Advice Needed on buying an S3 please!!

[Skamiiii]

Hi All

I am looking to buy a 2007 S3 and have a few questions.
First of all can I say I have been reading on this forum since 8 this evening and have the got the answer to most things thankfully.

1) I will be looking to get a Stage 1 Revo Remap - question is though is it switchable from standard to revo map? (My previous Astra VXR can switch maps via sports button)

2) Is there anysuch sports button/mode which enhances throttle response for instance onthe S3?

3) The one I'm looking at has Sat Nav and Bose system - does this play MP3's?

4) I never driven a Quattro/4WD car before so don't know much about it - but how many percent of the power is delivered via the front and how many via the rear? Front to Rear power ration in other words?

5) What MPG would you get at about 70mph on the motorway with Cruise Control?

6) How useful is the Sat Nav? lol

7) Can the Halogen sidelight/drl bulbs be changed to LED's? and what Size Bulbs do the factory xenon's take?

8) Finally am I right in saying the S3 has the K04 Turbo? same as the on one the Astra VXR?


Sorry for bombarding with questions but I just want to be comfortable parting with £15k and want to know most things before buying. My VXR was written off and I was going to buy another until I thought not buy something I already had... then the S3 came to light which I always had a little fancy for lol


Thanks all for your help in advance.

 

[MrLapou]

3) Have a read under 'stickies. SatNav is a big theft risk in some parts of the UK.

5) 70mph at a guess 35mpg, in town 26ish mpg

7) Yes

 

[The Cardinal]

In answer to your questions:

1) REVO maps can be had with a handheld unit that you can switch maps on, although I don't know if this can be done as you drive or whether you need to stop to do this (as with Bluefin)

2) No.

3) If it's 2007, then it'll be the earlier version of RNSE satnav at it should play MP3s but will accept lower memory SD cards and has less functionality over the 2010+ model

4) The S3 uses a Haldex coupling, so although it's a true 4WD system it is biased towards FWD most of the time. It sends at least 2.5% power to the rear wheels all the time, but can send up to 100% depending on how the sensor feels the wheels are gripping. The 2007 S3 would use Haldex Gen2, which compared to the Gen4 on the facelift 2008+ models is a little slower to react and I for one can feel the difference between the two. You can buy a Haldex controller to alter the front and rear bias, but I imagine it's a bit overkill for an S3 newbie!

5) You'll get around 30mpg at a 70mph cruise, which is a little bit more than you'd expect to get overall. Around town, that drops to about 25mpg and can go up to mid 30s on a long run.

6) I find the satnav useful, but think its age is shown by e.g. only being able to enter the first 4 digits of a postcode and the fact it's not touchscreen. What else can you expect on a car of this age though?

7) Don't think you can swap to LEDs. The forum consensus is don't mess around with the exterior look of your S3!

8) Yes, the turbine size (?) is K04 - although the manufacturer is probably different to the one fitted to the VXR.

You'll find the S3 different in character to the VXR - several forum members have gone that way. The key to remember is that the "S" series Audis are all about discreet performance and the S3 is no exception. The forum view is that S3s are very conservatively set-up from the factory and you can unlock a lot of potential power / oomph from some Stage 1 & 2 mods relative to other cars.

 

[Skamiiii]

In answer to your questions:

1) REVO maps can be had with a handheld unit that you can switch maps on, although I don't know if this can be done as you drive or whether you need to stop to do this (as with Bluefin)

2) No.

3) If it's 2007, then it'll be the earlier version of RNSE satnav at it should play MP3s but will accept lower memory SD cards and has less functionality over the 2010+ model

4) The S3 uses a Haldex coupling, so although it's a true 4WD system it is biased towards FWD most of the time. It sends at least 2.5% power to the rear wheels all the time, but can send up to 100% depending on how the sensor feels the wheels are gripping. The 2007 S3 would use Haldex Gen2, which compared to the Gen4 on the facelift 2008+ models is a little slower to react and I for one can feel the difference between the two. You can buy a Haldex controller to alter the front and rear bias, but I imagine it's a bit overkill for an S3 newbie!

5) You'll get around 30mpg at a 70mph cruise, which is a little bit more than you'd expect to get overall. Around town, that drops to about 25mpg and can go up to mid 30s on a long run.

6) I find the satnav useful, but think its age is shown by e.g. only being able to enter the first 4 digits of a postcode and the fact it's not touchscreen. What else can you expect on a car of this age though?

7) Don't think you can swap to LEDs. The forum consensus is don't mess around with the exterior look of your S3!

8) Yes, the turbine size (?) is K04 - although the manufacturer is probably different to the one fitted to the VXR.

You'll find the S3 different in character to the VXR - several forum members have gone that way. The key to remember is that the "S" series Audis are all about discreet performance and the S3 is no exception. The forum view is that S3s are very conservatively set-up from the factory and you can unlock a lot of potential power / oomph from some Stage 1 & 2 mods relative to other cars.

Thanks so much for your detailed response. Going to book my test drive now

 

[Skamiiii]

Oh 1 more thing does it have a Cat 1 alarm as standard?

 

[jasonc]

Oh 1 more thing does it have a Cat 1 alarm as standard?

Yes, Cat 1 Alarm and Immobiliser

 

[Acheron]

Hi All

I am looking to buy a 2007 S3 and have a few questions.
First of all can I say I have been reading on this forum since 8 this evening and have the got the answer to most things thankfully.

1) I will be looking to get a Stage 1 Revo Remap - question is though is it switchable from standard to revo map? (My previous Astra VXR can switch maps via sports button)

2) Is there anysuch sports button/mode which enhances throttle response for instance onthe S3?

3) The one I'm looking at has Sat Nav and Bose system - does this play MP3's?

4) I never driven a Quattro/4WD car before so don't know much about it - but how many percent of the power is delivered via the front and how many via the rear? Front to Rear power ration in other words?

5) What MPG would you get at about 70mph on the motorway with Cruise Control?

6) How useful is the Sat Nav? lol

7) Can the Halogen sidelight/drl bulbs be changed to LED's? and what Size Bulbs do the factory xenon's take?

8) Finally am I right in saying the S3 has the K04 Turbo? same as the on one the Astra VXR?


Sorry for bombarding with questions but I just want to be comfortable parting with £15k and want to know most things before buying. My VXR was written off and I was going to buy another until I thought not buy something I already had... then the S3 came to light which I always had a little fancy for lol


Thanks all for your help in advance.

Just to build on what others have said:
2) You can however fit a device like Sprint Booster that enables you to switch between throttle response presets.

6) Rather buy yourself a Garmin/Tom Tom unit if you need reliable, up to date Nav.

8) The VXR/OPC is equipped with a K04s, i.e. same size housing, smaller compressor wheel than the full blown K04 found in the S3.

 

[MartayMcFly]

Hi

This forum has a real wealth of helpful and knowledgeable people who will be able to answer just about anything you want to know about the car.

1) Not via a button, but the Revo switcher box thing can be purchased separately to keep a copy of the standard map for swapping when you need to.

2) Again, no button. The S3 is basically in 'sport' mode all the time. Any button would likely make it more 'comfort', but the car changes behaviour depending on how you drive it anyway.

3) Yes. The RNS-E navigation+ has 2 SD slots behind the screen that can play MP3s off a card. It also has the function to install an AUX-in 3.5mm headphone jack to play off an iPod, or the AMI (Audi music interface) that lets you control the ipod through the nav unit too (though both are additional extras that may need installed separately).

4) The S3 isn't strictly a quattro, it uses a Haldex clutch to send power to the rear when the front wheels spin. It is set-up as 100 FWD under normal condition, and I think up to 60% can be shifted to the rear.

5) Cruise control is not the best for mpg, but high 20s/low 30s is possible. Around town, it'll be in the low 20s most of the time.

6) Depends on how much you need to use it. Around Aberdeen I barely use it, since I know the streets well enough, but when going down to Edinburgh (for example) it is great. The maps DVD can be updated to show more recent road layouts etc, but that's an extra cost.

7) Yes, but some DRL LEDs will bring up an error as the resistance is a lot lower than with a bulb. You can either get LEDs that have a built in resistor to compensate, or buy a separate resistor and fit it to the wires across the LED (like I did). Sidelight DRLs shouldn't give you any errors.

8) It is K04, but I don't know what the VXR so maybe?


You're welcome, and welcome to asn. Be prepared to start modding way beyond what you ever planned to be spending on the car!

 

[S3Alex]

You're welcome, and welcome to asn. Be prepared to start modding way beyond what you ever planned to be spending on the car!

That's for sure.....I came here a while ago and between here and VAGOC,the spending began.

 

[Skamiiii]

Some very helpful responses there. Thank you all!! I will be going for a test drive 2moro hopefully see how it feels. Regardless though I have to wait another 2weeks until I can buy as I need to insure it after I turn 21 lol