first of all it is cramped there is no getting round the fact, why cant i compare it with other cars in the price range all of which dwarf the tiny a3 in size, i never advised the poster to get a c class or a4, i highlighted that if he cant afford a3 in his budget he should look at other cars which are cheaper, as a3 seems to be out of the question for him in his budget as he does not seem to have find any used ones either. and if he prefers audi i suggested that if he wants to carry around a family or any one in the back seat he should save for a4 as a3 is not big enough
and Wow a3 is just like a reborn from inside, its hardly a compliment for a german car to feel the same as a bog standard econobox sedan such as a civic and you agree thats its even smaller than a corolla.
i am comparing it against the options you have in this price bracket all of whom i said are bigger, faster and more premium than a entry level audi. i also said that all these options are going to have huge maintenance costs and you should think twice before getting any old used german car.
and yes see my mercedes thread itll clear up a lot of things, i also have a review and testdrive picutres of the CLA in it, i agree with you CLA is cramped like hell with no head room in the reaf due to sloping rood and the one i drove had the AMG package with the AMG sports seats with integrated headrests and they took a lot of rear legroom away, the amg suspension was as hard as a box of rocks so a3 is definately more comfortable than the CLA though i like some other aspects of the CLA such as its exterior design which makes the a3 looks just a extension of VW family. same deign as its family
i can show you many references if you need like see the 2015 c class v a4 autotrader comparison where the c class won, a4 is just average, the BMW 3 series has always been a better drivers car no matter which reviewer you listen too and mercedes has always felt more premium than the mostly FWD audis you get here. how come a4 never won any prestigious awards like world car of the year? see my thread for this info, a3 won in 2013 i think but in 2015 mercedes made a clean sweep in all categories with one category going to the BMW i8, audi was no where to be seen so mercedes is leading the game at the moment.
and again its not a matter for BMWv audi v mercedes, its upto personal preferences as each are competitors and have their pros and cons, its upto the buyer to decide which one suits thier personalilty the best so going on with this comparison is not going to help the poster.
oh and dont gloss over the fact audi at the moment ranks lowest among the three in reliability, i could show you references of that too if you want
and wow you listen to Jeremy clarkson for car advice how intelligent he is, btw he only review the very old a4 not the new ones if i am not mistaken, he is the same person who said the RS4 could not even hold a candle to the c63amg.
and yes if you buy a older used mercedes, bmw its going to depreciate i also made that clear in my earlier post
so please its not BMW v audi v mercedes its what the poster can get in this price bracket and these are all the options he can have all of which have thier pros and cons and a person who is spending 3.0 million plus isnt dumb, they know what kind of lifestyle they have and what car suits them, they can make a decision for themselves after looking at everything.