Motoring Discussion > Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's Miscellaneous
Thread Author: legacylad Replies: 19
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 09:09 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - legacylad
Neighbours gave recently chopped in their Mini for a new A1, and lo and behold within a few weeks more have appeared in my locale.
Has anyone else noticed a trend away from the Mini to another German marque?
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 12:01 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Alastairw
When the MINI was launched it had the market to itself, but there is more choice now. Haven't seen many A1s Tbh, but see loads of Citroen DS3s and quite a few Vauxhall Adams too.
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 13:34 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - madf
A1s are too downmarket for us... :-)
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 13:37 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - commerdriver
Looking at various MINIs they look more of a competitor for the A3 than the A1, they are not small any more.
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 15:30 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Shiny
Now that you mention it yes, but maybe you just notice them more now your neighbour's has got you attention?
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 15:56 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Clk Sec
>>but maybe you just notice them more now your neighbour's has got you attention?

None of my immediate neighbours has an A1 yet, but I have noticed a lot of them in nearby car parks.


>>A1s are too downmarket for us... :-)

I wouldn't doubt that for a second...
;-)
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 17:21 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Avant
Could be because when people test-drive both, they find the controls of the A1 much more user-friendly. SWMBO has had five Minis and loves them, but she is used to them. The Mini dashboard tries to be retro, and controls vary from counter-intuitive (radio) to infuriating (indicators). Those in VAG cars are much better at doing what you expect them to do.
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 18:11 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - WillDeBeest
I've never driven a Mini, Avant, and I doubt I'd fit into one. What do the indicators do that's so infuriating?
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 23:36 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - bathtub tom
>>I've never driven a Mini, Avant, and I doubt I'd fit into one. What do the indicators do that's so infuriating?

Work? Unlike VAG driven motors.

;>)
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New Wed 18 Jun 14 00:10 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Avant
"What do the indicators do that's so infuriating?"

The stalk doesn't stay up or down but springs straight back. Light pressure gives one brief flash, heavier pressure puts them on until they self-cancel; the problem being that you don't always know which you've done. (Bigger BMWs have it too, and so I think do Vauxhalls - but I can think of plenty of other reasons not to have a Vauxhall....)

With VAG indicators there's a detent between lane change (three flashes) and full on.

WdB, I think you'd fit into an old Issigonis Mini: there was a simple way of reversing the seat brackets and tall people were surprisingly happy in them.
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New Wed 18 Jun 14 08:35 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - CGNorwich
In my Golf you can turn off the lane change 3 flash in the "Settings" menu if you so wish. can you not do that in the Mini?
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New Wed 18 Jun 14 09:35 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - WillDeBeest
Wish I could in the LEC. The because-we-can all-in-one stalk forces the screen washer on to a button on the end, and it's too easy to push slightly laterally rather than straight in. Off it goes with three flashes that can't be cancelled; if you try it gives three the other way. And yet there's a nicely-weighted spring that's perfect for as many lane-change flashes as I want, so the three-flash setting is redundant.

Thanks for the explanation, Avant. I wish designers wouldn't design for the sake of it - or perhaps because a purely electronic interface is cheaper than a mechanical one. (Like up-down buttons in place of a proper volume knob.)

I do remember my dad - almost my height and probably longer in the legs - being surprised that he could fit behind the wheel of a Mini at the 1978 Motor Show.

...but I can think of plenty of other reasons not to have a Vauxhall....)

Careful you don't tread on any toes. Upsetting those who let their Vauxhalls define them is my job.
};---)
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Wed 18 Jun 14 at 09:39
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New Tue 17 Jun 14 18:49 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - PhilW
"Has anyone else noticed a trend away from the Mini to another German marque?"

No but,
Few months ago took over my son's old Cit C2 for various reasons ( second car, Xantia past it so scrapped, cheap insurance and road tax, 60 mpg and he needed a grand to put towards a new car etc).
Never really noticed C2s before but now every other car seems to be one!
Is it just because you are more aware of A1s now and notice them more?
P
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New Wed 18 Jun 14 13:25 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Shiny

>> Is it just because you are more aware of A1s now and notice them more?
>>
>> P
>>

I think so as we had one from the dealer as a courtesy car for three days and covered quite some mileage in it. It was bright red with a silver roof and bad ass rims so quite embarrassing but lot of appreciative looks in the greater London ghettos. Since then, we have noticed them everywhere, even in 'plain jane' form.
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New Thu 19 Jun 14 21:08 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Runfer D'Hills
The cheapest ( list price ) A1 is £14,000 or so and most models seem to be £16,000 ish with some up to £20,000.

That's a lot isn't it for a wee car? I think so anyway.
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New Thu 19 Jun 14 21:12 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - PeterS
Take a look at the price of a mid range diesel Fiesta or Golf if you want a shock :-) No wonder Audis and BMWs are everywhere ;-)
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New Thu 19 Jun 14 21:19 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Runfer D'Hills
Gosh yes you're right ! I really had no idea that's how much those sorts of cars were.

I suppose if I'd been pressed to answer without checking I'd have said 10 grand ish for a petrol and maybe 12 for a diesel.

Blimey.
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New Thu 19 Jun 14 22:25 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - PeterS
Whether that's actually what you have to pay I don't know. But cars do seem to have got very expensive, at list price at least. Indeed it's remarkably easy to spec a 3 series or C class to the high 30s in £k. A reflection I guess of the relentless increase in people buying on finance; if you can rent a fiesta for under £200 a month who cares that it 'costs ' £15k new ;-)
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New Thu 19 Jun 14 23:03 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Avant
The First and Only Law of Economics - the right price is what some other poor sap will pay.

(That's all I've ever known about economics, and I seem to have survived.)
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New Fri 20 Jun 14 07:30 
 Audi A1 - Breeding Audi A1's - Clk Sec
>>Take a look at the price of a mid range diesel Fiesta or Golf if you want a shock :-)

You may find that sizeable discounts are available on many new Ford models.
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