My first Audi, an S3

Hi all, I live just round the corner from Audi UK HQ so the roads and drives around here often look like an extension to an Audi dealer showroom. It was perhaps inevitable that one day I would give in and now I have.

For the last few years, OK thirty five, I have been driving Vauxhalls and currently have five I maintain, the youngest being a 96 Calibra Turbo 4x4. It is this car that was the benchmark for a new car. I have had it 7 years and the owner before me spent £4500 on the engine (in the days when a £ was a £) which resulted in 277BHP and 333 Ft/Lb which gave it a performance similar to an RS4, or at least one unhappy one on the A1 one day.

So that narrowed down the choice, particularly as I didn't want one of the now fashionable 'wide' cars, to the S3 and a M140i both about the same price. Both had their good and bad points and the BM isn't the prettiest of cars whilst the S3 saloon is. Also I find the all black interior quite claustrophobic after my airy and light 80/90 cars.

So after extensive searching around (a piece of paper covered with alternatives certainly concentrated the salesman's mind) the deal was done for a year old Sepang saloon with grey leather. I pick it up from the dealer tomorrow afternoon. Got insurance from AXA at just over £300. Importantly it has a non local registration so no mistaking that I have become a VAG employee in a cheap car deal car.

I will now sell my two Calibras and probably a Cavalier SRi. I am keeping my 86 Cavalier SRi130 as a hatch is always needed sometimes since I am a mobile DJ and I doubt my gear will fit in the S3. I am the rep for the Mk2 Club at the national level so I really ought to have one.

I look forward to picking your folk's brains and hope to be a positive poster here.

Thanks Sandra. Yes, can't wait now and pics to follow.

See you are having to make the move from Billing like us. We are off to Market Harborough. It will be interesting to see how the two sites compare.

Thanks, looking forward to participating in the MK roundabout GP. Only regret is that I won't be in a Q car any more and I'll need to avoid the 'not my car' folks out of Blakelands.

Well, I've had her for three days now and the test drive/new car euphoria is definitely worn off.

The car is basically brilliant apart from tyre noise and suspension bump sounds, both of which I have never experienced before and I find astonishing on a car of this quality, age and mileage. I'll put up a thread on this issue.

All the controls is a pretty steep learning curve, could take me months or years to find all the wizzo bits!

Can someone tell me how to upload pictures please? I can't find much using the search option.

Here she is. Grey leather inside.

Two of my cars, one standard, one modified with an almost identical performance. Not many Calibra Turbos left now, still looks good.

Now on 18" VRS wheels, just awaiting new centre caps, with CrossClimate + tyres.

There was a car tuner back in the 60's who coined the phrase "If you have to measure it its not an improvement" which still has resonance. In this case, moving from the 19"/Contisport to this new setup definitely didn't need measuring. Its like night and day. The car is now quiet with little tyre roar and few bangs over bumps. Pretty much how I hoped it would be.

The grey interior has proved to be a real hit, especially with ladies. Too many of these cars come out of the factory with 'macho' black.