2016 Audi S3 Saloon - One Year On.
Discussion
Having spent ages researching what car I wanted and looking at car site and owner reviews, to help me with my decision, I thought I would in some way return the favour to the internet and post my own, perhaps helping someone come to the decision about purchasing one of these cars.
So In May 2016 I put a deposit down on a spec’d up Audi S3 Saloon. As an Australian, I’ve always preferred their saloon (sedan) shape to a hatch back. Probably something to do with everyone when I was growing up have a saloon or estate (station wagon), so it’s sort of stuck with for most of my cars, apart from an awesome Golf v5 I owned and rolled once.
Anyway, personally I like having the boot completely isolated from the cabin, rather than a parcel shelf. Yep makes no sense to me either.
Before the S3 I had owned 2 previous Audi’s, a 07 plate A4 Saloon with a 2.0 TFSI manual, sport suspension and sports brakes. And the car used for p/x which was a 59 plate, A6 Estate, 3.0 TDI S-line.
Loved both of them, but the A6 had to go for two reasons, one it had 130K miles on and little things always needed doing, but the car was reliable. And two, I was now a single parent with one child, so I didn’t need an oil tanker now to cart everything around, as handy as it was.
I decided on the S3 for a couple of reasons.
1. A friend of mine works at an Audi dealer, so I knew I would get a great deal.
2. A 911 just didn’t seem practical enough with a little one (I googled all sorts to make this decision, like fitting child in 911 rear).
3. The S3 was more practical and was just as quick 0-60 as a 911.
4. I like having 4wd due to snowy conditions in this country and at the time my daughters nursery was out in the sticks a bit. Although granted fwd will do the job as well, I’d gotten use to having Quattro anyway.
5. I loved the idea of the virtual cock pit and Apple CarPlay.
6. My mate at the dealership refused to sell me a TT-S, for practical reasons.
So I put a deposit down and waited for 6 months for my car to be built and delivered. I got one of the first S3’s delivered that had the updated engine (310 bhp) and body styling.
The options list was a bit stupid, but it was within budget. Saying that the options I couldnt do without in the car are:
- B&O Sound system - sounds amazing
- Parking Plus with Camera - I’m lazy
- Adaptive cruise control - still lazy, but in M25 traffic it’s genius.
- Virtual cockpit - I like gadgets and having all info at my finger tips.
- DSG Gear box - was the tough option, I love manual, but with a car and engine like this, you really need maximum attack.
- Super sports seats - not fully electric, but so comfortable and look ace.
Options which I could have done without
- Panoramic Roof - erm, its a slightly larger sun roof......at best.
- Red brake calliper - stupid money, pointless, but do look good.
So, a year on how do I find the car.
Well the engine really started to come into it’s own at around the 5K mile mark and loosened up nicely.
It can be as docile or responsive as you want it to be. In efficiency mode, the engine response and gear box is a bit dim witted, but you are trying to be efficient so I guess it makes sense, and tries to discourage warp factor commuting.
With the car set in dynamic mode, it was a missile. In manual shift, it was involving, but if you leave it in auto sport shift, then that’s when the car is right on the boil. It still surprises me and makes me smile when you plant the foot from 20mph and look down and you’ve smashed past 60 in a blink.
Luckily Audi have given you the option to do individual settings for each component that is adjustable. So basically everything is in dynamic, apart from the suspension which is in comfort.
If you’re worried about fuel consumption, don’t be. Although I will admit it took awhile to get use coming down from 600 miles off a tank in the A6 to 380 miles at best in the S3. Saying that on an average office commute I will get between 30-32 mpg. On a nice motorway run it will do 36-39 mpg. If you want to drive the nuts off it, then expect 21-24mpg. Which is no where near as bad as a RX8 I owned, which at best did 22 mpg and 280 miles to a tank!
Having been thinking about this car and the last 12 months of ownership, I can honestly say it is the most capable, all round I have ever owned.
You want a nut job car that will do 0-60 in the mid 4 sec range and hang in there, with some of the fastest, more expensive cars, then yep. Want a car that will carry you and 3 other rugby players comfortably, yep. Want a car you can load up and take away for the weekend, will do that as well.
But that’s the problem as well for me. It’s too good at everything, its not a master. IF I want to drive the nuts off a car, then I want manual shifting and confidence in the grip. I have to admit, in some corners I drive, I’ve had to test the limit by blind faith because I find it hard to judge the limits of the car.
If I want a load lugger, then I could do with an A4 size car to be honest and bit more range in the tank.
Stupid I know, but at least this gives me direction about my next purchase, or purchases. Current thinking is when it’s time to hand this back, to get a new A4 or A5 with 2 litre TFSI and auto box. Giving some pennies left to go and find the weekend hoon mobile with manual gear box and rwd - second hand 997 911 or a flat six Cayman perhaps.
The car isn’t always perfect, there are some things that really sh*t me too tears
- Apple Car play - works more often than not, sometimes have to reconnect the phone a couple times. But the navigation of the interface with the Audi wheel really annoys me, someone in Apple and Audi need to get together to sort this.
- Stop / Start - most pointless car feature ever, even more so than red callipers. It will actually kill the engine and lock the steering wheel even if the car is ever so slightly in motion. So a bit dangerous. And hugely annoying, if only you could turn it off indefinitely.
- Pre Sense - I get it, it’s a nice safety net, but on 4 occasions it has triggered due to nothing or a speed hump (?!?!?!). Worst one was an emergency brake at 40mph.
- Audi Voice recognition - I know I’m from Australia but it’s just plain rude! I am speaking English!
Overall, I can’t recommend S3 enough. It’s not expensive to run, I’ve done 13K miles in it. The only service has cost me 250 quid, which is acceptable and Audi customer service is bang on. Although tomorrow I need two new front tyres due to wheel alignment being out and over wearing on the tyre shoulders. Roads in my area can be a bit hit and miss with pot holes. Each tyre is about £165 each which isn’t bank breaking.
It’s a fantastic car, it will do anything you throw at it with aplomb. It looks great, sounds good, puts a smile on your face and in terms of bang for bucks I put it right up there.
Great all rounder, but then like me, you could see that as it’s biggest problem.
So In May 2016 I put a deposit down on a spec’d up Audi S3 Saloon. As an Australian, I’ve always preferred their saloon (sedan) shape to a hatch back. Probably something to do with everyone when I was growing up have a saloon or estate (station wagon), so it’s sort of stuck with for most of my cars, apart from an awesome Golf v5 I owned and rolled once.
Anyway, personally I like having the boot completely isolated from the cabin, rather than a parcel shelf. Yep makes no sense to me either.
Before the S3 I had owned 2 previous Audi’s, a 07 plate A4 Saloon with a 2.0 TFSI manual, sport suspension and sports brakes. And the car used for p/x which was a 59 plate, A6 Estate, 3.0 TDI S-line.
Loved both of them, but the A6 had to go for two reasons, one it had 130K miles on and little things always needed doing, but the car was reliable. And two, I was now a single parent with one child, so I didn’t need an oil tanker now to cart everything around, as handy as it was.
I decided on the S3 for a couple of reasons.
1. A friend of mine works at an Audi dealer, so I knew I would get a great deal.
2. A 911 just didn’t seem practical enough with a little one (I googled all sorts to make this decision, like fitting child in 911 rear).
3. The S3 was more practical and was just as quick 0-60 as a 911.
4. I like having 4wd due to snowy conditions in this country and at the time my daughters nursery was out in the sticks a bit. Although granted fwd will do the job as well, I’d gotten use to having Quattro anyway.
5. I loved the idea of the virtual cock pit and Apple CarPlay.
6. My mate at the dealership refused to sell me a TT-S, for practical reasons.
So I put a deposit down and waited for 6 months for my car to be built and delivered. I got one of the first S3’s delivered that had the updated engine (310 bhp) and body styling.
The options list was a bit stupid, but it was within budget. Saying that the options I couldnt do without in the car are:
- B&O Sound system - sounds amazing
- Parking Plus with Camera - I’m lazy
- Adaptive cruise control - still lazy, but in M25 traffic it’s genius.
- Virtual cockpit - I like gadgets and having all info at my finger tips.
- DSG Gear box - was the tough option, I love manual, but with a car and engine like this, you really need maximum attack.
- Super sports seats - not fully electric, but so comfortable and look ace.
Options which I could have done without
- Panoramic Roof - erm, its a slightly larger sun roof......at best.
- Red brake calliper - stupid money, pointless, but do look good.
So, a year on how do I find the car.
Well the engine really started to come into it’s own at around the 5K mile mark and loosened up nicely.
It can be as docile or responsive as you want it to be. In efficiency mode, the engine response and gear box is a bit dim witted, but you are trying to be efficient so I guess it makes sense, and tries to discourage warp factor commuting.
With the car set in dynamic mode, it was a missile. In manual shift, it was involving, but if you leave it in auto sport shift, then that’s when the car is right on the boil. It still surprises me and makes me smile when you plant the foot from 20mph and look down and you’ve smashed past 60 in a blink.
Luckily Audi have given you the option to do individual settings for each component that is adjustable. So basically everything is in dynamic, apart from the suspension which is in comfort.
If you’re worried about fuel consumption, don’t be. Although I will admit it took awhile to get use coming down from 600 miles off a tank in the A6 to 380 miles at best in the S3. Saying that on an average office commute I will get between 30-32 mpg. On a nice motorway run it will do 36-39 mpg. If you want to drive the nuts off it, then expect 21-24mpg. Which is no where near as bad as a RX8 I owned, which at best did 22 mpg and 280 miles to a tank!
Having been thinking about this car and the last 12 months of ownership, I can honestly say it is the most capable, all round I have ever owned.
You want a nut job car that will do 0-60 in the mid 4 sec range and hang in there, with some of the fastest, more expensive cars, then yep. Want a car that will carry you and 3 other rugby players comfortably, yep. Want a car you can load up and take away for the weekend, will do that as well.
But that’s the problem as well for me. It’s too good at everything, its not a master. IF I want to drive the nuts off a car, then I want manual shifting and confidence in the grip. I have to admit, in some corners I drive, I’ve had to test the limit by blind faith because I find it hard to judge the limits of the car.
If I want a load lugger, then I could do with an A4 size car to be honest and bit more range in the tank.
Stupid I know, but at least this gives me direction about my next purchase, or purchases. Current thinking is when it’s time to hand this back, to get a new A4 or A5 with 2 litre TFSI and auto box. Giving some pennies left to go and find the weekend hoon mobile with manual gear box and rwd - second hand 997 911 or a flat six Cayman perhaps.
The car isn’t always perfect, there are some things that really sh*t me too tears
- Apple Car play - works more often than not, sometimes have to reconnect the phone a couple times. But the navigation of the interface with the Audi wheel really annoys me, someone in Apple and Audi need to get together to sort this.
- Stop / Start - most pointless car feature ever, even more so than red callipers. It will actually kill the engine and lock the steering wheel even if the car is ever so slightly in motion. So a bit dangerous. And hugely annoying, if only you could turn it off indefinitely.
- Pre Sense - I get it, it’s a nice safety net, but on 4 occasions it has triggered due to nothing or a speed hump (?!?!?!). Worst one was an emergency brake at 40mph.
- Audi Voice recognition - I know I’m from Australia but it’s just plain rude! I am speaking English!
Overall, I can’t recommend S3 enough. It’s not expensive to run, I’ve done 13K miles in it. The only service has cost me 250 quid, which is acceptable and Audi customer service is bang on. Although tomorrow I need two new front tyres due to wheel alignment being out and over wearing on the tyre shoulders. Roads in my area can be a bit hit and miss with pot holes. Each tyre is about £165 each which isn’t bank breaking.
It’s a fantastic car, it will do anything you throw at it with aplomb. It looks great, sounds good, puts a smile on your face and in terms of bang for bucks I put it right up there.
Great all rounder, but then like me, you could see that as it’s biggest problem.
Nice looking car, the saloon is definitely the better looking S3 in my opinion. Glad you were happy with your decision.
Although looking at this and a 911 is a bit odd. They are both completely different cars and different price range.
I have been looking for my next car and have been looking at these and golf r's but I find them just a bit dull and not having the character that I've maybe been used to before. No doubt they are quick, comfortable, practical cars which is why they are so popular.
Although looking at this and a 911 is a bit odd. They are both completely different cars and different price range.
I have been looking for my next car and have been looking at these and golf r's but I find them just a bit dull and not having the character that I've maybe been used to before. No doubt they are quick, comfortable, practical cars which is why they are so popular.
Thanks.
911 is a bit of an odd one, but I was looking at second hand for around the same price as the S3 new.
I agree on the character, nothing like my V5 Golf, or RX8. Very point and shoot, but I found that with the Golf R as well, I know it might be more adjustable and fun, but I was never really going to exploit that fully day to day.
I will say, switching the ESP full off seems to make things a little bit fun, and gives the feeling of a slightly more rear wheel bias....slightly.
The other car I was watching carefully was the Focus RS as I really liked the idea of how the 4wd drive system could give you the full RWD bias, but doing some reading and video watching it wasn’t entirely what I was after I think.
Plus I have to admit, I love an Audi interior.
911 is a bit of an odd one, but I was looking at second hand for around the same price as the S3 new.
I agree on the character, nothing like my V5 Golf, or RX8. Very point and shoot, but I found that with the Golf R as well, I know it might be more adjustable and fun, but I was never really going to exploit that fully day to day.
I will say, switching the ESP full off seems to make things a little bit fun, and gives the feeling of a slightly more rear wheel bias....slightly.
The other car I was watching carefully was the Focus RS as I really liked the idea of how the 4wd drive system could give you the full RWD bias, but doing some reading and video watching it wasn’t entirely what I was after I think.
Plus I have to admit, I love an Audi interior.
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