Recommend efficiency/performance upgrades for 8PA Audi A3 1.6L

[Lewis________]

Hi!

 

I am looking for recommendations to improve the fuel efficiency, but also performance, of my 2008 A3 - as I have noticed that both the car’s mpg, and acceleration (from 0-30mph), is not great. However, I am aware the low speed acceleration probably can’t be greatly improved because of the weight of the car.

So, mainly I am looking for recommendations for effective upgrades I could implement in my A3? Hopefully for less than £400/500.

I’ve been looking at air filters, remapping, & induction kits but am unsure if the latter will not be as useful due to my car not having a turbo.

 

Any experienced help would be greatly appreciated! 

[Magnet]

Hello Lewis, 

Thanks for joining and posting your plea. 
I think- but you would need to confirm - that what you have is a 1.6, so called Special Edition - which is in fact the most basic model of the A3, and as I understand it, has the older generation engine. 
I ask for your confirmation, since we have that model bought new into the family in 2006, and is still with with some 168k miles under its belt. 
Economy? Never bought on a must-be-economic on fuel basis, and happily returns lower 30s knocking around, and upper 30s on long runs.

Performance? Will readily maintain 80mph for motorway overtaking, but you will find that the revs are the other side of 4K at that speed, and it really needs another gear to be more economic. I always compare this with the non-Audi in the family which sits at 2k revs at 70mph!  Folks rave about mileage, but often forget that mileage (wear) is relative to engine revs., and cruising revs are an important consideration. 
Tuning? As I see it Lewis, you don’t buy a 1.6 Special Edition if you want performance - you buy it for its comparative simplicity. Yes, I guess you can ‘tune it’, but I suppose it’s a bit like tuning a Morris 1000. The economics of spending money to possibly get more miles per gallon? A bit of maths needed to work out how many thousands of miles need to be covered to get your money back. 
Of course, discount all of above if yours isn’t to 1.6 Special Edition.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Lewis________]

2 hours ago, Magnet said:

Hello Lewis, 

Thanks for joining and posting your plea. 
I think- but you would need to confirm - that what you have is a 1.6, so called Special Edition - which is in fact the most basic model of the A3, and as I understand it, has the older generation engine. 
I ask for your confirmation, since we have that model bought new into the family in 2006, and is still with with some 168k miles under its belt. 
Economy? Never bought on a must-be-economic on fuel basis, and happily returns lower 30s knocking around, and upper 30s on long runs.

Performance? Will readily maintain 80mph for motorway overtaking, but you will find that the revs are the other side of 4K at that speed, and it really needs another gear to be more economic. I always compare this with the non-Audi in the family which sits at 2k revs at 70mph!  Folks rave about mileage, but often forget that mileage (wear) is relative to engine revs., and cruising revs are an important consideration. 
Tuning? As I see it Lewis, you don’t buy a 1.6 Special Edition if you want performance - you buy it for its comparative simplicity. Yes, I guess you can ‘tune it’, but I suppose it’s a bit like tuning a Morris 1000. The economics of spending money to possibly get more miles per gallon? A bit of maths needed to work out how many thousands of miles need to be covered to get your money back. 
Of course, discount all of above if yours isn’t to 1.6 Special Edition.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Hi Gareth,

Yes mine is the 1.6 SE, and I had a feeling you would say something like this as just from doing some basic research on other models found mine to be the most standard (& low power) A3 too. Thank you for your help though it reaffirms what I thought I might need to do - sell it and buy a higher performing car.

I got a good deal on it though when buying in March and has had 1 owner from new and only 40k miles, so will hopefully get a decent enough price for it.
With this in mind, would you or anyone else be able to suggest a better performing, decently efficient, good alternative in the £5000 price range?? 

Thanks for the help.

Lewis

[Magnet]

Hello Lewis,

Is performance that (in caps) important to you then? We are all going to be subjected to increasing 20mph limits, leave alone the vast stretches of 30/40/50 s we already have, so where are you needing to go in a hurry? 

It sounds a nice example, and probably non-hacked, or been subjected to the mercy of the go-faster tribe. 
£5000 can be dodgy territory money these days, but in any case read up about oil burning issues with cars slightly younger, before jumping out of the cosy just-warm-enough oven, and into the fire! 
Kind regards,

Gareth.