1.8t sport-S3 interchangable parts

[keendean]

I've just bought a A3 1.8t sport which I love coming from a Subaru, but which parts can I fit from a S3? I heard you can fit the quickshift and lower front strut brace, both of these are cheap mods from Audi, is this true?
Also I'm after some clear side indicators, am I best going to Audi for these?
The car feels very tight and handles very well, and I thinking on a set of Koni springs, the sport has upgraded suspension, will the standard shocks suit the lowered springs?
How good is the Oem panel filter is it worth replacing? Tia-Dean

 

[RichA3Turbo]

Hi,

What year is your A3? This will help with your questions...

Rich

 

[Grant]

OEM panel filter is very good! Not worth changing IMO.

 

[Khufu]

welcome. There are few parts that are interchangeable. The quick shift is a matter of preference. Some people have fitted them and not liked it, all depending on make. The lower strut brace (and upper if you drill the holes) both do fit but you'd be better sorting the shocks and springs 1st. The best recommended springs for the A3/S3 are H&R, used in conjunction with bilstein sport shocks. THe oem filter is fine, and along with the housing good for up to 300bhp without restriction, oiled filters can sometimes coat the nearby MAF and cause the car to run flat or under powered.

 

[keendean]

It's a 1997 R Reg with 40K miles.

The sport model had sport suspension, is it worth using the original shocks and just changing the springs?

Will the S3 quickshift fit the 1.8T? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RichA3Turbo]

The A3 'sport' suspension, is not very sporting to be honest!

At the age of your car, you'll more than likely find the control arm bushes are shot and the shock, althought they may feel OK, wont stand upto fitting lowering springs... They deteriorate rapidly when you do this. Make one think and fit new shocks and springs together.

There are no linkages for the earlier A3 that will fit from other models, and its a different design unfortunately.... Only thing you CAN fit gearbox wise is a B&M short shifter but thats a little more costly and time consuming to fit.

Rich

 

[keendean]

Ok, thanks for the advice, I'm hoping for a jabber remap at one point and want the car to handle better before I go down that route. The brakes feel very good, and the ride is very firm and far better than I thought it would be tbh. Shocks and sprinsg will have to wait until I have more money, currently getting out of Subaru debt, owning three of them was costly, I bought an A3 beacuse I want to stop modding cars, and a S3 was out of my budget /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[RichA3Turbo]

the standard brakes are OK... But after 2 hard applications, you want haev brakes... They are too small and with a crappy sliding caliper (single piston)... upgrading to 312mm is cheap and effective but depends how you will drive it as to whether or not its effective enough.

Rich

 

[keendean]

312mm is cheap? How and what parts does it use? I do drive quite hard, or am likely to be when it's chipped /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Khufu]

my problem is worse. My brakes suck, but as I dont have the turbo version, my hubs have the carrier intergrated so I would have to change hub, carriers, discs and calipers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I am tempted for as said, couple of heavy presses and they start to fade a bit.

 

[Timbo]

[ QUOTE ]
312mm is cheap? How and what parts does it use?

[/ QUOTE ]
TT caliper carriers, discs and pads. The calipers are the same so you don't even need to disconnect them AFAIK. If you do the work yourself it should be less than £200 all in.

I'm not sure if the discs will fit behind standard wheels.

 

[RichA3Turbo]

Yep, 312mm do fit behind the 16's

RIch

 

[god_thats_quick]

if your just swapping the carriers and discs then Timbo is correct you won't need to ****** about with disconnecting them, just maybe need to bleed some fluid to push the piston back in.

 

[keendean]

Sounds a good affordable mod, I've found the brakes so far very good for the power of the car. I've called Jabba for a re-map cost, I'm hoping on going there next year, as it's an early car I'm only looking at 190Bhp +.
I really don't want to go back to using Optimax, I had enough of that with Subaru ownership.
Do group buys for Jabba come up often, are the prices discounted, from speaking with Jabba you need 10 or more people wanting a remap

 

[imported_jimbogrey]

Hi
for your info I have a 1997 R 1.8T

with a Revo remap which provides fantastic performance, certainly as quick/maybe quicker than a standard S3.

Revo now do the NDBW remap on your car for £399 + vat

an absolute bargain in my opinion

Where in UK are you

Jimbo

 

[keendean]

I'm based near Jabba, and they map it on the rolling road which I'm keen they do, I met the guys there before when I had a rolling road sesh on my corrado, 270bhp I was chuffed. They seem a nice lot.