2013 Audi S3
- Thread starter Snake Pliskin
- Start date
Itguy
Registered User
Well after all my deliberations and investigations I've decided NOT to add LED Headlights to my order.
I spoke to Audi Customer services about their actual functions and have read many many german forums on the subject.
In a nutshell, LED Headlights do not have 'adaptive swivel' function like xenons with adaptive, but do have a cornering light that they can switch on which sort of does the same thing.
They don't have variable range control as an option but do have high beam assist if you spec it.
I got the distinct feeling that xenon plus + adaptive + variable range + high beam assist pretty much = LED + high beam assist.
So, apart from the look, it would be £400 more for me to have similar illumination (I would guess LED is marginally better).
Now, the Matrix style LED headlights that are on the new A8 are a whole new ballgame - when they filter down to the A3/S3 (facelift model hopefully) I'll be ordering them without doubt.
Variable range control on the xenons looks very useful to me and the low-beam cut-off on the LEDs that I've seen looks very short, so hopefully I've made the right choice.
I spoke to Audi Customer services about their actual functions and have read many many german forums on the subject.
In a nutshell, LED Headlights do not have 'adaptive swivel' function like xenons with adaptive, but do have a cornering light that they can switch on which sort of does the same thing.
They don't have variable range control as an option but do have high beam assist if you spec it.
I got the distinct feeling that xenon plus + adaptive + variable range + high beam assist pretty much = LED + high beam assist.
So, apart from the look, it would be £400 more for me to have similar illumination (I would guess LED is marginally better).
Now, the Matrix style LED headlights that are on the new A8 are a whole new ballgame - when they filter down to the A3/S3 (facelift model hopefully) I'll be ordering them without doubt.
Variable range control on the xenons looks very useful to me and the low-beam cut-off on the LEDs that I've seen looks very short, so hopefully I've made the right choice.
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
good point - emailed dealer for the upgrade to be added, thanks !
The Tech Pack HDD Nav does indeed add DVD Playback, IMHO there's not a lot wrong with the SD version and if finances are really tight there are better things to spend £1k on I reckon... B&O ILP Privacy??? they are higher up my list.. (but ordered all of it!)
paullowther
Registered User
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
no idea if it's worth it, bit the cost is negligible in the total scheme of the purchase.
Its worth it if you like it.
I'll stick to my reliable old tomtom and I spent the money on other things.
im with you on the dark wheels, especially on a white car, ive also spoken to a company today to arrange gloss black vinyl wrap on the roof (£150), if you look at the S3 with pan roof you will see the effect. I was going to spec pan roof but the half glass (basically sun roof) of the current model does not compare to the full twin roof on previous, therefore not worth a grand in my opinion.
hope you are happy with the wheels, if not you could always powder coat black or gunmetal.
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
1/40th of the cost, negligible really and keeps it all integrated as such......
That is true, but you'll really miss the fun of your stuck on tomtom falling of the screen just before you get to a roundabout and it slides across the dashboard.
Where I have the pleasure of two buttons on the car (when it arrives) that wont work, and will just be there to remind me what I didnt buy.
I sort of wish I needed to use it more so I could justify the cost, but most places I know where I am going.
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
i don't need it neither, bou as the car is going to last us 10 years or so, seems daft to not bother really...
10 years makes most of the cost negligable. The tech pack might be better just for the larger screen and the touch pad. Love to know if it works for music selection. Quickly jump to ACDC or ZZ Top with a few letters entered on the pad, now that could be nice.
I think I'd just get annoyed looking at the smaller screen with a big bezel thinking the whole time I should have opted for an option with the large screen, especially as it's not just for the sat nav but radio, drive select etc..
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
paullowther
Registered User
I'm all about the big screens! My office has 2 27 apple cinema displays hooked up to my laptop. Genuinely the best money I've ever spent... Makes me so efficient!!
I think more to the point is resalability. I think a lot of S3s will be highly spec'd and whilst they say that extras don't add value, having something that may be desirable that most others have got may make it more difficult to shift for a premium.
Perhaps I should reconsider on my A3 184 quattro sline....
PS. 2 screens - pah I have 3: 1 x Dell U2711 and 2 U2410s fully profiled and calibrated (no room on the desk for another 27 otherwise I'd have that instead)
Perhaps I should reconsider on my A3 184 quattro sline....
PS. 2 screens - pah I have 3: 1 x Dell U2711 and 2 U2410s fully profiled and calibrated (no room on the desk for another 27 otherwise I'd have that instead)
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
I think more to the point is resalability. I think a lot of S3s will be highly spec'd and whilst they say that extras don't add value, having something that may be desirable that most others have got may make it more difficult to shift for a premium.
Perhaps I should reconsider on my A3 184 quattro sline....
PS. 2 screens - pah I have 3: 1 x Dell U2711 and 2 U2410s fully profiled and calibrated (no room on the desk for another 27 otherwise I'd have that instead)
not interested in resale really as this is our mule car, long termer, worthless in 10 years or so....perhaps....
You say that now
(mine is my partners car and we should keep it for 10 years or so, but you never know....)Big Screen ... small ****... sorry old joke!
Just seen a 90inch TV in Costco... WTF?
Hi, Newbie lurker, with first post so be gentle pls.
Currently driving a DSG 2010 Golf R. First non-manual ever owned. Previous had a Gen 5 GTI. I generally like the DSG, especially when driving hard when it really performs. Good on city crawls, but in Slo-mo changes too early and in Sport a bit too late for city use.
Has anyone driven one of these and a new S3? I would love to know what they see as the differences. Very tempted to upgrade for the better motor, earlier torque, slightly more sophisticated vehicle (I am most defintely the wrong side of 40 for boy racer).
Colour choice is all a bit hard, Monsoon looks good. I have a white R and am a bit tired of it
Down here in Australia we have limited options choice and they have packaged B&O, Mag suspension, sports seats, red brake calipers and the 10 spoke wheels as a sports pack.
Any thoughts about the noticeable differences between old R and new S3 would be welcome
Currently driving a DSG 2010 Golf R. First non-manual ever owned. Previous had a Gen 5 GTI. I generally like the DSG, especially when driving hard when it really performs. Good on city crawls, but in Slo-mo changes too early and in Sport a bit too late for city use.
Has anyone driven one of these and a new S3? I would love to know what they see as the differences. Very tempted to upgrade for the better motor, earlier torque, slightly more sophisticated vehicle (I am most defintely the wrong side of 40 for boy racer).
Colour choice is all a bit hard, Monsoon looks good. I have a white R and am a bit tired of it
Down here in Australia we have limited options choice and they have packaged B&O, Mag suspension, sports seats, red brake calipers and the 10 spoke wheels as a sports pack.
Any thoughts about the noticeable differences between old R and new S3 would be welcome
vinyl roof wrap, I can just picture it now, will it be like this?
http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Austinallegro.jpg
lol
Fragup
Registered User
Itguy
Registered User
We have a mk5 gti dsg and I've test driven (and ordered) an s-tronic (dsg) s3 sportback.
I think ink there is quite a noticeable difference between the two gearboxes even though they are basically the same underneath. They must have refined the gearbox software as in the s3 there were no perceptible changes when just taking it easy and the take off from standstill is a lot more refined. Obviously it's very similar at full whack apart from you get more 'whoompf' noise when it changes gear.
I find the same as you that the golf tends to always want to be a gear higher than I think it should but then never seems to labour. I didn't get that feeling in the s3 but I tend to use the paddles to override the D mode when I want some more engine braking etc (roundabouts etc).
I just found this new 300hp engine an absolute belter. Very smooth and liniar with a lovely top end rev range pull. You probably won't notice a massive difference coming from your existing 270hp.
One major positive for me in sticking with s-tronic is the adaptive cruise control will brake all the way down to 0mph and then pull away again on its own when the traffic moves - great for nose to tail traffic jams that I sit in daily.
That and the fact that I can drink from a bottle or can without worrying about changing gear!
It does work like that but you have to go through a specific search screen - you can't use the handwriting in any listing (folder, artist etc) which is a shame.
Just a note, you can't spec variable range and high beam assist, as they basically do the same thing - only one allows variation in beam height and the other is simple on/off for high beam. You can only have one of these!
Oh, and Xenons have a static cornering light as well as the adaptive function., and I honestly think they look better anyway!
Thanks for the opinion. The R power curve comes on a bit late, at about 2300rpm, and it looks like this engine has a more GTI curve for torque, coming in under 2000rpm. I often feel I am just sitting and waiting for the kick and then you are off.
I had never thought of cruise control in those low speed circumstances. Could be nice. Damn- more money.
Sigh choices are so hard.
I am hoping someone will put up some photos of a White SB with black grill and window surrounds. , or a red one or a silver one.
paullowther
Registered User
Look back through this thread and you'll find hundreds of photos.
A great source of images is the mobile.de website (the german version of autotrader)
paullowther
Registered User
Am I right in thinking that you can shift up and down the gears using the actual gear stick on the S Tronic just by pushing it forwards and backwards?
Thanks, I am such a sad person, that I had trawled through every one of the 60 pages on this thread. Couldn't find, or missed photos, of white/red or silver with black packs. I will have another run at it, although I will have to supply some sort of excuse at to why I am still on the computer. Perhaps I will have to tell her I am looking for p*rn. Couldn't admit to the truth.
Yes indeed you can in the VW R version, which will really be the same thing. You never really want to. You just want to flip the paddles.
Itguy
Registered User
Thanks for the clarification - yes, I noticed when I used the configurator that I actually had to add lane assist to be able to get variable beam control (I think). They all use the camera built in to the rear view mirror don't they?
Itguy
Registered User
The german a3/s3 forums (Audi A3 8V Forum & Community - from 2012 8V) are another really good source for info/pics etc.
Are you dead set on having the black pack on the white? I originally spec'd it but then realised that there isn't much going on with the front end of this new S3 (pretty tame) and the black pack IMO makes it even duller, the standard chrome actually makes it look like there is more going on given there are no fog lights and the chrome window surrounds are barely visible against the Glacier White...
Pics on mine are a few pages back
Yeh, though I would have thought the high beam assist would need the camera as well - not sure how it would work otherwise! It also gets you the speed limit display with the tech pack as well, so you get 2 bonus things almost, and it increases the speed range over with ACC can be used.
Itguy
Registered User
Excellent - I do wonder how many of these additional things (like speed limit view etc) could be enabled with VCDS if you already had the camera for the high beam assist (ie no lane assist).
I bet there are loads of functions on our cars that they can do with the hardware they are supplied with that we'll never see without plugging it into a future version of VCDS.
I don't think it's the same camera used for high beam assist as lane assist though, not sure.
paullowther
Registered User
New official S3 video for the saloon. I'm guessing this sounds identical to the 3dr and sportbacks.
The saloon shares quite a few parts from the 3dr and SB so it's quite a useful video.
The saloon shares quite a few parts from the 3dr and SB so it's quite a useful video.
Last edited by a moderator:
It looks like a simple light sensor rather than a camera on the high beam assist, and it's not available with xenons anyway, only the variable range one.
