Best Launch Technique

Nilz

Nilz

Defo worth the wait :)
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OK guys, more S3 specific, but feel free to join in :)

As the title says, what is your best launch method??

I have noticed recently when going to pull, there is a sudden loss of power...why is that??

What can be done to resolve this??
 
OK im aware of the bog down, but it doesnt seem like that, I read somewhere its the traction control or something kicking in??
 
Turn the ESP off, leaving it on for launch is bad news...
 
Yup, definately TC off, let the 4WD do its job :-D
 
ESP well and trully off, 5k ish and dump the clutch, let the 4wd do it's job. Prettly much thats it tbh. If you were at a higher power ,aybe there would be a bit of clutch feathering to be done to balance grip against slip etc
 
Seriously? I never turn mine off. Think I'd rather the backup in case I made a wrong move at high speed....
 
The ESP causes more trouble if you ask me! If you need to get out on a roundabout fast then get out the way the last thing you want is your power being cut leaving you stranded in the way of oncoming traffic.

Also try and do a track day with it on, you'll soon get fed up with it. I dont think these cars need the ESP as the haldex tends to do the job just fine.
 
Never was able to do a proper launch in my S3. Tried a couple of times but always felt that is was too much abuse to the driveline!? Was determined tho and got the revs up to 5500ish and nearly just slid my foot off the clutchpedal, floored the gaspedal but the car still bogged down slightly... Never did it again except once in the rain to try and get wheelspin... Wasn't a succes since the 4wd system just dug in and catapulted the car forwards and emptied 1st gear much faster than I expected so that was a jerky experience too :)
 
No one said it was easy on the drive train.lol

The ESP intrusion is awful on these cars, i would much rather control it my self than have the power just cut dead when i needed it most. It's designed to make a less than average driver drive a more powerful car without the need to learn to drive first. In road conditions when you barely on it, it does not matter. Try blasting out of a round about one day and feel the car hit that "wall" that is ESP it's hatefull
 
I've never driven with ESP turned off but yes I agree it's very frustrating when it suddenly cut's the power on a roundabout or something... any tips of what to remember if your car starts to skid without it turned on. Must admit it can feel unnatural adding more power but that's what your supposed to do isn't it. (depending on the situation off course lol!)

sorry to go off topic here just curious.
 
audi upgrades
I think the ESP is a brilliant safety aid and I wouldn't say the S3 is a safer car without it, don't get me wrong, if I want to let my hair down I always turn it off, but as an everyday safety aid it's good...It's designed to keep the car in check, not very fun but that wasn't the idea when it was invented...
 
Fran you just need to turn it off and do a bit of driving to get used to it, when you know how the car will behave in certain situations and conditions you'll feel more confident.

If you read the S3 owners manual it'll tell you to turn the ESP off in the snow so its not designed to prevent skidding but to stop you from nailing it out of bends on full lock! I'm sure anyone here that drove their S3 in the snow earlier this year would have noticed the ****** thing cutting in?

The ESP systems reads the input from wheel speed sensors and steering sensors so it knows which way your wheels are facing and how fast your feels are going then cuts the power if you do anything silly.
 
So how is it turned off??

Literally just press the button, or do you have to hold it in??

I dont think I would like to drive the car with it off all the time, just sometimes as mentioned above, getting away a bit quicker at a roundabout or busy junction, isnt helped by the car holding you back.

With the ESP off, will you still get wheelspin, or will the Haldex control that??
 
Press the button once to turn the ESP off, this will show the orange light on the dash. When you turn the car off then on again it will automatically turn it back on for you.

With the ESP off you shouldn't get any wheelspin as the Haldex will sort you out. I have had all four wheels spinning in the snow but that was crazy!

I cant believe you've never turned it off and blasted it from standstill in the pouring rain! The grip is unbelievable.
 
LOL....so am I mad to ask for rain now...???
 
Turning the ESP in the rain and nailing it? Wow I've obv never lived to!!!
 
nilz18t said:
So how is it turned off??

Literally just press the button, or do you have to hold it in??

I dont think I would like to drive the car with it off all the time, just sometimes as mentioned above, getting away a bit quicker at a roundabout or busy junction, isnt helped by the car holding you back.

With the ESP off, will you still get wheelspin, or will the Haldex control that??
Click to expand...

No disrespect but I'd of thought you'd know all about the ESP button as you've been a proud owner for so long...lol

The best thing about the haldex system is the way it grips from standstill in the rain, definately no ESP needed in this situation...:happy:
 
Havent got it and dont want it, when i first got the car i did but now i just couldnt, the s3s too much fun plus the haldex sorts you out but just be careful lmfao.
 
When i got my car my dad said NEVER turn that button off, now i no what it does, i new it was for safety and something to do with skidding out, but not that it cuts power when coming out of bends, be off next time i goes out though !

isnt the performance haldex only needed for big turbod cars, thats what someone told me ( on this forum)
 
Hahaha... My mates TypeR eats dust at lights in the rain. Im off into 2nd by the time his gets grip.

Sometimes, I'd say im quicker in the rain then in the dry t.b.h. :haha:
 
Mine is standard apart from a little more boost and you really can feel it but i did get it as i do plan to get a bit more power out of the engine when its sorted
 
Westle said:
Sorry I assumed you had ESP off because its the first button I press in my car when I get in it.
Click to expand...


I m terrible for that, my ESP must be off 80% of time, the S3 is great fun in the wet i find !
 
nilz18t said:
So how is it turned off??

Literally just press the button, or do you have to hold it in??
Click to expand...

Nilz thats chuffin hilarious...you didn't know how to switch it off :)
how long you had it ?
 
Dudes in all fairness, ive been that busy of late, all i do is get in the car and drive it, I've even had comments from nearly all my family and friends asking why there has been no mods, the car gets petrol, a wash every now and then and driven to work and back...thats it!! :blush:

I am however learning every day!!!

(At least I knew about the visor above the rear view mirror :moa:)
 
On the A3/S3p forum, it's got an exact copy of this post, it was on a bout holding the hand brake then build the revs, then drop both the clutch and hand brake at the same time, to take the initial hit to the rear dif.

Does anyone do that ?
 
I dont do anything....lol!!!

Will try a few of the above when I get a chance on a clear private road.
 
emery1990 said:
On the A3/S3p forum, it's got an exact copy of this post, it was on a bout holding the hand brake then build the revs, then drop both the clutch and hand brake at the same time, to take the initial hit to the rear dif.

Does anyone do that ?
Click to expand...


Sod all that handbrake stuff just feather the clutch in. Everyone seems so scared that they'll blow their haldex unit if the pull away a tad harsh but these cars are designed to take it.

Obviously if you just dump the clutch every single time you pull away you will eventually kill the haldex but its really not as fragile as some make it out to be.
 
Perhaps because the TQS has a smaller turbo i find i can set off pretty sharpish in second gear and because of that where most cars would be getting ready to change into second gear mines flying and well on boost and well away .... prob not to good for clutch though.. :)
 
Last edited:
Haldex....pah!.

What you wants a 2wd A3 which cant get the power down through 1st, 2nd and almost all the way into 3rd on anything than a hot dry road:(



....no really.
 
Oooh I really want my 4wd to work sooo badly now reading what you guys have been saying about it, Ive forgotten how it drove before. :crying:
 
ive only launched mine twice since having it, i too have it in my head that the drivetrain is made of glass and keep seeing those pound signs in front of my eyes lol

twice i have done it was only from 3/3.5k and it was awesome, only prob is the bog down as my turbo doesnt come on boost till 4/4.5 so really do need to try launching from 5k ish

i also have a terrible habit of missing second when flooring it which really really aint good for it lol

had esp/trc on my corolla t sport hated it, even when switched off it was still intrusive, driving without it you will learn how to control certain situations, driving with it means you dont get into those situations and will never know how to handle them, personally i would rather know and still fail than to not know at all
 
djarchive said:
Hahaha... My mates TypeR eats dust at lights in the rain. Im off into 2nd by the time his gets grip.

Sometimes, I'd say im quicker in the rain then in the dry t.b.h. :haha:
Click to expand...

*You mean mud! If it was raining the dust would turn into soggy mud :D
 
The S3 is one of the worst launching cars i've had, i've had a RWD saff launch harder.

My old Escort Cossie would spin up all four if you side stepped at about 7000rpm, the skyline grips and goes when you side step from 8500rpm.

The S3 is shyte, anything over 5500 and the ESP kicks in (regardless of it being turned off, as it can't be completlely turned off) and pretty much anything over 4000rpm results in mega clutch slip anyway.
 
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