Thinking of returning... S3

deano670

deano670

Too Much Hype
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Hi all and merry Christmas

Last summer my Audi A3 BE was stolen.

I'm now thinking of returning to Audi but this time with an S3.

I popped over to Audi Harrogate today and yet again experienced the worst cautioned service you can get, I should have learnt last time.. I showed interest in a used s3 for the sales chap to suddenly decide that he had another client waiting, and that I would have to return at a later time to have a test drive. 100% nob cheese.

Anyways, what should I look for when looking at s3's. Pros and cons with owning one? Is the auto any good?
 
Try hadwins mate they have a s3 2011 for 25k
 
Just remember you have to spec the s3 so do some research to what you would like the car to have...
 
Hi there deano just got my s3 and had a similar experience with :crying: audi,won,t go into detail but when i picked the car up yesterday the guy who delt with me could not have been more helpful and he could not beleive it had taken 3 weeks to drive my 2010 s3 out of the showroom so here is a thank you to Godfry for a full tank of petrol,a set of mats and a ipod connection lead,this went a little way in making up for the poor service i had received .My last car was a merc and the service i received from them was A1,hope not all Audi centres are painted with the same brush
 
microfly said:
My last car was a merc and the service i received from them was A1,hope not all Audi centres are painted with the same brush
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It's funny how everyone's experience with main dealers can be so contrasting!

My last car was a Merc and I had a shocking time with them from a customer service aspect.

Had my current A3 almost a year, been into audi main dealers in Sheffield a few times for servicing and to order parts and I can't recommend them highly enough!
 
Lets hope there as good down south then mate ,and i just caught them on a bad month .
I am sure there is good and not so good in most of the big car dealerships ,so does anyone have any info on the Tunbrigde audi centre i will try them lol
 
wez3570 said:
Had my current A3 almost a year, been into audi main dealers in Sheffield a few times for servicing and to order parts and I can't recommend them highly enough!
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I think Sheffield Audi is special in a good way. Especially when you pop in to order parts from them. I've been ordering quite a lot...
Parts manager Chris is a funny guy and really helpful. I came one day with A6 to get a new wheel nut without the code. He took it to the garage to check which one it is without appointment and sorted it straight away. Shame I've moved to Milton Keynes though...
 
mate i had this when i bought my 330ci a few years back, went to bmw and because i was only 24 at the time the rep thought i was taking the **** and didnt really want to know, i gave up at that branch and bought one from somewhere else, then made a point of returning there in my bmw and showing him it.. wish id of took a picture of his face!!! i suggest you do this to show you were serious about buying one and that he's missed out on a sale because he couldnt be bothered!!!! :)
 
Hmmm I'm into the 2nd week after agreeing to purchase an S3 from an Audi dealer in Scotland (drove up from Durham) paid the deposit and agreed the finance and are still messing me about. On 3 occasions I've been told it would be ready for collection and then to be let down tbh we are thinking of sacking them off as it's obviously not meant to be :banghead:

I guess the few mods we had already bought will have to go up for sale as I'm looking at something else now
 
Juicy Jen said:
Hmmm I'm into the 2nd week after agreeing to purchase an S3 from an Audi dealer in Scotland (drove up from Durham) paid the deposit and agreed the finance and are still messing me about. On 3 occasions I've been told it would be ready for collection and then to be let down tbh we are thinking of sacking them off as it's obviously not meant to be :banghead:

I guess the few mods we had already bought will have to go up for sale as I'm looking at something else now
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yeah you wanna ring them and say look you either want to make the sale or you dont! but ive not got time to be messed about and held under false pretences week after week, give them a deadline.. and tell them if its not ready by then you want your deposit back and you'll go somewhere else... that'll get there ***** in gear!!
 
The people over at the Harrogate dealership stink. The toss pot didn't even ask or take my name. I've had this treatment from the Harrogate branch 3 times now. They can stick their car!

On the other hand the Leeds dealership are amazing. I bought my last Audi from them and loved the experience. 100% top people. A trip back there will be needed.

So is there anything I should look out for with the S3?
 
Hi deano , bose ,privacy glass ,rear parking sensors , auto dim rear view mirror , electric foding mirrors , alot of other things can be retro fitted later on..
 
Deano
Try a DSG/S/Tronic.....most people are instantly hooked, i know i was and would never go back to manual.
DSG is not auto its a manual box that changes automatically if you wish so no slipping torque converter etc. It has full sequential over ride and stick or paddle change as well as a sport mode and auto mode.
I wouldnt bother with privacy glass again, makes reversing at night tricky as the reversing lights cant make up for the tinted glass. That and the auto dimming mirror means with tints as well you cant see anything out the back at night. As its std on a BE you dont get a lot of choice.
RNSE, Bose, blue tooth and auto dim mirrors, auto lights , reversing sensors etc are all std on the later s3's
 
Agree on S-Tronic.

It's best part of my car, such a epic bit of kit. I'd never have a manual again!
 
Juicy Jen said:
Hmmm I'm into the 2nd week after agreeing to purchase an S3 from an Audi dealer in Scotland (drove up from Durham) paid the deposit and agreed the finance and are still messing me about. On 3 occasions I've been told it would be ready for collection and then to be let down tbh we are thinking of sacking them off as it's obviously not meant to be :banghead:

I guess the few mods we had already bought will have to go up for sale as I'm looking at something else now
Click to expand...

That's awful, don't give up on then car, it's a keeper, but pull from the sale and see if they coming crawling with any goodwill. With recent sales levels too many of them are too self assured.
 
paddy said:
Deano

I wouldnt bother with privacy glass again, makes reversing at night tricky as the reversing lights cant make up for the tinted glass. That and the auto dimming mirror means with tints as well you cant see anything out the back at night. As its std on a BE you dont get a lot of choice.
RNSE, Bose, blue tooth and auto dim mirrors, auto lights , reversing sensors etc are all std on the later s3's
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+1, same on mine.
 
I can't recommend Hadwin's if you're looking for a good experience. I was looking at a second hand car and the guy seemed totally disinterested (possibly because I'm fairly young, he didn't take me seriously until I mentioned the word cash - either way, total unprofessional)

I then booked a test drive with fairly loose conditions: 2.0TDI (140/170), S-Line/black edition, manual. No other requirements but 5 door quattro/black edition preferred. They umm'd and aaah'd and eventually offered me a test drive on a 140 TDI 3 door. I got a phone call 2 hours before the test drive to say that they couldn't do it and he'd get back to me in half an hour. They didn't, so I phoned them a few days later and re-booked on a 1.8TFSI 3 door Sport - thinking at least I could get a vague idea. Again, they cancelled - this time the night before - with the promise of getting back to me at some vague point in the future. This never appeared and I bought the car from Drive The Deal. The only thing Hadwins will get from me is warranty repairs if the car is too poorly to get to the next nearest dealer.
 
warren_cox said:
That's awful, don't give up on then car, it's a keeper, but pull from the sale and see if they coming crawling with any goodwill. With recent sales levels too many of them are too self assured.
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Too late pulled out today and we had already got given some extras the last time we had to complain...it wasn't meant to be the car for me and I'm sure something else will come along. My S3 I bought earlier in the year was epic so I know it's a good car and tbh I didn't really want ibis but the bargain seemed to good not to get it.

Good luck although I have to say I sold my S3 and bought a TTRS from Harrogate and the guys were excellent there. We dealt with Mark Elsworth.

If you are having any issues I can highly recommend Martyn Jones at Bath Audi, he's been brilliant. We've had 3 Audi's from them in the last year
 
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As other have mentioned options are fairly key. What year are you interested in..?

Getting it from an Audi dealership will give you a full years warranty just like a new car so dependent on the age you could be sufficiently covered.

i have a 2007 model year and specc'd FBMFSW, armrest, Bose, Symphony, parking sensors amongst others but would see those as an absolute minimum to buy second hand.

Clutches are weak spots if you remap. I haven't and have now crossed 50,200 miles with no problems. Other area for me where a whining differential between 50-60mph on part throttle otherwise over 4 years of ownership and it being paid for for over a year I’m still struggling with what to replace it with - btw my MPGs are around the 29 mark for all driving conditions.
 
I cant believe staurt at hadwins, in kendal,not lindale would be disinterested for 1 second i would rated them highly , jen you could always buy my s3 so i could down a deposit On a rs3...
 
Yes Deano as long as you take out the audi never never you get 2 free services thats what i did and if you want to pay the finance off sooner you have to keep paying the finance for about 4 or 5 months to keep those two free services and then pay it off in full.
deano670 said:
Audi currently have an offer - any second hand Audi comes with 2 years free servicing. Not bad.
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