Had a go in a S3 today - views

[RobinA3]

Paul (Eagle) came over today to have some Vagcom stuff doing to his S3 and let me go for a thrash in his car.

Drove it through small roads and also a dual carrageway so got a good overall experience of the S3.

The car was lovely inside and out, loved the IBIS white and the flat bottom steering wheel is so nice to hold and to look at, been on ebay all afternoon looking at them to see what kinda price they go for nowadays.

Was expecting to be blown away by the performance of the car but i didn't really notice a massive difference between mine and the S3, the S3 power doesn't tail off as quickly as the 2.0TFSI, there is more of a kick low down in mine but runs out of puff quicker. Performance wise i wouldn't change mine for a S3.

I then took Paul out in mine on the same roads and when we got to the dual carrageway there was someone in a Blue S3 behind me and coming off a roundabout we both booted it and we were expecting the S3 to come flying past but the S3 only gained about 1-2 car lengths.

The brakes on the S3 are much much better than mine, there is a massive difference between the brake set up. The steering setting on the S3 is also much lighter but has more feel, i am guessing the S3 has the 'GTI' setting, i can't adjust my steering to the 'GTI' setting though so i'll have to live with lifeless steering!

Overall the S3 was impressive but i was hoping to be blown away by it but i wasn't, i wouldn't change from a 2TFSI to a S3 for the performance, only thing that would make me change is for the fact its a S3 so its different to every other A3.

 

[Khufu]

It it only after a certain year you can adjust the steering?

 

[JamS3]

Funny, my mate swopped a 2.0TFSI for a S3 and said the power difference was massive!

It is at least 65bhp more....

 

[NHN]

Paul (Eagle) The car was lovely inside and out, loved the IBIS white and the flat bottom steering wheel is so nice to hold and to look at, been on ebay all afternoon looking at them to see what kinda price they go for nowadays.

Well I have 2 FBMFSW's, one is the ever so rare perforated leather & the other is white stitched both DSG, I just have to decide which one to keep & then sell the other one

They go for about £440-£530 including postage, I'm not looking to profit just return what I paid.

 

[JamS3]

I had the perforated leather one on my last S3!!

Now Block has!!

 

[RobinA3]

Funny, my mate swopped a 2.0TFSI for a S3 and said the power difference was massive!

It is at least 65bhp more....

Oh i forgot to mention that mines been bluefinned so its running 240bhp ish.

 

[RobinA3]

Well I have 2 FBMFSW's, one is the ever so rare perforated leather & the other is white stitched both DSG, I just have to decide which one to keep & then sell the other one

They go for about £440-£530 including postage, I'm not looking to profit just return what I paid.

I am looking for the non DSG version, i don't mind what stitching it comes in as i will be having it restitched in red like the S-Line when i get my hands on one.

 

[NHN]

I sold my last one to MarcQuinny which was dsg & he doesnt have dsg & the paddles are pretty small TBH, I had an idea for him to wire these to do some feature as they are basically a self cancelling switch, so could relay these to windows, mirrors, whatever you want to, to switch something on the car, I checked the circuitry & I think if you take of the steering wheel control module pins then would work fine as the slip ring is already wired for the dsg circuits anyway, if not it has spare pin holes to mod, no point me doing on mine as dsg car, lol, but I'm sure I could utilise these for something on a non dsg car, gives me ideas now for an S3.

 

[hardcore Hallam]

Don't mean to state the obvious Robin, but if you've remapped your car and Eagle hasn't, the difference between the two cars is only around 25BHP. If Eagle chose to 'chip' his too, I think it would be a different story.

 

[JamS3]

Don't mean to state the obvious Robin, but if you've remapped your car and Eagle hasn't, the difference between the two cars is only around 25BHP. If Eagle chose to 'chip' his too, I think it would be a different story.

Exactly what I was thinking..not really a fair comparison to be honest, the two standard cars would be miles apart!

 

[jamiekip]

Plus we now Revo's bring torque in early, so your car may 'feel' a lot quicker with the map on it as it has a big kick in the back. The standard S3 has a very progressive feel - I remeber when I first test drove one and it didn't feel any quicker than my old 'chipped' 8L S3, but in reality it is deceptively quick.

Considering several people are gettign 320 bhp with maps and some 340 ish with CAI's and exhausts added too the S3 is a potent piece of kit.

I had a fight with a 993 C4S today adn shamed the dude... loved it, I know they only have about 290bhp, but they are way lighter so I was pretty chuffed. He let me by and gave a shrug of the shoulder... I just laughed!

 

[RobinA3]

Yes i know that the comparison is not fair, my point is that i was expecting more difference in the 2 cars, it maybe so that there is 'only' 25bhp difference but reading some posts on here S3 boys are seeing way over 260bhp from standard cars on the rollers.

 

[jonnyc]

IMO the S3 really feels its weight over 50mph, my Golf even with 270+ (K03 turbo) was really nice and quick through the gears, the small turbo certainly makes the car feel quicker, but as Jamie said the S3 is deceptively quick, until you do anything to it, and then its just pretty quick.. lol

Sometimes I wish mine was 2WD and it would let me have a bit of fun! Even with 400+hp its fairly uneventful.. Good chassis I suppose!

 

[block]

I had the perforated leather one on my last S3!!

Now Block has!!

i do indeed and very nice it is too.

 

[NHN]

Here's Jonny, sorry had to

anyway, so what did that upgrade cost you overall without the car cost of course.

 

[DaveS3Turbo]

I had a standard 2.0T A3 and the difference is completely different.

David

 

[golf]

I had a standard 2.0T A3 and the difference is completely different.

Difference is completely different?

 

[jonnyc]

Here's Jonny, sorry had to

anyway, so what did that upgrade cost you overall without the car cost of course.

It really depends how much you have preparation work your car has, my car only required the turbo kit and mapping etc so it was reasonable, if you drive a standard car in and want it to come out with my cars spec then its around 6k rough figures, really depends what your after.. Its very hard to say, anyone who asks I would suggest that they speak to Chris at Regal and develop a plan for the car..

Jonny

 

[NHN]

sounds very reasonable for the power upgrade, bet it surprises alot of supercar drivers lol

 

[EAGLE79]

As previously stated there is not a lot of difference between a chipped 2.0T and an S3 (standard). I did actually say to Robin before we went out i didn't think he'd notice much difference as his has been bluefin'd.

My own opinion of it

I think Robin's felt a little more urgent sooner, lower down in the revs when you got on the gas.

The S3 however felt stronger as it progressed up the rev range in each gear and felt quicker accelerating at higher speeds.

It would be interesting Robin to have another blast along those roads (up to road legal limits), but my S3 Vs your car, should have don't it the other day! What we also seem to have forgotten is that some S3 will only be producing the 262BHP so there is only a minor difference. Perhaps i have one of those!

The Bluefin makes a big difference to how the car perform's and thats why you don't notice that the S3 probably is quicker but marginally. I know that from my standard 2.0T A3 to my S3, the S3 feels so much faster.

Another example is that a Bluefin'd S3 does fly away from a standard S3.....

I'm not shocked by how close they are at all and fully expected it TBH.

 

[jonnyc]

You need a chunk more power to pull away in a heads up race, mine vs. a TT-S and you wouldnt think that there is 100bhp difference between the two cars..

 

[EAGLE79]

That is true jonny, 30 - 40 BHP will not be noticed that much at all.

Noticed mine feels slower now the exhaust is off for modification! I'll let you know when i'm heading over again Jonny and perhaps we can hook up.....

 

[JamS3]

That is true jonny, 30 - 40 BHP will not be noticed that much at all.

The 30 - 40 bhp mentioned above will probs be lost in transmission losses on quattro anyway compared to the 2wd of the 2.0TFSI.

My old 8L S3 lost something stupid like 60bhp on the roling road through transmission loss when I had it remapped at AMD!

 

[jamiekip]

shhheeeesh - completeley negates the extra power!
Is that a common figure? Even with Haldex????

 

[mitch78]

:thumbsup:

 

[jamiekip]

But only when they are engaged?
I thought the haldex only engeged when the front were losing grip, or you we're driving aggressively.
20-25% - that's incerdible.....

 

[jonnyc]

It makes me cry!! I hate the Haldex system, wish I could just run the car in 4wd in the first two gears then 2wd from then on, It would transfer another 35+bhp to the road!!

 

[jamiekip]

I knew it ebbed some of the power, but I had no idea it was that inefficient..... ******!

 

[Sohrob]

so in reality cars like the r26 megane,astra vxr and focus st will all be a good match when rolling!!!!!!!!!

 

[jonnyc]

And they are, right.. Time for a change!! Who wants to buy the S3??

 

[jamiekip]

You're kidding?

 

[jonnyc]

Not really, im mad I know..

 

[jamiekip]

Sheeesh - so what's next.
After the TT debate today I dare you to go TT-S with the kit you have in your S3
That would ruffle a few feathers!

 

[jonnyc]

Lol need to have a think about it but not 100% at the moment..

 

[NHN]

So the Gen 2 improved haldex doesnt make alot of difference either no as the Gen 1 wasnt exactly a slouch no??

 

[phantom]

One of the South African boys had there S3 on there the rollers that measured his losses and it was only 11%.

Awesome GTIU reckon between 18-20% on the mk2 S3

Thanks

leon

 

[Khufu]

I always thought the quattro drive train losses were about 20% plus the extra weight was detrimental too, the improved handling made up for this though in real life driving.

 

[mitch78]

:thumbsup:

 

[EAGLE79]

Just to throught more information in, Robin's A3 is quattro also so he had no advantage with the S3 having losses......

Will have a little blast around with him soon.....

 

[aiculedtzu]

The TT-S uses the same Haldex 4x4 as the S3, so the transmission losses would be the same.

Anyway, i wouldn't change a 4wd car for a 2wd car beacause traction is a big issue especially over 300 bhp. Also i want to drive my car quickly not only in a straight line form 30 mph ... (make it 50 if it's wet )