New S3 - Potential order, check my spec

Itguy

Itguy

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Hi Everyone

I've been for the test drive today (and also had a go in the M135i) and think that tomorrow we're going to be ordering a new S3 SB S Tronic, as long as the deal is right.

The spec we're looking at is ACZGDK97 - although we're thinking that we may ditch the metallic and go for brilliant red instead, keeping everything else the same.

Derby Audi seem keen to do a deal and confident they could get the car in to budget so.... as long as they play ball tomorrow we should be ok.

In a nutshell,
Grey, Black nappa SB Stronic
Comfort pack with adaptive cruise and rear parking only
B&O Speakers
Folding mirrors with autodim drivers side (my wife has problems at night with cars from behind)
Lumber support
Mono Pur
High Beam Assist
Interior Light Package
No smoker pack
Tech Pack (not high/mobile prep)
Tyre Pressure Monitor

Any thoughts / omissions?!

They are saying March for delivery, which fits in perfectly for us.

Thanks
 
We thought about the roof rails and privacy glass - privacy glass looks v dark on the photos of cars we've seen it on, almost black!

Rails - not too convinced on the look personally
 
Try Robert Taylor at Nottingham Audi, say Steve recommended you. By the way they have a new beautiful blue S3 in the showroom.

I think you may have a problem with odering a non-metallic.
 
Deffo privacy glass needing specced.
Finishes the car off in my opinion :)
I thought this would help ur wife's driving at night as i don't notice much glare at night having them :)
 
Ok - we need to see a car in the flesh with it fitted then.

It's more when we're on motorways and an X5 or similar comes up from behind and overtakes that their headlights reflect in the door mirrors and my wifes eyes find it hard to adjust quickly enough. We've got auto dimming exterior mirrors in our MINI and they are great - would spec them on any new car they are available on.
 
Privacy looks dark from the outside I agree and black at night but from the inside it's not obstructive :)
I like the idea of the dimmed side mirrors tho and can see how they would be good :)
 
Well after some quick digging around it looks like DTD would do 6.2% off list, which if they can match at Derby with my 3k deposit, pcpcal.co.uk reckons it will be in my budget, just.

Just need to wait and see if Derby will play ball!
 
Def need Privacy glass , hill hold and Pano roof - to let more wonderful noise in!

(.....and much much more if you ask me but see my spec! :faint:)

Have Truro offered you a deal? I drove their manual S3 too - but loved the s tronic test elsewhere that little bit more.
 
Toadoftoadhall said:
Def need Privacy glass , hill hold and Pano roof - to let more wonderful noise in!

(.....and much much more if you ask me but see my spec! :faint:)

Have Truro offered you a deal? I drove their manual S3 too - but loved the s tronic test elsewhere that little bit more.
Click to expand...

Wow, that is some spec you have there Toad.
 
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Haven't had the chat with Truro yet but ringing tomorrow morning first thing to see if they are interested. We don't really mind if we get it from down there or up here in the midlands somewhere but as we spend more time in the midlands I suppose it makes sense to do something here.
 
You gotta go where the deal takes you! but nice if it does work out more local. Fingers crossed for you.
 
Thanks!

Anyone looked at boring stuff like service intervals/costs and if it has a cambelt change / stronic oil change etc??
 
Sportback looks wrong without rails.
IMO.
 
Itguy said:
Hi Everyone

I've been for the test drive today (and also had a go in the M135i) and think that tomorrow we're going to be ordering a new S3 SB S Tronic, as long as the deal is right.

The spec we're looking at is ACZGDK97 - although we're thinking that we may ditch the metallic and go for brilliant red instead, keeping everything else the same.

Derby Audi seem keen to do a deal and confident they could get the car in to budget so.... as long as they play ball tomorrow we should be ok.

In a nutshell,
Grey, Black nappa SB Stronic
Comfort pack with adaptive cruise and rear parking only
B&O Speakers
Folding mirrors with autodim drivers side (my wife has problems at night with cars from behind)
Lumber support
Mono Pur
High Beam Assist
Interior Light Package
No smoker pack
Tech Pack (not high/mobile prep)
Tyre Pressure Monitor

Any thoughts / omissions?!

They are saying March for delivery, which fits in perfectly for us.

Thanks
Click to expand...

pano roof is cool - I wasn't going to bother till I saw one

I might add to my spec

manual (hate auto rubbish, that's for people who cant drive)
misano red
pano roof
b&o
privacy glass
folding mirrors (not auto dim)
tech pack (not audi connect)
led interior lighting
comfort pack with park assist
aluminium roof bars


may add
through load
lumbar support
 
Itguy said:
Ok - we need to see a car in the flesh with it fitted then.

It's more when we're on motorways and an X5 or similar comes up from behind and overtakes that their headlights reflect in the door mirrors and my wifes eyes find it hard to adjust quickly enough. We've got auto dimming exterior mirrors in our MINI and they are great - would spec them on any new car they are available on.
Click to expand...

why don't car manufacturers just add a bazooka option
 
Ok - I think i've refined it down a bit further now.

So I'm on ACEXE456 at the moment.

Brilliant Red / Black nappa leather / S-Tronic (because I'm not a proper man :laugh:)
Comfort pack with adaptive cruise and rear parking only (comfort pack no brainer, adaptive cruise because its a toy and cool)
B&O Speakers (sounds epic, have heard it)
Folding mirrors with autodim drivers side (my wife has problems at night with cars from behind)
Lumber support (we both have bad backs and visit the osteo monthly so any help here is good)
Mono Pur (just makes it a nicer place to be inside)
Adaptive Headlights instead of High Beam Assist (have adaptive xenons on my MINI so dont want to step backwards)
Privacy Glass (looks cool and will help on long journeys with the dog in the summer)
Interior Light Package (makes it a nicer place to be inside)
No smoker pack (don't smoke)
Tech Pack (not high/mobile prep) (hate the low res screen on the basic nav and want proper integrated nav so only option)
Tyre Pressure Monitor (because it's only £75 and better than checking tyre pressures all the time)

After seeing some brilliant red/privacy A3 SBs I really do like that combo and what really swung me was the fact that you can order an R8 in Brilliant Red £0, if you want Misano it has to be a custom colour at £££££ as it's not even listed. If it's good enough for an R8, it will be good enough on my S3 (plus I had an A4 S Line Avant 06 plate in Brilliant Red and loved the colour)

This lists at 37510 OTR on the configurator, and at 35113 on DTD. Got screen grabs from DTD so I'm ready for the sales chaps when they open in a few hours time :whistle2:
 
royalsteve68 said:
pano roof is cool - I wasn't going to bother till I saw one

I might add to my spec

manual (hate auto rubbish, that's for people who cant drive)
misano red
pano roof
b&o
privacy glass
folding mirrors (not auto dim)
tech pack (not audi connect)
led interior lighting
comfort pack with park assist
aluminium roof bars


may add
through load
lumbar support
Click to expand...

I've been thinking about the roof bars too, they do look good don't they...

through load - not sure about how much it would ever get used when you can just flop the back seat down instead???
lumber is a no brainer - just get it for your back's sake!
 
CraigI said:
Sportback looks wrong without rails.
IMO.
Click to expand...
Rails are ok and look quite good - indeed I initially wanted them but after seeing several S3s in flesh and having had quite a few hours test driving them I have changed my view - they heighten the look of the car. To me rails are on so many suv type cars and pretend off roaders that thats the asoscaition I now make with them. Hence imo - i prefer the cleaner sleeker line without them!
 
I have them on my MINI now (it's a clubman) and do use them for thule cycle racks but i'm thinking that i'd probably change to a rear mounted carrier with the S3 anyway so less of an issue (or just buy thule bars with the correct feet for a SB without rails I suppose).

The roof mounted racks are great except for the huge MPG hit when using them - two bikes on our diesel MINI makes c.10-15 MPG difference on the motorway at 70mph. I'd not be enjoying that on one of our regular runs to cornwall in the S3!
 
audi upgrades
I dont think I would buy roof rails for the look, they look good but I dont think they look any better with them or not. If you need them for putting things on a roof bof then they make perfect sense. I didnt have the chance to order them as roof rails are not available on an S3, but I will be getting roof rails to put a roof box on for camping.

For carrying items on the roof, and given the choice the Id have bars over , I find sometimes with my A1 (which has door frame style bars) and its roof feet connectors water can drip in from the gap in the door seel where the feet connect. Not often, just really rainy weather and long drives. This might of course not be a problem on the A3.

As it happens Ill be sticking a roof box on with around the door style roof bars on the 3 door S3.
 
Here is my 2p..


Grey - I think this will date quickly!

Black nappa - Great unless your other half demands Alcantara as mine did!

Stronic - not a great fan especially on a high involvement sporty motor.. takes away some fun IMHO Manual for me

Comfort pack with adaptive cruise and rear parking only - why not front? It is useful too!

B&O Speakers - Absolutely

Folding mirrors with autodim drivers side (my wife has problems at night with cars from behind) - OK

Lumber support - Have found it OK without so not bothering

Mono Pur - pointless IMHO

High Beam Assist - fair enough if you drive a lot at night, we don't!

Interior Light Package - nice to have

No smoker pack - vital for more storage, have it on 8P

Tech Pack (not high/mobile prep) - The SD Nav is perfectly fine saves £1k

Tyre Pressure Monitor -Vital and should be standard as it is in rest of the EU

So in summary.. it is a personal thing. I would personally add Privacy Glass given your comment about your wife. Roof rails look great on darker colours too and we do use them!! Some bits are a waste of money IMHO however we have specced a Panoramic roof which others will see as a waste of money! Just food for thought. Main one is the Grey, lots of launch cars in that colour but I think it will grow old looking very quickly!
 
Thanks for the thoughts and feedback. During the long night I've just had I updated my spec a little - see my post #21 in this thread. Now thinking brilliant red with privacy glass and ditching the auto high beam for adaptive xenons as we have adaptive lights in our current MINI and they're excellent - plus we live in a very dark village in the middle of leicestershire so any extra help at night is useful!
 
Have had Adaptive Lights on an S5, they were great BUT as we do little night driving a waste of money for us and you get NOTHING back on this option at resale time (according to my dealer!)

We have an A3 SB Loaner at present in Brilliant Red it looks smart!

We have through load on current 8P.. hardly ever use it so DITCHED ---- saves £150!

sd NAV is absolutely fine.. lived with it for 8 months and no probs at all.
 
PilotAudi said:
Have had Adaptive Lights on an S5, they were great BUT as we do little night driving a waste of money for us and you get NOTHING back on this option at resale time (according to my dealer!)

We have an A3 SB Loaner at present in Brilliant Red it looks smart!

We have through load on current 8P.. hardly ever use it so DITCHED ---- saves £150!

sd NAV is absolutely fine.. lived with it for 8 months and no probs at all.
Click to expand...


ooooo - has your loaner got privacy glass by any chance?? After some cheeky pics if poss??
 
Pilot Audi
How does the Non Smoke pack give you greater storage?
My understanding was, smoker pack gave the cup shaped ash tray which is removable and a cigy lighter.

Fluges
 
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Adaptive Cruise
Was on my short list but I ditched it. Since then I thought of a few scenarios on the road where ive wondered how would adaptive cruise handle that situation. I think it would be detrimental to driving. Except for the emergency braking which it sounds like it would be a benefit. Ive never tried it but in my naivety im happy i ditched it. Any one use it ?
 
Itguy said:
ooooo - has your loaner got privacy glass by any chance?? After some cheeky pics if poss??
Click to expand...

No Privacy I'm afraid... Take a look on audi.co.uk (used cars ) and you may find some.
 
Last edited:
Flugel Hound said:
Pilot Audi
How does the Non Smoke pack give you greater storage?
My understanding was, smoker pack gave the cup shaped ash tray which is removable and a cigy lighter.

Fluges
Click to expand...

The whole ashtray unit is removed giving a larger storage space behind the cup holder slots.
 
Flugel Hound said:
Adaptive Cruise
Was on my short list but I ditched it. Since then I thought of a few scenarios on the road where ive wondered how would adaptive cruise handle that situation. I think it would be detrimental to driving. Except for the emergency braking which it sounds like it would be a benefit. Ive never tried it but in my naivety im happy i ditched it. Any one use it ?
Click to expand...

Have used Adaptive cruise on an A7 for many miles. Quite fun but a very lazy option IMHO.
 
Toadoftoadhall said:
Rails are ok and look quite good - indeed I initially wanted them but after seeing several S3s in flesh and having had quite a few hours test driving them I have changed my view - they heighten the look of the car. To me rails are on so many suv type cars and pretend off roaders that thats the asoscaition I now make with them. Hence imo - i prefer the cleaner sleeker line without them!
Click to expand...

it's the ONLY reason we're buying an S3 Sportback as we need roof bars for ski's and bikes !
 
Flugel Hound said:
Adaptive Cruise
Was on my short list but I ditched it. Since then I thought of a few scenarios on the road where ive wondered how would adaptive cruise handle that situation. I think it would be detrimental to driving. Except for the emergency braking which it sounds like it would be a benefit. Ive never tried it but in my naivety im happy i ditched it. Any one use it ?
Click to expand...

we use it on our 911, simply superb.
 
PilotAudi said:
The whole ashtray unit is removed giving a larger storage space behind the cup holder slots.
Click to expand...
That may be the case on the older models, but AFAIK, there is no ashtray behind the cupholders. In fact, the silly mug shaped trinket box in the cup holders is the ashtray. Simple to remove and place in the glove box.
 
Itguy said:
Really? Why a problem ordering non-metallic??
Click to expand...

Some models are not available in solid colours, I think you will find that the S3 is one of those.
Try the Audi configurator and see if it will accept a solid paint. I doubt it will.
 
arad85 said:
That may be the case on the older models, but AFAIK, there is no ashtray behind the cupholders. In fact, the silly mug shaped trinket box in the cup holders is the ashtray. Simple to remove and place in the glove box.
Click to expand...

OK so what is the Non smoking option on the 8V???
 
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