Would you change to an 8P?

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daithi23

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I've only just rebuilt my 8L S3, and I love it, it pulls much harder, feels much better, but I was flicking though build threads and found @Doogie... one... what a car!! It got me thinking, do I keep tipping away and adding bits and pieces to my 8L and start stock piling parts to go for 500+hp, or start saving to get and 8P... Right now I can't afford either as getting the hybrid in my own rebuilt, new head with supertech bits and all the other various additions has cost me a small fortune. But I am thinking about what I want to do... what are the 8L S3 owners on here thinking...
 
I was thinking the same recently; I still prefer the 8l shape over the 8P and from what I have read the 1.8T doesn't suffer with coke build up like the 2.0T TFSI
 
I actually really like the shape of the 8p. What I keep coming back to its would I rather dump money into a 2001 or 2007/2008 car. I also like the 2.0tfsi.
 
Personally I could never imagine selling my s3. I'm in love with its lines and the fact that its my first car is also a thing. While I do like the 8p I dont think it looks as good as an 8l, also I'm not gonna go chasing power once I get to stage 2... I hope
 
Personally not a fan of the TFSI engine... the 8P platform itself is ok but an S3 looks much like an S-Line and sportbacks are horrible looking things (IMO)...

TFSI is still in its infancy tuning wise compared to the 1.8t but then it depends what you want out of a car... with a little work they will top 360ish hp (not cheap but achievable and ignoring mappers figures of course...) and they are a nice place to be sat in... the chassis is nice too compared to the 8L but for me the 8L has a better engine and classic looks which is what I look for in a car so I wouldn't be changing to an 8P.... the 8P looks are kinda dull even though they got better in the later facelift versions...

I do rather like the 8V for looks though but again I am not convinced by the engines and gearboxes... seems to be all sorts of issues which is a shame...

I'll stick to my 8L... until I can afford a V8 Vantage of course :)

<tuffty/>
 
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Good points tuffty, I think the facelift 8P looks kind of aggressive and tasty. With a bit of a drop and nice wheels I tihnk it's one of the best (affordable) cars on the market... my opinion anyway.

As for the engine, I think it's becoming more of a staple engine on the world of modding now. I see big figures much more often for the tfsi than the 1.8t, this is without looking at the big builders for the 1.8t. What I'm trying to say is that going for 400hp in a tfsi seems more attainable than in a 1.8t.

I love my 8L. I know it's history, I know the previous owners cared for the car and made some nice additions to it. In fact it was even on here before. But the 8P S3 was the real love at first sight when it came to Audis. I was always more of a VW man, I know they're the same company pretty much, but still.

I can't afford to change now anyway, but it always seems to be at the back of my mind.
 
I do like some of the options on the S3 8P such as the FBMFSW, with those lovely bucket seats and also the S tronic gearbox and more modern Haldex unit.

But the outside just doesn't really do it for me as you can double take an S-line before realising what it is - they are just to subtle out of the factory IMO.

It's all about the wide arches and a traditional Audi colour like Nogaro for example :p
 
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The PQ34's 4x4 drivetrain is more upgradable than the 8P's

Sweet FA you can do with the rear axle diff on the PQ35 & later
 
8l's are still looking good for what is now quite an old car.

I'd need to spend over £10k just to own an 8p, and then start to spend a bit on getting it to a standard i'm happy with.

8l's are great value for performance per £, and with still lots of people supporting them via tuning and mods, i can't justify the 8p pricetag.

Also, i'm beginning to see the prices of 8l's rise, and good low milers are making strong money.

S4 next, if anything.
 
I'm currently a passenger in a mk5 gti and all of a sudden I don't like the engine. I know it's standard but still.

I just love the modded 8ps.
 
I've been pricing up a 8p3 s3 recently. As much as i do love my 8l tqs, it is noticeably getting old, the stone chips are mounting up, a couple bubbles of rust are starting to pop up and it's still on all the original engine parts (clutch, turbo, gearbox etc) so should imagine im going to have some pricey repair bills coming my way in the next couple of years if i keep hold of the car.
Other than that it's going to be a 3.0tdi A5, but i don't think i realistically do enough miles to own a diesel. The v8 S5 is going for similar prices to 8p s3s, as much as i would love the sound of the v8, i dont think i could hack the fuel prices!
 
For me the 8P is just too round and fat, it really lacks the aggressive stance of the 8L and as Tufty mentioned earlier, the S3 8P's look far too similar to an S-Line version. The 8L still looks great to this date, even interior wise, I think it has aged gracefully.

If there was one thing the 8P is better than compared to the 8L (ignoring power), it would have to be the headlights. The facelift 8P lights look awesome! I love my 8L though, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
 
The only thing I like about the 8P is the back end, the 8L back end looks a little dated, but has a more aggressive from and love them arches! Like everyone else has stated the 8P looks like an S-Line. 8V on the other hand :p
 
Natural progression I think from the 8l, an 8p lowered on some nice fat rims does look great, three door only, as the five door looks like an estate car, but if I had ten k to spend, I think I would go for a mk1 Focus RS.
 
In some ways I think the 8P has aged more than the 8L. God I miss my S3 :(
 
I have just brought my first Audi which is a 8L S3, i thought about the 8P but i think the 8L shape is better and has dated well.The 8P seems to have a weak clutch as well.

It took me a while to find a low mileage top condition 8L but i am very happy with it,prices seem to be rising and it will be a collectors car.


Steve
 
8P S3 is just too subtle in my opinion. The 8L seems to have the balance between subtle but something abit different to the other models. 8V s3 saloon does look nice I reckon. I don't actually know what else id have, think I'd skip the 8P though.
 
I'd think about swapping my S3 8L for an 8 P...
Any offers... :blackrs4:
 
Prefer 8p's but I am not rich enough to buy one then start messing with it, if my 8l blows up I can afford to fix it, if I crash it im not still owing finance or ruining my insurance... Plus like others said the 8l is a future classic, the 8p has a long way to go on that fron. Would rather go mk2/mk1 golf 1.8t like klappe or golf rallye or g60.
 
<tuffty/> said:
Personally not a fan of the TFSI engine... the 8P platform itself is ok but an S3 looks much like an S-Line and sportbacks are horrible looking things (IMO)...

TFSI is still in its infancy tuning wise compared to the 1.8t but then it depends what you want out of a car... with a little work they will top 360ish hp (not cheap but achievable and ignoring mappers figures of course...) and they are a nice place to be sat in... the chassis is nice too compared to the 8L but for me the 8L has a better engine and classic looks which is what I look for in a car so I wouldn't be changing to an 8P.... the 8P looks are kinda dull even though they got better in the later facelift versions...

I do rather like the 8V for looks though but again I am not convinced by the engines and gearboxes... seems to be all sorts of issues which is a shame...

I'll stick to my 8L... until I can afford a V8 Vantage of course :)

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...

This same conversation is doing the rounds in the 8P section on and off,and you also find the 8V adopters asking what they moved on from.

If I had an 8L,I'd probably find myself doing the same as tufty,Goubo1 and others here have done,i.e.keep the car I like,and make it faster,better,and more enjoyable,which is exactly what I've done with my 8P.

Tufty's point about the TFSi still being in the early stages of tuning is correct.
In the last year,a pile of new parts have come to the market,almost to the point of being able to build an entire engine from aftermarket parts alone,and slowly,we're getting around most of the little quirks the engine has.

You have an engine which can be stroked(LOL,pun intended),and all of the parts to make a very powerful car,plus,people with the expertise to do so,and that's at least as important as having a parts bin to choose from.

Over in the 8P world,we can pull more power from the engine,with less effortup to a point,but coking and a few other things are problems.

I still like the shape of the 8L.
 
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Upon reflection, there is no way I'd change my 8L. It's my third 1.8T, first Audi, I've a Noggy S3 and I love all of the little details. I'm one for exclusivity.
 
I like the interior especially the dash of the 8p's and the front end of it, but the side profile and the rear end (especially on the 3 doors, the rake of the rear is just too much in my opinion) have nothing on the 8L, also 8l maintenance is alot less.
 
The main thing that puts me off an 8p is the weight, the 8l s3 is hardly "hot hatch" let alone an extra 200ish kg.. 8p is a very nice looking car though.
 
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As Paul said the 8P can be replicated with an S-line kit,the S3 8L did not have a sell out model so you couldn't get an A3 looking like it.

That stance though…I found myself a few times forgetting it was mine and thinking phwooaarr when seeing it.

 
Can a 1.8 Astra SRi be replicated with an S-line kit?
I kid you not I saw one today!!!
Well I say "Kit" but it had Audi S-Line badges on it...
I wish I took a picture but I was driving...
 
Like the 8P but for sure I agree it's very subtle and close in appearance to the A3. But then when I walk up to my 8L, it just looks so good and knowing the car inside and out I couldn't see her go. Besides, as I'm getting older I'm finding that I prefer older cars to newer ones. For me, there's just something special about looking after an older car that's more satisfying than constantly cutting losses and buying a newer one.
 
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kwistof said:
I do like some of the options on the S3 8P such as the FBMFSW, with those lovely bucket seats and also the S tronic gearbox and more modern Haldex unit.

But the outside just doesn't really do it for me as you can double take an S-line before realising what it is - they are just to subtle out of the factory IMO.

It's all about the wide arches and a traditional Audi colour like Nogaro for example :p
Click to expand...

Noggy blue all the way!

Just add all the best bits from the 8p :)

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/oem-plus-build.209150/

Let's face facts on a 8l forum we all are going to say we love the 8l, the same would happen on a 8p forum, having driven my brothers 8p s3 on a number of occasions the interior is a lovely place to be, his had the buckets and flat bottom steering wheel sat nav, Bose, handling was really good, but when it comes back to character and looks 8l wins hands down, the amount of money I've lavished on mine, like many on here I could of had a 8p facelift. But I am so happy with mine, I still turn and look back at it, when that stops it's time sell up!!

I'm waiting to see what the 8v RS3 3 door looks like, that could be tempting maybe ;-)
 
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jitvv said:
...I'm waiting to see what the 8v RS3 3 door looks like, that could be tempting maybe ;-)
Click to expand...

It will be an ugly sportback no doubt lol... what we really want the RS3 to be is this...

17417402302 714cd31024 b


<tuffty/>
 
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That does rather nice. I've always thought that the S3/RS3 should be a hatch/3 door though. To me anyway that's the way it should be. Otherwise it's too close to an S4/RS4.
 
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