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Audi RS3



Sir_Dave

ClioSport Trader
Firstly, this wasn't an intentional purchase, i was perfectly happy with my green Mini and obviously Audi's are for people that like to understeer everywhere, xenons blazing. Especially the faux by faux ones with auto boxes. The Golf Gti/R however, had my interest, so i was looking at them. Alot. Unfortunately, it seemed that 99% of Golf R's were lease-spec poverty things without leather, so the ones with decent nav/speakers/leather/DSG were all rare/rather expensive and the VW dealers that i visited/spoke to also appeared rather inept. With that in mind, I was essentially getting nowhere quickly. Hell i hadn't even test driven one ...

Then a business associate (not @Waitey, although he did try & flog me his, a lot) asked me if i wanted his RS3 as he was only going to trade it in with Audi anyways ... a quick play on the Barclays app, a loan extension to near Greek levels of debt & i agreed to pick the car up last Thursday. Oops.

He wasn't that into cars, so was unsure on the exact spec, but from what i gather from poking around the car it has the following:
Technology Pack with Audi Connect, Comfort & Sound Pack, Magnetic Ride, Audi Phone Box, Lunar Silver Supersport Seats, Extended Mono Purr trims, Folding Mirrors, Extended Matt Exterior, Titanium Wheels (wider fronts) & Mythos Black paint.

He got it serviced (£380 for an oil change & an "inspection") & put 2 Pirellis on before i collected it - although unfortunately Kwik Fit being Kwik Fit, they've rotated the wider front wheels to the rear 😂 They also put the two other directional Pirellis on the wrong way round last November, so they are pretty much knackered after only 3k miles. Muppets. So im currently unsure whether to buy two more Pirellis (£400), or four Pilot 4S (£800), then sell the Pirellis he just had fitted ... as its on 36k miles, it also needs spark plugs & s-tronic oil change in 2k miles (£400).

Since Thursday, ive done 1k miles in it and my initial impressions are as follows:
The technology, interior quality & engine are utterly epic. The noise (despite not having a sports exhaust) is also rather amusing for something that is currently as the manufacturer intended. The gearbox is very good most of the time, albeit a little keen to get into 7th at 30 mph, start stop works quite well, but i still hate the car going from silent>noisy, silent>noisy every time i stop in a traffic jam. Speed wise, it doesn't feel that quick when you are accelerating (but it is), with no massive "WTF" kick in the back of the head, but if you are rolling at say 50 mph & hoof it so it kicks down, bugger me its swift. Cross country pace, considering it rained all the way home to Cornwall and all the way back, is umm, quick. It weighs as much as a small house, so even in the wet, it feels very planted on the road. The steering is light, but i don't find myself instantly thinking "god this is awful" like i did in the M135i. Although perhaps that is because i expected far more from the BMW, i expect the Audi to be, well Audi like.

Some poor pictures, its filthy already. Black ftl.
IMG_4399_zpswwcfqwsl.jpg

IMG_4400_zpsxuwlsb5z.jpg

IMG_4295_zpswrajc5ui.jpg

Parking like an Audi driver, next to the car that i also part own, but never see as Sarah has it all the time 😂
IMG_4409_zpsczhgawpl.jpg


I'll update this as & when, but initial impressions are very good if i'm entirely honest, it feels like the car that my beloved R32 would have developed into over the years if VW hadn't gone for 4 cylinder only :up:
 

Waitey

ClioSport Club Member
  Alpina D3, AC Cobra
If its got Mag it should have the sports exhaust. Take a photo of under it.
 

Scrooge

ClioSport Moderator
  E55 AMG
Awesome choice! Though can't help but think you won't keep it long because the steering and faux by faux
 

massiveCoRbyn

ClioSport Club Member
  Several
I'd really like to drive one of these. Can't imagine it's the most engaging thing ever, but probably overcome by the five cylinder-ness of the engine. Not so sure on the quilted leather on the seats myself though.
 

Daniel

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
I love them on paper but a good mate had one, we even did a track day or two in it, and it's very soulless.
I'd class it as a fast commuting car. Which I expect what you're using it for is perfect!

Get some leather guard on those seats ASAP. They will be the colour of your suit within a week otherwise!
 

Sir_Dave

ClioSport Trader
I love them/it but it isn't a car I'd see you buying. (not that I know you lol)
I know exactly what you mean, but i guess i fancied something a little more "adult" & comfortable for my 1 hour morning traffic jam commute, hence i was looking at DSG Golf's initially. Being brutally honest, i only bought it because i've (hopefully) bought it at a price whereby it wont lose any money for a while.
I love them on paper but a good mate had one, we even did a track day or two in it, and it's very soulless. I'd class it as a fast commuting car. Which I expect what you're using it for is perfect!
Get some leather guard on those seats ASAP. They will be the colour of your suit within a week otherwise!
Yes, i cant imagine it would be any fun on track, even in the couple of days ive had it, its obvious that its very very quick, but in a more "travelling from A to B very quickly", rather than "travelling from A to B, via C, D & E with a massive grin on your face" like perhaps an M3. On the flipside, because of the boost, this can be quite amusing/fun at lower speeds compared to the e90, which only really properly woke up at 6k+ rpm. In the dry.

@Daniel Re: the seats, he had dogs/went shooting/lived on a farm, so the seats are very much in need of a clean anyways.
Any recommendation on leather guard?
I'd really like to drive one of these. Can't imagine it's the most engaging thing ever, but probably overcome by the five cylinder-ness of the engine. Not so sure on the quilted leather on the seats myself though.
Yeah, the noise really helps. Feels like im Walter Rohl hooning through a rally stage in 1985 😌
 

massiveCoRbyn

ClioSport Club Member
  Several
I love them on paper but a good mate had one, we even did a track day or two in it, and it's very soulless.
I'd class it as a fast commuting car. Which I expect what you're using it for is perfect!

I think that's the case with most of the 4WD hot hatches really. My Golf is not very engaging at all, even the super-duper Focus RS still feels a bit fake somehow. They're all very good road cars though, which is what people want I suppose.
 
Bloody Kwik-Fit. Utter morons.

Does look pretty good in Black. There's a Nardo Grey ? One near me with the Sports Exhaust, he always seems to speed up when he goes past my house, which I don't mind as it sounds epic [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
@ForceIndia I might just put R888's on the front, Wanli's on the back, instant oversteer despite Audi.
Also, if you like our collection, I have a number of mini's you can purchase if you would like :tonguewink:😂


Are you going to be a standard audi driver, and insist on using launch control between traffic lights in city centres?

They are nice dailies, I've got the pheads review on the saloon up at the moment. Viper Green looks great.
 
  Countryman JCW
Nice purchase... this was on my radar along with a focus RS as my next car after the golf. Its a shame you haven't driven a mk 7 Golf R, would have been interesting to see your comparison. I'm guessing its probably the exact same, but with a much much better sounding engine!!!

Enjoy mate
 

The Chubby Pirate

ClioSport Club Member
  Golf R
I'm apocalyptically jealous.

I'm reliably informed that the engines can take well over 600bhp with not a lot of drama!
 

Marc.

ClioSport Club Member
Nice, I'd love an RS version of my saloon :(

Does it not have Drive Select, that should firm up the steering?
 

Daniel

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
@Daniel Re: the seats, he had dogs/went shooting/lived on a farm, so the seats are very much in need of a clean anyways.
Any recommendation on leather guard?

LTT leather care, Judy Bass.

Chuck that in to google and bask in all her Leather care Glory.
 

Gally

Formerly Mashed up egg in a cup
ClioSport Club Member
Nice Dave. Not something I expected you in to everyone fair. Who doesn't love that 5 pot!
 
  Peugeot 308
No more R56 MINI fwend.. :anguished: R53 staying though, right?

I must admit, I've been taking a look at Golf R's lately and completely agree with your summary of them - I'd seen one at a VW dealer as I was driving past. Rightly so, I turned round to have a closer look;

Lapiz Blue - Check.
19's - Check.
Manual - Erm..
Cloth - Oh..
 

Niall

ClioSport Club Member
@Irfan came on our NW drive in his the other week, really similar spec. Sounded absolutely incredible, no idea if the standard exhaust is much tamer, but still, lovely bit of kit!

Much classier than the two a penny Golf Rs.
 

Sir_Dave

ClioSport Trader
Awesome purcahse mate. Would love an rs3. Going to track it?
No chance lol. I cant imagine even PS4S' can stop 1750 kgs of Audi understeering through a corner at 130 😂 With our wedding next year & pre-booked holidays, i actually have no holiday available for 2017-18 anyways lol, so after the day at Goodwood on the bank holiday, i cant imagine ill be doing any track days for a while anyways!!
Are you going to be a standard audi driver, and insist on using launch control between traffic lights in city centres?
Of course. Thats what its for right?
Nice collection of cars now!
Thanks 😌
I'm guessing its probably the exact same, but with a much much better sounding engine!!
Id imagine so, although i'm sure a "road tester" would notice the incredibly minor difference in steering wheel at 9.8/10's, whilst turning into paddock hill bend on a Tuesday morning in 22 degrees C. From my perspective, the RS3 probably wont be a massively long-term thing (they never are for me lol), but it'll give a good idea as to what a JB1'd Mk7 Golf Gti/R would be like ...
I'm apocalyptically jealous.
I'm reliably informed that the engines can take well over 600bhp with not a lot of drama!
Ha ha, thanks Danny!!
600bhp would be ridiculous :laughing: just a new turbo & some boost i think?
Nice, I'd love an RS version of my saloon 😧
Does it not have Drive Select, that should firm up the steering?
I think the saloon is a better looking car tbh, the S3 version is :hearteyes:
But yeah, Drive Select has comfort>auto>dynamic which makes the steering (amongst) other things, much stiffer.
LTT leather care, Judy Bass.
Chuck that in to google and bask in all her Leather care Glory.
:up:
I give it 6 months.
Probably! Why change the 6 month habit of a lifetime :tonguewink:
3/12 MAX then hes in an E46, proven by some spreadsheet that second hand cars under 10k are actually cheaper to run than leased cars.
No chance lol. Ive had more than enough e46's now 😂
No more R56 MINI fwend.. :anguished: R53 staying though, right?
I must admit, I've been taking a look at Golf R's lately and completely agree with your summary of them
I know & just after you bought one as well 😂 The R53 will be staying for the time being, but as said above, it really does depend on when im likely to do a track day again!! It might be that i remove all the "expensive" parts and put it in mum & dad garage for future use, having to tax/insure it up here is a bit of a pain really. Re: the Golf, i reckon i was looking at about £24k for 5 dr Golf R with 19's, leather, DGS & sub 30k miles, the sub 20k ones are all very basic spec, which whilst its not stingy, isnt really wanted i wanted to spend so much money on!
Damn that's a nice 2 car garage!
There was only going to be so many times he could get out of a Porsche and into a Mini lol
Thanks!
You're not wrong though, the tech in the Porsche did make the Mini feel stone age! Mind you, slightly different price bracket ...
You bought Black... Are you insane?
Yes, its not exactly staying clean very well, but then again, I wasn't going to pay an extra £6k just to get a blue one, not matter how nice they are 😂
 


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