New S3 owner spec

PilotAudi said:
Hi Paul

I'm newish here and agree that respecting others choice to do what they like with their car is very important. I just share Paddy's view that if you want 300bhp+ from your S3 maybe you should consider and RS3 or used S4/RS4/S5 etc etc. Modding does generate a lot of fun and enjoyment which is great (and I've done some!) but in my experience money and time spent is often never recovered, in fact often cars are worth less after modding, I prefer to keep standard (with a few enhancements maybe) and save up for the next Audi experience which is always better.. My views but Hey Ho....

Audis are the best.
Click to expand...

RS4s/S5s etc were upwards of 20K more than an S3, and very different cars.

The RS3 wasnt available at the time and is also 20K more than a like for like new S3.

25K +£500 remap got me a car that ticked all the boxes and fit the budget.

I looked long and hard before buying and remapping my S3 and the only other cars that were close at the time was the Golf Gti ED30, and the Golf R32, did also consider an E46 M3 but for various reasons chose the S3.
And nearly 3 years on still Im still enjoy the ownership experience, and this is largely due to the mild tuning and personalising of my car.
It would have cost a lot more to change the car.
Ive spent £750 on tuning (springs & remap) which isnt a lot on a 25K car over 3 years IMO. Of course I will never get that back, in the same way you, I, or anyone will get our depreciation back!! Premium/performance cars such as ours are a luxury purchase and very personal and therefore there is a cost attached to that.
Without the tweaks I doubt I would have kept the car as long and it would have cost me a lot more to change it.
The best bit is that my car can be put back to standard for £80.

I have mates that think paying 20+K for any car is daft, never mind tuning it. Thankfully we all have differnent views.

Cheers
Paul
 
paddy said:
Paul
Everyone knows you cant remap more power out of a 3.2 but it does smooth out the DSG changes. Thats a little different from upping the power of an engine 20% above the intended designed tolerance of the rest of the drive train and the reason most people who spend £400 on a remap then need to spend another £1200 uprating the clutch and flywheel.
I don't continually knock the S3, i just don't find it a patch on the 3.2 for everyday livability and its not until you remap an S3 that it is any quicker either, its just the 3.2 does it so much better. civilized i think is the word :).
We have different idea's and ideals You like to turn a car into what you want, i like to buy what i want. The thought of lowering a car leaves me cold !! Yes i knock Audi when i feel like it. I think i have earned the right to do that with all the hassle i have had with mine ! remember my old banger has cost me more than a brand new fully loaded S3 over the last 4 years and is worth sod all now anyway....lol :) To me the Audi experience has been a nightmare but i would have another because i dont pretend that any other make would be any better. Next time i will have a warranty and sell before it runs out...simples :)
Click to expand...

Its an 15% increase.
And uprated clutches are only really necessary for Stage 2 cars, I was referring to Stage 1.
Stage 2+ cars are adding nearly 100bhp so uprating the clutch etc. is expected IMO.

Its an interesting exchange of views but we should be accurate to be meaningful my friend:sm4:

Up until 12 months ago I was very sceptical about changing the springs on car like the S3 too, and never thought I would do it to mine.
However after driving Auldreekies S3 with H&Rs I was surprised and impressed. Everything tightened up and felt much more in keeping with its intentions. Try before you tune is the message here. If you dismiss the `idea` of something you can miss out.

Cheers
Paul
 
Accurate to be meaningful eh......
"Its an 15% increase"..... Revo quote 35-60bhp increase. I make that 13% - 23.5% so 15% to 20% is not unreasonable.
"And uprated clutches are only really necessary for Stage 2 cars, I was referring to Stage 1"....... How many clutches have you had in 30k miles on stage 1 ?

Statistics eh ?
Got to pop down the south coast now.....70 mile round trip !! lets hope i make it..lol i will take my mobile and AA membership card just to make sure. AND..its ******* down and my wipers are crap in the rain over 140mph. :drag:
 
paddy said:
Accurate to be meaningful eh......
"Its an 15% increase"..... Revo quote 35-60bhp increase. I make that 13% - 23.5% so 15% to 20% is not unreasonable.
"And uprated clutches are only really necessary for Stage 2 cars, I was referring to Stage 1"....... How many clutches have you had in 30k miles on stage 1 ?

Statistics eh ?
Got to pop down the south coast now.....70 mile round trip !! lets hope i make it..lol i will take my mobile and AA membership card just to make sure. AND..its ******* down and my wipers are crap in the rain over 140mph. :drag:
Click to expand...

140MPH :busted_cop: easy fella!

According to REVOs figures, Stage 1 REVO for the S3 is 15% increase.
Whats not accurate about that.?

I did 31K on the early stock LUK clutch. Having spoke to other trusted forum members when the later OEM SACHS units are fitted the clutch problems `myteriously` go away. In fact its common for Stage 2 cars on run long term on the later stock OEM clutches.
It would appear the early S3 clutches issue is a VAG **** up, the MK5 Golfs do the same. The 3.2 seem ok, though, the timing chains go first on them.

Anyway, makes no odds
 
PaulAr said:
RS4s/S5s etc were upwards of 20K more than an S3, and very different cars.

The RS3 wasnt available at the time and is also 20K more than a like for like new S3.

25K +£500 remap got me a car that ticked all the boxes and fit the budget.

I looked long and hard before buying and remapping my S3 and the only other cars that were close at the time was the Golf Gti ED30, and the Golf R32, did also consider an E46 M3 but for various reasons chose the S3.
And nearly 3 years on still Im still enjoy the ownership experience, and this is largely due to the mild tuning and personalising of my car.
It would have cost a lot more to change the car.
Ive spent £750 on tuning (springs & remap) which isnt a lot on a 25K car over 3 years IMO. Of course I will never get that back, in the same way you, I, or anyone will get our depreciation back!! Premium/performance cars such as ours are a luxury purchase and very personal and therefore there is a cost attached to that.
Without the tweaks I doubt I would have kept the car as long and it would have cost me a lot more to change it.
The best bit is that my car can be put back to standard for £80.

I have mates that think paying 20+K for any car is daft, never mind tuning it. Thankfully we all have differnent views.

Cheers
Paul
Click to expand...


RS3 is only 10k more than similar S3
You can buy a good used RS4 or S5 for £30k same price as new S3

Cheers
PA
 
PilotAudi said:
RS3 is only 10k more than similar S3
You can buy a good used RS4 or S5 for £30k same price as new S3

Cheers
PA
Click to expand...

Yes, my mistake, I should have said `20K more than what I paid for my decent spec 4month old S3`.

But still at least 10k difference for new similarly specced cars. 10k on a 25K budget is pretty significant though! It is for me, and would bet most.

You can buy Astons, Porsches etc for the same as a new S3 nowadays, not just RS4s etc.

But at the time I bought my S3 a lightly used RS4 was 50K, a full 25K more than the S3.:scared2:

My point is that they are difference cars, price range, running costs etc. Nothing at like an S3 with some software.

If I was looking at 50K supersaloons, and had the budget for it, a 25K remapped S3 wouldnt even be on the list unless I was buying 2 that is...:eyebrows:

cheers
Paul
 
Last edited:
Well Brighton is not bright ! very soggy in fact. :blownose:
 
South West is crap too..

For 40k the cost of a new RS3 you could buy pretty much anything you like secondhand. For 30k the price of an S3 now you can buy used RS4, S5 , 911 Porker, etc etc.....
 
Its glorious `oop North`. The sun is shining bright.........out of our ***** that is.:happy:
 
PilotAudi said:
RS3 is only 10k more than similar S3
You can buy a good used RS4 or S5 for £30k same price as new S3

Cheers
PA
Click to expand...
this is true ive seen a few rs4's for around that price but i bet the insurance is a ***** sight more than the S3 lol
 
yup, check the price of a set of front RS4 discs and pads then compare them to the S3's items....... thats where i started my research on purchasing an RS4..ironically that's where it largely ended :)
 
Hi mate I have just advertised my Audi s3 sportback 58 reg in ibis white 21k full Audi service history 3 services carried out last one in December. Advertised 19995 no offers on autotrader
 
IFTI said:
I have heated rear seats on my 2007 s3 havent seen it on another.
Click to expand...

Wow, and I thought I was the only one! Mine's an ex-demo; the dealers spec'd heated rear seats but no bluetooth or cruise control. Or foldy mirrors. Only used them once - coming back from a log flume experience at Alton Towers!
 
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