Looking to switch from S4 to S3......

[cshocker]

I've had a couple S4's and now looking at switching to a 2015 or newer S3.

I was pretty familiar with the known issues of the S4's, but pretty much clueless to the S3's. Really the only thing I could find for protentional issues are haldex failures. Just not sure how common those are happening.

Any other insights to the new model would be appreciated, thanks!

[TreizeRXH]

I've had a couple S4's and now looking at switching to a 2015 or newer S3.

I was pretty familiar with the known issues of the S4's, but pretty much clueless to the S3's. Really the only thing I could find for protentional issues are haldex failures. Just not sure how common those are happening.

Any other insights to the new model would be appreciated, thanks!

Objectively the S3 is the better drivers car but be 100% honest with yourself: do you like having space in your car?? Because the S3 is small and not as practical as the S4

Outside of that, most of the common issues have been documented to death: water pump, timing chain, possibly haldex problems (though between my A3 quattro and this S3, I’ve never encountered them personally)


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[MetalMan]

Agreed with ^^ that this body is pretty small. Front driver/passenger legroom is fantastic for me (@ 6' 3") compared to other vehicles but back-seat is pretty small. Trunk is tiny... I was a B5 guy previously, having had 2 B5 sedans (among others). Although the 8V sedan is similar in size to the B5 sedan, the B5 sedan had WAY more trunk space but a little less front legroom.

There have been some instances of blown engines, but one theory is poorly-flowing injectors due to them clogging or whatever. IMO injectors are a good one to add to the maintenance list, perhaps ~75k miles or whenever a carbon clean is performed. As ^^ mentioned water pump would be a good one to add to this same maintenance interval since the intake manifold is already off for injector replacement and carbon cleaning.

Gotta keep up on fluid maintenance as well, just like any other Audi.
Otherwise I haven't come across any other major trends related to engine or drivetrain.

For suspension, the front wheel bearings seem to be a weak link, and the front strut mounts + bearings don't last very long.

[MikTip]

My 2015 S3 has over 150,000 miles on it. Zero Haldex issues. I have changed the fuel injectors. Water pump was still good, but decided to change it while I had the intake manifold off for the injectors. Alternator just died...replaced it. Reliability issues...no more than any other brand of car....

Where most get in trouble is they drag race it to death and wonder why it doesnt hold up!

Or Stage 2-3...400+ HP and no DSG or Haldex tunes...

I'm on the stock is38 with zero issues!

[EvoToSQ5]

We had a ‘17 S3 for a about a year. Interior space is definitely tight but I fit up front with no issues and I’m 6’2”.

Rear was definitely tight and ok at best for the younger ones. It was a tight fit for our son in his car seat which then transitioned into a booster seat.

We just had way too many issues with the car so we moved on. The issues we had seemed to be limited to our car and it doesn’t appear to be a common issue within the platform.


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[will13k7]

only issue I had on my '15 (stage2 ecu + tcu-tune since '15) is a "small evap leak". check-engine light about every month, I need to get around to fixing it.

[VWVW]

I've had a couple S4's and now looking at switching to a 2015 or newer S3.

I was pretty familiar with the known issues of the S4's, but pretty much clueless to the S3's. Really the only thing I could find for protentional issues are haldex failures. Just not sure how common those are happening.

Any other insights to the new model would be appreciated, thanks!

Haldex issue is definitely widespread as can be seen in different haldex failure threads in different forums.

I personally have had 2 haldex failures within 80000 km (both were fixed with a haldex pump replacement). Other than that, I am now encountering some rear end noise at 100k+ km (probably rear wheel bearing, but we will see).

It is definitely a very fun car to drive because of the size. If you don't need it and am okay with a somewhat reduced quality interior vs. S4, then it is definitely worth it. Simply put, I would aim for a S3 for my next car and not a S4.

[CavEsk1337]

I would personally get a 2017+ for the updated exterior, MIBII infotainment system, and the 7 speed as opposed to the 6.

[MetalMan]

I would personally get a 2017+ for the updated exterior, MIBII infotainment system, and the 7 speed as opposed to the 6.

7-speed DSG started in 2018, right?

[TreizeRXH]

I would personally get a 2017+ for the updated exterior, MIBII infotainment system, and the 7 speed as opposed to the 6.

100% this ^^


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[EvoToSQ5]

7-speed DSG started in 2018, right?

Correct. The 2017 still had the 6 speed.


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[TreizeRXH]

Correct. The 2017 still had the 6 speed.


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Can confirm as I own one


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[Spinnetti]

Not surprisingly, I'm kinda in the minority. I'm 6'2" and the S3 is a bit cramped for headroom, but fine otherwise. Its never been too small for me and reliability has been fine with 80k-ish on mine. With similar money spent on it, the S4 is faster and better handling than the S3 despite being a bigger car. I got the S3 because it was smaller, not because it was better - I like small cars and like how it looks. If you go S3, the 7speed and digital cluster are worthwhile as mentioned, though I got a 2015 as that was the best deal at the time. I've got no complaints really, but I wouldn't go from say, a B8.5 S4 to an S3.

[MetalMan]

Not surprisingly, I'm kinda in the minority. I'm 6'2" and the S3 is a bit cramped for headroom, but fine otherwise.

Interesting, at 6' 3" with a long torso my '15 A3 with sport seats (Sport Package) provides a lot of headroom compared to other sedans/wagons I've owned.

On another note, am I the only person who prefers the PFL's exterior?

[TreizeRXH]

Interesting, at 6' 3" with a long torso my '15 A3 with sport seats (Sport Package) provides a lot of headroom compared to other sedans/wagons I've owned.

On another note, am I the only person who prefers the PFL's exterior?

I present a comparison

Pre vs Post facelift



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[EvoToSQ5]

Always preferred the facelift myself. More aggressive and I believe the taillights and rear bumper are also slightly different.

I did love the virtual cockpit in ours and the sport seats. Kinda miss having it to be honest.


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[TraderGuy]

As others have said, grab a 2018 or later if you can. I picked up a new 2020 a year or so ago. Went with the S3 over the S4 mostly due to the size of the car. Been a good car, no issues.

[EvoToSQ5]

Only other change between model years which some people may not like is that the 2018 and newer model MMI screen no longer retracts into the dash.


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[cshocker]

Thanks guys.

I am 5 foot nothing, so not worried about cab room. And all my kids drive, so it's usually just me driving to work.

So on the pre 7 speed DSG, are the 6 speed a ZF or something else? Honestly, I'm not a fan of the DSG. I've had to replace one mechatronic in my old S4. I am also not a fan of the delay when leaving a rolling/almost complete stop. I loved the ZF in my old SQ5 compared to the DSG in my wifes 2018 Q5. Assuming thought it's not the same ZF that would be in an S3.

[TreizeRXH]

Thanks guys.

I am 5 foot nothing, so not worried about cab room. And all my kids drive, so it's usually just me driving to work.

So on the pre 7 speed DSG, are the 6 speed a ZF or something else? Honestly, I'm not a fan of the DSG. I've had to replace one mechatronic in my old S4. I loved the ZF in my old SQ5 compared to the DSG in my wifes 2018 Q5. Assuming thought it's not the same ZF that would be in an S3.

Whelp…. No lol. It’s a standard S-tronic dual clutch.

The 7 speed does do a better job at sorting out slow speed driving than the 6 speed with less jerky motions when in bumper to bumper,I’ll admit.

Personally, I’ve never had an issue with the transmission myself (in 3 different A3 models now, including my S3).


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[cshocker]

Whelp…. No lol. It’s a standard S-tronic dual clutch.

The 7 speed does do a better job at sorting out slow speed driving than the 6 speed with less jerky motions when in bumper to bumper,I’ll admit.

Personally, I’ve never had an issue with the transmission myself (in 3 different A3 models now, including my S3).


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LOL, gottcha. Thanks for the clarification.

So speaking of A3 vs S3 (as you've owned), major difference between the A and S?

[bmoreS4]

Other then wanting a smaller/more agile car, why would you want to go to the S3?

I also owned a B8.5 S4 and other then size, it out performs the S3 all around.

You loose proper quattro and go to a more minimal VW style interior.

I looked at RS3s when I bought my car 6 months ago, but the RS3 was too small and the interior felt very cheap. Also, the new 3.0T has a ton of potential, my new SQ5 runs a 3.73 0-60.

[TreizeRXH]

LOL, gottcha. Thanks for the clarification.

So speaking of A3 vs S3 (as you've owned), major difference between the A and S?

Well I’ll first say that you will notice nothing different between the 2.0t quattro setup and the S3 if your just slow speed cruising, apart from a slightly more comfortable ride (especially over bumps) in the A3 and a little more torque off the line (smaller turbo).

That said, once you open it up, it becomes a different animal. The S3 likes to be revved and driven hard and keeps pushing you for more. In my old A3 once I got to around 90 mph that was kind of where it started to taper off a bit, whereas the S3 just goes “alright now we’re talking, LETS GO!” Lol. Let’s just say I’ve got the top speed limit many times…

Overall, it’s a much more fun car to drive yet it can still be tame and comfortable (to an extent) if you need it to be with the different drive modes (and assuming you have the mag ride suspension). I don’t regret it at all and plan to hold on to mine for a very long time.


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[cshocker]

Other then wanting a smaller/more agile car, why would you want to go to the S3?

I also owned a B8.5 S4 and other then size, it out performs the S3 all around.

You loose proper quattro and go to a more minimal VW style interior.

I looked at RS3s when I bought my car 6 months ago, but the RS3 was too small and the interior felt very cheap. Also, the new 3.0T has a ton of potential, my new SQ5 runs a 3.73 0-60.

Biggest reason is price. Looking to stay under $30K. Not really interested in a high mileage or older S4. And I've had a few in the past so thought maybe try something a little different.

[CavEsk1337]

7-speed DSG started in 2018, right?

Yes, thank you!

[bmoreS4]

All good, just wondering.

I'd wait and upgrade when you can make a step up, the B8.5 S4 is a great car, I had mine for 6 years and loved it.

[Spinnetti]

ah, in that case, S3 is perfect.. I've had mine 3 years I think? and I got it in the low $20k... def. a good buy, well, was before I dropped 10k in mods anyway lol

[Gberg888]

I made this exact switch except I went from a 2010 S4 (B8) to the PFL 2016 S3.

I was guilted into the S4 at 1st so I was never in love with the car. It was too big for me and my needs and my driving style. Yes the power is really good and it does really well with mods, but it didn't handle well and I felt every once of its weight on track the 1 time I went.
Mine had a Stage 1 ECU and TCU tune from APR, an intake, a miltek Cat-Back, macan calipers with slotted rotors and EBC yellows and Motul fluid. The exhaust was so quiet it wasn't worth it, the tune made a big difference, the TCU tune was less so. The intake made good noises but thats it. The interior is nice and the seats are great. It fit my dog better (55lb doodle) but thats where the good ends. All in all its truly a heavy pig. I got ride of it because the B8s had significant DSG issues and I had all of them to the tune of over 6k dropped into the trans. I got ride of it not long after my 2nd trans issue (mech unit) and never looked back. It didnt help that I wanted the S3 originally and this was just a stop gap that lasted shorter than I expected.

Now the S3...
I have a lot of posts about a lot of crap on here, so read through the threads I have OP'd for part reviews and other comments and issues.
Now, my motor in my S3 did blow up and I did have to get a new motor. Call it unlucky, call it me being an idiot, call it "pay to play" whatever. Either way, the stage 1 tune from IE did not help and u can see a bunch of their tunes are causing issues on a few platforms right now so whatever mix of bs plus the tune ended in a worthless lump that needed replacement, shills will shill. Anyways, I put a new motor in it with some small upgrades like the B9 2.0t PCV valve, a Radium Catch-Can and literally everything besides the engine mounts is new. Like literally everything, wiring harness, entire fuel system... etc. It was not cheap... but here is the difference between the S3 and S4. When the S4 blew up (trans) I was mad and ready to kick the car and send it off with a grenade if I could. When the S3 blew up I was sad because I love the car so much.

The S3 is everything the s4 is not. Its much lighter on its feet, so much so that the back end is a little lighter than I'd like from the factory but a sway bar and MSS springs solved that immediately and gave me significantly more confidence in long higher speed sweeping turns. The engine is as fast, not because of power, but because its around 6-800lbs lighter than the S4. So, the 3x hp bump factory is neglible and once both are tuned they make about the same power but one ways significantly less. Once your above stage 2 its all over the place, but since the S3 is turbo from the factory, it makes it much easier to do a bigger turbo.

Comparo:

Engine: its really a draw. Its the best part of both cars for different reasons. It will be debated till the cows come home, but Id prefer the 2.0t. No one can truly build it yet without issues, but that will come. The 3.0t is not a T, its an S for the car you have currently. The s is good but has issues like the phantom coolant issue which is the coolant filled heat exchangers within the SC actually leaking among other things. The 2.0t is much easier to work on and doesn't have fucking stupidly designed parts like the 3.0t motor. Both will make good power with basic bolt-ons so its really about what you want.

Chassis/suspension: S3 all day. No comparison what so ever. Its lighter, more nimble, and with light mods handles way better than the S4 ever could. Its due to a lot of things within the chassis which culminates in something superior. I will say the S3 has a rather loosey goosey rear end from the factory. I think its just too stiff a spring rate and makes the car a little scary in high speed turns... but springs and a sway remedied that and made it very very good overall. The S4 always felt like it was fighting itself to turn. It wanted to understeer around any turn that wasn't taken at the speed limit. I honestly hated the way the S4 drove. It was comfy for sure, but it hardly was sporty in its driving characteristics.

Exterior: This is all subjective, but I think the PFL is the best looking 8v,8v.5,8y including the RS models. I felt the S4 was bland. The facelift helped but not enough.

Interior: S3 is not as nice but its tech is better but thats just because its newer. I also love the pop out screen verse the screen thats always there. Neither of mine had car play but I can add that to the S3 for 300 dollars and a few hours.

[cshocker]

I made this exact switch except I went from a 2010 S4 (B8) to the PFL 2016 S3.

I was guilted into the S4 at 1st so I was never in love with the car. It was too big for me and my needs and my driving style. Yes the power is really good and it does really well with mods, but it didn't handle well and I felt every once of its weight on track the 1 time I went.
Mine had a Stage 1 ECU and TCU tune from APR, an intake, a miltek Cat-Back, macan calipers with slotted rotors and EBC yellows and Motul fluid. The exhaust was so quiet it wasn't worth it, the tune made a big difference, the TCU tune was less so. The intake made good noises but thats it. The interior is nice and the seats are great. It fit my dog better (55lb doodle) but thats where the good ends. All in all its truly a heavy pig. I got ride of it because the B8s had significant DSG issues and I had all of them to the tune of over 6k dropped into the trans. I got ride of it not long after my 2nd trans issue (mech unit) and never looked back. It didnt help that I wanted the S3 originally and this was just a stop gap that lasted shorter than I expected.

Now the S3...
I have a lot of posts about a lot of crap on here, so read through the threads I have OP'd for part reviews and other comments and issues.
Now, my motor in my S3 did blow up and I did have to get a new motor. Call it unlucky, call it me being an idiot, call it "pay to play" whatever. Either way, the stage 1 tune from IE did not help and u can see a bunch of their tunes are causing issues on a few platforms right now so whatever mix of bs plus the tune ended in a worthless lump that needed replacement, shills will shill. Anyways, I put a new motor in it with some small upgrades like the B9 2.0t PCV valve, a Radium Catch-Can and literally everything besides the engine mounts is new. Like literally everything, wiring harness, entire fuel system... etc. It was not cheap... but here is the difference between the S3 and S4. When the S4 blew up (trans) I was mad and ready to kick the car and send it off with a grenade if I could. When the S3 blew up I was sad because I love the car so much.

The S3 is everything the s4 is not. Its much lighter on its feet, so much so that the back end is a little lighter than I'd like from the factory but a sway bar and MSS springs solved that immediately and gave me significantly more confidence in long higher speed sweeping turns. The engine is as fast, not because of power, but because its around 6-800lbs lighter than the S4. So, the 3x hp bump factory is neglible and once both are tuned they make about the same power but one ways significantly less. Once your above stage 2 its all over the place, but since the S3 is turbo from the factory, it makes it much easier to do a bigger turbo.

Comparo:

Engine: its really a draw. Its the best part of both cars for different reasons. It will be debated till the cows come home, but Id prefer the 2.0t. No one can truly build it yet without issues, but that will come. The 3.0t is not a T, its an S for the car you have currently. The s is good but has issues like the phantom coolant issue which is the coolant filled heat exchangers within the SC actually leaking among other things. The 2.0t is much easier to work on and doesn't have fucking stupidly designed parts like the 3.0t motor. Both will make good power with basic bolt-ons so its really about what you want.

Chassis/suspension: S3 all day. No comparison what so ever. Its lighter, more nimble, and with light mods handles way better than the S4 ever could. Its due to a lot of things within the chassis which culminates in something superior. I will say the S3 has a rather loosey goosey rear end from the factory. I think its just too stiff a spring rate and makes the car a little scary in high speed turns... but springs and a sway remedied that and made it very very good overall. The S4 always felt like it was fighting itself to turn. It wanted to understeer around any turn that wasn't taken at the speed limit. I honestly hated the way the S4 drove. It was comfy for sure, but it hardly was sporty in its driving characteristics.

Exterior: This is all subjective, but I think the PFL is the best looking 8v,8v.5,8y including the RS models. I felt the S4 was bland. The facelift helped but not enough.

Interior: S3 is not as nice but its tech is better but thats just because its newer. I also love the pop out screen verse the screen thats always there. Neither of mine had car play but I can add that to the S3 for 300 dollars and a few hours.

Man that's awesome! Love the input, much appreciated. I completely get what you mean by "light it's feet". It's what I was looking for with this possible change.

Don't get wrong, I will miss my stage 2 DP that pulls hard. But 90% of driving is to and from work. 12 miles of residential streets and stop lights. I want something "lighter". Looking forward to see what I can find. And should find out if my S4 is heading out of state to its new home today.

[Kei_Loper]

I made the 'exact' move just 2 days ago. I traded in my B8.5 S5 (same car with less room than the S4 lol) to move to a 2019 S3 instead. I did it for the much more lively smaller lighter car. The fuel economy was a nice perk when looking at it since I averaged 21mpg in my S5 (stage 2 manual car). The S5 was quieter by a good bit and I'll miss that along with the instant and large wall of torque it had. The S3 is quiet enough to still be happy with of course, but you'll likely notice it at first introduction since it might be quite noticeable depending on your S4 mods. My S5 had the stock exhaust on it as does the S3.

The S5 handled well but I'm used to cars that weigh very little (sub 3k pounds all the way down to 2200 pounds) so the weight was ALWAYS noticeable and it wasn't a very lively car, more like a brute that punishes the road to it's will. That was phenomenal for highway drives, but not that exciting for curvy roads that aren't sweepers. The S3 is MUCH more fun to drive even though it's not a manual, it turns in far more quickly, changes direction quicker, and in general is just more exciting on a curvy road while still being good on the highway.

Fuel economy is laughably better than the S5 was, but it won't be as good as my old mk7 GTi's were because the S3 is heavier and probably less aerodynamic, but it's still very good.

If tech matters to you then it's not even a fair comparison between the B8.5 and the S3 (depending on the year and trim of the S3). Mine has the digital cockpit and all that wizardry.

I strangely prefer the seats in my S3 to the sports seats in my S5. I have the quilted nappa leather seats in the S3 and they're very comfy even though the adjustment is manual (besides lumbar) and they don't go AS low as the S5 did. I miss memory seats haha.

I have more fun getting on it in the S3 since it's stock and I can get on it a whole lot more often without risking nearly as much as you do in a stage two S5/S4.

If you NEEEEEEEEEED a huge trunk or big backseats then the S3 is the wrong car for you and maybe look at the Golf R if you still want the size, weight, and fun of the car. I clearly didn't need it since I had an S5 and an NC Miata as a combo haha. (Miata is still here)

Feel free to ask me any questions you might have.

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[cshocker]

I made the 'exact' move just 2 days ago. I traded in my B8.5 S5 (same car with less room than the S4 lol) to move to a 2019 S3 instead. I did it for the much more lively smaller lighter car. The fuel economy was a nice perk when looking at it since I averaged 21mpg in my S5 (stage 2 manual car). The S5 was quieter by a good bit and I'll miss that along with the instant and large wall of torque it had. The S3 is quiet enough to still be happy with of course, but you'll likely notice it at first introduction since it might be quite noticeable depending on your S4 mods. My S5 had the stock exhaust on it as does the S3.

The S5 handled well but I'm used to cars that weigh very little (sub 3k pounds all the way down to 2200 pounds) so the weight was ALWAYS noticeable and it wasn't a very lively car, more like a brute that punishes the road to it's will. That was phenomenal for highway drives, but not that exciting for curvy roads that aren't sweepers. The S3 is MUCH more fun to drive even though it's not a manual, it turns in far more quickly, changes direction quicker, and in general is just more exciting on a curvy road while still being good on the highway.

Fuel economy is laughably better than the S5 was, but it won't be as good as my old mk7 GTi's were because the S3 is heavier and probably less aerodynamic, but it's still very good.

If tech matters to you then it's not even a fair comparison between the B8.5 and the S3 (depending on the year and trim of the S3). Mine has the digital cockpit and all that wizardry.

I strangely prefer the seats in my S3 to the sports seats in my S5. I have the quilted nappa leather seats in the S3 and they're very comfy even though the adjustment is manual (besides lumbar) and they don't go AS low as the S5 did. I miss memory seats haha.

I have more fun getting on it in the S3 since it's stock and I can get on it a whole lot more often without risking nearly as much as you do in a stage two S5/S4.

If you NEEEEEEEEEED a huge trunk or big backseats then the S3 is the wrong car for you and maybe look at the Golf R if you still want the size, weight, and fun of the car. I clearly didn't need it since I had an S5 and an NC Miata as a combo haha. (Miata is still here)

Feel free to ask me any questions you might have.

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That’s awesome, thanks.

Yeah my S4 was getting about 17mpg, so that will be nice to bump a bit. I also had full AWE touring exhaust and looking forward to a quiet ride. Although that one thing I think Audi lacks in road noise reduction in their cars and SUV’s.

Trunk space will only be for a sub or two. So no worries there. Most of my driving is stop lights and residential, so I think this new platform will be great.

Now I’m debating on A3 vs S3. I’m pretty set on S3…I think, for now, maybe, not sure..

I love the looks of a stock S. Of course I want more power stock. The one good thing is I am not in a hurry to buy. I have some time to shop.

[DominicDNO]

I have a 2015 A3 2.0T quattro. It's APR stage 2 with FBO. 0-80mph there's not much that can hang on the street unless it's over 50k or modified. For comparison I've owned a 700whp (built motor, full suspension, etc.) 6 speed C5 corvette. I would miss my A3 more than I miss the corvette if I didn't have it. It sucked to get in and out of. Doors were too big and had to be careful opening them in parking lots. 0-80 mph this little car is a weapon. The corvette would embarrass it at speeds over 100mph but if you're not going to a track who cares? The A3/S3 represent an incredible value. They're mostly reliable. Modifications aren't too expensive. They're comfortable. They strike a great balance between every day grocery getter and race car. They're not race cars but if your plan is to drive on the street you'd be hard pressed to find a better balanced quick car for less than $50,000. Get the S3 and you'll be back in here talking about how awesome it is.

[cshocker]

I have a 2015 A3 2.0T quattro. It's APR stage 2 with FBO. 0-80mph there's not much that can hang on the street unless it's over 50k or modified. For comparison I've owned a 700whp (built motor, full suspension, etc.) 6 speed C5 corvette. I would miss my A3 more than I miss the corvette if I didn't have it. It sucked to get in and out of. Doors were too big and had to be careful opening them in parking lots. 0-80 mph this little car is a weapon. The corvette would embarrass it at speeds over 100mph but if you're not going to a track who cares? The A3/S3 represent an incredible value. They're mostly reliable. Modifications aren't too expensive. They're comfortable. They strike a great balance between every day grocery getter and race car. They're not race cars but if your plan is to drive on the street you'd be hard pressed to find a better balanced quick car for less than $50,000. Get the S3 and you'll be back in here talking about how awesome it is.

Perfect!

And yes, I don’t really care about over 80mph. I want 0-60 or 0-80 as fast as I can and smoke most cars on the street. Like those f ing SRT’s and shix that everyone around here rolls around in

[Kei_Loper]

That’s awesome, thanks.

Yeah my S4 was getting about 17mpg, so that will be nice to bump a bit. I also had full AWE touring exhaust and looking forward to a quiet ride. Although that one thing I think Audi lacks in road noise reduction in their cars and SUV’s.

Trunk space will only be for a sub or two. So no worries there. Most of my driving is stop lights and residential, so I think this new platform will be great.

Now I’m debating on A3 vs S3. I’m pretty set on S3…I think, for now, maybe, not sure..

I love the looks of a stock S. Of course I want more power stock. The one good thing is I am not in a hurry to buy. I have some time to shop.

Haha I usually averaged between 18 and 21mpg in my S5, best tank ever was an incredible....22mpg haha. If I did a really long highway drive I could probably get around 24mpg.

The A3/S3 really depends on the specific cars I think. I was tempted very hard by a brand new 2020 A3 (red with brown seats! I love brown seats in Audi cars lol) but I lmow it wasn't going to be the right call because it had no paddle shifters sorry that'd cost me money to mod, and most of the stuff I'd want to do would mean I'm trying to build an S3 instead of just buying one. That A3 was $39k.

There was another A3 also brand new 2020 of a higher trim level with all the options. That one would've worked EXCEPT that it was $43k which is okay except...my 2019 certified pre-owned S3 was $42k with 35k miles and I didn't even blink at the choice. It has all of the options except for radar cruise and maybe one other thing? Totally worth it with a warranty that will last me a couple more years unlimited miles.

If they didn't have that S3 (I went specifically to buy that car and my best friend was buying a 2016 A3 the same night) then I could totally sew going with the A3 with all the options, it was similar enough to the S3 minus the suspension and extra power, both of which you could solve on the aftermarket if you want it.

I have a 2015 A3 2.0T quattro. It's APR stage 2 with FBO. 0-80mph there's not much that can hang on the street unless it's over 50k or modified. For comparison I've owned a 700whp (built motor, full suspension, etc.) 6 speed C5 corvette. I would miss my A3 more than I miss the corvette if I didn't have it. It sucked to get in and out of. Doors were too big and had to be careful opening them in parking lots. 0-80 mph this little car is a weapon. The corvette would embarrass it at speeds over 100mph but if you're not going to a track who cares? The A3/S3 represent an incredible value. They're mostly reliable. Modifications aren't too expensive. They're comfortable. They strike a great balance between every day grocery getter and race car. They're not race cars but if your plan is to drive on the street you'd be hard pressed to find a better balanced quick car for less than $50,000. Get the S3 and you'll be back in here talking about how awesome it is.

Great description and I concur. I've owned some fast stuff as well and driven some 600+whp stuff, and I'd much rather be in an A3/S3 for something other than track work.

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[MetalMan]

I have a 2015 A3 2.0T quattro. It's APR stage 2 with FBO. 0-80mph there's not much that can hang on the street unless it's over 50k or modified. For comparison I've owned a 700whp (built motor, full suspension, etc.) 6 speed C5 corvette. I would miss my A3 more than I miss the corvette if I didn't have it. It sucked to get in and out of. Doors were too big and had to be careful opening them in parking lots. 0-80 mph this little car is a weapon. The corvette would embarrass it at speeds over 100mph but if you're not going to a track who cares? The A3/S3 represent an incredible value. They're mostly reliable. Modifications aren't too expensive. They're comfortable. They strike a great balance between every day grocery getter and race car. They're not race cars but if your plan is to drive on the street you'd be hard pressed to find a better balanced quick car for less than $50,000. Get the S3 and you'll be back in here talking about how awesome it is.

That's fun, I also have a 2015 A3 2.0T and 2001 C5 Z06. The Z06 is stock engine-wise and the A3 is EQT Stage 1 ECU/DSG. I daily drive both and would take the C5Z over A3, but the A3 does make for a pretty fun DD and it's gas mileage is pretty good for how quick it is/can be. I think they have similar trunk space lol.


A3 vs S3... A3 is usually substantially cheaper than S3 (i.e. when I shopped for my A3 a comparable S3 was $10-15k more). IMO you could spend the cost difference between A3/S3 on mods for an A3 and come out with a faster car. Not to mention, there's a lot you may eventually want to mod on the S3 anyways, so why pay the premium up-front?

[cshocker]

That's fun, I also have a 2015 A3 2.0T and 2001 C5 Z06. The Z06 is stock engine-wise and the A3 is EQT Stage 1 ECU/DSG. I daily drive both and would take the C5Z over A3, but the A3 does make for a pretty fun DD and it's gas mileage is pretty good for how quick it is/can be. I think they have similar trunk space lol.


A3 vs S3... A3 is usually substantially cheaper than S3 (i.e. when I shopped for my A3 a comparable S3 was $10-15k more). IMO you could spend the cost difference between A3/S3 on mods for an A3 and come out with a faster car. Not to mention, there's a lot you may eventually want to mod on the S3 anyways, so why pay the premium up-front?

Any issues with the EQT tune? I've only heard of them from one source.

So I've been looking at both. For my price range, I could get a little newer and less mileage A3 (premium plus packages only) for $3-4K less.

I've heard the A3 has different gears? Setup more for economy.

[TreizeRXH]

Any issues with the EQT tune? I've only heard of them from one source.

So I've been looking at both. For my price range, I could get a little newer and less mileage A3 (premium plus packages only) for $3-4K less.

I've heard the A3 has different gears? Setup more for economy.

Don’t buy the A3.

I never understand why people talk so much about saving a few thousand dollars so that you can mod an A3 to be slightly faster than an S3. Most of the times it is because they can’t afford the S3 originally and are too impatient to save a little longer and wait for the right deal to come along. Remember this; for the amount of money it would take to get an A3 to 370hp, you can get the S3 there in less than half that cost.

The other part to consider is, you’re already coming from an S4; what’s going to happen is you’re going to see an S3 and wish you just spent a little extra to get what you really wanted in the first place anyway.

Another aspect to think about is that an S3 will always holds more value over the long run. If you mod the crap out of an A3, you’ll be less likely to find someone wanting to buy a modded A3 and will have a harder time recouping your costs. Not to mention, the internals of the S3 are beefed up with stronger parts and alloys (almost as if the engineers knew what people were going to do with this car right from the start) and an S3 will hold up better against mods. Enthusiasts know this, which is why the S3 is so well regarded


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[letterj]

I've got to agree here; if the difference in cost is within a few grand for comparable cars, the S3 is more than worth the difference; in terms of power, parts, etc, the S3 is empirically better.

I have an A3 and am very happy with it but I do sometimes wish I looked for an S3 when I was shopping. I like keeping my car low key, stock looking, sleeper modded so the A3 works for me and I've resigned myself to the fact that this will likely be my last gas-powered car so no concern about resale value. I think the only complaint of the S3 vs A3 here is the lag, both off the line and spool time, which may be more noticeable if you're using it around town most of the time. Value aside, it really depends on your use case.

In regard to EQT, I'm currently on their '93 Stage 2 map with DSG and haven't had any issues. The DSG tune made the biggest difference to my driving experience personally but the staged tunes are also very good. The power just feels more accessible. Most of the cost would be on the Cobb AP so you do have the option to switch tunes/tuners if one doesn't fit you, but EQT is pretty well regarded on here and amongst MQB enthusiasts. Stage 1 + DSG and a rear sway bar I'd say were the most impactful to me.

[Kei_Loper]

I've got to agree here; if the difference in cost is within a few grand for comparable cars, the S3 is more than worth the difference; in terms of power, parts, etc, the S3 is empirically better.

I have an A3 and am very happy with it but I do sometimes wish I looked for an S3 when I was shopping. I like keeping my car low key, stock looking, sleeper modded so the A3 works for me and I've resigned myself to the fact that this will likely be my last gas-powered car so no concern about resale value. I think the only complaint of the S3 vs A3 here is the lag, both off the line and spool time, which may be more noticeable if you're using it around town most of the time. Value aside, it really depends on your use case.

In regard to EQT, I'm currently on their '93 Stage 2 map with DSG and haven't had any issues. The DSG tune made the biggest difference to my driving experience personally but the staged tunes are also very good. The power just feels more accessible. Most of the cost would be on the Cobb AP so you do have the option to switch tunes/tuners if one doesn't fit you, but EQT is pretty well regarded on here and amongst MQB enthusiasts. Stage 1 + DSG and a rear sway bar I'd say were the most impactful to me.

I agree that if it's within a few grand for similar mileage/condition and especially if you're going to mod it (A3) to be similar to the S3...then you should just start with the S3 as you might not need to mod it to be content and happy. I could've picked that brand new snazzy A3 with almost the same options as the S3 I ended up buying (different suspension setups of course), but I would've ended up modding it to be about what the S3 already is, and extra money than just buying the used S3 instead ($42k S3 used vs $43k A3 new). It would've still be a fantastic car for sure and I enjoy modding cars, but it just wasn't worth it to me in the long run.

Thanks for the feedback on EQT, I've only recently been hearing about them (been out of the MQB world for 3 years) and wondered who they were. Does anyone know who the actual engineer is, or if they came from another company before EQT?

I don't really have any plan to ECU tune the S3, but the TCU on the other hand I wouldn't mind getting flashed at some point to make it even more enjoyable. I've done this on a prior car and the TCU tune is absolutely worth the money even if it's the only mod on the car.

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[MetalMan]

Don’t buy the A3.

I never understand why people talk so much about saving a few thousand dollars so that you can mod an A3 to be slightly faster than an S3. Most of the times it is because they can’t afford the S3 originally and are too impatient to save a little longer and wait for the right deal to come along. Remember this; for the amount of money it would take to get an A3 to 370hp, you can get the S3 there in less than half that cost.

"Few thousand dollars"... car for car, a S3 is going to cost $10k+ over an A3. That's a bit beyond being "too impatient to save a little longer".
I honestly think I could take that $10k with an A3 and make it a superior performer vs the stock S3.

Another aspect to think about is that an S3 will always holds more value over the long run. If you mod the crap out of an A3, you’ll be less likely to find someone wanting to buy a modded A3 and will have a harder time recouping your costs. Not to mention, the internals of the S3 are beefed up with stronger parts and alloys (almost as if the engineers knew what people were going to do with this car right from the start) and an S3 will hold up better against mods. Enthusiasts know this, which is why the S3 is so well regarded

You could always part out the modded A3 prior to sale... but otherwise I agree the S3 will hold its value better.
Beyond that, I haven't seen that the A3's "inferior" internals have held it back compared to the S3. Guys who are going big whether it's A3 or S3 (or GTI / Golf R) are building their engines anyways, upgrading suspension/brakes/intercooler/exhaust. If you're upgrading all the things that make a S3 superior to an A3 (in stock forms) then why pay the S3 premium?


For what it's worth, I do understand the argument of getting the S3 over the A3 for people who aren't planning to mod beyond what the S3 is capable of. I followed this same logic when I bought my C5 Z06; could've saved $3-5k and bought a base C5 Corvette, but I wanted the better Z06 power/handling/chassis because I didn't think I would want or need more than the Z06. And for the most part, after having my C5Z for more than 3 years that's held true.