is the s3 an exciting drive or not ?

Just my opinion and Personal experience, I had a 180bhp A3 before i had my S3 (210) and the A3 was the quicker car when pushed, However if both were put infront of me again id Choose my S3.

Yes it is a fraction slower due to its weight but what i found is when you learn the niggles of how it reacts in differant corner situations its a much more rewarding car to drive.

With the a3 you put it in the bend aim it in the direction of the exit power on and your done, Fast and Effective.........but boring

With the S3 You cannot just rinse and repeat corners like that. you have to pay attention to ever detail of the bend predict roughly where in the bend your front wheels are gonna out run the backs and force the rear axle to wake up, Not doing this is why so many of these cars have ended up as messy garden ornaments, you will feel the front start to slip, do not take this as a signal to let off or roll back throttle. this is just the pre cursor to one of the best sensations I have personally experienced while driving and that is the rear axle jumping in to save your ***, With an S3 you learn the cars quirks you learn to trust in its ability and it rewards you greatly for it.

Having the fastest car is a great thing. but id Rather be last on the grid at the end with a massive smile on my face and that rewarding feeling than first but bored out my wits.
 
  • Like
Reactions: encee
Prawn said:
You car doesn't count. It was genuinely the most hateful understeering sack of mouldy potatoes I've ever had the missfortune to drive on track! I think my Berlingo van would have faired better!

Still, thanks for giving me a go all the same :laugh:
Click to expand...

Look
Dont hold back
Tell me what you really think

Anyway it was good enough for you to rob bits from once you killed it you ****** vulture
 
snowy said:
Really ?

But you've been comparing your S3 vs Prawn car and using that as some kind of definitive reference point

The A3Q of David Kynaston vs the Golf GTi of Graham Watkins is much fairer comparison, the cars are the same level of tuning under the same regulations



?

You need to experience more speed
Click to expand...

I compared s3 to nicks car as a seperate point when others had put a point of view across.

Ultimately for OP
Is the s3 exciting
No
Its not!
Its a huge dissapointment!
And no amount of owner points are going to change that.
Can it be made better?
Like anything yes of course.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VAG-Slag
Well, this did turn into a fun post didn't it :laugh:

I'm not overly keen on how my car is always used to compare to others. Such is the level of development over time and the money spent, it's very hard to make any direct comparisons.

That said, rewind the clock 5 years, it was 200bhp from a ko3S, £150's worth of used semi slicks, and £300's worth of used brembo brakes, and it was STILL a hugely fun car to drive, and more than held it's own on track.

With no disrespect intended to the guys currently tracking their S3's and getting passed by Clios etc, I'd think that's largely down to driving experience on track. Something which people give little thought towards when comparing the pace of various cars on trackdays.

Even in the above state of tune, clio 182's etc on semi slicks were relatively easily dispatched.

I see what Daz was suggesting with the comment about fun vs speed. They are two entirely different things, and different people get their kicks from different things.

Some people get the buzz from simply driving ANY car as fast and as hard as it can be driven. Even if that's a mk1 mx5 getting over taken by everything, if they're at the limits of THAT car, then that's their fun.

For me, an annoying competitive nature spoils that somewhat, and for me to be having fun I have to be going fast. it's still all about getting as much from the car as possible, leaving performance on the table is fun you're missing out on. But I also enjoy making the car more capable than it should be too. Pushing the boundary of what people think a regular A3 should be able to do, and with that comes increased speed, and in my case, increased fun.

I do firmly believe that everyone should start out on track in something slow. Building a fast car and THEN tracking it will not be fun, as you'll end up with a highly capable car, and a relatively incapable driver that can't get anywhere near the cars limits. there is also a level of expectation that comes from having a powerful car with big brake and decent suspension. people EXPECT it to be quick.

Anyway, I've lost my train of thought now and rambled on far too much. So i'll end it there.

:racer:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeriho, tomjol, scotty_24 and 1 other person
Prawn said:
I see what Daz was suggesting with the comment about fun vs speed. They are two entirely different things, and different people get their kicks from different things.
Click to expand...

Thats true to point, but I suspect anyone who can drive fast well will find it fun to do so

To my mind, speed (eg the physical sensation of moving quickly) is a type of fun


Prawn said:
I'm not overly keen on how my car is always used to compare to others
Click to expand...

You've got a dirty long build thread and go on about how wonderful your car is, so suck it up ;)
 
Prawn said:
With no disrespect intended to the guys currently tracking their S3's and getting passed by Clios etc, I'd think that's largely down to driving experience on track. Something which people give little thought towards when comparing the pace of various cars on trackdays.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I've only ever done three trackdays, and with every one I'm getting better and better and learning sooo much about the car.
Put my car in your hands and you will have the ability to track it a LOT quicker than I can, as experience is key.

The guys I go on track with have had many many powerful cars in their time, but now use little clios and with their driving experience can drive them HARD.

I 100% think that If you were going to start track days and wanted to use an 8L chassis then an A3 would be my choice as its lighter and more predictable to drive than a S3 with its weird haldex understeer oversteer understeer all in the same corner weirdness. Obviously the haldex working bringing the car back to what it thinks is in line and safe.

Its great that on this forum there are so many "types" of build and experience to help guys like the OP gather information and learn from others !
 
superkarl said:
I'm not thrilled by speed, I'm thrilled by acceleration.
Click to expand...

Me too... and watching the poor little faces as they try to work how a lard *** shopping trolley is leaving them in its wake ;)

<tuffty/>
 
  • Like
Reactions: westcoast a3, Erikn89nl, AdzA3AGU and 1 other person
acceleration is just foreplay

best to get it over and done with asap ;)
 
Why has "exciting to drive" become what's the best track car which isn't a caterham. And Audi drivers are too slow, rather than the car.
I actually think most standard turbo s3 setups will be a disadvantage on track it does nothing over 5k rpm and is too fast for anything but a straight line between 3k and 4.5k rpm.
 
Anyhow, exiting depends on your prospective, best thing you can do is, just go and try a few and make your own mind up, you may be surprised, or disappointed, as I said, it all about prospective.
 
like someone else posted earlier - I still fondly smile at my s3 Noggy on the drive - even with its rusty wing and always on axle stands. there's something about the shape of it especially the rear and the colour of course.
 
  • Like
Reactions: S3JACKSON
scotty_24 said:
Totally agree with Daz.
Standard form absolutely awful handling. Spend some cash and they become "ok".
Fit some LCR Brembos and you have a chance at stopping. 312 are shocking on a car that weighs half of the moon.
Spend some more cash and let Bill work his magic and they become "quite fun"

I have 3 mates with Clio 172 182 and they absolutely take the **** out of me on track in any situation other than a straight line.
Dont get me wrong I enjoy my car, in fact I ****** love it. Something like Tufftys would be unreal, but if your talking about the drive then the S3 8L gets trumped by a £1k Renault Clio.

I'm Currently buying a house and as Daz knows, going through the heart ache of accepting that a little Clio that is cheap to fix may be the best thing to do to have track day fun.

As for a A3 drive being better than a S3, check out @Prawns trackday videos and tell me you cant get an A3 to handle well and deliver its power so it doesnt light its wheels up everywhere.

Just my 2p
Click to expand...
Having owned a 172 and 182 you wait until you need the cambelt/waterpump/dephaser pulley replacing then tell me it's cheap to fix ;) (unless you are DIYing it ofc but even then you need renault specialist tools)
 
Craigmbp said:
Having owned a 172 and 182 you wait until you need the cambelt/waterpump/dephaser pulley replacing then tell me it's cheap to fix ;) (unless you are DIYing it ofc but even then you need renault specialist tools)
Click to expand...

See the lads I track with in the Clios, one of them has his own company selling and repairing Renaults (DTM Cars in Newcastle) But I'm aware the dephasers aren't cheap and its imperative its done!

Stuart B said:
like someone else posted earlier - I still fondly smile at my s3 Noggy on the drive - even with its rusty wing and always on axle stands. there's something about the shape of it especially the rear and the colour of course.
Click to expand...

Mines in the garage sitting waiting for knockhill this weekend and I still opened the utility door last night to peek into the garage to check shes ok ha ha !
<tuffty/> said:
yep... traveling far to fast to get round them :)

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...

Do you think you'll ever get used to warp speed Tuffty? I can only imagine what that must feel like catapulting you our of a corner!
 
scotty_24 said:
Do you think you'll ever get used to warp speed Tuffty? I can only imagine what that must feel like catapulting you our of a corner!
Click to expand...

I am kinda used to it but the constant heavy breaking takes the fun away for me... I would imagine it might be a little different on a track but then I don't have any interest in taking the S3 on track... far too fragile lol... I would have built the car a little differently if I was planning on using it for track...

But then if I was building a car for track use it would be something other than an S3 anyway I expect...

Prawn has been out in my car... although I don't think we really did much in the way of corners...

<tuffty/>
 
Stuart B said:
Why has "exciting to drive" become what's the best track car which isn't a caterham. And Audi drivers are too slow, rather than the car.
I actually think most standard turbo s3 setups will be a disadvantage on track it does nothing over 5k rpm and is too fast for anything but a straight line between 3k and 4.5k rpm.
Click to expand...


It hasnt
 
Craigmbp said:
Having owned a 172 and 182 you wait until you need the cambelt/waterpump/dephaser pulley replacing then tell me it's cheap to fix ;) (unless you are DIYing it ofc but even then you need renault specialist tools)
Click to expand...


3 mafs a year
N75s
Coilpacks
Wheelspeed sensors
Stem seal guides
Head gasket
Boos leaks
Brakes impossible to bleed
Dropped valves.

Every car has issues
 
Another exciting feature of the 8L is not knowing if you'll end up at your destination before any electrical component or boost pipe will fall apart!

Jokes its a nice car with curves that needs lots of attention to make it better.

Tuffty - your car is cleaner than most girls ive dated.

Prawn - Can i have a ride in yours please. I'll lend you the beeeeeemaarrrr! :D
 
Jesus dont let him borrow the bmw
If he brakes it you never see him again.

Most excitement i had with the s3 was watching them crush it after i broke it hahaha.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prawn
Erikn89nl said:
Your brakes bled just fine on my car...
Click to expand...

They ****** would have wouldnt they!!! :tonguewink:

They are known for being hard work thougj Erik.
Very difficult to consistantly bleed and get the same pedal feel.
 
Hhahaha
Ds3000
The ONLY pad that should go on brembos.

*Awaits the ds2500 are awesome comments*
 
Erikn89nl said:
I seem to recall these were also great when cold, correct?
Click to expand...

They are ok cold yeah... not std pad great but pretty good... the dust and shizzle is evil though... glues stuff to my wheels

Anyway... S3's are boring unless its got a GT35 in it lol

<tuffty/>
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty_24
<tuffty/> said:
They are ok cold yeah... not std pad great but pretty good... the dust and shizzle is evil though... glues stuff to my wheels

Anyway... S3's are boring unless its got a GT35 in it lol

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...


Couldnt agree more
 
You're absolutely right and i reckon you could be the next candidate
 
  • Like
Reactions: scotty_24
Has anybody noticed the op has not commented past the first few posts, I recon he's just sat back laughing at us all arguing about, which cars better than what, I recon he's set us all up and we've fallen for it, come on mikky99, what's the verdict? :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tj 0785
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Felon
S3 or not S3 - that is the question
Replies
4
Views
967
j4jon
j4jon
S
Evo or not to Evo that is the question
Replies
17
Views
1K
StephenBogan
S
H
the s3 is due an oil change
Replies
5
Views
856
harvey01
H
D
REMAP OR NOT REMAP THAT IS THE QUESTION
Replies
8
Views
1K
A3Tom
A3Tom
AARON77
Exciting times
Replies
12
Views
983
Andy123
A
Top
Back