Does Anyone Like their S3?

Anyone can talk about what they want on here. I don't see any 'Does anyone like their 1.4 A3' threads, but nobody is stopping anyone throwing it out there. I want to talk about my S3 because I have one and want to share views with others. Seems that S3 owners want to share their views and banter maybe more than our A3 cousins sometimes. Please don't knock us for it. This is a free forum/society. If it is felt to be S3 centric, start a few A3 threads. Doesn't bother me, but please don't knock those of us for talking about what we want to. This is what this forum is here for. And yes, the A3 is a superb car.
 
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Progressive is fine.

The wording is "all must flash in phase" (with each other) - which the progressive one does,

but having (alternate) sections of the indicator(s) flashing out of phase doesn't comply.
 
Ahem. 4 door coupe ;)

See, I think the A3 SB is a terrible shape, and defo not for me! An undecided compromise between a 3 door and estate! Thank goodness Audi only inflicted this on the A3 range!
 
I like mine, very happy.

Saw/heard an RS7 earlier this week, has quite the grunt! The front looks strange though.
 
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RS7 is a good looking car.

A3 1.4 COD 150 S Line and very happy.

Never been without enough power, gives confidence in overtaking whether M/A/B.

Get high 40s mpg on the motorway and low 40s if thrashing a bit which is nice @ 15k miles/year.

Sport suspension most comfy ride at speed I've owned but you feel the bumps when you need to.

Have SB prefer the rear half on it and looks longer and more classy plus the 2 doors and bigger boot come in handy.

Interior top of it's class by a margin even A3 is better than Golf R on this front.
B&O is great.
MMI has good interface even if it is backwards and doesn't let me shuffle my iPod classic.

Exterior looks more classy than competitors the daylight fronts are great design as are all the lights.

Most importantly always turn back to look at front LED locking indicators and headlights at night.

If I did less miles would probably have an S3 and be looking at a TT.
 
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Curious if anyone with an S3 sedan/saloon and mag ride doesn't like their S3.
 
S3 Sedan with mag ride here, and the best highway car I've had yet. It's far from perfect, and I'm willing to overlook a lot for the awd traction and general versatility. Took me a few weeks to figure out it's a family sport sedan and not a sports car. I miss the lack of manual, but my family begged me for an auto on this one. I keep an older Italian spider for the sports car itch.

I think the they're fantastic . I took a Ghibli AWD out for a spin before I took delivery and no regrets.
 
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To answer the original question, yes I like my S3.

I like the SB shape, coming from a history of 'sporting' sedans, the S3 delivered what I wanted in terms interior style, performance and handling on our local roads and after a recent track day , I still like my S3.

Perfect no, but I don't have the budget for my perfect car. :)

I certainly never considered it a 'sports car' just like I don't consider the Golf GTI or R to be sports cars either and yes I did drive the Golf GTI PP & R before buying the S3.
 
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At the end of the day your S3/A3, 3 or 5 door is a hot hatch back which goes back to the days of the Peugeot 205GTI, XR3! Etc.. Give it four doors and no rear wiper and you have a family saloon. So practicality meets performance!

If you want a sports car then Audi have their TT..BMW have their Z4 and VW have their.....??

The seats in the back are for the kids:jester: or on some the golf clubs!
 
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veeeight said:
Ahem. 4 door coupe ;)
Click to expand...

Audi call them sportbacks so thats what i went with ;)

Dave-o said:
Curious if anyone with an S3 sedan/saloon and mag ride doesn't like their S3.
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Mine is a saloon with mag ride and love it. I think it takes away most of the issues people have with bouncyness and not sure why more people don't spec it when they know what the car is like as standard. Not so good over speed bumps if you forget to go back to comfort mode :)
 
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so you are saying mag ride is only good in comfort mode, if its the same over bumps as the standard fixed rate set up? well worth the extra cost then...........................
 
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This assumption of sportiness of the S3 over the Golf R - each manufacturer has a compromise to make as there are trade-offs. The S3 is more premium and likely to be favoured by someone who wants the performance on tap but go a little under the radar and want something that can also coast along. Golf R more catering for someone who just wants a flashy hot hatch and has a bit more disposable income and fancies the VW badge over a Ford, Renault, Honda etc and basically wants to drive it like he stole it to the pub, shops, grandparents house etc

Audi have given us magnetic ride so we can, along with drive select, vary things so that we can tweak it a bit further in either direction as we see fit. I think they've got it spot on for their market. Perhaps those that don't are just those seeking a bit of one upmanship on those with one of the above mentioned badges?
 
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monopole said:
so you are saying mag ride is only good in comfort mode, if its the same over bumps as the standard fixed rate set up? well worth the extra cost then...........................
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Any form of adjustable suspension on any "sports car"is worth every penny.
 
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monopole said:
so you are saying mag ride is only good in comfort mode, if its the same over bumps as the standard fixed rate set up? well worth the extra cost then...........................
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No, not at all. In dynamic mode it stiffens the whole car up and makes it feel much sportier and agile, as i said, takes away the bouncyness people have issues with with the normal S suspension setup. In comfort mode its great for just pottering around town.

My comment regarding speed bumps was meant to be taken as being that, in dynamic, the extra stiffness can make bumps a little uncomfortable at anything above walking speed (we have some big ones in Aberdeen)

As it is standard in the saloon in the UK and having had a test drive in the S3 HB for 24 hours i'd say its a worthwile investment.

Si :)
 
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sunscreemer said:
This assumption of sportiness of the S3 over the Golf R - each manufacturer has a compromise to make as there are trade-offs. The S3 is more premium and likely to be favoured by someone who wants the performance on tap but go a little under the radar and want something that can also coast along. Golf R more catering for someone who just wants a flashy hot hatch and has a bit more disposable income and fancies the VW badge over a Ford, Renault, Honda etc and basically wants to drive it like he stole it to the pub, shops, grandparents house etc
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+1

And I am sure I will enjoy driving my S3 like I stole it when the wife is not in the car...:)
 
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In no-bodies book would it be correct, that a £30k Audi S car, will have worse front end grip than a £20k front wheel drive car. Or even worse steering feel and turn-in than its 1.4 A3 sibling.

An Audi S car -as standard out of the factory - that can't cope with quick changes in direction? Shameful.

Even for the S3 apologists on here :) This thread speaks volumes by the number of excuses offered up, it's a family car, it's a premium car, not a hot hatch, you need mag ride, you need mono.pur etc. etc.

The numerous threads by others on this forum highlight the cars shortcomings. It's a compromised car. Great for cruising on the Autobahn or A roads. But sadly it's got a performance engine, aspiration to be a performance hatch, without the necessary backup.

But it's fine, it has a lovely interior and a so called "premium" badge, and it's great for overtaking ;)
 
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Just out of interest, what were you expecting when you ordered your S3 @veeeight ?

I'm not asking that in a please get annoyed with me way, just asking ;) You seem quite a knowledgeable kinda person is all.
 
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I don't really want to make this about me or an individual, so, briefly:

1. I expected it to be a "quantum" leap better than my 8P S3 - after all the 8P was from 2003, the 8V is 2012/13 - 10 years of improvement possible
2. I expected it to be at least comparable (in terms of handling) - if not better - with the other cars available on the market

In some areas, there has been an improvement. But not a massive leap as you might expect. Steering feel is improved from the 8P, but nothing like other cars on the market. The 8V primary ride is worse than the 8P, but 8V secondary ride is better. Storage space is woeful in the 8V, the 8P was better. As far as handling is concerned, yes, overall it's an improvement over the 8P (eg: less understeer at the limit) but if you then step into a humble Fiesta diesel, you'll find far more front end grip around a roundabout, or on a circular motorway slip road entry. The dampers and springs setup on the 8V is also unforgivable, becomes very apparent at speed.

So - in brief - I expected a step change up from the 8P in many areas, and I expected at least comparable performance with equal, or "lesser" cars on the market.
 
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OP

Good on you for starting this thread.

All I will say is that you should be comfortable in your choice of car, and not get detracted by Internet Forums - they aren't necessarily representative of the real world..

For most, a car buying choice is weighing up of many factors, and often results in a compromise somewhere along the line. For many on this thread, happily, the compromise came down on the right side of the fence for them, and they are happy with the car. For others, the compromise came down on the wrong side of the fence, and their important factors got compromised (for whatever reason).

As many have said, no car (choice) is 100% perfect, so just make sure that your important factors in buying a car gets satisfied.

Be comfortable in your choice of car, stand by your decisions (as some have done so on here) because the car suits you/them, but try not to go down the path of telling others (as some have tried to do so on here) that the car is perfect, or the problems don't exist, or that you're using/driving it wrong etc. And yes, I do realise this can be a sycophantic Audi fanboy forum, but its of more service to those setting out on the purchase journey to see honest real-world views and experiences, than to brush things under the carpet and pretend that it's the best car since, err, ever ;)
 
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veeeight said:
I don't really want to make this about me or an individual, so, briefly:

1. I expected it to be a "quantum" leap better than my 8P S3 - after all the 8P was from 2003, the 8V is 2012/13 - 10 years of improvement possible
2. I expected it to be at least comparable (in terms of handling) with the other cars available on the market

In some areas, there has been an improvement. But not a massive leap as you might expect. Steering feel is improved from the 8P, but nothing like other cars on the market. The 8V primary ride is worse than the 8P, but 8V secondary ride is better. Storage space is woeful in the 8V, the 8P was better. As far as handling is concerned, yes, overall it's an improvement over the 8P (eg: less understeer at the limit) but if you then step into a humble Fiesta diesel, you'll find far more front end grip around a roundabout, or on a circular motorway slip road entry. The dampers and springs setup on the 8V is also unforgivable, becomes very apparent at speed.

So - in brief - I expected a step change up from the 8P in many areas, and I expected at least comparable performance with equal, or "lesser" cars on the market.
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Coolio. Wasn't trying to make this all about you, was just interested to hear as the only previous experience i have with Audi is from my A3 COD which is obviously based on the same platform as my S3.

It's funny you mention roundabouts as i've seen quite a few threads on here where people discuss how shocked they are when they "floor it" halfway round a roundabout to see what happens. Who drives like this? Really?

I've been round lots of corners in my car and not once have i died so i'm guessing my car is perfectly sporty enough for me and my driving style (or lack thereof) :)

Anywho, back to work, have a lovely day :)
 
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I love my S3 and I like mag ride. It's my 3rd S3 and is perfect in every way for me. It is practical, fast and cheap to run. Ticks every box for me.
 
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For me, running costs aside, the S3 is a no brainier compared to the equivalently priced 2.0 TDI 184 sTronic Quattro.

I am no boy race, and no performance car guru, although driven a few , see profile pic....lol

So I guess I might be the ideal S3 target audience according to Audi....few pounds to spare so not worried so much about running costs looking for "sporty" understated quality that can take the family on holiday.. But certainly have not bought because it's a sports car
 
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Daveotto said:
For me, running costs aside, the S3 is a no brainier compared to the equivalently priced 2.0 TDI 184 sTronic Quattro.

I am no boy race, and no performance car guru, although driven a few , see profile pic....lol

So I guess I might be the ideal S3 target audience according to Audi....few pounds to spare so not worried so much about running costs looking for "sporty" understated quality that can take the family on holiday.. But certainly have not bought because it's a sports car
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+1

You last paragraph summed up the S3 and the Audi marketing behind it. And yes it is a really really nice car!

If anyone wants a sports car buy an Audi TT Roadster for the same amount of money.
 
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veeeight said:
OP

And yes, I do realise this can be a sycophantic Audi fanboy forum, but its of more service to those setting out on the purchase journey to see honest real-world views and experiences, than to brush things under the carpet and pretend that it's the best car since, err, ever ;)
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as an aside V8, want to know what a sycophantic fanboy looks like, try a VW forum.

when many years ago, I suggested that my manual mk6 GTI in standard form was uninspiring, the performance lacking and the fact you couldn't switch the esp completely off was wrong - you should have seen the response.
 
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Beluga S line said:
If anyone wants a sports car buy an Audi TT Roadster for the same amount of money.
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I did spend a lot of time looking at the New TT roadster while I waited for the S3 to be prepared for my test drive...then my sensible head kicked in....great looking car the new Roadster..one for few years time maybe!!!
 
Daveotto said:
I did spend a lot of time looking at the New TT roadster while I waited for the S3 to be prepared for my test drive...then my sensible head kicked in....great looking car the new Roadster..one for few years time maybe!!!
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Yep wait till they depreciate to a decent level and buy in the winter months. Most people buy a two seater with good intentions to use it...but never do. Hence they can be picked up relatively cheaply, a 55 plate TT Roadster Quattro will only set you back £4.5k at the moment!

Probably equivalent to some nice extra options on the A3:cool:

Anyway back on thread...sorry guys!
 
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veeeight said:
I don't really want to make this about me or an individual, so, briefly:

1. I expected it to be a "quantum" leap better than my 8P S3 - after all the 8P was from 2003, the 8V is 2012/13 - 10 years of improvement possible
2. I expected it to be at least comparable (in terms of handling) - if not better - with the other cars available on the market
Click to expand...

You've come with a big expectation, if I had the 8P S3 instead of the V6 I don't think I would have changed up, the differences in interior and styling are huge but performance not very much. Did you not realise this during your test drive?

Sometimes I do wonder how much better you want (or can) go, like after this whats next etc.

Also could you answer this for me: What's that button to the left of the headlight switch (where you point to auto, side lights etc - theres a button you press and it lights up)?:jester:
 
A3_Rider said:
Sometimes I do wonder how much better you want (or can) go, like after this whats next etc.
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Easy. Golf R400 or R420, or A45 AMG facelift, or C63 AMG. Or 2014 Cayman :)


Also could you answer this for me: What's that button to the left of the headlight switch (where you point to auto, side lights etc - theres a button you press and it lights up)?:jester:
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There's a few variants of the light switch module, so best if you take a photo and post it in a new thread ;)
There are a few photos in this thread:
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/oops.239567/
 
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Yes I love mine. I bought the car I wanted and I wouldn't change my decision.

There does seem to be a fair amount of criticism of the S3 by a number of owners on this forum for various reasons. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and other people opinions don't affect mine :)
 
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Garreth64 said:
Yes I love mine. I bought the car I wanted and I wouldn't change my decision.

There does seem to be a fair amount of criticism of the S3 by a number of owners on this forum for various reasons. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and other people opinions don't affect mine :)
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Criticism from some VERY demanding and specific individuals. Praise from the majority of "everyday" car fans & much of the motoring press. Enjoy. I'm sure I will.
 
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Seen that video. To be honest I've watched most reviews and the main criticisms are surrounding areas that I don't think will bother me in the slightest.
 
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