get an A3....ask Prawn to sell you his beast.
What's with the subtle prawn victimisation lately Jase?
most of us are ex A3 owners!!! even Prawn and Dave B are closet S3 enthusiasts!!!
I've never claimed not to be Timmy! I simply have typical strong prawn views.
When I bought my A3 almost 3 years ago, I was just 19, insurance even on a 1.8T was a joke, and it only cost me £3k, when even pre facelift S3's were still fetching 10k. I was actually looking for a mint mk2 golf GTI when the A3 came up silly cheap, so I snapped it up.
The standard S3 is dull as dishwater, that's a fact. Go back a year, when I spent all the money on my A3, and to when standard S3's were £7k+. My A3 is/was faster and more interesting to drive for less money. it's still just as quick as a mapped S3 now
That said, the S3 is a far better car all round, and if you've got the money, go for it. Just don't expect it to be anything special if you get a standard one, they're slow, and handle like a boat. although not as slow or boat like as a standard 1.8T A3!
Both cars need a good wedge of money spending on them to make them quick and handle well, an A3 with £3k spent on it will be quicker and handle better than a standard S3, but of course, spend a good bit of money on an S3, and it'll be quicker and handle better again.
All I'm against is the mass S3 group on here simply refusing to accept that a lowly A3 could ever be quick or challenge the mighty S3, which is infact a a massively dull car.
It is however, a car I want to own after my A3, as I know that with a bit of money spending in the right places it can be a very capable all rounder.
Neither will ever be proper drivers cars, but for quickish comfy every day motors, they're both absolutely brilliant.
perish the thought, when I finally get myself an S3, it'll probably only cost about £4k anyway, and the first mod it's getting will be a detachable tow bar, to tow my 200bhp/ton Mini, which is where the real fun is to be had at the track