I am looking into getting an A3 for college (not my first car). I had a few things that I needed in a car such as the ability to fit a cello + at least two people and a manual trans. (I'm a left-footer) I became interested in the A3 after visiting the Houston Auto Show and have been hooked since. The thing I was worried about was the maintenance costs. There was a table with the maintenance costs of standard cars $25,000-$30,000 and they said the maintenance costs were around $4,000 over 5 years. First, how would they know, it hasn't been out five years, and how much do you spend on average yearly on maintenance (modded and non modded would be helpful).

 

Hi Wired361;
Welcome aboard. First off: what else are you looking at in a comparison with the A3? Second - yes - the cello will fit with one of your rear seats down and also allow you to carry two passengers. Now, if you are trying for a vehicle that can accomodated a string quartet - keep moving along.
As far as the maintenance cost is concerned - that's an easy enough estimate. Since they are figuring regular maintenance for the first few years of ownership, because you will be under warranty for most of the other repairs that may pop up. For myself - I'm at zero for maintenance cost because they offered free scheduled maintenance for the 2006 models.
Back to the comparison - if you think the $4000 is high - what are you comparing it to? Depending on what you compare the A3 to - don't forget to factor in the savings you will have on insurance. A lot of other A3 owners can vouch for this - it's shocking on how low the premiums are on the A3 because of many different factors.

 

I was looking at the Mazda3, the GTI 4 Door and the A3. I don't intend to carry any more than my cello and two people (maybe a violin but that really doesn't make a difference). Insurance was rated in that article as well and the A3 had the lowest premiums of the 3. I was at one point looking at small SUV's (RAV4, CRV...) but I like to feel closer to the road than that plus they are more expensive both in the long run and up front. I will also be making scheduled drives (once a month almost) from Dallas to Houston (SMU to Rice) or vice versa depending on where I go. I don't know if that changes anything.

 

I, like L7, have an '06, but I hear they sell a maintenance package that would cover your 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45k services for around $600, a great deal im my book! I am approaching my 45k svc, my last freebee, and will ask if I can get another 50k for the $600. If you do not plan to keep the car long, get the $600 service plan, and with warranty you should be all set

 

Wired361 - as Azoceanblue said - that maintenance package they offer is an awesome price. As for the Mazda3 and GTI 4dr. All I have to say is - go and test drive them. I also checked out the Mazda 3 and the GTI when I was shopping around. I'm not sure how concerned you are about overall interior fit and finish - but be sure to check out the Mazda first then the Audi if you want it to be somewhat fair.As far as the small SUV's go - they may be better for hauling around that cello of yours. But, you will be giving up driving dynamics. A friend of mine has an Acura RDX fully loaded with all the supposed sports whatevers. Insisted that it drove and handled like a sports car. Well, I ended up scaring the crap out of both of us when I tried to drive it like my A3. In other words, "Nice try - NEXT..."

 

The Mazda3 is a worthy alternative to the A3 and a better value. When I was shopping around, my father couldn't believe I'd compare a Mazda to an Audi. The Mazda3 also handles really well, though not as powerful. The dealbreaker for me was interior dimensions - the Mazda appears to have a narrower cabin that sits higher. Didn't feel as secure. But that's just me.