New S3 vs Old (with Remap)
- Thread starter fairzy
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TBH i laid off when it started getting illegal, the rain was really coming down.... the grin factor was amazing though :thumbsup:...always seems more fun when they are so certain of making a fool of you
I think my new LED number plate lights are poking me into chav land cos had several different incidents since I fitted them yesterday
I think my new LED number plate lights are poking me into chav land cos had several different incidents since I fitted them yesterday
sorry Faz, the car was on an 08 so less chance in theory of anything being wrong... gotta say though even though i know the differences and variations in conditions..... if i had to bet on an unmapped 8P taking me on.... id bet against the 8P beating me, thats how confident i am that he was pushing that car - take it or leave it
Sorry Faz, gotta agree with the 8L S3 lads here, ive not got an S3 but ive got a 180bhp fwd 8L A3. There was an orange 8P S3 ahead of me rolling at 20mph on a big wide 40mph road so figured this guy was looking to have some fun, i figured theres no harm in trying lol but he obviously left me for dead, but he left me in the exact same way that my mate in his mapped 8L S3 does. I personally dont think there would be much in it especially if going head to head with a rolling start.
this is an interesting thread. i would've thought the 8p would have it but mayb not. like tim said lots of things to consider, maybe engine not fully run in either on the 8p. still though love that grin factor. had an encounter with a vxr nurburgring edition that made me grin like a cheshire cat the other day!
i did quite well i thought mate. i managed to get alot better tration out of a corner exiting a roundabout with moist conditions so left him at that. im sure if it were dry the story would've been abit different but was quite pleased with the result.
haha, good fun mate... play to your strengths. One goes past me daily, love the sound of the popping exhaust on full boot, although everytime i see him he's got it planted in the opposite direction - one day i'll get a go haha
I had some fun with a Boxster the other day, no doubt on the twisties he'd have left me, booted it from traffic lights (must have been 2.7 as was on 02 plate), i pulled a lead! couldnt beleive it, although looking at figs and what have you its the 3.2 version i have to be worried about.
I had some fun with a Boxster the other day, no doubt on the twisties he'd have left me, booted it from traffic lights (must have been 2.7 as was on 02 plate), i pulled a lead! couldnt beleive it, although looking at figs and what have you its the 3.2 version i have to be worried about.
yea the 3.2 version i'd be abit more scared of. good result agaist the boxter though mate. do like the look of the astras thought bit boy racerish but i like. you found that clio again yet tim?
na fella...although had a nice run off with a 182 few weeks back....up my **** on single carriageway, went onto roundabout to double carriageway, sat on my back end, i booted it with gentle wave of enthusiasm.....the 197 will be no probs mate
yup, the Astras are nice but they do look tacky inside, i was considering one as a company car last year - only way id get one though is as a company purchase - better than they used to be but still tack and im not too chuffed about having power my front end can't put down. The one i had a go against was driven by a mate who is service manager at local dealer, he's seen quite a few in with various issues
my misus loves them out of all the hot hatches i checked out!!!
yup, the Astras are nice but they do look tacky inside, i was considering one as a company car last year - only way id get one though is as a company purchase - better than they used to be but still tack and im not too chuffed about having power my front end can't put down. The one i had a go against was driven by a mate who is service manager at local dealer, he's seen quite a few in with various issues
my misus loves them out of all the hot hatches i checked out!!!
yeah, think that the majority of these VXR/ST owners assume they are invincible..... always produces a smile.... although im sure that it would be a different story if they were remapped.
I looked at an St when i bought this, they seem to have improved massively, still couldnt get to grips with the build quality though - if i wanted a stupid fast car id get an Evo, the S3 snt brilliant at anything...but it is the best all rounder by far from what ive driven
I looked at an St when i bought this, they seem to have improved massively, still couldnt get to grips with the build quality though - if i wanted a stupid fast car id get an Evo, the S3 snt brilliant at anything...but it is the best all rounder by far from what ive driven
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had an experiance yesterday with an 8P S3..... rolling start about 20 mph, the guy was being a total n*b and was trying to get a rise outa me....thought what the hell and gave him the signal..... couldnt resist, there was nothing in it at all, stayed with him all the way up the rev range, it couldnt have been more evenly matched
obviously this isnt conclusive but gives an indication that a remapped 8L is in fact a match pace wise for an 8P..... we know conditions driver etc all count, the guy was toeing it and beckoned me so he must have been confident...
It's pretty straightforwards....if two cars of similar weight and drive system have almost equal torque and bhp,they will be just about as fast,allowing for the driver.
So an suitably mapped 8L should match a stock 8P......the Focus ST isn't really competition for an S3 and loses out heavily with FWD....my last car was an A4 3.0TDi,and on the move,it could keep with an ST.
It is quite funny when someone who thinks their car is much faster has a go and finds it really isnt....
i agree Alex with what you say about weight, size etc.... although i think that there are too many differences over and above what you have mentioned to stereotype all similar cars.....
I would beg to differ with the ST though, in dry conditions I wouldnt bet on pulling a lead from a standard ST....in the wet obviously the FWD doesn't work in its favour....
am i right in saying though that the diesels are aimed at mid range torque more than the average petrol turbo cars? I seem to remember someone telling me this which would answer why you were able to keep with the ST's - coupled with the fact that you had a 3.0 engine
a mate has a 6month old S4 and is swapping next year to an A5 diesel as opposed to the S5...as the diesel is quicker.....indicative maybe
a big YES on the annoying drivers who think they are quicker than they are - even if its a two minute boost just to show em they arent alone on the road
I would beg to differ with the ST though, in dry conditions I wouldnt bet on pulling a lead from a standard ST....in the wet obviously the FWD doesn't work in its favour....
am i right in saying though that the diesels are aimed at mid range torque more than the average petrol turbo cars? I seem to remember someone telling me this which would answer why you were able to keep with the ST's - coupled with the fact that you had a 3.0 engine
a mate has a 6month old S4 and is swapping next year to an A5 diesel as opposed to the S5...as the diesel is quicker.....indicative maybe
a big YES on the annoying drivers who think they are quicker than they are - even if its a two minute boost just to show em they arent alone on the road
Never rated the ST's. My brothers old stock LCR would mock them.
New RS might give us somethign to worry about though. Still FWD though, clearly cheap.
New RS might give us somethign to worry about though. Still FWD though, clearly cheap.
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Not sure....it's still FWD as you've said,which will always give it traction disadvantage,esp on wet roads etc,and I know what you mean about the build quality.
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I wasn't really stereotyping,just making a general comment,but there are always going to be small differences.
All I can really say about the ST was one day when the ST in front of me was obviously trying very hard to get away,using all of the road,and getting rather ragged on the corners,and whilst I was pushing the A4 hard,it had no real problems keeping up.
Obviously,having 400lbs of torque against rather less from the ST did help,but then he had a bhp and weight advantage....I did notice that going from an A3 3.2 to the A4...huge torque advantage,and goes surprisingly well for such a big car,but all said and done,I do much prefer a smaller car like the A3.
Yes Ford said the lsd was so good it didnt need awd. To me this is a load of rubbish. Its simply down to cost, if they did make it awd it would have put the cost inline with an 8P S3 and I think most of us would agree we would take the S3.
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As far as I know,it's a torque sensing diff made by Quaife.....I've had a car fitted with these(a GpN Escort Cosworth with about 380bhp and ALS)......it's an excellent diff for getting the power down,but the behaviour can be a bit interesting on mixed surfaces,and a bit snappy on the limits.
IIRC a few comments were made about that and the old Focus RS which also had a Quaife torque sensing diff.
It's not so much a criticism as a characteristic of the way the thing works,and it does sometimes require you to have your wits about you.
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Mine was zip,but I had the benefit of a very good engineer for some years when I had the Escort and Sierra....he ran a rallycross spec car for Mick Quaife in one of the race series at that time,and naturally it was fitted with his diffs and a 4WD system.
The diffs themselves are as tough as old boots,and almost unbreakable,but the on-off grip behaviour as I've said can be a bit snappy....maybe Ford have tamed that with their "RevoKnuckle" suspension geometry but it won't tempt me to buy one.
na, i think its one of those cars to buy if you can afford to waste more money than the next person.....love the look of the RS but like the VXR...it isnt on my xmas list.
interested to know if you manage to speak to someone who gets a go in one though.....
interested to know if you manage to speak to someone who gets a go in one though.....
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It's like many of the larger modern diesels.....very easy to drive,huge torque,reasonably good mpg.
It's easy to miss the torque and driveability of something like that,especially going back to a petrol car after.
The S3 in stock form doesnt have a huge amount of torque,and that was the first thing I really noticed after having mine remapped.
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My mistake in my previous post about the overall torque...it's 370lbs not 400 lbs,but it's flat from 2000rpm till about 3500rpm.
So,like almost all diesels,it's real strength is mid-range torque,but diesels are beginning to run out of puff much beyond 4000rpm on road going engines in any case,so it's rarely worth hanging on until the redline.
I sold my S3 to get a 330d kiddiewagon (400Nm). No doubt the s3 was faster if you wanted to have fun - more grip, more power at top of the rev's. But... the 330d is a better everyday fast car because the way the diesel gives power is more appropriate for 90% of driving. The acceleration in top gear is far more usable and rapid than having to drop a couple of gears and wind the s3 up. However, there are many evenings I miss the s3 on my way home through the coutryside.
has anyone any experiance with the focus St's? had a play last night with one, and seemed to do quite well!!?? im baffled.....he looked as though he was trying with the way he put his foot down, although he had bombed it off some previous lights to get me to play, im thinking that heat soak may be his problem the second time he booted it? really cant work out why i was able to over take as it should be pretty much an even match with a mapped 8L
james0808
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My old 330ci was an even match for a mapped 8L and i could easily leave a focus ST in it.They arent that good really.
