Modifying a basic A3 8L

[SuziA3]

Hello, Ive now had my little beast for a year now and still haven't managed to tart her up. After being dragged to the ford events by the partner I've now got it in my head I want to modify my car, or at least make it better. ( sick of hearing ford is better) LoL

It's just a basic 1.8 Audi A3 8L dark black (in certain lights a grey) I really like the S3 but didnt know of these till after I bought her.
What modifications can be made on my car. And where can I go to look for parts. Hard to find any as mine isnt a Turbo.

Also.. Can the S3 bumpers fit my car? I really want fogs.

Any Suggestions?

 

[Danio]

Hi Souziie_Ox

Yes you can fit S3 bumpers with a little work.
But if you want to go cheaper just buy facelift fog lower spoiler on ebay and that will do a job.
Ebay or amazon that's the places to buy parts.

BTW My car is basic 8L and now it looks like S3

 

[dannyh]

ebay or the clasifieds are a good bet, get some spacers to stick your back wheels out to fill the arch is a good bet, there is a set for sale in the clasifieds,

Also a leon cupra R front splitter will also make the front look much better and you can wrap/paint your grill.

 

[SuziA3]

Hi Souziie_Ox

Yes you can fit S3 bumpers with a little work.
But if you want to go cheaper just buy facelift fog lower spoiler on ebay and that will do a job.
Ebay or amazon that's the places to buy parts.

BTW My car is basic 8L and now it looks like S3

Wow! Really I would have never known I heard u can take the bottom spoliler off and replace it with the actual fog hole S3 bit. True? Are they that simple to fit? I've been looking around for an S3 bumper but there really keeping there price and with what I've already been told you can get the bottom fog spoiler for £50 from Audi, then just get some cheap fogs of eBay

 

[SuziA3]

ebay or the clasifieds are a good bet, get some spacers to stick your back wheels out to fill the arch is a good bet, there is a set for sale in the clasifieds,

Also a leon cupra R front splitter will also make the front look much better and you can wrap/paint your grill.

I've already got a set of 56PlateA3 Alloys that needs some spacers with the correct holes. Is there not like a proper website or shop (like Burton) that can buy parts for? Thanks

 

[SuziA3]

Does any of use know if lowering my car is easy?

 

[SuziA3]

This is my little baby

 

[Dane]

Lowerings a simple job for a professional, there will probably be cheap coilovers available.

Ive seen facelift a3's with fogs in the lower bumper, probably a bit easier than an s3 conversion.

Facelift rear lights are a straight swap.

Do you know the details of your new wheels, width, diameter, offset?

LCR splitters a simple one too.

 

[rlc1985]

You could debadge the boot, just leaving the audi ring's on. And spray the chrome surround on the grill at the front of the car. I did this and imo was a good improvement. Because it's a non turbo you will get quite a few people on here saying to sell up and get a turbo, i did anyway lol. But other improvements would prob be air filter, exhaust, lower. And maybe go for the stealth look, which is blacking it out, it can look quite nice on the black cars. For example black alloys, blacked out windows etc. Some previous threads on here explain how to do it well.

 

[SuziA3]

Lowerings a simple job for a professional, there will probably be cheap coilovers available.

Ive seen facelift a3's with fogs in the lower bumper, probably a bit easier than an s3 conversion.

Facelift rear lights are a straight swap.


Do you know the details of your new wheels, width, diameter, offset?

LCR splitters a simple one too.

Yeah my partner a mechanic and says I need the 5x112..ours are 5x100 or something like that,, I really would like to do the 8P front bumper on ours. Looks amazing! Lol but been told my paint work is very hard to blend and would need to spread the work a little further than normal. If I get the bumper done I need the bonnet done... So on! Weather or not this is true .. I dont know lol

 

[Dane]

Your shout on the 8p grill but in my opinion

And performance gains from exhausts will be small compared to the money spent which is the point people will have been trying to make to rlc.

 

[rlc1985]

Your right Dane, forgot to mention the improvement you will get off doing the air filter and exhaust won't be anything to get to excited about. But it can make the non turbo sound abit more powerful at least.

 

[mk1chopper]

You need 5x100 to 5x112 adapters, available through companies like awesome gti, westy on here just got some for his S3, but you need to know the ET of your new wheels to check what size adapter you need, but think 15mm is a min. example: 4 PCD Wheels Adapters from 5x100 to 5x112 Audi A3 S3 TT | eBay

You'll want hubcentric adapters too. As for fogs you should be able to pick up facelift A3 items and retrofit, but im with dane on the 8P front bumper, they just dont work well on the 8L, and the kits available require a lot of work to make them fit well.

AUDI A3 01-03 OEM FOG LIGHTS GRID GRILL SET L+R NEW | eBay

AUDI A3 2001-2003 FRONT CLEAR FOG LIGHT/LAMPS PAIR | eBay

Audi A3 S3 96-03 Pair Rear Lights New Lamps BACK LENSE | eBay

 

[JS1500]

Personally i'd be looking to sell up and buy Jojo's S3 for £3000, or failing that, an A3 1.8T Sport/quattro.

But if you want to make yours a bit nicer and aren't too fussed about performance then fogs, grill surround, lower it on springs, maybe TT pedals, maybe S3 tailgate spoiler, maybe LCR splitter...

 

[SuziA3]

I can't sell her, I've only had her for a year. Lol bought her for £1600 with 42,000 miles on the clock. 2 owners and is in mint condition everything has been done from Audi. I've heard the Turbos aren't that good. And when they go wrong they go wrong! Lol I was thinking of putting throttle bodies on her. I'd never buy a car with a turbo.. Too much hassle when they go wrong! As experienced with the hubby's Mk3 Fessie. Lol

As for the alloys was given a kink from PCD? Think it's 15mm .. Or so the bloke said when I told him and showed him the alloys. Won't window tinting make the car look tatty! Lol

I've ordered some Gaz Suspension for my little lady as my partners knows the fella.. Says there good? Has anyone else used them?

I would really like to have my engine area powder coated in ST green with Purple hoses? Thoughts on that...

 

[mk1chopper]

I can't sell her, I've only had her for a year. Lol bought her for £1600 with 42,000 miles on the clock. 2 owners and is in mint condition everything has been done from Audi. I've heard the Turbos aren't that good. And when they go wrong they go wrong! Lol I was thinking of putting throttle bodies on her. I'd never buy a car with a turbo.. Too much hassle when they go wrong! As experienced with the hubby's Mk3 Fessie. Lol

As for the alloys was given a kink from PCD? Think it's 15mm .. Or so the bloke said when I told him and showed him the alloys. Won't window tinting make the car look tatty! Lol

I've ordered some Gaz Suspension for my little lady as my partners knows the fella.. Says there good? Has anyone else used them?

I would really like to have my engine area powder coated in ST green with Purple hoses? Thoughts on that...

The turbos are better than both the NA engines found in the 8L, they only go wrong due to poor maintenance normally, plenty of A3 turbo owners and S3 owners (same engine bigger turbo) having trouble free motoring. Stick to cosmetics only, there's no real benefit in throwing money at performance on the NA models, the turbo models have a much better starting point.