Audi S3 - experiences please
 

Possible next car, what do you think, fellas?

Something like this but with the flat bottom steering wheel and dark leather interior.

Audi : **FULLY LOADED 330BHP AUDI S3 56 PLATE****

What are they like to live with? Any decent threads on these?

Cheers,

JT.

I was debating buying an S3 from new. The good points are that being an Audi, build quality is second to non. The ownership experience should be brilliant. Depreciation on an S3 should be better than most.

However, the reason I decided against it, was, apart from the £32k price tag (with options) was the fact that Evo magazine reviewed the all new S3 a couple months ago, and while they said it was pretty fast and a good ground coverer, the driving experience was Dull.

Nice car though. I would have had mine MTM'd to 310BHP. No doubt a fantasic car to own for the feel good factor alone.

Try for one with the RS4 Bucket seats.

I have no direct experience of them but:

I know they have a Haldex diff thingy that basically means the car is FWD until something bad happens (loss of traction) and then the rear drive kicks in. Its not full time all wheel drive like the Scooby is. But to be fair I am attracted by tales of mid 30's MPG.

I've heard that the rear drive kicks in when the front wheels spin for 0.7 of a turn, which kinda means you need to lose traction before you get 4 wheels driven... Doesn't sound that great to me but as I said I haven't actually driven one, and all the reviews say they handle great.

But then a lot of car reviews say that FWD cars 'handle great' when they have chronic understeer and torque steer!

I'd like to hear the opinion of someone who has driven both an Impreza and an S3 cos that would be interesting IMO.

Thanks for the comments so far. For the record, I'm in no way interested in a comparison with an Impreza, I haven't owned one for 2 years.

"So the new generation S3 is a very adaptable, mature fast hatch that’s nice to be in and good to own, but it lacks an extrovert edge." - evo

Sounds perfect for someone rapidly approaching middle age. That'll be me then.

I haven't driven the new shape but have driven the older S3.

Very capable car however the main drawback was it didn't give a lot of road feel back through the steering wheel. All depends on your driving style but that was about the only aspect I didn't like.

As others have said excellent build quality :D

I've driven a Heldex equipped golf and the system is utterly sh*t compared to the 4wd system of a scooby when it comes to making quick getaways! Other than that I have no experience of the S3.

I asked on a few Audi forums a while back and they advised to stick with the scoob as the are dull to drive

When they first came out a guy on the S2000 forum was considering buying one and everyone advised him he'd get really bored of it. He bought a lovely example in white and sure enough he was bored to tears of it in less than a year.

My father drove our neighbour's one and said that steering is very light. The engine pulls well. Not able to comment on the handling as he only took it down the motorway.
As said above if you buy one get the one with the recaro bucket seats.

I agree so much, the TC is a very good system if you like that too.

Got a current S3 (with the bucket seats) - see my scooby.
Very different from the old WRX, Very easy to live with day to day & discrete feels very grown up and interior feels that bit special - ok the seats and the flat bottom steering wheel help. 30 mph is easy - especially if motorway use.
The haldex system works well (if turn the traction control off which seems to want to cut the power and not let the 4wd sort it out). Day to day (not trying to match the stated 0-60 times) it feels faster off the line than a Scoob (with TC off) as it does not bog down as much.
In the snow both about the same. Not taken the S3 on the track yet for a proper test
Steering feel - well the only 2 cars I've driven which had decent steering feel where an 911 and a MX-5 !
Steering is very speed sensitive - if not used to driving one the light steering a slow speed can catch you out !
Do miss the sound of the flat 4 though !
Taking mine for the 330 remap next week - should be fun !

Richard

Nice S3, mate. The exact interior I'm looking for, but fancy dolphin grey (Daytona doesn't seem to be available). I understand that dynamically things may be somewhat muted and that the steering is inert, but there's so much else going for the car. I had plenty of visceral treats with my old (highly) modded RA. Brilliant at ' Coombe, ****e everywhere else.

Saxo Boy,

My missus has narrowed down her choice of co. car to an MX5 or a Golf GTTDI. If she takes the Golf, I'm having an S2000. ;)

Is it only me who thinks they are expensive for what is a small hatchback? :confused:

If its electric power steering, assistance should be adjustable (as most electrically-steered VAG cars upto 2006 - as far as I know ) to give less assistance. The word is dealers "should" be able to do it (if they are clever enough) as can VAG-COM (aftermarket programming software).

In a word No - not with Vag com for the 2008 onwards cars anyway ! Try and find a dealer that will adjust it (they can with their sofware ) but they all say they wont / cant do it - I can remember the hassle I had trying to get them to do the one button unlock all doors.

Richard

I thought it was 2006 when they locked out the feature, my bad.

I was looking for a new brum brum - tried the new S3.......

after I'd driven the Golf Gti....

And was left wholly underwhelmed by the Audi. Yeh, pretty quick in a straight line (not quite as potent as my S4 ;)), but the Golf for day to day driving was SOOOO much better. Didn't really notice the drop in power, but DID notice the feel in the feedback from the wheel!!

The R32 though (just to get up to comparable power), is too heavy, and imho becomes a cheaper S3....

Gti for me though - V impressed (if I decide to drop a load of bhp and size! :D)

Dan :)