S3 for me...cant wait

[alecblack]

Bought an S3 yesterday and cant wait till next Saturday to pick it up. Its a V plate on 67k. Paid 11k for it, I know it seems a little on the dear side
but i got a trade of 4.5k on my 97plate T sport so i'm happy with that. It's Black with Silver leathers, heated seats and Bose stereo. It's had 1 owner from new and been fully serviced by Perth Audi where it was bought. Credit to the previous owner as its in truly excellent condition. I was after one a couple of years newer but when i seen the condition it was in i had to have it. It drives like a dream too and feels very tight for a car with that mileage.


Just thought I would share with you all.

cheers

 

[bantam1]

Enjoy it - you will. Had mine for 2 years now and it still puts a smile on my face. You pay the price you are happy with for the car you want, so no worries about that. Plus you've got the peace of mind of a warranty from a main dealer as well.

I can remember when I was waiting to pick mine up - this week will go slowly!

 

[Tallpaul]

4.5k trade on your 97 1.8T? What miles?

Good price; i only paid £4300 for my 98 1.8T with 80k!

 

[alecblack]

My 1.8T has got 84k on it, I think he gave me a good trade in because I told
him i could get an s3 a couple of years younger and with better miles for 11k.
I was only expecting about 3.5k for mine but i guess its swings and roundabouts.

He also chucked in a years warranty with it as i told him it was older than
I was looking for

 

[Tallpaul]

So in effect you got the S3 for 10k with a years warranty.

Don't think you'd have got a better deal than that to be honest. The Cambelt service is a bitch though, and i'd get it done sooner rather than later just for piece of mind

 

[alecblack]

I need to check with Perth Audi to see if it has already been done but I doubt it. I have had a search on here for costs and its not cheap.

when do Audi recommend you change it?

Think i done my T Sport at 74k?

 

[Peloton]

Nice one! You'll definetly enjoy it! That waiting week really is a nightmare. Slowest week of my life so far! Only had mine 2 months now so it's still fresh in my mind.
Mine is an early 2000 model (can't be ***** finding out what letter it is) & I paid £11500 for it. Quite high yes but like you it's imaculate & had 52,000 miles on the clock with FASH & 1 years warranty with a private plate. Like yourself it was love at first sight & then I drove it!
If you enjoy yours half as much as I am mine then you'll be over the moon!

 

[TNE]

Your gonna love it mate.

I've owned my 2001 S3 for just under 3 months and love her to bits.

Coming from a car history of numerous hot hatches, then on to Subaru Impreza's and then on to Mitsubishi Evolutions my S3 is my favorite car owned so far by miles as it has everything rolled in to one unique package.

I've just got in from a nice drive out after it being sat in my garage for nearly 2 weeks whilst using my works van and i'm chuffed to bits.

 

[alecblack]

Well Ive had my car for nearly a week now and I could'nt be happier. I have put almost 500 miles on it already. You cant take the smile of my face. It is
so different to my old T Sport I traded in. It feels like a completely different car altogether. The Quattro system is just mmmmm....I dont think I could go
back to fwd after owning a 4wd car now. The speed seems really fast and I think for the mean time I will just leave it as is and not go for any upgrades.

A couple of questions

1)As this is my first 4wd car how reliable is the Quattro system? The next service due should include the Haldex change but would I notice any difference if the system werent working properly?

2) I know there might be other treads on here about it but what sort of fuel consumption should I be happy with? Just now I am getting 28.3mpg after 500 miles with about 60% of that A roads or motorways. I read I could expect about 31mpg is this unrealistic?

cheers in advance

 

[jedwa115]

Just now I am getting 28.3mpg after 500 miles with about 60% of that A roads or motorways. I read I could expect about 31mpg is this unrealistic?

First week I had mine I averaged 23 mpg - but that was all b-roads. Put your foot down!

 

[stevehart]

alreet alecblack,

had my S3 for about 2-3 months now, also love the thing to bits. 31mpg is not unrealistic but obviously depends on how you drive. with fairly sedate driving I can get mine to 37mpg and generally 29-31 with fairly hard driving.

however, my "hard" driving may be fairly soft to others, it all relative.

Steve

 

[MikeA3]

Well Ive had my car for nearly a week now and I could'nt be happier.

:sign_pics:

 

[myrichdad]

Enjoy it - they are fantstic. quick and lovely inside. pride and joy for loads of people here. ;-)

 

[god_thats_quick]

I think what you are finding is pretty much spot on, the haldex is reliable, just stick to the recommended oil and filter changes.

I get a long term average on the DIS of around 27-28mpg which is a mix of making progress down b roads and sitting on a roads / motorways.

I think the S3 is best (economy wise) on A roads between 40-60 (in 6th) without too much stop start, then I think you could get into the 30's but I never seem to be patient enough to get up there for a full tank, I just can't resist having a serious prod of the accelerator every now and again!

 

[voorhees]

welcome Ace,I have 56 on the clock and do struggle to do 28mpg but am heavy on the pedal and have country roads to drive and overtaking in low gear necessary(obviously) because of slower vehicles but driving an S3 is brilliant and without being bigheaded its sweet seeing the heads turn

 

[madvw]

Just now I am getting 28.3mpg after 500 miles with about 60% of that A roads or motorways. I read I could expect about 31mpg is this unrealistic?

I rarely see much above 20mpg. Almost all of that is back road county driving IMHO, motorway is the most boring place you can take an s3...

enjoy it. Nothing comes close for £/speed/comfort.....

 

[col6821]

My DIS is showing 32.9 after 7 months and 9k miles. It does 40 miles a day on mostly motorway and doesn't get opened up until the weekends (again probably not really opened up like some on here).

 

[Jampublic]

So most aren't bothered about MPG, more about the pleasure the car brings you!

I am getting 24.8mpg and i done 16k in 11 months, can't help but have a heavy foot!

Enjoy

 

[alecblack]

I will try to post pictures over the next few days but they have been taken on a camera phone so the quality might not be up to much.

A couple of observations I have made so far:

The temperature in the car with the heaters off seems to be warmer than my old A3, dont know why this is but I find myself putting the air con on more where as i didnt in my old car.

When i step out of the car I can feel a heat from the underside of the car
which wasnt there on my old car either, dont know if that is the Quattro or
something else?

 

[alecblack]

I will try to post pictures over the next few days but they have been taken on a camera phone so the quality might not be up to much.

A couple of observations I have made so far:

The temperature in the car with the heaters off seems to be warmer than my old A3, dont know why this is but I find myself putting the air con on more where as i didnt in my old car.

When i step out of the car I can feel a heat from the underside of the car
which wasnt there on my old car either, dont know if that is the Quattro or
something else?

 

[jedwa115]

When i step out of the car I can feel a heat from the underside of the car
which wasnt there on my old car either, dont know if that is the Quattro or
something else?

Yeah, Interesting, I get exactly the same. Assumed increased boost pressures lead to higher exhaust temps. Never had a look to see what it was coming off.

Wander if the cat convertor is close to the drivers door sill?

 

[madvw]

the heat will be from the side mounted charge-coolers, one in front of each of the front wheels.

 

[myrichdad]

you learn something every day.....

are they for the turbo then?

 

[jedwa115]

Charge air coolers cool the charge air after the turbo, before the intake manifold on the engine. Cooling the air increases it's density and therefore you get a bigger burn in the cylinder and therefore more power. Also used in some applications to reduce emissions, but assume that is not the case on the S3. More like on Diesel tractors!

 

[god_thats_quick]

In my opinion the heat is just in general from the engine bay, you won't feel it as much on an A3 because it's got more of the engine bay at the bottom sealed off, also if you have had the aircon on there will be a fan that's always blowing air over the engine on the drivers side and of course if the engines hot the main fan will also be on and the air has to go somewhere.

The intercoolers on any car are purely for lowering the intake temp of the "charged" air so in your s3 it the air goes - outside air - airbox - turbo - intercooler 1 - intercooler 2 - intake mainfold - bang.