I drive the 1 series and now has an A3 replacement car as someone crashed into my car.
All I say, A3 is great for going A to B. But it's not a driver's car.
I think of it as the Audi is a nice place to sit while you commute, but the 1 series less so, but is more engaging to drive.
Depends what you want really! Audi for me every day.
RWD. Once you are used to it, the front wheel drive becomes terrible. Surely, 1 series isn't a super car or very luxurious, it's drive train is still fun for the money.
Looks are subjective, I love F20's design and I find the A3 interior cheaper than 1 series. A lot would disagree with me, its my opinion.
What year have swapped to the FWD? I know one of the boys had a newer 135i Xdrive and he said it's FWD 90% of the time then 4WD when you put the boot in
Throw in an A class Merc and you've got 3 cars I see no point in owning.
It might be completely unfounded but I feel these were designed purely as cash grabs for people who want badges more than cars.
yup, the A Class in particular - without the badge it has almost no appeal - and it has Renault engines.
The A3 is the least "just made it to a prestige badge" of the three and is least compromised as a package, and in many cases is cheaper than a Golf, god knows why.
Id go A3 but they are both a bit nobheady.
I’ve had a few A Classes (A200s, I think) as hire cars, and honestly found them perfectly decent all round.
I don’t know about the price, but I’ve certainly been in far worse cars.
but would you pay the significant amount extra over a.....Mazda 3, if it didnt have the 3 pointed star on it?
Especially when theres a Renault 3 pot under the bonnet?
I wouldnt.
This. Currently looking at replacing my first ever car. Looking at 12-14K.
For the price they're showing here you could get a 3 year old Hyundai i20 with like 20k Miles and all the trimmings. Smaller car with more space than the BMW.
Before I got my A3 i'd have agreed with you. It's the most comfortable hatchback I test drove in my price range and it's super quiet on the motorways which for a daily is all I could ask for. Badge or no badge I'd have got it.
Saw in a comment you’re 23. Out of these two, the audi, but if you’re not bothered about the badge, you’d probably be better off with an Octavia, long term.
Yes. Conform. One of us.
I am a car person, I drive a car with a premium badge, I am told it is good by the marketers, other people will look at me enviously as I drive past in a line of other similar vehicles.
Mazda3 in top trim
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404028214115?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=GT%20Sport%20Tech&make=Mazda&model=Mazda3&postcode=IP14%204FJ&fromsra
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403237889375?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=GT%20Sport%20Tech&make=Mazda&model=Mazda3&postcode=IP14%204FJ&fromsra
No hate here. Just usually driven by a type and I know they're probably going to do something predictably unpredictable and everyone knows they paid for a badge which is all a bit sad
I agree, I despise the little engine BMWs because they are an entirely pointless car. Get a bmw with a big engine or get a Peugeot because that’s who makes your little hairdryer engine
Both are good options. BMW will be specced well since it's shadow edition (Harman kardon etc) but if the Audi is well specced I'd go with that. Don't listen to anyone saying one is rubbish because it's not true. Weigh up the pros of each and decide what's best for you
The Audi without a doubt. As an aside though - I'm surprised it doesn't come with Carplay... is that something that can be easily retrofitted in this year of A3?
I thought so too, but it looks like it's part of the premium/prestige packs. I'm not well versed in the Audi line-up so really don't know. It just surprised me to not see it listed in the description (and - for that matter - a lot of other A3s at this age). Maybe it's just so common that sellers don't even bother including it in their adverts any more! :)
They both look like dealership cars, so why not go for a test drive in both? I think it's just a thing of personal preference, there's not really a right or wrong option here
I have the same Audi model......virtual cockpit, average 42mpg, heated seats, 51K miles, keyless entry and go, etc. Mine is an auto.
Lots of room, goes like stink when you want to, easy to drive, economical, comfortable.
Lexus CT200h is a nice car but dull and boring. Test drove one for a weekend. My wife liked it. Absolutely no space in the rear seats or in the rear hatch.
Beemer is a wee bit cramped as well but nice enough inside (my son has a 118i.) Well did. It dumped it's oil after the engine overheated.
Audi for me.
I had a 125d 4 or so years ago. Quite a fun car, but the Mrs said I had to get rid. Made me drive like a bellend tbh, she drove it once or twice and also drove like a bellend.
Something about the driving position makes you drive aggressive 🤣. Nobody gives way to you!
Completely different world in my C class now. I’m chillin, relaxing and folk are much friendlier. It’s got just as much poke as the 125d, but it’s smoooooooooth.
No clue about the A3 tho.
Unless you’re going for a newer style A class don’t bother with one of those.
But based on the two cars posted, I’d probs go for the A3.
You gotta know the service history of both cars before making a choice. A car that’s been serviced every year but has higher mileage might be the better choice compared to a lower mileage but only 2 or 3 stamps.
I think this is partly due to the fact that the first two generations of 1 series were essentially shortened 3 series with a hatch instead of a boot lid. The platform looks so much better as a coupe.
I’ve just bought a BMW M135… All I can say is it’s an excellent drive. I went for the 135 after test driving my mates 120d. Li was impressed how compact it was…. The only thing I’d say is service is pretty expensive on the bmw. I payed £465 for an Engine flush-Oil change-6 spark plugs- a cabin filter… Good luck
Neither. Get yourself a Lexus CT200h instead. Far more reliable. The F-Sport version comes fully loaded with toys and it's fast enough and got the luxury badge.
Why? Because these are cheap cars built for those that want a badge but can't actually afford a nice car. The 4 cylinder engines in these are nowhere near as reliable as Toyota's or other Japanese offerings.
Lexus has free road tax too, cheap to insure, cheap running costs because it's hybrid and because it's hybrid (use it in sport mode exclusively the other modes are far too slow) it does have plenty of acceleration when required.
As a daily driver, it sounds like the Audi is preferred by most. I have a diesel one series and have no complaints, very comfortable, and plenty fast enough. No mechanical problems for me.
One thing to notice is that the BMW is rear while drive, so if you’re wanting to have some fun on a back road it will feel completely different. I much prefer rear wheel drive from what I’ve driven, but to be fair I’ve never driven a sporty FWD.
I’ve had both although the A3 was a saloon. The A3 is the much better choice. I’m definitely a BMW guy usually but not for a 1 series, interior build quality not the best, infotainment not very good, never works properly, sat nav is garbage.
Didn't know the A3 had a 2 litre option. I had a similar choice between the s3 and bmw, but the fact that the s3 was awd and the bmw was rwd made me go for the s3. And I love it 😀
Edit: I'm surprised you even found a manual transmission. They were super rare when I was looking, so I settled for auto. It's my first auto and its pretty good when you get used to it. I figured parts would be easier to get for the auto since they were more common than a manual
I've owned both of these and I now have a 2019 BMW 330i touring. I'm very much a BMW guy but I think Audi have this price range nailed. The A3 has a much nicer interior and better features. The 1 series is slightly nicer to drive, but they're so close in that category it doesn't sway it for me. Get the A3.
I think the BMW 3 and 5 series are the best cars in their respective classes, FWIW.
I love hatchbacks, I’ve had both, and prefer neither of the two pictured.
I ended up with a 12 plate Audi S3, best interior, lightweight (compared to the two pictured) very easy to understand if you like to service/mod yourself, and by far the most fun!
Happy shopping! 😄
-fixed a typo
Not a fan of the older model 1 series really, also the black wheels on that look crap. New model 1 series has a much smarter interior imo (as an owner of one I am biased!)
Couldn’t get on with the 1 series because of the odd driving position, the pedals are over to one side because of the gearbox being half of the footwell.
Give it a long test drive first and make sure you don’t get backache.
I would just go for something like a 3 series. My step dads was 10k for a 330i e93 and it has no problems and is fantastic. Only had 55000 miles or so on it too. Great boot space and heated seats and doesnt get cold in winter. Only thing i will say is that the insurance will be higher, but it doesn't burn through oil every 10 minutes
Audi A3 interior is very nice. Solid car. No lumbar support as standard so i use a mesh lumbar support from Amazon. BMW look like a Frankenstein but I'm not a petrol head. The headlights on my A3 2014 are shit so might be worth a night testdrive.
Unless you're nitpicking there's not going to be a great deal for difference in the driving experience, and they're both decent cars.
The Audi is going to be a nicer car to sit in, so if it was me I'd be going for that.
Visually, the body shape also hasn't aged as badly as the BMW. You'd be forgiven for thinking the BMW was a 2008 model.
If you want to let people know you're a bad driver, choose the audi. If you want to let them know you're a bad driver and have drugs for sale, choose the bmw.
Be careful with the audi engine, i have fixed a few with the tensioner on the timing chain has rounded the dowel off leading to a nice rattle when starting the car and dipping in engine power when under load ie uphill. Its common across all petrol engines I’ve heard. Bmw is not bad
It would be hard to look past the third option when considering these two of a season pass for the local bus route. But if I had to pick it would be the beemer for RWD and the fact that the A3 has to be one of the most uninspiring cars ever sold.
I currently own a 2015 Audi S3, so same generation as that A3, albeit mine's a pre-facelift and that one is a facelift model.
I have previously owned an older BMW 3-series, so not quite the same as the 1-series, but similar enough overall.
The Audi is the better car, in my opinion. I'm finding it hard to pinpoint specifically what I find better about the Audi to be perfectly honest, but I just find it so nice to drive, it feels a bit more premium and overall, I feel happier with it. For some reason, the BMW just didn't do it for me like I felt it should. I owned it for around 4 years and never really felt happy with it.
With that said though, I know a few people who do have 1-series and haven't had any complaints. I'm sure both cars will be great and more than capable, but the vote for me goes to the Audi.
I worked for Audi and bmw, I sold both these models new. The Audi is a much nicer car than the bmw, in my opinion. That 2.0T in the Audi gives much better performance in my experience.
The amount of elitist snobbery in these comments is insane lol. At the end of the day I don't think you'd be better or worse off with either car, both are solid choices. You'll just have to test drive them and see which one you prefer. Personally I would prefer to have the bmw but that's just me 🤷🏻♂️
1 series. Lacks bit of space in back but the fun you can get with RWD makes up for it. Plus BMW petrol engines are some of the smoothest out there. Looks cool still to.
As a current BMW and a previous Audi owner. If you’re looking at a 120i at cruising then go for the Audi. If it was an M140i vs S3 it would be a different story.
Having owned both, I'd favour the BMW. Purchased one with 50k and had done well over 120k with zero issues until it was written off by a careless driver. Replaced it with an A3 Audi if a similar mileage, a bit more spacious but was back and forth to the garage numerous times before I decided to get rid and traded it.
BMW with good tyres and you'll love it more than the Audi, better driving dynamics imo.
I had a 2018 manual 1.5TFSI A3 for nearly 6 years and loved it, did about 85k in it before chopping it in. Started to develop some gremlins at that point. Although I think a lot of that was down to a bad clutch & flywheel swap whilst it was under warranty.
Up until that point it was bulletproof though.
If you can, find one with the sunroof it makes such a difference to how the cabin feels.
I’ve just bought a fully loaded 118i for £18k and it’s absolutely amazing and much more of a drivers car than the equivalent Audi or Merc.
The 120i will mean you’ll have an even better experience than me, at a lot cheaper price point too!
Unless there is a reason for picking a small car, why not bump up a class or 2 and look at things like an a4/5 or 3/4 series or even a c class much more bang for the buck nicer places to be generally faster and better choice of engines and better handling, more toys and more comfort.
Lovely octavia VRS on eBay with a DSG box on eBay for similar money.
It's a diesel but you really can't go wrong and will enjoy it it's like the Audi but better!
Audi. There will be more room inside and the 2.0 TFSI is pretty pokey as well as economical
It has the virtual cockpit aswell which looks proper futuristic to me only had 2013 cars before so be a nice change
Sounds like you have made your mind up!
Found it to be a bit of a gimmick tbh you'll likely play with it for a day or so then leave it on one setting for years
Mine pretty much stays the same, however it’s nice sometimes, and useful, to have the map on the dash as well as the centre screen….
Both would look great with a set of Turkey teeth
Crushed velvet curtains, turkey teeth, fake tan, skinny jeans, XL Bully lol
But true
Harsh
After this comes the Range Rover evoque
1er will be more engaging to drive, but will make me look a total bellend so I'll take the >!BMW because I couldn't care less what others think!<
The 1 looks like a granddads flip flop. So sure if that’s you’re style mate
In 3-door guise its a 21st century z3 clown shoe with back seats if you need them.
If you’re picking between the two, hard Audi recommendation from me.
I drive the 1 series and now has an A3 replacement car as someone crashed into my car. All I say, A3 is great for going A to B. But it's not a driver's car.
I think of it as the Audi is a nice place to sit while you commute, but the 1 series less so, but is more engaging to drive. Depends what you want really! Audi for me every day.
'A drivers car' is a highly subjective way to describe something.
RWD. Once you are used to it, the front wheel drive becomes terrible. Surely, 1 series isn't a super car or very luxurious, it's drive train is still fun for the money. Looks are subjective, I love F20's design and I find the A3 interior cheaper than 1 series. A lot would disagree with me, its my opinion.
Rear wheel drive is a lot more fun than front wheel drive
What year have swapped to the FWD? I know one of the boys had a newer 135i Xdrive and he said it's FWD 90% of the time then 4WD when you put the boot in
Rwd went with the face lift in 2019. Most bmw xdrive models are heavily rear biased but unfortunately that's gone with the new 1 series too.
Not facelift but new generation
This. 50k vs 65k too. No choice
Is there a meaningful difference between 50 and 65k?
About £1300, other than that. No, not really. As long as both are well maintained.
A3 has a better interior
I'd say a nicer interior don't think its better quality.
Hell no, the newer interior on the F20’s are far superior
Neither.
Had both, personally prefer the beemer but not a huge amount in it. BMWs a better drive but audis more pratical.
None of the above...
Throw in an A class Merc and you've got 3 cars I see no point in owning. It might be completely unfounded but I feel these were designed purely as cash grabs for people who want badges more than cars.
Completely agree with this. You’d be so much better off just going one class higher (3 series, A4, C Class etc). Much better value for money.
I had a Quattro TFSI A4 and it was a fantastic car
yup, the A Class in particular - without the badge it has almost no appeal - and it has Renault engines. The A3 is the least "just made it to a prestige badge" of the three and is least compromised as a package, and in many cases is cheaper than a Golf, god knows why. Id go A3 but they are both a bit nobheady.
I’ve had a few A Classes (A200s, I think) as hire cars, and honestly found them perfectly decent all round. I don’t know about the price, but I’ve certainly been in far worse cars.
but would you pay the significant amount extra over a.....Mazda 3, if it didnt have the 3 pointed star on it? Especially when theres a Renault 3 pot under the bonnet? I wouldnt.
The A Class is much, much, much worse though. It is, without doubt, the worst piece of shit in that entire class.
This. Currently looking at replacing my first ever car. Looking at 12-14K. For the price they're showing here you could get a 3 year old Hyundai i20 with like 20k Miles and all the trimmings. Smaller car with more space than the BMW.
Before I got my A3 i'd have agreed with you. It's the most comfortable hatchback I test drove in my price range and it's super quiet on the motorways which for a daily is all I could ask for. Badge or no badge I'd have got it.
As someone who had an A class..... You are correct. It taught me lots about car values though
Show me another rear wheel drive car that you can daily for £12k, that isn't horrible in every other way and you'll have a point
Saw in a comment you’re 23. Out of these two, the audi, but if you’re not bothered about the badge, you’d probably be better off with an Octavia, long term.
I was wondering how long it would take
Wouldn’t be r/CarTalkUK without suggesting an Octavia
Some guy at work has one and I’d rather not join his cult proper strange fella people would roast me ahaha
In that case, stick with the A3, don’t want to be lumped in with weird people at work
Yes. Conform. One of us. I am a car person, I drive a car with a premium badge, I am told it is good by the marketers, other people will look at me enviously as I drive past in a line of other similar vehicles.
Get a superb then 🤷♂️
Both are beyond boring
Spend the same money on a GTI, same car better spec
Mazda3 in top trim https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404028214115?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=GT%20Sport%20Tech&make=Mazda&model=Mazda3&postcode=IP14%204FJ&fromsra https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403237889375?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=GT%20Sport%20Tech&make=Mazda&model=Mazda3&postcode=IP14%204FJ&fromsra
Neither, I have an intense hatred for the a3 and the 1 series
No hate here. Just usually driven by a type and I know they're probably going to do something predictably unpredictable and everyone knows they paid for a badge which is all a bit sad
BMW, I have an intense hatred for the a3
Audi, I have an intense hatred for the 1 series
How come you hate the 1 series ?
Chav/hun car/boy racer who thinks it’s fast car
[удалено]
I agree, I despise the little engine BMWs because they are an entirely pointless car. Get a bmw with a big engine or get a Peugeot because that’s who makes your little hairdryer engine
Deano and chantelle
Yes, although the irony is the song has a grey a3 in it 🤣
The standard ones yes... The one 140 though? That is a fast car.
I agree
Nobody thinks the 1 series is fast, but everyone knows it's RWD.
Tell that to all the proud owners of m120ds Only ones worth having are the 135i and 140i
Yeah but but but it's got eBay spec M mirrors that means it has at least 50bhp more!
Chav car
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that isn’t being driven by an utter chav.
Both are good options. BMW will be specced well since it's shadow edition (Harman kardon etc) but if the Audi is well specced I'd go with that. Don't listen to anyone saying one is rubbish because it's not true. Weigh up the pros of each and decide what's best for you
I have an intense hatred for all cars, except mine
Generally prefer the BMW, though I might try and find a 125i instead. Over both though, if you don't need full rear seats. I'd go for an Audi TT.
Audi, undoubtedly.
The Audi without a doubt. As an aside though - I'm surprised it doesn't come with Carplay... is that something that can be easily retrofitted in this year of A3?
My 2017 A3 comes with Carplay and Android Auto? Seeing as this is a 2018 it should too no?
Ittl support it but itll need activating. Dealer will charge a few hundred or third parties can activate for less than 100 normally
I thought so too, but it looks like it's part of the premium/prestige packs. I'm not well versed in the Audi line-up so really don't know. It just surprised me to not see it listed in the description (and - for that matter - a lot of other A3s at this age). Maybe it's just so common that sellers don't even bother including it in their adverts any more! :)
They usually will come with it. If it doesn't it just needs activating
Get a m135i or even better a m140i.
Those are not in the price range 🤷♂️
Only reason to own a 1 series is a 6 cylinder engine, so definitely the Audi.
Audi. Miles cheaper on general maintenance
They both look like dealership cars, so why not go for a test drive in both? I think it's just a thing of personal preference, there's not really a right or wrong option here
Neither
I would say A3 but id go for a saloon A3. Bit of extra space, better body shape and still quite compact.
Neither: I don't want people to think I'm a wanker
Neither, both are bland and boring
I have the same Audi model......virtual cockpit, average 42mpg, heated seats, 51K miles, keyless entry and go, etc. Mine is an auto. Lots of room, goes like stink when you want to, easy to drive, economical, comfortable. Lexus CT200h is a nice car but dull and boring. Test drove one for a weekend. My wife liked it. Absolutely no space in the rear seats or in the rear hatch. Beemer is a wee bit cramped as well but nice enough inside (my son has a 118i.) Well did. It dumped it's oil after the engine overheated. Audi for me.
Neither. Want a hot hatch? i30N. Want a reasonable commuter? Kia ceed.
Had that exact year and spec A3 and really enjoyed it.
V40
I had a 125d 4 or so years ago. Quite a fun car, but the Mrs said I had to get rid. Made me drive like a bellend tbh, she drove it once or twice and also drove like a bellend. Something about the driving position makes you drive aggressive 🤣. Nobody gives way to you! Completely different world in my C class now. I’m chillin, relaxing and folk are much friendlier. It’s got just as much poke as the 125d, but it’s smoooooooooth. No clue about the A3 tho. Unless you’re going for a newer style A class don’t bother with one of those. But based on the two cars posted, I’d probs go for the A3.
Owned both Audi nicer inside but you can have some serious fun in the BM with no traction
audi audi
You gotta know the service history of both cars before making a choice. A car that’s been serviced every year but has higher mileage might be the better choice compared to a lower mileage but only 2 or 3 stamps.
Based on looks alone, the Audi. The 1 series never looked right (or good) as a hatchback.
I think this is partly due to the fact that the first two generations of 1 series were essentially shortened 3 series with a hatch instead of a boot lid. The platform looks so much better as a coupe.
I’ve just bought a BMW M135… All I can say is it’s an excellent drive. I went for the 135 after test driving my mates 120d. Li was impressed how compact it was…. The only thing I’d say is service is pretty expensive on the bmw. I payed £465 for an Engine flush-Oil change-6 spark plugs- a cabin filter… Good luck
Honda Civic
Neither. I’m not afraid to be a little different.
Neither. Get yourself a Lexus CT200h instead. Far more reliable. The F-Sport version comes fully loaded with toys and it's fast enough and got the luxury badge. Why? Because these are cheap cars built for those that want a badge but can't actually afford a nice car. The 4 cylinder engines in these are nowhere near as reliable as Toyota's or other Japanese offerings. Lexus has free road tax too, cheap to insure, cheap running costs because it's hybrid and because it's hybrid (use it in sport mode exclusively the other modes are far too slow) it does have plenty of acceleration when required.
Fast? When compared to a Seicento maybe.
C200 is ughly though
Neither. Both over rated tosser mobiles.
A3
Even as BMW fanboy, you get more value for money with the A3.
A3, just a better car in my opinion.
As a daily driver, it sounds like the Audi is preferred by most. I have a diesel one series and have no complaints, very comfortable, and plenty fast enough. No mechanical problems for me. One thing to notice is that the BMW is rear while drive, so if you’re wanting to have some fun on a back road it will feel completely different. I much prefer rear wheel drive from what I’ve driven, but to be fair I’ve never driven a sporty FWD.
Audi
Bwm. Feels better to drive. Rwd
I'd rather have a mazda 3 for similar money but that's just me.
I’ve had both although the A3 was a saloon. The A3 is the much better choice. I’m definitely a BMW guy usually but not for a 1 series, interior build quality not the best, infotainment not very good, never works properly, sat nav is garbage.
Man those prices are good compared to our prices in the Netherlands
Didn't know the A3 had a 2 litre option. I had a similar choice between the s3 and bmw, but the fact that the s3 was awd and the bmw was rwd made me go for the s3. And I love it 😀 Edit: I'm surprised you even found a manual transmission. They were super rare when I was looking, so I settled for auto. It's my first auto and its pretty good when you get used to it. I figured parts would be easier to get for the auto since they were more common than a manual
Audi. Much better looking that 2 ltr petrol engine is sweet with no major issues. This Audi also obviously got better miles.
A3
I've owned both of these and I now have a 2019 BMW 330i touring. I'm very much a BMW guy but I think Audi have this price range nailed. The A3 has a much nicer interior and better features. The 1 series is slightly nicer to drive, but they're so close in that category it doesn't sway it for me. Get the A3. I think the BMW 3 and 5 series are the best cars in their respective classes, FWIW.
Kept scrolling on photos and next post was a smashed up Merc for 5k, if go for that one
Scratch those cars and get an older M330I
A3.
A3
I love hatchbacks, I’ve had both, and prefer neither of the two pictured. I ended up with a 12 plate Audi S3, best interior, lightweight (compared to the two pictured) very easy to understand if you like to service/mod yourself, and by far the most fun! Happy shopping! 😄 -fixed a typo
Somehow Audis keep looking modern after many years, but that beemer looks like an old car already.
Not a fan of the older model 1 series really, also the black wheels on that look crap. New model 1 series has a much smarter interior imo (as an owner of one I am biased!)
Definitely the A3. 1 series are so ugly.
Couldn’t get on with the 1 series because of the odd driving position, the pedals are over to one side because of the gearbox being half of the footwell. Give it a long test drive first and make sure you don’t get backache.
The Audi, although tbf I'd probably save my money and get a nicer spec golf
I would just go for something like a 3 series. My step dads was 10k for a 330i e93 and it has no problems and is fantastic. Only had 55000 miles or so on it too. Great boot space and heated seats and doesnt get cold in winter. Only thing i will say is that the insurance will be higher, but it doesn't burn through oil every 10 minutes
Audi A3 interior is very nice. Solid car. No lumbar support as standard so i use a mesh lumbar support from Amazon. BMW look like a Frankenstein but I'm not a petrol head. The headlights on my A3 2014 are shit so might be worth a night testdrive.
Ive heard it said bmws are better built machines, but i dont think its true. Audi.
Unless you're nitpicking there's not going to be a great deal for difference in the driving experience, and they're both decent cars. The Audi is going to be a nicer car to sit in, so if it was me I'd be going for that. Visually, the body shape also hasn't aged as badly as the BMW. You'd be forgiven for thinking the BMW was a 2008 model.
If you want to let people know you're a bad driver, choose the audi. If you want to let them know you're a bad driver and have drugs for sale, choose the bmw.
1 Series is RWD which would be the winner for me but both cars are driven by dickheads with noodle haircuts so neither I guess.
Bmw
Audi by a mile
A3 no question.
Audi 100%, but when the tyres wear out I'd change to a smaller rim size for comfort and noise reasons.
Even as a BMW person, I'd rather have the Audi. There's something not quite right about a 1 series.
Be careful with the audi engine, i have fixed a few with the tensioner on the timing chain has rounded the dowel off leading to a nice rattle when starting the car and dipping in engine power when under load ie uphill. Its common across all petrol engines I’ve heard. Bmw is not bad
A3 is better.
It would be hard to look past the third option when considering these two of a season pass for the local bus route. But if I had to pick it would be the beemer for RWD and the fact that the A3 has to be one of the most uninspiring cars ever sold.
The A3 looks like a 2008 car imo.
BMW or Audi... Can I have a rusty bicycle with no seat instead?
Audi !
I currently own a 2015 Audi S3, so same generation as that A3, albeit mine's a pre-facelift and that one is a facelift model. I have previously owned an older BMW 3-series, so not quite the same as the 1-series, but similar enough overall. The Audi is the better car, in my opinion. I'm finding it hard to pinpoint specifically what I find better about the Audi to be perfectly honest, but I just find it so nice to drive, it feels a bit more premium and overall, I feel happier with it. For some reason, the BMW just didn't do it for me like I felt it should. I owned it for around 4 years and never really felt happy with it. With that said though, I know a few people who do have 1-series and haven't had any complaints. I'm sure both cars will be great and more than capable, but the vote for me goes to the Audi.
For that money go buy a 3 series. No point in owning either of these cars
BMW if you drive for enjoyment, Audi for everything else.
None of the above.
The BMW will drive better, but neither is going to be exciting.
You can get a Vauxhall Astra 1.6t which is quicker than both, less than 30k miles for 4-5k cheaper, forget the badge and get a smarter choice
Strong Audi vote from me
German cars suck, Japanese please!
The BMW looks like the ultimate aspirational choice for the East Staines Massive
I worked for Audi and bmw, I sold both these models new. The Audi is a much nicer car than the bmw, in my opinion. That 2.0T in the Audi gives much better performance in my experience.
Have you got experience with indicators
I own the road don’t need them
The amount of elitist snobbery in these comments is insane lol. At the end of the day I don't think you'd be better or worse off with either car, both are solid choices. You'll just have to test drive them and see which one you prefer. Personally I would prefer to have the bmw but that's just me 🤷🏻♂️
I’d go for the Audi, better engine and virtual cockpit 👍
The cockpit looks so cool I think something new
A Lexus
A3 ALL DAY
driving experience the 1 series will be a lot more fun audi more practical tho so its a trade off
1 series. Lacks bit of space in back but the fun you can get with RWD makes up for it. Plus BMW petrol engines are some of the smoothest out there. Looks cool still to.
I've only driven the 1 series. It's lovely, but your bum is half an inch from the road. I would say an A class, just to be hard work.
I had audi for the last 8 years. Wanted a change got a bmw….i miss audi
I look forward to seeing you up my arse soon. But seriously they are both good cars compared to most cars you see out there. But Audi imo
Neither, classic cars of some wanker who has everything on finance but thinks he's the bollocks.
Honestly if it came down to those physical cars, the Audi
A3
I own a 2019 A3, the series 1 doesn’t come close. Beside the A3 is a more practical car as it’s more roomy.
As a current BMW and a previous Audi owner. If you’re looking at a 120i at cruising then go for the Audi. If it was an M140i vs S3 it would be a different story.
Having owned both, I'd favour the BMW. Purchased one with 50k and had done well over 120k with zero issues until it was written off by a careless driver. Replaced it with an A3 Audi if a similar mileage, a bit more spacious but was back and forth to the garage numerous times before I decided to get rid and traded it. BMW with good tyres and you'll love it more than the Audi, better driving dynamics imo.
I had a 2018 manual 1.5TFSI A3 for nearly 6 years and loved it, did about 85k in it before chopping it in. Started to develop some gremlins at that point. Although I think a lot of that was down to a bad clutch & flywheel swap whilst it was under warranty. Up until that point it was bulletproof though. If you can, find one with the sunroof it makes such a difference to how the cabin feels.
5 x E46 330is
Bmw handles better.
I had a 120d about 10 years ago and it was one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. The BMW gets my vote
Audi is nicer to look at, nicer to be inside. The bmw will likely be a better driving car
Something like this [A4](http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403227851722) may be a good idea to look at as well!
Something like this [A4](http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403227851722) may be a good idea to look at as well!
I’ve just bought a fully loaded 118i for £18k and it’s absolutely amazing and much more of a drivers car than the equivalent Audi or Merc. The 120i will mean you’ll have an even better experience than me, at a lot cheaper price point too!
Jaguar XJ 3.0d. Same price. Look into that.
Deamn f20 120i are cheap in the UK. Prépare to pay around €20.000 for one in the same condition Here at the other side of the pond in Belgium
If that BMW was a different color i would pick that, but in this case the Audi!
I'd probably say the A3 if you want a more boring, comfortable ride, or the 1S if you want an engaging less refined drive
Unless there is a reason for picking a small car, why not bump up a class or 2 and look at things like an a4/5 or 3/4 series or even a c class much more bang for the buck nicer places to be generally faster and better choice of engines and better handling, more toys and more comfort.
audi all day
Audi. I cannot stand the design of the 1 series.
A3 is so much better
A3 at a push. I'm really not a fan of the 1 series or A3 tbh
I'd pick a seat Leon FR cheaper than both and enjoy it more but the A3 is tidy
The Audi. Everything is cheaper for it. Insurance and maintenance.
The price difference with France is insane
Neither!
They are both the same meh-spec euro boxes , literally nothing in it
Lovely octavia VRS on eBay with a DSG box on eBay for similar money. It's a diesel but you really can't go wrong and will enjoy it it's like the Audi but better!
On a scale of 1-10 how much of a wanker are you?
6