S3 exhaust sound in car park

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ConorA

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Hi all,

I'm new to the forum although I have been following for a long time!

I have an s3 on order at the moment as you can see from my signature.


So last week my partner and I was on the way to the garden centre and I was saying how I had never scene an s3 other then the ones in show rooms and the one I have test driven, so I have never really heard the exhaust from outside of the car.

Low and be hold, park up the car and there's a brand new s3 opposite. I forced my girlfriend to sit and wait in the car with for ten minutes to see if the owner came out so I could hear the start up and it drive off. (Sad I know)

The owner came out, I didn't want to bother him as he looked like a man on a mission. He got in the car and started it and I could barely hear it, sounded like a normal petrol. He then drove off and still no rumble or anything.

I know it's only a four cylinder but I was still expecting a nice little deep rumble on start up and stuff. Then was even more surprised when he drove off and you couldn't hear anything either, he did only get up to like 10 mph though.

I assume he had his drive select on Eco so exhaust was quiet.

I was wondering what you owners think of the start up of the s3 and the exhaust note on day to day use?

Do you having to be Revving it to get a nice note or does it sound good at low revs?


I'm not a boy racer wanting a stupidly loud car, just love the sound of a nice engine.

Cheers!
 
Should of heard something.

I love the sound of mine as my wife is driving away after dropping me at the pub .

And she drives with the car in comfort.
 
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I have done the flapper mod though so maybe that's why
 
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Was just a bit gutted!
Especially as my rather had never heard it, and then she said oh sounds like my fiat 500 ha!

If I turned off the car in dynamic and then started it, would the flaps then still be open for start up?

Yes I saw that mod, will probably do that when it comes too!
 
I think the valves are always open on start up when you are in park or neutral. Only when you go to drive they will close until 2500 revs.
 
Ohh well, just means I'll have to rev the nuts off it whilst driving!

Thanks for the info
 
Yeah didn't sound anything like that aha
Video gives me hope though!
 
Yea just unplug them, it's easy enough to do, then just tape them up with electrical tape. It's shows as an open circuit when you do a scan in VCDS, but you can just clear it. Even if you don't have VCDS it won't do anything.
 
What would happen if you plugged them back In but didn't clear it when going for a service or warranty work? Would they just think its an error message?
 
Not to sure. I don't think anything like that would effect warranty unless it was directly associated with the exhaust.
 
The S3 sounds like most 2.0Ts, infact it's similar to the Mk5 GTI in noise.

Inside the artificial sound helps but what you hear inside is different to outside.

Compared to the 8P V6 (like the R32) for example it isn't as beefy in noise but it's good enough. An exhaust mod will help if you require sound so much.

I do miss the V6 noise sometimes, but the S3 just...well it can fly!!
 
Oh yes, my friend has the mk5 gti and it does sound nice to be fair!

I'm sure the standard sound will more then suffice and the power will make up for it!

Thanks for the help!

Anyone else's opinions would be much appreciated!
 
Had mine for a few weeks now and I can most definitely vouch for a grumble and a few pops.. whether in comfort or Dynamic. In fact it pops much easier in Comfort at lower speeds as it doesnt hold on to the gears as much (I have an S Tronic). That said, less then 10 mph you are going to struggle to hear a great deal of noise really.

Dont worry ConorA.. you'll absolutely love it I'm sure :)
 
You must accept the sound of a 4 pot. Quite well faked on the S3 but still fake.
I had a 6 pot inline BMW and the sound was way more sexy despite having 100 hp less...but on engine start the sound was not so impressive, just ah mid-high revs.

The only impressive startup I heard until now is the RS4 of friend of mine (4.2 V8 FSI)

But I agree that, in spite of the sound, the S3 flies. Mine has a sweet note when accelerating at low revs.
 
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I'm still waiting to hear any sort of exciting exhaust sound from my new S3 irrespective of drive select. Admittedly I've not had it above 4000rpm yet (honest) but compared with my previous TTS its a pussy cat (so far) and just purrs. Thought that by winding the windows down in a covered car park I would hear something but it just sounds 'ordinary'. Maybe its my car the OP (didn't) hear:3sadwalk:
 
Addict said:
Had mine for a few weeks now and I can most definitely vouch for a grumble and a few pops.. whether in comfort or Dynamic. In fact it pops much easier in Comfort at lower speeds as it doesnt hold on to the gears as much (I have an S Tronic). That said, less then 10 mph you are going to struggle to hear a great deal of noise really.

Dont worry ConorA.. you'll absolutely love it I'm sure :)
Click to expand...

That's good to hear, and Im sure I will love it!

Only a few more months to go ha!

Thanks for the info
 
Dickiephit

I'm glad you mentioned the TTS as my friends dad has one and it sounds great on start up!

Think that's what got my hopes up when I heard the s3.

I've heard the exhaust note gets better with time so im sure yours will too!

If you live in Hertfordshire it might well have been your car


Thanks for all your help guys!
 
Just had a blast in mine and its definitely not quiet! Granted, you do have to boot it to get the most noise but even under mild throttle I think it sounds loud driving around housing estates / town centres. Underground car parks are a joy in the S3 (as is terraced streets too).

With this super cold weather I have noticed if anything that mine is quieter on start up though. Seems much louder when the weather is warmer.
 
Thanks pulp84

Yeah I'm looking forward to those underground car park moments!

At what mileage did you find your exhaust sound stopped improving?


And that's strange about being quieter on cold mornings. Does the s3 Rev a little higher on cold mornings?

As my a3 at the moment revs at about 1200-1300 on cold mornings, and you can notice the exhaust note being a bit deeper!
 
ConorA said:
Thanks pulp84

Yeah I'm looking forward to those underground car park moments!

At what mileage did you find your exhaust sound stopped improving?


And that's strange about being quieter on cold mornings. Does the s3 Rev a little higher on cold mornings?

As my a3 at the moment revs at about 1200-1300 on cold mornings, and you can notice the exhaust note being a bit deeper!
Click to expand...
It got much louder after 1200 miles or so.

The up change farts also got louder. I have mine set in individual with exhaust on dynamic and it certainly turns heads!

Just an observation on the cold morning start ups. Or I'm just used by the start up grumble now!
 
I have a Scorpion fully resonated tbe and it sets off the odd car alarm now again haha less drone since the car was mapped aswell.
 
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Pulp84 said:
It got much louder after 1200 miles or so.

The up change farts also got louder. I have mine set in individual with exhaust on dynamic and it certainly turns heads!

Just an observation on the cold morning start ups. Or I'm just used by the start up grumble now!
Click to expand...


Thanks for the help!

Can't wait now:)!
 
500 miles on the clock, empty underground car park, Dynamic mode, 3000+rpm in 1st, window down and can hear absolutely nothing special.
Isn't the artificial resonator thingy supposed to be on the (front?) interior bulkhead so would that not also be heard inside the car during normal driving? And would there not be some identifiable audible difference between drive select settings when sat inside the car?
I'm starting to think there is something wrong / missing (exhaust flaps not opening?) Any easy way to check or am I expecting too much too soon?
 
DickiePhitt said:
500 miles on the clock, empty underground car park, Dynamic mode, 3000+rpm in 1st, window down and can hear absolutely nothing special.
Isn't the artificial resonator thingy supposed to be on the (front?) interior bulkhead so would that not also be heard inside the car during normal driving? And would there not be some identifiable audible difference between drive select settings when sat inside the car?
I'm starting to think there is something wrong / missing (exhaust flaps not opening?) Any easy way to check or am I expecting too much too soon?
Click to expand...

Booting mine in empty underground car parks is borderline anti-social. It's loud - not RS4/RS6 loud granted, but loud enough to put a smile on your face. I think for a 2.0 litre is does make a nice noise.

Either mine is broken or yours is!
 
Pulp84 said:
Booting mine in empty underground car parks is borderline anti-social. It's loud - not RS4/RS6 loud granted, but loud enough to put a smile on your face. I think for a 2.0 litre is does make a nice noise.

Either mine is broken or yours is!
Click to expand...


Maybe you should both post videos of your exhaust revved to like three thousand to compare...


Also to keep me entertained on my long wait:p
 
Your both doing it wrong. foot to the floor in manual and upshift at about 4k revs annnd brake ;).
 
Gear box in S - floor it and full on rifle crack on upshift. Loud as **** in underground car parks

Lovely......
 
They sounds very ordinary, as it's a 2 litre 4 pot. Few cracks during DSG shifts but nothing to write home about compared to an RS3 for example. Still a lovely engine though :)

Rick
 
DSG farts/pops on up/downshifts apart there is no reason why the sound levels should be different on a manual is there?
 
The sound you hear inside is not the sound some one hears outside................
 
Regardless of up change noise, with windows down in said underground car park mine is loud under acceleration.
 
What - the Type R ? ;)

When I drove the one I didn't notice a difference - I did however note the soundaktor thing sounded a bit more fake inside the cabin in the unmentionable car
 
Yes agreed, the interior soundaktor noise wasn't as pleasing as the S3 (I think the S3 tries to emulate a 5-cyl), but externally, when stood outside, the R was slightly louder and raspier.
 
Never thought I'd be concerned about a car not being noisy enough!

Driving with windows up I am only hearing a slight 'drone' from the exhausts and that sound is clearly biased towards the rear. There is no discernible difference between driving modes. Listening to the interior soundtrack referred to above (gearbox difference aside) makes me wonder whether the soundaktor is operating. Can you tell where its sound is coming from - front or rear or all round?
 
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