I had intended to do EXACTLY the same Ju but then thought another week on the winters won't hurt:
Still finding no faults with this machine neither in looks, comfort, or performance - just does everything sooo well...
RSQ3 65 plate SQ5 to 65 plate RSQ3
- Thread starter -Ju-
- Start date
I had intended to do EXACTLY the same Ju but then thought another week on the winters won't hurt:
Still finding no faults with this machine neither in looks, comfort, or performance - just does everything sooo well...
I couldn't wait to ditch them tbh, great for the adverse weather and gritty roads (not that they grit anymore!) But totally ruin the look and the long term forecast around here seems better.
I love the SQ5 too John, I just find it can be a little uninvolving and there's no getting away from that diesel noise at times.
I don't think I'll be changing, I'm just exploring a different avenue
I love the SQ5 too John, I just find it can be a little uninvolving and there's no getting away from that diesel noise at times.
I don't think I'll be changing, I'm just exploring a different avenue
I actually like the diesel noise, Ju, but then I've spent a long time with 'em - here's what I was more used to back in the early 80's, a good old Dorman 12Q, enjoy:
Turn up the volume...
We'll see, if the dealers keen enough I'll take the silver one out
Having had two SQ5s I'd say that the RSQ3 is just that bit more fun to drive - more of a driver's car due in no small part to that amazing 5 pot engine.
I would add that unlike the SQ5 that always feels quick because there is so much torque from virtually idle the RSQ3 has more of a split personality. Driven 'normally' then it's smooth and effortlessly rapid - disconcertingly so but almost 'underwhelming' for lack of drama. Try a teeny-weeny bit harder and the transmission drops a ratio and it hurls itself at the horizon with unbelievable haste - Sport Mode? You'll rarely use it as there is so much performance available.
I would add that unlike the SQ5 that always feels quick because there is so much torque from virtually idle the RSQ3 has more of a split personality. Driven 'normally' then it's smooth and effortlessly rapid - disconcertingly so but almost 'underwhelming' for lack of drama. Try a teeny-weeny bit harder and the transmission drops a ratio and it hurls itself at the horizon with unbelievable haste - Sport Mode? You'll rarely use it as there is so much performance available.
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I'd have to agree with the SQ5, there is sooooo much torque it's effortless but perhaps lacks the drama of that 5 pot because of it.
Still a cracking engine though
Still a cracking engine though
Needs an 'investment' in a Cete AVC then you can have aural entertainment all the time....next best mod for an RS after the Redstuff pads.
Maybe we're lucky, Ju, or maybe just it's the previous years of hard work but as you know we have both the SQ5 and the RS3 (and TT, tsk) and agree with everything(!) everyone (!) says about the 5-pot as it is a most wonderful motor, but, as you say above, "there is sooooo much torque it's effortless but perhaps lacks the drama of that 5 pot because of it."
I 100% agree. Nearly 12-months now with our 2016 SQ5... 
Must drive the RS3 more, must drive the RS3 more, must drive the RS3 more, must drive the RS3 more, must drive the RS3 more....
Just caught up with this thread Ju. Interesting dilemma for you 
I must admit, should a RSQ5 FINALLY be released, I would struggle not to have one.
I do quite like the new RSQ3 Sportback, so you never know, next car........maybe
I must admit, should a RSQ5 FINALLY be released, I would struggle not to have one.
I do quite like the new RSQ3 Sportback, so you never know, next car........maybe
Yeah I kind of wish I'd never got the SQ5 now as it's so good.Just caught up with this thread Ju. Interesting dilemma for you
I must admit, should a RSQ5 FINALLY be released, I would struggle not to have one.
I do quite like the new RSQ3 Sportback, so you never know, next car........maybe
My original plan was the RSQ3 but the right one never came along and I saw the SQ. Now the RS seems in some regards a downgrade/compramise.
I've still to take one out yet and the dealer wants all the balls in their court!
I've had that in my watch list for quite a while, they've only just put the pictures up.
I love Daytona grey and the spec, I dont like the lunar silver headlining and the chrome trim unfortunately and it's too far away to see it in person
My 1st RSQ3 had a Lunar Silver headliner - I really liked it, with the diamond stitching in the seats being the same colour it looked perfect and made the interior special.
There were only 865 RSQ3 8U registered in total so finding one on one's doorstep is unusual - I travelled to Southend for the 1st one and, ironically in this case, West London Audi for the current car.
An RSQ3 is a rare Audi - I haven't seen another on the road for over a year. If one considers the running costs of such a vehicle it's easy to see why Audi didn't sell them by the bucket load despite it being the best kept secret in the Audi range
Road fund licence £325
Spark plugs every 20,000 miles - £200+
Fuel consumption Av around 28mpg - 98 Octane recommended
Front replacement brake discs every 30,000 - £500+ OEM pads at £367...hence why running EBC Redstuffs is recommended - minimal disc wear/low dust
Weirdly most people find them cheap to insure though...
Grins per day - priceless.
There were only 865 RSQ3 8U registered in total so finding one on one's doorstep is unusual - I travelled to Southend for the 1st one and, ironically in this case, West London Audi for the current car.
An RSQ3 is a rare Audi - I haven't seen another on the road for over a year. If one considers the running costs of such a vehicle it's easy to see why Audi didn't sell them by the bucket load despite it being the best kept secret in the Audi range
Road fund licence £325
Spark plugs every 20,000 miles - £200+
Fuel consumption Av around 28mpg - 98 Octane recommended
Front replacement brake discs every 30,000 - £500+ OEM pads at £367...hence why running EBC Redstuffs is recommended - minimal disc wear/low dust
Weirdly most people find them cheap to insure though...
Grins per day - priceless.
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I saw one yesterday. Sepang Blue with black pack. Technically, it was a repeat viewing as it was one I'd seen before.
Just love a "Sepang Blue with black pack."
Here's one I saw recently in reflection:
Well I've decided the best car for me at the moment is the one I'm already in.
I've still not driven the RS as I didn't see the point in wasting the salesman and my time if my heart isn't 100% in it and this thread has helped me weigh up the pros and cons.
That's not to say I wont revisit the urge but for me I just cant part with the SQ5 for now
I've still not driven the RS as I didn't see the point in wasting the salesman and my time if my heart isn't 100% in it and this thread has helped me weigh up the pros and cons.
That's not to say I wont revisit the urge but for me I just cant part with the SQ5 for now
Well I've decided the best car for me at the moment is the one I'm already in.
I've still not driven the RS as I didn't see the point in wasting the salesman and my time if my heart isn't 100% in it and this thread has helped me weigh up the pros and cons.
That's not to say I wont revisit the urge but for me I just cant part with the SQ5 for now
View attachment 199103
Last week, Ju, my Stafford Audi news-grapevine told me they are/were attempting to arrange another "ASN/Dealership/RS" day toward the end of April, a Sunday usually - Sandra will inform: and if so they are sure to be having an RSQ3 and the others, so keep an eye on:
https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/forums/midlands.177/
Here is what happened last time:
https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/stafford-audi-dealership-meet-sunday-january-27th-2019.382266/
Will do John...I've been to ones at Harrogate and Huddersfield before.
The RS4 I went out in was immense and had way more grip than my S3 8P with KW clubsports and H&R anti roll bars!.....if only I could justify the cost of a new RSQ3 lol
The RS4 I went out in was immense and had way more grip than my S3 8P with KW clubsports and H&R anti roll bars!.....if only I could justify the cost of a new RSQ3 lol
The B9 RS4 has so much grip and is so totally competent all round that the fun of driving a very fast road car and the feeling of nearing the 'edge of something terminal' is completely removed....that and the dreadful 'Pedestrian assist' feature sealed the fate of mine. The current RSQ3 is coming up to it's 1st anniversary and I haven't missed the RS4, not even for a nano-second.
Well I've decided the best car for me at the moment is the one I'm already in.
I've still not driven the RS as I didn't see the point in wasting the salesman and my time if my heart isn't 100% in it and this thread has helped me weigh up the pros and cons.
That's not to say I wont revisit the urge but for me I just cant part with the SQ5 for now
View attachment 199103
I can't help thinking that would be a very different post if you had actually given it a drive but, hey, you've not spent any dosh and still have a lovely car, so nothing lost!
I'm sure it would if you just go on the driving characteristics and I'm not saying it isn't going to happen, just not yet.
Dont get me wrong if an unbelievable deal came along then I would change my opinion.
I really thought the silver one was "the one" but apart from it missing a couple of important options, the cost to change was too much to bear.....Audi really do take the Micky on part ex so there was no way I was taking a £10k hit in 12 months to scratch the itch.
Going back to this: this valve controller only makes the exhaust loud or not so loud, right? The downshift pops are programmed into the S mode of the gearbox and wouldn't be heard in D, even with the controller in valve open mode, yes?
The Cete Controller gives you maximum exhaust rumble when it's in Dynamic with the Sport Mode pops if you are trying hard enough (in Sport mode the gearbox holds onto gears for longer so engine RPM is higher) and Auto gives you the valve open rumble and Comfort shuts the valve below 5,000 rpm and sounds like a standard car.
Yeah, understand that - it feels over priced for what it is, that said once we are totally out of the EU Customs union it will be even more expensive - VAT in Germany and the Duty+VAT when it arrives in UK...you could view it as a bargain!
And having read the thread in the RS3 section where a few people have faulty ones, I reckon I'm best off saving my dosh...
And that is the 8V RS3 facelift and or whatever, not all RS3's suffer the similar/the same!
For sure ZERO issues here with our 8P RS3! And having driven numerous 8V RS3 just do not see a rational reason to change or that would have happened already. I feel the same with the SQ5, for sure I wouldn't swap for a 2017/20 version! As suggested to Ju already, he should consider my option of keeping his 2016 SQ5 and running an 8P RS3 alongside - must be near the same £s as buying a new RSQ3 of whichever spec' and way cheaper £s wise in the long run. And answers both his interests of running an RS/5-pot and holding onto his own "cannot fault" and stunning SQ5.
That said I'll be running the RS3 exclusively next week; BLUEY is already prep'd and waiting...
Will be interesting to see how you view the RS3 against the SQ5 after that John.
I'd love to own an 8P RS3 alongside the SQ5 but that would be an expensive toy lol.
For now the SQ5 is staying as I can't justify the cost to change
My opinion of the 8P RS3 hasn't changed since 12th October 2011 when I was persuaded to 'experience' a 'demonstrator' at Stafford Audi, Ju; that being followed by our purchasing BLUEY 3-days later, soo impressed. And the RS3 remains an amazing machine with superb performance and agility.
However, me and mine 'have' changed, not to mention 9-years older - and our regular commute is much better serviced by the SQ5, which we both enjoy so very much, and for sure it's a 'keeper.'
The most noticeable difference between the two, not that it matters, the SQ5 so easily returns 38-mpg (summer and winter) over our 'regular commute' while the RS3 struggles to return 23-mpg and that with no difference in the journey time and/or route.
That both are enjoyable goes without saying...
As great as the SQ5 is, I miss the involvement.
Changing the springs and shocks changed that to some degree but there is almost zero steering feedback and there's no hiding that 2 tonnes at times, It does however do what it was designed to do and for its target market exceptionally well.
Maybe I should just go for a runabout Q3 and an 8P RS3 weekend toy.......although saying that I have seen a nice daytona performance RSQ3 for sale lol.
Pretty academic now with this coronavirus as I expect to be struggling for work before too long......self employed and all that
Changing the springs and shocks changed that to some degree but there is almost zero steering feedback and there's no hiding that 2 tonnes at times, It does however do what it was designed to do and for its target market exceptionally well.
Maybe I should just go for a runabout Q3 and an 8P RS3 weekend toy.......although saying that I have seen a nice daytona performance RSQ3 for sale lol.
Pretty academic now with this coronavirus as I expect to be struggling for work before too long......self employed and all that
There are tough times ahead for sure, Ju, good luck...
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10-minutes later
: thinking about what you said above, Ju; "I miss the involvement." I think you should 100% go 8P RS3! Having run Lotus Europa Twin Cam, Elan Sprint and Elan +2S130/5 for 40-years I know exactly what you mean - more "involving" cars I have yet to find. However, the 8P RS3 comes close for me, and always excites.
Ditch the SQ5, Ju; go get an 8PRS3 and a runabout van...
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