About to order S3 final couple of questions!

pluves1

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Hi
Finally got round to replacing my current car and am about to order the S3 with a few goodies.
However, do I go for the Silk Nappa leather or Alcantara/Pearl leather? Car will be Sprint Blue so I am thinking just plain black.
I have decided against the buckets seats unless someone thinks I'd be mad not to?
Views appreciated and pics would be greatly appreciated of the interior in Nappa or alcantara.
Thanks in advance
 
i've had 2 S3s, one with buckets, one without. The buckets make the S3 feel so much more special and get so many comments. I'd definitely go for them again
 
I would stick with black for the interior, especially with Sprint blue. As for the bucket seats they do make the car feel special and look superb. It all depends on if you are going to require access to the rear very often and how big you are. They are very narrow and can be quite a PITA to get in/out of.
 
Thanks for the comments so far. Access shouldnt be a problem as its a sportback.
I originally thought about buckets but, at £1600 it seems quite expensive so dropped them to add other options.
To be honest it wasnt till I got to the dealers that he asked me what interior I was going for and I just hadn't noticed it was an option. I am still swaying towards the alcantara and leather. Does anyone have any pics please?
 
Good choice matey, nice colour aswell. Would defo stay with the black, and would go with the full leather, easier to keep clean etc. I love the buckets they look the business, are they worth £1600 ?? not so sure got the normal seats myself and find them very comfy. Got to say though if I were to buy another S3 i think I would go for the buckets.

Mark
 
Even though I wasnt too keen with the embossed look, I settled for it...why?
I thought my brother and salesgirl made a very valid comment. The embossed effect is exclusive to S3 but alcantara is an optional spec on other models.
I had a CTR with alcantara - it was lovely!
I half considered having the white/silver seats. I wasnt particularly concerned with cleaning them but I was worried about blue jeans 'marking' them (similar to blue jeans marking new white trainers).
I so wanted the buckets. I even requested the dealers to source an S3 demo car with buckets for me to test drive! £1600 is a rather hefty pinch but they look the dogs danglies and really finish off the S3 IMO. However, rear access was tricky so I scrapped them off the options list (sportback not available at the time). But since you're getting a sportback...rear access isnt a problem with buckets. Im only medium build so I found them really comfortable...not sure how a 6' foot strapping male would cope though!
Good luck with your decision
 
Yung thanks for the pointers on the embossed. I think I will go with that as £1600 is just a bit too much for seats.
No doubt I'll place my order and they'll become standard when the model enters run out!!
 
I have also had 2 S3's now, the first a 3 door with embossed that I quickly got bored of and wished I'd specced black/silver to liven the interior up, buckets were not an option as I need the access to the rear but I do really love them and as others have said make the car feel very special indeed.

My latest S3 is a Sportback so I could have gone with buckets this time but a good deal was offered on a 'stock' car so yet again I have embossed lthr and standard seats. TBH the interior does still feel very special and even the embossed has grown on me this time around but I would really like the Buckets and if honest wished I'd been more patient and specced them, they look fantastic especially in the SB.

£1,600 is a lot of money and you are unlikely to get much of a return for the outlay but I know I would pay it if there was a next time.
 
embossed leather seats with the dark headlining would look the mutts nuts in a sprint blue S3.

cant understand why anyone would consider paying such a lot of money for the buckets when the standard seats are so good anyway - just my opinion.

dont forget the BOSE!!!
 
embossed leather seats with the dark headlining would look the mutts nuts in a sprint blue S3.

cant understand why anyone would consider paying such a lot of money for the buckets when the standard seats are so good anyway - just my opinion.

dont forget the BOSE!!!

The way I looked at it was if I was going to be spending 30K + on a car i wasn't going to bicker over the 1600 for the buckets. Like others have said, they do make the interior feel like it should be. Besides that you have one chance at having them at that price. Although I admit the cost is heavy I would still spec them if the opportunity ever arose for another new car. IMO though Audi should have made them std in the S3, no doubt they will be if the RS3 ever materializes
 
The way I looked at it was if I was going to be spending 30K + on a car i wasn't going to bicker over the 1600 for the buckets. Like others have said, they do make the interior feel like it should be. Besides that you have one chance at having them at that price. Although I admit the cost is heavy I would still spec them if the opportunity ever arose for another new car. IMO though Audi should have made them std in the S3, no doubt they will be if the RS3 ever materializes

Plus if you do ever venture on the odd track day you will discover the standard seats are far from 'good' with very little lateral support.

The buckets get my vote and I will be monitoring e-bay for a set, push for a larger discount or negate sat nav and get the seats, the sat nav can usually be retro-fitted for £500 or a Tom Tom will suffice.
 
I think the bucket seats should be standard on the S3 thats why you pay more for the car, i was disapointed that you have normal A3 leather seats instead. Are the bucket seats easy to get hold of?
 
Withoutabucket means your a poverty spec S3 :undwech:
 
Withoutabucket means your a poverty spec S3 :undwech:

That seems a bit harsh, the S3 can't really be described as poverty spec and I would hazard a guess the majority of S3's do not have the buckets due to practicality etc.

IMO they are a desired option but not a nescessity.
 
LoL, im just messing. Trying to encourage pluves to part with £1600 :)
 
In that case then yes definetly needed alongside Sat Nav, sun roof, er make that open sky, and most importantly whatever paint protection the particular dealer offers, should be good for an additional £3.5K LOL :)
 
Withoutabucket means your a poverty spec S3 :undwech:

Seems to me there expensive and not the greatest quality. Some chap had to have his rebuilt by a dealer and they ruined them. Some say he was involved in dubious after hours dogging activities - I reckon he just ate to many pies. :shutup2:

(just kidding L60N is you're reading this ;) )
 
I dont have an S3 but just to stick my oar in!.....i reckon the buckets are a right swindle. A mate of mine has a new shape leon cupra and it has them as standard but they are cloth not leather! If Seat can have them in a 17k car (yes he got it brand new for 17k) then why cant Audi in a 30k car?
 
Dont mind them but i think the cream will get dirty to easy, like lee R said if the leon can have buckets standard why cant the S3 most other hot hatches have them in like the Megane F1 and civic type R!
 
Theres much more to a car than what seats they put in. The bigger picture is worth thinking about here. You could have the bucket seats as standard, but they'd have to claw that money back elsewhere. Cheaper tooling, cheaper materials, cheaper labour. The list goes on.
 
embossed leather seats with the dark headlining would look the mutts nuts in a sprint blue S3.

cant understand why anyone would consider paying such a lot of money for the buckets when the standard seats are so good anyway - just my opinion.

dont forget the BOSE!!!

Well I went for this option. £1600 for the seats was just a bit too much and not being the slimmest of drivers I figured they would look worn pretty quickly.

I didn't spec BOSE is that really needed? Surely the sound system is decent anyway?

I did spec the RNS unit as I figured the if I was getting the phone prep I want it all integrated and to be honest can't be bothered retro fitting. Apparently there is a new unit out which is capable of holding two 16GB SDHC cards and better screen display etc.

My list of options got a bit embarrassing at one point hence my decision to drop the buckets in favour of other stuff.
 
congratulations :beerchug:
now join the waiting club :drag:
 
...Apparently there is a new unit out which is capable of holding two 16GB SDHC cards and better screen display etc...

Yes, you'll be getting this if you car is built in week 22 or after.

I put my car order on hold in order to get the upgraded nav and AMI. My original order was built this week. Still waiting for news as to when my new new car will be built, haha.

:think:
 
Interesting comments gents. I am currently on the look out for a 2nd hand S3 and have been to look at one with the alcantara seats and one with buckets. Now, I have two children so some say I shouldn't even be looking at an S3 but when I looked at the alcantara version it seemed as though access to the rear was ok. Not good, just ok.
The buckets did narrow it quite a bit and I was surprised about the way you have to move them forward. I was under the impression that they tilted and then slid forward. Didn't realise you had to slide them forward using the handle underneath first.
Now , I'm with some of you in that I think they are a must have, in the same way that Bose is. I am probably willing to live with the restricted access issues (although I think my wife will have something to say !).
What do you think ? Am I just blinded by the bling of the buckets ?

Chris.
 
Interesting comments gents. I am currently on the look out for a 2nd hand S3 and have been to look at one with the alcantara seats and one with buckets. Now, I have two children so some say I shouldn't even be looking at an S3 but when I looked at the alcantara version it seemed as though access to the rear was ok. Not good, just ok.
The buckets did narrow it quite a bit and I was surprised about the way you have to move them forward. I was under the impression that they tilted and then slid forward. Didn't realise you had to slide them forward using the handle underneath first.
Now , I'm with some of you in that I think they are a must have, in the same way that Bose is. I am probably willing to live with the restricted access issues (although I think my wife will have something to say !).
What do you think ? Am I just blinded by the bling of the buckets ?

Chris.

Go for Sportback then.