S3
 

Hello
Looking to change by VW Golf GTi for an Audi S3. Would really appreciate
your comments on the S3 regarding reliability/performance etc.
Is there really a difference between the 210 and 225bhp models?

TIA

Re: S3
 

vw-stuff wrote:
> Hello
> Looking to change by VW Golf GTi for an Audi S3. Would really appreciate
> your comments on the S3 regarding reliability/performance etc.
> Is there really a difference between the 210 and 225bhp models?
>
> TIA

Hello,

I have just sold my MY2000 S3 last week. There are three 'types' of S3
available:
210bhp Pre-Face Lift,
210bhp Post-Face Lift, and
225bhp Post-Face Lift.

The face lift involved primarily a change to the lights and the dash
board of the car IIRC. My car was 210bhp and pre-face lift. My
experience with the driver community for S3s is that there is very
little difference between the 210bhp and 225bhp cars in the real world.
The history behind the cars is that Audi wanted to make the TT
'faster' than the S3 and so originally the TT had 225bhp whilst the S3
had 210bhp.

I bought my car at 6 months old, with 2k miles on the clock. Over the
5 years or so that I had the car I upped the mileage to 95k miles
(mostly motorway) with no reliability issues. Just make sure that the
car has a full service history (from an Audi dealership or independent
specialist) and has had the cam belt changed at 80k miles if
applicable.

The standard S3 is not as quick as some other hot hatches or an Impreza
WRX, but is IMO the most refined hot hatch available. It blends
performance, luxury, practicality and prestige with discrete styling.

If you want the S3 to really be a performance car then you need to get
it modified. There is a thriving modification community for the S3
(and other VAG cars with similar mechanicals). Over the life time of
my car I spent £4500 on having it enhanced, with an engine remap,
sports exhaust, uprated brakes and suspension. These mods raised the
car from excellent to outstanding. I had my car modified when it had
55k miles on the clock and there was no reduction in reliability and no
reduction in motorway fuel economy. I can certainly recommend the
modification route if you have the funds to do it correctly - the best
improvements to the car were suspension and brakes (which were also the
most costly changes too).

As an upgrade from a Golf GTi, I think the S3 would be hard to beat.
It takes all the qualities of the GTi and turns the dial up to 10,
whilst actually being a more discrete car to own as only enthusiasts
usually recognise it.

I would suggest checking out www.audi-sport.net as a thriving Audi
community.

Cheers
Dan

Re: S3
 

vw-stuff wrote:
> Hello
> Looking to change by VW Golf GTi for an Audi S3. Would really appreciate
> your comments on the S3 regarding reliability/performance etc.
> Is there really a difference between the 210 and 225bhp models?
>
> TIA

Hello,

I have just sold my MY2000 S3 last week. There are three 'types' of S3
available:
210bhp Pre-Face Lift,
210bhp Post-Face Lift, and
225bhp Post-Face Lift.

The face lift involved primarily a change to the lights and the dash
board of the car IIRC. My car was 210bhp and pre-face lift. My
experience with the driver community for S3s is that there is very
little difference between the 210bhp and 225bhp cars in the real world.
The history behind the cars is that Audi wanted to make the TT
'faster' than the S3 and so originally the TT had 225bhp whilst the S3
had 210bhp.

I bought my car at 6 months old, with 2k miles on the clock. Over the
5 years or so that I had the car I upped the mileage to 95k miles
(mostly motorway) with no reliability issues. Just make sure that the
car has a full service history (from an Audi dealership or independent
specialist) and has had the cam belt changed at 80k miles if
applicable.

The standard S3 is not as quick as some other hot hatches or an Impreza
WRX, but is IMO the most refined hot hatch available. It blends
performance, luxury, practicality and prestige with discrete styling.

If you want the S3 to really be a performance car then you need to get
it modified. There is a thriving modification community for the S3
(and other VAG cars with similar mechanicals). Over the life time of
my car I spent £4500 on having it enhanced, with an engine remap,
sports exhaust, uprated brakes and suspension. These mods raised the
car from excellent to outstanding. I had my car modified when it had
55k miles on the clock and there was no reduction in reliability and no
reduction in motorway fuel economy. I can certainly recommend the
modification route if you have the funds to do it correctly - the best
improvements to the car were suspension and brakes (which were also the
most costly changes too).

As an upgrade from a Golf GTi, I think the S3 would be hard to beat.
It takes all the qualities of the GTi and turns the dial up to 10,
whilst actually being a more discrete car to own as only enthusiasts
usually recognise it.

I would suggest checking out www.audi-sport.net as a thriving Audi
community.

Cheers
Dan

Re: S3
 

vw-stuff wrote:
> Hello
> Looking to change by VW Golf GTi for an Audi S3. Would really appreciate
> your comments on the S3 regarding reliability/performance etc.
> Is there really a difference between the 210 and 225bhp models?
>
> TIA

Hello,

I have just sold my MY2000 S3 last week. There are three 'types' of S3
available:
210bhp Pre-Face Lift,
210bhp Post-Face Lift, and
225bhp Post-Face Lift.

The face lift involved primarily a change to the lights and the dash
board of the car IIRC. My car was 210bhp and pre-face lift. My
experience with the driver community for S3s is that there is very
little difference between the 210bhp and 225bhp cars in the real world.
The history behind the cars is that Audi wanted to make the TT
'faster' than the S3 and so originally the TT had 225bhp whilst the S3
had 210bhp.

I bought my car at 6 months old, with 2k miles on the clock. Over the
5 years or so that I had the car I upped the mileage to 95k miles
(mostly motorway) with no reliability issues. Just make sure that the
car has a full service history (from an Audi dealership or independent
specialist) and has had the cam belt changed at 80k miles if
applicable.

The standard S3 is not as quick as some other hot hatches or an Impreza
WRX, but is IMO the most refined hot hatch available. It blends
performance, luxury, practicality and prestige with discrete styling.

If you want the S3 to really be a performance car then you need to get
it modified. There is a thriving modification community for the S3
(and other VAG cars with similar mechanicals). Over the life time of
my car I spent £4500 on having it enhanced, with an engine remap,
sports exhaust, uprated brakes and suspension. These mods raised the
car from excellent to outstanding. I had my car modified when it had
55k miles on the clock and there was no reduction in reliability and no
reduction in motorway fuel economy. I can certainly recommend the
modification route if you have the funds to do it correctly - the best
improvements to the car were suspension and brakes (which were also the
most costly changes too).

As an upgrade from a Golf GTi, I think the S3 would be hard to beat.
It takes all the qualities of the GTi and turns the dial up to 10,
whilst actually being a more discrete car to own as only enthusiasts
usually recognise it.

I would suggest checking out www.audi-sport.net as a thriving Audi
community.

Cheers
Dan

Re: S3
 

> My
> experience with the driver community for S3s is that there is very
> little difference between the 210bhp and 225bhp cars in the real world.
> The history behind the cars is that Audi wanted to make the TT
> 'faster' than the S3 and so originally the TT had 225bhp whilst the S3
> had 210bhp.

Rumour has it all the post facelift cars are actually 225BHP, but not
advertised as that, for the reasson given above.
>
> I would suggest checking out www.audi-sport.net as a thriving Audi
> community.
>

I'll second that.
> Cheers
> Dan
>

Re: S3
 

> My
> experience with the driver community for S3s is that there is very
> little difference between the 210bhp and 225bhp cars in the real world.
> The history behind the cars is that Audi wanted to make the TT
> 'faster' than the S3 and so originally the TT had 225bhp whilst the S3
> had 210bhp.

Rumour has it all the post facelift cars are actually 225BHP, but not
advertised as that, for the reasson given above.
>
> I would suggest checking out www.audi-sport.net as a thriving Audi
> community.
>

I'll second that.
> Cheers
> Dan
>

Re: S3
 

> My
> experience with the driver community for S3s is that there is very
> little difference between the 210bhp and 225bhp cars in the real world.
> The history behind the cars is that Audi wanted to make the TT
> 'faster' than the S3 and so originally the TT had 225bhp whilst the S3
> had 210bhp.

Rumour has it all the post facelift cars are actually 225BHP, but not
advertised as that, for the reasson given above.
>
> I would suggest checking out www.audi-sport.net as a thriving Audi
> community.
>

I'll second that.
> Cheers
> Dan
>

Re: S3
 

dan_martland@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> As an upgrade from a Golf GTi, I think the S3 would be hard to beat.
> It takes all the qualities of the GTi and turns the dial up to 10,

Surely up to 11? ;-)

Re: S3
 

dan_martland@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> As an upgrade from a Golf GTi, I think the S3 would be hard to beat.
> It takes all the qualities of the GTi and turns the dial up to 10,

Surely up to 11? ;-)

Re: S3
 

dan_martland@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> As an upgrade from a Golf GTi, I think the S3 would be hard to beat.
> It takes all the qualities of the GTi and turns the dial up to 10,

Surely up to 11? ;-)