copperband
Registered User
Finally had my S3 delivered yesterday and thought I'd post a few observations:
- Sprint Blue looks amazing,especially in the Sun! So pleased I went for this colour now,it seperates the car from the other A3's and really compliments the silver of the mirrors,wheels and front grill.
- Interior is better than I remember from my TD, everything feels really good quality and looks the part. I love the little hand brake and the amount of storage space. I am a little bermused as to why they didn't keep the brushed aluminium theme throughout the interior, the door handles inside are sort of matt silver and sort of shiney silver,the circles round the heating vents are shiny? Another very small niggle is why the rev counter has S3 on it but the Speedo doesn't? The only thing that looks and feels cheap are the stalks for indicators, I guess they are standard parts on all in the range, for me they feel a little spindley and like they could snap off if you were heavy handed?Small point though.
- The driving position is very comfortable and the seats and pedal position are excellent.The triangle by my left knee which bothered me on the TD seemed to bother me less now that I have adjusted the seat as I like it (low down but forward enough that I can put my wrists on top of the wheel when sat back as instructed by Tiff Needel!)
- The space inside doesn't feel much less that my BMW and there is plenty of room in the boot.I went to see my ICE installer and they are hopeful to be able to put all my amps,etc hidden away behind the false sides which enclose the wheel arches.
- Delivery was on Transporter and the driver apologised for the lack of fuel in the car, he wasn't joking, it had 19 miles on the clock and had a range of 10 miles left,ie the needle didn't move from red. I called the garage (Slough Audi) to thank them generally for their service and mentioned the fuel, they said go and fill it right up and send them the receipt and they will send me a cheque.Clearly someone at the delivery company could be on a scam of not filling the car with at least 1/4 tank like they should, on a lot of cars that could add up very nicely?
- Took it for a drive out to Shell for the Vpower fill up, there is a bit of dual carriageway around there so gave the car a few heavy right foots as I couldn't resist it As far as the run in period goes I have always been told by those in the know that the most important thing is to drive the car in as varied way as possible, so not to drive it like a maniac but then also not to just drive it below 4000rpm in a high gear.I've been told to drive with all different styles using as many of the gears and at different speeds.To get in and just drive 1000 miles in 5th gear on the motorway is one of the worst run in's nowadays as the engine is technically run in and loosened up on the bench.Some will disagree I'm sure, but it's worked fine for me on the last 5 or 6 new cars I've had.
- The drive, I love but then who with and S3 wouldn't say that I was worried it wouldn't be as big a performance leap from my 330Cd BMW as I wanted but all I can say as I have before is that its a completely different drive. There seems to be 3 distinct powerbands, the below 3500rpm when not that much happens then a strong feeling of power and torque with a controlled "pull" to just over 6000rpm then a real (Knightrider turbo boost button like) kick between about 6300 and the rev limiter.Obviously only did this twice but is is astonishing how diffferent each is? I really like it and maybe its more pronouced to me as I have moved over from a diesel engine which has a much shorter rev range and a strong power band between 3500 - 5500 but smoothly delivered. It almost feels like if you changed gear before 6000rpm each time you'd be missing out on 50% of the cars performance? Anyway, the overall impression is highly positive one and I'm looking forward to a few more drives today! My brother came out with me and was very impressed but suggested I still get it Superchipped as that might smooth out the powerband a little (my BMW was chipped) and give me even more smile factor:icon_thumright:
- The handling is spot on too, i've never had a 4wd car before and test driving cars like the imprezza always wowed me in the past with the grip and surefootedness, the S3 is no different and really gives great confidence and smooth power delivery from wheeels to road.
- To finish where I started, the brakes are awesome,well done Audi I have never driven a car that has stopped so well. I had a 205gti many years ago with vented discs and fast road competition brakes pads which stopped well but this S3 is like nothing else and although it gives a hint of pulling to the left slightly on hard,hard braking it seems to right itself before loosing any balence. As an advanced driver I sometimes look for some of the boring aspects to a cars performance because if you are going to drive fast it has to be as hazzard free as possible and safe and to have the reassurance of such good brakes for me is almost as impressive as the speed and acceleration.
So Overall :icon_thumright::icon_thumright::icon_thumright:
Strangely, not see any S3's in Bristol then driving back from Shell garage yesterday I passed another Sprint Blue going the opposit direction almost right outside my house, flashed lights but he didn't return the compliment
- Sprint Blue looks amazing,especially in the Sun! So pleased I went for this colour now,it seperates the car from the other A3's and really compliments the silver of the mirrors,wheels and front grill.
- Interior is better than I remember from my TD, everything feels really good quality and looks the part. I love the little hand brake and the amount of storage space. I am a little bermused as to why they didn't keep the brushed aluminium theme throughout the interior, the door handles inside are sort of matt silver and sort of shiney silver,the circles round the heating vents are shiny? Another very small niggle is why the rev counter has S3 on it but the Speedo doesn't? The only thing that looks and feels cheap are the stalks for indicators, I guess they are standard parts on all in the range, for me they feel a little spindley and like they could snap off if you were heavy handed?Small point though.
- The driving position is very comfortable and the seats and pedal position are excellent.The triangle by my left knee which bothered me on the TD seemed to bother me less now that I have adjusted the seat as I like it (low down but forward enough that I can put my wrists on top of the wheel when sat back as instructed by Tiff Needel!)
- The space inside doesn't feel much less that my BMW and there is plenty of room in the boot.I went to see my ICE installer and they are hopeful to be able to put all my amps,etc hidden away behind the false sides which enclose the wheel arches.
- Delivery was on Transporter and the driver apologised for the lack of fuel in the car, he wasn't joking, it had 19 miles on the clock and had a range of 10 miles left,ie the needle didn't move from red. I called the garage (Slough Audi) to thank them generally for their service and mentioned the fuel, they said go and fill it right up and send them the receipt and they will send me a cheque.Clearly someone at the delivery company could be on a scam of not filling the car with at least 1/4 tank like they should, on a lot of cars that could add up very nicely?
- Took it for a drive out to Shell for the Vpower fill up, there is a bit of dual carriageway around there so gave the car a few heavy right foots as I couldn't resist it As far as the run in period goes I have always been told by those in the know that the most important thing is to drive the car in as varied way as possible, so not to drive it like a maniac but then also not to just drive it below 4000rpm in a high gear.I've been told to drive with all different styles using as many of the gears and at different speeds.To get in and just drive 1000 miles in 5th gear on the motorway is one of the worst run in's nowadays as the engine is technically run in and loosened up on the bench.Some will disagree I'm sure, but it's worked fine for me on the last 5 or 6 new cars I've had.
- The drive, I love but then who with and S3 wouldn't say that I was worried it wouldn't be as big a performance leap from my 330Cd BMW as I wanted but all I can say as I have before is that its a completely different drive. There seems to be 3 distinct powerbands, the below 3500rpm when not that much happens then a strong feeling of power and torque with a controlled "pull" to just over 6000rpm then a real (Knightrider turbo boost button like) kick between about 6300 and the rev limiter.Obviously only did this twice but is is astonishing how diffferent each is? I really like it and maybe its more pronouced to me as I have moved over from a diesel engine which has a much shorter rev range and a strong power band between 3500 - 5500 but smoothly delivered. It almost feels like if you changed gear before 6000rpm each time you'd be missing out on 50% of the cars performance? Anyway, the overall impression is highly positive one and I'm looking forward to a few more drives today! My brother came out with me and was very impressed but suggested I still get it Superchipped as that might smooth out the powerband a little (my BMW was chipped) and give me even more smile factor:icon_thumright:
- The handling is spot on too, i've never had a 4wd car before and test driving cars like the imprezza always wowed me in the past with the grip and surefootedness, the S3 is no different and really gives great confidence and smooth power delivery from wheeels to road.
- To finish where I started, the brakes are awesome,well done Audi I have never driven a car that has stopped so well. I had a 205gti many years ago with vented discs and fast road competition brakes pads which stopped well but this S3 is like nothing else and although it gives a hint of pulling to the left slightly on hard,hard braking it seems to right itself before loosing any balence. As an advanced driver I sometimes look for some of the boring aspects to a cars performance because if you are going to drive fast it has to be as hazzard free as possible and safe and to have the reassurance of such good brakes for me is almost as impressive as the speed and acceleration.
So Overall :icon_thumright::icon_thumright::icon_thumright:
Strangely, not see any S3's in Bristol then driving back from Shell garage yesterday I passed another Sprint Blue going the opposit direction almost right outside my house, flashed lights but he didn't return the compliment