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Hi,
i'm planning to buy a 2002 a3 asap
after looking at various reviews and sites i'm not sure whether to buy the quattro or 2wd of the a3? (the 1.8T model)
so post-modifications which would be most efficient?
mod plans:
AmD remap
Millteck Exhaust
Lower 30mm all round
and perhaps new manifold or turbo (money decisive lol)?
Just looking for suggestions on peoples experiences and which model would be more suitable after the upgrades?
Thanks :icon_thumright:
Thanks Alastair
i'm still 17 so just trying to get the best out of the a3 i can get on a 17yr old's wages haha
Cheers
to offer an opposing opinion....the chap is looking for a car to live with...he hasnt mentioned racing...the quattro is the easiest to live with and requires the least input
and im not anti prawn...just think you talk as much s**t just like the rest of us, we are just intelligent enough to admit we don't know everything
due to it's low weight and lower transmission losses.
.
ok prawn we'll agree to disagree as normal..... so to summarise the A3 is best for day to day use because of the weight, tranny losses etc etc, and when it comes to hammering it the A3 is best too once modded...... i may aswell sell my beloved S3 cos i don't know what i bought it for
I reckon he should get a Golf.
I totally agree Jojo!
a nice fwd mk4 golf gti 1.8T, far cooler for a 17 year old anyway
500-1000 cheaper for the equiv mk4 too
meh. I'll start by saying that I love the S3, theyre awesome.
but
you lot don't half talk some ******** at times!!!
Sure, it's fairly obvious that a 4wd car will always have more grip in the wet than a fwd one, but the fwd A3 is NOWHERE near as bad as you lot are making out.
The S3 is a great car, and i'd very much like to own one. the 1.8T quattro however, is a pointless car IMO if it's performance your after.
it's simply not needed, there's the fwd 1.8T, and the S3.
having driven both, in standard form with 180bhp, he quattro feels VERY dull to drive, the 4wd system copes so easily with the 180bhp that it totally kills any form of entertainment, resulting in a fairly uninteresting drive. the S3 as standard is much the same, feeling lifeless and boring, and dare I say it (for fear of being shot by the antiprawn crew) slow! A remapped S3 however has enough power to make it interesting again
The FWD A3 in standard form is fairly boring too to be honest, although with a decent set of shocks and springs, and uprated anti roll bars, it copes with the power really very well. Mine's putting out 290lbft (more than the average mapped S3) and outside of 1st gear it copes perfectly well in just about all weathers, well enough to do a sub 10 lap of the ring in damp conditions anyway.
So, in summary, if you're only 17, insurance is going to be a killer anyway, and you're going to want something fun and chuckable, I highly doubt you're massively bothered about being as safe as possible in adverse weather conditions, if you were, you'd be posting on a volvo forum.....
I reckon he should get a Golf.
dunno mate, vts is quite a rapid french matchbox
Interesting really.
Those with 2wd are bound to suggest them but anyone that has owned both always suggests the quattro. Why do Audi always put their quattro system on the flagship cars?
I'd like a go in a Focus RS or Megane R26 around the same roads to see what they're like. I'm guessing the high torque and fwd nature will be exposed on these roads but the handling confidence might win it back!
Interesting really.
Those with 2wd are bound to suggest them but anyone that has owned both always suggests the quattro. Why do Audi always put their quattro system on the flagship cars?
I'd have an S3 over one of those any day. I think the nice thing about the S3 is that they're quick enough but they're also a nice place to be. Spend a day in a Focus RS or Megane R26 and you're teeth will have fallen out. The S3 is a nice blend of speed and comfort. You feel like you're doing 200mph in the Focus if you're doing 50mph, its always 'full fat'. The S3 is a great comfy car that you can sit back and relax in when you want to, comfy seats, nice cabin etc etc. Sure it pays for it in weight but I'd take that over having a cabin thats basic and loud.
Focus and Megane for pure handling I'd say would have the edge,...but you'll never be going fast enough on a public road to appreciate it. I'd say they'd be a great 2nd car for blasting about on a nice day and the odd track day but every day??..oooooh no. Not for me.
T
I've had both and as much as I love quattro with the S3, like I said in an earlier post if I personally was to go back to an A3 I'd get the fwd...
For reasons your fully aware of, weight, transmission losses blah blah blah...lol
You can get away with it in an S3 because of the potential for 250bhp+...
I can't see it's needed in an A3 capable of 210bhp, it's going to feel slow and heavy in my eyes, yes better launching from standstill in the wet but how often does that happen...
I remember being 17 and it was actually quite nice to light the fronts up sometimes, gives that feeling of power and excitement
Each to there own though, be boring if we all thought the same...
such a waste of money £2-3k a year on insurance....just think if you wait you would be able to afford a luvely car in few years...... i started of with a 1.4, not because i couldnt afford bigger power, more because i hated wasting money on mandatory insurance which is essentially dead money.....
So basically, everyones opinion is different so test drive both and see which one fits my preferences best??
Cause there are so many contradicting arguments here its manic!!
Thanks