Hello I have a 2007 S3 8p that’s stock I was thinking about putting it to stage 2 but my car is high mileage(100k+) looking for any advice also can someone recommend an exhaust system for the car on stock like to make it sound more aggressive. Thank you
Stage 2
- Thread starter Michael270
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The best exhausts for these hands down are the BCS systems. They do catback and turboback systems either valved or non-valved. They're hand built stainless steel and have had many years of research and development on them, you won't get a better system for any amount of money from anyone anywhere for these cars. I'd give Nigel at BCS a call for a chat if you're interested but here's the basics..
If you want the ultimate sound then you want the full TBE system, 100 cell race car and the variable tone with the valve. They do 3 sound levels:
Prestige - Dual mid silencers, Sport - Single silencer, or WRC - No silencers. I've got the latter with the 72mm downpipe, 100 cell race cat with the valved backbox.
When driving normally off boost the valve is shut and the exhaust is routed through the backbox and it sounds sportier than stock but not particularly loud, but on-boost the valve opens and it becomes a straight piped system (with the WRC) and is Lamborghini loud with pops and bangs on the gear change (with a DSG at least), crackles and burbles on the overrun. You are looking at the best part of £1600 for these systems fitted though if you go for the race cats, cheaper obviously if you just go catback or cheaper still for non-valved.
If you're after something cheaper, a Scorpion catback system would be a decent option. Avoid Milltek like the plague, those systems are crap the quality is rubbish these days.
In terms of power and remaps, yeah I'd be reluctant to highly tune a car on that mileage. A decent little upgrade would be a simple Stage1 remap though, you can get that done with zero mods if you want but a half decent induction kit and the exhaust would make a real difference. My S3 when on standard maps was producing 292bhp over the stock 262 with just a cold air intake and the BCS exhaust without even being mapped. A Stage1 map would have taken that to around 310-320bhp. I'm now running full Stage2+ with intercooler, hpfp and supporting mods and on around 380bhp and 421lb/ft torque but I wouldn't take yours that far on that mileage you're asking for problems.
Make sure you've ticked off all the items on the preventative maintenance thread, especially before doing anything to increase the power or you could end up with a dead S3.
Thank you for that was looking at the Bcs system did you have to get a lambda sensor extension on stage 1? Thank you
Nope, don't know anything about a Lambda extension. Never technically went to Stage1 went straight to Stage2+ was tuned by R-Tech once I'd met all the hardware requirements so unless they did it as part of that but I'm none the wiser..
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On Stage 1, you don’t need to change any hardware. This is the best bang for buck.
If the downpipe is changed for a sports car or decat, there is a chance that the emissions light will show on the dash. To avoid this you need a stage 2 map. Some people are lucky and don’t get the light on the dash by spacing out the lambda sensor with a small extension. However, the standard or stage 1 map cannot make use of the benefits of less gas resistance in the exhaust.
If the downpipe is changed for a sports car or decat, there is a chance that the emissions light will show on the dash. To avoid this you need a stage 2 map. Some people are lucky and don’t get the light on the dash by spacing out the lambda sensor with a small extension. However, the standard or stage 1 map cannot make use of the benefits of less gas resistance in the exhaust.
Was thinking that but with the mileage of my car afraid stage 2 will cause more damage than good
Hi Michael270,
first of all, compliments to the above replies - good info. My info may not be as detailed and may be a bit different as I live in Canada but I thought I'd chip in anyway.
Map /Tune:
I personally went with Eurodyne Stage 1. Paid about US$ 450 a few years back and based on manufacturer's claim I was supposed to gain 50HP - so from stock 200 to 250. Very noticeable gain for that money, I really enjoy driving it. I later added a Newspeed cold air intake, down pipe and a catback.
Exhaust:
I found a decent offer on a MagnaFlow 16716 Sport Series Catback (sometimes called "Touring" series) paired with a downpipe so that's what I have. I love the sounds on my car, yes, it is noisier inside but nice noisier ;-). Cost was about US$ 850 for both.
I decided not to do Stage 2 map or any other significant power improvements as I feel they would be too costly with other h/w upgrades that come along (hpfp, brakes, clutch etc) and I am happy with what I got for my daily driving. If I want significantly more power, I'd rather buy a vehicle (Audi, of course ;-) that is built that way as a package, say any of the RS models.
If you're happy with your car and plan to keep (and enjoy) it for a while, your mileage is not too high in my opinion. I did these two mods around 5yrs+/100Kkm+ and am enjoying it every day !!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do !!
first of all, compliments to the above replies - good info. My info may not be as detailed and may be a bit different as I live in Canada but I thought I'd chip in anyway.
Map /Tune:
I personally went with Eurodyne Stage 1. Paid about US$ 450 a few years back and based on manufacturer's claim I was supposed to gain 50HP - so from stock 200 to 250. Very noticeable gain for that money, I really enjoy driving it. I later added a Newspeed cold air intake, down pipe and a catback.
Exhaust:
I found a decent offer on a MagnaFlow 16716 Sport Series Catback (sometimes called "Touring" series) paired with a downpipe so that's what I have. I love the sounds on my car, yes, it is noisier inside but nice noisier ;-). Cost was about US$ 850 for both.
I decided not to do Stage 2 map or any other significant power improvements as I feel they would be too costly with other h/w upgrades that come along (hpfp, brakes, clutch etc) and I am happy with what I got for my daily driving. If I want significantly more power, I'd rather buy a vehicle (Audi, of course ;-) that is built that way as a package, say any of the RS models.
If you're happy with your car and plan to keep (and enjoy) it for a while, your mileage is not too high in my opinion. I did these two mods around 5yrs+/100Kkm+ and am enjoying it every day !!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do !!
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Thank you for the reply don’t think magnaflow is available in the uk but I’m thinking of getting the Bcs wrc exhaust as it sounds the best of what I heard
Right I get what you mean now about the Lambda extension, thanks for the explanation @prt57
So in my experience I didn't get any EMLs or warnings for ages while stock after getting the BCS TBE with downpipe and race cat fitted, for at least 12 months and around 5-6k miles.
It then came on once, the code was for Cat Efficiency low, I forget the code number but it would throw an orange but not red EML on the dash. Happened a handful of times randomly, often weeks apart, but usually when the car was cool-ish crusing at lowish speeds on the motorway. Each time I'd just clear while driving - I've got a cheap OBDII adapter bluetoothed to the Android head unit and used the free Torque app, the light would disappear and it would happen again for weeks.
Didn't have any issues at MOT either, both garages who have done it since fitting know to drive the car and warm it up before testing the emissions. No idea if it would pass while stone cold but I suspect probably not. Still about a million times less blag than a decat and offers the same performance and sound.
So in my experience I didn't get any EMLs or warnings for ages while stock after getting the BCS TBE with downpipe and race cat fitted, for at least 12 months and around 5-6k miles.
It then came on once, the code was for Cat Efficiency low, I forget the code number but it would throw an orange but not red EML on the dash. Happened a handful of times randomly, often weeks apart, but usually when the car was cool-ish crusing at lowish speeds on the motorway. Each time I'd just clear while driving - I've got a cheap OBDII adapter bluetoothed to the Android head unit and used the free Torque app, the light would disappear and it would happen again for weeks.
Didn't have any issues at MOT either, both garages who have done it since fitting know to drive the car and warm it up before testing the emissions. No idea if it would pass while stone cold but I suspect probably not. Still about a million times less blag than a decat and offers the same performance and sound.
I’ll probably ring Bcs before I order a system and ask there recommendation about a lambda extension to see if it works
