SimonH

Considering moving on to an Audi S3 purely because I want something a bit less "conspicuous" and just fancy a change.

I currently have a 2000 P1, Tek3'd with various mods making about 320Bhp. whilst I'm obviously not looking to replicate that on an S3 I would be interested in upping the available power on the standard S3.

What options are available? I assume they're fairly similar to Subaru modding (remaps and decats etc) - what kind of safe power levels can one extract from an S3 without going too mad??

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

QS Tuning

Revo Technik

Star Performance

Awesome GTI (Although the site seems to be down at the moment)

NWMark

210 or 225 version doesnt matter which will give 265bhp and 280lb/ft, loads of tuners out there just take your pick of the options you require, e.g. switchable, security lock out etc...

after this gains are hard to come by, decat plays havoc with the engine warning light and people even have trouble with this with replacement sport cats!!!

Air filters anything with oil forget it, a few cold air systems coming available that have had a few good reviews, but not many about at the moment.

Ive never seen a S3 or TT with over 280 bhp on the standard turbo, it just runs out of puff up the rev range.

So the only option for real gains over this are a bigger turbo conversion, jabba sport do a kit which will give 330bhp on standard internals with no mods, but your clutch will go as its the known weak point.

Great car for the money though, really confortable with all the creature comforts with some pace to boot. And it doesnt stand out at all which is great for peace of mind when leaving it anywhere.

Mark

Cupramax

Brakes are also a weak point as standard so consider a Brembo kit if your going to remap it...

RR

If the A3 is a 210/225bhp model then you will see over 330bhp off a Jabba IHI conversion. 330bhp is the minimum on a 1.8t 20v engine with a compression ratio of 9.5.1, the 210/225bhp are 8.5.1. I think with that conversion on that car you would be looking at 350-400bhp max. Engines are strong the weak point is the gearbox/diff's. Clutch is going to go but lets face it if you took a 215bhp stnd scoob to 430bhp you would see a clutch problem very quickly same as with the audi.

It all depends on the stnd engine spec and compression ratio.

fivepint

http://cars.vage.ie/invision/index.p...T&f=20&t=3224&

Still for sale here in ireland AFAIK... but gives an idea of whats possible

SimonH

Cheers guys - lots of good info there.

I'm thinking along the lines of a rechip/reprogram that would take the power up to about 270bhp ish and similar improvements in torque. I want to try and avoid going modding mad (I give myself about 2 months.....)

Is there an Audi equivalent to scoobynet where I can ask more Qs?

SimonH

oh yeah, plan to test drive them back to back if poss but how does the Golf R32 compare to the S3?

Cupramax

www.tyresmoke.net is excellent...

NWMark

also

www.audi-sport.net

and also worth a shot is

www.tt-forum.co.uk

Mark

SPelham

Simon I'm doing the same thing this weekend, S3 against the new A3 3.2 .

Will be interesting to see what improvements they have made to the new one !!

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Don't do it Mr. Pelham.... don't lose sight of the sonic blue Impreza dream!!!

The A3 3.2 is meant to be good, but is it an S3 replacement... probably not!

You do know that the A3 is NA and not turbo'd? (or have I got my wires crossed)

The R32 on the other hand is well worth test driving over the NA 3.2!!!

Gridlock Mikey

If your name is Tarquin and you are up for a bit of Polo at the weekend. Very Stiff bbs out of the regular members, maybe 10 of them have a sense of humour, the rest just want to out do each other in the Promotion/earnings/housesize race. Like that Avensis Advert "I was head hunted again today"

Not my cuppa as a bbs at all

SPelham

Don't worry I haven't decided to forget the sonic blue dream I just happen to have a good friend at Audi who thinks he can tempt me away from the impreza with the 3.2 growl

Your right the A3 is NA but worth a spin for an hour !!! They haven't released a date for the new shape S3 yet but apparently it is going to be worth the wait..

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Cool.. tooling around in a dealers car is always fun!!

We'll see about the new S3 as the rumours currently say 2006 release! A bit of a wait really, but will it be too similar to the R32? (making the R32 a much more affordable package in my eyes!) Also with the rumours of the RS3 as well, I can see an old shape S3 getting picked up for reasonable money in 2006!

mike16v

Best place I have heard of for S3 tuning is Kim Collins....

Here is the S3 tuning page

http://www.qstuning.co.uk/list_for_car.asp?car=s318

datsunman

Can't offer much more advice than the above on tuning but can offer a fairly objective comparison on the A3 3.2, S3 and R32 as I've had them all!

S3 - Great car, had both 210 and 225 versions. Build quality better than usual Audi standards on both, had both cars for six months and approx 10k miles in each, no rattles and no problems. The 225 car was actually a little lessraw than the 210, kinda like the difference between an MY96 and MY99 Scoob, ie not much performance wise but felt a little different to drive. Handling was pretty good although (as with all of these cars) the setup pushes the front before the back will oversteer. Fuel consumption was IRO 160 miles when caning it and up to 350 on motorway journeys, not sure on tank size but about £45 to fill if I remember rightly.

A3 3.2 - A good car, but IMO not sporty enough to warrant a change from a Scoob. The S3 jumped into and out of corners whereas the A3 wants to glide round. It's not a bad car by any means but it's very obviously aimed at a different type of driver. Performance is average (see R32 below), again not too sure on tuning options but personally I'd avoid if you want an involving drive.

R32 - IMO the most overated car of the last couple of years. The car feels very quick but only when there's nothing else close by. The A3 3.2 only lost about a car length in a half mile drag race, whether this means the A3 is quick or the R32 slow is open to debate! To get it going well you have to really work the gearbox and despite being very torquey requires a very precise gear selection for exiting corners. The car does excel in the handling arena, but I feel this is down to the weight of the thing and the lower profile tyres, when it does let go boy does it let go, understeering again. In both the A3 and R32 fuel consumption is horrendous, the most I got out of a tank was 260 miles and that was a two way uninterrupted trip up and down the M1 at a constant 80. Average tank was 200 miles.

If I were buying a car now, out of that selection it would be the newest S3 I could afford and with the new S3 looking like it's gonna be £30k+ and N/A it's going to have to be something special to make me change my mind.

SimonH

Thanks datsunman - thats pretty much the conclusion I'd come to anyway
Looking at a low mileage late 03 plate on Tuesday

Jeff Wiltshire

Also have a look at http://www.rs246.com

SimonH

Well, test drove a 2003 S3 today.
Really, really surprised at how underpowered it felt - wierd, because a friend's 1.8T felt quick! Seemed to just run out of puff before it got going
Gonna find another to test drive before I pass judgement though!!
Nice interior, seats etc etc - a nice change from creaky japanese black plastic land!!

225

Ever consdered a Leon Cuprar R, same 225bhp engine as S3/TT but with Brembo's and slightly more sporting edge. No 4x4 but if you look at test figures hardly any 0-60 difference and once moving no 4x4 to lug round and less transmission losses. Revo chip will give you 270-280bhp and 280+lbs of torque (other chips will give similar results, and obviously same applies to S3 as well)
Don't get as many toys as S3 but still well equiped.

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

What was the mileage on the car you drove?

My mate bought a 2003 S3 with 1,000 miles on the clock and it felt slow.

It really improves with mileage, at 6,000 miles, it felt quicker but really didn't come into it's own until 10-12k miles!

datsunman

I'd agree with that, mine was a '51 plate and didn't really get going until it hit 8k. I changed at 11k and it was just starting to loosen up then!

cheddar bob

I'd also like to know if there's any long term reliability issues from using one of the many chips available to make 250-260bhp?