Let The Facelift Begin......

[Lewbo]

So over the past two weeks I have gathering bits for the 8P3 S3 facelift conversion and I am almost there, so after listing my parts on eBay yesterday to gather Interest, but today i got a call saying that they wanted to come and collect the bumper and bonnet for the price I wanted.

so I thought what the heck lets start it today seen as he wants the parts now and is only an hour away.

Off came the front bumper

Then off came the bonnet and headlights and crash bar its pretty straight forward to get here

This is as far as I got at this point as I had loads of other things to do, so will carry on the with rest this week, I have just bought another car to run around in for a few weeks as I take my time doing the conversion. Last one only took a day but I have a lot more mods to do at this time not just the facelift so keep an eye on this thread.

I will also be doing a separate thread on a guide of how to do the facelift to help others out that want to do the same thing.

 

[Ironborn]

A guide would be great, doing this myself soon.

 

[a3glenn]

same here, like you say im picking up parts myself, got bumper, wings, bonnet, headlights, crashbeam, un sure about slam panel as of yet???

 

[Lewbo]

A little update wanted to fit all the panels 1st get them secured make sure they all line up perfect and they did so here is new complete front panel now mounted

then got wings fitted

took a few photos of brackets too, the front one just is fine where it is, hole is not in line but with self tapper re drill

middle bracket needs removing from original place and moved further up the wing where it slots in perfect then just rivet it back on

now all the front end bits, skirts and ret diffuser are getting painted this week so I have been concentrating on the Interior but won't give to much away until job is done.

Hopefully will be done by weekend and get photos of everything I have done.

 

[Donny_DJ]

Nice! Look forward to seeing the finished article. How much has it cost ya?

 

[N8]

You certainly go through cars boyo! Gotta love a facelift

 

[Lewbo]

I will have a total of the job when its done but I doubt no one will believe the price if I told them lol by looks of things.

Haha I know N8 this is for keeps as the house is next thing to buy so get this done 1st, I even have another a3 at the minute I bought my old red on back in my sig to use while this facelift gets done lol.

 

[KemiksiZ]

Great job mate.. I just done it and the outcome is great I believe

I have a special reguest from you; about electricty; could please make a detailed write up about the led & wirings. I have a lot of issue going on with the leds & electricty..


I'll be VERY VERY appreciate. ASH helped me a lot but may if I can see some pictures, it will suit better & I can fix all the issues


Thanks & good luck!

 

[josh rai]

great tread so far I'm looking to do this to a 06 plate 8p2 soo the more detail and picture will be a great help Many thanxs josh

 

[Lewbo]

Facelift is now complete got it done yesterday, many photos will soon follow with the long list of mods I have done while its been off the road.

 

[josh rai]

cheers mate :icon_thumright: looking forward to seeing the end project.. hopefully your tread gives me the confidence to accept this conversion myself

 

[josh rai]

attempt**

 

[Lewbo]

So the facelift is now complete and it looks awesome i must say myself, i have many pictures of the progress and other mods i have done at the same Time

Before i started the facelift whilst i was gathering the parts an S3 Leather Interior came up at a price too good to miss removed From a 2011 S3 so was like brand new and i fitted right away so drivers seat out

Then Rear Bench

Seats Fitted in no time

Then i started the facelift as pictured above but here is another picture of it stripped

then parts started building up Brand New Bi-xenons

Tested Fitting the car

Then this turned up brand new S3 FBMFSW with MY11 Airbag

Old wheel off

New wheel fitted

Brand New S3 Bumper Complete

A Few more interior Mods My11 switches

My11 Door handle as Symbols Are different

My11 Centre console buttons and Facelift climate buttons fitted to existing

Ashtray and cig delete

Leather armrest, Brand new S3 Pedals and S3 vents

Then yesterday i got a call to say all my bits had been painted and this is the end result

Got a couple of photos with my other a3 i had been using whilst facelift was getting done and gives me a good comparison of what it used to look like

So Glad to get the car back on the road with the new look and all the new mods feel just like a new car which is exactly what i wanted.

Still have few more mods getting done asap which is

Chrome headlight switch
S3 Leather handbrake white stitching to match FBMFSW ( already ordered )
S3 Leather round gearknob with gaitor white stitching
OEM Bluetooth
Facelift white Led Clocks
MY11 door Mirrors when they come up which i will get them to fold on lock/unlock
Piano black B-pillars
18" Rotors


So all in all i am very happy with outcome and like i said just feels like a new car . All Comments welcome and anyone thinking of doing the Facelift DO IT.

 

[Tempy]

Mate, big thumbs up. The car looks great. Nice and mean looking in black. Those dimpled leather seats are the nuts aren't they? Got mine fitted on Monday. So comfortable and matches the steering wheel and gear knob. I'm tempted by the flat bottom wheel myself but they are so pricey.

Good work.

 

[Lewbo]

thanks mate was alot of work and time getting it all just right, the misses wasnt happy haha, does have that mean look and i love it, yes they really are the nuts, gives the interior such a different feel and are very comfortable, even better when there red hot in this cold weather lol. get flat bottom its what the a3 interior needs, look awesome, mine cost £500 with airbag.

you shifted my/your old seats yet then lol?

 

[Tempy]

mine cost £500 with airbag.

you shifted my/your old seats yet then lol?

Oof. £500 is no small change. I'll have to put that at the bottom of the list for now. I was gonna put off the heated retro-fit when I bought your leather seats but as the new dimples are heated and it's ****** cold, I'm tempted.

Nope, not shifted your old seats yet. Just sold my half leather last weekend and was glad to get the spare room back and now I have another set of leather seats sitting there. Two sets of seats in 3 weeks. My mates all think I've lost the plot, but when something comes up for the price you want, you gotta grab it.

Good luck finishing off the last few bits mate, she's looking lovely.

 

[Lewbo]

That was cos its brand new tho plus get back about £250-£280 back for old wheel and airbag so not too bad if you look at it that way, not surprised your tempted, pretty easy as the elements are already in the seats.

am not surprised your mates think your mad with 3 different interiors but like you say if its a price that can't be passed by, did you have to do another long trip like when you got mine then lol.

Thanks mate appreciate the comment, won't take long till there in I don't like hanging about lol.

 

[AudiMafia]

well done the car looks beautiful

 

[Tempy]

did you have to do another long trip like when you got mine then lol.

Nah mate, they delivered for free thankfully. Save myself another large diesel bill lol.

Just noticed the cig lighter delete. Where do you run power from for sat nav or phone etc? or don't you need it because of the RNS-e?

 

[BigWillyStyle]

Awesome transformation!

 

[Cruiser89]

Well done mate!

Good result... Get A gloss panel for your RNS-e. Cheap upgrade if you don't want to fork out for the whole hog!

 

[N8]

Looking good mate, well done!

 

[martinivw]

Car is looking good Lewis, really would love to facelift mine,when I free up some funds

 

[Lewbo]

Thanks for comments guys, nice to hear that feels even better i have done it myself , tried looking for the gloss panel but can't find where to buy them, do audi sell them seperate?

Just do it Martin, selling your old parts off will help out massively.

 

[josh rai]

Hi mate i'm a big fan of this tread and what you have done.. Soo first of all well done with a great transformation, car looks much younger now..
I also want the self satisfaction to do this conversion but can you answer a few questions first..

1. do you have a picture of the third wing brackets which you had to make for the wing??
2. does the bi xenon lights fit straight in and work without any out configuration via a laptop
3. same question on the indicators
4. and last can you use the same crash bar from a 8p2

thank you in advance and i look forward to hearing from you or those who are willing to help

josh

 

[Lewbo]

Thanks josh appreciate it ok here are the answers for you

1. 3rd wing bracket is closed in a vice as its too deep to slot Inbetween the wing an inner wing

2. Bi-xenons will be a direct swap with coding if you have factory fit bi-xenons already if not you will be adapters and wire the DRLS and xenon shutters to your central electrics if you have the right one, if not that will need changing too. Then lights will need coding to the car so vag com is needed to do this. Also you will need levellers and headlights washers to make xenons legal and pass MOT.

3. Indicators can be coded with vag com if you have the correct door modules which were fitted to late 2007 models onwards, if you don't you can do one of two things, 1st just take a feed from your current indicators and feed them into your doors and connect to your mirror indicators or 2nd you can change door modules and have to re-pin the 20 and 32 pin connectors in order to get them working and then will need coding. This way costs more but is per OEM.

4. 8P2 crash bar or impact absorbers cannot be used on the conversion, your better off buying a complete front panel like I did, cos there it lots of bits needed if you have a bare front panel and can add up


Hope this helps you out mate

 

[josh rai]

First of all thank you for taking the time to reply bk to my post

Ok with regards to question 3 I think I'm going to rewire the indicators using the original feed.. Would be nice to have OEM but too much time n work I'm guessing. Question 4 is simple I'm going to follow your advice due to cost and hassle, I have seen one on eBay for £560 is that standard price ?

Now question one I'm still a ill stuck on ?? Am I right by saying you had to bend the bracket? Do you hav any pictures or do you mind going into more detail.

Also with regards to question one I'm currently selling my car to buy a audi a3 8p2 I can't afford the facelift and even if I did I would still want the s3 front bumper so would you advice buying a Audi a3 factory xenon to do a straight swap with the bi xenon or am I just worrying and buying the adaptors is quick and easy.. Tbh I haven't research or looked into vag com so I don't no how hard or simple it is.

Last do you need a 8p3 bonnet or is the s line 8p2 fine

Once again thank you

 

[Lewbo]

no problem, if you got one with power fold mirrors then mirrors would be plug and play as they are the facelift door modules fitted for this.

£560 is way too much i seen that when i was looking, there is one here AUDI A3 2.0 TDi FRONT PANEL AND BUMPER BAR COMPLETE 2008 - 2011 8P | eBay its good price too and wont hang about long i dont think.

to be honest the 3rd bracket isnt really needed as the 1st two are sufficent enough trust me so dont worry about that.

i would advise getting one with factory fit xenons so you already have levellers and washers which make them legal, and wont fail an mot, plus lights are plug and play with coding, plus selling your old xenons on you will get most or all of your money back for the facelift xenons so would make the facelift about £500 cheaper for a start just from headlights plus a further £300 with you already having levellers ect. if not it can all be retro-fitted but it isnt cheap.

Yes you do need an 8P3 bonnet as 8P2 is totally different

 

[a3glenn]

your right its not going to be around long cos i just bagged it lol,

only a bonnet to go then its facelift time

 

[Lewbo]

Didn't think it would i didn't hang about when I found mine for £120 haha, may know where to get a bonnet too.

 

[Ironborn]

Nice, how much did the front end up costing, excluding the complete S3 bumper

 

[Lewbo]

Don't really wanna say how much they cost me but the full conversion along with all my interior mods everything after selling my old parts was less than £1k

 

[josh rai]

mate thank you!! i really feel more confident to attempt this facelift with all the advice you have given..

1. wings should be a problem
2. front end panel (just a matter of finding the right price)
3. new bonnet

Can i ask when you say the bi xenon is just a straight swap with factory xenon what do you mean then by plug and play with coding?? you also mentioned it with the indicators plug and play with coding this has confused me a lil

cheers

 

[Lewbo]

No problem like to make things easier for others, I may be able to get you a front panel for a good price too, and bonnet, anyways when fitting the front panel, the top bolts go in original holes but has to be pulled right over to get both in but you will know what I mean when you come to do it. Also when bolting it to the chassis legs lift the front panel high as you can and tighten up.

If your car has factory bi-xenon with drls then the lights are straight swap with little coding on vag com. If not then need wiring.


If your car has powerfold mirrors then you will more than likely have facelift door modules so can fit the mirrors and code again with vag com, if not then will need to take feed from original indicators.


Vag com is also known as VCDS you will deffo need it for facelift and is excellent bit of kit of you own and audi/VW ect.


NHN on here is a genuine supplier and they are good price so get in touch with him for one, or sometimes pop up on eBay.

 

[RedDejavu]

S3 Leather handbrake white stitching to match FBMFSW ( already ordered )

Where did you order this from out of interest I need to change it on mine too. Is it easy to fit myself or you need to take a lot apart? Cheers and great transformation car looks mint now!

 

[Lewbo]

you already have one with you having an S3, its exactly same as yours mate

 

[KemiksiZ]

Hi Mate,

Great job, really with the seats!!


Could you please make a write up about the headlights & wirings ?

Thanks a lot, I still got a huge problem with them!

Thanks..

 

[Goner]

Top marks, you must be rolling in the dough, two A3s, all brand new parts.. You must have a small fortune in the black A3.

 

[RedDejavu]

you already have one with you having an S3, its exactly same as yours mate

Yes but mine is a bit worn due to armrest pressing against it which I didnt notice:/. Sorry for not being specific enough

 

[Lewbo]

Thanks aiden am Not doing too bad mate lol sold the other A3 now though, was quick sale so was cheap lol, to be honest I have way less in this than anyone would even think, I got the car at a very good price cos previous owner thought it were knackered when DPF light came on, so took it down motorway and was fine.

then all the bits were really cheap too, the new bits like bumper and steering wheel were from eBay so obviously didn't pay new prices, and I got nearly all of my money back sometimes even profit from old bits. Only thing new from dealers was headlights as wanted them to be mint. Nearly got everything I need now.

no worries got it from eBay brand new it was like £35 all in, will get you the link later