Is it possible... and what would i be looking at???

A write off or one with 300,000 miles on the clock !

I was about to take the piss too until I looked at autotrader.
Hands off the one for £12995 - I saw it first.

Just phoned them up - it's done 90k

[Edited by father_jack - 11/21/2002 4:22:38 PM]

Plantie

Or you could buy a pukka 1999/2000 1.8T Turbo quattro A3 (180) for an easy £12-13k and add a couple of grand for an AMD remap, larger brakes and tweaked suspension.

You will have a dealer supplied, warranted car that goes as well as the S3 and looks not far different for under £15k - 3 grand under the cheapest dealer S3's.

Perfomance wise thats a good idea but make sure you get a quattro 1.8T as not all of them are. Also, my friend has a brand new 1.8T which has just replaced his 4 month old S3 which he sold, the cars are a bit different inside - cant tell you what but the S3 was nicer, may have been the seats??

The 1.8T is nice but I would pay the extra for the S3 as a starting platform and build from there, cosmetically they are a bit different. Good idea but give me the S3 all day ;)

Plantie,

Try Top Car auctions at Measham. I believe that the next one ins on the 3rd December. A 1999 V plate S3 with less that 30k miles went for £11900 the other week. Proper car. Nothing sinister. :D Seems like if you're willing to buy at auctions there are deals to be had.

Matt

Cheers matt... will look at that! :D

TomM

Hang on, we were talking price as an issue here - I agree, the S3 is a better starting point, but all things being equal there's several (£3-7k) between the S3 and 1.8T Q.

Both have the same basic engine (and turbo?), both have the same Haldex 4wd, dashboard, floorpan etc. The differences in braking, suspension and power can be made up for £2k and the rest is cosmetics (wheels, bumpers, interior trim)

ps I also know a 99MY Scooby owner who was very disappointed with the S3 he traded in for. DOn't get me wrong, a good car and solid build (I had an A4 Q) but little raw fun.

http://www.audi-sport.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB2&Number=103412&page=0& view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
Can't do it for 15k but might be room for a bit of negotiation.

Pal of mine has just picked up a 99 black S3 with 48k on the clock for £14,900 from a main dealer 2 months ago! He might be selling it as he came from a BMW 328 coupe and doesn't like the S3 and looking at replacing with an early 330ci :(

Just my 5p's worth but isnt the S3 a 4x4, unlike the A3 1.8T which is only FWD.

The S3 is awesome :D

Also if you do get it chipped speak to APR, they are the daddies at anything VAG.

Thanks

Dan

That's what I'm trying to get over !

The 1.8T is available in quattro form with a detuned (like the TT) 180bhp engine that tunes up again easily.

And its much cheaper used (car for car) than an S3 !

Depends how far you want to take. Fairly easy to take the 1.8T Sport Quattro up to 210bhp but much more requires a different turbo and other gubbins. And it doesn't look as good as the S3 with its pumped up bodywork, you won't get the modification money back at resale time, etc.

Whereas with the S3 210bhp is a starting point and 250-260 is achieveable with a chip. I think S3 prices have been stupidly high until fairly recently, they seem to be coming down now due to the general state of the used car market, competition from rival models and the fact the new A3 is around the corner.

If you have 16-17k for a used Audi S3 then a brand new Leon Cupra R also makes a strong case for itself. Whether you'd still pick the Audi probably depends on exactly how old and what the mileage is.

[Edited by TurboBoost - 11/22/2002 9:27:53 AM]

@ Flat 4x4

I know what your saying mate and I agree but Iam just saying I wouldnt bother getting a 1.8T and doing all the stuff to it when for a few extra you get the entire package that is the S3, including no doubt a rediculous insurance premium!

I cant put my finger on and I know they share alot of kit but the S3 is just a nicer car to be in, it just feels better. Looking at what would be needed to get a 1.8T upto 260bhp I would much rather have the S3

BTW - I thought the S3 was 225bhp, not 210bhp???

Iam getting tempted by these little rockets, look at this :

2000 AUDI S3,
2000, V reg . 46000 miles, Azure Blue, S3 plate, Bose, cruise, sunroof, MTM upgrade to 270 BHP, alum mirrors, Magnex, Blue/Black interior, FASH, UK car, 18"" RS alloys, re-ad due to timewasters, no canvassers.. £16,300 . No offers.

I would get one with <30k myself with warranty and one owner and then do all the mods myself but these are starting to become affordable at last!

Could be good bye M3 if the right one turns up!

Earlier ones are 210bhp, more recent ones are 225bhp. Not sure the exact date they changed (2002 Model Year?) but if you're going to chip it anyway then its not such a big issue. However according to some of the mags the 225bhp ones appear to have a few minor chassis tweaks to make them a little sharper.

[Edited by TurboBoost - 11/22/2002 10:48:33 AM]

S3's have a wider wheel-track and flared arches. They have a much bigger turbo that the A3 quattro and also have twin intercoolers.

An S3 with 130,000 miles went for about £9999 on Audi-Sport.net recently!

You're right - it was 2002 Model Year for 225bhp.

If you want less rawness and fun, for more refinement and solidity, then either the 1.8TQ or S3 are both very good cars.

Having gone Subaru-Subaru-Audi-Audi-Subaru for my last 5 cars, for the money the 1.8TQ would tempt me because you can play around with it more on the road IMHO.

The S3, like my A4Q had fantastic grip levels (better than the Subaru) but both are less involved than my current Turbo to drive.

All good cars in their own right!

Found a few FASH A3 Quattro's for £9995-£10995, but this one sounded pretty good for £14k:-

2000(W)Brilliant Yellow, ECU Re-map producing 220bhp, 17" S3 Alloy Wheels, Fully Colourcoded Spoiler Kit, Roof Spoiler, Climate Control, Electric Windows, ABS, PAS, 6CD, Radio Cassette, BOSE, FSH

How many miles??

Iam not a big fan of fitting wheels and stuff to cars from thier big brothers, its like putting M3 wheels on a 316 - it looks wrong IMHO, trying to be something it isnt.

I would still wait or borrow £2k more to get the S3! :D

See
http://www.audi-sport.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB2&Number=103428&page=0& view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

S3 with tasteful mods for under 10K - higher milage tho but not a problem and not at this price!

I was told that Audi can re-map the 210 bhp car to 225 at no cost as part of a service.

Cant remember where I got that from but I distinctly remember it cos I fancy one.