Used Car of the Day: 2012 Audi A3

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

Yes, we're featuring yet another wagon in this slot. We're automotive journalists, what can we say?

This one is a 2012 Audi A3 Premium Plus S-Line with the DSG automatic transmission.


There are 96K miles on the clock, and this black-on-black car has no sunroof. The plugs are new, and so are the brake components -- and the brakes include Stoptech cross-drilled rotors and pads. The car has just passed state inspection in New Jersey.

The audio unit is a Kenwood model that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is light cosmetic damage to the exterior but the seller claims the cabin is in good shape.

The asking price is $10,500 and you can click here to see the listing.

Wagons, man. Wagons.

[Images: Seller]

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Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

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2 of 17 comments
  • FreedMike FreedMike on Mar 16, 2023

    As used first-gen A3s go, this is a nice example. But a) it's FWD, not Quattro, and b) used Audis aren't unreliable per se, but they cost a lot to maintain and fix. Go in with your eyes open.

    (And, no, this isn't a wagon - it's a hatch.)



  • Fred Fred on Mar 16, 2023

    I sold my 2007 A3 at about 100k miles, because I was moving to California and wanted to buy a new car before I moved out there, and the expensive timing belt change was due at 120,000

  • Tassos ELON ONCE HELPED ME WITH MY COMEDY SCRIPT. WE DID GHB TOGETHER. I STAYED FOR A FEW DAYS AND FED HIS CAT ON DAY 3.
  • Medfordjim my daily driver is a 2008 Sable Premier black/black. Only 48K miles - it was my mom's Sunday car. It's got the Sync system with bluetooth. It works pretty well but will occasionally not pair when the car starts, and then it seems to take 5-10 minutes before it will rescan and find my phone.Otherwise, the only recurring issue is the solenoids that control the HVAC - I just replaced the passenger side one. I think the drivers side one failed a couple of times. Thankfully mom had the extended warranty because that side is a b*tch to fix.
  • Tassos When these were new I was still driving my DEATH TRAP TIN CAN 1991 CIVIC. It was already PAST its expiration date but any extra funds I had were going to REMEDIATING my Eastern Europe bare land purchase and trying to avoid FORECLOSURE on my Midwest shack. I wouldn’t make it out of POVERTY for another 10 years (INHERITANCES REALLY HELPED THERE). Now I am rich TASSOS driving diesel Mercedes through Eastern Europe countryside and bustling Midwest suburb.
  • Proud2BUnion I've always been a fan of the Taurus/Sable, and Husker Du!
  • Irvingklaws 2005 Honda Accord at about 125k miles - oil change, replace bad starter (also intake gasket), front and rear brakes, state inspection, about $1200 at a local garage. Front brakes were replaced free under warrantee because they were done last year. 2015 Mazda CX-5 with 102k - Took to dealer to diagnose "clunk" on takeoff and transmission slow to engage. After pointing out an apparent transmission leak and that nearly every bushing/boot under the car is cracked and/or failing in their inspection video, service techs said everything "looked safe". They tightened the cowl bolts in an (unsuccessful) attempt to address the clunk, completely side-stepped the transmission leak ("...it's a sealed unit, we can't touch it except to replace it entirely...") and charged me $450. About $33k to replace it with a new '24 Forester. Will be working on diagnosing and reconditioning the Mazda myself in the coming days...🙂
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