Is the RS3 worth the extra over the S3?

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monkeyhanger

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2 years into ownership of a 2023 8Y S3 and contemplating moving up to an RS3. My S3 has never missed a beat, but to be honest I've not driven it that much, just 6k miles a year. I work from home most of the time, so it does 2 very short journeys daily school run) and goes down to Milton Keynes with work 6x a year, plus any longer trips we do. For anything less than 200 miles round trip, we use the wife's Cupra Born EV, which is great but dull and cheap running costs if you only charge at home.

Looking at available S3's, 10% discount on in stock cars seems achievable, just not sure about the font end looks with that big black nose which really stands out on anything other than Mythos Black (the colour of my S3) - Looks like Bane's mask in Batman.

Not a fan of the carbon pack, the external carbon stuff looks tacky to me, Tech pack pro looks by far the best value add on, Like the basic 5Y wheels. Thoughts on colour/spec - whether they look better in the flesh non-black than pics imply? Do you prefer understated black or in your face colours like Kermit green (like it, but don't know if I could live with it/too showy?).

I reckon my S3 is probably worth £32k in generous p/x or sale to the likes of Motorway, owned outright. Worth offering in here for a smidge more, given that it came with about £3k options plus 5 year factory warranty?

Really taken a bath on the Born's value (bought for £38k, just about 3 years old now and maybe worth £18k now, might as well keep it for the missus' commute and short family trips as it should lose a lot slower going forward.
 
Haven't test driven the S3 but the Audi's sales guy on their Quattro test drive tour said it's better than you would expect and now by the facelift not too far behind the RS3 if you haven't got the money to reach the RS. That was after my RS3 test drive. I was totally blown away by it and returned the key with huge grin on my face, even though it was just a brief drive mostly on a motorway and it's a car that's totally out of my reach. But I can still say the RS feels and looks more special, hands down. Even though the S3 would perform more than enough, it still kinda looks like a cool A3, while RS3 has got a serious sports car vibe.

Anway, looks like you will find a justification to go for either. It's more about which one you want to be reasoned to yourself as a right choice.
 
JKP said:
Haven't test driven the S3 but the Audi's sales guy on their Quattro test drive tour said it's better than you would expect and now by the facelift not too far behind the RS3 if you haven't got the money to reach the RS. That was after my RS3 test drive. I was totally blown away by it and returned the key with huge grin on my face, even though it was just a brief drive mostly on a motorway and it's a car that's totally out of my reach. But I can still say the RS feels and looks more special, hands down. Even though the S3 would perform more than enough, it still kinda looks like a cool A3, while RS3 has got a serious sports car vibe.

Anway, looks like you will find a justification to go for either. It's more about which one you want to be reasoned to yourself as a right choice.
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Subject to not getting beaten down tomorrow at handover, my S3 has sold to a local prestige used car dealer for £31050 via Carwow's auction selling (similar to motorway). Was also on Motorway, but they suggested a much lower reserve price and biggest bit on Motorway was about £300 less than Carwow.

I scoured the Auto trader, DTD and dealer group websites for prices and asked about on a few Facebook groups. Also checked out the Audi website for new stock already at dealerships and rang around. Some places offering very little off, best seemed to be advertising £6k off list. In the end I managed £8170 off list for standard RS3 plus red calipers, Tech Pro+ pack in Mythos black - £57740 Inc 2 years service pack.

Still haven't test driven one, but I'm certain it'll blow me away like my pre-FL S3 didn't quite manage. Picking it up from Audi Liverpool on Saturday morning to drive back to Newcastle.
 
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S3 now gone for expected money and just counting down the days to jump on the train to Liverpool early on Saturday morning to pick up my new RS3. The company who bought my S3 are only 6 miles from me, so I drove the car there and got a lift back. They had a 2022 RS3 in stock, so I asked for a lift home in it. When we got on the dual carriageway, the driver opened it t up to accelerate from 50 to 113mph, then straight back down to 75. I was impressed.
 
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RS3 is much more of an event than the S3 - had two S3 8V's before moving to our pre FL Vorsprung RS3 in Sept 2023, some 23 months after ordering. We're getting nearly 10mpg less than our S3 and will need 4 new tyres at 14,000 before its serviced next month
 
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NOJ’S TOY said:
RS3 is much more of an event than the S3 - had two S3 8V's before moving to our pre FL Vorsprung RS3 in Sept 2023, some 23 months after ordering. We're getting nearly 10mpg less than our S3 and will need 4 new tyres at 14,000 before its serviced next month
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14k miles? That's mad. I kept my 2015 Golf R for 32k miles and the original tyres still had 3.5mm on them. Granted, the R "only" had 300ps, but it seemed as though the 4wd haldex system's traction was good for preserving the rubber. Were they Bridgestones by chance? Bridgestones now only come with 5.9mm from new - my new RS3 is coming on Bridgestones .
 
Having learned your opinion about Bridgestones, gotta ask if you're going to swap them instantly?

MPG and tyre longevity may depend on the driving style, not just the car, but why would you think to drive the RS3 similarly than S3. The high notes of the 5-cyl engine just need to come heard and getting them out isn't practically fuel and tyre saving way of driving...
 
monkeyhanger said:
14k miles? That's mad. I kept my 2015 Golf R for 32k miles and the original tyres still had 3.5mm on them. Granted, the R "only" had 300ps, but it seemed as though the 4wd haldex system's traction was good for preserving the rubber. Were they Bridgestones by chance? Bridgestones now only come with 5.9mm from new - my new RS3 is coming on Bridgestones .
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Bridgestones from the factory, have already had to replace the fronts due to pothole damage to the tyres causing ballooning. Our S3's did 25K on Continental Sport Contact 5's and then Goodyear F1 Supersports quite happily. Will probably switch to PS4S at the end of the month on the RS3.
 
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JKP said:
Having learned your opinion about Bridgestones, gotta ask if you're going to swap them instantly?

MPG and tyre longevity may depend on the driving style, not just the car, but why would you think to drive the RS3 similarly than S3. The high notes of the 5-cyl engine just need to come heard and getting them out isn't practically fuel and tyre saving way of driving...
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To be fair, I don't think I'll be able to swap them out instantly as i'm "withdrawing" from my PCP agreement as soon as I collect the car, in order to keep the deposit contribution and pay the balance off in full within 30 days. It'll completely wipe me out and I'll be skint for a few months. I'll give them a chance as I have heard they are different (better) from the usual Potenzas, but not expecting them to be. If swapping out in the near future, it would almost certainly be for Michelins PS4S or PS5.

I won't be driving like a complete hooligan, but I will make good use of the acceleration up sliproads etc. I doubt my driving style will change too much from Golf R, S3 etc, so maybe I'll get 25-20k miles out of them.
 
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We did similar, paid of the finance, salesman didn't want to know what we were doing as I'm guessing he was still hoping to get his finance bonus
 
Yep, not telling him. As per full disclosure with the finance selling scandal, it's stated on my finance docs that the dealership will get £670 in commission if I were to keep the finance going, sales guy would probably likely to see £70 of that in personal commission.
 
Got my car on Saturday (Mythos Black, standard RS3 Sportback with Tech Pro pack and red calipers), and it is light-years ahead of the S3 in driving feel.

I used to have a MK7 Golf GTD, and a few mates had GTIs, the ride was firm and a little brittle for both cars on 18" wheels. Then I got a MK7 Golf R on 19" Pretorias and the ride was firmer yet more forgiving, seemed to defy logic given less rubber.

It's the same story on this RS3 - the ride on the outgoing S3 was very brittle, the hardest and most unforgiving ride (still manageable), but the RS3 is like that difference with the Golf R - firm yet compliant. Proof in the pudding was the dashcams I have. There's a shock based "incident" alert. I removed the dashcams from the S3 last week and refitted in the RS3 yesterday and the alerts are down about 80%. The DSG box is programmed a lot better on the RS3 too, absolutely no brain farts, unlike the S3's, where it would often do something daft/be in an unexpected gear. Throttle response (not talking about power, which is obviously up) is massively better too. No regrets at all.
 
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2 x 8L S3’s modded
1x 8p S3

And swapped to a 8P RS3 which unkempt nearly 9 years. ( MK1 ) I would say yes every time
For that superb 5 pot . So much so we are planning a RSQ3 Sportback as the main car next.

I want a pano roof and 400hp , wife fancies a small suv , and the rsq3 will give me a bit more head height on the pano roof that otherwise would encroach into the roof space on a RS3 as im 6ft 2
 
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