Going green in an Audi RS3
Discussion
I changed the cabin filter today for a Mann item:
Didn't look bad to be honest, but worth doing for the sake of £14.90 and hopefully it'll help lift the cabin scent further. I also replaced the wiper blades all round and fitted those rear door sill protectors - all OEM parts.
An OBD scan isn't throwing up a code for the camera itself, though there is one related to infotainment. I'm booked-in to have it investigated and hopefully resolved next week - the retrofitter said he'd never had an issue on A3 cameras and wondered whether it was a loose earth.
The OBD check also shows a launch control count of 0, supporting my suspicion of mature previous ownership.
Thar minor front end squeak has disappeared again... which is annoying as I am also booked-in to have that investigated. Front brake pad movement / creaking has been mentioned on forums (separate to the usual brake squeaking). It only happens after a long drive, which is not what I'd expect with bushes or suspension.
Didn't look bad to be honest, but worth doing for the sake of £14.90 and hopefully it'll help lift the cabin scent further. I also replaced the wiper blades all round and fitted those rear door sill protectors - all OEM parts.
Sticks. said:
...How's the reversing camera?
The rear camera went fuzzy shortly after fitting - but was nice when it worked (!) and a fair bit cheaper than your £1k quote. An OBD scan isn't throwing up a code for the camera itself, though there is one related to infotainment. I'm booked-in to have it investigated and hopefully resolved next week - the retrofitter said he'd never had an issue on A3 cameras and wondered whether it was a loose earth.
The OBD check also shows a launch control count of 0, supporting my suspicion of mature previous ownership.
Thar minor front end squeak has disappeared again... which is annoying as I am also booked-in to have that investigated. Front brake pad movement / creaking has been mentioned on forums (separate to the usual brake squeaking). It only happens after a long drive, which is not what I'd expect with bushes or suspension.
I did a run over to my parents' place today, in between a drop-off & pick-up for my daughter's netball - about 110 miles all told. My weekends have rapidly become about obligations like this, which does have the side benefit of giving me some time alone in a car.
I might as well make my responsibilities as pleasant as possible, hence this car.
We started the morning by popping-open the garage door. This is the first time my 12-year-old daughter has seen the car and her first reaction was that the interior is weird - she promptly sent pictures of the quilted seats to her mates on WhatsApp.
Once dropped-off, and being a lovely sunny day, I thought I'd take the RS3 along the back roads to where I grew up and stop for some pics where I used to snap my old cars. I have had many performance cars over the years but here's a random sample from 2003, 2005 and 2022...
The comparison between the Rs3 and my second (tuned) Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo isn't as much as a stretch as the pics might suggest... both cars have a cultured 5-cylinder turbo exhaust note, similarly high performance (for their time) and a likeness to their hefty steering and brakes.
I'm not sure on the rear number plate's short length, so have ordered a standard length one. I will also replace the offside front tyre, which you can see from the pics doesn't match.
Today's morning light also shows the colour of the RS3 a little better, though it loses some pop when using the free image hosting:
Sadly this morning's visit confirmed just how limited my dad's life has become since a big stroke in 2017, subsequent seizures and very little getting out since Lockdown. I walked him to and from a haircut in their village and he's very unstable, can't do his laces up, trousers falling down etc.
Jeez, if ever there's a prompt to get the car I want then this is it.
An RS3 in green won't be everyone's cup of tea. But, please, if you are reading this and have a car in mind that you want - just do it now. Life is full of surprises and my parents expected to have another decade before they stopped being able to live life as they wanted.
Anyway, sermon over! As I returned to pick up my daughter from her school, a workman called over to me "now that's a proper car".
I might as well make my responsibilities as pleasant as possible, hence this car.
We started the morning by popping-open the garage door. This is the first time my 12-year-old daughter has seen the car and her first reaction was that the interior is weird - she promptly sent pictures of the quilted seats to her mates on WhatsApp.
Once dropped-off, and being a lovely sunny day, I thought I'd take the RS3 along the back roads to where I grew up and stop for some pics where I used to snap my old cars. I have had many performance cars over the years but here's a random sample from 2003, 2005 and 2022...
The comparison between the Rs3 and my second (tuned) Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo isn't as much as a stretch as the pics might suggest... both cars have a cultured 5-cylinder turbo exhaust note, similarly high performance (for their time) and a likeness to their hefty steering and brakes.
I'm not sure on the rear number plate's short length, so have ordered a standard length one. I will also replace the offside front tyre, which you can see from the pics doesn't match.
Today's morning light also shows the colour of the RS3 a little better, though it loses some pop when using the free image hosting:
Sadly this morning's visit confirmed just how limited my dad's life has become since a big stroke in 2017, subsequent seizures and very little getting out since Lockdown. I walked him to and from a haircut in their village and he's very unstable, can't do his laces up, trousers falling down etc.
Jeez, if ever there's a prompt to get the car I want then this is it.
An RS3 in green won't be everyone's cup of tea. But, please, if you are reading this and have a car in mind that you want - just do it now. Life is full of surprises and my parents expected to have another decade before they stopped being able to live life as they wanted.
Anyway, sermon over! As I returned to pick up my daughter from her school, a workman called over to me "now that's a proper car".
Month 3
After adding another 400 miles on a family trip at the start of the month, the RS3 then spent most of April in its lockup garage due to a trip abroad and me travelling by rail for work.
Before this, I replaced the offside front P Zero with a matching “R02” to complement the other 3 PZ4 tyres. This new one is also a “PNCS” noise cancelling model with a big foam insert, like the others. Cost was £260 on the nose including 4-wheel alignment and a long chat with a fellow enthusiast tyre shop manager. They measured the front discs as being 50% worn with the rears noted as pitted. Brake pads have plenty of life, but I assume I should budget for discs & pads all round in the next year or two - not cheap at over £1,500 on the RS3.
As pointed out earlier in the thread, this car wears wider front wheels and tyres as an £895 option new (incidentally only grey and black wheels are wider, with the grey ones being £100 cheaper). The new tyre and tracking have made the car even quieter and sharper than before. It was certainly a delight to fire it up again after 3 weeks in the garage this morning and it was supremely unstressed but rapid family transport to the in-laws’ country pad today.
Here it is next to our Bus, which has been pressed into service for airport and beach runs while the RS3 rested:
With all this in mind, I am now pretty settled on keeping the car exactly as it is rather than change wheel and brake calliper colours. The dark styling and windows have grown on me, too.
I’m also thinking of keeping up the full Audi franchise history, which might prove expensive in the short term (as inspection, sparks, Haldex and other fluids will be due). The benefit from this might be marginal to me, but I also foresee a specialist trade or private sale in this car’s distant future and assume FASH and the spec will complement each other in a buyer’s eyes.
Other small things to note include how much I enjoy mundane driving in this car, mainly on account of the noise and switch of the exhaust tones in Sport mode at creeping speeds. This probably hasn’t helped with barely breaking 25mpg in mixed driving, a lot lower than motorway cruising. Nonetheless I’ve continued getting very good reactions to the car out on the road, with other drivers giving me lots of space and none trying to race recently (which is not what the stereotypes had me expect, especially since I put the RS3 badge back on).
I have 750 miles of driving coming up this week, so I’ll update the thread afterwards.
After adding another 400 miles on a family trip at the start of the month, the RS3 then spent most of April in its lockup garage due to a trip abroad and me travelling by rail for work.
Before this, I replaced the offside front P Zero with a matching “R02” to complement the other 3 PZ4 tyres. This new one is also a “PNCS” noise cancelling model with a big foam insert, like the others. Cost was £260 on the nose including 4-wheel alignment and a long chat with a fellow enthusiast tyre shop manager. They measured the front discs as being 50% worn with the rears noted as pitted. Brake pads have plenty of life, but I assume I should budget for discs & pads all round in the next year or two - not cheap at over £1,500 on the RS3.
As pointed out earlier in the thread, this car wears wider front wheels and tyres as an £895 option new (incidentally only grey and black wheels are wider, with the grey ones being £100 cheaper). The new tyre and tracking have made the car even quieter and sharper than before. It was certainly a delight to fire it up again after 3 weeks in the garage this morning and it was supremely unstressed but rapid family transport to the in-laws’ country pad today.
Here it is next to our Bus, which has been pressed into service for airport and beach runs while the RS3 rested:
With all this in mind, I am now pretty settled on keeping the car exactly as it is rather than change wheel and brake calliper colours. The dark styling and windows have grown on me, too.
I’m also thinking of keeping up the full Audi franchise history, which might prove expensive in the short term (as inspection, sparks, Haldex and other fluids will be due). The benefit from this might be marginal to me, but I also foresee a specialist trade or private sale in this car’s distant future and assume FASH and the spec will complement each other in a buyer’s eyes.
Other small things to note include how much I enjoy mundane driving in this car, mainly on account of the noise and switch of the exhaust tones in Sport mode at creeping speeds. This probably hasn’t helped with barely breaking 25mpg in mixed driving, a lot lower than motorway cruising. Nonetheless I’ve continued getting very good reactions to the car out on the road, with other drivers giving me lots of space and none trying to race recently (which is not what the stereotypes had me expect, especially since I put the RS3 badge back on).
I have 750 miles of driving coming up this week, so I’ll update the thread afterwards.
It really is a cracking car, quietly glad you have decided to keep it as is! A FASH would no doubt be a positive come sale time but as its likely to attract enthusiasts, I also wouldn't rule out a decent specialist, the guys at TRD would be just as good IMO and are likely to give it more attention than main dealers who more often than not just do the minimum or give you a shopping list of things which don't actually need doing.
An OEM air filter (£16 delivered) arrived the other day. The interval is something like 60k miles and the old one looks ok, but at 6 years old it certainly won't harm to replace it. I've decided that there are definitely some simple jobs like this - maybe spark plus, too - that I can do. Surely there's no better assurance that something has been done than to do it yourself!
Note the "quattro" badge on our toaster... The story is that I had an A3 2.0T quattro about 13 years ago, whose badges were looking a bit worse for wear. I didn't realise that it only needed one on the back (the grille one being "S-Line" on this particular model), so I had one going spare after I ordered two. I hope the mis-badging people will forgive me after all this time, especially as it only does two slices of toast rather than four.
Note the "quattro" badge on our toaster... The story is that I had an A3 2.0T quattro about 13 years ago, whose badges were looking a bit worse for wear. I didn't realise that it only needed one on the back (the grille one being "S-Line" on this particular model), so I had one going spare after I ordered two. I hope the mis-badging people will forgive me after all this time, especially as it only does two slices of toast rather than four.
Re. your comment on brake wear it's worth knowing that the wavey discs have wear marks machined into the surface. If you look at the inner and outer most 'drill' holes you'll notice that they're dimples, rather than holes all the way through. The dimples are drilled to the same depth as the minimum safe thickness of the brake disc. When these are worn smooth, your discs are worn out.
RS3 discs on the front last >40k miles typically, the rears are identical to Golf R/S3/ GTI PP etc. and cheap.
To mitigate the cost of front discs Zimmermann now do the correct type/fitment that will save you about a third. I've been fitting them on various RS cars for a couple of years now and had zero issues.
RS3 discs on the front last >40k miles typically, the rears are identical to Golf R/S3/ GTI PP etc. and cheap.
To mitigate the cost of front discs Zimmermann now do the correct type/fitment that will save you about a third. I've been fitting them on various RS cars for a couple of years now and had zero issues.
I popped in that air filter last weekend. The old one was dated 2018, so it’d been done before but still worth it going by its condition and the opportunity to hoover out some dust / debris. I can’t believe it would otherwise be left until 60k miles according to the service schedule!
Today was another early school & parents run. I should probably have given our van a drive, but a few hours in this car is far more enjoyable when I’m on my own. I am not into speeding, so just love the chance to make ordinary driving special with this car’s superb noise and sensations. I hope the road maintenance chapie who was encouraging me to give it beans out of some roadworks was satisfied. I never got that in cars like my old S3…
I discovered that the car has the rare £300 Mono.pur interior option - surely rarer still in this colour. This seems to consist of matching Lunar leather door pulls…
…and contrasting black central tunnel trim:
Options also include the £100 knurled aluminium inserts:
New tyre from last month:
Discs seem to be reasonably below the dimple threshold that Dr G pointed out…
…but I wonder whether these scored rear discs will be flagged at service time?
Today was another early school & parents run. I should probably have given our van a drive, but a few hours in this car is far more enjoyable when I’m on my own. I am not into speeding, so just love the chance to make ordinary driving special with this car’s superb noise and sensations. I hope the road maintenance chapie who was encouraging me to give it beans out of some roadworks was satisfied. I never got that in cars like my old S3…
I discovered that the car has the rare £300 Mono.pur interior option - surely rarer still in this colour. This seems to consist of matching Lunar leather door pulls…
…and contrasting black central tunnel trim:
Options also include the £100 knurled aluminium inserts:
New tyre from last month:
Discs seem to be reasonably below the dimple threshold that Dr G pointed out…
…but I wonder whether these scored rear discs will be flagged at service time?
Edited by The Cardinal on Saturday 21st May 14:55
Months 4-5
VW's recent launch of the ID Buzz made me pause for thought about replacing the current combination of our van and RS3 (plus a Fabia for local duties). I still think it makes a lot more sense for us, not to mention costing a bit less, to maintain the existing fleet. This is because having a diesel van with an 80-litre tank means we can do long distance trips for 4-5 people without refuelling, plus of course keep a rorty RS3 in reserve.
The van, ironically, is pictured here at the site of a soon-to-be motorway service rapid charger suite. Despite the inevitable advances in technology and a local low emissions zone we'll probably keep this for years to come as it's another vehicle with personality.
Alas, I haven't spent a lot of time in the RS3 recently - but every single drive is a window-dropping, exhaust gurgling experience of the finest variety. Plus, of course, keeping the family away from it means I can keep it looking like this:
With 25,838 miles now on the clock, I had the car serviced today at Bristol's only dedicated Audi specialist. I had contemplated maintaining the full franchise history or taking it to my usual VAG specialist, but I was reassured by the new specialist owner's 20+ year presence on the Audi RS & R8 scene - and a quote at nearly half the price of the local Audi cocktail lounge. The other car in the workshop today was a pampered 2018 RS3 saloon having its fourth service with just 8k on the clock, so I was in good company.
Work done, all with genuine parts:
- Inspection & oil service
- Spark plugs
- Haldex fluid, including a clean-out of the pump gauze
- Brake fluid change
- MoT
The MoT came back as advisory-free, though the service included a VAGCOM-type scan that threw up a bunch of codes. These mainly related to the rear camera in March, which was to be expected given my retrofitting experience, plus one unusual one for a cam position sensor in April (which hasn't recurred nor triggered a warning light). I've agreed to go back in a month's time to check for any new stored codes.
I've also ordered a new rear washer nozzle to replace a blocked one identified today. I only drive this car in good weather if I can help it, so I'd not noticed. So, that takes recent spend to £549.56 on servicing and £10.20 on a new wiper nozzle.
With 2,000 miles in my ownership, I've also added a Stage 1 remap to the car recently. This takes it to around 420hp & 450lb/ft and cost an extra £5.91 declared to the insurance company. I don't want to add driving impressions just yet as I've not had a chance to properly test things, but it's safe to say that the car is has an even more Jekyll & Hyde personality now.
More mundanely, I replaced the interior bulbs with LEDs. These address the previously inexplicable mix of old-style incandescent and LED bulbs throughout the car. I replaced the rear number plate with a standard-sized one recently, too.
VW's recent launch of the ID Buzz made me pause for thought about replacing the current combination of our van and RS3 (plus a Fabia for local duties). I still think it makes a lot more sense for us, not to mention costing a bit less, to maintain the existing fleet. This is because having a diesel van with an 80-litre tank means we can do long distance trips for 4-5 people without refuelling, plus of course keep a rorty RS3 in reserve.
The van, ironically, is pictured here at the site of a soon-to-be motorway service rapid charger suite. Despite the inevitable advances in technology and a local low emissions zone we'll probably keep this for years to come as it's another vehicle with personality.
Alas, I haven't spent a lot of time in the RS3 recently - but every single drive is a window-dropping, exhaust gurgling experience of the finest variety. Plus, of course, keeping the family away from it means I can keep it looking like this:
With 25,838 miles now on the clock, I had the car serviced today at Bristol's only dedicated Audi specialist. I had contemplated maintaining the full franchise history or taking it to my usual VAG specialist, but I was reassured by the new specialist owner's 20+ year presence on the Audi RS & R8 scene - and a quote at nearly half the price of the local Audi cocktail lounge. The other car in the workshop today was a pampered 2018 RS3 saloon having its fourth service with just 8k on the clock, so I was in good company.
Work done, all with genuine parts:
- Inspection & oil service
- Spark plugs
- Haldex fluid, including a clean-out of the pump gauze
- Brake fluid change
- MoT
The MoT came back as advisory-free, though the service included a VAGCOM-type scan that threw up a bunch of codes. These mainly related to the rear camera in March, which was to be expected given my retrofitting experience, plus one unusual one for a cam position sensor in April (which hasn't recurred nor triggered a warning light). I've agreed to go back in a month's time to check for any new stored codes.
I've also ordered a new rear washer nozzle to replace a blocked one identified today. I only drive this car in good weather if I can help it, so I'd not noticed. So, that takes recent spend to £549.56 on servicing and £10.20 on a new wiper nozzle.
With 2,000 miles in my ownership, I've also added a Stage 1 remap to the car recently. This takes it to around 420hp & 450lb/ft and cost an extra £5.91 declared to the insurance company. I don't want to add driving impressions just yet as I've not had a chance to properly test things, but it's safe to say that the car is has an even more Jekyll & Hyde personality now.
More mundanely, I replaced the interior bulbs with LEDs. These address the previously inexplicable mix of old-style incandescent and LED bulbs throughout the car. I replaced the rear number plate with a standard-sized one recently, too.
Washer pipes and codes...
The recent service identified a non-working rear washer jet and, being the kind of person who's bothered by these sorts of things, I decided to attempt the most likely cause - a blocked washer tube. The issue is common to A3s and is usually a blocked nozzle.
Alas, my first two attempts with a new nozzle and a needle / thread via the end of the hose were unsuccessful. I was beginning to think it was likely a defective rear washer pump assembly or, worse still, a blockage somewhere inaccessible. A3s have one pump inside the reservoir at the front of the car (located differently on the RS3 due to the engine's size) and another inside the rear wiper assembly.
This morning, I took the tailgate trim off for another look at the rear assembly:
After a few false starts I managed to get spray into the boot from the disconnected wiper fluid tube, which was good news as it meant the problem was either the rear pump motor or a blockage inside the assembly:
I reconnected the pipe and ran the pump again. But it still didn’t work - nothing came out. I was thinking at this point that I might need a new motor assembly, because repeated cleaning with the pin & thread method still wasn’t working.
The last thing I tried was to prise off the black pipe elbow connector from the motor body. Blocked washer pipes are on the A3, but the blockage being resolved by taking off the connector isn’t something I’d seen mentioned online before. Having done this, I poked the thread through the motor body and connector separately… and it worked!
I then put everything back together and felt smug about being able to use the rear washer about twice a year again.
I also checked the car for any more stored codes, which had been cleared at the service. Happily there were none. I also took the chance to double-check the launch control count. I know the zero score isn't a guarantee that the car had an easy life in the hands of its previous owner, but between the spec choices, condition, history and this I'm hoping it's at least indicative.
I used an air con bomb on our Skoda Fabia last week after my son was sick in it (!), so I will probably do another in this car soon. It smells much better after me driving it 2,200 miles and changing the cabin filter - but it'll only help.
The outlook for the next few months is quite low miles. Our van will be doing our upcoming runs to France and Cornwall, plus I have no work roadtrips planned until at least September - but I'll stretch its legs where I can.
The recent service identified a non-working rear washer jet and, being the kind of person who's bothered by these sorts of things, I decided to attempt the most likely cause - a blocked washer tube. The issue is common to A3s and is usually a blocked nozzle.
Alas, my first two attempts with a new nozzle and a needle / thread via the end of the hose were unsuccessful. I was beginning to think it was likely a defective rear washer pump assembly or, worse still, a blockage somewhere inaccessible. A3s have one pump inside the reservoir at the front of the car (located differently on the RS3 due to the engine's size) and another inside the rear wiper assembly.
This morning, I took the tailgate trim off for another look at the rear assembly:
After a few false starts I managed to get spray into the boot from the disconnected wiper fluid tube, which was good news as it meant the problem was either the rear pump motor or a blockage inside the assembly:
I reconnected the pipe and ran the pump again. But it still didn’t work - nothing came out. I was thinking at this point that I might need a new motor assembly, because repeated cleaning with the pin & thread method still wasn’t working.
The last thing I tried was to prise off the black pipe elbow connector from the motor body. Blocked washer pipes are on the A3, but the blockage being resolved by taking off the connector isn’t something I’d seen mentioned online before. Having done this, I poked the thread through the motor body and connector separately… and it worked!
I then put everything back together and felt smug about being able to use the rear washer about twice a year again.
I also checked the car for any more stored codes, which had been cleared at the service. Happily there were none. I also took the chance to double-check the launch control count. I know the zero score isn't a guarantee that the car had an easy life in the hands of its previous owner, but between the spec choices, condition, history and this I'm hoping it's at least indicative.
I used an air con bomb on our Skoda Fabia last week after my son was sick in it (!), so I will probably do another in this car soon. It smells much better after me driving it 2,200 miles and changing the cabin filter - but it'll only help.
The outlook for the next few months is quite low miles. Our van will be doing our upcoming runs to France and Cornwall, plus I have no work roadtrips planned until at least September - but I'll stretch its legs where I can.
Carlton Banks said:
Lovely cars, yours in particular !
I owned an FL mythos black a couple of years ago.
One recommendation is to ditch the Pirelli’s and go for Mich PS4S as there is an issue with inner tyre - many threads about it on owners groups.
Yes... indeed the only MoT advisories the car has had so far (in the previous owner's hands) were for perishing and / or side wear of various Pirellis. I think the OSF tyre on there now has the beginnings of the same. It's a shame because the PZ4s are developed especially for the RS3 and I love the massive rim protection. I owned an FL mythos black a couple of years ago.
One recommendation is to ditch the Pirelli’s and go for Mich PS4S as there is an issue with inner tyre - many threads about it on owners groups.
I'm not sure the Michelins are a panacea either, at least for the staggered setup like mine. They're reportedly too big in matching 255/30 size and fitting 235/35s all round also presents issues with those wider front wheels.
Danm1les said:
The exterior/interior spec is so good on this car, its lovely.
What do you use to scan the car for codes and the launch counter?
Thank you. What do you use to scan the car for codes and the launch counter?
Carista is one of the various OBD2 scanner tools and apps on the market; it's the one I use. I managed to sneak a lunchtime drive yesterday out to the local lanes of north Somerset - such a lovely day for it. Clearly other people had the same idea as I came across a McLaren, Lotus Exige and AMG C63 taking a similar route. This RS3 definitely doesn't feel out of place in the company of cars like these.
More than that, the noise is just sensational - you feel a million dollars just letting the cultured exhaust tones bounce off walls in low gears, held manually at just the right revs via the DSG 'box.
I think the ECU has adapted to the recent remap now and my bum dyno says this is the quickest car I've had. All within speed limits and responsible driving, it's absolutely astonishing how rapidly it covers ground from corner to corner across country.
The next day after writing the above post, I had a big off on my bike - resulting in a category 1 ambulance (and helicopter!) response with a trip to ED and some broken vertebrae and ribs. Thankfully things were less serious than first feared, though I am unlikely to be cycling and indeed sitting comfortably for some time.
A trip yesterday with my kids in the RS3 to visit my parents was its first since then, taking the miles for July to 160.
I think I've now perfected the car's settings for this sort of journey, which is to set the "individual" mode to its most sporting for the transmission and exhaust and comfiest for the suspension and steering - using manual to change gear at the point just after the exhaust flaps open widest at around 3,500rpm. Sounds like a supercar, but you can take the kids in comfort.
It still gets a lot of attention, the latest being a tuned Golf R and what looked like a modified 335i convertible slowing down alongside on the motorway and looking for a bit of something. I do wonder how the reaction might be to a more visibly "RS3-ish" Nardo grey one, as opposed to this colour. I always disappoint and still think there's no need to speed either, with so much aural entertainment to be had at low speeds and on my own terms.
I removed and had the Stage 1 remap refunded recently as I wasn't happy with it. It was a generic one and I won't say whose out of courtesy (it wasn't bad and certainly noticeable at full throttle, but it dampened the noise and didn't feel as resolved as the OE map). I have learned my lesson about the value of either remaining standard or going for a custom map on this particular car.
A trip yesterday with my kids in the RS3 to visit my parents was its first since then, taking the miles for July to 160.
I think I've now perfected the car's settings for this sort of journey, which is to set the "individual" mode to its most sporting for the transmission and exhaust and comfiest for the suspension and steering - using manual to change gear at the point just after the exhaust flaps open widest at around 3,500rpm. Sounds like a supercar, but you can take the kids in comfort.
It still gets a lot of attention, the latest being a tuned Golf R and what looked like a modified 335i convertible slowing down alongside on the motorway and looking for a bit of something. I do wonder how the reaction might be to a more visibly "RS3-ish" Nardo grey one, as opposed to this colour. I always disappoint and still think there's no need to speed either, with so much aural entertainment to be had at low speeds and on my own terms.
I removed and had the Stage 1 remap refunded recently as I wasn't happy with it. It was a generic one and I won't say whose out of courtesy (it wasn't bad and certainly noticeable at full throttle, but it dampened the noise and didn't feel as resolved as the OE map). I have learned my lesson about the value of either remaining standard or going for a custom map on this particular car.
We've driven over 2,000 miles for holidays in the last month, with the bulk done by our van - pictured here in Cornwall.
I'd planned to take the Bus on a long weekend break to visit my brother in Brighton, too - not least because we would also be carrying a 5th person in the form of a cousin, whom we dropped-off en route. Unfortunately the Airbnb host got in touch just beforehand to say that the parking situation was very tight and advised against bringing vans - so that put paid to that idea.
Thankfully the RS3 was on-hand and coped well. I don't think my 10-year-old fancies regular trips in the middle rear seat, but the small boot was fine for a family weekend away and the comfort pretty good thanks to the adaptive dampers. I cracked just a smidge under 40mpg, too. This is the sort of thing that Audi RS cars do well, and I think that once you get your head around the concept of the RS3 being more of a baby RS6 than a hyped-up Golf R then I think you come to understand its capabilities better.
This is mainly lost of my wife, though. She chortled to herself at the tastelessness of the quilted cream seats - and didn't appreciate the sounds of the sports exhaust when I blip down into 2nd and 1st in slowing traffic, so I reluctantly switched to "comfort" mode. The forum chatter is that Audi "got away with it" somehow in getting type approval for the pre-facelift 2015-16 RS3 and it's widely thought to be one of the loudest production cars this side of an early Noughties TVR, when spec'd with the optional exhaust in Sport mode at least. So, to be fair, she has a point. Some markets even had the cars supplied without secondary catalysts, which takes the noise on throttle even further...
In my defence, we do mainly trundle around in an ice cream van and have a little Skoda for urban runs - at her behest (and my cost!).
I don't think pictures do justice to the colour nor its variation according to light, though the difference is apparent below from the pic above. I'm still getting a lot of comments and reactions when out and about.
I've got some long business trips coming up in September and October, after which I will probably use it less and keep it out of the winter weather in its garage. The other thing on my mind is to book myself in for a better quality remap than the one I tried (and removed) recently.
I'd planned to take the Bus on a long weekend break to visit my brother in Brighton, too - not least because we would also be carrying a 5th person in the form of a cousin, whom we dropped-off en route. Unfortunately the Airbnb host got in touch just beforehand to say that the parking situation was very tight and advised against bringing vans - so that put paid to that idea.
Thankfully the RS3 was on-hand and coped well. I don't think my 10-year-old fancies regular trips in the middle rear seat, but the small boot was fine for a family weekend away and the comfort pretty good thanks to the adaptive dampers. I cracked just a smidge under 40mpg, too. This is the sort of thing that Audi RS cars do well, and I think that once you get your head around the concept of the RS3 being more of a baby RS6 than a hyped-up Golf R then I think you come to understand its capabilities better.
This is mainly lost of my wife, though. She chortled to herself at the tastelessness of the quilted cream seats - and didn't appreciate the sounds of the sports exhaust when I blip down into 2nd and 1st in slowing traffic, so I reluctantly switched to "comfort" mode. The forum chatter is that Audi "got away with it" somehow in getting type approval for the pre-facelift 2015-16 RS3 and it's widely thought to be one of the loudest production cars this side of an early Noughties TVR, when spec'd with the optional exhaust in Sport mode at least. So, to be fair, she has a point. Some markets even had the cars supplied without secondary catalysts, which takes the noise on throttle even further...
In my defence, we do mainly trundle around in an ice cream van and have a little Skoda for urban runs - at her behest (and my cost!).
I don't think pictures do justice to the colour nor its variation according to light, though the difference is apparent below from the pic above. I'm still getting a lot of comments and reactions when out and about.
I've got some long business trips coming up in September and October, after which I will probably use it less and keep it out of the winter weather in its garage. The other thing on my mind is to book myself in for a better quality remap than the one I tried (and removed) recently.
It looks so good, whoever specified origionally had good taste and were not afraid of ticking a few options. I think the pre facelift looks better than the facelift.
Unique and understated in that colour. Were you able to find out anything about the first owner (other than their smell!?)
In terms of a stage 1 maybe APR, TRD would be where I would call first.
Unique and understated in that colour. Were you able to find out anything about the first owner (other than their smell!?)
In terms of a stage 1 maybe APR, TRD would be where I would call first.
The previous owner was the car’s first and only, and they had it for nearly 6 years before me. It’s also one of the last pre-facelift models, which only had a 2015-16 production run anyway.
From what I can gather, it wasn’t a dealer specified car. The selling dealer told me that it was one of a collection of RS and M cars, which were all uniquely spec’d. The address on the V5 was an upmarket Surrey property.
The smell has gone without me having to resort to anything other than a filter change.
From what I can gather, it wasn’t a dealer specified car. The selling dealer told me that it was one of a collection of RS and M cars, which were all uniquely spec’d. The address on the V5 was an upmarket Surrey property.
The smell has gone without me having to resort to anything other than a filter change.
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