lamboworld

What should we know before buying?

This car would be my wife's DD and be use primarily commuting 55 miles a day. She currently drives a NB Miata and is ready for something different. We have looked at a lot of cars and keep coming back to the Audi A3 and S3.


I have owned a handful of BMW's E46M3, 135i, Z435i. My current commute car is a MKV Jetta TDI and my track/fast car is a highly modded 2011 C6 Z06. We also own a WK Jeep GC.

As you can see we like cars and we think that the A3 or S3 would be a good fit, but I am here to get some expert opinions about what you like/dislike and what we should look out for before buying.

markN1689

if you are car people and like faster cars then get the s3 for sure

carman63

We have both here, both 2017 models purchased about 3 weeks apart at the end of 2016. My wife's DD is an A3 and mine is an S3. They happen to be optioned about as close to each other as possible (Premium Plus w/ tech, etc). So far the biggest differences:

Noise - I have the resonator delete option, and it's noticeably louder than hers (inside, especially).

Gas mileage - we both drive 50-60 miles a day average, mostly highway (5 traffic lights each). Surprisingly, we're averaging the same MPG-wise (25mpg). I'm a bit more, shall we say, judicious with the use of the go-fast pedal. On paper the A3 should be pulling in 2-3mpg more.

Comfort - she has the Sport package, which includes the seats that are (I think) standard seats in mine. I also have upgraded sport seats, which are one piece through the headrest (vs a separate adjustable headrest in the standard seats). Hers are power adjustable, mine are manual. I don't feel a big difference personally between them. Mine so sit lower than hers, but that's about it.
She also has the Sport suspension, and I have Magnetic ride. Neither of us have complaints about the ride. We haven't had a chance to really test the handling, as we both took delivery just as winter was hitting, and I swapped my summer wheels/tires for a winter set. Hers came with A/S tires.

Pretty much everything else is the same. Although my wife likes the combined tach/speedo display I get on my Virtual Cockpit better than her side-by-side tach and speedo, mainly because I can show much more info/data on the display. That's her only gripe thus far.

Out the door price for both of us, including tags, taxes, etc were about $6500-$7K apart, I think. Is the S3 worth that much more? Only you and your wife can decide that. Personally I think I'd be happy with either one as a DD, but I don't regret spending the extra money for the S3. My wife loves her A3. Either one will be a big change - and adjustment - from a Miata. Size, handling, creature comforts, etc.

Good luck with your decision, come back and let us know what she ends up getting.

lamboworld

This is exactly what I was looking for. We are leaning toward the S3 and it is good to hear that your MPG has been pretty good. I have a good friend that is in the auto business and I plan to have him buy whatever we find at the Manheim auction.

3 of our 4 cars are manuals and it is disappointing to us that most companies are going away from manual transmissions. How is the tranny in the S3?

carman63

I personally don't mind the DSG/dual-clutch transmissions at all. I went from a manual Golf R to an automatic BMW a few years ago, because my clutch knee was starting to protest my commute (24 traffic lights, at the time). I've had a GTI with a DSG and paddles, and loved it. I don't mind rowing my own, but I also don't mind being able to up- and downshift without taking my hands off the steering wheel - whether that's at a track, or the twisty back roads. User preference?

farmerjones

Or you could by a A3, spent $600 on an APR ECM tune and have 90% the performance of the S3 for 10% of the cost. It's a heck of a way to save a lot of money. The added "S" features just don't seem to be enough to justify such a huge price jump. Make sure you check out the interior quality of the A3 (as compared to a A4) and make sure you are happy with the level of quality. It seems very obvious a lot of "Jetta" trim/quality is in the A3 and didn't meet my level of expectation for the interior quality Audi is known for. The new A4 was head and shoulders above in quality, and with it's newer engine (compared to A3) seems like farm more bang for the buck.

arU4ic

This was a deal breaker for me until I drove the S3 - the quick shifting is addictive - I was one of "those people" that never would consider anything but a manual - not sure I really want to go back to a manual stick again. I'm embarrassed to admit that 'publicly', but you should know it can happen to you too.

(and I shift all-day every day - I rarely put it into D (auto shifting))

gamegenie

Audi included headlamp washers on the S3 and either forgot to include them or where really cutting to get the A3 at it's initial $29,900 price tag back in 2014, versus the S3's $41,000.

Every time winter comes and temperature drops below freezing and the roadways are dry and salty and my car gets coated with road/salt residue. I wish my A3 head headlamp washers that could wash the headlights.

VipinLJ

You should buy the S3 for your wife. She'll love it. And maybe she'll let you drive it around too once in a while. I know you have a Z06 but still.
I've driven both. The A3 surprised me actually. It is pretty peppy. But the S3 blew me away. So much better than the A3. Plus you can tune it and easily make it an early 4/ sub-4 s car if you so desire.

mroberte

Get the S3, but CPO if you aren't planning on leasing. I bought a CPO 2.0T quattro and love the car after modding (I got a premium and needed a car asap). I'm now faster than most S3's, however only spent about $38k total (stage 2) instead of roughly $45k for comparable S3.

If you get the A3, also get a CPO along with a jb4 and that will make the car as fast as a S3 without the extra $7K price tag.

If you plan on keeping the car stock, and use it as a fun dd, I'd save money and get the A3 premium plus with sport package as it is easy to find good deals on them CPO. Make sure they include Audicare with the sale too.