful, there is usually a lot of arrogant prats driving nice marques such as BMW and Mercedes, not the case with Audi owners though - wonder why?

[Skipton01]

Mike your not a 37yo TV sound engineer are you? Ill be in touch over the weekend so you can drive my TT, busy with work at the moment and ive bearly got time to sleep :(

I picked up Audi driver as suggest (never heard of it before) and tbh you all failed to mention the cracked doors, thats something model specific I should be looking for when buying a new one!! After reading that article though, its 100% what I want now, ive seen one car I like, its got a smashed windscreen, cracked mirror and has been treated like crap but its only £5k, done low miles and is highly specced up.

One question, does the 3 seat bench and 2 seat rear both have ISOFIX? Its something I need for the baby.

Thanks for all the help guys, its nice to see Audi drivers being helpful, there is usually a lot of arrogant prats driving nice marques such as BMW and Mercedes, not the case with Audi owners though - wonder why?
I am, yes! The weekend will be hectic for me, so if you have a weeday/evening time free, that's the best for me.

Door cracking isn;t an issue now either, as Audi UK have agreed to repair all affected doors, free of charge.

ISOfix was an option on both the split and bench seat, so it may not be present, you'll have to stick your fingers in the back to check for the hoops..

If you want a scan of the car you intend buying, to see if there's anything nasty lurking, just give me a shout.

Cheers,

Mike

[A2Look]

#
Thanks for all the help guys, its nice to see Audi drivers being helpful, there is usually a lot of arrogant prats driving nice marques such as BMW and Mercedes, not the case with Audi owners though - wonder why?

I drive a BMW aswell :rolleyes:

[ULP]

ISOfix was an option on both the split and bench seat, so it may not be present, you'll have to stick your fingers in the back to check for the hoops..

Just to clarify - all A2's have Isofix mountings in the rear that are either:

On both seats (cars with 50/50 split)
On the nearside and middle seat (cars with bench seat)

Isofix mountings are only fitted to the front passengers seat if the 'Isofix pack' was selected which also includes a key-operated de-activation switch for the passenger airbag.

[Poor_John]

Just to clarify - all A2's have Isofix mountings in the rear

Isofix was a £70 option in 2001 when I bought my A2:o - see the copy of the 2001 price list on here.

[Rob Earl]

You're right Poor John - and so is ULP.
Isofix was always an option but this was only for the front seats. The rears have it as standard, although it was never advertised as such.

[Poor_John]

You're right Poor John - and so is ULP.
Isofix was always an option but this was only for the front seats. The rears have it as standard, although it was never advertised as such.

May I quote from the 2001 price list?

ISOFIX child seat preparation for front passenger seat and two rear seats (D)

(D) Includes front passenger airbag de-activation.

In 2001 cars, rear seats did not have ISOFIX. Am I the only owner on here who has not got ISOFIX on the rear seats?:o

John.

[Rob Earl]

OK, I retract my last post.....
I thought it had been posted on here before that ISOFIX was standard on all rear seats. Maybe that is the case on later cars after the 2002/3 changes.

[Poor_John]

No worries Rob. You had me doubting myself there for a while.

John.

[mr_smith]

Hi all, newbie here. Here are my thoughts:-
Design = Unique
Build = Solid
Ride = Feel the bumps (its the mancunian potholes)
Fuel = Camel (just keeps going)
Gizmos = Solid and simple / ergonomic
Capacity = 4 people and holiday bags
Boot = big and flexible
Engine (1.4 petrol) = had faster
Startup = Iffy when wet during old age '52 vintage
Other = Odd oil warnings from time to time when not expected
Buy again = yes if still made from new
Would also consider..... A3 Golf hmmmm perhaps.
I really like mine - most of all they are unique and before their time

[Skipton01]

Just to clarify - all A2's have Isofix mountings in the rear that are either:

On both seats (cars with 50/50 split)
On the nearside and middle seat (cars with bench seat)

Isofix mountings are only fitted to the front passengers seat if the 'Isofix pack' was selected which also includes a key-operated de-activation switch for the passenger airbag.

Having dug out my price lists (can't find the really early one, but I have May 2002 and June 2004), they are both in agreement, although the wording changes slightly:

May 2002 - ISOFIX child seat preparation for front passenger seat and two seats, £59.57 + VAT

June 2004 - ISOFIX child seat preparation for front passenger seat and two outer rear seats, includes passenger airbag deactivation - £59.57 + VAT

So, it appears that my original statement was right all along (hate to say it, but told you so!). Now I know that you can't believe everything you read, but they do seem to be in agreement, although the later brochure does clarify that only the outer rear seats can have ISOFIX and that it includes passenger airbag deactivation.

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

...except I don't have the 'Isofix' option yet have isofix mountings in the rear.

What is possible would be that at some point in the cars life they were put on the rear seats but not the front (for obvious reasons, without the airbag de-activation), but this topic illustrates people with cars as old as 2002 have them in the back without the 'Isofix' option.

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3407&highlight=Isofix

[BasilNZ]

I am still very new to the A2. Ours is a 2001 1.4, which we bought a few weeks ago. So far it is averaging 50mpg in mixed driving running on BP Ultimate. My wife uses it most of the time, but I have driven it enough for it to have made an impression.

I find the handling and ride combination to be above average, especially the light turn-in and precise handling. The seats are comfortable enough on short trips, but could do with more cushioning for long journeys.

For tall drivers (I'm 6'3), there is enough legroom, however, the position of the accelerator pedal does cause a very sore foot even after five minutes driving.

The quality is excellent when compared to other small cars, but it is not as good as the bigger Audis. An A6 or A8 uses much higher quality materials (plastics, coverings etc...) and have better shut lines.

The engine makes a strange diesel noise when starting (no, it is not a diesel), a bit of a rattle, whether the engine is hot or cold - but only when starting - then only for a couple of seconds. I don't think it is a problem, but it does make passengers ask if it is a diesel.

I would recommend the A2 to anyone wanting a small economical car with a difference.

[Brabazon]

I've had my 1.4TDi SE for 3 months now, and it's probably says a lot about the car that the only thing that I can think of that niggles me slightly is the windscreen wash-wipe! It niggles me slightly because the wiper blade moves and the water squirts at the same time, so the wiper is effectively dragging across a dry gritty windscreen. It would be good if there was about a half second delay on the wiper moving to give time for a good spray of water to hit the glass, and then the wiper could swish across a nice wet windscreen! You'd never rub the body panels with a dry sponge, would you?!

I'm just nitpicking, aren't I...?;)

[Xiter]

I agree. And on top of that, the arm that holds the blade blocks the water jet for a considerable time period. Why not mount the water jet on the arm itself next time, Audi.