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Ok, so here's another s-line conversion thread.
This is not so much of a "look at what I've done" thread (although it is as well ), but more as a help to those who want to do the same and might be struggling with knowing the costs involved etc.
Anyway.....
I lived long enough with a Sport, and the rub strips in the bumpers and lack of spoiler finally irritated me so much that I had to make the change.
So here is my journey, with all parts used, including part numbers and what it cost me so you have a ball park figure of what you could/should pay for each bit.
I've also added a 'difficulty rating' which relates to how hard it was to get each part used/second hand from ebay or breakers.
'1' means it was easy to source second hand.... '5' means forget about searching for the used part and just buy it new from the dealers.
So, here we go...............
This is how I bought her a year ago, a 2006 Sport 2.0TFSI DSG:
So the first obvious change was getting rid of the Sport 17" alloys.
I managed to buy some genuine 18" RS6/S-lines with tyres from ebay.
There were plenty to choose from... genuine and reps, but decided on going for OEM.
Genuine S-line alloys difficulty rating = 2 (easy to find, a bit harder to find in good condition with good tyres).
I also managed to offload the Sport alloys for �100.
And here she was with the new wheels:
Better looking, but still lacking.
So a few more months passed and the novelty of the different wheels had worn off, so I started thinking about more changes.
The most obvious and easy one was a Sport to S-line conversion.
I thought about an S3 conversion but I just couldn't be bothered with the additional work, and the expense and increased difficulty of finding the parts.
An s-line conversion seemed like the most natural progression, so I started buying the parts that I needed.
First up was a front s-line bumper.
Saw a guy on ebay selling a job lot of various bumpers so I gave him a call.
He agreed to sell me the bumper for �25. I had to drive quite a distance to collect it (�10 worth of fuel), but it was worth the journey for the saving.
Looking around I've seen s-line front bumper selling from about �50, up to over �200 complete. Seems to be a slight shortage on ebay at the moment also.
During my search I've made some good contacts for sourcing bumpers, so if anyone is interested just drop me a PM.
Note: 3 door and 5 door (Sportback) A3s use the same front bumper.
S-line front bumper:
Part number = 8P4 807 095A
Cost = �25
Difficulty rating = 2/3
Next up was the rear bumper.
First of all I was looking for a 2006-2008 rear s-line bumper (found on 8P2 s-lines), but noticed that there seemed to be more 2009/2010 (8P3) used rear bumpers available on both ebay and at the breakers.
Note: for the 8P3 the standard and s-line bumpers are exactly the same part, only the S3 rear bumper is different. Where the 8P3 standard and s-line rears differ is the diffuser.
The 8P3 standard diffuser gives a look much like the 8P2 s-line rear set-up. Whereas the 8P3 s-line diffuser has a look of its own (see below):
Standard diffuser:
S-line / Black Edition diffuser:
The main difference between the two 8P set-ups is... although both are made up of two pieces, the 2006-2008 bumper looks like it is in three pieces (bumper, valance, diffuser), and the 2009-2010 looks and is just a bumper and diffuser.
Also, the 2006/2008 (8P2) diffuser needs partly painting to the same colour as your car, whereas the 2009/2010 doesn't.
Note 1: All (8P3) 2009 onwards rear bumpers use the same fittment for diffusers. So basically, you can buy a diffuser from a 3 door, a Sportback or a cabrio and it will fit.
Note 2: The 3 door, 5 door, and Cabrio all have different rear bumpers so you will need to make sure you get the correct one.
The main identifying features are.... the 3 door is flat where the bumper meets the rear lights... the 5 door has an angled bit where the bumper meets the rear lights.... and the cabrio rear bumper looks very similar to the 3 door's bumper but there is a screw hole on either side of the bumper (located along the edge where the tailgate closes).
Standard/S-line 2009-2010 rear bumper:
Part number = 8P3 807 511
Cost = �50
Difficulty rating = 2
2009/2010 rear bumper diffuser (standard, not s-line):
Part number = ???? (can't find my note of it, but will post when found)
Cost = free
Difficulty rating = 4/5
Next up was trying to source the front bumper fog light parts i.e. fog lights, fog surrounds, and fog light plugs.... So on to ebay again.............
This was tricky. At the time I could only find the fogs being sold on their own, and for some reason they always seemed to be for the passenger side!
I came very close to buying these new from the dealers, but at a cost of about �65 each I persisted with ebay.
Eventually a pair came up. After a bit of haggling with the seller he agreed to sell the pair to me for �45 delivered.
When they arrived I noticed that one of the three fixings on each fog had been snapped off. I contacted the seller and he agreed to an �8.50 refund, so net cost to me was �36.50.
The missing fixing on each light wasn't a problem because the fog surround helps to hold them in place.
Then it was time to turn my attention to the fog surrounds. I didn't spend much time on this as I'd only seen one appear on ebay since I started with this whole s-line conversion idea, and that was damaged. So I went straight down to the dealers and bought them new, along with the fixing screws and the fog light plugs (if you already have Sport fogs you will need new plugs/connectors as the s-line's are different).
Note 1: a lot of people buy the repair wires (part no. 000 979 244E, cost 2 x �4.79) when moving from Sport fogs to s-line fogs. This is not necessary if you are careful when removing the wires from your existing fog plugs as they can be re-used/re-inserted into the new plugs..
Note 2: There is a possibility that the s-line fog lights for the A3 and A4 are the same. I cannot confirm this, but I have read this in various places. Their part number are exactly the same APART from the A3 fogs starting 8E0 and the A4's starting 8T0.
You will find that if buying used that there are a lot more A4 fogs for sale.
Note 3: The Standard/Sport radiator grille WILL fit the s-line bumper. They are all exactly the same size, and the only difference is cosmetic (i.e. the s-line grille has slightly bigger retangular sections in it) but this almost totally unnoticable. I used my original sport grille.
2 x S-line fog surrounds/grilles:
Part number = 8P4 807 681F (left), 8P4 807 682F (right)
Cost = �53.04 for the pair
Difficulty rating = 5
2 x S-line fog lights:
Part number = 8E0 941 699C (left), 8E0 941 700C (right)
Cost = �36.50 for the pair
Difficulty rating = 3/4
2 x S-line fog light plugs:
Part number = 3D0 941 165A
Cost = �14.50 for the pair
Difficulty rating = 5
6 x S-line fog light screws (for fixing fog lights to bumper):
Part number = 8H0 807 199A
Cost = �3.96 for the six
Difficulty rating = 5
Next was the S-line spoiler.
There were a few options available to me i.e. S-line, Votex, and the "ebay specials" i.e replica spoilers from Poland or somewhere like that.
The "Ebay special" was a no no for a number of reasons.... poor fitting, poor taking of paint, and just... well, poor.
As used s-line spoilers don't come up often and new they are well over �200, I was leaning more towards a Votex spoiler. These also don't make too many appearances on ebay but new they can bought from about �150 I think, which was an easier pill to swallow.
However, after looking at the various photos on http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-sportback-8p-chassis/111403-amazing-spoiler-thread.html , I knew the Votex was not for me.
Over the course of a couple of weeks I came close to buying a some used s-line spoilers, ranging from �80-�100, but for one reason or another the purchases fell through.
Note: A good place to search is on ebay under "A3 tailgate". You'll find some that come with spoilers attached and you can ask if the seller is willing to seperate.
Anyway, after a while I managed to find a genuine s-line spoiler on ebay, buy-it-now, �58 delivered. I was surprised that no one had bought it.
S-line spoiler:
Part number = 8P3 860 943
Cost = �58
Difficulty rating = 4
Note: You will see from the below photo that if fitting an s-line/S3 spoiler (they are the same) to a non s-line tailgate you will need to cut off the lugs/fixings and then bond it directly to the tailgate.
The final part of my s-line conversion jigsaw puzzle was not actually an s-line part, but IMO a must. MY09 rear lights! Especially as my rear bumper was MY09.
I pretty much knew from the off that I'd have to buy these new, as they only come up once in a blue moon on ebay, and the last set I saw on there sold for pretty much what it costs to buy them new.... �200.
Now luckily for me, Mr. NHN was looking to shift his MY09 rear lights as he is upgrading to MY11. So after a bit of PM'ing we agreed on a fee for his 'as new' condition lights and a deal was done.
And as others have found when buying from him, it was a VERY smooth transaction.
HOWEVER, there was a slight problem though. Me and NHN were in the UK, and the lights were still on his car...... in ITALY!!!
But with a quick bit of organisation, NHN phoned his missus, got her to go outside to the car, screwdriver in hand, instructing her how to remove the lights without damaging them.
Fast forward a day or so and they were trafficked to England with a travelling friend of his. Fast forward another day or so and they arrived at my place of work courtesy of FedEx.
Problem sorted!
Note 1: If you want brand new MY09 or MY11 rear lights, NHN can hook you up for less than dealer prices, and have them delivered to your door within days.
Note 2: I couldn't decide whether to go for the lighter coloured MY09 lights or the darker MY11's. After seeing a silver A3 with the MY11 their was no contest in my opinion. The MY09's suit light silver MUCH more.
SO.... I had all the parts needed, so off I went to some body shops for spraying a fitting costs.
I was quoted a range of prices starting at �250 from a Polish guy in a little shed, to �500 by a large body shop.
In the end I settled on a well established repair centre near to where I live, who were asking for �500 initially but said they could do it for �325 for cash.
Note: Anybody in or around the London area who is looking for a good body shop at reasonable prices, drop me a PM and I will point you in their direction and let them know you're coming down ( so you'll get the best possible price).
As a guide, I found the costs are �150-�200 to have one bumper prep'd and sprayed, and about �50-�100 for a spoiler.
Two days later and here she is.........
And for comparison, before and afters:
So here are the important bits again, at a glance:
Front S-line Bumper (8P4 807 095A) - �25 - USED
S-line fog lights (8E0 941 699C & 8E0 941 700C) - �36.50 - USED
Rear 09/10 bumper + diffuser (8P3 807 511) - �50 - USED
S-line spoiler (8P3 860 943) - �58.50 - USED
Fog light plugs x2 (3D0 941 165A) - �14.50 - NEW
Fog light screws x6 (8H0 807 199A) - �2.64 - NEW
S-line fog grilles (8P4 807 681F & 8P4 807 682F) - �53.04 - NEW
MY09 Rear Lights (8P3 945 095A & 8P3 945 096A) - Up to �200.
Respray and fitting - �325
TOTAL COST (excluding wheels and MY09 rear lights).... �565.18
So �565 for the conversion (that's �240 for the parts, and �325 for spraying and fitting), and some of that cost will hopefully be recouped by selling my original bumpers, fogs, and lights.
Next on the agenda, lowering and new wheels.
The end.
This is not so much of a "look at what I've done" thread (although it is as well ), but more as a help to those who want to do the same and might be struggling with knowing the costs involved etc.
Anyway.....
I lived long enough with a Sport, and the rub strips in the bumpers and lack of spoiler finally irritated me so much that I had to make the change.
So here is my journey, with all parts used, including part numbers and what it cost me so you have a ball park figure of what you could/should pay for each bit.
I've also added a 'difficulty rating' which relates to how hard it was to get each part used/second hand from ebay or breakers.
'1' means it was easy to source second hand.... '5' means forget about searching for the used part and just buy it new from the dealers.
So, here we go...............
This is how I bought her a year ago, a 2006 Sport 2.0TFSI DSG:
So the first obvious change was getting rid of the Sport 17" alloys.
I managed to buy some genuine 18" RS6/S-lines with tyres from ebay.
There were plenty to choose from... genuine and reps, but decided on going for OEM.
Genuine S-line alloys difficulty rating = 2 (easy to find, a bit harder to find in good condition with good tyres).
I also managed to offload the Sport alloys for �100.
And here she was with the new wheels:
Better looking, but still lacking.
So a few more months passed and the novelty of the different wheels had worn off, so I started thinking about more changes.
The most obvious and easy one was a Sport to S-line conversion.
I thought about an S3 conversion but I just couldn't be bothered with the additional work, and the expense and increased difficulty of finding the parts.
An s-line conversion seemed like the most natural progression, so I started buying the parts that I needed.
First up was a front s-line bumper.
Saw a guy on ebay selling a job lot of various bumpers so I gave him a call.
He agreed to sell me the bumper for �25. I had to drive quite a distance to collect it (�10 worth of fuel), but it was worth the journey for the saving.
Looking around I've seen s-line front bumper selling from about �50, up to over �200 complete. Seems to be a slight shortage on ebay at the moment also.
During my search I've made some good contacts for sourcing bumpers, so if anyone is interested just drop me a PM.
Note: 3 door and 5 door (Sportback) A3s use the same front bumper.
S-line front bumper:
Part number = 8P4 807 095A
Cost = �25
Difficulty rating = 2/3
Next up was the rear bumper.
First of all I was looking for a 2006-2008 rear s-line bumper (found on 8P2 s-lines), but noticed that there seemed to be more 2009/2010 (8P3) used rear bumpers available on both ebay and at the breakers.
Note: for the 8P3 the standard and s-line bumpers are exactly the same part, only the S3 rear bumper is different. Where the 8P3 standard and s-line rears differ is the diffuser.
The 8P3 standard diffuser gives a look much like the 8P2 s-line rear set-up. Whereas the 8P3 s-line diffuser has a look of its own (see below):
Standard diffuser:
S-line / Black Edition diffuser:
The main difference between the two 8P set-ups is... although both are made up of two pieces, the 2006-2008 bumper looks like it is in three pieces (bumper, valance, diffuser), and the 2009-2010 looks and is just a bumper and diffuser.
Also, the 2006/2008 (8P2) diffuser needs partly painting to the same colour as your car, whereas the 2009/2010 doesn't.
Note 1: All (8P3) 2009 onwards rear bumpers use the same fittment for diffusers. So basically, you can buy a diffuser from a 3 door, a Sportback or a cabrio and it will fit.
Note 2: The 3 door, 5 door, and Cabrio all have different rear bumpers so you will need to make sure you get the correct one.
The main identifying features are.... the 3 door is flat where the bumper meets the rear lights... the 5 door has an angled bit where the bumper meets the rear lights.... and the cabrio rear bumper looks very similar to the 3 door's bumper but there is a screw hole on either side of the bumper (located along the edge where the tailgate closes).
Standard/S-line 2009-2010 rear bumper:
Part number = 8P3 807 511
Cost = �50
Difficulty rating = 2
2009/2010 rear bumper diffuser (standard, not s-line):
Part number = ???? (can't find my note of it, but will post when found)
Cost = free
Difficulty rating = 4/5
Next up was trying to source the front bumper fog light parts i.e. fog lights, fog surrounds, and fog light plugs.... So on to ebay again.............
This was tricky. At the time I could only find the fogs being sold on their own, and for some reason they always seemed to be for the passenger side!
I came very close to buying these new from the dealers, but at a cost of about �65 each I persisted with ebay.
Eventually a pair came up. After a bit of haggling with the seller he agreed to sell the pair to me for �45 delivered.
When they arrived I noticed that one of the three fixings on each fog had been snapped off. I contacted the seller and he agreed to an �8.50 refund, so net cost to me was �36.50.
The missing fixing on each light wasn't a problem because the fog surround helps to hold them in place.
Then it was time to turn my attention to the fog surrounds. I didn't spend much time on this as I'd only seen one appear on ebay since I started with this whole s-line conversion idea, and that was damaged. So I went straight down to the dealers and bought them new, along with the fixing screws and the fog light plugs (if you already have Sport fogs you will need new plugs/connectors as the s-line's are different).
Note 1: a lot of people buy the repair wires (part no. 000 979 244E, cost 2 x �4.79) when moving from Sport fogs to s-line fogs. This is not necessary if you are careful when removing the wires from your existing fog plugs as they can be re-used/re-inserted into the new plugs..
Note 2: There is a possibility that the s-line fog lights for the A3 and A4 are the same. I cannot confirm this, but I have read this in various places. Their part number are exactly the same APART from the A3 fogs starting 8E0 and the A4's starting 8T0.
You will find that if buying used that there are a lot more A4 fogs for sale.
Note 3: The Standard/Sport radiator grille WILL fit the s-line bumper. They are all exactly the same size, and the only difference is cosmetic (i.e. the s-line grille has slightly bigger retangular sections in it) but this almost totally unnoticable. I used my original sport grille.
2 x S-line fog surrounds/grilles:
Part number = 8P4 807 681F (left), 8P4 807 682F (right)
Cost = �53.04 for the pair
Difficulty rating = 5
2 x S-line fog lights:
Part number = 8E0 941 699C (left), 8E0 941 700C (right)
Cost = �36.50 for the pair
Difficulty rating = 3/4
2 x S-line fog light plugs:
Part number = 3D0 941 165A
Cost = �14.50 for the pair
Difficulty rating = 5
6 x S-line fog light screws (for fixing fog lights to bumper):
Part number = 8H0 807 199A
Cost = �3.96 for the six
Difficulty rating = 5
Next was the S-line spoiler.
There were a few options available to me i.e. S-line, Votex, and the "ebay specials" i.e replica spoilers from Poland or somewhere like that.
The "Ebay special" was a no no for a number of reasons.... poor fitting, poor taking of paint, and just... well, poor.
As used s-line spoilers don't come up often and new they are well over �200, I was leaning more towards a Votex spoiler. These also don't make too many appearances on ebay but new they can bought from about �150 I think, which was an easier pill to swallow.
However, after looking at the various photos on http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-sportback-8p-chassis/111403-amazing-spoiler-thread.html , I knew the Votex was not for me.
Over the course of a couple of weeks I came close to buying a some used s-line spoilers, ranging from �80-�100, but for one reason or another the purchases fell through.
Note: A good place to search is on ebay under "A3 tailgate". You'll find some that come with spoilers attached and you can ask if the seller is willing to seperate.
Anyway, after a while I managed to find a genuine s-line spoiler on ebay, buy-it-now, �58 delivered. I was surprised that no one had bought it.
S-line spoiler:
Part number = 8P3 860 943
Cost = �58
Difficulty rating = 4
Note: You will see from the below photo that if fitting an s-line/S3 spoiler (they are the same) to a non s-line tailgate you will need to cut off the lugs/fixings and then bond it directly to the tailgate.
The final part of my s-line conversion jigsaw puzzle was not actually an s-line part, but IMO a must. MY09 rear lights! Especially as my rear bumper was MY09.
I pretty much knew from the off that I'd have to buy these new, as they only come up once in a blue moon on ebay, and the last set I saw on there sold for pretty much what it costs to buy them new.... �200.
Now luckily for me, Mr. NHN was looking to shift his MY09 rear lights as he is upgrading to MY11. So after a bit of PM'ing we agreed on a fee for his 'as new' condition lights and a deal was done.
And as others have found when buying from him, it was a VERY smooth transaction.
HOWEVER, there was a slight problem though. Me and NHN were in the UK, and the lights were still on his car...... in ITALY!!!
But with a quick bit of organisation, NHN phoned his missus, got her to go outside to the car, screwdriver in hand, instructing her how to remove the lights without damaging them.
Fast forward a day or so and they were trafficked to England with a travelling friend of his. Fast forward another day or so and they arrived at my place of work courtesy of FedEx.
Problem sorted!
Note 1: If you want brand new MY09 or MY11 rear lights, NHN can hook you up for less than dealer prices, and have them delivered to your door within days.
Note 2: I couldn't decide whether to go for the lighter coloured MY09 lights or the darker MY11's. After seeing a silver A3 with the MY11 their was no contest in my opinion. The MY09's suit light silver MUCH more.
SO.... I had all the parts needed, so off I went to some body shops for spraying a fitting costs.
I was quoted a range of prices starting at �250 from a Polish guy in a little shed, to �500 by a large body shop.
In the end I settled on a well established repair centre near to where I live, who were asking for �500 initially but said they could do it for �325 for cash.
Note: Anybody in or around the London area who is looking for a good body shop at reasonable prices, drop me a PM and I will point you in their direction and let them know you're coming down ( so you'll get the best possible price).
As a guide, I found the costs are �150-�200 to have one bumper prep'd and sprayed, and about �50-�100 for a spoiler.
Two days later and here she is.........
And for comparison, before and afters:
So here are the important bits again, at a glance:
Front S-line Bumper (8P4 807 095A) - �25 - USED
S-line fog lights (8E0 941 699C & 8E0 941 700C) - �36.50 - USED
Rear 09/10 bumper + diffuser (8P3 807 511) - �50 - USED
S-line spoiler (8P3 860 943) - �58.50 - USED
Fog light plugs x2 (3D0 941 165A) - �14.50 - NEW
Fog light screws x6 (8H0 807 199A) - �2.64 - NEW
S-line fog grilles (8P4 807 681F & 8P4 807 682F) - �53.04 - NEW
MY09 Rear Lights (8P3 945 095A & 8P3 945 096A) - Up to �200.
Respray and fitting - �325
TOTAL COST (excluding wheels and MY09 rear lights).... �565.18
So �565 for the conversion (that's �240 for the parts, and �325 for spraying and fitting), and some of that cost will hopefully be recouped by selling my original bumpers, fogs, and lights.
Next on the agenda, lowering and new wheels.
The end.
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