RS3 owners - what are the "must have" spec?

[w00tman]

Evening all

Following two years of pretty fantastic motoring in the i30N, the good lady wife has been persuaded to look at something new. We are a little ways off just yet, not wanting to spend more than £30k, from where we need to be but the car that has taken the fancy is the Audi RS3 - lots of reasons, but certainly right up there.

Looking at spec, I have so far settled on it being:

- at least a 2017 face-lifted model, for both the fact its face-lifted but also to get the full-fat 400BHP
- er.. and that's it

I'm a simple person to please - but are there any other options that are worth keeping an eye out for when ready to move? does it benefit much from the sports exhaust for instance, or things like that. Anything to watch out for in a negative way (other than 59 prior owners and "what are all those wires dangling out the steering column" obviously..)

Thanks!

[L3090]

Currently you wouldn’t get a facelift 2017+ for £30k.

RS3’s are holding onto their money really well, as of now the lowest priced facelift sportback in the UK is £33,499 and thats before we start looking at AUC examples.

I would go AUC personally, a lot of these have been messed around and spending this sort of money you want a proper warranty.

To answer your question though, Comfort and sound pack, Sports exhaust, Supersports seats and Panoramic sunroof.

Those four are the ingredients for sell straight away spec.

Black exterior styling package is also up there and personally I’d want electric folding mirrors.

Some folks want mag ride which again Im not personally bothered about but can see the appeal but the main ones are the first four.

That sort of spec is big money though, I’ve had customers part exchange them back in for similar money that they paid for them 12 months ago.

Currently these have no rival, the A45S is at least £10k more so a good spec RS3 is commanding £40k+

[The-Wanderer]

Round here the following options seem to be the favourites for RS3s:

Delete driver brain and replace with roid-head

Automatically recognise every residential road as race track

Exhaust set to maximum fart

3D gel number plate

I’d try and avoid these ones...never seen so many cretins driving the same type of car.

[J1990]

The-Wanderer said:

Round here the following options seem to be the favourites for RS3s:

Delete driver brain and replace with roid-head

Automatically recognise every residential road as race track

Exhaust set to maximum fart

3D gel number plate

I’d try and avoid these ones...never seen so many cretins driving the same type of car.

That sounds like Bradford.

[Mikee19]

Steering lock and a big dog.

[clockworks]

I'm obviously out of touch, but I'm surprised at some of the things that are quoted as being "desirable options" on an expensive car.

My local runabout is a £15k (new, 16 months ago) small hatchback, and it came as standard with electric folding mirrors and an electric sunroof, as well as heated seats and steering wheel, climate control, nav, reversing camera, wireless phone charger, keyless entry and go, etc.
I think the only options available on this model are the colour, floor mats, and a service pack.

[The-Wanderer]

J1990 said:

The-Wanderer said:

Round here the following options seem to be the favourites for RS3s:

Delete driver brain and replace with roid-head

Automatically recognise every residential road as race track

Exhaust set to maximum fart

3D gel number plate

I’d try and avoid these ones...never seen so many cretins driving the same type of car.

That sounds like Bradford.

Ha, no, Bolton. Many similarities having lived in both.

[J1990]

clockworks said:

I'm obviously out of touch, but I'm surprised at some of the things that are quoted as being "desirable options" on an expensive car.

My local runabout is a £15k (new, 16 months ago) small hatchback, and it came as standard with electric folding mirrors and an electric sunroof, as well as heated seats and steering wheel, climate control, nav, reversing camera, wireless phone charger, keyless entry and go, etc.
I think the only options available on this model are the colour, floor mats, and a service pack.

There seems to be a winning formula for the cars with the 'more desirable' everyday badges, stick a load of power in it, give it a few features that generate some form of hype and then skip all the basic functionality and charge people to add it in, especially if you can lock it behind a 'pack' rather than a single optional extra.

50k on a new barge for motorway cruising in luxurious comfort? Ok, that'll be another £1300 for active cruise control - Something you'd expect to be at the core of a motorway mile muncher.

[clockworks]

J1990 said:

There seems to be a winning formula for the cars with the 'more desirable' everyday badges, stick a load of power in it, give it a few features that generate some form of hype and then skip all the basic functionality and charge people to add it in, especially if you can lock it behind a 'pack' rather than a single optional extra.

50k on a new barge for motorway cruising in luxurious comfort? Ok, that'll be another £1300 for active cruise control - Something you'd expect to be at the core of a motorway mile muncher.

I guess that's how the Germans make their money

[w00tman]

L3090 said:

Currently you wouldn’t get a facelift 2017+ for £30k.

RS3’s are holding onto their money really well, as of now the lowest priced facelift sportback in the UK is £33,499 and thats before we start looking at AUC examples.

I would go AUC personally, a lot of these have been messed around and spending this sort of money you want a proper warranty.

To answer your question though, Comfort and sound pack, Sports exhaust, Supersports seats and Panoramic sunroof.

Those four are the ingredients for sell straight away spec.

Black exterior styling package is also up there and personally I’d want electric folding mirrors.

Some folks want mag ride which again Im not personally bothered about but can see the appeal but the main ones are the first four.

That sort of spec is big money though, I’ve had customers part exchange them back in for similar money that they paid for them 12 months ago.

Currently these have no rival, the A45S is at least £10k more so a good spec RS3 is commanding £40k+

Apologies - yes you're right, £30k won't right now but the plan is to start putting the feelers out for about 12 months away, which I'd have thought we'd be there-or-thereabouts.

I'm almost the polar opposite of roids, big dog etc - and my wife even more so, but the car appeals. Here its Focus ST that are always driven by idiots. That and Vauxhall anything. RS cars are relatively rare and I've not seen anyone misbehaving in one.

[w00tman]

clockworks said:

I'm obviously out of touch, but I'm surprised at some of the things that are quoted as being "desirable options" on an expensive car.

My local runabout is a £15k (new, 16 months ago) small hatchback, and it came as standard with electric folding mirrors and an electric sunroof, as well as heated seats and steering wheel, climate control, nav, reversing camera, wireless phone charger, keyless entry and go, etc.
I think the only options available on this model are the colour, floor mats, and a service pack.

Yep I get it - our daily is a Hyundai i30N Performance - and it literally has no options (or didn't when we got it) to add on - it only comes with everything installed, so having to find options is a bit unusual!

[resolve10]

clockworks said:

I'm obviously out of touch, but I'm surprised at some of the things that are quoted as being "desirable options" on an expensive car.

My local runabout is a £15k (new, 16 months ago) small hatchback, and it came as standard with electric folding mirrors and an electric sunroof, as well as heated seats and steering wheel, climate control, nav, reversing camera, wireless phone charger, keyless entry and go, etc.
I think the only options available on this model are the colour, floor mats, and a service pack.

It's because your average car buyer buys on features and toys and don't necessarily care what is under the bonnet or how it goes round a track.

Performance cars like the RS3, the money goes into the drivetrain and the engineering. If you're being sceptical you could also argue that because there will always be people after this type of car, they can get away with charging for the extras!

[clockworks]

resolve10 said:

It's because your average car buyer buys on features and toys and don't necessarily care what is under the bonnet or how it goes round a track.

Performance cars like the RS3, the money goes into the drivetrain and the engineering. If you're being sceptical you could also argue that because there will always be people after this type of car, they can get away with charging for the extras!

I can see that for some "toys", but surely electric folding mirrors are pretty much essential on any car that gets parked on a street or in a car park? Madness to have to pay extra for them on a "premium" car.

The sunroof I can do without - one more thing to go wrong, and not really needed with aircon.