Audi S3 Sportback
Discussion
I bought my 2010 S3 Sportback in spring 2011 with 9,600 miles on the clock. I've written a general blurb and some more details about the car in my "Garage", but this thread is more about its recent rejuvenation!
My S3 was an ex-VW UK management car and although clean on purchase, it looked to have had barely a wash in the 6 months it was used (judging by the amount of tar) before being offloaded to an Audi franchise. Unfortunately, it was then in the dealer's compound for another 6 months and treated to some particularly harsh washing before I finally got it! The car is now on 15.5k miles.
As some of you will know, Audi Brilliant Red is a great colour when clean and protected - but its ability to show marks and swirling seems second only to flat blacks. I've given the bodywork some good care in the 9 months since getting the car, but it was always clear that I'd need some professional help to get the overall condition to where I wanted it.
After waiting for winter to pass, I called my usual detailers (Just Detailing Services, based around Bristol) and asked them to give it their best shot. Paul and Darren are well known to me as I've been using them annually on my cars - Paul is also on the Pistonheads "scene" in the South West. My camera isn't especially good, but I hope the following gives you some idea of their work:
On arrival - looks clean to the average Joe...
...and I only do around 6,000 miles a year, so this was dirty for me (although my mileage is about to go up a lot)
Getting down to business with some snow foaming
Inside the unit. Getting this far took over an hour and, at this stage, the car was looking very good - at first glance!
...but the amount of tar that was coming off on clay bars and general marring being revealed meant that a level of correction not usual for a car of this age and use was needed - it's only on 15.5k miles remember! As you can see below, the shine is good - but what you can't see is the amount of tar still on the inside of the wheels (no time to take these off for 100% perfection), nor the general swirling and marks in places. These issues were mainly from the 6 months of use and time at the dealer compound before I got the car.
The photos aren't great, but the "problem" and solution are best shown by the three following photos of the front wing. The first shows the deep swirls and marring, especially if you let your eye follow the shape of the arch bulge...
...the second shows work in progress - two very careful stages of correction using abrasive polishes and a wool mop were required on the front wings and bonnet...
...and finally, Zaino Glare sealant was applied to bring out the shine and add a very durable finish (my priority).
A few areas of deep correction were also required, including a quite serious parking scuff to the lower edge of the rear bumper. This mark was about 10 inches long and 6 inches high - now all but gone thanks to some time with fine polishing compounds.
The bonnet was the worst panel - shown here after correction, but before final treatment with Glare. I doubt you can see, but this panel was only about 60% corrected in Paul's opinion; enough for me, but just about visible under harsh spotlights. To go further than this, another hour or so of correction would be needed - perhaps next time!!
By about 3pm, the correction stage was over - giving this result before final protection and dressings are applied. This side shot also shows to me why some lowering kits for the S3 come only with front lowering springs!!
The final hours are mainly spent machining and then hand-applying multiple coats of Glare sealant. With spring upon us, there is enough light coming in from outside to reflect onto the final finish...
...but it seems like a good idea to get some pics outside anyway!
An industrial unit on a grey day wouldn't be my first choice for showing off the final result - nor the amazing shine of Brilliant Red - but hopefully you get the idea!
In case you are wondering, the car is wearing a pair of AlloyGator protection strips to the wheels on the nearside - these don't look great but have saved several trips to have the alloys refurbished (due to my wife's parking "technique"). In black, they make the wheels look smaller, so I'll take them off when we get a second car for my wife in a few weeks' time.
The car was detailed at the site of Infinity Exhausts and South West In-Car Tech, so I had a chance to find out a little more about about Stage 2 tuning and see the quality of their work. I have already started saving!
So there we have it - a corrected and finished S3 in what I have learned is a very hard to maintain colour! The overall outcome was a compromise between time, money, the pre-detail condition of the paintwork and ongoing use as the main vehicle for a growing family. I'm very happy with the result though.
I'm starting a new job this coming week, which will involve a lot more miles for the S3 as I can't face a diseasel econobox. I feel somehow better prepared now.
My S3 was an ex-VW UK management car and although clean on purchase, it looked to have had barely a wash in the 6 months it was used (judging by the amount of tar) before being offloaded to an Audi franchise. Unfortunately, it was then in the dealer's compound for another 6 months and treated to some particularly harsh washing before I finally got it! The car is now on 15.5k miles.
As some of you will know, Audi Brilliant Red is a great colour when clean and protected - but its ability to show marks and swirling seems second only to flat blacks. I've given the bodywork some good care in the 9 months since getting the car, but it was always clear that I'd need some professional help to get the overall condition to where I wanted it.
After waiting for winter to pass, I called my usual detailers (Just Detailing Services, based around Bristol) and asked them to give it their best shot. Paul and Darren are well known to me as I've been using them annually on my cars - Paul is also on the Pistonheads "scene" in the South West. My camera isn't especially good, but I hope the following gives you some idea of their work:
On arrival - looks clean to the average Joe...
...and I only do around 6,000 miles a year, so this was dirty for me (although my mileage is about to go up a lot)
Getting down to business with some snow foaming
Inside the unit. Getting this far took over an hour and, at this stage, the car was looking very good - at first glance!
...but the amount of tar that was coming off on clay bars and general marring being revealed meant that a level of correction not usual for a car of this age and use was needed - it's only on 15.5k miles remember! As you can see below, the shine is good - but what you can't see is the amount of tar still on the inside of the wheels (no time to take these off for 100% perfection), nor the general swirling and marks in places. These issues were mainly from the 6 months of use and time at the dealer compound before I got the car.
The photos aren't great, but the "problem" and solution are best shown by the three following photos of the front wing. The first shows the deep swirls and marring, especially if you let your eye follow the shape of the arch bulge...
...the second shows work in progress - two very careful stages of correction using abrasive polishes and a wool mop were required on the front wings and bonnet...
...and finally, Zaino Glare sealant was applied to bring out the shine and add a very durable finish (my priority).
A few areas of deep correction were also required, including a quite serious parking scuff to the lower edge of the rear bumper. This mark was about 10 inches long and 6 inches high - now all but gone thanks to some time with fine polishing compounds.
The bonnet was the worst panel - shown here after correction, but before final treatment with Glare. I doubt you can see, but this panel was only about 60% corrected in Paul's opinion; enough for me, but just about visible under harsh spotlights. To go further than this, another hour or so of correction would be needed - perhaps next time!!
By about 3pm, the correction stage was over - giving this result before final protection and dressings are applied. This side shot also shows to me why some lowering kits for the S3 come only with front lowering springs!!
The final hours are mainly spent machining and then hand-applying multiple coats of Glare sealant. With spring upon us, there is enough light coming in from outside to reflect onto the final finish...
...but it seems like a good idea to get some pics outside anyway!
An industrial unit on a grey day wouldn't be my first choice for showing off the final result - nor the amazing shine of Brilliant Red - but hopefully you get the idea!
In case you are wondering, the car is wearing a pair of AlloyGator protection strips to the wheels on the nearside - these don't look great but have saved several trips to have the alloys refurbished (due to my wife's parking "technique"). In black, they make the wheels look smaller, so I'll take them off when we get a second car for my wife in a few weeks' time.
The car was detailed at the site of Infinity Exhausts and South West In-Car Tech, so I had a chance to find out a little more about about Stage 2 tuning and see the quality of their work. I have already started saving!
So there we have it - a corrected and finished S3 in what I have learned is a very hard to maintain colour! The overall outcome was a compromise between time, money, the pre-detail condition of the paintwork and ongoing use as the main vehicle for a growing family. I'm very happy with the result though.
I'm starting a new job this coming week, which will involve a lot more miles for the S3 as I can't face a diseasel econobox. I feel somehow better prepared now.
Edited by Basil Hume on Saturday 3rd March 22:36
Edited by Basil Hume on Tuesday 6th March 21:08
k it ain't diesel, gorgeous colour.Lifted from my "Garage" write-up:
I live in a tightly-packed city street and share a car with my wife and 2 year old girl, with another baby on the way. Our location rules out a big car, but we otherwise need something handy - so a compact, practical and very fast package is ideal. This seems like a really small niche and unfortunately (for one's wallet) it's a part of the car market that Audi seems to have a clear command of!
The Sportback variant of the S3 was always a strong contender. I spent the best part of 2 years trying to justify the chunky price gap between a new one and my old A3 2.0T quattro before finally making a decision. Tantilisingly, the "S" offers the prospect of making family motoring that little more enjoyable.
Mine's a June 2010 S-Tronic model, complete with RNS-E satnav, Bluetooth, music interface, 6-CD stacker, Bose and roof rails. On top of the regular S3 spec of leather, xenons and so on, it makes for a very plush compact car.
I wasn't looking for an automatic, but was seduced by the DSG 'box on the test drive and quickly got over my old auto prejudices. This type of shifting makes a lot of sense for town driving and for my wife, who was happy to dispense with manual shifting.
As with my 2.0T, it's had a Bluefin flash, which gives around 310bhp and 290lb/ft to play with. I'm not sure if it's to do with the manual -v- automatic comparison, but the S3 seems less torquey in the 1,500 to 2,000rpm band - where the S-Tronic gearbox puts you most of the time when pootling around. Above 2,000rpm though, the S3 mauls my old car. The inherrent smoothness of both the car and the transmission mask moderate acceleration - numbers on the speedo come up very quickly with little effort. I've also learned how to use the launch control function effectively, which makes for frankly stunning take-offs when one has the need to do so.
I'll be honest and say that it's quite hard to find situations where I can safely use all the acceleration that 300+bhp gives, or exploit the handling fully. (Just as well that I didn't get an RS4 then!). But boy, when the chance arises, does this puppy fly. Tellingly, it's in its element at 6/10ths on less than perfect roads and in poor weather, with wife, child and luggage on board.
I was prepared to forgive my old 2.0T quattro for not having French hot hatch handling, but the S3 has come closer to that benchmark. The ride and damping are very well-judged in my opinion and allow traction to be be used in all conditions. The noises are also very sporting, without being obtrusive or OTT and I love the "pop" that the S-Tronic gives with hard gear changes.
The rest of the car is pretty much as a high-spec Audi should be; the Nappa leather is a lot softer than my old A3's Vienna leather and the doors and boot on this 2010 car shut with a more determined thunk than the 2006 car. Small things, like bigger wing mirrors, are better on the newer car too. The post-2010 S3 also adds standard RNS-E satnav and Music Interface, which took some time to learn how to use fully but are now intuitive (I'm loving having thousands of tracks on an SD card). Coupled with the Bose speakers, it's an inviting and luxurious place to spend time and feel comfortable.
On a practical note - roof rails help with bikes, there's decent luggage space for a young family and helpful things like Isofix and compartmentalised glove box. I just wish it had auto lights and wipers like my old A3.
Brilliant Red on the S3 is quite different from Garnet Red on the old car - photos don't seem to do either colour justice, but the new red is very "loud" in comparison, especially on a sunny day. The S3's bodywork is as you'd expect for a low-miler, but I'll invest in a proper detail in the spring.
Overall, it's ideal as a downsized luxury express - it's ideal if like me you couldn't face the size or running costs of an older RS model and can sacrifice the space of a full-on estate. I find that the S3 Sportback excels at the luxury hot hatch role, with very rapid cross-country progress being just a temptation away...
I live in a tightly-packed city street and share a car with my wife and 2 year old girl, with another baby on the way. Our location rules out a big car, but we otherwise need something handy - so a compact, practical and very fast package is ideal. This seems like a really small niche and unfortunately (for one's wallet) it's a part of the car market that Audi seems to have a clear command of!
The Sportback variant of the S3 was always a strong contender. I spent the best part of 2 years trying to justify the chunky price gap between a new one and my old A3 2.0T quattro before finally making a decision. Tantilisingly, the "S" offers the prospect of making family motoring that little more enjoyable.
Mine's a June 2010 S-Tronic model, complete with RNS-E satnav, Bluetooth, music interface, 6-CD stacker, Bose and roof rails. On top of the regular S3 spec of leather, xenons and so on, it makes for a very plush compact car.
I wasn't looking for an automatic, but was seduced by the DSG 'box on the test drive and quickly got over my old auto prejudices. This type of shifting makes a lot of sense for town driving and for my wife, who was happy to dispense with manual shifting.
As with my 2.0T, it's had a Bluefin flash, which gives around 310bhp and 290lb/ft to play with. I'm not sure if it's to do with the manual -v- automatic comparison, but the S3 seems less torquey in the 1,500 to 2,000rpm band - where the S-Tronic gearbox puts you most of the time when pootling around. Above 2,000rpm though, the S3 mauls my old car. The inherrent smoothness of both the car and the transmission mask moderate acceleration - numbers on the speedo come up very quickly with little effort. I've also learned how to use the launch control function effectively, which makes for frankly stunning take-offs when one has the need to do so.
I'll be honest and say that it's quite hard to find situations where I can safely use all the acceleration that 300+bhp gives, or exploit the handling fully. (Just as well that I didn't get an RS4 then!). But boy, when the chance arises, does this puppy fly. Tellingly, it's in its element at 6/10ths on less than perfect roads and in poor weather, with wife, child and luggage on board.
I was prepared to forgive my old 2.0T quattro for not having French hot hatch handling, but the S3 has come closer to that benchmark. The ride and damping are very well-judged in my opinion and allow traction to be be used in all conditions. The noises are also very sporting, without being obtrusive or OTT and I love the "pop" that the S-Tronic gives with hard gear changes.
The rest of the car is pretty much as a high-spec Audi should be; the Nappa leather is a lot softer than my old A3's Vienna leather and the doors and boot on this 2010 car shut with a more determined thunk than the 2006 car. Small things, like bigger wing mirrors, are better on the newer car too. The post-2010 S3 also adds standard RNS-E satnav and Music Interface, which took some time to learn how to use fully but are now intuitive (I'm loving having thousands of tracks on an SD card). Coupled with the Bose speakers, it's an inviting and luxurious place to spend time and feel comfortable.
On a practical note - roof rails help with bikes, there's decent luggage space for a young family and helpful things like Isofix and compartmentalised glove box. I just wish it had auto lights and wipers like my old A3.
Brilliant Red on the S3 is quite different from Garnet Red on the old car - photos don't seem to do either colour justice, but the new red is very "loud" in comparison, especially on a sunny day. The S3's bodywork is as you'd expect for a low-miler, but I'll invest in a proper detail in the spring.
Overall, it's ideal as a downsized luxury express - it's ideal if like me you couldn't face the size or running costs of an older RS model and can sacrifice the space of a full-on estate. I find that the S3 Sportback excels at the luxury hot hatch role, with very rapid cross-country progress being just a temptation away...
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff