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

Reply to
vw-stuff
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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 =A34500 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

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as a thriving Audi community.

Cheers Dan

Reply to
dan_martland

Rumour has it all the post facelift cars are actually 225BHP, but not advertised as that, for the reasson given above.

I'll second that.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

Surely up to 11? ;-)

Reply to
Graham

Only the Spinal Tap Limited Edition does that.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

I had a post face lift S3 225BHP model. I leased it for 18 months and over a 10 month period it broke down 4 times with engine management failures. That is all the warning lights came on and car would not do more than 20mph - very scary on the outside lane of a motorway in the wet. Audi had the car for over 6 weeks trying to find the fault but kept returning the car as No Fault Found. That was even after Audi sent on of their ADTs (Audi Dedicated Technicians) out to the last breakdown to diagnose the fault at the roadside. All they could do was reset the engine management system. I cancelled the lease in the end because neither my wife or I could trust the car and AUDI paid me some compensation for the 6 weeks off the road.

I had liitle faith in Audi or their dealers to actually understand these cars. Remember that Which said the TT 225BHP was the most unreliable car they ever tested with a one in four chance of a breakdown in the first year.

The performance was good but the handling was a bit dead with very little feedback through the steering. It was hard to feel the car through bends which didn't inspire confidence.

I tried an 3.0 X-type Jag after that but it brokedown on the test drive!! I used to drive Alfas and went back to them as they proved to be more reliable and much more fun to drive. I drive around 40,000 miles a year.

Reply to
Paul Norris

Thanks to all who replied, a couple of very different views there. Probably looking to spend upto a maximum of 10k on one. Cars is this region are usually around 5 years old with around 100,000 miles.

Will check out that forum, thanks very much.

Reply to
vw-stuff

I've had no reliability problems with my TDi. It does have the rust in the roof channels though- it's six years old, so check any prospective purchase. This is the only really dissapointing thing about the car- other than that it's great, but I'll admit finding that has not pleased me.

Petrol A3s did have a bit of a problem due to the coil pack fiasco, but they'll have been sorted by now.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

Hehe, you thought Audi was unreliable and then you tried Jag?

lol

Reply to
LiFe

The diiference was that at least Jag knew what the problem was staright away, a water leak, whereas Audi could could not diagnose the problem after 10 months. The S3 was so complicated that it was defeating their own technicians.

Reply to
Paul Norris

Yeah, the audi technology is pretty complex and it would be hard to troubleshoot a lemon.

Unfortunately you seem to be turning to all the wrong marquis. If it's reliability you want, then Toyota/Lexus, Honda and Suberu have better reputations than the Germans. And can't even be compared to the American and British.

Reply to
LiFe

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