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[Audi A3/S3] How hard do you drive your A3/S3?


bpsmith
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Here is a good question for some of you and be honest in answering it for me!?!

Just how hard/fast do you guys tend to drive your A3's or S3's?

Hopefully I will get a mix of replies from people in both standard and chipped cars? The reason I ask is that when I get in mine ('99 A3 1.8T Sport), since using Wynns engine, tank and injector cleaner and changing to a K&N element filter, I cannot help but drive the car fast as it always wants to go faster and faster. The car is in standard form and done 66k with one previous owner. I sometimes feel that I may be pushing the car too much by driving it to just below 6k revs (not that near the red line) before changing gears. Then other times I think that if the engine can handle the more power associated with the chip then it will be fine?

Am I better off keeping the car as standard and enjoying it as is, as really pleased with it, or would I be better off chipping it and gaining in the power and ultimately not driving it so high revs to get the same driving experience? Or will I get used to the increase in power and drive it just as hard but even faster than before!?!

Also, for those who have chipped their cars and driven previously in standard form, did you notice a massive difference in driving experience and/or did you feel the car was also great in standard form too?

Lets see what replies I get from this then...

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Well I'll give it to you straight....

My car, A3 1.8T running an Oettinger chip, gets a bloody hard thrashing everyday of it's life, 6.5k is where I change up quite often. I have a ten..well seven minute run into work, 40% of that run is on town roads, but then it's dual carriage way (with a limit of 80km/h (50mph)), with traffic lights, where I quite happily thrash it past my boss, on his way to work as well, at 160/180 (99-112mph). I abuse my car and never check the oil level, and I should know better as I am an engineer, but she still holds up. It's last service was over 6 months ago and yet the oil level has only dropped by a 1/4 on the dipstick without me topping it up, and I certainly do the miles 21,200 in 10 months in fact. My cars just gone past the 50k mile mark, and i'm not going to stop yet!

My tyres are the only thing that take the abuse, the fronts were new about 5 months ago and they need replacing already, which I suppose is a testiment to my driving, here the wheels spin whilst cornering heart.gif

I'm definately not the only one that rags the tits of of their car, but I do do it incredably well, and when you have the chip it just becomes even harder to stay slow....ummmm the noise of the turbo notworthy.gif

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I'll give it to you straight as well....

As Gambba says - engines tough as hell and can handle the extra power.

However - you can break a standard engine if you are too hard on it. Let it warm up properly and you should be fine but bear in mind that the chip does put extra stress on the engine and things CAN go wrong where they wouldn't have if you'd left it standard but it is very unlikely.

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Same (kinda) for me. Only I have a 65+ mile drive to work, about 95% of it Autobahn. I hit 200+ kph everyday. My '01 A3Tq has 111k kms (about 69,000 miles) I also have an Oettinger remap, got it done on the 4th of July, and have yet to stop grinning grin.gif I'd also like to add that I had my remap done at around 102k kms. When the Frau isn't in the car, I try to get tire squeal around every corner I can grin.gif Don't get me wrong, I'm no Psycho like Gambba, but I "Drive" my car the way she's meant to be driven jump.gif

Now, I don't redline her often, I usually shift at around 5-5.5k revs (but my hp tops out at 5517 FIREdevil.gif) But still, she was a great drive BEFORE chipping, and an even better drive after jump.gif

I would say that, if you plan on keeping the car for a while, and can afford it, then by all means, chip it, you'll LOVE the improvement whether you're constantly thrashing it or not. But I'd give it some thought if you plan on reselling it, as most chips aren't reversible.

Hope it helps... grin.gif

beerchug.gif

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Ive got a Revo tuned S3 and unfortunately only have to travel 6 miles to work and by the times she has warmed up and ive got out of traffic im like 1/2 a mile from work. But the drive home is usually better, accelerating hard away from other wannabe's and sometimes changing gearat around 6krpm.

Yeas i do drive her hard but only after she has warmed up and road conditions allowing. DOnt drive like all the time though i do however sometimes drive sedately.

Gimme some winding A roads and no traffic and i will have passengers clinging on to the grab handles. FIREdevil.gif

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[ QUOTE ]

I have a 65+ mile drive to work, about 95% of it Autobahn. I hit 200+ kph everyday.

[/ QUOTE ]

You lucky guy ECLIPSe.gif I am trying to find an excuse to drive through half of the UK, France and Belgium (maybe a day trip to the Audi museum!) to do once, what you do everyday to work SAUER0421.GIF soooooooooo jealous!!!

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Thanks for the honest replies as some people try to say they do not put their cars through their paces as they feel they should be seen to "look after them" and not do this only to give them a good thrashing when no-one is around!?!

I fancy the chip and was going to get it done by AMD before my car was scratched the whole length of the passenger side by some scumbag in town! The money is tight now as got to pay for my Honeymoon in December and the missus just decided to book to go to Cyprus towards the end of this month also!!! No chip for me until at least February I think now! mad.gif

I am tempted to go for perhaps the REVO option maybe now as they seem to be quite popular currently? Who is the better option for price and power/torque?

What are people thoughts on the Lexus clear rear lights also?

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I see what you are saying about the Max Power thing on those lights. I agree to some extent but thought they would look good on the rear end of my A3 as the car is Cactus Green and will soon have a very deep Meguiars shine to it and the chrome will really set it off more than the red in the standard lights.

I am not a great fan of the newer facelift rear lights either as prefer the older ones which I have for some reason?

I picked up a set of Lexus style for quite cheap on ebay and so if I dont like them then what the hell, I will sell them on again!

I will take some pics soon before and after the polish and before and after the lights and see what people think.

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I drive approx 2kms to work and only 4 days a week smile.gif By the time I hit work, its just warmed up so I never drive like a bat outta hell because its always cold. Occasionally at night I'll give it a hard time but never shift higher than 5800rpm (max power is made at this mark anyway)

Car is always had its oil dropped at 5000kms (twice so far), currently has 17,000kms on it so im not sure what that is in miles. Aim to keep it low for max resale on a RS3 smile.gif

jump.gif

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[ QUOTE ]

currently has 17,000kms on it so im not sure what that is in miles.

[/ QUOTE ]

10,563 miles.....does that help grin.gif

Lexus lights are a no no NONO3.GIF as far as I am concerned in almost all cases they look crap, the facelift one's are far far better and keep that original look.

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Mate leave the lexus lights alone, put them back on ebay and flog em. I think nearly everyone will agree that they are not suited to the A3's in anyway and only make the car look 'tacky' but if u like them then hey go for it, after all its only our personal opinions thats all.

Mikey they are very simple to fit except that u will need to have small hands to get to the nuts on the OS lights as the space is very restricted.

beerchug.gif

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