Johns999

The 1 series coupe was in the list above (135), just not sure on the looks.

I like to keep a car a bit longer than 2-3 years so reliability and service costs longer term is important.

The S3 is a group F for the vehicle excise duty, which makes it instantly at least

ADP

As if by magic the shop keeper appeared..........

Yes, I had my S3 for all of about 4 or 5 months. I tried to like it, but to be honest it was a mistake and it was just a dull, dull car.

Things I liked:

Toys - leather, aircon, heated seats, bose etc etc - it was fully loaded, great

Looks, loved the look, classy and generally good looking.

Things I didnt like.

No noise, dull, didnt feel quick, cornered very understeery, little feedback etc etc.

I was a bit gutted really, stupidly I just bought it on the strength of a few ok reviews, but I soon realised it wasnt the car for me.

Luckily I sold it and made money!

I bought an e46 M3 (2003) and I love it, EVERYTHING the S3 never was. Oh the S3 drank more fuel than the M3 too!

Get an M3 I bought mine with just being serviced, new brakes and tyres - ok I dont do many miles but it wont be costing me anything more than tax and petrol for a few years - cant say fairer than that.

moff

Johns999 is talking about the new S3 though... the old and the new car are like chalk and cheese really... except neither have any steering feel!

Johns999

Indeed I am talking about the new/current S3. It gets generally good reviews, but its an audi, so I'm not expecting much excitement from the drive.

Interestingly , I've just done a quick tot up of 'fixed' running costs per car (ie tax,insurance, average service costs), and the Z4mc costs almost twice as much per year than the s3 for me:-

z4mc -

Steve54

I drove the new S3 and the new TT not too long back. Turns out theres a 3 or 4 month wait if you order one. I was very impressed with the S3 it handled well, comfy ride wasnt to harsh and it wasnt exactly slow.

The TT felt pretty much the same only not as fast and i was driving the 3.2.

The S3 is a completely different car to the S2000, much nicer to cruse around in but not as manic or fun to rag about.

I tried to work a deal to buy an S3 they had on their forecourt to drive away and order a new TT roadster for March, but they didnt work very hard to make a deal. I got the impression they felt they didnt need to sell the cars. In the end i walked....

I still keep thinking about that S3 though, more than the TT. Might have saved me from making a mistake.

Johns999

I guess the long delivery time explains the high used prices,I dont think theres a single car on the audi website for under the list price of a new car.

If theres rumoured to be a facelift coming out next year,and theres a 3/4 month wait for a new one, it'll probably be march when the new one is released which means any orders taken now should be for the facelift model.

Steve54

Theres also a cab coming early next year.

moff

The A3 cab is truely awful to look at. I really do not know why anyone who enjoys cars would want to buy one

I recently had a TTC 3.2 for a week demo, and thought it was terrible. The steering is just too light and disconnected. Try a 350Z, that thing is amazing compared to the TT and much faster.

The TT is a great car to look at and nice interior, but IMO that's as far as it goes.

BleachS2k

Had a brief encounter with one today on the way to Bluewater..it was a white one.. really quick on straights quite close to me on the way in, but as soon as we came to the long sweeping turn to the left, i or the S out cornered him.

Point being any car with a turbo can go fast in a straight line (execpt Evos and Imprezas)...its handling that counts i suppose?

Although the S3 did look really nice in white

Nick Graves

Cannot help thinking, Golf GTi or something. Not very exciting, but a good all-rounder and far cheaper.

What's actually the point in the prunked-up version?