TheFiftheElement
Registered User
I did post a few weeks ago, but my thread mysteriously disappeared 
.. so I thought I'd wait until I've had the car a few weeks before posting some impressions ..
Some history: I had an S3 Sportback when I first joined Audi Sport. It was a Sepang S-tronic with a few options. I kept the car 14 months. It was quick, but a bit characterless. I didn't like the handling on B-roads, the 4 pot was effective but sounded crap, and I wish I hadn't gone for Sepang Blue. It had just hit the £550 option list when I spec'd my car so there weren't too many about at the time. Now every one seems to be blue.
I part-ex'd it for 987.2 Boxster S. Had a Carnewal exhaust fitted. Epic sound but the missus then changed her car for an MX-5 so I needed to get something more sensible. Picked up an F30 335i. Nice car but a little dull, and unlike it seems everyone else I didn't really like the noise from the 6 pot even with the MPE exhaust. I then went old school with a 2007 STi - lasted 3 months as a) was a bit rough and ready and b) the ideal spec Mustang 5.0 GT appeared in Inverness. Awesome noise, great GT car but we were moving house and I could walk to work so it got traded for a wee JCW. I had the pro-exhaust fitted
- what a nuts sound for a 4 pot. It proved too small and too harsh for our crap roads so ...
I set out to find a nice sounding practical car, that's not too expensive to run. It had to be manual, and I didn't want another black car (it's not by choice really as I typically buy 2-3 year old cars and the colour choice can sometimes be limited - the BMW, Mustang and JCW were all black) ..
Anyway I've now picked up a one owner Audi franchise 16 plate RS3 at my local dealer. It's Mythos black
and S-tronic I could have travelled further for a non black car but the spec was pretty good and I got a great deal as long as it was registered before the 1st April.
I'm hoping with the 5 pot and the mag ride my previous annoyances with the S3 will be removed (sound and handling).
It's reasonably well spec'd. I'm missing 2 options I would have liked (the SS seats, and the aluminium optics pack) but I do have the comfort and sound, tech and dynamic packs. With no optics pack, the titanium rotor alloys and black hiding the extended arches it looks pretty much like an A3 (which I like) apart from the huge oval pipes.
My impressions after a few weeks are, it's errrrr rapid. The 5 pot is a delight although I wish the flaps would stay open in 3rd/4th rather than just open up above 3.5/4K revs. The wee JCW was louder and popped and banged more
The mag ride is a massive improvement over my 2015 S3 8V standard suspension. In comfort it's also quite good at smoothing out the roads in town up here in Aberdeen. The 7 speed box is also an improvement over the 6 speed.
It's currently sitting at a detailers awaiting a wash/HD wax so I will get some pics when I get it back, and then I'm having the chrome around the front grill wrapped black.
Mods I'm considering so far are remap (Revo dealer is close), secondary decat, valve controller for exhaust although I'm wondering if this is something I can add with the remap (i.e. can I have the remap open the flaps all the time in dynamic) and I may wrap the front blade and rear diffuser to mimic the optics pack
Anyway, I hope I am welcomed back and this one lasts a bit longer than my normal car ownership period
.. so I thought I'd wait until I've had the car a few weeks before posting some impressions ..Some history: I had an S3 Sportback when I first joined Audi Sport. It was a Sepang S-tronic with a few options. I kept the car 14 months. It was quick, but a bit characterless. I didn't like the handling on B-roads, the 4 pot was effective but sounded crap, and I wish I hadn't gone for Sepang Blue. It had just hit the £550 option list when I spec'd my car so there weren't too many about at the time. Now every one seems to be blue.
I part-ex'd it for 987.2 Boxster S. Had a Carnewal exhaust fitted. Epic sound but the missus then changed her car for an MX-5 so I needed to get something more sensible. Picked up an F30 335i. Nice car but a little dull, and unlike it seems everyone else I didn't really like the noise from the 6 pot even with the MPE exhaust. I then went old school with a 2007 STi - lasted 3 months as a) was a bit rough and ready and b) the ideal spec Mustang 5.0 GT appeared in Inverness. Awesome noise, great GT car but we were moving house and I could walk to work so it got traded for a wee JCW. I had the pro-exhaust fitted
- what a nuts sound for a 4 pot. It proved too small and too harsh for our crap roads so ...I set out to find a nice sounding practical car, that's not too expensive to run. It had to be manual, and I didn't want another black car (it's not by choice really as I typically buy 2-3 year old cars and the colour choice can sometimes be limited - the BMW, Mustang and JCW were all black) ..
Anyway I've now picked up a one owner Audi franchise 16 plate RS3 at my local dealer. It's Mythos black
and S-tronic I could have travelled further for a non black car but the spec was pretty good and I got a great deal as long as it was registered before the 1st April.I'm hoping with the 5 pot and the mag ride my previous annoyances with the S3 will be removed (sound and handling).
It's reasonably well spec'd. I'm missing 2 options I would have liked (the SS seats, and the aluminium optics pack) but I do have the comfort and sound, tech and dynamic packs. With no optics pack, the titanium rotor alloys and black hiding the extended arches it looks pretty much like an A3 (which I like) apart from the huge oval pipes.
My impressions after a few weeks are, it's errrrr rapid. The 5 pot is a delight although I wish the flaps would stay open in 3rd/4th rather than just open up above 3.5/4K revs. The wee JCW was louder and popped and banged more
The mag ride is a massive improvement over my 2015 S3 8V standard suspension. In comfort it's also quite good at smoothing out the roads in town up here in Aberdeen. The 7 speed box is also an improvement over the 6 speed.
It's currently sitting at a detailers awaiting a wash/HD wax so I will get some pics when I get it back, and then I'm having the chrome around the front grill wrapped black.
Mods I'm considering so far are remap (Revo dealer is close), secondary decat, valve controller for exhaust although I'm wondering if this is something I can add with the remap (i.e. can I have the remap open the flaps all the time in dynamic) and I may wrap the front blade and rear diffuser to mimic the optics pack
Anyway, I hope I am welcomed back and this one lasts a bit longer than my normal car ownership period
back 
??? 
