My car - your thoughts on modifications?

S

silverswish

Black 1997 Audi A3 1.6
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
63
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Hi,

Just gathering your thoughts on what modifications I could do to my car. It's a 97 Audi a3 1.6.

30kva1f.jpg
 
a4 cabrio said:
he was lookin for advice on mods, not a put down. how do you know he can afford to buy or insure a 1.8t????

everybody has gotta start somewhere
Click to expand...

Exactly, I started with a 1.6, I absolutely loved it! They are great car, Yours looks great, I really like your wheels, Maybe you could lower it a little! apart from that looks awesome!
 
To the OP
The 1.6 isn't a particularly tune-able engine, whilst you could spend money on trying to make it faster the gains are gonna be fairly small and you may well be better off spending/saving that money on other things. I reckon hit it with the lowering stick and get it sitting pretty, clear side repeaters, facelift rear lights and it should look mint!

If you then want a faster car it will probably be make more sense to get yourself a 1.8T in one guise or another.

More pics would be good the one you posted is a tad unclear.
 
a4 cabrio said:
he was lookin for advice on mods, not a put down. how do you know he can afford to buy or insure a 1.8t????
Click to expand...

Err he wants to spend money modding it so just buy the car in the first place. By the time youve spent money on mods and then TELLING your insurance company of the mods by law then you will end up paying Turbo money anyways. Use your brain m8
 
reptor245 said:
Err he wants to spend money modding it so just buy the car in the first place. By the time youve spent money on mods and then TELLING your insurance company of the mods by law then you will end up paying Turbo money anyways. Use your brain m8
Click to expand...

oh sorry oh wise one, did he say he wanted to mod the engine???? he may just want subtle mods to improve the look of his car for a year or 2 til he can afford something else.

looking at your mods, why didnt you just buy an s3 as by the time you insure your mods your in s3 insurance land.

dont try and tell me about mods as i have been there and done that

if you aint got nothing constructive to say, say nothing at all

engage your brain before you type
 
I think its a pretty tidy wee car, as said above clear side repeaters, lowered, facelift rear lights and maybe a sports exhaust. :D And ignore some of the posts above :/
 
reptor245 said:
Sell it and buy a 1.8Turbo... 1.6 are pants.
Click to expand...
Not the best advice is it,best be quiet in these type of threads if thats your best reply

Chrome mirrors,paint your calipers,facelift rear clusters,a leon lip spoiler/splitter for underneath your front bumper,interior could be upgraded to leathers if not already,S3 gearknob (8P one) thats a few off the top of my head but your car looks tidy at the moment.
 
The replies some people have been giving on this forum recently are embarrassing, the op has asked for advice and instead of help he gets 'buy another model'.
I love coming on this forum and trying to help others out, but if I have nothing constructive to say I just keep schtum (just wish others would do the same)

Rant over....
 
Last edited:
s3 Hoggy said:
The replies some people have been giving on this forum recently are embarrassing, the op has asked for advice and instead of help he gets 'buy another model'.
I love coming on this forum and trying to help others out, but if I have nothing constructive to say I just keep schtum (just wish other would)

Rant over....
Click to expand...

Have to say I agree...some of the replies on here as of late have been shocking. It's not difficult to be nice, but perhaps some people struggle with it more than others.
 
Car looks stunning. As said by voorhees and others keep the wheels there great, paint your callipers, fit some lowering springs, the facelift rear lights would look good too, along with clear side repeaters to match. Inside black leather would be good too.
 
s3 Hoggy said:
The replies some people have been giving on this forum recently are embarrassing, the op has asked for advice and instead of help he gets 'buy another model'.
I love coming on this forum and trying to help others out, but if I have nothing constructive to say I just keep schtum (just wish others would do the same)

Rant over....
Click to expand...
Agreed show some respect..
For advise i would look through the pics at the top of this section for inspiration, loads of ideas there mate
as said the 1.6 engine is not that tunable, nice exhaust air filter....?
 
Last edited:
​
Click the ignore feature in your profile for rude people.

It already looks tidy on those rims ,Perhaps some budget coils to lower then as said above .Nice lookin 8l though :)
 
I'd keep it simple. No point doing anything to the engine other than regular servicing. Exterior you might want to look at lowering it depending on your budget. Also I'd get either clear or smoked side repeaters. After that just keep it clean and shiny!
 
reptor245 said:
Sell it and buy a 1.8Turbo... 1.6 are pants.
Click to expand...

What a P Rick

I'd change the wheels for some more German looking if yo know what I mean, the sale of your current ones might cover it. Exhaust to liven throttle response, get ut mounted snug in the bumper like pprawn has done with his, it looks the dogs! De wiper the rear and facelift rear lights to freshen the back end up and bring it more up to date. Splitter or some sort of lip spoiler for the front for same reasons, try something different to the cupra splitter, you can make anything fit and everyone loves somethin unique!
 
Last edited:
everyones got to start somewhere! why dont you make it look good, lowered etc, then maybe later on when funds allow get a 1.8t and swap over the exterior mods!
 
get it lowered would be my first suggestion for improving the look of the car...also possibly get some hubcentric spacers to improve the stance??

i echo most of the other comments in regards engine performance mods, you wont get massive gains from modding the 1.6 engine...its just not worth spending the money in my opinion, maybe get a nice quality cat back and an airfilter to give the car a little more grunt?
 
Depending on your budget I'd lower the car and change the rear lights for face lift ones...
 
I'm a 1.6 and am very hurt by some of these comments ;)

Seriously, I'd go for looks and comfort rather than performance too. I've got bluetooth kit in mine, new seats, parking sensors and any other little luxuries I can add. Your car looks really nice - what's the interior?

Lights, lowering and refurbished wheels are next on my list.


 
Last edited:
Thanks for the replies, will post some better pictures of the car later on. The interior of the car is grey with grey fabric seats.
 
as said above....

lower it... maybe some budget coilies get it sitting nice. facelift rear lights. dechrome grill. maybe a little tint on the rear 3 windows. get the mop out and give it a damn good detail :), maybe a s3 spoiler? colour code the bumpers and sills. the you could start modding the interior? leathers or half leathers? maybe a nice tt alcantara steering wheel. hid kit? pure white side lights? clear side repeaters?

possiblities are endless. ive got the biggest list ever, i buy one thing and end up wanting 3 more things haha.
 
Pretty much whats been said.

Get it lowered and give it a good polish :)

Face lift rear lights... and fronts too

S3 boot spoiler

Pain the grill surround black

Debadge it so no one see's its a poverty shame inspiring 1.6 (this is a joke by the way!).

Then laugh when all us 1.8T owners are being raped in the wallet department having to fill up every 300 miles! :)

T
 
Some of the easy stuff too...

Aero wipers
Polo rear wiper
LED numberplate lights
LED side lights

Its all about the little things :)
 
Maybe look at getting a back box fitted to your exhaust and get a kone filter on it that should make it sound good! and make the car a little bit more responsive!
 
i have said on more than one occasion the best looking 8L in my opinion is a 1.8 or 1.6 in black or grey with pepper pot wheels and the chequered interior seats awesome, your car looks very good pal, mods wise i would get a good quality panel filter, lower it, eibach is cheap ish and very good, and polish it to the inch of its life, your car looks very good to me.
 
I like pepper pot wheels...slammed on a set of polished pepper pots is a win. Plus they're cheap!
 
If it were mine...

Engine:
Uprated panel filter
Backbox
Regular servicing!

Interior:
Find some mk4 Golf/A3/S3 black leather seats
Have cruise control fitted
Nice stereo or RNS-E or something
Ambient lighting mod

Exterior:
S3 tailgate spoiler
Polished TT Comp wheels
Eibach springs
Keep it clean!
 
Black A3's are always nice.. the biggest thing to do to it is hardly a mod but keep it clean. Dirty black cars look rubbish, keep it waxed.

Change the rear lights to facelifts as the pre facelifts dont do the back of the car justice. (I am selling a pair cheap if u do decide to do this). If you want a front mod then do the front headlights too, there is a really good guide in this forum which involves a little bit of work but the rewards are gooood. Metal plates and surrounds and poss some LED rear reg plates lights.
Keep it simple and in my opinion it stands out more.

Welcome to the forum tho, I no longer have my a3 but pop in from time to time as the advice generally is really good.
 
Thanks for the replies, am thinking of giving the car a stealth look.

I'm interested in your Haynes Manual Mike.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

m444ty p
Your thoughts on this
Replies
12
Views
1K
pauldazzle
pauldazzle
R
Your thoughts...
Replies
4
Views
870
ross_broughton
R
S
Has my turbo had it? Your thoughts?
Replies
6
Views
851
<tuffty/>
<tuffty/>
ruffrida
Evry Mod - Your thoughts please
Replies
9
Views
5K
jojo
jojo
J
Your opinion on the value on my S3
Replies
4
Views
1K
pablo
P
Top
Back