Audi S3: PH Carpool
This PHer has loved S3s since the 1990s; ownership is only deepening that affection
Car: Audi S3 8P
Owned since: 2016
Previously owned: BMW E36 3 Series, Toyota Corolla T Sport, Volvo S60R
"I love all generations of Audi S3 and have since I can remember. The plan was for an 8P (2007-onwards) variant and when a one-owner car with FSH came up for sale close by at the right price, that was that! In my opinion, not many cars in this price range offer as much. Tax, insurance and running costs are low for what it is. I love the exterior touches and think the car in its standard form looks great. The interior is typical Audi and a really nice place to spend time and although it has the standard seats and not option wingback Recaros, they are nice and supportive. Also, the Sprint Blue colour looks fantastic after a polish!"
What I wish I'd known:
"Not a huge amount as I had done lots of research, I have friends who work for Audi and I'd driven similar cars. The Audi forums are a good wealth of knowledge also."
"What an all-rounder it is. It's at home sitting on the motorway at 70, around town and on the twisty stuff. The grip is what impresses most about the car; dry and wet roads get eaten up and it takes time to get used to having Quattro and throwing it into a bend, keeping the power on and not backing off. The engine has a nice powerband and makes any form of driving easy. The build quality of the car is impressive and. after 87K, it still feels solid."
Things I hate:
"I went in eyes open with this buy so very little but the fuel range is poor, especially when driving hard. Wish I had a few factory options but nothing that some online sourcing can't fix!"
"Once I collected it, I had it fully serviced including cam follower, Haldex and diff and all the usual pieces. A small leak was noticed on the test drive and it turned out to be the vacuum pump seal and a blow in the exhaust was repaired - two cheap fixes. Four new Uniroyal Rainsport tyres went on, and for the price, they are excellent. H&R Trak+ 10mm front spacers and 12mm rears give a nice stance while keeping it nearly OEM; it's a standard car so this space works well.
"It's in for an oil and gearbox oil change this week, ahead of a cambelt and water pump next year, but apart from that the car has been super and nothing unexpected cost-wise. The B-pillar trims are chipping, a common fault, so these are being replaced at the next service - they came in at around €70 from Audi."
Where I've been:
"It's my daily driver so I rack up some miles in it, but it's there to be enjoyed. A trip from Ireland to the 'ring is on the cards next year hopefully, taking in some nice driving roads on the way (open to suggestions on routes!). It's something I have wanted to do for a while and the S3 is the ideal companion.
"A recent trip took in some fast B-roads and the car felt fantastic; more of this will be on the cards soon."
"The S3 will be here for the foreseeable future. Upgrade wise, well maintained and OEM+ is my standard approach, although a remap is tempting! More immediately, a couple of small bodywork touch ups, a wheel refurb and a bigger brake set up will be done - what the set up will be is under research! Coilovers will come down the line with a proper alignment. Also, investment in a CarPlay Pioneer head unit is inevitable, and having seen this done on similar cars it looks great, while giving lots of functionality over the OEM unit.
"As for changing it, RS3s are starting to look tempting but who knows!"
Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff