reliability??????????

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mdwyer

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Hi,
Is the S3 the most unreliable Audi ever or am i just unlucky? my old 90q was the most reliable car i have ever owned hads it 13 1/2 years and only ever changed the brakes/disks and 1 wheel bearing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif and did 110,000 miles of hard driving and it cornerd a lot better than the S3.
Had the S3 2 1/2 years and it's been /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif spent more on it than i care to mention 77,000 miles and it needs something doing all the time, it's put me off for life ,it's about time they stopped using asylum seekers to build them and start using our german friends again.
A future ex Audi owner .Merdock
 
Oh dear.

Engine-wise, my S3 has been perfect (done 42K miles). I had to have a new clutch, but that might have been due to me having the remap.

Otherwise, I have had a few niggles with the electrics: headlights not aligning, door showing open when shut, petrol gauge getting stuck ... fortunately all covered by warranty and no problems since it expired.

Overall, I agree the S3 is not as reliable as the Audi badge traditionally stands for. I understand TTs are even worse.

But I'm still delighted with mine and would consider an Audi again, definitely (RS4 if I win the lottery).

Not sure what you mean by your asylum-seekers comment but all compnies, even Audi, seek to lower their production costs.
 
Me too,3 years and a skin full of faults,my old alfa was so much better,S3 crap...Air conditioning pumps knackered,It's managed to lose the clutch off the front,How gobsmacked is the mechanic ,never seen that happen ,no other damage It's just gone,......
 
I think the S3 is pretty good all things considered, bearing in mind the engine broke on mine so I've probably spent more than most and I've had EVERY fault known to man!

It may not be hugely reliable but just think if you didn't buy new depretiation has been great so you won't have lost that much money on ownership unless you have something SERIOUS go wrong.

Also most of the problems we have things like MAFs, Coilpacks etc arn't limited to Audi and are to a certain extent not their fault as they are mainly made by others mainly bosch / hitachi.

The only thing that really bugs me are the ARB bushes / creaking from suspension but arn't too bad and even cars that win reliability surveys year after year (S2000) have issues like this but far worse cost wise.

All in all I'd buy another Audi which I didn't think I'd ever say when my engine went bang last year as pretty much all companies other than lexus seem to have serious problems.
 
What you have to consider is that the S3 is a top of the line sports hatch so will be more highly strung than a 90 quattro, and will also be driven harder, so you have to expect more things going wrong than any other A3 derivative. You'd expect everything to be beefed up on such a car in order to cope with the extra stresses, but as soon as you start chipping it then reliability will go out the window, like an athelete on steroids.
 
Bear in mind that if you compare the computer technology on a 90 as with an S3 theres a major difference. The S3 has how many sensors to start with ? I could go on.
 
got my S3 second hand a year 1/2 ago with 30k on the clock, done 51k and it's been quite reliable to be honest, still have the door sensor working up on me, had a few other problems but nothing majour. What kinda problems you havin Fella?.....Merdock <----wizard like?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Me too,3 years and a skin full of faults,my old alfa was so much better,S3 crap...Air conditioning pumps knackered,It's managed to lose the clutch off the front,How gobsmacked is the mechanic ,never seen that happen ,no other damage It's just gone,......

[/ QUOTE ]

Now isn't that a coincidence as the air con pump clutch has fallen off mine too! Car was in at stealers and they'd never seen it happen or heard of it happening before either, must just be our two have had it then /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif
 
Oh, and the driver's side headlight points sometimes at the trees, sometimes at the road 3 feet in front of the car and occasionaly where you're going. The door switches (both sides) sometimes turn off the interior lights, sometimes don't. Car on 2nd clutch by 74K, lots of suspension compoments replaced and it's starting to sound like the exhaust will be the next on shopping list /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif another bill
 
Coming up on 5 years old and other than replacing wear and tear items no problems whatsover. In fact I'd go as far as saying its probably been one of the most reliable cars I've had!

regards
 
Still £640+VAT is still a bit steep for an air con pump,windows down for a while I thnk..

then a door lock
main beam adjust
service due


Nissan 350z for me I think.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Nissan 350z for me I think.

[/ QUOTE ]

You'll be spending a LOT of money on new clutches then from what I hear!

[/ QUOTE ]

Does that say something about the way that the average 350Z owner drives?

I do really like them. I'd have one now if i could afford it.

(why did you rule them out for the next car Ben?)
 
Replaced under warranty:
Boot latch
ARBs

Only thing I've had to pay for myself other than servicing in the last two years and 37k is:

1.New air-con condenser due to a stone going through it.
2. Two rear bearings.
3. New disks and pads.

I've very happy with the reliability, although there are a few creaks and rattles that I should get round to sorting, but aren't urgent.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Does that say something about the way that the average 350Z owner drives?

I do really like them. I'd have one now if i could afford it.

(why did you rule them out for the next car Ben?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Could say something about the owners but I've heard very short lifes (4,500miles) in some cases and for a car that's really been marketed as a bit of an animal I'd expect more from the clutch. It's still on the list but I think they just cost too much to run fuel wise if nothing else.

I may have has a change of heart about new car (doesn't that just happen all the time) but we'll see, I still plan to sell mine as soon as possible and get something RWD and fun.
 
I too am happy with the reliability of my 2000 S3. I've had it for 1 yr and 9 months. Had 44K on the clock when I bought it and now at 83K. Only problem has been a brake master cylinder which needed replacing.

Otherwise sweet as a nut.

Regards,

B.
 
Have had my S3 16 months now, and have had to replace the discs and pads and a new clutch - but apart from that it has been absolutely fine, and still a joy to drive!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Still £640+VAT is still a bit steep for an air con pump,windows down for a while I thnk..

then a door lock
main beam adjust
service due


Nissan 350z for me I think.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's how much for a new aircon pump /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Can you not just buy the new clutch for it as that's what I was hoping to do when I got back the middle of june. New tyres, new front brakes and a multi million dollar service all inside a couple of months, I really do not need to spend another £640 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif
 
Thats from Audi..
£320 from an air con place ,or 100 odd for a reconditioned one.

How much for a clutch for a350z ,,,,,,
 
Why is everyone complaining about new discs & pads?
These are consumables, nothing to do with reliability
 
[ QUOTE ]

I may have has a change of heart about new car (doesn't that just happen all the time) but we'll see, I still plan to sell mine as soon as possible and get something RWD and fun.

[/ QUOTE ]

Know how you feel. Can change a lot!

My S3 in 2 years and 25,000 miles (starting at 35k), the only problem I had was 2 of the coil pack needed replacing.

I think the stories that Ben or others have had are typical of nearly all modern manufacturers these days. Most are relable, but with such complicated machines chances are the odd car is gonna get major problems from time to time.
I'd be more worried with other cars, such as an M3 after hearing about warranty costs etc.!!
 
audi upgrades
Thanks bigvern, £320 seems like a lot better number. Of course £200 would be better still but gotta be realistic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

AndyMac, I for one would never complain about the cost of brakes, I certainly didn't buy Tarox because they were cheap. It's just been a bad couple of months for spending on a car I'm 7,000 miles away from and only my wife gets to drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif
 
I was referring to people including brakes as a cost associated with reliability i.e. "My S3 is so unreliable it needs new discs & pads every 12 months"
OK if it needs new calipers then fair enough but pads, discs & tyres are nothing to do with reliability.
 
Agree with you there, why people buy a fast car and then complain that tyres and brakes cost a fortune and have to be changed regularly is beyond me. The same as complaining about how much fuel it uses and you have to buy Optimax and all that, you pays your money........................!

Have to say though that the number of electrical gremlins is getting me down just a little bit at the moment though, and as for the clutch falling off the aircon pump, how common a fault is that?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I was referring to people including brakes as a cost associated with reliability i.e. "My S3 is so unreliable it needs new discs & pads every 12 months"
OK if it needs new calipers then fair enough but pads, discs & tyres are nothing to do with reliability.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you mean. A freind of mine nearly didn't buy a car recently, as he heard that it needed break discs after 30K!
 
Well from what ive heard about scoobys and pulsar's having rebuilt engines, gearbox's, clutches etc.. You dont tend to hear that about german engineered cars imo.

And regards to replacing brake disc's and pads, what do u expect on a well built and quite heavy cars?
 
My S3 is without doubt the most unreliable car I've ever owned. Numerous ARBs , Shocks, Coil packs left me stranded twice, that iritating door switch and both rear number plate lights have fallen out !

No such problems with my first S3 though. None with my Impreza either, but it was a box of plastic rivets and cheap chord carpet with a good engine (unless you ****** it).

All said and done though, I'd have another one. Mine has done 48k now and only just had new brakes. Good or me driving like a pussy ?

I fancy a change now, its been 3 years (unprecidented) but , without spending 25+ I don't fancy anything more than the S3. I still like it as much now as the day I bought it.

Chris.
 
It's gone,air con pump was the last straw,Went and bought a 350z ,sliver 1 year old with 1800miles

what a difference in handling ,fantastic noise from the engine,two seats so I don't need to run every tom **** and harry about....

brillant fun £120 of petrol in a week carn't get enough

Still the S3 was good ,just all the small faults got right on my tits
 
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