I’ve been with out a every day driver for a few years, and this little plug-in-hybrid runabout is stepping in to fill that slot within the driveway. This week I flew to Southern California to select up my new-to-me 2018 Audi A3 E-Tron, and I’m fairly positive I did alright with this one. It appears to be like nice from about 10 toes away, and as close to as I can inform all the flaws with it are gentle beauty points. I don’t suppose it’ll have any difficulty making the two,300-mile drive again residence. For now, let’s check out all of the issues flawed (and proper) with my new automotive.
For the previous couple of months I’ve been half-heartedly in search of an A3 E-Tron as a result of I wished a automotive with a plug and a premium inside that wasn’t boring. I had but to drag the set off, as a result of each one I noticed was silver or white with a boring black inside, and I simply can’t abide driving a greyscale automotive. When this one got here up on the market with crimson paint and a chocolate brown inside, I needed to soar on it. Up to now I’m actually glad I did.
The inside has the form of patina you’d affiliate with a automotive that has 65,000 miles on the odometer. The motive force’s seat has some gentle wrinkles and put on, however no cuts or tears. I feel a little bit of leather-based conditioner will go a good distance right here, and it appears to be like worse in pictures than it does in individual. Likewise, the decrease half of the door has some scuffs from footwear getting out and in of the automotive. That is one other factor that’s significantly better to my eyes than to a digicam lens. I can most likely clear most of this up.
On the surface, you’ll be able to inform it’s spent six years within the Southern California solar. Beneath you’ll see the worst of it, the place a small part of the clear coat, possibly three or 4 inches throughout, has been eaten via. Based mostly on the form, I’m guessing this was the work of a giant splotch of notably acidic chicken shit that didn’t get cleaned up and dried on the bodywork.
The automotive additionally has a quartet of those CalDOT excessive occupancy car lane entry stickers, which can must be eliminated and cleaned up. This one on the entrance bumper is trying tough, however I’m afraid to drag it the remainder of the best way off for worry of additional paint injury. With some warmth and a few Goo Gone, it must be pretty fast work. I eliminated these from my outdated Leaf mission as properly, and so they’re an enormous ache within the ass.
Do the inventory wheels have curb rash? You guess your candy ass they do.
This entrance plate nonsense is certainly going to need to go. The truth that folks put up with this horrifying visible each day is appalling.
As a result of I can’t go away properly sufficient alone with a superbly good on a regular basis automotive, I have already got some concepts for a full spate of modifications. Earlier than I even picked up the automotive I purchased a set of used Fifteen52 Tarmac wheels from Fb Market for simply $400. I had plans for one thing a bit extra off the overwhelmed path, however the worth was proper for these, so on they go.
In keeping with the automotive’s onboard laptop, it has averaged 36.4 miles per gallon throughout its lifetime. I’d wager that the one that owned this earlier than didn’t plug it in fairly often to get these sorts of numbers. I totally anticipate to see this quantity enhance dramatically throughout my possession. The automotive even got here with a Degree 2 charger plug within the again, so I’ll get that put in in my driveway and luxuriate in constant every day charging and gas-free propulsion.
I wished to see what this automotive regarded like on public charging, so I threw it on a L2 charger whereas grabbing lunch at a Panera Bread. The onboard charger is restricted to simply 3.2 kW, so it’s not a fast charger. This added just a few miles of EV vary to my complete, but it surely’s hardly an environment friendly use of time. Except I discover a good in a single day charger at a lodge alongside the best way, I don’t anticipate I’ll be doing a lot charging between right here and Ohio. Being a small battery PHEV, this automotive doesn’t have DC quick charging in any capability, so it doesn’t even make sense to plug in whereas I’m getting lunch or something.
I do like that the charger is hidden behind the 4 rings within the grille. It’s a trick little piece of the PHEV puzzle that I take pleasure in.
Up to now I’m actually having fun with this little machine, and it’ll serve properly as an round city driver. I’m going to present the automotive a little bit of a tarmac rally form of vibe, because it’ll nonetheless want some chunky tires and respectable suspension to outlive the streets of Cleveland, Ohio with out doing injury. I determine a gentle set of one-inch decreasing sport springs, a set of sway bars, wheels and tires, and some beauty modifications will do the trick. This will likely be little automotive for me, I feel. I may need lucked out.
