Newbie from West Sussex, A3 8P Quattro 170TDI

Hi Everyone

Joined up a couple of weeks ago so thought I should say hi before I start asking questions and picking your brains! I am/was a member of 'uk-mkivs.net' forum and loved it when I had my last car (more about that in a mo) and they have a sister site 'uk-audis.net' that I joined. Sadly it appears neglected and unpopular and this forum appears far better, popular, etc. So hello to you all.

I have recently bought a '06 A3 TDI 170 Quattro Sport manual hatchback. My previous car was a '03 VW Bora ST TDI 130 and before that I had a '99 VW Golf GT TDI 110. I have driven VW diesels for many years and now having 170bhp and Quattro is great. However the car has got an interesting history.The car used to belong to my mother and this has been the trend for years... I tell her what to buy knowing I will have the chance to purchase it at a good price at a later date. So all my previous car's were once her's. Luckily she likes what I like, although she doesn't modify her car's, just appreciates a good car and the work I do when I own the car later.

Anyway, a few years ago we took the A3 to France for a short holiday but after less than one hundred miles into France, the engine failed and long story short, we had to be towed back home all the way from France (not a good holiday!). It turned out that one of the ceramic glow plugs had fallen apart inside of the cylinder block and had killed the engine for good. As the car was out of warranty by a year, Audi 'kindly' offered to half the cost of the new engine and it cost my Mum £3500.00 to get a working car (or £800 as it's current part/ex value!!?!).

Since then the car and new engine have been far better than before and I am happy to own the car despite it's history. If anything, I have a newer engine and the manufacturing/designs issues have been sorted (according to Crawley Audi/Inchscape).

I have installed a £350 'eBay special' Android OEM-looking headunit that I'm very pleased with. I have also installed my old 10" Kicker sub and Alpine amp in the v. small boot (3 door Quattro). Also a reversing camera, Bluetooth OBD dongle with Torque running on the headunit and LED sidelights.
Future mods on the list are:

1. Genuine 18" S-Line Ronals (which ET/offset is best?)
2. H&R or Eiback springs (recommendations?)
3. LED headlight(?) / interior bulbs
4. De-badge rear
5. 2012(?) spec rear lightclusters

A few pics:

Old:

New:



Are there any other Audi-Sport.net members in Sussex? Are there any forum meet-ups? Anyone selling some OEM 18" rims?
Hopefully I will get to chat with a few of you soon!!

Robin

Hi Chrisyegan

Not too low, probably between 25mm and 55mm ??

Cheers mate, yeah they were TT comps and the Bora was on coilovers. I dont want to fit coilovers to the A3 though, Im looking for a slightly more subtle lowered look (mainly because I cant justify air bags!)

chrisyegan, are you going for springs only? And what manufacturer?

Sandra said:

@dj-rosco welcome to audi-sport.net. Nice cars. Fir local members check out the small events section. Enjoy the forum. x

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Thanks Sandra I know car 'cruises' are a thing of the past (probably a very good thing!) but do people meet up these days? I used to attend a meet in Fleet services occasionally a few years back? I will check out the small events section as suggested though.

chrisyegan said:

Got 45mm lo suspension m8 couple of m8s have had them for a few yr and says there spot on , there just not as big as eibach ect

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Have you gone for springs only or the complete kit? I haven't heard of LO before tbh. Are prices reasonable?

Looking at their site, they don't do the springs for my exact model, they do for the quattro 3.2 but not the Quattro TDI and it's a 30mm drop

No but will mate