Feedback from those with S3s now

Guys, your thoughts. I've noticed that when pushing on a medium to long corner, I hear a strong 'whooshin'g noise, and its pretty consistent. It sounds like air whooshing (and not just outside air passing over the wingmirrors or anything) but quite forced. Am I being dumb here? Any thoughts? Is it the haldex system, suspension, massive system failure waiting to happen?

It has no effect that I'm aware of on performance, car goes round corners like its on rails, but just very noticable and not something I've ever heard on any other car I've driven?
 
Not turbo whistle?

Give us more info to try and replicate it, eg: what gear, what speed etc.
 
No definitely not a whine, much more like air whooshing, almost like you get with a rush of blood to the head. Got it the other day doing a medium corner, decent commitment in 3rd gear at about 40mph
 
I have had my S3 4 days
The pedals to be honest i think are a bit naff, I would like to be able to press say buttons 1-6 to change radio stations rather than having to select on MMI, the damping is a bit off and skips about when cornering on bumpy roads (excellent grip on smooth roads), averages 38 on a steady 75mph cruise which is impressive. Yet to go above 3.5k revs but the low down grunt is actually very suprising and way better than I thought it would be e.g. 4th at 1500revs is no problem and accelerates very cleanly.

Interestingly my Mrs has a 1 series diesel company car and the S3 is miles ahead in every way, build is so much better in Audi.

Now done 1500miles as just driven it across France in one go overnight.
Lots of varied speeds between 60 and upwards, car is very quick accelerating from motorway speeds yet still returned 35.7 over 800miles. Saw >400miles out of my third tank so pretty impressed, plenty of high speed drags on the autoroute chasing fast diesels and plenty of looks when stopped as there aren't many petrols let alone S* Audi's in France........haven't been above 5.5k revs yet but now I have enough miles on it just a matter of time. Car hasn't used any oil, build quality is excellent and really chuffed with it and regard it as a very good value car which should do me for a few years yet.

Other than the pedals, the storage under the arm rest should have a light! Could also do with a 7th gear overdrive as there is easily enough torque to pull a tall gear.
As for the quality of the damping, on French roads it is just fine
 
Finally got around to sorting the rusting hubs, couple of hours, bit of sanding and a tin of hammerite later...

IMG 20140807 155732
 
On my S3, the hub (bit between the wheels and brake disc) which people complain about getting rusty therefore want to paint it is already pre-coated in a silver-ey type finish. Is this an improvement and/or standard now?
 
On my S3, the hub (bit between the wheels and brake disc) which people complain about getting rusty therefore want to paint it is already pre-coated in a silver-ey type finish. Is this an improvement and/or standard now?

There is a name for it (can't remember though) but it's a protective coating from the factory. It wears off in time. Mine is starting to wear off after 1000 miles and 3 months.

Going to paint mine silver in the next few weeks.
 
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^ Dacromet

:)

Which is a really good coating, but it requires the bare metal to be thoroughly de-greased, otherwise it won't last .....
 
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I've read a few dislikes regarding the new throttle pedal. I have to say mine has a nice 'weight and feel of resistance' to it and nothing like what people have said. There's enough feel to prevent any unwanted movement over bumps/ramps etc and the position is as good as the old style bar. All imo of course.
 
Yeah, I noticed that too. Just passed 3,000 miles on my S3 today.

My stop/start has started to play up. It will not switch off at all. Going to have to take the car in for that I suppose. Second fault in two months... the rattling windows was the other. Not exactly a good start, ...

As a matter of interest did the rattle stop when you opened the window by an inch or more? Have you have that repaired yet as mine is doing it on the driver side when closed.
 
OK - so below is my update after 3 months of ownership with my S3 SB.

1008 miles driven since new - DIS reading of average fuel consumption over total miles 32.8 mpg.

The good:
1) Quality. This is a quality product full stop. I think it feels and looks more expensive than it is. Everything you touch is excellent quality. Paint, plastics, metals - all excellent. I have every confidence it will still look and feel fairly brand new after 3 years.

2). Pace, handling and LC. Wow. It's super quick. For a 5 door family hatchback it's just ridiculous how it builds speed. Understated but very effective. LC is fairly brutal too. Have found cornering speeds can be much higher than what I am used to in front wheel drive cars.

2) Noise. Getting louder with the more miles I put on it. It's actually much louder than I ever thought it would be. It does turn heads which I didn't expect. Neighbour keeps moaning at me how noisy it is on start up (he does shifts - sleeps a lot during the day). Full throttle upshifts are a joy too.

3) The "small" screen. It's fine and I actually think it is integrated very well in its frame. MMI fantastic system in general. If you have anxiety about upgrading it - don't, unless you really have to have all the connect / full nav stuff. Save some £££.

4) Alacantra / mono-pur. Looks and feels great. Very happy with the look it gives the cabin. Just increases the premium feel further. Think it's better than the full leather option.

5) Looks / colour. I probably went against the trend going for a solid white. I have experience with Amalfi and find its a very hard wearing colour. Regarding the looks - I know the S3 is slightly understated, but have had a surprising amount of people stop me to compliment me on the S3. Mine seems to get a fair bit of attention / love due to the colour also.

Not so good:
1) LED headlights. Not convinced by them if I am honest. £750 could have been spent elsewhere. Don't think they are brighter either. They do look fabulous mind and give the nose excellent presence. Not sure they are worth it for cosmetic reasons alone though?

2) High speed damping. Not the best in my book. I have many country roads where I live and at certain (ahem) speeds the car does bounce a fair bit on bumpy roads. Hit my head on the headlining a few times.....

3) C0Z S3 alloys. Seem brittle and prone to chips where they are painted. Although they look great its the only part of the car I think may struggle to stay looking fresh long term.

4) Steering. Hateful in comfort and auto. Way to light. Hard to be accurate on slow driving around mini roundabouts or car parks. Dynamic is nice and heavy so perfect for me as I like that. I do "get" what the journos highlight about the steering.

The very bad:
1) "bumpy" seat base bolsters. Noticed it on day one. Can you see it on the attached picture? Seems like the leather was not pulled taught to the Alacantra when stitched, Dealer has looked at it and said it doesn't pass the warranty threshold for a swap out. They could attempt a repair with a special kit, but not confident it would be any better (maybe even worse). It's now been noted against the car - if it gets worse they will then swap them out.

y9y7e7as.jpg


2) Nothing else! Although a few niggles it's the best car I've ever owned and love it!
 
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Great review Pulp. Cant wait to get m SB as well and like you I do agree the SB looks a lot better than people give it credit for. To me its a totally different look to the saloon and not necessarily a versus argument, its about what look you want. I am coming from a JCW hatch so I guess I am biased too!!
 
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4,500 miles in now. Average leapt up to 26.1mpg.
Still finding it a relatively uninspiring/dull machine to live with.
Not once have I wanted to get out in it and drive for the sake of it.
Around 3 months until it departs.
 
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Well, four weeks and approaching 1300 miles into S3 SB ownership, a few of my thoughts:

Having come from two SEAT Leon Cupra’s, I was looking for something discrete, understated and not too ‘in your face’ as a replacement. My Daytona Grey S3 fits the bill perfectly, and unless you happen to be an Audi officianado, most people just see it as a ‘nice’ A3, which is how I like it. That said, within the past week two strangers have complimented me on the car!

Positive:

* Performance – I’ve not really totally opened it up yet, but from where I have explored it, it’s certainly a car to be reckoned with
* Economy – I’m getting around 32mpg average on the daily commute, with a couple of longer journeys thrown in, which I’m fairly staggered at after the 26mpg Cupras!
* Interior – It’s a nice place to be, and the Mono.pur, black inlays, privacy glass and lighting pack all add to this
* Driveability – Doesn’t need to be ‘driven’ in the same way as the Cupra’s. Far more refined, less thrashy and almost drives itself – which is what comes from greater power and torque band.
* Handling – no complaints here – it goes where it’s pointed. Much more fun than then Cupra’s, doesn’t need to be worked as hard, and surpisingly similar to OH’s A1 in this regard.
* The low road tax band. (The DVLA refund of 8 months from the Cupra will pay for the S3 for a year)!

Negative

* I’m still messing about with the seating position trying to find a combination of every variant that won’t irritate an old sporting injury – symptoms similar to sciatica
* A couple of times I’ve found the gearbox a bit notchy at low speeds
* Ten days ago or so I started to notice a slight ‘clunk’ from the drivers door area. This only occurred on certain lumps and bumps and was not triggered by generally uneven or rutted road surfaces. I took everything out of the door pockets, but it still persisted. Having rung the dealer (and still waiting for my call to be returned – that’s actually a first) it’s disappeared over the weekend! The trouble is that I can’t be certain if it was from the window or lock mechanism (window could be open or closed – noise still present). I will get this checked.
* Lastly – and it’s only a minor irritation, the lack of cabin storage/stowage pockets and hidey-holes!

Undecided

* I went for the 10 spoke titanium matt wheels (F38). I don’t particularly like the standard 5 spoke star and wanted something different, and although the F38 doesn’t seem particularly common, (at least around here) I’m not 100% certain it’s the right wheel for the car.

Other than the above I love it, but can understand some of the comments earlier in this thread. I do get enjoyment from driving it, in fact a great deal of enjoyment, but at the end of the day it’s a functional, performing 21st century car. For grin factor, it’s my MG, my weekend toy, that really brings a smile to my face :)

/sorry to interrupt the current 'conversation'
 
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Good write up M1ke H!

Can you describe the window clunk in any more detail? Would you say it had a rattle to it like something rubbing against a seal?
 
As a matter of interest did the rattle stop when you opened the window by an inch or more? Have you have that repaired yet as mine is doing it on the driver side when closed.
Yes, it goes away as soon as you open the window. The car went back to the dealer and they applied some kind of lubricant to the window seals which resolved the issue. But, just as per my last S3, a month later and the windows are rattling again when it's wet outside... they're going to give me a tube of this and I'll just do it myself. Which is the solution I had to endure with the last S3. Hmmmm...
 
I've read a few dislikes regarding the new throttle pedal. I have to say mine has a nice 'weight and feel of resistance' to it and nothing like what people have said. There's enough feel to prevent any unwanted movement over bumps/ramps etc and the position is as good as the old style bar. All imo of course.

I hated it when I first got the car. I mean, properly hated it. Having driven Audis and Porsches for the last 12 years with a hinged pedal (from the floor) I found it very hard to get used to. I kept over-accelerating and was getting a lot of fatigue in my right ankle and calf on longer journeys. I've now covered just over 4000 miles in my S3 and am now completely used to it, but that did mean having to adjust how I sat to compensate for it. I still prefer the old design, which we still have in our second car, a Porsche. I note that all new Audis (e.g. new RS6, new TT) have this new design of pedal. I think it's a step backwards in terms of design, but there you go. I am used to it now and the same goes for the poor seating and steering wheel adjustment - although there are still occasions when I get annoyed by how high the steering wheel sits above my lap on what is its 'lowest' setting. Personally I think there's been a distinct bit of penny pinching going on in Audi's design department...
 
Yes, it goes away as soon as you open the window. The car went back to the dealer and they applied some kind of lubricant to the window seals which resolved the issue. But, just as per my last S3, a month later and the windows are rattling again when it's wet outside... they're going to give me a tube of this and I'll just do it myself. Which is the solution I had to endure with the last S3. Hmmmm...

Yeah we have discussed it before.....you need Gummi Pfledge (find it on Ebay under that name). Audi will give you the OEM version. Just keep liberally basting it and it will stop very soon. Doing it on all the seals - wind down the windows and spread it everywhere you see black seals. If you do it regularly it will build up so it doesn't keep happening.

Something in your cleaning regime is drying out the seals or it's parked in direct sunlight quite a bit.....
 
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Well, four weeks and approaching 1300 miles into S3 SB ownership, a few of my thoughts:

Having come from two SEAT Leon Cupra’s, I was looking for something discrete, understated and not too ‘in your face’ as a replacement. My Daytona Grey S3 fits the bill perfectly, and unless you happen to be an Audi officianado, most people just see it as a ‘nice’ A3, which is how I like it. That said, within the past week two strangers have complimented me on the car!

Positive:

* Performance – I’ve not really totally opened it up yet, but from where I have explored it, it’s certainly a car to be reckoned with
* Economy – I’m getting around 32mpg average on the daily commute, with a couple of longer journeys thrown in, which I’m fairly staggered at after the 26mpg Cupras!
* Interior – It’s a nice place to be, and the Mono.pur, black inlays, privacy glass and lighting pack all add to this
* Driveability – Doesn’t need to be ‘driven’ in the same way as the Cupra’s. Far more refined, less thrashy and almost drives itself – which is what comes from greater power and torque band.
* Handling – no complaints here – it goes where it’s pointed. Much more fun than then Cupra’s, doesn’t need to be worked as hard, and surpisingly similar to OH’s A1 in this regard.
* The low road tax band. (The DVLA refund of 8 months from the Cupra will pay for the S3 for a year)!

Negative

* I’m still messing about with the seating position trying to find a combination of every variant that won’t irritate an old sporting injury – symptoms similar to sciatica
* A couple of times I’ve found the gearbox a bit notchy at low speeds
* Ten days ago or so I started to notice a slight ‘clunk’ from the drivers door area. This only occurred on certain lumps and bumps and was not triggered by generally uneven or rutted road surfaces. I took everything out of the door pockets, but it still persisted. Having rung the dealer (and still waiting for my call to be returned – that’s actually a first) it’s disappeared over the weekend! The trouble is that I can’t be certain if it was from the window or lock mechanism (window could be open or closed – noise still present). I will get this checked.
* Lastly – and it’s only a minor irritation, the lack of cabin storage/stowage pockets and hidey-holes!

Undecided

* I went for the 10 spoke titanium matt wheels (F38). I don’t particularly like the standard 5 spoke star and wanted something different, and although the F38 doesn’t seem particularly common, (at least around here) I’m not 100% certain it’s the right wheel for the car.

Other than the above I love it, but can understand some of the comments earlier in this thread. I do get enjoyment from driving it, in fact a great deal of enjoyment, but at the end of the day it’s a functional, performing 21st century car. For grin factor, it’s my MG, my weekend toy, that really brings a smile to my face :)

/sorry to interrupt the current 'conversation'

Good write up. Just to say that I had the same issues with the seating, but did settle in, but only at around 3000 miles of driving it. In the end I just found an OK position and stuck with it. After a few weeks, it 'became' comfortable, if that makes sense.

I've got those wheels on my S3. On the 3 door, I think they really suit the car. I have had loads of favourable comments and personally, I am really pleased with them. Not so sure they look so good on the SB as that's more estate like in looks and I think suits some of the other wheel options a little better.

Fuel consumption is for a revelation - I get around 33mpg average and have had just over 40mpg on some trips. Even if I am driving the car reasonably hard, it rarely drops below 28mpg. When you consider the performance it's very good. I had a TTS that averaged just 26mpg most of the time. In fact the TTRS I had averaged 30mpg. I think the 7th gear helped there...
 
The thing I noticed about the pedal is it wasn't the same as the previous model, but once you get used to it, it does not matter. Having been used to an N/A engine the power is just there, with the S3 it has to kick in but it does so very quickly at low revs and keeps on giving. I knew at this point once you get used to it, there is no issue.

The auto box will sometimes faf about, but with my current car I just slip into S when needed, which happens instantly and I'm always at the right gear. The S3 was also the same, but with that much power I didn't need to drop into S!
 
Thanks for the various comments and inputs.

@Pulp84 - the clunk sounds more 'metallic' than glass - if that makes sense?! It's just that to my ear it seems to be higher up the door than the lock mechanism, but then sound travels so the dealer will have it for a couple of days to try and fix this and also turn the wretched 'Komfort Blinken' off (or at least down to one flash).

I do believe that a floor mounted accelerator pedal would help with the specific Audi seating arrangement (as it was on the SEAT), although I don't suffer the same with the MG, (but then the whole seating position is relatively lower). I'll give it another few weeks of both adjustment(s) and doing my leg exercises, and then see where we take it from there :)
 
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Ah OK - I think there has been some reports of some fixings that are loose in the door card.

Agree regarding the accelerator position. Think though this is a result of the new MQB platform as they all have this fixing. Guess it's to do with cost....
 
craigl...did you test drive the car before?
I did. Not for long enough to realise the cars inadequacies though.
Not the first car I've not enjoyed and won't be the last.
C'est la vie.
 
Takes all sorts to make a world......, so here is my different take 6 months and nearly 6000 miles into S3 ownership.

Nil faults
Nil dislikes
I still look forward to getting in it wherever I'm going and do just go for a drive / take long route for sake of it.
Agree with the thread post likes and positives, non of others reservations give me real concerns, but it's a car, it ain't perfection.
The acceleration and stronic 'barb' is insanely addictive. Only real indication is how quickly other cars become small in the rear view mirror.
Holding the steering with interior lights and B&O on is a lovely place to be.
Love the understated looks - maybe because I got the split personality Estoril.
28.3 mpg overall, c39 on three 500 mile plus trips. First couple of miles lucky to see 20 mpg.
Yet to see (15 months of looking) another one on the road (2 Golf R's tho')

Ok, it's German, not Italian so not quite as radical, exciting to run your sponge over or in bends as the early Alfa GTV I had many years ago.
Can I think of any another car I'd (realistically) prefer to own at this time - No.

Enjoy yours.
 
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I am really surprised at how light the car feels, so responsive. The S tronic on this is excellent.
 
I commented above (post #818) and in another couple of threads about the rattle from the drivers door. After 10 weeks, I was virtually convinced it was the window, but being intermittent, was a bit of a bu**er to diagnose :) Today it went to the Dealer's for rectification.

That said, when the Master Tech drove it this morning, he did hear it and was relatively convinced that it was the lock mechanism.....

The dealership was shut this evening when I called to pick it up (I was delayed, but they had arranged for me to pick it up from the night security guard!). Because of this I couldn't have a discussion, but did manage to have a quick read of the job card. I will talk to them tomorrow, but basically it seems that they removed the door card and tightened all tighten-able fittings. Most tellingly, perhaps, they released the window adjuster and re-tightened it. There was a comment about 'de-stressing' it on the job card.

It's only 10 miles home from the dealership, and whilst 'so far so good', time will tell :)

On the other issue, I was advised that Audi (UK) have said that it is not possible to re-programme the 'Komfort Blinken' to enable only one flash rather than three (soft touch indicators). I'm not entirely convinced on this - I had this un-programmed on my last two SEATs. I may speak to Audi directly. Watch this space.
 
I commented above (post #818) and in another couple of threads about the rattle from the drivers door. After 10 weeks, I was virtually convinced it was the window, but being intermittent, was a bit of a bu**er to diagnose :) Today it went to the Dealer's for rectification.

That said, when the Master Tech drove it this morning, he did hear it and was relatively convinced that it was the lock mechanism.....

The dealership was shut this evening when I called to pick it up (I was delayed, but they had arranged for me to pick it up from the night security guard!). Because of this I couldn't have a discussion, but did manage to have a quick read of the job card. I will talk to them tomorrow, but basically it seems that they removed the door card and tightened all tighten-able fittings. Most tellingly, perhaps, they released the window adjuster and re-tightened it. There was a comment about 'de-stressing' it on the job card.

It's only 10 miles home from the dealership, and whilst 'so far so good', time will tell :)

On the other issue, I was advised that Audi (UK) have said that it is not possible to re-programme the 'Komfort Blinken' to enable only one flash rather than three (soft touch indicators). I'm not entirely convinced on this - I had this un-programmed on my last two SEATs. I may speak to Audi directly. Watch this space.


Thanks for this. Other members have blamed the seals but it has never felt like that with my rattle, though it does stop if I roll the window down a few inches. I will definitely point my mechanic at the window adjuster and see what the result is.
 
Thought I would write some feedback on my 8V Audi S3 3 door, perhaps it will help with deciding what options to get or if you should get one at all.

Options

S tronic

Sepang Blue

Electric door mirrors and auto dimming

Super Sport Seats

Comfort pack

Hold assist

Mono pur

Sound system

Adaptive lights

5 year warranty

Advanced key

Reversible boot mat

Privacy glass

No smoking pack (you lose the silver Audi ashtray – costs £50 extra if you want it back!)

Sat Nav

From order to collection it took about 9 weeks. I got the factory confirmation and I think I was given a cancelled or unallocated slot; it had BW30 as accepted and then BW39 as confirmed.

On collection everything was generally fine, options all there, no swirls on paint and mileage was 17, but the PDI sheet stated 4 and the service sheet stated 0, also there was white chalk like bits all over the interior and lining of the metals all around the car...but anyway I went on my way.

Coming from a A3 V6 you get used to the haldex system engaging when you open the door, it lasts a bit longer and sounds more robotic on the S3 and once you start it up you enjoy the growl and slowly begin to forget the V6 purr. I thought the lack of floor pedal would bother me, well, it didn’t.

I can hear, I think, the metallic rust sound S3 owners are talking about, it’s only on acceleration and sounds like air intake to me. Nothing that concerns me, yet anyway.

The interior is way beyond the 8P and shows quality crafting throughout. The interior lighting package is forever useful and I like the puddle lights, you can also change the floor light brightness. The glass seems much thicker and you are insulated from sound outside, a big improvement in noise reduction from the 8P. I’ve lowered the position of the seat belt as I have whacked the window with it a few times.

Super seats are comfortable and not has restrictive as normal seats around the mid to higher back area, they don’t provide a huge functional difference i.e. gripping you like some recaro’s but they are aesthetically pleasing and incredibly comfortable on long drives. The sides are quite puffy, you can grab and grip them and they go right in, the normal sport seats on an 8P were quite thick and hard to push in. So overtime wear will likely be more evident. The lever for raising and lowering is out of sync, like 1/3 is just no movement then it moves. There’s some stitching coming out of the seat, the German must have forgot to bite it off!

Not related to sport seats but the compartment under the driver seat is not fully covered like in the 8P, so if you put something small in there it falls right through.

I’m not doing anything special for a running in period however I am taking it easy for the first 1,000 miles, though this was a bit hard, as soon as I stepped on the motorway a C63 is circling so that was fun...ish. I got to see, and appreciate the S3’s handling and speed capabilities. The guy had a set of gold teeth, a whole set, and wanted more but I said no.

I was then passed by a brand new Lamborghini; it had the same wing mirrors as the S3 and the thick steering wheel! Nice to see shared parts!

I am yet to try launch control and the brakes are pretty much like the V6/R32 was, solid feel and just a slight touch is enough in usual conditions to come to a stop.

The car’s acceleration is much more intense than the V6 and gets to stupid speeds like an RS4 would (70 limit of course). That’s the first thing I noticed driving around in the S3, it attracts a lot of ‘racers’ and people over taking in aggressive manners, I really dislike it as I didn’t want an S3 for attention.

The drive select options are slightly gimmicky, they do try to behave like ‘mini’ remaps to the car, I found no difference in handling from auto and dynamic. Comfort seems ok on long motorway drives but I ended up in auto again. Efficiency or economy mode (whatever you like to call it) is a no go area for me, I sit in auto all the time and a quick pull of the knob puts you in S in no time. I have to say in S mode it kicks you forward like you’re about to be pushed out and is quite intense!

In terms of sound, there is some artificial sound being fed through, it’s a nice feature and not over the top. What you hear inside is not the same as outside, outside it sounds like any Mk5 Gti. Each blip in gear change is awesome, I never tired of the V6 notes and won’t tire of this noise.

There’s plenty to faff about with on the MMI, it’s options and on the steering wheel, I’m not a heavy music listener though the sound system upgrade is on par with Bose in my 8P A3. When I tried B&O in the demonstrator the crisp clear sound was nice but not useful for me. I initially had the standard sound system, glad I changed that. If you want to keep MMI permanently down keep hold of the small knob for volume, then it will never come up.

Those unsure of Sat Nav I would recommend you get it if you can, I had SD card preparation and ordered a day before collection, the whole integrated sat nav thing is a neat package, and even pops up on the DIS! The lady’s voice is nice too, she seems well educated!

As expected, the seats easily fold over and space wise is fine, had to load it up and it wasn’t a problem, the boot lid comes in and out easily over the 8P, good improvement. You can also lower the boots floor which is a good feature.

The advanced key function was chosen because of the push start not really anything else, this option comes free and with the same features on a Nissan, so is a tad too expensive but makes each start feel special. I do keep checking no one’s taken it though due to advance key thefts.

Each time I start the car I tap the start stop to turn it off and activate hold assist, once you get used to hold assist you can’t leave it off! You can disable start stop permanently via vcds. If you don’t put your seat belt on the noise is horrible, reminds you of hospital machines, so I disabled that noise right away (vcds)! Added the oil temp to the DIS too, how else can you know when you can drive it properly without referring to the lap timer!!? Audi seem to have forgotten that.

If you’ve experienced many high performance cars like RS5’s, RS4’s and M3s you will have plenty to criticise about the S3 on in depth performance downfalls, however as an everyday car with performance and a generally nice place to sit in, it’s the best car right now, it beats the A45 AMGs interior apart from the seats. The Mk7 Golf R has nothing on the S3’s design and feel.

I noticed the engine gets hot, when you turn it off you will hear it’s mechanical parts unloading for a few minutes and even after an hour the bonnet is way too warm, seems a lot has to be going on to get that much power from a 2.0T. If you sit idle in the car, put the window down and see the fumes.

I’ve run the tank to empty and using 98 now from Shell, after 1,000 miles I may try 95 and see how it feels. On my V6 I ran it on 98 then 95, noticed a very slight performance difference which was barely any difference in real world driving. The results may be the same for the S3, time will tell. Mpg was 36 on the motorway and fell to 24 on town driving.

I had black pack then took it out, very glad I did this, the chrome compliments the colour very well, black pack isn’t a mistake, it’s more of a marmite type thing.

On reflecting I got too excited about the options and colour, the demonstrator was Sepang with black pack, advanced key and I wanted just that.

Sepang is great but I got my first stone chippings on the bonnet and it looks like it’s going to be a pain to clean, it’s best left as a nice colour to look at, I dislike how it screams “hey look at me I’m an out of the ordinary blue s3”.

Mono pur is great but for the sake of a bit of stitching which you soon won’t even look at it seems a waste. The adaptive lights are ok...ish, I chose them over having beam assist, the cornering ball movement is not as useful as beam assist for my needs.

Advanced key is a nice feature but not worth the price, push start is great but once the novelty wears off you won’t think much of it, I usually start my car up standing outside the car, I let the electrics start then a few seconds later I start the car and get in, I can’t do this anymore. The security issue is a bit of a pain as where I go they could potentially take the car in minutes if they have the fob and software.

Would I get an S3 again if I was to re-order? Probably and probably not. My only reason against is that I dislike the attention it brings, my V6 was subtle and you would think it was just a TDI S3 wanna be, with the S3 it’s blatant from the quad exhausts it’s an S3, this puts me off hugely and you get people constantly trying to test you. Like just now an RS and two STs were brooding, bumper to bumper on me and one of them then nearly crashing as he kept coming next to me, I just carried on doing 30 and all three eventually went, I was only nipping out for a few minutes! The deciding factor for me was than an 8P was working out the same on the monthly’s so it was a no brainer.

If I was to order again I would get a Silver S3, with the 10 spoke wheels (not the matted ones) as it looks more subtle and less of the “look at me”. I would take out mono pur, advanced key and adaptive lights and throw in beam assist.

That being said I am grateful for this S3 and hope I will keep it for a number of years.

Hope that helps.

tl;dr – S3 is a great everyday car with joyful performance, attracts a little too much attention and some options are not as great as you might think!
 
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Great write up A3_R. Food for thought as I come to order. Trust me on the mono pur. though. my current saloon has standard and the door armrests feel a little 90's mondeo.
 
Great write up.

The whole mono.pur thing makes me laugh, plenty of people on here deriding the Golf R for interior plastics, then when they go and buy an A3, say

"oh, you must get mono,pur as it hides the nasty A3/S3 plastic bits"

:lmfao:
 
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Great write up A3_Rider :thumbs up:

Interesting thoughts on some of the options :)