So, there we go. Less than 2 weeks after first setting my eyes on
a feisty red Audi A3 in Pune's SB Road showroom, we went ahead and booked a diesel,
red with beige Premium Plus A3 today.
All the excellent arguments against pricing and cramped rear seats, and the
comparisons to other lower segment cars notwithstanding, here is what
influenced my decision:
1. It's an Audi. Ever since Ravi Shastri won his at being crowned the Champion
of Champions in 1985, it's been my dream car. The Beemers come close, but I had
evaluated the 3 series when I bought my Endy 5 years ago and somehow, at that
time, the 3 series' ride quality and fun quotient hadn't seemed too different
from that offered by my Ford Fiesta SXi. That test drive pushed me away from
the Beemers.
2. White was never in the reckoning. Blue was upstaged by black. My wife and
daughter shot down the black in favor of the stunning red. And I have to admit,
the red really is an eye catcher.
3. The Premium missed too many features that were important to me - xenon
lights, DRLs, leather seats to name a few. The additional 2 lakhs or so seemed
worth it. Rather, saving a couple and missing out on all that didn't seem to
make much sense.
4. The Technology variant made no sense.
5. I would have preferred the petrol, but the dealer tried his best at
convincing me otherwise, and succeeded. He talked about all other Audis coming
in Diesel only, about petrol requiring higher maintenance and so on, but the
clincher was when he said (and I don't know how true it was, but that didn't
matter any more) there was only one Petrol model available with Audi India as
of date, and he wouldn't be able to promise me a delivery date any time in the
near future. Impulsive and impatient as I am, I didn't want to wait any longer
than I absolutely needed to.
6. I had seen the Skoda Octavia and Superb very recently, and while they are
great cars, they didn't have the 4 rings, and that was a lot.
7. The A3 TD blew me away. I love squealing tires, I love tearing away when the
traffic lights turn green, I love the sound of the engines revving, and the way
the A3 pushed you back into the seats - it was beautiful.
8. I have never been able to not give an Audi a second look, and the red A3 was
no exception. It's beautiful. It looks compact and strong and very reliable!
The DRLs are mesmerizing, and lines are strong and defining. The sun roof fits
beautifully, and the tires look hot. Compared to a 3 series BMW, the A3 is a
clear winner in my eyes.
9. I can't part with my Endy, and the A3 will therefore do duty driving my wife
to and from work in the city at most times. We are a family of 3, and the rear
seat is no problem for my daughter. When parents and cousins visit, the Endy
will step in with its cavernous 8-10 seating capacity
10. I have woken up every morning these last two weeks with the A3 on my mind.
I guess specs and comparisons and logic sometimes need to defer to the heart!
The countdown begins now - and I am eagerly waiting for the call!
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