Letting the internet decide...

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Julio.VB

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Hi all,

Since I can't make up my mind I figured I'd start a thread and get all of your comments on if I should pursuit this new path or not.

Long story short: Had a 2012 MCS, mod bug, track, kart-feel, unrealiableAF, sold, leased a 2017 A3 1.4tfsi MT.

Now its true what they say, once the mod bug stings...it stays forever. Hell I even put a Remus catback on my A3, RS4 rep wheels, lowering springs, and the honeycomb grill. DAMMIT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY STOCK.

But anyways, I've always contemplated getting a second car as a weekend toy. The MCS was my daily as well as the A3, but modding your daily isn't necessarily the best idea, especially if you want to keep it super clean and looking fresh every time you drive it...and those dam rock chips fml.

So as the title says, I'm letting the internet decide if I should get a 2004 S3 8L 225.

Bear in mind I don't have any mechanical experience, I would have a shop do it all, not looking for 500hp on stock internals, I'm more of the aesthetics kind rather than huge power, I live in Chile but the VAG community is fairly big, hoping it will more reliable than a 2012 Mini Cooper S dear lord not fun.

So what do you think?

Here are some pics of my current daily 8v and a 8l on sale:

F0a7b68e 5102 4fb5 bb4b 201356f60679
0c41a291 887e 48d4 8062 5b93c3c49a70
A92ce229 aaed 4f4c 9607 460316293474
E4bb7f9f ac13 4b5e b9f6 d4ebb8398252
035b1ec1 363a 4691 b7e5 4d0698e332a6
 
I doubt you will get anyone on here telling you not to get one as it’s a 8l forum. I’d get it ,but bare in mind they are a bit underwhelming as standard and can be a bit problematic but I still wouldn’t get rid of mine
 
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Tj 0785 said:
I doubt you will get anyone on here telling you not to get one as it’s a 8l forum. I’d get it ,but bare in mind they are a bit underwhelming as standard and can be a bit problematic but I still wouldn’t get rid of mine
Click to expand...

Lol that was the idea since I kind of want one, but since you mention underwhelming/problematic, could you please elaborate? I don't want to buy something that will sit in my garage for months because of a constants issues.
 
They are heavy cars for the size I went to get mine remapped after buying it because it felt a bit slow turns out it already had a stage 1 map and was 248bhp. But if you plan on modding it shouldn’t be an issue. Tbh they are things that go wrong with them but they are 15 -20 years old ands its nothing major ( hopefully) like haldex, sensors in general , clutch pedal snaps, bushes have a look through the 1st few pages and you’ll get the general idea of common issues and which way people tend to mod them. I’d say go for it if it’s a decent example and enjoy it
 
superkarl said:
8L will not be reliable and you have no mech experience so I’d say stick to your sales rep-mobile
Click to expand...

YES! Thanks lol! And I see tcg liked it so 2vs1 . I'm done!

I'll def stick to my sale rep-mobile and stick to my Golf GTI Mk7.5 path when the lease is up in December. Stage 2 that thing, burn the warranty off but yolo amirite?

Jokes aside, thanks for the honesty. That's why I rather ask in a S3 8l forum so I get the feedback from the owners themselves rather than fanboys.
 
If it is a good looked after car i don't see why it won' be reliable. See what work has been done on it and look at any paperwork it comes with and go from there
 
Julio.VB said:
YES! Thanks lol! And I see tcg liked it so 2vs1 . I'm done!

I'll def stick to my sale rep-mobile and stick to my Golf GTI Mk7.5 path when the lease is up in December. Stage 2 that thing, burn the warranty off but yolo amirite?

Jokes aside, thanks for the honesty. That's why I rather ask in a S3 8l forum so I get the feedback from the owners themselves rather than fanboys.
Click to expand...
It’s a harsh truth but these cars are old, unless it’s maintained by an enthusiast it WILL have hiccups, and it doesn’t seem from what you’ve posted that you want that, not that anybody does, but their needs to be a realisation that these cars are old, will require lots of maintenance, especially when modifying.
That’s not to say they’re great cars, they are, but they’re not easy
 
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i'm on my second - they do get under your skin... that being said, they are getting old, therefore will become a giant chasm into which you are throwing your money..

as above - great cars, but not easy
 
superkarl said:
It’s a harsh truth but these cars are old, unless it’s maintained by an enthusiast it WILL have hiccups, and it doesn’t seem from what you’ve posted that you want that, not that anybody does, but their needs to be a realisation that these cars are old, will require lots of maintenance, especially when modifying.
That’s not to say they’re great cars, they are, but they’re not easy
Click to expand...

mrsingh2u said:
i'm on my second - they do get under your skin... that being said, they are getting old, therefore will become a giant chasm into which you are throwing your money..

as above - great cars, but not easy
Click to expand...

I appreciate the honesty! The S3 8l was the only one grabbing my attention because the Citroen Saxos, civics, and the like are all "bleh". I wouldn't look back and appreciate the car by the looks of it. Since I am more of the aesthetics kind and the S3 8l has sure aged well.

I'll up my minimum age to closer to the 2010s I think. But those cars aren't as affordable as the early 2000's and then again, haven't given that era much thought to think of a model I would have as a weekend toy. The mini was close to it, but boy was it unreliable as hell.

S3 8ps don't kill me for looks and they are double of what the 8ls are going for locally. And the rest of the audi line-up is too big of a car for the time being

Thanks again!
 
I would not buy another S3 apart for maybe as a donor car / spares for my existing Audi 8L S3 money pit.

they're pony <-- because s.h.i.t.e is a swear word -- to be fair they are not as expensive as bringing up kids but just as reliable.
 
Agree with those saying that they're nice things but need a lot of work. I'm not mechanically gifted either and must have put at least the purchase price back into the car again, just in doing all the things that age - bushes, locks, seals, that kind of stuff - and there's still more to do! That's before you get onto modifications...I genuinely daren't add things up...

Mine has been pretty reliable in four years and 30,000 miles but then I haven't done any power mods! It's only properly let me down once when the auxiliary belt went walkabout, and I'm pretty sure that was just a case of it never having been replaced :whistle2:

If you want to keep one and admire it, I wouldn't be put off. If (as it sounds) you want a toy that won't need much work (or funds), this isn't the car for you!
 
tomjol said:
Agree with those saying that they're nice things but need a lot of work. I'm not mechanically gifted either and must have put at least the purchase price back into the car again, just in doing all the things that age - bushes, locks, seals, that kind of stuff - and there's still more to do! That's before you get onto modifications...I genuinely daren't add things up...

Mine has been pretty reliable in four years and 30,000 miles but then I haven't done any power mods! It's only properly let me down once when the auxiliary belt went walkabout, and I'm pretty sure that was just a case of it never having been replaced :whistle2:

If you want to keep one and admire it, I wouldn't be put off. If (as it sounds) you want a toy that won't need much work (or funds), this isn't the car for you!
Click to expand...

What seals did you replace? Door and sunroof? I’m getting a lot of moisture on the inside off the windscreen
 
I wouldn’t of thought so since I not drove it in close to 18 months
 
I've had my S3 for approx 40,000 miles a lot due to 1k trips for touring car events and camping. I'd class myself with very little mechanical skills but with the help of the forum managed loads of jobs myself.

Basically love my S3 and love doing the small jobs. In the 4 years I've had it it's never let me down and with out a doubt it's the coolest car I've had.

If you want a car you will turn around and look at and think that's mine and smile ... I think a S3 8l is hard to beat .

Lastly a 1k trip in a S3 8L is effortless due to comfort in ride and the recaro seats
 
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moisty said:
I've had my S3 for approx 40,000 miles a lot due to 1k trips for touring car events and camping. I'd class myself with very little mechanical skills but with the help of the forum managed loads of jobs myself.

Basically love my S3 and love doing the small jobs. In the 4 years I've had it it's never let me down and with out a doubt it's the coolest car I've had.

If you want a car you will turn around and look at and think that's mine and smile ... I think a S3 8l is hard to beat .

Lastly a 1k trip in a S3 8L is effortless due to comfort in ride and the recaro seats
Click to expand...
yeah I use to do around a 1000 miles a week most I done was 1300 mon-fri with work the 1st year I had the car I put 23000 on the clock can’t wait to get it going again

Stuart B said:
maybe mice?
Click to expand...
Better fu***** not be we got 5 cats (not by my choice was happy with two and the dog but she joined a cat rescue Facebook page come home from work one day 2 more cats and then a stray turned up) last time I had a look al the carpets felt dry but the inside of the windscreen looked like it’s been raining
 
Just the boot so far, driver’s door may need doing but I think the culprit there is really the hinge sagging. No sun roof so I (luckily?) don’t have that one to worry about.

I’d bet it’s just drains clogged with leaves etc and the void under the scuttle panel flooding? If you take it for a spin there’ll be a horrible sloshing noise and it’ll pour through the pollen filter and under the glovebox onto where your passenger’s feet would be. I did fit a deflector thing to the front of the filter housing (got a 6N part number somewhere) which seems to reduce the pour-through but that won’t do anything if the car is just sitting.

My scuttle is a really bad fit and has been bodged in the past with some sealant, I think because the windscreen is a **** replacement...that’s on the ******* list too but I’m trying to put it off until I can have some paint done. Anyway in heavy enough rain water runs underneath it and straight onto the pollen filter. Woo.

See what we’re talking about OP?
 
I agree with the rest of the guys, it is a great car but it is not without its issues especially due to its age. I have had mine for the last 8 years and covered just over 65,000 miles. I try not to tot up how much I have spent over those last 8yrs but probably a lot less than others on here.

It is a car that will bring you joy and pain depending on well you look after it. I have yet to go down the big power route myself, hopefully something to look forward to after a respray gets sorted.

If you haven’t already, get a test drive in it and see what you think. As mentioned previously the comfort in the cabin on longer drives is brill.

Good luck with your decision,

Matt
 
My car has over 160k miles, 40k done by me, and its never let me down.
I love how planted my car feels, with only basic suspension and alignment.
 
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I think there is a couple of members on here who have been silly enough to buy absolute pups, then blame it on the car.

I seeked out a good, low mileage one before I bought it, and although I have since spent about 3 times the asking price since modding it, who cares, thats what I do.

Its currently running at 348BHP, has been on Euro jaunts, Nurburgring etc, and has been 100% reliable in the 14,000 miles I have had it.

At a recent track event at Knockhill I got to take a Civic Type R out for a few laps, and this has seriously highlighted how awful the S3 handles to me (even after having thrown £XXXX at the suspension, brakes, tyres).

Hell, even my 2014 Octavia VRS Estate diesel family car would show it a clean set of heels on a twisty road. Things have moved on so much.

But I still won't sell it.

Buy a good one in the first place, be aware of its limitations and enjoy it for what it is.
 
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