PaulAr

[ QUOTE ] Fook the CO2, if you like it .... get it! You only live once! [/ QUOTE ] Good point well made! I been voicing the same in a Petrol v Diesel debate over on UKMIVs.net

My 2p. ®S4 Avant - Big fast load lugger makes sense ®S6 Avant - Bigger fast load lugger makes more sense S3 Sporback - Small load lugger ??? seems to be missing the point and a bit of a contradiction IMO. Dont really get it. You would never see a Golf Gti Estate. Maybe makes sense purely for the 5 doors but not as a compact estate. Anyway, Im biased only ever had 3 drs based on looks alone, my 7 yr old doesnt complain as she hasnt known any other ! What next?, 5 door TT with LPG conversion...... Cheers Paul

Had this on my previous Golf so I wouldnt worry about it from a safety point of view. Agree its looks a bit crap though. Wire brush and paint is the best option although corrosion will find its way back through eventually. Have fun. Cheers Paul

Probably on his way to Honest Johns Tyre Shack to have a set of part worn Colway remoulds fitted .......maybe

Still crazy money for these cars. Ive seen late model MK1 S3s in the classifieds for around 13K. Whether they change hands for that money is another thing.

The fruitiest fuel you can get up here (Tyne & Wear) is V Power, and I have to do a 10 mile round trip to get that ! Wouldnt run a 20T FSI on anything less.

Thats just plum daft.....geddit....just me then..... Taxi..

Very nice colour and spec combo.

Agree black looks dead ordinary unless its just been washed and then it looks fantastic. Ive just bought a used car in Sprint Blue and its the number one colour for me, real head turner and give the car a proper at a glance `S` identity, and cant be mistaken for any other model. Apart from the the wacky orange and yellow options I think all of the colours look good IMO. Cheers Paul

I would be tempted to stick with REVO I like the aggresiveness of the power delivery. cheers Paul

So, staying off boost and not `clogging it` yields the same mpg?? Which map? btw, looks like a fun motor ! : Cheers Paul

How much is an Oettinger map? What about these new companies popping up like `Chipped UK`?. They are doing generic maps for the VAG range for around £300. TBH this isnt new or groundbraking technology anymore, is it still necessary to spend twice that with REVO, APR, Superchips etc and are these cheaper products not just as good? The VW boys over on UKMIVs.net speak highly of Chipped UK. Anyone have a view? If you are going for exhausts, flters, fmic uprades etc with a custom map then maybe you would stick with a large reputable outfit but for a tried and tested generic map Im not sure..... Cheers Paul

I quite liked the `old school` aggresive power delivery from the REVO map but it was as you say, all or nothing. That said, Im actually enjoying having power beyond 5000rpm again in the S3, something that you didnt have a lot of in a REVOd Golf. I reckon REVO would suited to 4wd better though, as you dont have the wheelspin woes when the the boost comes in a big thump. Great in high gears when you still get that shove in the back. Gave a few EVOs and WRXs something to thing about...

Im a total advocate of the hot hatch even as a kid, and now Ive got a small family, it does everything. And, the S3 has to be the holy grail of the hot hatch world, 265bhp, 4wd with epic quality and image, it has no real peers, and that was the case with the Mk1 S3 also IMO (even though I never bought one). Whats the remap of choice for the S3 boys? Ive only ever had experience with REVO which has always been excellent but very pricey. I also found that it didnt hit the mpg as bad as I thoughton the Golf, how does the S3 respond? I could get the 5 hr trial but theres no going back after that, there is no point in the trial unless you have the pennies in your pocket, I ran my Golf for about 20 mins on the trial software before I turned around and went back for the full programme and was releived of nearly £600!! Trying to enjoy the std car for a bit and wouldnt mind the retro fit DVD Nav too. Cheers Paul

[ QUOTE ] Hi Paul, Congrats Nice to hear your thoughts as I'm looking at maybe making the same switch as you. I'd really like the new BMW 135i coupe, due to the rear wheel drive and engine, but I just can't bring myself to go through with it due to the looks - such a shame. The 3 series coupe is nice but I can't afford one of those - so a used S3 is the next option until there are some 3 series bargains around. I love the look of the S3 and think the interior is wonderful, but a bit worried it won't be much of a change from the Golf. So if you wouldn't mind going into a bit more detail of how different they feel I'd appreciate it Everyone says the steering on the S3 is numb compared to the Golf - what do you reckon? Is the handling any different? Or just the same but a bit more grip? I don't suppose you can the back to step out under power? Imagine it will just ultimately scrabble and understeer like a front wheel drive car? Anyone elses opinions welcome of course [/ QUOTE ] Nutkins, I honestly thought my MK5 Golf was as good as hot hatches get, and although brilliant, IMO the S3 raises the bar again, everything is just that bit better. Apart from the fantastic looks, interior, image, build, materials, current exclusivity, etc, its just so planted. Moving from the Golf to the S3 it almost makes the Golf feel a little bit `floaty` at the front end dare I say, as the 4wd reigns in all that power with amazing competence....no torque steer or wayward front end action in the wet. The main criticism Ive observed so far has been that the S3 is `ruthlessly efficient`, `sterile`, `numb` etc. Utter bollocks if you ask me. Its a very safe powerful useable hatch that doesnt present any drama or tail out action, which is exactly what most enthusiasts want, who have average driving skills and use their cars daily. Motoring hacks spend a of time tearing around B roads and thrashing the nuts of these cars on track to achieve what they think is a reasoned evaluation and seeing how the car behaves `on its limit`. However 99% of S3 owners will never do this in their cars FACT, so whats the relevance if this type of test and their conclusion? Ive had a string of Corrados, Golfs in all guises, VR6, G60s, Turbos and this tops the lot on all levels. Again, Im not a motoring journalist, Im an average bloke who like fast road cars and doesnt want swetty palms every time I open the taps a bit so the S3 is perfect. My only real criticism of the Golf is that it rolled a little more than I like and I would have sacrificed some of the excellent ride comfort for something a bit firmer, and this is where the balance is just right in the S3 for my taste. The S3 is also very tunaeble, 300bhp with a £500 remap if thats your thing (I will probably go this route) which gives options for the future. Ive never even though about a 1 series coupe or hatch for that matter, driving with a paper bag on your head isnt a good look. I guess you would have to drive one to see whether its you thing, the guys on the forum here should be able to give you some detail on the `on limit` characteristics of the S3 chassis but for how often I will ever find it, its not a big issue for me. Good luck. Cheers Paul

[ QUOTE ] Hi'Paul glad you found an S3. I have been following your search with interest.Who says persistance does'nt pay.. [/ QUOTE ] Cheers matey, was a real pain selling the Golf private and then sticking to my guns on what spec/colour combo I wanted from a used S3. But like you said persistance has paid off (so far anyway) and I saved about £3000 versus px/ing the Golf against an AUDI dealer forecourt car., and paying 25K for a car that was nearly 31K when new 5 months ago Paul

Thought as much, but 32mpg is pretty good considering. The WRX and EVO boys wont see that in a lifetime. Got 31mpg from London to Newcastle on Monday and the horses werent spared if you know what I mean, although I did do some stints at 50-60mph due to sheer weight of traffic. Three figures was observed on quite a few occasions too.

Car only has 4K miles, and it does feel a little `tight`, as if its not quite breathing as it could. Filled with Shell Vmax yesterday so should be adapting nice. Returned 32mpg this morning going to work versus 34mpg I was getting from the REVOd Golf so hopefully might see something similar once its loosened up which would be cool. Will follow with some pics. The biggest pain is figuring out how to get my private plate across from the car Ive sold (which its still on)to the S3. The DVLA dont make this process very easy. cheers

Day 2 of S3 ownership and its starting to sink in just how brilliant these cars are. Ive read some of the indifferent reviews in the motoring press, what cars have these people been driving ??? Grab it be the scruff of the neck and its much more of a fun `hooligan` that my previous (and also excellent) MK5 Gti was. Potter around in a docile manner and it still makes you feel like your in a special car. Even made my mate a bit green after he drove it and his daily drive is a 340bhp M3 ragtop. Just need to decide between retro fit DVD Nav and REVO next......or divorce Paul

Mine is 5 months old with 4K miles and setas are fine.

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] The man for installations up your way is TDiAvant - drop him a PM [/ QUOTE ] Yup he's the man to speak to, he's done the retrofit in my 08 S3 and did a brilliant job. I also had the bluetooth phone kit installed at the same time. [/ QUOTE ] How much? if you dont mind me asking ? Cheers Paul

Cheers lads, driving to Slough tomorrow to pick up my S3 and have started thinking about retro fits, remaps etc already ! Paul

Can this be done? Anyone done it or know anyone that has? New S3 coming tomorrow and this might be on the list for a future mod as well as a REVO remap. Cheers Paul

As per title, Ive found an S3 to buy which pretty much fits the bill but doesnt have the centre armrest ??? GGrrr!! This surely must be the next most important part of the car behind the engine !! and its only an £80 option. Anyway, AUDI want £240 to supply and fit. Ouch.. Have you guys got any ideas? Is it easy to fit DIY? Ive had the centre arm rest in my last 2 golfs and couldnt get used to not having one again so its a must have for me. Appreciate the input. Cheers Paul

Nice one. I had similar clutch slip problem on my Golf, straight after it was remapped. I know the remap does increase the load on the clutch however after much research I coudlnt find a single other Golf (MK5 20T Gti) that had experienced clutch problems as a result of a remap and my car was perculiar in some way. REVO also ran development cars at much more agressive settings without any drama. Anyway after I was assured it was a slipping clutch (car only had 24K miles)I had the gearbox out at a local independant garage who confirmed a completely knackered Dual mass flywheel. It seems that the remap just highlighted the problem and accelerated the impending failure of the DMF. The car was subsequently recovered to VW and the DMF and clutch replaced under warranty. The clutch was replaced as the failed DMF had damaged the clutch plate. It will be interesting to see whether it is in fact the clutch OR the infamous DMF setup which would be warranty anyway ??? For the record, VW would have charged me around £750 for a new clutch. Cheers Paul