Audi S3 8P2 vs Golf R32 vs GTI Edition 30

What would you go for? Budget approx 12k

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As the title says I did a quick research on what to get for approx 12k,

The conclusion come up to go for S3 as it's more economical to run for daily basis use, also quattro/AWD whereas the GTI Edition 30 is FWD, fair enough the R32 has V6 engine with a bit more power, but heard that doesn't uses all of its potentials anything before that 4000 rpm, is that right? Meaning it wouldn't be AWD unless u do high revs?!? Is that right (correct me if I'm wrong)!

Now my question is what makes me to go for a TFSI engine over V6 engine... apart from the fact that you could do loads of mods, my mate did a LPG conversion on his mk 5 R32, honestly not much difference but huge difference economy wise... if you get the point for daily basis use... not talking about going LPG even for racing though...

Currently have A3 S Line 1.8 TFSI, 160 BHP but want to go for something around 200 HP minimum, already seen A3 2.0 TFSI quattro but not sure if they use their full potentials...

Any opinions welcome,
Thanks in advance
 
You'll probably get a slightly biased slant to the votes on here, but I voted with my feet when looking around 2 years ago. I went for the S3 over an R32 mainly based on sitting in both cars and then spending an afternoon looking through the tuning potential of the turbo engine. The R32 only has exhaust note in it's favour, and you can get an almost identical (performance wise) A3 3.2 for far less.

If I was in the same position today, I'd go for the S3 all over again and I wouldn't regret it for a second. Personal preference has to play a part too, so ask yourself which one you want most and get it. They're all good cars. Get behind the wheel of each one and see what you like.

As for 'full potential' and '4WD vs AWD' you're not far off. The R32 and S3 are both haldex 4wd systems, so the car is front-wheel drive until the front wheels begin to slip and then power is transferred between the 2 axles depending on slip. Despite saying quattro, it's the VW 4motion system that both cars use.

The 'full potential' thing is likely someone trying to explain the valve timing. I'm not 100% clued up on the R's timing, but a lot of cars change the valve timing further up the rev range to take in more air and therefore burn more fuel (and get more power). My RS has an obvious kick at 5000rpm, and also has throttle limiting in gears 1-3 so 'full potential' isn't possible until the oil has warmed and you're going a fair pace anyway.
 
I thought you were wanting an Diesel RS3 replica because your GTI is too thirsty. If an R32 is an option, I would get A3 3.2 and spend the rest on mods like this guy: Love this car.

NLY_8552.jpg

NLY_8544.jpg

NLY_8538.jpg
 
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farzad said:
Thanks for the useful reply...
I'll have to give both a try behind the wheel :)
Click to expand...

This is really the best way.

These are all different cars and have their good and bad points.

Try them and see which fits your needs best.

I loved my 3.2 but the S3 fits the bill for me right now.
 
Mmmm the poll result might be slightly biassed :ninja:
My view is
S3 too clinical but very fast
R32 too heavy and not tuneable without getting a second mortgage
Edition 30 VW got back on track with the mk 5 gti
A3 A compromise to getting an S3
 
audi upgrades
My finger was hovering over the 8P2 until I read 12k, I don't think you will get a good enough S3 for that money. When I was looking with a budget of 17k, they were still quite high milage and ended up having to push up to 20k to get a decent S3
 
voorhees said:
Mmmm the poll result might be slightly biassed :ninja:
My view is
S3 too clinical but very fast
R32 too heavy and not tuneable without getting a second mortgage
Edition 30 VW got back on track with the mk 5 gti
A3 A compromise to getting an S3
Click to expand...

Well put.

My biggest criticism of the S3 when I got it was that its competent but needs more.

Sounds like a school report. Lol.
 
S3Alex said:
Well put.

My biggest criticism of the S3 when I got it was that its competent but needs more.

Sounds like a school report. Lol.
Click to expand...

lol yeah it does Alex

I posted while you had posted or may have changed mine.
Yes Farz has to drive them all really to get his own view.
 
voorhees said:
lol yeah it does Alex

I posted while you had posted or may have changed mine.
Yes Farz has to drive them all really to get his own view.
Click to expand...

"Could do better"!

Audi should read the users end of year reports!
 
Ben S3 8P3 said:
My finger was hovering over the 8P2 until I read 12k, I don't think you will get a good enough S3 for that money. When I was looking with a budget of 17k, they were still quite high milage and ended up having to push up to 20k to get a decent S3
Click to expand...

Good point.

For £12k it would be a job finding a really good one.
 
Hmmm, 18months ago I had a very similar conundrum - S3, Ed30, R32 or a Focus ST3. I went for the Audi, however a change in circumstances meant I could afford to go get exactly what I wanted! For 12k you might be selling yourself a bit short looking for an S3; I hope you find my opinion worthwhile so here goes...

-The R32 has a gorgeous soundtrack, looks great but you'll have to go pre-56 unless you're happy to get shafted for road tax. I've never driven one but as a veteran of two VR6s, for me it was a logical progression. I sat in an average-mileage 06 plater and was a bit put off by how plasticky it felt and how tatty the interior had become (I'd recently tested an 07 S3).

-By contrast, for 12k you could if you're lucky get into a very end-of-line Edition30, which with a remap will munch a 32. The Ed30 is a bit special too, don't forget, and as I say you'll be able to look at 08/58 plate cars with no worries about tax hikes! I've also just been out in a mate's APR Stage 2+ car and it was epic.

-Again, for your budget I'd imagine a fairly good example of a 2.0 QTFSi is within reach, maybe even an S-line/BE? Then a stage 1 remap once you're used to the car and you'll have Ed30/R32-ish performance? Plus being a normalish car you won't have to sort through so many thrashed/abused examples.

-Finally, S3. All I'll say is, take your 12k, look online and see what you'd get for your cash. You're really scraping the bottom of the s3 barrel, when I was looking for used ones I quickly realised I had to set a minimum of 16k really!

For that budget? Edition 30 all day long, chuck a map and Milltek on it and smile. Or as a wildcard, how about an absolutely MINT Mk4 R32, enthusiast-owned, and then a bit of tuning?

Hope this is some kind of help!
 
Thank you all guys...
Very helpful replies as always :)

Well, I've had GTI V and didn't like it coz it only looked good but nothing special about the car as I felt they car was too heavy for what it could offer in terms of power... also cost wise was way higher than expected, fuel wise not even 30 MPG, motorway maybe 33 MPG cruising though, and that wasn't all... finally it made me selling it and look for a S Line instead, took me month to look for a decent A3 S Line within my budget which was around 7k ~ 7,500k at most...
After a lot of research, down sides of S Line on Diesel engines, it made me go for 1.8 T FSI as more people rekoned... beside TFSI engines are more reliable...

Since I had my S Line, not a single problem at all, love it all day and don't regret bought that... but I'm looking for more power to start with and like to spend the mods on something that would worth it...

1.8 T FSI could be pushed to something around 250 BHP at most, but if I start something with 200 ~ 230 BHP or even 265 BHP, then could easily push it down to 300 ~ 350 BHP...
That's the only reason want to upgrade, other than that S Line 1.8 TFSI is one of the most reliable cars ever had so far, even though it's 1.8 with 160 BHP, it feels much quicker than my GTI V with 200 BHP, not sure why... but I absolutely loved my S Line over GTI V...

Also, how much do you guys reckon I could possibly sell my A3 S Line 1.8 TFSI, 100k on the clock, FASH, clean inside and out (a few stone chips here and there as you would expect with any car), recently lowered the car H&R 55mm, 30mm spacers for rear and 12mm front, any idea on how much I should put it for sale on AutoTrader or possibly here?

I've been looking around for a while for that budget, I could only find a few good S3s, here is one;

Audi S3 S3 QUATTRO FULL HEATED LEATHER+FSH+BOSE+LOOOOOK+++ 2.0 3dr 2008

Not entirely sure if I should go for a recovered stolen car or NOT and what would be the downsides if anyone knows; :)

Here is another one, already remapped;

Audi S3 Quattro 3dr Hatchback 2.0 2008

Thanks for all the helps guys, really appreciate it :)
Cheers
 
If you do go down the S3 route,remember that a remap to Stg2 is relatively cheap,but anything further is going to get increasingly expensive,and that there is no cheap way around that,if you are on a budget.

Above Stg2,you need the brakes and suspension upgraded as well as exhaust,CAI and HPFP,and the costs do rise very quickly.

The 3.2 is a good car,but uprating the engine is also seriously expensive.

Personally,I wouldn't touch a stolen and recovered car,any more than a Cat D or C,as anyone who checks it out will walk away if you come to sell later.
 
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S3Alex said:
If you do go down the S3 route,remember that...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice mate, yeah wont go any further than a stage 2, also that's what I thought a stolen recovered wont be a good idea...
I think a nice s3 is my final decision... However to look around for while till I could actually find a good example, is there any difference in terms of improvements on the S3 8P3 over 8p2!?!

Thanks
 
100% Edition 30 Golf.

My friends one has always out handled both my S3's

Ran his to 371bhp and it actually went through 2 cams and followers! But only because he went stage 2 + and it was a Revo software development car, so it was really hard pushed.

More extras available eg tilt Wing mirrors on reverse for example and it's lighter and faster and cheaper.

Love the S3 but I've gotta be honest

No brainer really.
 
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my s3 will be for sale in that price range very shortly its a black 8p3 conversion
 
mjr901 said:
100% Edition 30 Golf.

My friends one has always out handled both my S3's

Ran his to 371bhp and it actually went through 2 cams and followers! But only because he went stage 2 + and it was a Revo software development car, so it was really hard pushed.

More extras available eg tilt Wing mirrors on reverse for example and it's lighter and faster and cheaper.

Love the S3 but I've gotta be honest

No brainer really.
Click to expand...

The ED30 is an excellent car.....I followed a very nicely set up one around at the AMD trackday last year,and it was very quick in the hands of an experienced trackday driver.
 
Buying a car is like buying a house, or potentially anything for that matter ... Work out the important essential and optional requirements and priorities including (for a car) such things body style, economy, equipment, doors, performance, running costs, tunability, purchase cost, resale value etc. etc. I bet a lot of people on here, for obvious reasons, would put tuneability high. IMHO it is pretty well understood a turbocharged car is easier and cheaper to tune than an n/a car and the engines are lighter too which introduces a power to weight and handling advantage ... I say this having owned and tuned turbocharged cars since 1990 and this always seems to be the case - even the V-TEC honda couldn't break the trend. Also after a lifetime of buying basic cars and modifying them I realised it's also probably best to buy the manufacturers sports model and tune that (if necessary) than buy a lesser model and tune it upto and beyond the spec of the manufacturers sports model ... Martin
 
PH1L said:
my s3 will be for sale in that price range very shortly its a black 8p3 conversion
Click to expand...

Wow, cool, I'll definitely be interested, already have 8k in hand, just need to sell my s line up for sale quick to sort out the rest... Could u possibly put up some pics! Cheers
 
Surely you can get a s3 without high mileage... Certainly below 70,000! If you can't then I got a great deal when I bought mine 2years ago and haven't lost anywhere near as much as I thought I had :D
 
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My friends edition 30 (3 door black DSG) has about 60k on now. 08 plate. He's just retuned it to standard to sell as he wants an Evo....

Ex Revo stage 2+ so the mapping is there....Revo just put it to stock values.

VW just replaced loads on it under parts warranty and it's A1. It's immaculate. I can put you in touch if necessary.

think he wants around 12k for it.
 
Ive driven all 3 cars with standard exhaust systems and the r32 mk5 sounds the best by far but the over all stronger feeling car i have to say was the s3 8p2 much stronger also felt much faster than the other two and looks the best aswel, plus on top of that you can stick around on this forum then lol
 
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Thank you all guys, I just had a test drive, S3 8P2 (greyish/black NOT sure if it's grey but somehow looks black as well)... I have to say this one was even better than the one the other 2 S3s I recently looked at, its mileage is around 83k, well almost 84k with FSH, 2 independent garage and others with Audi (a bit worried about this, NOT sure), also inside was pretty much clean as brand new!!! Outside well as I was expecting, a few stones chips on the front bumpers/bonnet, passenger door with a few scratches, other than that in general was an excellent car...

The dealer asking for 14k, it's a 57/2008 reg, NOT sure if that sound too overpriced... just was wondering!?!? WHAT TO DO



Also looked at Audi A4 Cabriolet, reg 2008, nice clean car, in fact outside not even a single scratch, inside clean as the S3...
220 BHP, 2.0 TFSI, 57k on the clock and same dealer asking for 10k, this one is silver (I like the contrast look of this car, it has 18" black alloys)


Question? So do both of these cars using the same engine, what about the turbo?!?

Not sure which one of these cars worth keeping for another 2~3 years time for daily basis use... please bear in mind that I don't do tracking even though looking to remap, put miltek non-res...

Thanks in advance :)
 
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