Discussion
I have owned a Mk1, and also driven a Mk2. Although the Mk2 is undoubtedly a better drive and substantially quicker, I prefer the looks of the Mk1. With 225bhp for the later Mk1, it's no slouch. It was very well put together, would do 30mpg quite easily if driven sensibly, and was also seriously competent in snow and ice. I'd have one again in a shot.
I ahve a mk1 variant with 350hp and it is a quick car no doubt.
However, they are small in the back and boot, so hardly any more practical than a TT.
They are still a pretty heavy car, lots of gizmos, airbags and lardiness, as stock the brakes are pretty woeful, (weird as same size brakes on golf are fine). Its the extra weight.
Also, as stock, the handling is awful.
BUt it is not all bad news. They are well put together, pretty economical, and quite rare too and have the RS style wide arches as stock. Stick some larger brakes on it, R32 or Brembo kit, some bilstein shocks with H and R springs, R32 front roll bar and as large a rear bar as you can find, a nice rempa and suddenly, a car which you'll need to be a decent wheelman to keep up with a clio 182, will be right up there with the quickest hot hatches/ super hatches.
Go for a large turbo kit some decent rods to boot and suddenly you'll be frightening 911's and 360 Fezzas!
As standard, the second generation car is far better, but again suffers from size and weight. You dont really need the new turbo to get good power from them, the K04 will yield 350hp + and it is nice inside, and pretty ok point to point. BUt to really get the best from them, needs some suspension tweaks and a few pennies spending. IN snow they will be great on snow tyres, but on stock summer rubber, whislt traction will be ok, you will not have a hope in hell of stopping!
However, they are small in the back and boot, so hardly any more practical than a TT.
They are still a pretty heavy car, lots of gizmos, airbags and lardiness, as stock the brakes are pretty woeful, (weird as same size brakes on golf are fine). Its the extra weight.
Also, as stock, the handling is awful.
BUt it is not all bad news. They are well put together, pretty economical, and quite rare too and have the RS style wide arches as stock. Stick some larger brakes on it, R32 or Brembo kit, some bilstein shocks with H and R springs, R32 front roll bar and as large a rear bar as you can find, a nice rempa and suddenly, a car which you'll need to be a decent wheelman to keep up with a clio 182, will be right up there with the quickest hot hatches/ super hatches.
Go for a large turbo kit some decent rods to boot and suddenly you'll be frightening 911's and 360 Fezzas!
As standard, the second generation car is far better, but again suffers from size and weight. You dont really need the new turbo to get good power from them, the K04 will yield 350hp + and it is nice inside, and pretty ok point to point. BUt to really get the best from them, needs some suspension tweaks and a few pennies spending. IN snow they will be great on snow tyres, but on stock summer rubber, whislt traction will be ok, you will not have a hope in hell of stopping!
Maybe i can help. I leased a new one in 2008 for 2 years, and I have recently replaced it with a Cayenne.
The S3 is a great car. Very capable, quick, reliable, cheap to run and is fun to drive.
I actually have commented elsewhere that I thought i dealt with last year's snow in SE England better than the Cayenne has this year. Neither has been run on winter tyres.
Don't worry too much about paying an extra £1500 quid in used prices to get the RNS-E (nav) as this can be retrofitted via ebay for around £600.
if there's anything specific you want to know please ask. I wouldn't hesitate to own another. The DSG (or S-Tronic now) box is class as well, although I know a few people who didn't get on with it but they couldn't be trusted with a manual either.
The S3 is a great car. Very capable, quick, reliable, cheap to run and is fun to drive.
I actually have commented elsewhere that I thought i dealt with last year's snow in SE England better than the Cayenne has this year. Neither has been run on winter tyres.
Don't worry too much about paying an extra £1500 quid in used prices to get the RNS-E (nav) as this can be retrofitted via ebay for around £600.
if there's anything specific you want to know please ask. I wouldn't hesitate to own another. The DSG (or S-Tronic now) box is class as well, although I know a few people who didn't get on with it but they couldn't be trusted with a manual either.
In addition, to answer s3fella's points, I would add that I had mine mapped to 330 HP and it was a very quick car thereafter. i would also average over 35mpg on the motorway and around 20 in town.
The brakes in the current model i believe are the same as the old RS6 and don't require upgrading unless you're running more power than you'll get from the GIAC hammer remap.
RS4 bucket seats are a very desirable option on second handers.
The brakes in the current model i believe are the same as the old RS6 and don't require upgrading unless you're running more power than you'll get from the GIAC hammer remap.
RS4 bucket seats are a very desirable option on second handers.
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