Ian W
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Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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I've had mine for over 18 months, got no plans to change it. I do a good few miles a week and its a nice car to be in.
Get a decent suspension set with a remap and your sorted, I had Bilstein B8's, H&R springs and KW Tie Bars. Regarded as pretty much the ultimate setup for an S3. Sadly had to sell it all to fund a repair though 
Good cars, I considered a GSi but glad I went for the S3.
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ash_corsa
Member
Registered: 15th Apr 04
Location: Shrewsbury
User status: Offline
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Adjustable tie bars are a must have, my S3's both ate rear tyres without them.
Id agree with the previous comments, S3s arnt fantastic cars out of the box but with a few choice mods you can really have some fun in one.
I'd have another any day but id maybe consider buying an already 'prepped' one as the mods arnt cheap.
Think my KW tie bars were £279 + the 4 wheel alignment
Then you've got the suspension, brakes, remap, exhaust, filter, intercooler etc.. etc.. 
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Adam_B
Member
Registered: 13th Dec 00
Location: Lancashire
User status: Offline
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I liked the one i had a go of, much better car than an Astra GSi, Id really consider one if i needed a sensible car. Colour was a bit iffy though 
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Joe
quote:
Originally posted by jr
exactley that, its not a personal thing against joe but they dont deserve the repuatation they get IMO, no better than a nice atra gsi in driving terms apart from the badge
I don't take it personally, I didn't design or make the car so it doesn't bother me but do they really have a reputation? The only reputation they have is as a pretty un-inspiring car, I've never heard anyone rave about them or the handling, most of Audi-sport slate them although I haven't been on there for ages.
I've been really happy with mine, but I'm not arsed about doing track days, going to the nurburgring and all that jazz, I just like a car that gets me from A to B with no fuss but if you do buy one that has had the suspension sorted etc I reckon you will be buying what could be a very well sorted car.
down here mate they seem to have a reputation of "oh my god its an audi s car, it must be wank worthy"
i drove one years ago with loads of people telling me how good they were, and found it a bit crap, put it down to it beeing a poor one
since drove 5 or 6 others, and all been the same, IMO they have nothing over a mk4 golf apart from tiny bit quicker
also people seem to love the fact is "quattro", were as we know its a system that makes it understeer like a wanker, and in relaity IMO doesnt handel better than a fw golf/a3, and is exactley the same as a slow motion golf
not a bad car, but the repuation doesnt help them
[Edited on 27-05-2009 by jr]
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Joe
Member
Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Adam_B
I liked the one i had a go of, much better car than an Astra GSi, Id really consider one if i needed a sensible car. Colour was a bit iffy though
To be fair this is when I realised that it can be a very quick car. On a road that someone knows well, with someone who is a handy driver it really did shift! I was very surprised, but also very scared!
You have to be a real man to pull off the colour though!
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Adam_B
Member
Registered: 13th Dec 00
Location: Lancashire
User status: Offline
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and to think when we swapped seats you were concerned about me kerbing a wheel
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Jay
Member
Registered: 26th Sep 04
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by jr
and is exactley the same as a slow motion golf
My brother had a 4 Motion and I loved it, I dont see what people expect it to be like when they say Slow Motion? It wasnt lightening fast but it was a big heavy Golf at the end of the day, It was fast on the road and handled well on the road, which I would say is where 90%+ of them are used. If it wasnt for the MPG, or lack of, I would buy one in a flash.
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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again, working in a vw dealer maybe gave me a diffrent impression, but dealing with customers who "talk" these cars upm they really arent very special
at the time the slow-mo was the golf range topper, and IMO and many others, not a very good one
[Edited on 27-05-2009 by jr]
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Butler
Member
Registered: 2nd Jun 05
Location: London
User status: Offline
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James what the hell is a 172 ragnotti?
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Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by ash_corsa
Adjustable tie bars are a must have, my S3's both ate rear tyres without them.
Id agree with the previous comments, S3s arnt fantastic cars out of the box but with a few choice mods you can really have some fun in one.
I'd have another any day but id maybe consider buying an already 'prepped' one as the mods arnt cheap.
Think my KW tie bars were £279 + the 4 wheel alignment
Then you've got the suspension, brakes, remap, exhaust, filter, intercooler etc.. etc..
Ye, modding isn't cheap. Think it was about £1000 when I lowered mine and that was just for the parts 
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Butler
James what the hell is a 172 ragnotti?
its what i own 
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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Yeah I'd have one over a GSi too. Probably similar to drive but everything else I'd take the S3.
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whitter45
Member
Registered: 15th Nov 02
Location: Norton
User status: Offline
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S3 is over hyped due tot he 4 wheel drive crap - the haldex system is crap and sometimes dangerous
Nice cars but so overated and sont look much different to a standard A3 which for some isnt a bad thing
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Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by whitter45
S3 is over hyped due tot he 4 wheel drive crap - the haldex system is crap and sometimes dangerous
Nice cars but so overated and sont look much different to a standard A3 which for some isnt a bad thing
Hows it dangerous
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Butler
Member
Registered: 2nd Jun 05
Location: London
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by jr
quote:
Originally posted by Butler
James what the hell is a 172 ragnotti?
its what i own
Isnt that what they called the cup in france? As in the country where we arent.
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Ojc
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
User status: Offline
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The new one is quoted with a 0-60 of 5.2 seconds, now I think that is VERY optimistic, everyone I've come across on the road has been slower than the VXR.
But then hes in an Audi so that makes him a god amongst men so I doubt he cares if he gets beaten by a shoddy Vauxhall that torque steers into a hedge at every opportunity 
[Edited on 28-05-2009 by Ojc]
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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I was really suprised at how little difference there was on our trip back from North Wales on Monday. I was in my A3 1.8T Sport; my mate was in his S3 (225). A few traffic light/dual carriageway grandprix's showed that although the S3 was quicker, it was only marginal. Especiallys from approximatly 50mph rolling to 80ish; there was barely a difference. We weren't exactly racing just comparing the difference. Also handling (which granted is difficult to judge with 2 different drivers) but I'd say mine handled as well as the S3.
Further to that teh S3 has a much smaller boot because of the Haldex system.One of the only things I like about my car is the significant size of the boot and how much crap will fit in there. The S3 was 1/2 the size.
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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They hold their prices well though. Very few below the £7500 mark which are in good/reasonable condition and thats for an 7/8/9year old car
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StueyBoy1989
Member
Registered: 22nd Feb 07
Location: North West London
User status: Offline
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but the difference from a vauxhall to an audi build quality. and the options you can get, i know any day of the week i'd have an s3 over a vxr.
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Joe
Member
Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
The new one is quoted with a 0-60 of 5.2 seconds, now I think that is VERY optimistic, everyone I've come across on the road has been slower than the VXR.
Is this from rolling or standing though? As 'shit' as haldex is it gives you a shit load of grip from standing.
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richc
Member
Registered: 24th Mar 07
Location: Ilkeston
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by P1CK4D
quote:
Originally posted by CORSA NUT
S3 the same as a GSI?? As in Astra GSI??
Are you taking the piss jr??
He's meaning both fairly boring and dull to drive. Not a real feel for the cars as a driving experience.
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Joe
quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
The new one is quoted with a 0-60 of 5.2 seconds, now I think that is VERY optimistic, everyone I've come across on the road has been slower than the VXR.
Is this from rolling or standing though? As 'shit' as haldex is it gives you a shit load of grip from standing.
You only have to read the test they did in Evo to see the advantage Haldex gave
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Joe
Member
Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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Haven't read it but I'd defo bet on a 8P S3 over the VXR from standing.
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Brett
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
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If you listened to everyones opinions on this site then you literally couldn't own any car.
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Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by loafofbrett
If you listened to everyones opinions on this site then you literally couldn't own any car.
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