Any S3 owners help please

M

manufc4eva

Registered User
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Manchester
Hello all im new to this forum,
So let me begin firstly im 23 and my car history is as follows
1.6 206 110bhp
astra 1.4
fiesta st
08 bmw 135i 306 bhp
As you can tell i like my cars however i have always fancied a 4wd car however scoobys n mitsis murder me on insurance. Now as much as i love my 135 it does get annoyin at times gettin the power down in wet weather etc. Now ive read loads of posts on here and the general concensus seems to be an S3 in standard form is a little bit short however once chipped it can be something special. For those not aware the 135i on paper is a 0-62 5.3 second car. Now from experience i can compete wiv mitsis scoobys and M5s but is this possible with an S3? Without heavily modifying the car? I just basically dont want to feel as though im going to be losin much if i do purchase an S3. Also does the 50/50 haldex controller make a big difference as my mate got it on his tt. Sorry for being long winded i just want to make sure the car can be as good as my 135 with the advantage of 4wd. Thank you for any replies.
 
manufc4eva said:
Now from experience i can compete wiv mitsis scoobys and M5s but is this possible with an S3? Without heavily modifying the car?
Click to expand...

Firstly welcome to ASN,

Do you intend on using the car for track days? or when you say "compete" do you mean racing on public roads?
I cant fault my S3 inside and out, i find that Audi's are much better finished inside and in general a nicer place to be compared to BMW's IMO, I recently had mine REVO'd which has made a huge improvement over standard, On 1/4 miles FWD or RWD cars with similar power will not perform anywhere near as good as AWD system on the S3.
We have had alot of snow in our area and i have lost count of BMW's i have seen parked up at the side of the road or snaking up hills causing jams :lmfao:
After having Quattro i dont think i could move away from it, it really is brilliant!

Davie
 
Thank you very much for the reply been waiting all night lol. Anyway when i say compete i dont want to give the impression im some sort of hooligan, im talking when most of us get a little of competitive at lights etc. I completely agree the audi interior is nicer than the bmw which is what attracts me although bmw do make very good engines. We have also had a lot of snow and it is becoming very annoying/embarrasing keep getting stuck so much. Whilst you can buy winter tyres and tyre "socks" the 4wd seems to be the best option. I know on dry roads my current car can out run or equal most other cars but how many dry roads do we have in the uk lol. The thing that makes me wonder about this is, is my car is quite exclusive and i often get asked at traffic lights etc " wow what is that" or "how quick is that" which gives a feel good factor. Now this doesnt bother me too much but i noticed some people on here dont seem over excited by the S3 but maybe i am wrong? Its hard to judge with so many posts but maybe you guys can help?
 
the problem is in audi's quattro drive which makes it maybe too safe. s3 straight from the shop is a great car, nice interior, and in my opinion it looks better than bmw 1 series. got mine for 1/2 year now and i absolute love it! it goes in every condition. dry road, wet road, heavy rain, snow etc. there isn't condition in which you can't drive it. and with few proper mods it turns into real pocket rocket! few weeks ago did the remap (after intake and exhaust) and i've got the feeling i've got a brand new car. it's very strong and very powerfull now. like you've said: bmw makes great engines but audi is nicer place to be (i was looking 135i too but ended with an s3).
 
The 135i is a very quick car. In the dry the standard S3 will not get near it. Unless you re-map the S3, it will not be on par. Also with a quick mod, you can take the 135 up to 350bhp easily - m3 beater. In the wet however, the S3 will annialate it.
 
A basic stage 1 remap will see an S3 to 320bhp+ for £500 - easily. That will be in the low 5s for the 0-60 dash and probably faster than the 135i in standard form. If you go further (exhaust, intake) you will see 340bhp and you'll be comfortably keeping up with E46 M3s. If you go further still (which all owners of these cars should as anything less is a waste of the engine's potential and the power has to be felt to be believed) and add the fuel pump and Revo Stage 2+ software you will get 360-370bhp and be in the mid 4s in the 0-60 and M3s /135is won't have a chance. My car is Stage 2+ and I regularly track it against BMWs - only E90 M3s and M5s are near it (on the straights and the bends). Any Stage 2+ owner on here will tell you the same. Total cost of Stage 2+ is approx. £4k on top of the car price but for that you get a car which will be significantly faster than your 135i but most definitely NOT as exclusive or unusual or (for some) as much fun in the bends (if oversteer is your idea of fun). Good luck with it.
 
Yea.. the thing here is that you will need to chip an S3 to get anywhere near a std 135i with the inherent problems that can bring with engine wear and clutches, warranty issues and resale price. they are both great cars but really you would be better to accept them for what they are. If you want to catch M3's then buy an M3. If you want to drive so fast in the wet that you need 4WD then given that most speed limits are now 30-40mph, maybe your driving to quick. I know its great fun to push it off the lights and on the motorway when something comes up fast behind you and we all do it but why not just wait till its dry ? and save some money.
 
Thank you for the info the e46 M3 is only as fast if not slower than the 135i anyway. You see with the 135 you can achieve 400bhp with just a remap exhaust and intercooler. This is very good like i said but you gotta get the power through the wheels. 4k seems a lot but i suppose its very little when done in stages over time. . It was just some people (no offence to anyone) didnt seem overly pleased with their S3 but mayb this is when it was in standard guise. To S. ( they guy who was looking at both cars) did you drive both of them?
 
I have to say that the 4wd on the S3 really has impressed me, so much so that I'm thinking of having another at the end of the year, and at the very least I will be having another Quattro car of some sort. I drove to Scotland and back over the Christmas period where it was very snowy in England and Scotland. The car was a joy to drive and never felt like I would get stuck, even going up hill on snow in Scotland. You do also take it for granted, i'm often caught out when driving other 2wd cars and end up wheelspinning like a t1t!
 
S. said:
the problem is in audi's quattro drive which makes it maybe too safe. s3 straight from the shop is a great car, nice interior, and in my opinion it looks better than bmw 1 series. got mine for 1/2 year now and i absolute love it! it goes in every condition. dry road, wet road, heavy rain, snow etc. there isn't condition in which you can't drive it. and with few proper mods it turns into real pocket rocket! few weeks ago did the remap (after intake and exhaust) and i've got the feeling i've got a brand new car. it's very strong and very powerfull now. like you've said: bmw makes great engines but audi is nicer place to be (i was looking 135i too but ended with an s3).
Click to expand...

Remap??oho... very nice? how are does it feel??who did the remap? any Fuel pumps heading your way???:yes::yes:
 
lake_m said:
The 135i is a very quick car. In the dry the standard S3 will not get near it.
Click to expand...

I think thats a slight exageration, there isn't that much in it, a few tenths of second is hardly noticeable in the real world.

When I ordered my S3, the other car I was considering was the 135i Coupe, and it is a lovely car, but in the end I popped for the 4WD, as much as I love rear wheel drive, coming from a Porsche which feels like a proper RWD sports car with a mid engine layout, the half way house of a small saloon / coupe with front engine, RWD just didn't really feel like a worthy replaement, so I decided that 4WD was the way to go and get the performance with practicality. I would say though that with the S3, you will lose the feel of the road through the wheel, you do feel a lot more connected to the road in the BMW than you do in and S3, but then that is case for any BMW vs. Audi.

I'd suggest having a real good drive of an S3, but if its 4WD you're after then surely there is no debate is there?
 
Last edited:
I would personally keep the 135i and take it to DMS. As much as i love the s3 and its useability the 135i is a bit rarer.

How often do we have snow in this country? Not often yet it amazes me how when the weather is a bit bad people start looking at range rovers etc etc.

Both cars will be quick if you start throwing money at them plus you will probably loose money trading the BMW.
 
beanoir said:
I think thats a slight exageration, there isn't that much in it, a few tenths of second is hardly noticeable in the real world.
Click to expand...

I take your point, but the 135i is quicker. When reviewing the S3, they always stack it up against the 130i which (in their opinion) is more on par with the price / performance. The 135i is very understated in terms of outright acceleration. Have a look on YouTube for head-to-heads with the E92 M3, there's nothing in it. Personally, I had a really good look at the 135i before putting my money on the S3. reasons being exactly what you stated above. (Plus both the hatch and the coupe are dog ugly).

Andy.
 
manufc4eva said:
Thank you for the info the e46 M3 is only as fast if not slower than the 135i anyway. You see with the 135 you can achieve 400bhp with just a remap exhaust and intercooler. This is very good like i said but you gotta get the power through the wheels. 4k seems a lot but i suppose its very little when done in stages over time. . It was just some people (no offence to anyone) didnt seem overly pleased with their S3 but mayb this is when it was in standard guise. To S. ( they guy who was looking at both cars) did you drive both of them?
Click to expand...
there wasn't 135i for testing at the moment i was ordering my car, and actually i wanted s3 (just have a soft spot for audis) and the 4wd so went straight to the dealership and orderd it :) i think it's more practical for every day use oh and in my case it has more room inside than the coupe :)
but as you've said bmw 135i has a brilliant engine, and it's very capable...and with the good remap you can see even 400+bhp. but you still have same problem: puting that power down!
it's up to you whether you want a fast car you can use everyday in any conditions, or you want a fast car that you can use occasionally. :beerchug:
mrgicm said:
Remap??oho... very nice? how are does it feel??who did the remap? any Fuel pumps heading your way???:yes::yes:
Click to expand...
it's a custom map...and it feels fast! (not as fast as yours i think). do you got a spare pump maybe? :eyebrows:
 
This is exactly what i wanted was an open debate and not one sided towards the s3 which is good. However dont think that im considering this just because of the snow i was lookin at changing the car before christmas long before the snow came along. The 135i is an understated car and it is very rapid i would recommend it anyday. I do have a soft spot for the S3 though and i have just booked a test drive in one tomorrow at the dealer in preston. I just hope i can give it a decent run to see what i think of the car but the interior was lovely.
 
that's the best option. you should try it as you already have 135i and compare them (if you can do a proper run with a salesman in a car) and then make a decision on your own impressions.
 
how would you recommend gettin maximum acceleration out the thing without upsetting the salesman lol
 
by talking with him about fishing (or any of his hobbys)
 
lol....you can try that but i doubt it will help :laugh:
 
S. said:
there wasn't 135i for testing at the moment i was ordering my car, and actually i wanted s3 (just have a soft spot for audis) and the 4wd so went straight to the dealership and orderd it :) i think it's more practical for every day use oh and in my case it has more room inside than the coupe :)
but as you've said bmw 135i has a brilliant engine, and it's very capable...and with the good remap you can see even 400+bhp. but you still have same problem: puting that power down!
it's up to you whether you want a fast car you can use everyday in any conditions, or you want a fast car that you can use occasionally. :beerchug:

it's a custom map...and it feels fast! (not as fast as yours i think). do you got a spare pump maybe? :eyebrows:
Click to expand...

I have one APR pump extra, where are the externals of the pump damaged but you can take the APR internals and install it into your pump and there you have it. A HPFP for low money.... :) :)
 
If you like how the 1 series looks then its a tough call.
Both cars have pros and cons so you would really need to drive an S3 to decide whether it was for you.
The BM will do all of the sideways stuff and be more of a laugh to drive.
The S3 has the all weather useability, looks and cabin IMO.

There isnt a single thing I like about how the 1 series looks, coupe or hatch, so its an easy choice for me. Of course looks are purely personal taste.

A Stage 1 map for the S3 makes a huge difference and is excellent VFM and well within the cars limits, although there seems to be a question mark over slipping clutches on early cars.

That said, you should really compare it with a remapped 1 series for it to be fair contest.


Good luck.

Paul
 
UPDATE!!! had a test drive today and what a test drive. Although it wasn't good for the car the salesman let me use the car to its full potention to put it nicely. This helped in a number of ways because it highlighted to me how good the traction of quattro is and also it highlighted a whistle. Now this whistle came from an open vent when accelerating very hard can anyone recreate this noise in their car or is this not normal? Secondly it highlighted how good the engine is in my 135 i would recommend to anyone trying it if at all possible. The 2 litre turbo of the s3 felt a bit short up top but im sure with a remap it should make a big difference all round? Now the s3 steering felt lighter and so did the clutch which i dont mind. Is the clutch normally so light? or is it me cause im used to my heavier bmw one? To some up thought as good as my car is ive fallen in love with the quattro. Can anyone else add anything before i hopefully purchase one? Thanks
 
I am now on my 3rd 8P S3 as of yesterday so am fairly experienced with them and obviously am very fond of what the car has to offer for me the S3 ticks every box from respectable family chariot to track day hero. However, the 135 or any BMW with this engine fitted (manual) really is a force to be reckoned with, forget what stage 2 + etc can do for you, as good as it is it will never make the same sort of power or more essentially, the sound of a similarly modded 135i. On the other hand if you are looking for an all year round, understated, fast and capable car with one of the best interiors out there the S3 takes some beating. For most people the 1 series is a marmite car so many on here will dismiss it without ever trying it, I've extensively test driven them and was totally smitten, what an absolute gem of an engine, nothing but seamless power throughout the whole of the rev range and accompanied by a superb 6 cylinder sound track. I owned and tracked a 130i for @ 9 mths last year an though the S£ is quicker the baby BMW taught me some extremely valuable lessons about car handling and made me smile from ear to ear at every event, yes, even in driving rain and freezing fog, superb !! But, when I sold that car and looked at a 135i I never bought one for the following reasons.

1) The standard kit and residuals are poor for a car in this price bracket, leather and Xenons should be standard.
2) The 335i Coupe is far more car for similar money without touching the options list and more composed. ( I didn't want another E92 coupe, due to the current 335D)

It's inevitable that the S3 and the 135 are often compared but they are very different cars. As you fall in the 'love marmite' camp and like the 1 series shape it's a tough call, if you can change cars without too much financial pain I'd say well go for it but I have a fear you may regret it, not because the 135 is better than the S3 just so very different, but having said that you have obviously got bored of the BM otherwise you wouldn't have posted on ASN. I'd tune the 135, do a couple of track events and come back to the decision in a years time, but I'd choose Evolve to tune the car over DMS anyday of the week, you pay half the price for twice the remap, Evolve were the first in the UK to offer serial port tuning for this particular engine and their power claims and work is very well regarded.

If you want an impartial opinion ASN probably not the best place to post but the big love expressed on here for the S3 is very well deserved so it's hard for owners not to feel a little bit smug so very understandable.

Good luck with yoiur choice, both great cars.
 
Wow you have got me spot on lol. I have got a little bored now even though the power is superb. Ive had the car nearly 2 years now so getting a bit tired of having to be inch perfect with the clutch to get the power down i guess. The financial pain is very little i hope and i dont know if its the car fan in me or what but ive always wanted to try a audi and a 4wd powerful car. You also know your stuff Evolve are the best company they now offer up to 400bhp in modding for the 135. I think whats persuading me more is I might not have as good a job in 10 months and i wish to try the audi now why ive got chance. I guess its not always a good thing being into cars so much lol.
 
It's certainly expensivebeing into cars and at 23 ou definetly have the bug, but it's a lot of fun along the way. 2 years is long enough to get bored, go for the S3, there are no horror stories and good discounts if you haggle hard.
 
Things have reportedly tightened up recently but 9 - 10% should still be available, just be very mindful of your PX value on the 135i as if you push for a good discount they will try and shaft you on this part of the deal, I always do the initial negotiation without mentioning a px to get a benchmark figure.

Good luck.
 
manufc4eva said:
Wow you have got me spot on lol. I have got a little bored now even though the power is superb. Ive had the car nearly 2 years now so getting a bit tired of having to be inch perfect with the clutch to get the power down i guess. The financial pain is very little i hope and i dont know if its the car fan in me or what but ive always wanted to try a audi and a 4wd powerful car. You also know your stuff Evolve are the best company they now offer up to 400bhp in modding for the 135. I think whats persuading me more is I might not have as good a job in 10 months and i wish to try the audi now why ive got chance. I guess its not always a good thing being into cars so much lol.
Click to expand...

Ive had my S3 coming up 2 yrs and still enjoy everything about it.
And Ive never had a car that long before, this is a first for me, which says a lot.

And Spin is on his 3rd S3, how many peope buy the same car 3 times? That says a lot about the car too IMO.
Ok, not everyone is as enthusiastic about the S3 as some but it has a pretty strong following.

The 135 engine in an S3,.... now that would be worth selling a kidney for.:thumbsup:

Happy shopping.

cheers
Paul
 
Last edited:
Without being biased i would say go for the S3, im on my second S3 and 4th Audi in a row, ive had BMW's in the past and i dont think i would ever go back to them, to me the Audi is just more refined, BMW's do have great engines but the 2.0t is a great engine with plenty of tuning potential available from excellent tuning companies, and also not to mention this website which is like a bible for an Audi owner.

Come over to the dark side my son!

Spin140! are you gonna upload any pics of your new car soon? i havent seen one in black yet i bet its stunning

Thanks
 
I wish I had done this when I was considering the same 2 cars about 5 months ago! It took me about 6 months of deliberating and test driving etc before I ended up making my decision.

Spin made the point above, and I think it was what eventually made my mind up for me, and thats the value for money aspect. I remember the first time I took the 135i out for a drive and talking to the sale rep about the options, and realising how little actually came as standard on it.

Looking forward to hearing which way you go with it!!
 
Last edited:
Just to give you all an update who kindly helped me im near enough sold on the S3 now especially after seeing some stealth S3s and the big build threads. Really busy at the moment doing the dirty side of it and trying to get the best deal been on the phone non stop. I will keep you informed of what happens but if the deal is right i could be coming over to the dark side. The thought of the 135i engine in an S3 would be a complete animal btw lol.
 
Im on my 3rd S3 as of this week too. Great car, anyone can drive them fast. Tuning is a dream and costs peanuts.

David
 
manufc4eva said:
Just to give you all an update who kindly helped me im near enough sold on the S3 now especially after seeing some stealth S3s and the big build threads. Really busy at the moment doing the dirty side of it and trying to get the best deal been on the phone non stop. I will keep you informed of what happens but if the deal is right i could be coming over to the dark side. The thought of the 135i engine in an S3 would be a complete animal btw lol.
Click to expand...
or with tt-rs 2.5T engine:blush:
hope you'll get a good deal:beerchug:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Gtigadge
S3 owners, please help me out.
Replies
2
Views
605
Gtigadge
Gtigadge
D
Need S3 3 door owners help please
Replies
0
Views
422
drnh
D
RobinA3
Help from Milltek Owners please
Replies
1
Views
813
boggym
B
Silky-S3
S3 ITG CAI Owners - Help Please - Rubbing Issue
Replies
17
Views
1K
BOSSS3
BOSSS3
Jason-3.2
3dr S3 owners Help!
Replies
13
Views
1K
Jason-3.2
Jason-3.2
Top
Back