📺 Project Car Video
Disclaimer: work on your vehicle AT YOUR OWN RISK! This is just a suggestion on how I did it, but should not replace your own research and abilities.
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New Project Car: 2017 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro Sport
I found this 2017 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro in Pittsburgh and honestly couldn’t resist.
I didn’t even know this car existed.
At first glance, it flies under the radar—but once you dig into the details, it’s a seriously interesting platform and an awesome foundation for a project car.
What Makes This A3 Special
This isn’t just a dressed-up economy car. The 2017 A3 2.0T Quattro shares some very familiar and very exciting hardware:
- The GTI 2.0T engine
- Haldex all-wheel-drive system
- 6-speed DS250 DSG transmission
That combination alone makes this car a sleeper. It’s compact, lightweight, efficient, and still very much part of the VW/Audi performance ecosystem.
Even better? Parts availability and tuning support are excellent.
Performance Potential (Yes, It’s Real)
The car is completely stock—for now.
But with some basic and well-documented mods, these A3s are known to dip into sub–4 second 0–60 times.
That’s… Lambo territory 😅
At least on paper—and honestly, that’s half the fun.
High Mileage, Real-World Check
This car is sitting at 128,000 miles, which made it perfect for a real-world evaluation rather than a garage queen review.
In the video, I:
- Walk around the car
- Check overall condition
- Look at fuel mileage efficiency on a higher-mileage 2.0T engine
- Talk through first impressions after driving it
So far, it’s doing exactly what a well-maintained Audi should do.
Initial Issues & Early Diagnoses
No project car is complete without a few quirks—and this one came with some early clues:
Rough Idle
There’s a slight rough idle that I suspect may be:
- A PCV valve issue
- Possibly spark plugs due for replacement
Both are common, manageable, and well-supported fixes on this platform.
Front-End Noise
I kept hearing a noise from the front end, which appears to be coming from:
- Strut mounts
Again—very typical wear items at this mileage and nothing unexpected for a car entering its second life as a project.
What’s Next?
This A3 is going to be:
- Maintained properly
- Diagnosed methodically
- Modified responsibly
The goal isn’t just speed—it’s learning the platform, improving drivability, and building a fun, capable daily-friendly project.
If you’re into understated performance cars, DSGs, Audi quirks, or sleeper builds, this one’s just getting started.
More to come.
