Modified S3's

[CJP80]

Hi Everyone,

For those of us lucky enough to own S3's. I'd like to get an idea of what modifications people are generally undertaking and the assosiated costs and hopefully gains.

I've got a little money to spend so after already remapping to obtain 313PS I'm now looking to sqeeze some more power from the 2.0T FSI by piggybacking another FMIC and opting for the full Milltek Exhaust. I'm also considering a Cold Air Intake and will post the before and after results for all to see. I'll try to do this for each stage of upgrade, so we can see which mods have the greatest effect in conjuction with one another.

Here's another question. Has anyone managed to squeeze more than 330bhp from an S3 yet?

I'm eager to here responses if you're eager to tell!

Me so far:

Remap and custom flashloader: ~ £700, 313PS, 425Nm

Thanks,

CJP

 

[Shao_khan]

I have a remap.

I am getting Downpipe, cats and exhaut custome built shortly, I expect this (knowing the guys doing the work) to surpass Miltek in every way for Quality and fit.

I hope to do rollign road trips either side of this work.

I have also offered to RR a intake / multiple intakes but so far havent been offered any - which suggests to me folsk dont want these on a RR.

I also hope my 1.6 badge should give another couple of BHP......

 

[emzino]

Hey Shao_khan, where you getting your custom exhaust built from? You getting a 200cell cat?

 

[Dandle]

God luck guys

If your that into performance why not buy an Evo in the first place and any money spent would get much more performance? Without changing the resale value of your cars buy adding FMIC and big mods etc.(I do love the S3 BTW but I wouldnt touch a second hand one modded that much).

I don't mean these questions to be funny but if I had the money thats what I would do.

 

[normski]

Whilst I think Shao is a complete **** for putting a 1.6 badge on the back of it, I don't see how re-mapping the car and then putting a better exhaust in is that bad if that is what they want...though Emzino is saving up for every extra under the sun, that does make me chuckle...

Having had the "pleasure" of using both a new Sti and a new Evo extensively in the last few days, I for one am A. very glad I purchased an S3, and B. if I want that sort of power (pretty similar to the basic Sti anyway) then I would upgrade the car, and have a noisey exhaust, intake etc. but still have a car that is nice inside, and good residuals because I can remove the mods if needs be.

Horses for courses really...

 

[CJP80]

God luck guys

If your that into performance why not buy an Evo in the first place and any money spent would get much more performance? Without changing the resale value of your cars buy adding FMIC and big mods etc.(I do love the S3 BTW but I wouldnt touch a second hand one modded that much).

I don't mean these questions to be funny but if I had the money thats what I would do.

If it were just about performance then I'd have bought a Radical!

The EVOs are superb fast cars, but they are ugly, poorly built, expensive to maintain, and most importantly, not a Audi.

I plan to keep my car a while so I'm happy to spend the view thousand pounds it would take to get my car into evo territory. Any money I do spend will be offset by the residual value of my car down the line. I wont have to worry about my car being superseded by a tenth generation MR FQ blah blah. There wont be another S3 for at least five years.

Normski, I reckon a standard S3 is not far off an STI anyway.

 

[markwiggy]

Without changing the resale value of your cars buy adding FMIC and big mods etc.(I do love the S3 BTW but I wouldnt touch a second hand one modded that much).

Got to agree, it a good way of wiping good money off the value of your car, don't no many people who would buy a modded car especially if it was costing nearly 30k. Each to ther own, I am more than happy with my standard S3.

Mark

 

[normski]

Got to agree, it a good way of wiping good money off the value of your car, don't no many people who would buy a modded car especially if it was costing nearly 30k. Each to ther own, I am more than happy with my standard S3.

Mark

Whilst I have no intention of modding my car, I think after about three years old there is a huge market for modded S3's, so I don't see it being a major issue, and you can always de-mod if you have to.

CJP80, think the 0-60 difference is about .2, but every time I have left the sti behind at work and climb into my S3, it is like a wave of bliss comes over me...such a different, quality and refined feel to it after a Scooby or Evo.

 

[markwiggy]

I think after about three years old there is a huge market for modded S3's, so I don't see it being a major issue,

Maybe !!! But I am not so sure, kind of defeats the object of the S3 IMO after Audi spend wads of cash to develop a car that is comfy,quite and refined but also turn into an aggressive super hatch when required. Do not really see the point in changing that with big exhausts etc, surely its going to effect the refinement of the car.

Can't see you buying a modded S3 Norm, as I wouldn't.

Mark

 

[normski]

Maybe !!! But I am not so sure, kind of defeats the object of the S3 IMO after Audi spend wads of cash to develop a car that is comfy,quite and refined but also turn into an aggressive super hatch when required. Do not really see the point in changing that with big exhausts etc, surely its going to effect the refinement of the car.

Can't see you buying a modded S3 Norm, as I wouldn't.

Mark

I wouldn't, but I am not a well off boy racer...and you just know the car will have had a hard life

 

[markwiggy]

...and you just know the car will have had a hard life

Precisely the point I was trying to make without actually saying it and getting into the debate about most of them having had a hard life anyway.

Mark

 

[rodenal]

Ach thats what they're built for tbh - there's a hard life and then there's serious abuse, most people will drive the car as it wants to be driven but take generally good care of it remapped or not

 

[normski]

Precisely the point I was trying to make without actually saying it and getting into the debate about most of them having had a hard life anyway.

Mark

I agree with everything you are saying as a potential buyer, but you only have to look at the number of 8L S3's being snapped up for good money by pretty wealthy young lads to appreciate that as tuning decent cars go, the S3 is one you can get away with it on...the ones you see on ebay etc. that are 1.6's with £10,000 worth of mods are another kettle of fish totally.

 

[emzino]

...though Emzino is saving up for every extra under the sun, that does make me chuckle...

lol normski that made me laugh . I ain't gonna ruin the car, just gonna help it get to it's potential and while I can't afford to maintain a petrol, more powerful car... the diesel will do me fine but as I said, I just wanna get it to it's potential without any harm done to the engine .

But as you said, I do have alot planned lol but only because I love it so much I don't think i'll ever sell it. Worst case.. I need to sell it in which case i'll de-mod as you said.

Oh and I definitely ain't a well off young one, just work hard. On that note, i'm shattered from work so gonna hit the sack

 

[Shao_khan]

I like the 1.6 Badge.......

I have driven the STi PPP and Evo FQ and TBH they are great cars, they are fast, the Scooby I drove for a while was very rapid, but they dont have for mea refined finish. Most of my driving is done up the motorway at a constant mph and having used them fora week or so, just dint find the Japanese cars to be designed very well for this and the interiors just didnt feel as nice for long periods of time.

With the S3 - a Map, and turbo back isnt ahuge expenditure, but adds just a little more to a great car IMO, and isnt taking the mods too far. My last TT had this plus suspension, brakes, FMI, valves, hoses, tiebars, dogbones, other mounts, etc,etc but I dont see thte poitn in doing this in the S3. For me the car is about the overall package, which is why I went down the Audi Route again. And as for use of this power - well I might partake in the odd traffic light grand prix, I do intend to do one track day at some time, and a couple of runsat santa pod. The rest of the time I'll just be enjoying the car pootling to work and back or doing the school run.

Exhaust is being done at APS in Brackley, when I spoke to Ed he did mention cat, so I'd expecct 200cell.